Harry Potter Harry Potter and Childish Things

[crazyfoxdemon]

Well, if the boss is superstitious this could come back. Clearly Hermione is contagious.

Why? This is magic? It clearly jumped from Hermione to the healer.. They might quarantine the healer for that purpose though..

 

[zerohour]

Here's another chapter, which ended up surprisingly Rex Free. Let me know how it turned out.


Dear Annabel,

Guess what? I made a new friend here! You know the girl Rex kidnapped a couple of weeks ago? Anyways, she's pretty nice. A bit bossy, and always insisting we get our homework done, but nice. Rex found some sort of three headed dog, and decided to train it, so we haven't done much exploring lately while he ôteaching him the basicsö so I've been stuck catching up on all the work I've been missing. Hopefully, I'll get it all done quickly, so we can have fun during Christmas break.

Anyways, it's nearly lunch time now, so I have to get going. Say hi to your family for me!

Your friend,
Harry

Harry passed his letter to the waiting Hedwig, before hurrying out of the dorms towards the Great Hall. He exchanged idle chit chat with numerous other Hufflepuffs on the way, though the rumbling in his stomach kept him from getting caught up in any one conversation.

Finally, he arrived in the bustling Great Hall, and struggled to find an open seat in the boisterous crowd. He was fortunate as several students stood up at that exact moment, leaving a rather large area open for him to steal a seat.

Hungrily, he reached out and grabbed whatever food was close at hand. As his hunger was ated, he slowly became aware of the chatter around him.

ôSo where are all those blokes going?ö

ôQuidditch trials.ö

ôDidn't those happen at the start of the year?ö

ôThat was for the first string. This is for the second string and backup team.ö

ôWhy bother with that?ö

ôWe're Hufflepuffs. If people want to play, why not let them? Also, it's a lot better to practice playing against another team then just running formations and drills.ö

ôTrue enough I guess. So about that potions essay...ö

Harry tuned out the conversation as it took a more amorous turn, and considered. He hadn't really had a chance to explore the Quidditch sport, his early month too busy with adjusting to a new school, and more importantly, keeping Rex out of trouble. But with Rex occupied, maybe he could see what all the fuss was about.

ôHey Earnie, are you going to the Quidditch try outs?ö

ôYep, me, Justin, Hannah and a few others are going to watch. You coming with?ö

ôSure, just give me a few minutes, alright? I'll meet you there!ö Harry replied, waving off his classmate. He looked around the hall, before spotting an increasingly familiar bushy head of hair.

ôHey, Hermione!ö

He was unsurprised to see her buried in a stack of books, even as she absently ate her meal.

ôAh! Harry! Don't scare me like that!ö she exclaimed, glaring at the dark haired boy.

ôSorry, sorry. I tried talking, but you didn't seem to hear me.ö

Hermione flushed, ôWell, it was a fascinating read, about how to substitute common kitchen ingredients into potions. What was it that you needed Harry?ö

ôWell the Hufflepuffs are having Quidditch tryouts today, and I know we were going to the library, but I was thinking we could go to the Quidditch Field for a bit instead.ö

ôBut what about our homework? Christmas Holidays are right around the corner and if we aren't well ahead in our classes we won't be able to relax!ö

ôCome on, spending a little time away from the library won't set us back too much, right?ö

ôI don't know...ö

ôWhat's the worst that can happen?ö

ô..alright fine, but we're only going for a bit, and we're brining the homework for Charms class, alright?ö

HPaCT


Harry had quickly adapted to having Hermione in his life, but the process was by no means an easy one. For one, regardless of how terrifying she found Rex, she was a dedicated book worm, and had no qualms about pestering him to study. Granted, he generally went along with it, partially because Hufflepuffs were known for their dedication to all things, studying included, but mainly because he was beginning to get attached to her.

Rex was a large reason for this. It was nice to be able to talk about him with someone at school, who wouldn't think he was crazy. Sure, he could probably introduce a few of his housemates, like Earnie and Susan to Rex, but given the past reactions of people, he didn't see it ending too well.
Still, he wished they wouldn't have to spend so much time studying. He was just glad he managed to convince her that studying outside was a good idea. It was a rare day in November that the weather wasn't absolutely frigid, and Hermione had learned a spell to make blue flames in a jar to fend off the worst of it, but even if it was freezing and there was no fire available, he still would have insisted.

There was Quidditch practice after all.

Harry was still surprised that wizards and witches actually flew around on broomsticks, and even more so when he learned they played sports upon them. He had missed the flying lesson offered to first years because Rex was being difficult, but managed to get a seat for the first hufflepuff game, and was hooked from the start. Watching the chasers and beaters clash all over the field, tossing the Quaffle and dodging bludgers was more entertaining than any soccer game he had seen, and though Annabel would hit him for thinking it, it blew baseball completely out of the water.
He felt a bit sorry for the Keeper and Seeker though. The Keeper only got to act when the other team had the ball, and the Seeker only had a few moments of furious activity before the game ended, one way or another.

"Harry! Pay attention!" Hermione demanded, forcing Harry's attention away from the circling flyers, and back to the books before them.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just hard to look away, you know?"

Hermione sighed, "I suppose... to be honest, I was rather looking forward to flying on a broom just like the witches I read about when I was little. I actually started crying when I found out first years couldn't have brooms."

"There's always next year, right?"

"I suppose, but given what happened to Neville, I'm not sure if I'd want to... I think I'd just worry about falling when I was a thousand feet in the air and having my brains splattered all over the countryside."

Harry winced, "I suppose that would be a bit scary to think about..."

"Still, maybe I could get a practice broom or something. Or just flew low until I got the hang of it. I've been reading up on stickign charms as well, and if I used one of those then I wouldn;t have to worry about falling."

"Hermione!" Harry interrupted, enjoying that he was the one getting her head out of the clouds for once, "weren't we going to write our History of Magic Essays?"

Hermione blushed lightly, before reprimanding him, "You know you'll just be watching the Quidditch team in five minutes!"

"So we should probably get it done before that happens then, don't you think?" harry teased her, earnign a slap on the shoulder.

"You can be such a prat sometimes Harry Potter." Hermione said, though she was smiling, "how about we just watch the end of practice, then write our essays after dinner?"

"That sounds good to me.

ôSo are you enjoying the game? Hannah asked as she warmed her hands by the sapphire flames.

ôI suppose... I never really watched sports before. I was always in the library.ö

ôI'll be honest, I'm not that much of a Quidditch fan either, but it's nice to spend time with friends, right?ö

A slight smile crossed Hermione's face, ôYeah, it is kind of nice.ö

ôSo what are you doing after this?ö

ôWe're studying. I want to get it all done before the holidays.ö

ôYou too? I hate working through the holidays, but I never can get myself to get it done before we leave, too much to do usually. Do you mind if I join you and Harry sometime?ö

ôEr... that would be nice.ö

HPaCT

ôSee, that wasn't so bad, now was it?ö

ôIt was... niceö Hermione admitted, ôthough I think you had a lot more fun than I did.ö

ôI guess I did. I might even try out for the Quidditch team next year.ö

ôOh? What position?ö

ôI'm not sure,ö Harry answered, as he turned a page ôI think Chaser looks like a lot of fun. You're always in the action, and working together with your teammates. I wish first years could try out, even if it's only for the backup team.ö

ôWell, there's always next year Harry. I'm sure you'll be a fine flyer, even if you did miss the lesson.ö

ôYeah, Rex was making trouble that day, so I missed it. He was it?ö

ôHonestly, a bit terrifying. Neville, one of my housemates, broke his arm the moment we started. After that I was a bit too worried to float more than a few feet above the ground.ö

ôWho taught it again? I was wondering if I could get a make up lesson.ö

ôMadame Hooch. She's really good at teaching.ö

ôWant to come with?ö

ôI... don't think so. Maybe next year once I'm more used to these sorts of things, and buy a better broom than they have here. That's wrong by the way Harry.ö Hermione said, absently pointing out a minor error on his paper.

ôHuh, my mistake. So the brooms are that bad?ö

Hermione shuddered ôI felt like it was going to collapse out from under me. Some of them actually started dropping out of the air once or twice.ö

ôWell, I'm sure a new broom would work a lot better. Maybe you could buy one over the holidays?ö

ôProbably not until summer. It's not like I could bring it here until second year.ö

ôShould I reference Chomsky or Ralideky for the Freezing Charm?ö

ôChomsky. He spent more time researching the fine details. What did you say were the more efficient motions?ö

ôTwirl, flick and point. It's a bit faster than the other way.ö

ôThanks. You're better at the practical aspects than me.ö

ôAnytime. So what are you doing over the holidays?ö

ôWell, we'll probably spend the first week or so vacationing. Mum loves to go skiing, so we'll probably go to the continent, and then after we'll spend Christmas and New Years back in England. What about you?ö

ôI don't think we'll be going vacationing, or if we do, I'll probably be left behind. My aunt and I don't really get along.ö

ôWell, why don't you just stay here?ö

ôI promised Annie I would visit her, and she'd be really mad if I broke it.ö

ôAnnie?ö

ôA friend from back home. You should meet her some time.ö

ôWell...ö Hermione hesitated, ôI don't know if I'll be able to visit you over the holidays, but perhaps in summer? Even if we do something as a family, I'm sure there will be a few weeks free to stop by and meet her.ö

ôThat would be great! I'm sure the two of you will get along great!ö Harry smiled, and Hermione mirrored the expression, before returning to their work.

HPaCT

ôAlbus.ö McGonagall greeted the Headmaster she she entered his office.

ôMinerva, how are you today?ö

ôWell enough I suppose, though I'm still a bit concerned over Miss Granger.ö

ôI admit I have my own concerns.ö

ôYou don't really think she was using Dark Magic, do you Albus?ö

The Headmaster sighed, ôThere is no doubt in my mind that she did not. Such magic is beyond a first year, even one as intelligent as our young Miss Granger. However, Dark Magic was most certainly used. It is the only explanation I can think of.ö

ôBut who could have used it?ö

ôI suspect the one who released the Troll into Hogwarts.ö

ôWhy would they do such a thing?'

ôMost likely, it was meant to be a distraction. To keep our attention for the moment. If Miss Granger had been killed, I daresay the students, teachers, parents, the Board, even the Ministry itself would demand a full investigation, something our mysterious friend would most likely want to avoid. Saving her life was simple pragmatism on their part.ö

Minerva sighed, ôWhatever the reason, I'm glad she was saved. I would hate to lose one of my students, especially one as bright as her.ö

ôShe reminds me of you when you were a student. Always telling others how to act and what to do, though I remember you being a bit more physical about your encouragement.ö

ôAlbus!ö McGonagall blushed, before a more somber expression slid into place, ôAnd how is Severus?ö

Dumbledore sighed, ôSlightly better than before, but still unhinged. I doubt that he will ever be quite the same again.ö

ôDo you think the events are linked?ö

ôConsidering that both Severus and Miss Granger were ranting about some kind of monster? Such a thing cannot be mere coincidence. It was likely a side effect of whatever magic was used to obscure the truth. Severus' more severe reaction was undoubtedly a result of the additional power necessary to alter his mind.ö

ôSaverus was quite talented at the mental arts. If someone could overpower him, they would have to be powerful indeed.ö

ôPowerful and skilled. While Miss Granger managed to recover, it seems some of the Healers at St. Mungo's are now suffering from a similar affliction. I think it was merely transferred from her to them. Crafting a spell capable of infecting others is no mean task. I think it may be necessary to take a more active approach in the activities behind closed doors her at Hogwarts.ô

ôDo you think that is wise? It might provoke them into hiding.ö

ôIf I do nothing, it will only make them more cautious. Doing nothing will only make them think I am concealing my actions and be more cautious. I will investigate, but I fear I may be a bit too ham handed about it. I only hope our friend does not use it to their advantage.ö Dumbledore answered, a ghost a smile on his face. ôBoth of our hands are tied in this game of wits. Their attention is devoted to the puzzles of the Third Corridor, and I am not as free to act as I would like, as preventing any harm to our students is my top priority. There are a great number of unpleasant options available to our friend, and preventing him from using them will take up most of my attention.ö

ôIt doesn't sit well with me Headmaster.ö

ôNor with me Minerva, but we have no other options. Letting things play out as they will with only a light touch to steer them is the one viable choice we have.ö

ôI hope you are right Headmaster.ö

Again, Dumbledore sighed, ôAs do I Minerva, as do I.ö

 

[WizardOne]

weird characters everywhere.

 

[nick012000]

I'll point out that in Monsters and Other Childish Things, wizards don't take Scarring damage from monsters, just like kids who have a monster themselves.

 

[zerohour]

I'll point out that in Monsters and Other Childish Things, wizards don't take Scarring damage from monsters, just like kids who have a monster themselves.

My interpretation of that is the wizards from the game have specifically studied monsters and know how to handle them. HP wizards... not so much. It's the difference between a mad scientist and a regular one.

@WizardOne: Define weird characters. Typoes or strange people?

 

[Obfuscated]

I'll point out that in Monsters and Other Childish Things, wizards don't take Scarring damage from monsters, just like kids who have a monster themselves.

My interpretation of that is the wizards from the game have specifically studied monsters and know how to handle them. HP wizards... not so much. It's the difference between a mad scientist and a regular one.

@WizardOne: Define weird characters. Typoes or strange people?

Quotation marks are all messed up.

An not quite true example:

õÇceHello, how are you?aÇce

This is what the entire last story post looks like.

 

[Duraiken]

I'll point out that in Monsters and Other Childish Things, wizards don't take Scarring damage from monsters, just like kids who have a monster themselves.

My interpretation of that is the wizards from the game have specifically studied monsters and know how to handle them. HP wizards... not so much. It's the difference between a mad scientist and a regular one.

@WizardOne: Define weird characters. Typoes or strange people?

Quotation marks are all messed up.

An not quite true example:

õÇceHello, how are you?aÇce

This is what the entire last story post looks like.

Probably a text encoding problem (like unicode or US-ASCII.) I've seen it happen on Yahoo! Groups several times before, not too often on the invisionfree message boards though. I don't quite understand what causes the problems, but my limited understanding of text encoding is that what showed up in zerohour's post happens when you post in a text encoding format that the message board doesn't support or provides limited support for. I've never had it happen to me before but most people I've seen encounter seem to know in general what do about it.

 

[zerohour]

Hm... that's odd. Not the first time it's happened, but odd. I could try replacing/reposting it, but I think that same thing will happen.

Oh well, no reason not to try.

 

[Obfuscated]

Hm... that's odd. Not the first time it's happened, but odd. I could try replacing/reposting it, but I think that same thing will happen.

Oh well, no reason not to try.

It's fine now

 

[zeebee1]

ôAh! Harry! Don't scar em e like that!ö

What's wrong should be obvious. Also, you have a large chunk of text that's completely unformatted.

 

[zerohour]

And more writing! Trying to get this out in time for Halloween as well as getting it out of the way for NaNoWriMo. Not much happening in this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it.



The remaining weeks of the terms nearly flew by, as Harry and the rest of the students frantically tried to complete their classes and avoid ruining their break with homework.
Despite the hectic pace needed to get everything taken care of, Harry found himself getting side tracked far too often by Rex and his escapades. No matter how many times he told him to behave, Rex always wandered off on his own to take care of his own pet, command the elves to bring him children, and terrorizing whoever was unfortunately to be out in the hallways after dark.

It was during one of these escapades that harry ran into Hermione, as well as a far less savory student. Harry quietly made Rex shrink down, while he peered around a corner and listened in.

ôWhy, Granger! What a surprise to see you here! It's almost like you don't have any friends and spend all your time alone in the library because of it.ö The blonde spoke up, his mocking voice echoing through the empty hallways.

ôSod off Malfoy! I don't have time for your childish fun. Some of us actually study for out grades instead of having the Professor fix our work for us!ö

The mocking tone was gone, replaced with anger, ôAre you saying that I don't earn my grades? That I need help to out perform a Mudblood like you!ö

He reached into his robe, but Hermione was quicker, aiming her wand at the trio before they could pull their own.

ôDon't you dare Malfoy! I'm beating you in every class that uses a wand, so don't think you can hex me here!ö

Malfoy smirked, ôGo ahead and hex me Granger. There are three of us and only one of you. You might get me, but Crabbe and Goyle will get you.ö Hermione hesitated for a moment, giving thema chance to draw their own wands.

ôActually, it's two on three.ö Harry spoke up as he moved forward, his own wand already drawn. ôDoesn't seem right to pick on girls, don't you think?ö

"Well well boys, look who we have here. The famous Harry Potter, come down from on high to grace us with his presence." The leader, Malfoy apparently, leered at him, while his two goons followed suit. Hermione took the opportunity to move over behind Harry, and draw her wand.

"What's it to you?" Harry asked.

"Why I just wanted to have a talk with that Mudblooded girl behind you. Nothing wrong with that, is there?" Malfoy said. ôIt's not my fault if the babarian decided to draw her wand and make a figth out of it.ö

"It didn't look so friendly to me."

"Well, Potty, that's because you grew up among ignorant Muggles, and don't know that every witch and wizard has a place in our society, and Granger here just happens to be the lowest of the low. Beneath even a Squib, who should be grateful for any attention from a Pureblood like myself.

"Back off." Harry seethed, his wand trembling form the amount of force applied to it.

"Oh? And just what will you do if I don't? Crabbe and Goyle won't take too kindly to violence."

"Is that so?" Harry said, his glare not abating.

"Feel free to find our Potter, though I think I'll head back to the dorms. The air has a bit of a stink to it." Malfoy replied with a smug smirk, and a pointed look at Hermione. With a curt gesture form their leader, the trio turned and departed, leaving HArry and Hermione standing along in the hallway.

Harry didn't move for a few minutes, making sure they had really left, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, you didn't need to do that." Hermione answered, backing away from him. "I know how to handle Malfoy and his goons."

"So this has happened before!"

"Not every house is as friendly as Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor and Slytherin never got along. Malfoy likes to throw his weight around whenever he gets the chance. He's a bloody coward though. Only picks on people who can't fight back. I could have handled him myself."

ôAlright then.ö

ôBut thank you Harry.ö Hermioen smiled, ôIt means a lot to me that you would help me out, even when it wasn't your fault.ö

ôAnytime. We're friends after all right?ö

ôRight.ö Hermione replied, blushing lightly, ôWell, I'd better get back to my house. Tomorrow's another busy day.ö

Harry watched her leave, as Rex resumed his true form. Turning



ôHey Rex? Why didn't you do anything?ö

ôWHY? DID YOU WANT ME TO?ö

ôNo, but generally when someone starts messing with me or someone you like, you smash first and ask questions later, like with Snape.ö

ôWELL HARRY, THERE COMES A TIME WHEN EVERYONE GOES THROUGH THE KROMAK PHASE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS WHEN THE KROMAK AND OTHER YOUNG LEAVE THE NEST TO ESTABLISH THIER OWN TERRITORY, THEY SPEND THEIR TIME HUNTING FOR FOOD, FIGHTING WITH RIVAL KROMAKS, AND BUILDING A NEST OUT OF THE BONES OF THEIR ENEMIES TO ATTRACT A MATE.WHEN THIS STAGE IS COMPLETE, THEY ARE CONSIDERED TO BE FULLY MATURED AND READY TO LIVE ON THEIR OWN.ö

ôUh...ö

ôDURING THIS PERIOD, THE FLURGHSPAGE, OR 'AUTHORITY FIGURE' AS YOU HUMANS CALL THEM, WATCHES FROM AFAR, MAKING SURE TO KEEP PREDATORS AND THE LIKE WHILE THE YOUG KROMAK ESTABLISHES ITS PLACE IN IN THE SOCIAL STRUCTUREö

ôSo basically, I have to deal with him on my own, in order to grow up a bit?ö

ôWELL, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY, I GUESS IT WORKS...ö Rex muttered.

Harry chuckled a bit, ôThanks for explaining it to me Rex, but I don't think I'm ready to be a Kromak just yet.ö

ôDON'T WORRY. I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO BUILD A HOUSE OUT OF HIS BONES ONCE YOU KILL HIM. YOU'LL PROBABLY NEED TO KILL LIKE, FIVE OR SIX MORE, BUT AFTER THE FIRST ONE IT'S EASYö

ôI... don't think that I'm going to kill him Rex.ö

ôHM. I GUESS YOU REALLY ARE STILL JUST A LIBIGUM RIGHT NOW THEN. MAKES SENSE THAT THEY WOULD GATHER ALL YOU WIZARD TYPES UP BEFORE YOU BECOME KROMAKS SO YOU DON'T MESS UP THE REST OF THE HUMANS. WELL, WHEN YOU REACH THAT POINT, I'LL BE HERE TO OFFER YOU SOME TIPS.ö

ô...thanks?ö

ôNO PROBLEM.ö

From that point on, Harry made an effort to spend at least some of his study time with the study group, and made sure to invite Hermione whenever he could. Hermione, for her part, was grateful for the offers, as well as the opportunity to spend time with people who were actually studying, as well as having a deterrent for Malfoy.

Harry noticed Malfoy and his goons out of the corner of his eye once or twice, but the Slytherin trio seemed content to stay away from the collection of students. It reminded Harry distastefully of his cousin who relied on superior numbers to rule the playground. Maybe Annabel would have some advice on how to deal with him when he saw her over the break.

Fortunately the remainder of their time passed quickly, and all too soon Harry found himself on the Hogwarts express, chugging along back to London. Most of the time was spent talking with his housemates, exchanging promises to write over the holidays and send small gifts. Hufflepuff was one of the most sociable houses, and that extended beyond the doors of Hogwarts as well.

Upon arriving platform nine and three quarters, the more magical families departed with the quick crack of apparition, while those who lived among the muggles exited, and quickly dissapated into the crowd with their families.

Soon, the only people left were Harry and Hermione, and Harry was beginning to realize that his aunt wasn't coming to get him. It made sense, since she and Dudley were terrified about Rex, but he thought that she would have at least told him not to come, instead fo finding out after arriving.

ôIsn't your aunt coming to pick you up?ö Hermione asked as she finally spotted her parents and their car, and began waving frantically.

ôNo, I don't think she is.ö Harry said quietly, distracting Hermione form her current activity. ôIt's alright, I'll just call a friend of mine for a ride. They'll be here in an hour or so.ö

"You know, we can give you a ride Harry. It wouldn't be any trouble at all." Hermione said to her friend. ôI owe you that much at least for all the help you've given me this year.ö
"Are you sure? I can manage on my own..." Harry said.

ôI insist.ö Hermioen replied, before she seized his hand and all but dragged him to the car. Harry met the eyes of her parents embarassedly, before introducing himself.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Granger. It's nice to meet you."

"So you're Harry, the boy that my daughter has been writing home about?" Mr Granger asked, passing a critical eyes over the boy before him.

"Dear, stop that, you'll frighten the poor thing."

"Fine, fine. Now Hermione said you needed a ride?" the male Granger asked, his hawk like gaze still locked on the emerald eyed child.

"If it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all." Mrs. Granger said, elbowing her husband discreetly so he would nod in agreement. "It's not far out of our way, and we would love to hear what you and Hermione have been getting up to at Hogwarts."

The ride was fairly uneventful. Harry spent most of the time listening to Hermione and her mother talk about her experiences at school, only occasionally contributing his own responses. He noticed that Hermione made no mention of her brief stay at St. Mungo's, and made sure to avoid the subject as well. After a while, the stream of words slowed and stopped. Mrs. Granger began talking with her husband, while Hermione was content to review one of her schoolbooks.

"Do you think Aunt Petunia will mind that we came back for the holidays without telling her?" Harry asked Rex discreetly. ôI know that she didn't pick us up, but do you think she missed the letter?ö

"maybe. she knew that you'd be back for the summer, so why wouldn't she expect you over the winter?"

"I suppose..." Harry began before Hermione elbowed him.

"Harry!" she hissed, "stop talking to him in front of my parents!"

"relax squeakles. adults don't know how ot pay attention. they'll just think you guys are playing a game or something. besides, we're here already."

Harry glanced up, and they had indeed arrived at Number Four Privet Drive.

"Thank you for the ride." Harry said gratefully to the Grangers as he stepped out of the car. Hermione and her mother both smiled and waved, while Mr. Granger simply gave him the evil eye and a brief 'I've got my eye on you' gesture.

Harry walked up to the door and knocked. A woman opened the door and looked around briefly before noticing Harry. Abruptly, the blood drained from her face as she recognized her nephew.

ôH-Harry!ö Aunt Petunia exclaimed in a combination of utter shock and abject terror, not expecting to see her nephew at the door. Her eyes darted around frantically, before settling on the car in the driveway with a young girl and her parents. Falling back on years of living in polite society, she smiled and waved at them mechanically, before ushering Harry into the house. The Granger's reacted in kind, with a brief weave before getting back into their car and driving off to their own home.

Immediately, Petunia turned to look at the child who had utterly destroyed her husband, and terrified her little boy into submission. Her eyes locked with the empty, plastic gaze of his treasured stuffed dinosaur, and couldn't suppress a shudder as she recalled what Dudley had told her about it and what her husband screamed in his rare bouts of maddened consciousness.

ôHarry, it's so... wonderful, to see you!ö Petunia managed to squeak out from behind her tightly clenched jaw and forced smiled. ôI thought you would be spending the holidays at Hogwarts will all of your friends.ö

ôWell, a lot of them went home to visit their families, and I wanted to see how Annie's been doing.ö

ôof course... I had almost forgotten about your little friend here.ö Petunia practically sobbed, ôWhy don't you go say hello to Uncle Vernon? I'm sure he missed you while you were away.ö

ôAlright.ö Harry replied.

ôHe's in the living room with Dudley.ö Petunia said before running to hide in the kitchen.

ôhey kiddo.ö Rex whispered as he jumped on the unsuspecting overweight child. Dudley recognized the voice form his nightmares, and immediately began flailing around, screaming. Likewise, the machines by Uncle Vernon began to beep loudly and rapidly as his eyes began to dart around, his sightless eyes fearfully searching for the terror that would never really leave him. As Harry walked up to his uncle, Dudley managed to escape from Rex and fled up to his room, slamming and locking his door behind him.

ôHi Uncle Vernon. Aunt Petunia said that I should come in here to say hello, though I guess Dudley had something to take care of.ö Harry said, uncertain of how to deal with his near catatonic uncle. ôDo you mind if I sit down and watch the telly with you?ö

Vernon made some faint, distressed noises as Harry settled on to the couch nearby, but they went unheard by the boy due to Dudley's preferred high volume. Harry sat with his uncle for an hour or so, before his fearful aunt ventured into the room.

ôHarry! I made some dinner for you. I'm sure you were looking forward to a nice, home cooked meal, right?ö Petunia asked nervously.

ôWell, if it's not too much trouble...ö

ôNo trouble at all! Why would you think that Harry?ö Petunia said hysterically, almost unable to keep a laughed edged in madness from escaping her lips.

ôThere's only one spot.ö Harry noted as he entered the otherwise pristine kitchen.

ôDudders and I already ate, isn't that right sweetie?ö Petunia asked, to which Dudley nodded furiously in agreement.

ôWell, if you're sure...ö Harry said before sitting down to the extremely large meal.

ôDon't forget the music! Mum says that it helps digestion!ö Dudley exclaimed suddenly, rushing over to the radio and turning up to the point of near deafening. Ahrry flinched, but his relatives had disappeared before he could say anything. Shrugging, Harry turned to his plate and began to eat.

After dinner, Harry joined his uncle once again, silently watching TV. He saw almost no sign of his aunt and cousin, only the vague sound of scurrying and the occassional hushed conversation. Paying them little mind, Harry resolved to simply enjoy the show with Rex, and to empty company of his uncle.

Another hour passed before Harry noted the time, and turned the television off. The sun had set shortly before dinner, and the darkness of true darkness had fully settled. Harry ventured up the stairs to his room, and pulled out some of his school books. While he had done his best, it had proved impossible to finish all of his work with Rex's antics distracting him. He had promised Hermione that he would do at least some every day, so he opened the Standard Book of Spells and began to review the chilling charm and its most common uses for his Charms essay.

----- ----- -----


When Harry woke up, he felt that something was off. It took only a few minutes to determine what was odd about Number Four Privet Drive.

It was empty.

It seemed that over the course of the night, Aunt Petunia had managed to load up both Dudley and Vernon (an impressive feat, even with Vernon's weight loss) and taken off to parts unknown. She had at least had the courtesy to leave a brief note that they were going on a vacation, and would be back in time to drive him to the train station at the end of the holidays.

ôwhats up harry?ö

ôIt looks like we have the house to ourselves Rex.ö

ôgrEAT!!!ö Rex exclaimed as his took assumed his full size.

ôRex! Not in the house! You'll break something.ö

ôWELL, ALRIGHT. IT IS A bit cramped like that anyways.ö Rex acceded, shrinking back down to his benign form. Harry sighed in relief, making sure that he hadn't inadvertently destroyed anything important. A brief inspection showed that everything was intact, just moved around a bit. Sighing in relief, Harry began to make himself some breakfast. He noticed that the house was almost completely stocked with chips and fries and a whole assortment of junk food, probably for Dudley. Harry did the best with what was available, but the end result ended up being far to greasy for his taste, and he only managed a few bites before giving the rest to Rex.

The majority of the day was spent going through the house and getting things in order. The haste with which the Dursleys had departed left behind a massive mess, and harry would prefer not to sleep in a complete dump for the next two weeks. He managed to clean up most of it, but by the time he was done, the sun had nearly set. Harry's stomach growled at the neglect he had put it through, but he really wasn't looking forward to what was available in the house.

Before he could begin cooking, the doorbell rang, and Harry was only slightly surprised to see Annabel standing there. She was completely bundle up in heavy coats, scarves, and mittens, but her blonde hair and piercing blue eyes were more than enough for harry to identify her. She stepped into the house, unwrapped her face, and turned to face him.

ôYou haven't been eating well.ö was the first thing Annabel said to him when she saw him, eying him up and down critically, ôI bet you've been skipping meals at that school of yours.ö

ôNot on purpose! It's just that, well, Rex tends to get into trouble when I leave him alone, so sometimes I have to keep an eye on him.ö Harry admitted cautiously, ôBut I always try to grab something from the kitchens whenever I can.ö

ôNot good enough. I saw your aunt a leave early this morning, so you'll just end up eating whatever junk food is laying around. Come on, you're going to eat at my house tonight.ö Annabel commanded, seizing his hand and dragging him after her.

ôWait! Let me grab my coat at least! It's cold outside!ö

ôcan I come too?ö rex asked eagerly, almost hopping in excitement.

Annabel considered it for a moment, ô..fine, but no making trouble and no fighting with Homer, alright Rex?ö

ôyou're no fun... but fine.ö

Annabel's mom had prepared a massive meal for the three of them. While her father was at work until later in the evening, Annabel's mom shared her opinion that harry needed to eat more, and all but demanded he sit down and eat. The two children sat at the table with Annabel's mother busied herself with last minute preparations. She shared the same shocking blonde hair as her daughter, but there the similarities ended. Annabel was tomboy, but her mother preferred dresses to jeans. Annabel spoke her mind without regard for the consequences, while her mom demonstrated tact and grace. Harry idly wondered if Annabel would mature into someone similar to her mother, or would remain the same person she was now.

Further thought was cut off, as the meal was brought in, and the children dug in with a gusto, while the sole adult ate at a more sedate pace. After the first course was consumed, the children slowed their pace as well, and Annabel mother struck up a conversation.

ôSo Harry, Annabel tells me that you've been away at boarding school, how has that been for you?ö

ôEr...pretty well actually.ö Harry replied hesitantly., not sure if the Statute of Secrecy would allow him to talk about school.

ôSo what type of classes have you been taking?ö

ôEr...ö Harry stalled, trying desperately to come up with something plausible. ôThe usual classes, math, science, literature.ö

ôAny special classes?ö Annabel's mom asked.

ôWell, I am taking a Defense class...ö Harry managed to come up with, Defense Against the Dark Arts counted, right?

ôOh? Worried about bullies?ö she continued, ôDo you need Annabel to come up and teach thema lesson or two?ö

ôNo, nothing like that really, just seemed interesting is all.ö

ôMom, can we please talk about something other than school?ö Annabel almost whined, causing Harry to flash her a grateful smile.

ôOh all right, I was just curious about your little boyfriend.ö

ôGross Mom! He's not my boyfriend!ö

ôOf course he's not sweetie...ö Annabel's mom placated her irritated daughter, ôso how is your dinner Harry?ö

ôFine Ma'am, thank you for having me.ö

ôSuch a polite boy, I really wish my Annie could be a bit more like you. Sometimes I think she would be better behaved if we let her be raised by wolves.ö

ôMOM!ö Annabel exclaimed.

ôOh, you know I'm just teasing you sweetie.ö Annabel;'s mom smiled, but the twinkling in her eyes made Harry think she knew exactly what she was doing.

Dinner continued in this fashion, with Annabel's embarrassed blush deepening as the meal went on. It wasn't until dessert was served that her father came home, distracting the source of Annabel's ever growing shame, and allowing the children to escape into the back yard.

ôI'm really sorry about that.ö Annabel said as soon as they were out of sight of the house, her blush still present, ôShe's always saying things like that. I really wish she would just cut it out and leave me alone sometimes.ö

ôIt's fine.ö Harry said, ôIt seems that's what a lot of parents do. I think it means that she loves you.ö

ôWell I wish she could find a better way to do it.ö Annabel groused, ôCome on, let's get to the park before it gets any darker. Homer and Rex probably want to play, and I'd rather not blow up the neighborhood.ö

Harry smiled, ôSounds good to me.ö

 

[zeebee1]

You really need to work on being consistent with your capitalization.

 

[zerohour]

If this is about Rex's lines, it's a conscious choice. he talks in all lowercase when he's small, and all cap when he's big.

Otherwise I probably missed it in my rush to finish this in time for Halloween. I'll fix it eventually.

 

[zerohour]

And another chapter out in time for the Holidays. I don't have a few bits completely finished, but the core of it is done and I could probably get away with what I have without expanding if I really have to. I'll go back and expand/format/whatever later today after the family christmas get together hopefully.

Let me know what you guys think about the Jonathon section. I really want to know if it came of appropriately creepy/horrifying.

Merry Christmas!



The winter holidays passed quickly. Harry spent most of the time catching up with Annabel, and sharing tales of his own adventures at Hogwarts. While Annabel hadn't had nearly so many unusual things to talk about, Homer caused far more trouble without strange things to distract him.

They spent most of their time outside, mainly to avoid Annabel's mother. They played in the park mostly, but when the sun went down, they often explored the rapidly growing junk yard, courtesy og Homer's fist of boredom. Once the cold grew too bitter, they often went back inside to watch one of the endless stream of holiday specials on the television. On a few occasions, Harry simply did homework, while Annabel paged through his other books in utter fascination.




Of course, day after day of the same thing can irritate even the most patient of souls, and children were about the furthest thin from patient. As the weeks passed, Annabel grew more and more irritable, often lashing out at Harry verbally, or storming off briefly. Harry did his best to endure, but as her poor mood persisted, he began to respond in kind.



ôWhat do you want to do now?ö Harry asked, sightlessly paging through his Potions book.

ôWell, it's too cold to play baseball, especially with all this snow...ö Annabel said, idly spinning the baseball that was Homer on her finger from her lounging position on the couch.

ôWant to watch the telly?ö

ôWe already did that for two hours, and there's nothing good on anyways. If I see another Holiday Special I'm going to flip out.ö Annabel groused.

ôWant to go for a walk?ö Harry offered.

ôIt's freezing out there. We already made a snow man, snow fort, snowballs, snow everything!ö Annabel said, now shouting. ôYou leaving tomorrow and I'm glad you are! I'm sick of you Harry Potter!ö She hurled Homer across the room, pegging Rex squared in his plush head. Both monsters began to complain, but upon seeing her expression, thought better of it.

Harry blinked in disbelief. ôYou... you're really sick of me?ö

ôYes! No!ö Annabel contradicted herself, now pacing across the living room in frustration. Harry watched in silenced as she struggled to get her thoughts in order.

ôI guess I'm just worried. It sounds like Hogwarts is so much more interesting than being here, and everyone can use magic... I'm worried that you'll decide to stay up there instead of coming back to a boring place like this.ö Annabel admitted, looking down at her feet. ôYou've been forgetting to write letters to me more and more, so I guess it's only a matter of time before you stop altogether...ö

Harry smiled slightly, ôAnnabel, Hogwarts is the most amazing place I've ever been, but there's one thing that Hogwarts doesn't have.ö

ôAnd what's that?ö

ôYou.ö Harry said without hesitation ôYou are my first and best friend, and I would never forget about you. I might forget a letter here and there because Rex is making trouble, but I'll never forget about you.ö

ôWell, you'd better not, or I'll clock you one.öAnnabel muttered. ôLet's go build another fort. I bet if Rex and Homer help, we can make one bigger than my house!ö

Harry eagerly ran after her, clumsily pulling on his coat even as they rushed out into the freezing snow. The two of them, and their monsters, spent the rest of the night playing in the snow, building a massive snow fortress and staging a final battle between the two children. While there was no clear winner, they both enjoyed themselves, and went home, exhausted, but happy.

HPaCT

ôhey harry.ö Rex said, causing the young wizard to roll over in his bed.

ôWhat is it Rex?ö

ôi'm hungry.ö

ôGo get something from the fridge then.ö

ônot that kind of hungry.ö

Harry sat up, and gave his companion a look.

ôhey, i've been good all break! The least you can do is let me eat a treat before we go back!ö

Harry sighed, as he though it over. Rex had been good during their vacation, and if he filled up now, he might not make too much trouble at school.

ô...Alright.ö

HPaCT

Jonathon Brisbee had lived on Privet Drive all eight years of his life. For the most part, they were pretty good. He spent most of his time studying or playing with his computer, and even had a few friends to play outside with when his mother. He was bullied for a portion of his life, by Dudley Dursley and his gang, but that all stopped once the new girl came to school. One crack of her aluminum bat, and Dudley had fallen to the bottom of the social ladder, leaving his victims free to move on with their lives.

In a twisted way, he preferred getting bullied. What came after Dudley stopped was so much worse.

That was when the nightmares started. When night after night he dreamed of things he couldn't remember, but always left him in a cold sweat and shaking in the morning, or curled up in the ineffectual embrace of his parents. It had stopped for the last few months, and he had hoped it was gone for good, but somehow, tonight, he knew he would have them again. He hadn't eaten at dinner, and had protested every time his parents told him it was getting late, but it was only delaying the inevitable.

He was alone in his room. While he had the light on earlier, his mother had insisted that he turn it off to save on the electric bill. Now his room was veiled in complete darkness, waiting for what was to come.

In the night, alone with his thoughts, every creak, every sound of movement was amplified a hundred times over, echoing through the room and in his head endlessly, driving him mad. Until, everything stopped, and there was only the soft, subtle scratching from outside. Johnathon's eyes widened in terrified familiarity, as he darted underneath his bed.

ôJust the wind. It's just the wind.ö he tried to reassure himself, huddling underneath the covers as if it would protect him. The cold sensation of the floor intensifying his shivers.

ôHELLO JOHNNY. IT'S BEEN AWHILE.ö its voice called out, filling the room, yet somehow being deathly quiet. Johnathon shook, as his gaze was drawn slowly inexorably to look for its source.

It was the window. It was always the window. He couldn't see it yet, but he knew. The scratching athe window grew louder, more insistent,

He couldn't see it very well. The shadows of the night cloaked the majority of the creature from sight, but there was one detail that was as clear as day, and was etched into the very core of Johnathon's being.

It's eye. It's blazing red eye that was filled with bloodlust and hate, pulsing with promising of untold suffering and endless horrors. As Johnathon stared into it, some of the details of its form began to drift into focus. Beneath the eye were its slavering jaws, and at the edge of the window, with disconcerting delicacy, rending claws were slowly opening it.

It smiled at him, a twisted expression of sadistic friendliness, and Johnathon could feel his heart stop.

ôSLEEP. SLEEP, AND DREAM SOMETHING HORRIFYING FOR ME.ö

Jonathon collapsed unconscious, twitching, but the horrors of the night had only just begun.

Throughout Privet Drive, the scene repeated itself, as Rex moved from house to house, bedroom to bedroom, seeking children to slake his thirst. Rex appetites knew no limits, and left behind a trail of trembling forms, tear stained pillows, and broken souls. He cared not, only that his endless hunger be sated.

HPaCT

For both Harry and Annabel, the next day came far too soon. Annabel's mother drove them both to King's Cross, smiling at their rapid chattering, as they both tried to say everything they could before parting until the summer holidays came.

The two children nearly burst out of the car, rapidly unloading Harry's luggage and heading to the area between platforms nine and ten. They had nearly half an hour before harry had to leave, and as harry glanced up at the clock once again, he noticed a familiar head of bushy brown hair.

ôHey! Hermione!ö Harry waved his friend over. Hermione mirrored his gesture, before coming over and hugging the young wizard.

ôSo, this is one of your friends from school?ö Annabel asked, looking Hermione over with a critical eye.

ôOh, I'm sorry! You must be Annabel. Harry's told me so much about you at school!ö

ôI'm sure he has, and you are?ö

ôHermione. Hermione Granger.ö The young witch said, offering her hand. Annabel seized it roughly, making sure to squeeze more than was strictly necessary.


ôA pleasure to meet you.ö Hermione managed to smile, resisting the urge to rub her hand once Annabel released it.

ôCharmed.ö Annabel said shortly.


Annabel looked at Hermione coolly, not saying anything more, just staring at her. The young witch fidgeted, but did her level best to ignore the rising discomfort, instead trying to focus on talking to Harry.

ôSo how was your holiday Harry?ö she asked.

ôPretty good.ö Harry replied, ôMy aunt didn't expect me back, so I spent most of my time with Annie here. We had a lot to catch up on, and it was nice to see her after such a long time.ö


ôHermione said she would spend some of the summer with us, I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun!ö Harry said, oblivious to the tension between them.

ôYeah, I'm sure we will.ö

ôHarry, we should get going. The train is going to leave soon.ö Hermione said. Harry nodded in agreement, and began walking towards the platform. While his back was turned, Annabel's cool gaze turned icy cold, and Hermione flinched, before following after Harry.

Come summer, they were sure to be the best of friends.

------ -------- --------

The train ride was uneventful, and was mainly spent catching up with his house mates. Hermione tagged along, before two of her house mates, Lavender and Parvati, dragged her into their compartment. With an apologetic smile, Harry continued his talk with Justin and Earnie, hearing about their own wintery escapades. Ernie's stories about his family's traditions and the magical gifts he had gotten fascinated both Harry and Justin, while Justin's tale of his trip to the Alps was riveting as well, especially the part with the avalanche. While Harry's own holidays lacked both of those aspects, he still recounted his time spent with Annabel and their own adventures. Their conversation drifted towards other topics, fixating on homework, Quidditch, and idle speculation on what was behind the door on the third floor. Harry remained studiously quiet with the last subject, and was slightly relieved when shouts along the train indicated they were nearly there.

Harry watched with unbridled joy as Hogwarts came into view. The entire building was completely covered in snow, only the brightly illuminated windows indicating that it was occupied. As he stared at the growing castle, a swarm of something darted around the castle, stirring up the layers of snow into a miniature blizzard, as if Hogwarts was inside of a snowglobe that had just been shaken vigorously.

ôWinter fairies!ö Ernie exclaimed, ôThey love to put on a show for people!ö

Harry grinned as the swarm converged on the Hogwarts express, in a storm of flashing lights and trails of snowflakes. He felt that he saw a tiny humanoid or two within the display, but it moved by so quickly he couldn't be sure. The show followed them all the way to the station, surrounding the students with a grand finale before vanishing back into the darkness.

ôWelcome back students!ö Dumbledore shouted through the wind, his wand radiating a brilliant light. ôI trust you all had enjoyable holidays, but we really should get inside out of this cold.ö Dutifully, the students fell in line behind the headmaster, passing through the immense oaken doors of Hogwarts and entering the Great Hall.

The few students who had remained at Hogwarts for the holidays waved excitedly at their returning friends, as plates heaped high with all kinds of succulent foods appeared on the house tables. Much like on the train, Harry found himself getting drawn into conversations about the holidays, recounting his own adventures once again, while listening to new stories about what had happened at Hogwarts.

As the stories were exchanged, they began to talk about plans for the new years between bites of food. Study groups, pickup Quidditch, even an exploratory expedition to see what Hogwarts had to offer. Harry couldn't help but enjoy the idea of exploring the school with his fellow Hufflepuffs. Rex was sure to whine about it some, but Harry could probably just leave him alone with his pet.

The festive atmosphere didn't dissapate at the end of the feast. The Hufflepuffs continued their conversation through the hallways and back into the Hufflepuff dormitories. Some of the older students had brought in a wizarding drink called butterbeer, which the younger students devoured with a gusto. Harry enjoyed the warmth the coursed through his body with each sip, and he chatted with his housemates, and watched the antics of some of the less inhibited older students.

The party continued late into the night. As the Hufflepuff dormitories began to settle down, Harry found himself glancing at the entryway. It had been weeks since they had spent time in Hogwarts, and he couldn't suppress the itch for adventure, and the excitement of catching up with everyone meant he wouldn't get to sleep for hours. He waited until most of the other students had gone to bed, before sneaking out into the now deserted hallways.

Long nights wanderign with Rex had made the halls familiar to Harry, but he had been gone for weeks, and numerous things had been moved and rearranged during the holidays. In a way, it was like exploring Hogwarts anew.

Rex yawned from Harry's bag ôso can i come out now?ö

ôSure.ö Harry said, watching as Rex's benign, plush form hopped out. He smiled as the relatively harmless miniature monster looked around at the furnishings that towered over him. He saw him tense up to resume his greater form, but a quick, reprimaning look convinced him to remain in his less destructive form for the time being. Rex hopped up on Harry's shoulder, and looked around.

ôso, where do you want to go first?ö

ôHow about... that way?ö Harry pointed in a random direction, before they set off.

Harry had hoped to meet the Twins sometime during the night, but they were nowhere to be found. When they passed by the Gryffindor dormitories, it was easy to hear their raucous cheers and laughter, so harry didn't expect to see them tonight, or the next night either.

They considered swinging by the kitchens, but given the feast and the party that followed, Harry and Rex decided to to skip it. They had saved some leftovers from both events, and could always stop by later if they changed their mind.



ôMR. HUGGLES! DID YOU MISS ME?ö Rex boomed, causing the cerberus to cower. Harry sighed as he pulled out one of the sandwiches he had saved from the welcome back feast. He knew that exploring the hallways after curfew would mean they would end up visiting Rex's favorite pet, but judging how Rex showered it with affection, they would probably be here for most of the night. Harry grumbled to himself for not bringing something to read, before settling in to watch another one of Rex's training sessions.

 

[Innortal]

Jonathon Brisbee had lived on Privet Drive all eight years of his life. For the most part, they were pretty good. He spent most of his time studying or playing with his computer, and even had a few friends to play outside with when his mother.

When his mother ... what?

Also, you have a few H's to fix, several times, you had Harry as harry, and Hermione as hermione.

Other than that, a great addition.

 

[zerohour]

Fixed, mostly. Finish the formatting once I've sobered up.


HPaCT

The next morning, Harry found that a few packages had made their way to the bottom of his bed. It seemed that a number of his housemates had bought him a present, and had saved it until he was back at Hogwarts. Resolving to open them later that night, Harry made his way down to the common room, in hopes of getting to the Great Hall for breakfast.

As he finished descending he stairs, he was stopped by a rather sizable crowd of students all staring in wonder at something in the middle of the room. Harry moved forward, struggling to push others aside as he tried to reach a spot with a decent view of what was captivating their attention.

He wasn't disappointed.

Harry stared in wonder as the scale illusion of Hogwarts Castle. It seemed the expedition idea had caught on in Hufflepuff House, and a number of older students had provided them with tips, tools, or books to aid them. One of the sixth years had apparently spent hours enchanting the large table at the center of their dormitory to project the well crafted charm.

The outer framework was well defined and detailed. If he squinted, eh could almost make out individual bricks in the walls. The entire structure was somewhat transparent, allowing them to see the rooms inside. However, the internal structure of the castle was sparse, consisting of only a bare minimum of empty cubes with vague labels such as 'classroom' or 'girl's bathroom.'

"It's obviously incomplete," The creator admitted immediately, "I never really explored the castle all that much, so it's really only has our dormitories, a number of classrooms, the library, and the Great Hall. Professor Sprout's Office is in there too. It's only a model, so it doesn't react to changes in the castle like the moving staircases. Not yet at least.

"So how is this going to help us?" Ernie asked curiously, "If it only has the places we go anyways, what good is it?"

The older student smirked, "There's a reason I scored highest on my Charms O.W.L.s. All you have to do is press your wand on the base here," she indicated using her own, "and focus on what part of it you want to add on to or modify. And before any of you get any wild ideas, I have final control over this, and can reset it to its base illusion at any time, so no trying to be clever by putting in a Pretentious Expansionary Newt Incubation Section or anything like that."

"How did you make this?" Harry asked in wonder, causing the Sixth Year to flush with pride.

"My dad is an architect. He always loves to build things, take them apart, and see how everything fits together. I've been working on charms like this since my third year, but I've never done anything this ambitious." The sixth year admitted.

There was an immediate rush of eager students to add their own recollections to the device. The empty shell rapidly began to acquire new rooms, as well as numerous descriptions and comments alongside them.

Harry, along with the rest of the first year students, waited until the rush had died down. The end result was a conflicting mishmash of overlapping rooms and conflicting floor plans, and there were still significant gaps and empty spaces scattered throughout it. Two of his roommates, Ernie and Justin stood next to him, studying the model, before striking up a conversation.

"So, do you feel like exploring after breakfast?" Ernie asked him, "Justin and I were thinking about looking at the dueling room on the south side of the castle."

Harry considered for a moment, "Do you think we can explore the area above it? It looks like no one has been there before and I'm curious what could be there."

Ernie grinned, "Sounds like a plan to me!"

"We're going with you." Hannah said, as she and Susan walked over to join them. "We don't have anything to do until after lunch, and it looks like fun."

"You're not going to slow us down, are you?" Justin hesitated, before a glare from he young girl silenced him.

"You don't have to worry about that," Susan assured the other two as Justin quailed under Hannah's unforgiving glare. "Shall we get going? The food will be cold if we take much longer."

The five Hufflepuffs hurried down to the Great Hall, and after a quick meal, they set out to explore Hogwarts in earnest, eager to see how accurate the model in their dormitory was. Ernie and Justin had painstakingly copied it down to the best of their ability, and while the end result was a collection of crude, conflicting layouts, it served as an acceptable guide for their first expedition.

Harry was surprised how different things seemed during the day. Without the ever present danger of discovery, it was far less exciting, but the company more than made up for it. Ernie was giving an elaborate speech about the rules and regulations of Quidditch, and the history behind it, with interjections from Justin and interspersed with a conversation between Hannah and Susan about their Charms homework and their plans with Hermione later. Harry absently made sure Rex was secured in his book bag, before joining Justin in asking for more details about Quidditch, offering his own insights into the game from watching the team's practices.

HPaCT

Hermione growled as Ron's comments grew louder and more derogatory towards her. She had been putting up with whispered gossip about her ever since Halloween Night, and had even endured near interrogations form her roommates at one point, but Ron never seemed to move on. All she had done was tell him that he was going to fail his courses if he didn't do some work, and he reacted like this!

Hermione struggled to ignore him, trying to return to her own book, but he just talked louder. Finally, the young witch, along with her quill, snapped. The gossip. The looks form the teachers. Rex. The pressure to study for end of the year exams which were only months away. And Ron. All the irritation, stress, and rage reached a boiling point. With a series of violent wand motions, she began casting at the boy unfortunate enough to earn her ire.

"Silencio Permente!"

Ron's mouth disappeared. He tried to let out a series of outraged mumbles, but failed. As he turned a brilliant shade of red, he rushed towards the young witch, intent on forcing her to fix him, but she would have none of it.

"Petrificus Totalus!" She shouted.

Every joint in his body locked up, transforming his furious charge into a fall flat on his face. Hermione approached him slowly, with a cold expression on her face, and flipped the young Weasley over with her foot, and looked him right in the eye.

"Ronald Weasley, I am only going to say this once. I am tired of your constant tirades against me. I am tired of you complaining when I suggest you study, and I'm tired of how childish you are always acting! If you don't want to study, that's you're choice, but you don't have to act like such a prat to me just because I suggest that you read your books!

Quite frankly, I'm tired of you, and if you don't fix that attitude of yours, I'll have to do something about it. Something like this. Do you understand me?" Hermione asked him, his only available response was a harsh glare. Sighing, Hermione turned to a shocked looking Parvati.

"I know you know the spell to remove the body bind hex, but he'll need to see Madam Pomphrey if he wants his mouth back." The girl nodded, and stepped out of her way as Hermione gathered her books and stormed out of the room.

The young witch wasn't sure how she felt about how things had played out in the Gryffindor common room. On one hand, she was upset that she allowed Ron to get to her, and that he could hurt her so much with his words.

But on the other hand... she had paid him back twice over, if not more.

A part of her felt bad, like she was turning into one of the bullies from elementary school, but hadn't he deserved it? Was she supposed to just let him treat her however he wanted until she broke down in tears? No, she wasn't going to let that happen. She wouldn't attack him out of the blue, but if he kept pushing, she was going to push back harder. Newly resolved, Hermione headed toward the library to resume her studies, absently making a note to do some more research into hexes.

HPaCT

Harry laughed at another one of Ernie's joke, as they continued their venture through the halls of Hogwarts. The sun was beginning to set, and aside from a brief break for lunch, they had been walking through the vast corridors almost constantly. Justin had sketched a rather rough map of the places they had visited, and Harry had shown them a few of the interesting locations he had discovered with Rex, especially the kitchen, where they had feasted on sandwiches and pumpkin juice. He had tried to show them several other locations, but with the constant shifting pattern of Hogwart's layout, it was difficult to get anywhere in particular without hours of practice and memorization.

Even without encountering the things he had witnessed in his midnight wanderings, there were still a number of interesting sights and locations. Conversing with the paintings, or getting trapped on an endless staircase, everything was still so amazing, even after a full semester in the school. Even the non-magical aspects, such as the view from the tallest tower of Hogwarts was a wonderful experience, made even more enjoyable with the presence of friends. The entire experience had been filled with constant chatter and laughter.

Still, it seemed the day was beginning to wind down. Susan and Hannah had left a few hours earlier to study with Hermione, so now it was just the trio of boys, and the periodic grumbling of their stomachs were indicating that they needed to take a break again soon. They were just beginning to debate going back to the Great Hall, when they were interrupted.

"Mr. Potter!" A red haired older student shouted from several flights down, as he chased after the younger students. Harry and his friends turned curiously to see what he wanted. The older student stopped to catch his breath after sprinting up the stairs to catch them, rapidly gasping in air after the sudden exertion.

"What do you want?" Ernie asked flippantly, causing the new arrival to turn and even brighter red.

"I am a prefect, and you will treat me with respect!" he declared pompously, though it was somewhat ruined but his flushed face and occasional gasps for breath. "Professor McGonagall has requested you meet her in her office for your remedial lessons."

"Remedial lessons? I still have to do that?" Harry asked irritably.

"Would you prefer a detention?" the prefect asked, fixing Harry with a look.

"Well, it can't be helped." Justin sighed, "We need to get something to eat soon anyways."

"He's right." Ernie agreed, "We'll have to do homework tomorrow, so I guess we'll have to wait until the next weekend to do this?"

"I suppose..." Harry replied with a hint of melancholy, before brightening slightly, "Don't forget to update the map after dinner. There's still a lot more to explore, and we don't want to waste time exploring what we've already seen!"

"No problem Harry! I'll make sure he does it!" Justin called over his shoulder, with a last wave to Harry as they entered a corridor.

"Map?" the prefect asked with mild interest. Harry just shook his head, before following after him towards McGonagall's office.

HPaCT

"Here he is professor." the prefect stated as they entered the office. McGonagall looked up from a short stack of papers, before giving him a curt nod.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley. That will be all." McGonagall said, putting away her current work and rising from her desk. The red head nodded briefly before exiting, leaving Harry alone with his Transfiguration Professor.

Harry sighed as he visited Professor McGonagall's office for the first time since the winter holidays. While he didn't hate having to take the extra lessons, it was somewhat irritation.

"Mr. Potter, I trust your holidays were well?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes Professor." Harry replied. He was about to share some of the details of his escapades, but a curt nod from McGonagall cut him off. Apparently the question had been a mere pleasantry, and she was more concerned with their lesson than knowing about his holidays.

"Now, let's make sure that everything you learned over the first semester didn't fall out of your head over the break, shall we Mr. Potter?" McGonagall said, before producing a box of matches.

Harry sighed, before drawing his wand and pointing at the first match. With an uttered incantation and intense focus, he transfigured it into a needle. For a brief moment, the needle glowed red with heat, before rapidly cooling and regaining it normal silvery color.

"Excellent Mr. Potter. I'm happy to see your continued mastery of that skill. Now let's see if it holds up with some of your other classes."

Harry dutifully demonstrated a number of different spells, levitating a book form her desk, changing the color of it as it floated in front of him, and making it glow briefly before setting it down. Harry practiced number of charms and curses, before the Deputy Headmistress was satisfied and indicated that he should stop.

"Well, you managed to keep from setting my office ablaze, so I suppose we're done for now. For the most part, your spell work was acceptable Your Defense Against the Dark Arts could use some work, though that's not surprising. Honestly, I don't know what Quirrius is teaching you all in that class. If you ask me, he should go back to teaching Muggle Studies. He's far too high strung to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Professor?" Harry asked curiously. McGonagall shook her head.

"Never mind Mr. Potter. I shouldn't speak ill of my colleagues when they are adjusting to a new position." McGonagall said, "I think we can refrain from having any more of these lessons for a few weeks, but don't think I haven't noticed the heat on some of your transfigurations and other spells. You'll need to keep practicing if you expect to transfigure wood of anything else flammable. As for your Charms work, you seem to have kept those spells under control at the very least. I think I'll invite Poppy to observe our next lesson, She's always interested in seeing the development of young witches and wizards."

"Really?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Madame Pomphrey is fairly well known in the medical circles. She specialized in developing witches and wizards, and produces a paper every few years about her findings. A case as unusual as yours would probably be enough for a dozen pages at least."

"I don't know about that..." Harry said, envisioning her strapping him down, poking him full of needles and cackling madly as she experimented on him. He shuddered lightly, as the idea reminded him a bit too much of his old science teacher.

McGonagall saw the look on his face and tried to reassure him, "No need to worry Mr. Potter. A few more diagnostic spell and perhaps a few potions and an over night stay is the extent her machinations. She's not going to vivisect you."

Harry sighed in relief, though the image in his head remained. "So why does she stay here? If she's so skilled, why doesn't she run a hospital or something?"

McGonagall allowed herself a smile, "As Professor Dumbledore is so fond of saying, we are all students of Hogwarts in one way or another. Poppy gets to encounter some of the most unusual cases in Britain here because of all the student's... antics." she tried to phrase it in an appropriate manner, causing Harry to grin. "The Weasley Twins in particular tend to give her pages upon pages of research. All that aside, she's learned form my example that being in such a position of authority means having to deal with nearly endless paperwork, and she's much happier providing care than signing forms.

"What do you learn Professor?" Harry inquired.

"Me?" McGonagall said in mild surprise, "I suppose I learn the minute details of Transfiguration by studying and grading your attempts in class. You would be surprised at how much one can learn from the attempts of students, both failed and successful. Perhaps I should publish a paper myself sometime..." McGonagall considered for a moment, before her mind returned to their present engagement. "Well, I think that is enough for tonight. Now I suggest you head back to your common room, Mr. Potter. Curfew should be starting shortly, and I would hate for you to lose points for your house."

"Yes Professor." Harry replied, before leaving her office. A sudden grumble form his stomach, already pushed past its limitations, told him that he needed to get something to eat first.

HPaCT

As Harry exited the kitchens, his belly now filled with culinary delights, his trip back to the Hufflepuff dormitories was cut short by an unexpected encounter.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed in mild surprise at seeing him. "Susan and Hannah said you were out exploring!"

"Well, we were, but then I had to go to my remedial lessons with McGonagall." Harry said, "How did your study session go?"

Hermione smiled, "Pretty well actually. We finished most of our homework and compared notes, so we should be able to finish the rest of it on own own without any problems. Did you manage to get dinner?"

"I missed it, so I came here to grab a snack." Harry answered. "I was just about to head back to the dorms, actually."

"hey harry, wait a minute." Rex called out from Harry's bag. Harry pulled Rex out, who promptly hopped to the ground and resumed his true from. Impressively, Hermione only flinched slightly before regaining her composure.

"CAN WE GO VISIT MR. HUGGLES?" Rex asked excitedly. Harry considered for a momentarily

"Alright, sure, but just for a little bit. I have to get up early tomorrow to finish my homework." Harry qualified his statement, but he doubted Rex heard anything after the second word.

"ARE YOU COMING TOO SQUEAKLES?" Rex turned towards the bushy haired girl, who shuddered as his malevolent red gaze fell upon her.

"S- sure." she managed to say, before taking refuge behind Harry. No matter what, she would always find Harry's friend to be terrifying. She followed after the duo, always making sure to keep Harry between her and Rex as much as possible. Harry gave Rex a look, who sighed, before shrinking down and climbing back into his bag.

HPaCT

"Harry, you know that this is the room the Headmaster told us to stay out of, right?" Hermione asked him after they arrived. "I know we've been in here before, but do you really think breaking the rules like this is a good idea?"

"The only thing in there is the dog, and Rex has been pretty good about keeping him under control." Harry answered easily, earning a sigh form his companion.

"that's right squeakles. he knows not to mess with me." Rex chipped in from his resting place in Harry's bag.

"We've been in there before, and nothing bad has happened." Harry said, fishing Rex out as he did, "I'm sure the warning was only because of the dog, and with Rex around, he's harmless, right?"

"RIGHT!" Rex shouted as he returned to his true, horrifying form, and squeezed through the door. There was a trio of whines as the Cerberus saw its tormentor return, and Harry and Hermione entered the room after it was properly cowed by Rex.

Rex led the dog around the room, constantly prompting it to perform various tricks, which met with varied results. While it responded fairly well to 'Stay,' most likely due to simply being too terrified to move, any other commands were met with more whining, much to Rex's frustration.

Hermione frowned as she looked, really looked at the room for the first time. For having such a vicious beast inside of it, it was surprisingly well kept. The tapestries were all intact, as were the few pieces of furniture. None of the... leavings... that one would expect for an animal cooped up for months on end. Sure, someone could come in and it up, but who would do that? Her gaze traveled the room, before falling to the ground, and fixating on a wooden square with an iron ring.

It was a door.

"Harry, did you know there's a trap door on the floor over there?" Hermione asked, pointing at the object of her attention. Harry followed her finger, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

"Well, I've only been in here a few times. Normally Rex comes here on his own, and to be honest, the dinosaur and three headed dog seemed a bit more important than a trap door." Harry said, "Plus, that's normally where the dog ends up cowering, so it was kind of hard to see."

Hermione sighed in exasperation, before admitting to herself that Rex caught one's attention a bit more than a trap door on the floor.

Harry's eyes gleamed with interest, "I wonder what's down there..."

"Harry, no. There is a reason why Professor Dumbledore told people to stay out of here, and now I don't think it was just because of the dog. I bet the dog is protecting whatever is underneath there!"

"COME ON SQUEAKLES, WHERE'S YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE?"

"I think I left if back at St. Mungo's." Hermione said.

"SHOULD WE GO BACK AND GET IT?"

"No!" Hermione shouted, exasperated, "Harry, there is a reason the dog is here, and I don't want to find out by getting strangled or chopped up, or eaten by something worse. Can you understand that?"

Harry sighed in defeat, "Alright, we won't explore it right now. I still have plenty of homework to do tomorrow, and it is pretty late already, so we'll save it for some other time."

Hermione sighed. It wasn't an ideal solution, but it meant that it would be left alone for now, and she would just have to be happy with that. "Thank you Harry, now I have to get back to Gryffindor Tower. It's already really late and I want to review my History of Magic essay one last time before I go to sleep."

Harry waved as Hermione departed, looking furtively down the corridor for Mrs. Norris or Filch as she scurried away.

"ARE WE REALLY GOING TO LEAVE IT ALONE?" Rex asked.

"For now at least. I wasn't joking about my homework, and I don't want to make her mad. Did you hear what the elves said she did to her housemate earlier today?"

Rex sighed loud enough to shake the solid wooden door, "I GUESS."

"Besides, maybe Hannah and the rest would want to explore it with us too."

"YOU'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE ME?" Rex asked, nearly bouncing with excitement.

Harry considered for a moment, "I don't know if that would be the best idea. Remember what happened with Hermione?"

"...I GOT A PET?"

"She was sent to the loony bin. I don't want all of my friends to go crazy too."

"BUT WHAT ABOUT ME?" Rex whined.

"You can come, but you'll just have to stay in my book bag, alright?" Harry tried to comfort the deadly monstrosity.

"YOU PROMISE?" Rex asked petulantly

"Of course, Rex." Harry smiled, "Now do you want to spend some more time with your dog, or do you want to"

"I THINK I'LL STAY WITH MR. HUGGLES SOME MORE. I'VE ALMOST TAUGHT HIM HOW TO DO FLIPS." Rex answered, completely oblivious to how little progress he had actually made with his pet. Harry nodded in acknowledgment, before heading back to his own dormitory.

HPaCT

Ron glared at Hermione as she re-entered the Gryffindor Common Room, but still smarting from his earlier defeat, remained in the corner, content to glower at her from afar. He felt his ears turn red as the embarrassment of how easily she dealt with him washed over him. He needed to do something about her, but charging headlong after her obviously wasn't going to work. What other options did he have? Ron mindlessly paged through the book in front of him, stewing over the dilemma he was faced with, occasionally imagining what it would be like to have her grovel in defeat at his hand. He kept turning those thoughts over and over in his head, long after the other students had retired for the night. It wasn't until hours later that he was finally distracted from his malevolent thoughts, by the sound of a certain pair of red heads descending from the staircase. Ron watched as his brothers exchanged some whispered words and a few sniggers, before heading toward the portrait hole.

"Hold on a minute!" he called out, stopping the Twins momentarily, as they turned to see who had spoken up.

"What do you need Ronnie-kins?" One of them asked, as they began to circle around him, moving in opposite directions from each other.

"Yes, how can your older brothers help out their ickle sibling?" the other asked from behind Ron.

"Homework help?" The first said as soon as Ron turned away.

"Need a map?"

"Something to eat perhaps?"

"Girl troubles?"

"Quidditch training?"

"A good hexing?"

"Saxophone lessons?"

"Stop it!" Ron shouted, finally fed up with their disorienting interrogation. "It's none of those things!"

"Then what is it?' the Twins asked in unison, stopping in front of Ron.

"I need help."

"We gathered that much. Help with what exactly?"

"It's Hermione. She's always bothering me and the blokes about homework and following the rules. Normally she shuts up after a bit or we complain about it enough, but now she's started hexing me!"

"Ah, so it is girl troubles. I thought so Fred." George, apparently, said.

"No, it's not!" Ron shouted angrily, before launching into a tirade about his encounter with the first year bookworm.

"She's always so irritating! In class she's always correcting the rest of us or showing off to the teacher. When we're in the halls she's shouting for us to follow the rules or hurry to class. Even here in the dorm she's always glaring at us and telling us to study! It's bloody maddening! Every moment of the day is just work, work, work with her, and whenever a bloke tried to have a bit of fun, she goes ballistic! I keep telling her to leave us alone and mind her own business, and that's normally enough, but now she's hexing me for that!"

George sighed before putting a comforting hand, as well as a spider, on Ron's shoulder. "Never pick on someone smarter than you brother dearest. They tend to know the most horrible hexes."

Ron sighed, "I'm not picking on her, I just want her to mind her own business. I can't just let her show me up like that! You must know something I can do!"

Fred and George exchanged a nefarious look, before Fred spoke up in a considering tone, "Well, it sounds to me that dear Ronald wants to follow us in the sacred art of pranking."

"Probably wants to be a bit more subtle about it, given his target is likely to hex him into bits if he gets caught." George said, sharing his twin's thoughtful tone.

"So we'll throw in a course of subterfuge free of charge." Fred declared grandly, "but first, he'll need to pass his initiation!"

Ron audibly gulped, as his mind filled with all of the potential horrors he was likely to suffer if he accepted their offer. For several long moments, he did nothing, before noticing the spider his brother had planting, shouting in mindless terror, and flailing his limbs in an effort to get it off. After finally escaping from it Ron was bent over, panting.

"Alright, I'm in." Ron said, looking up at his brothers with a determined gaze. "Do your worst, I'm not giving up."

Fred grinned proudly at Ron, before seizing his brother's hand in a firm shake. Almost immediately, he lit up like a Christmas tree as sparks flew out of his ears.

"First rule about pranking: never take things at face value. It makes it too easy. Now come on, we've got a lot of mischief to get up to tonight, and we're not going to slow down for you."

Ron waited until his body stopped twitching, before hurrying out of the portrait hole after them.

HPaCT

By the time Harry made it back to his room, everyone else was already asleep. Harry was about to join them, when he tripped over the small pile of presents at the foot of his bed. Remembering them from earlier, Harry moved them into his bed, where he tried to open them as quietly as possible.

They were about what he expected, a few knickknacks from trips or toys from Diagon Alley. Harry felt bad for not buying anything for them, and resolved to share some of the sweets Annabel's mother had practically forced upon him.

The last package was different from the others, it was significantly larger, for one, and the note didn't match the handwriting of any of his housemates that he knew of. He curiously opened it, and found a silvery substance within.

Harry draped the material over himself and was shocked when his body vanished underneath it. He yanked his hand out from beneath it and was relieved to see that it was still there. Several more minutes of experimenting with it showed there wasn't any apparent danger with it. Harry grinned as he realized what it was he had.

There was only one thing he could say.

"Wicked."

 

[zerohour]

Hey, look, new chapter.



Dear Annie,

I hope that you've been doing well. Hogwarts has been the same, though people are starting to worry about the end of the year exams. Hermione has been stressing about them since the winter holidays ended, and now that other people are studying too, she's gone into overdrive. Speaking of Hermione, she noticed a trap door in the room where they keep Rex's pet, and I think we're going to explore it soon. I don't know if I'm going to bring my Housemates with me, since there are probably a lot of dangerous things like Mr. Huggles down there, and they don't have something like Rex to protect them.

Anyways, just a couple more months until the summer holidays, hope to see you soon!

~Harry


Harry handed the completed letter to Hedwig, who hooted and took flight. He watched her for a moment before turning his attention to his homework. The end of the year was rapidly approaching, and many students were beginning to follow Hermione's example from months ago, and settling down to study. Harry didn't mind sitting down to review, but a part of him missed the opportunity to further explore Hogwarts. Most of the expedition teams had dissolved in the weeks after the initial flurry of activity, after the easily found rooms had been filled in. While a few groups and individuals had persisted, with final exams looming ever closer, fewer and fewer of them were able to spare time for exploration.

With a sigh, Harry reasoned that they had six whole years of school left, and It wasn't like he lost contact with his friends. While wandering the castle was far less frequent, it had been replaced with study and review sessions, and while they were somewhat less fun, it was still nice to spend time with his friends.

Giving the clock a quick glance as he departed for the library, Harry noted that it would be some time before Hermione finished her own class. Having nothing better to do, Harry began to head back to his dormitory, in hopes of distracting one of his fellow first years into one last adventure before the end of the year exams began.

HPaCT

ôPlease hand in your homework assignments, before we begin today's lesson.ö McGonagall said as her students filed in. Dutifully, the Gryffindors placed their parchment on her desk, until Hermione approached the desk.

Hermione reached into her bag for her homework, and shrieked, staring at the blank roll of parchment in her hands, before frantically diving back into her bag.

ôIs there a problem, Miss Granger?ö McGonagall asked as the first year continued to search.

ôMy homework! I know I finished it, but I can't find it!ö Hermione exclaimed, nearly panicking, ôPlease Professor McGonagall, I must have left in back in the dormitory, if you let me go back there-ö

ôMiss Granger, your homework is right here.ö McGonagall said, causing the young girl to freeze. Slowly, she looked at the blank scroll, only to see it completely filled with her tiny, neat writing.

ôöB- but...ö

ôI am well aware that you are already concerned about the end of year exams, but it seems that you could use a break. Why don't you stop by my office after classes are finished, and we'll discuss it.ö

ôY- yes professor.ö Hermione said, shakily taking her seat.

Unnoticed by either of them, Ron snickered in the corner.

HPaCT

Harry sighed. He had no luck recruiting anyone else to join him, and not for the first time, wished he hadn't been sorted into the house of dedicated hard workers. It seemed like everyone had settled in reading a textbook or revising an essay. While he could do the same, he just couldn't bring himself to sit down and study.

With another exasperated sigh, Harry stood up, and making sure Rex was safely secured in his book bag, ventured out into the halls of Hogwarts. A light rumble from his gut gave Harry his destination. Maybe a quick bite to eat in the kitchen would help him focus his mind for a bit.

The elves were helpful as always, and Harry found himself idly glancing through one of his books as he munched on a treacle tart. He only skimmed the text, using it to occupy himself while he tried to determine what to do next.

No one was available for explorations deeper into Hogwarts, which meant that it was just Harry and Rex. With the end of the year looming closer, and the endless pressure to study for exams growing greater each day, this would probably be the last opportunity to see what was beneath Mr. Huggles before the summer holidays. The more he thought about it, the more it filled his head, until Harry could think of nothing else.

ôHey Rex?ö

ôyeah harry?ö

ôDo you want to visit Mr. Huggles tonight?ö

ôi thought you'd never ask.ö

HPaCT

Hermione just couldn't understand what was making today so horrible. Every time she turned around, it seemed like something was going wrong. First her homework seemed to vanish, only to reappear on the parchment moments later. Then she somehow got turned around walking to potions class, and lost ten points for being late. These and half a dozen different incidents had piled up to ruin her day. Even in the common room, something just seemed to grind on her nerves, even though she was completely alone. With a scream of frustration, she hurled her books away from her, befor erealizing what she had just done.

Hermione immediately began to gather up her scattered books, frantically checking to make sure no harm had come to them. After assuring herself that all was well, she sighed, slumping back into her chair. It seemed like nothing was going her way today, almost as if she were...

ôCursed...ö Hermione muttered to herself suspiciously. Despite spending nearly a year studying magic, it still managed to slip her mind that magic was indeed real, and a major part of her life. Glancing around to confirm that there was no one else around, Hermioen began casting every detection spell she knew. She allowed herself a dark grin as one of her books began to faintly glow. It was times like these that spending so much time in the library was completely worthwhile.

A cursory exam of the book revealed that someone had cast an irritability hex on it, along with an ill-luck enchantment. Hermione's smile quickly transformed into a frown, as she tried to think who the culprit could be. These sorts of spells weren't normally taught to first years, and outside of Ravenclaw, she didn't know anyone with enough drive and dedication to research them. It could be one of the older students, Hermione admitted to herself, but the likelihood of that was slim. Outside of the Twins, most of them couldn't be bothered with the younger years, and the Twins weren't much for subtlety.

With a sigh, she shifted her thinking. Who would want to cast these spells on her? Who would want to ruin her day? She couldn't deny that she had a tendency to motivate the rest of her year when the opportunity presented itself, and she could be a little overzealous, but ever since the last incident with Ron, she had done her best to keep her opinions on that particular matter to herself.

Ever since that incident with Ron... Hermione's eyes narrowed, as a clear suspect began to emerge. She had had conflicts with nearly all of her fellow first years,normally when she was trying to make them study, but only Ron went out of his way to make her life difficult.

Still, given that they mainly fought over his poor study habits, it was a bit strange that he would know something like this. Sure, he could have gone to the library to learn it out of sheer spite, but Hermione didn't think even that would be enough to make him pick up a book for something other than schoolwork.

Someone must be helping him, teaching him spells beyond the scope of their first year education. He wasn't the type to research them on his own, but he could probably swallow his pride and ask for help, especially if it was family, like the Twins.

Still, all she had were her suspicions, and as vindicating as it would be to simply hex him the next time she saw him, Hermione

Hermione hid herself in the corner of the common room, behind a massive pile of books. If Ron was the one behind her recent troubles, then she would get to the bottom of it soon enough.

HPaCT

Harry waited until everyone else began to leave the common room, exhausted from studying. Despite the fact that he had been trying to do the same, the excitement of finally finding out what the big secret beneath Mr. Huggles was kept him wide awake and alert.



ôHey Hermione, Rex and I were going to see what was hidden underneath Mr. Huggles, do you want to come with?ö Harry asked the bushy haired bookworm.

ôNo... not right now Harry.ö Hermione said hurriedly, not wanting to lose track of her target. ôSorry!ö she offered, before hastily chasing after her Housemate.

Harry watched her until she too vanished from sight, before shrugging. While it would have been nice to have the extra company, he hadn't really expected anything different. If anything, he was surprised to see Hermione of all people out after hours without having to wheedle or cajole her into joining him.





HPaCT

ôHELLO MR. HUGGLES! HOW ARE YOU TODAY?ö Rex cooed, causing his previously sleeping pet to jump, before cowering before him. Harry watched as Rex played with the giant dog for a few minutes, realizing that it was easier to let Rex have his fun before getting down to business.

Harry watched with some amusement as Mr. Huggles was put through his paces. While the dog was still completely terrified of Rex, it had learned to ignore the immediate terror enough to do what it was told, and thus avoid the far worse terror of facing an angry Rex.

ôGOOD DOGGIE, NOW GO TAKE A NAP. DADDY HAS WORK TO DO!!!ö Rex said with glee, and the cerberus was only too glad to scurry off to the corner and curl up into a ball. Harry felt a familiar flash of pity for the beast, before turning his gaze to the trap door. With a heave, he pulled it open, and stared down at a seemingly endless tunnel.

ôOkay Rex, before we move forward, I think we should discuss what we're going to-ö

ôWHEE!!!ö Rex cried out, already plunging down the tube. Harry allowed himself a long suffering sigh, before sliding down the tube himself.

By the time Harry had descended after his friend, Rex was already munching on some sort of plant. He hadn't bothered to incinerate it before snatching it up in his jaws, and seemed quite content to savor his unexpected meal.

ôI LIKE THE WAY IT WRIGGLES WHEN I EAT IT.ö Rex said, as he took another massive bite from it. Harry smiled for a moment, before looking around, seeing just what lay beneath the trap door. It was far less impressive than he had expected. He had been hoping for a massive hallway, lined with deadly traps and countless monsters, but all that seemed to be there, aside from Rex's snack, was a door leading to another room.

Harry took a moment to recover from his disappointment, before motioning Rex to follow after him.

The sound of flapping wings filled the air of the next room, and harry paused to look at the countless flying keys overhead. He was puzzled to what their purpose was, but after realizing the next door was locked, and spotting a few brooms sitting next to it, it became obvious.

ôAlright, I think we need-ö Harry began, before a loud cracking sound. He turned to see what had happened, and saw Rex standing sheepishly in front of the shattered door.

Rex grinned, ôSORRY.ö

Harry resisted the urge to sigh, ôIt's fine. Really. Let's just keep moving.ö

The next room contained a massive collection of chess pieces, all of which turned to look at him as the door creaked open. Harry paused to look at the board, the Black King stood in front of the door leading to the next room, and unsheathed its sword and waved in menacingly at Harry, as if it knew he was thinking of skipping whatever challenge this was.

ôPLAYING CHESS IS TOO HARD. LET'S JUST SMASH IT.ö Rex complained as Harry stared at the expansive board, thinking about his options.

Harry considered for a moment. He had never played before, and wasn't familiar with all of the rules. Besides, it wasn;'t like letting Rex bulldoze his way through the obstacles wasn't working. With a shrug, he said, ôAlright.ö

Despite being nothing more than animated rocks, Harry thought he saw an expression of fear on them as Rex walked forward. With a joyous roar, the monstrous dinosaur tore into the stone soldiers, covering the floor with half shattered faces and chunks of rubble.

The next room contained nothing besides an unconscious troll. Harry was smart enough to telkl Rex to leave it alone for the moment, and proceeded through the door on the other side.

This room seemed to be empty, save for a small table with several vials on it. Harry moved closer to investigate, but as soon as he drew close enough to examine it, a sea of flames erupted around them. Hsarry looked around for some way out of it, but they were completely enveloped. Harry began to turn look at the table for clues on how to escape their predicament, before Rex spoke up.

ôI GOT THIS.ö Rex said, flames dripped from his slavering jaws.

ôRex, I don't think you can put out fire using... well, fire.ö Harry said, earning a petulant look from his comrade. ôLook, I'm sure one of these bottles has some way around this-ö

ôNO! I CAN TOTALLY DO IT!!!ö Rex protested. The monstrous dinosaur inhaled deeply, dark flames flickering in its mouth. With a bestial roar, Rex unleashed a massive torrent of flames, his own fires devouring the magical ones surrounding their platform.

ôYou burned fire.ö Harry stated, torn between awe and disbelief.

ôOF COURSE. I CAN DO ANYTHING.ö Rex answered smugly. Harry sighed in response, finally settling on disbelief, before walking forward, Rex following behind.

HPaCT

ôWell, little brother, how has your day been going?ö

Ron grinned. ôPretty well I'd say. I didn't cause nearly as much meyhem as the two of you, but at least I managed to avoid getting caught.ö

ôGetting caught only counts if Filch gives you detention. If he can't drag us to his office to do it, then we didn't get caught.ö

ôWhatever.ö

ôSo, what sort of trouble did you manage to cook up, exactly?ö

ôWasn't one of your rules to never speak about your pranks?ö Ron asked, earning a chuckle form his brothers, ôWell, let's just say that a few people got taken down a peg or two, and leave it at that. I just wish I had gotten started sooner in the year. Now, I'll have to wait until next year...ö

ôDon't worry Ron, we'll give you plenty of practice over the holidays.ö

ôCleaning up the messes will be a good learning experience for you!ö

As Ron grumbled under his brothers' laughter, Hermione's eyes narrowed. It seemed her guess had been correct. Ronald Weasley was the source of her poor luck, and it looked as if he had no intention of stopping anytime soon, if his conversation with his siblings was anything to judge by.

ôWell, I must say, you've done a decent job for a first time prankster.ö

ôGranted, you did have the mentorship of two highly qualified experts to help you along and avoid some of the common pitfalls of the consummate pranker, but fairly impressive nonetheless.ö

ôHowever, as for not getting caught... You should really be a bit more aware of your surrounding Ronnie-kins.ö One of them said, causing Hermione to pale.

ôWhat do you mean?ö Ron asked, puzzled.

ôA true prankster always makes sure that no one is watching them, at least until the prank is accomplished.ö The other Twin answered, waving his wand and muttering a spell under his breath. Suddenly, Hermione's clothes had a mind of their own. They twisted and turned, trying to force her to walk how they wanted. The first year struggled, but only managed to lose her balance and fall out of her hiding place. As she fell to the floor in disarry, she had to sense to pull out her wand. While Hermione was sure she didn't make for the most threatening spectacle while she was sprawled on the floor, she wasn't going to let that stop her.

ôWell well, if it isn't Miss Hermioen Granger. Ron has told us so much about you.ö one of the Twins said pleasantly, as if talking about the weather.

ôCare for a hand?ö the other asked

ôI don't need help from you!ö Hermione snapped, getting to her feet and fixing her robes as best she could without losing sight of them. ôAnd if youö

ôWhy whatever are you talking about?ö Ron asked with false innocence dripping from his every word.

ôI'll get you for this Ronald Weasley!ö Hermione glared at him, the words for a particularly uncomfortable hex rising on her lips.

Ron grinned, ôYou may be better at spellwork than me, but my brothers leave you in the dust! Do you really think you can handle all three of us?ö

Fred and George exchanged a look, before speaking in unison, ôI think you have the wrong idea, brother dearest. She's your enemy, Ron. We don't mind giving you a few tips or hints, but we're not fighting your battles for you.ö

ôHuh?ö Ron said in surprise. While Hermione remained silent, she was stunned as well.

ôThere are many ways to determine which of the two of you is better. You could compare your end of the year exam scores after the holidays, you could continue hexing each other until one of you gives up...ö the twin on the left said, casually strolling across the room.

ô...or you can see which of you is better at evading Filch and Mrs. Norris.ö the other concluded, before knocking over a suit of armor. As it fell, it bumped into another nearby suit, which in turn hit another. Like giant, metal dominoes, armor fell one after another, drowning them in a cacophony of clanking.

With matching looks of horror, the two first years watched in disbelief, as the twins grinned, then dashed out of the room. They followed after them, but by the time they had crossed the room, the Twins were gone, and in the distance, they could hear Filch shouting about their fate when he caught them.

Hermione and Ron gulped, and shared a glare, before sprinting off in opposite directions.

HPaCT

ôI'm just saying, you should let me have some of the fun too. What's the point of me coming along if you're going to just smash through everything without letting me lift a finger?ö Harry lectured his partner. Having a monster was great, but Rex had a tendency to do whatever he liked, and in this case, it had spoiled most of the adventure for Harry. Sure, they moved along faster than they would have if harry had tried to solve the puzzles and trials, but now harry felt like the third wheel, and there were only two of them?

Once again resisting the urge to sigh, Harry looked around the new room. There were no other doors, so it seemed that this was the end of the trials and puzzles that had been laid out in the previous rooms. The only thing in theis room was a sizable mirror, and, Harry noticed belatedly, his Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor.

ôProfessor Quirrel?ö Harry asked in disbelief. Of all the things he expected to find, his timid teacher was not among them.

ôAh. Mr. Potter, a not altogether unexpected surprise.ö the Professor said without looking away from the mirror.

ôWhat are you doing here?ö

ôI came for what rightfully belongs to my master. An item that can restore him to his full, resplendent glory.ö Quirrel said, slowly turning to face his student. ôSoon, the world will once against tremble in fear of th- ACK!!ö he nearly shrieked, noticing Rex for the first time.

ôHI.ö Rex said, waving a massive claw.

ôWhat foul sorcery is this?!ö Quirrel demanded, drawing his wand. He cast a number of spells on the eldritch beast, all to no effect.

ôHEE HEE. THAT TICKLES.ö Rex giggled, his deep, booming voice making it sound all the more disturbing. While he seemed unconcerned with the magic being cast upon him, Harry knew that it was only a matter of time before Quirrel found something that would work on him.

ôGet him Rex.ö Harry said, without a trace of fear in his voice. Quirrel's face flashed with terror for a moment, before Rex stepped into the center of the room, and roared. Faster then Quirrel could react, Rex' claws closed around him and tore him to sheds. Within seconds, all that remained of the professor was a heap of bloody clothes and cooling flesh.

Harry stepped around his remains, and moved up to look at the mirror. It was ornate, and had some sort of inscription along the bottom, but overall it seemed fairly ordinary. It was only when he looked at his reflection that he noticed something was off.

ôWhat have you done to me?!ö A voice boomed from Quirrel's remains, cutting Harry's examination short. Harry spun around and saw a black cloud began to pour from the countless cuts and tears on his body, struggling to pull it back together. As the shambling corpse struggled to its feet, there was a sickening snap, as his head twisted around, and Quirrel's turban fell off, revealing a warped visage hidden beneath it.

ôDamn you Potter! I will not be denied my revenge!ö the face shouted, moving towards the shocked young boy. ôWhen I've finished with you, tales of your suffering will be hear at the four corners of the earth! Mothers will speak in hushed tones of your example for why they should accept my rule! I shall rip your very soul asunder, so even in death you will writhe in agony!ö

Unfortunately, threatening Harry was among the more foolish choices it could have made, several steps more suicidal than jumping into a vat of flesh melting acid. Rex's eye locked onto the corpse, like a predator stalking a particularly vulnerable prey. As if sensing its impending doom, the face slowly turned to look at the monster.

ôStay back! Get away!ö the face shouted, a hint of fear in its voice. It brandished its wand at him, attempting to succeed where Quirrel had failed.

Rex shrugged off the deadly spells the same way a person might shrug off a light rain shower, before lunging forward, and grabbing the unfortunate wizard in his jaws. The face had only a bare moment to howl in terror and despair, before Rex closed his mouth, and ended its facsimile of life.

However, that was not the end of the horror show. The dark cloud began to pour from Quirrel's corpse, twisting as it tried to escape Rex's mouth. Harry watched in morbid fascination as the black cloud shrieked and writhed, trying desperately to escape from the jaws of the abomination. However, whatever dark magic comprised its existence, it was not enough to escape from the otherworldly aberration that was Rex. Its only salvation was when Rex chose to spit out it mangle remains

ôUGH. WHATEVER IT IS TASTES LIKE LIVER, AND NOT THE FRESH FROM THE STILL LIVING BODY LIVER. LIKE, WEEK OLD LIVER THAT'S BEEN LEFT OUT IN THE SUN. MIXED WITH ONIONS.ö Rex expressed his distaste towards the thing he had been chewing, scrabbling at his tongue with his massive forearms as he tried to get the disgusting flavor out of his mouth.

The black cloud howled as it twisted and shuddered, trying to escape from the room. It's mangled form writhed in agony as it tried to repair itself, to no avail. With a high pitched squeal, it sundered itself apart, its shattered remains scattering to the corners of the room. The largest portion sunk into the ground, while several smaller fragments slithered into cracks or holes.

Only a bare fraction of the original remained, far too damage to anything other than twitch as it slowly dissipated. Underneath the sounds of Rex's complains, Harry could swear he could hear a faint screaming as it faded into oblivion.

Harry stared for several long minutes at the place where the cloud had once sat, and at Quirrel's mangled remains. This was the first time Harry had seen death, seen someone killed right in front of him. Sure, Quirrel probably would have done the same thing to him, if not worse, but seeing the life be torn out of his was disconcerting to say the least. Seeing Rex completely destroy a life in seconds like that...

Maybe Harry needed to keep Rex on a tighter leash.

Maybe there was something to be said for doing things on his own.

Harry shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to worry about anything like that. It was getting late, and they needed to get back to the dormitories. Overall this adventure hadn't been anything like what he had expected. Maybe he could come back again some time in the future, but for now, getting back to the dormitories was the only thing on his mind.

HPaCT

The next day passed uneventfully. Hermione had somehow managed to avoid getting caught by Filch or his cat, but was disappointed to see Ron had done the same. Classes had officially ended, and with nothing left but exams, she didn't have time to play whatever game he was planning. Even Ron was busying studying now, so she didn't have to worry about any more tricks for the time being, but she still felt it would be appropriate to send him a message.

With a steely sense of purpose, hermioen abandoned her books and marched over to Ron.

ôCan I help you?ö Ron asked, not even glancing up from his game of chess with Seamus. The sudden reversal from his usual hot tempered reaction only served to fuel Hermione's fury.

ôI'm on to you.ö

ôI don't know what you're talking about, Miss Bookworm.ö Ron said easily, ôThough if you've taken to following me around after hours, you might want to stop carrying so many books with you. It'll make it easier for Filch to catch you. And that means Gryffindor loses points, and we wouldn't want that, would we?ö

With great effort, Hermione resisted the urge to lash out, drew in a breath, and calmly released it. Then, coolly locking eyes with the red head in front of her, she offered a reply.

ôI don't know the specifics of how you did it, but I know you did, and the rest is only a matter of time.ö she began, ôAll I wanted was to be left alone, just me and my books, but you're just going to hold your grudge until I give up. Well, that's not going to happen. Anything you can do, I can do better.ö

ôIt's too bad that the summer holidays are just around the corner. Once I finish the summer homework, I'll have nothing better to do but research how to Destroy you.ö Hermione concluded

Impressively, Ron managed to keep his composure until she marched out of the room, evening finishing his match with Seamus before heading up to his dormitory. Only then did he allow his fear to show.

ôSo, she's going to spend her summer plotting against me.ö Ron said to himself, ôAlright, if that's how she wants it, I'm happy to give her the same!ö Ron's hand tightened into a fist as he began plotting for his own holidays.

HPaCT

The few remaining days passed rather uneventfully. Exams came and went, and while Hermione and a few of the other studious students continued to fret about them, the majority of them were looking forward to the holidays more than anything else.

Harry, for his part, had the disturbing thoughts regarding what was beneath the trapdoor begin to fade. Exams had taken up all of his attention, and once they were passed, it seemed less real than before. Part of him wondered if Quirrel was even a human, or if he was some monster like Rex. Even wizards didn't come back from the dead like that, did they?

It became easier to put it out of his mind, especially with the last minute rush to make sure everything was packed for the trip back home. Harry suppressed a yawn as he struggled to pack in all of his schoolbooks into his trunk, and gave his room a last look to make sure nothing important had been forgotten. Dragging his trunk behind him, Harry passed the last hour before the train's arrival playing exploding snap and exchanging numbers with the muggleborn Hufflepuffs.

The train ride passed uneventfully. Harry spent most of it catching up on sleep lost during exams, only waking a few times to Hermione's chattering. It wasn't until the final blast of the train horn that Harry fully emerged from his stupor, and staggered off of the Hogwarts Express.

Walking seemed to reinvigorate him, and as he passed through the barrier between nine and three quarters and the rest of the station, Harry felt more like his old self. He looked around, and spotted Annabel waving frantically to get his attention. To her side, his aunt stood rigidly, as if she had been turned to stone.

As he drew nearer, Annabel unleashed a storm of chatter upon him, filling him in on every minute detail of what had been happening in her life. Long used to her ability to rant for hours on end when the mood struck her, Harry just nodded in agreement as he loaded his trunk into the car, before turning to face his aunt.

Petunia smiled at Harry, much in the way one might smile to a serial killer, in hopes that being polite and unobtrusive would keep something horrible form happening. Harry responded with a wide grin of his own, and heedless of the terrified twitching it caused in his aunt, quickly jumped into the back seat with Annabel and began telling her of his own most recent adventures in the brief moments when she paused to draw breath.

Hogwarts had made for an eventful school year, but nothing could compare to the excitement of the summer holidays. As they left the station behind, Harry quickly confirmed that he had the phone numbers to his housemates who lived in the muggle world, as well as Hermione's. Spending time with his friends without worrying about schoolwork or teachers was bound to be more fun, especially since he had so many more people to enjoy it with.

One thing was for sure; the holidays were sure to be fun.

 

[Innortal]

Excellent.

Though you may want to add some more, namely something about Quirrell not being around to give his exams--from other students' views or whatnot, as well as perhaps some reaction from the Headmaster.

One final thing, you never mentioned one way or the other if Harry got the stone.

 

[zerohour]

Thanks, I'll make sure to add that in before I post to FF.net

Next chapter I was planning on covering things in the book that ended up not being a factor here. The main one I'm remembering is Norbert/Norberta still being around because no one talked Hagrid out of keeping her, but I'm sure I skipped a few other interesting plots points. Anyone know what I missed?

 

[zerohour]

“Well Boy. Looks like we got ourselves a bit of standoff.” The bandit growled, sneering at the lawman before him.

“Certainly looks that way.” his foe replied, adjusting his hat to cover up his scar. He glanced around him. The streets were deserted, most of the townsfolk either barricading themselves in their homes, or had fled town.

“So, Sheriff is it now? Bit young for such a heavy title.”

“I didn't choose it. It chose me.” He replied,

“Most folks in these parts a pretty quick on the draw.” The outlaw drawled, twirling his wand before sheathing it next to his revolver.

“I reckon it's a useful skill, times being what they are.” The green eyed lawman returned, his own hand drifting towards his own weapons. His partners were hidden away at the saloon, and while a little help would have been appreciated, he didn't want them risking life and limb for him.

“Makes things nice and simple.”

“I suppose that's true.” Harry said.

For a moment, the two men fell silent, letting

The church bell on the hillside rang, just once, and at that signal, their hands bolted for their weapons.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Some time earlier...
----- ----- ----- ----- -----

“I told you two! Time Turners are delicate artifacts!” Hermione shouted, “even the slightest bit of magic can throw them off by days, or send you halfway across the planet!”

“Sorry Hermione.” Harry apologized, “But how were we to know you had a Time Turner? I though you gave it back to McGonagall at the end of Third Year?”

“I did! This one was for a research project I was working on for Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. I was trying to determine if we could use it as a catalyst for scrying into the past.”

“If there's anyone you should have been mad at, it was Malfoy. He was the one who started the fight, and he was the one who blasted you with that curse!”

“He was baiting you Ron! You should know that by now!” Hermione replied, drawing her wand, “I just hope we haven't gone prehistoric. Fixing this is way beyond my current knowledge, and I don't have any books for research with me.”

“Even after something like this, you still want to do research.” Ron grinned, earning a glare from his female companion.

“Laugh all you want Ronald, but until one of us discovers a way to fix whatever Malfoy did, we're stuck here. Wherever and whenever this is.” Hermione huffed.

“Well, whatever we're going to do, we should get moving. There's nothing out here in this wasteland.” Harry sighed, looking around at the desolate land. “Any preferences for direction?”

----- ----- -----

After what felt like hours of endless walking and tireless bickering, the trio found the first traces of life and civilization. At first it was just a few stray animals, but as they continued, they eventually spotted what seemed like a small town.

Trying to ignore the growing dryness in his throat, Harry stumbled along the slowly forming dirt road into the center of town, before looking around. The buildings all appeared to be wooden, and fairly ramshackle at that.

Harry and his friends didn't care. They were too thirsty and exhausted to care. Once they spotted a building with a massive “Saloon” sign on it, they staggered inside. The building was just as run down as the rest of the town, with a healthy layer of dirt and grime. The only immaculate part of it was the bar, behind which stood a massive shelf of highly polished glass and a gleaming collection of beer and spirits.

“Water!” Ron managed to gasp as they slumped down at the bar.

“Mighty odd clothes you got there, strangers.” The man behind the bar said calmly, not even looking up from the glass he was polishing as he poured three cups of cloudy water before slinging them down the bar towards them. The trio gulped down their drinks in seconds, before turning to speak to the bartender.

“We're... not from around here.” Harry tried helplessly.

“How much for a few sets of clothes?” Ron asked quickly, flashing a few sickles “You must have some lying around.”

“That real silver?” The bartender asked, his eyebrow raising.

“Course it is! What do you take me for?” Ron said, daring him to disbelieve him.

The bartender picked up one of the coins, and bit down on it. Giving it another close look, he shrugged, before pocketing the handful of coins. “I've got a few spare sets of trousers and the like in back. As for your lady friend, I'm sure my girls have something that would work for her.”

“Your 'girls'?” Hermione asked suspiciously. The bartender merely pointed towards the second floor, where a number of young ladies were giggling at the newcomers. Hermione immediately blushed.

Fortunately, she was spared further embarrassment as a shot rang out. The trio immediately turned to locate the source, but the barkeep seemed completely unphased.

“Sounds like Wily Pete decided to have another go at the sheriff.” The barkeep said nonchalantly. The trio stared in disbelief at how calm he was, before rushing to the window to see what was happening.

HPaCT

“I see you're deputy is shirking his duties. Is he running late or just running?” One of the outlaws, apparently the leader

“After you killed the last few, can you blame him?” The sheriff replied emotionlessly, his hand never leaving his gun.

“Well, when facing a wizard of my skill, it's no wonder he would flee.”

“Man or mage, it doesn't matter much when a bullet lodges in your brain.” The sheriff said, reaching for his gun. The outlaws laughed pulling out his wand and twirling it between his fingers.

“You think you can stop us? An old man like you?” he laughed in disbelief.

“I may be old, but in these here parts, I'm the law Pete, and I'm damn well not going to allow some young hooligans to run wild in my town. Now I'll give you one last change to leave before I take care of you my way.”

“No way in hell old man!” Wily Pete shouted, as he and his men opened fire. The sheriff dodged out of the way, and managed a few shots of his own, but was clearly outmatched.

“Isn't anyone going to help him?” Hermione asked, glancing over at the bartender.

“People who help tend to end up dead.” The bartender replied. “Most people think we should just wait for the government to step in and deal with him.”

“Of course, given all the trouble they've been having with the South, I doubt they'd be willing to spare a hick town like us anything.” One of the harlots said from the balcony.

“But he';s going to die!” Hermione tried again. Harry glanced away from the battle, and saw that they didn't seem to care. They were too tired to care. Tired of watching good men die for standing up to the outlaws. Tired of having to rebuild whenever Wily Pete and his gang destroyed something. Tired of everything.

He couldn't stand by any longer. Despite the sound of gunfire, he sprinted out of the saloon, casting a quick shield charm for protection, and rushed to the sheriff's side. If no one else was going to do anything, Harry would have to step in. Years at Hogwarts had ingrained him with a sense of justice and a burning need to see it served, come hell or high water.

“The hell are you doing here kid?!” The sheriff demanded

“Trying to help.”

“Ever fire a gun?

“No.”

“Then you won't be much use, will you?” The sheriff said, “Can't blame you for trying though. Too many people are willing to let him have his way to avoid trouble.”

“I've tried that. It never seems to work out well.” Harry replied, flinching as a bullet passed near his head.

“Anything you can do to help us out of this?”

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” Harry shouted, launching a silvery stag at the outlaws. As they shouted in confusion, Harry saw the barest hint of a grin on the sheriff's face.

A shot rang out, and one of the outlaws screamed and fell, bleeding heavily from his shoulder. The rest of them turned in surprise, before scattering as a barrage of bullets rained down on them. Harry ducked as the thundering sounds filled his head, a small part of him noticing the sheriff had drawn a new set of guns, and was rapidly discharging them as the thieves.

The leader waved his wand around, surrounding them with a shimmering white field, before turning tail. The injured man struggled back onto his horse, before following after, leaving behind a trail of blood.

“We'll be back! You won't be so lucky next time!” He shouted, before snapping the reigns and spurring his horse out of town. The rest of the gang followed hastily behind him, and soon the only sign that they had been there was a dwindling dust cloud in the distance.

Harry sighed in relief that they had succeeded, before a pained groan behind him refocused his attention on the sheriff.

“How did you-”

“I always like to keep a few extra pieces on me. Helps to deal with unexpected trouble like those damn brats.” The old man managed a grin, before stumbling. Harry rushed to his side to offer his support, before buckling under the unexpected weight.

“You've been shot!” Harry exclaimed, seeing blood begin to drip down his body.

“Well, didn't expect the bastard to actually hit me.” The old man grunted as Harry tried to support him. “Pete's always been a lousy shot.”

“Somebody! We need help!” Harry shouted, desperately looking around the deserted street. Even after the bandits had left, no one seemed willing to step outside. Harry gritted his teeth,

“Let me help you mate.” Ron said as he joined Harry, lending his shoulder to the wounded sheriff. “Wish I was a bit better with levitation charms, but I don't think waving him around in the air would be a good plan.”

“I have to agree with you there Ron. I think the doctor's place is down the street, he have to hurry.” Harry said, struggling forward with his best mate to save the life of the town's protector.

----- ----- -----

Hours later, Harry was pacing in the doctor's office, waiting to hear whatever news he had to offer. Ron and Hermione sat, silently watching his pacing, while a number of visitors passed by, only to be angrily sent away by the doctor. The assembled crowd grew, until finally, after what seemed like hours, the doctor emerged, with a dark look upon his face.

“There's not much I can do for him. I don't have the tools or the experience to operate on him.” The doctor said, “The best we can do is make him comfortable and let him pass, peaceful like.”

“I see... did he have any last requests?”

“He wanted to see this young man here.”

“Me?” Harry asked in disbelief.

“Well, you did save his life, what little there was left of it...” the mayor said, as the doctor returned to his office. “Best get going son.”

Harry hesitated for a moment, before entering the room. The sheriff was heavily bandaged, though he could still see some blood seem from the gauze. Despite his condition, he managed a grizzled grin for Harry.

“Good to see you made it out in one piece kid.”

“I just wish I had managed the same for you.” Harry replied apologetically.

“This was a long time coming kid. Those bastards have killed three of my deputies before you came along, and the last one wised up enough to high tail it out of here before they got him too. They keep on coming, cutting us down one by one, until there's no one left to stand against them.”

“They'll probably be back in a few days. They always are.” the sheriff grunted, trying to ignore his obvious pain. “You won't be able to scare them off with magic again, not now that they expect it. You'll need something more, so take my gun.”

Harry looked where his hand was pointing. The worn down revolver was sitting on the nearby desk, along with the sheriff's badge. He picked the objects up, carefully examining them as he considered his course of action.

It wasn't hard.

“I swear, I'll do what I can. At the very least I can avenge your death.” Harry said solemnly.

“Heh heh... avenge my death? That's funny kid, you think you're a hero of justice?” The sheriff laughed gruffly, before trailing off into silence. Harry waited for several moments for him to speak up again, before realizing the lawman had finally passed.

“Sheriff's dead. Deputy's long gone.” the mayor said as he reentered the room. “Seems you're the only one willing to stand up for the law.”

“Well, er... that is..” Harry stuttered, trying to figure out a response to the mayor's assertion. Absently, he noted that the sheriff's badge and gun was still clutched in his hands.

“None of our folk are much good with a rifle, and no one else has magic like you. Not many people would be brave enough to risk their lives for a man they barely know either. Its a quality I wish more young men like you had.”

“It's not something people should want, but sometimes, it's exactly what someone needs.” Harry said with a sigh. “They won't be back for a few days, so I'd better go get ready...”

HPaCT

“Magic has always been kept a secret after the signing of the Statute of Secrecy.” Hermione said,”If people here are so willing to use magic openly, and the muggles don't seem particularly concerned about it... it can only mean one thing...”

“And what is that?”

“This isn't our world.” Hermione said grimly. “People have theorized about parallel realities, but no one has ever encountered one and returned.”

“Couldn't we just be in a time before it was written?” Ron asked. “I mean, it is a time turner, after all.”

Hermione shook her head, “No, the Statute was created before the invention of gunpowder.”

“Well, then I suppose we'll just have to jump until we get back, right?”

“It's not that simple Ron! There are countless realities out there, and we have no idea how to navigate them!” Hermione shouted, directing her agitation towards the unfortunate red head.

“Hermione, I know this is a big deal, but we have more important things to be worrying about right now.” Harry tried to calm her down

“And just what could be more important than this Harry?!”

“Well for starters, the mayor just named me sheriff, so the bandits are probably going to come back and kill me.” Harry answered, causing her to freeze.

“Oh Harry, I'm so sorry!” Hermione began to apologize, before Harry waved her off.

“it's not like it's much different than Hogwarts. Always one thing or another trying to make things difficult, right?” He tried to joke weakly, before flashing his newly acquired gun. “I'm going to get some rest, and then I'll see about learning to shoot this thing tomorrow.”

HPaCT

“You have no idea how uncomfortable this corset is.” Hermione groused as she once again found herself adjusting her dress.

“You're the one who insisted we blend in.” Ron replied as his polished another glass at the bar, “It's not my fault you have to play the Scarlet Woman.”

“You have no idea how uncomfortable this makes me...” Hermione said as she shuddered, “If I actually had to do the things they ask me to do, or god forbid your mother found out...”

“I can imagine.” Ron replied, “You certainly clocked that one bloke pretty hard. Why not say your a seamstress or something like that?”

“Because I can't sew, cook, or anything like that.” Hermione replied irritably. “I'm still a student, and a witch at that. Most of the jobs here are done in factories back home, so it was either play the role of a scarlet woman or a beggar, and as loath as I am to admit it, being thought of as a prostitute opens up more doors than I would like..”

“I'm sure it does.” Ron sniggered, earning slap from his companion. “How do you think Harry's doing.”

Hermione sighed, “Hopefully better than I am.”

HPaCT

“Not too good a shot, are you boss?” One of the local children commented as they watched Harry attempt to shoot a few cans off a nearby fence.

“Not yet.” Harry admitted, looking at the revolver with some degree of irritation, “But a little more practice and I should be able to hit the broad side of a barn.” His response only caused them to laugh at him, as he futilely tried to attain proficiency with his newly acquired firearm. He didn't need to be a crack shot, just enough to make sure the bullet hit in the general vicinity of his target.

HPaCT

“Harry! There you are!” Hermione said, as Harry staggered into the Saloon.

“Hey Hermione, how are things going? Any chance we'll be out of here before noon tomorrow?” He asked before slumping down into a chair.

“Sorry Harry, it'll take a lot longer than a day or two before I can even begin to figure out how to use the time turner how we need to use it. If we're not careful, we could end up somewhere where the air is made of acid or something.”

“Sorry mate. Look like you'll be the law for a bit longer.”

“Being the law isn't the issue. It's the people trying to kill me for being the law that's the problem.”

“Well, I might not have made much progress with the time turner, but I did manage to enchant the sheriff's coat a bit.” Hermione said, placing the heavy duster on the table. “It's not much, but it should be loads tougher now, and I managed to work a cooling charm into it as well, so you won't overheat.”

“Do you think it can stop a bullet?” Harry asked as he picked it up.

Hermione hesitated, “Well, I'm not sure about that. Most protective spells are about stopping curses and hexes. I tried to make it more resistant, but I have no idea how well it will work...”

“Well, we could always test it out.”

“Ron!” Hermione shouted, slapping him on the shoulder.

“He doesn't have to be wearing ti when we test it Hermione! Do you think I'm a complete idiot?” Ron groused, rubbing his arm where she had hit him

“Well, I suppose it's better to find out beforehand.” Hermione admitted

HPaCT

The next few days passed in a blur. Harry made steady progress with his revolver, while Hermione continued to struggle in unraveling the mysteries of her time turner. Ron was content to work part time at the bar, and while Hermione complained about it, he was quick to point out that until they could get back where they belonged, they would need some form of money.

The Trio fell into an uneasy routine. While they quickly adapted to their temporary lifestyle, the return of Wily Pete was never far from their minds.

As expected, the fragile peace didn't last, as a few days later, a rising dust cloud indicated that Wily Pete was ready to try again.

HPaCT


“Damn, it looks like he brought his posse with him.” Harry groaned as he watch the small band of thieves ride into town. “Do you think the two of you could do something about them?” Harry asked, looking at his closest friends.

“Don't worry Harry. It looks like their leader is the only one with a wand on him.” Ron reassured his friend, “Hermione and I can distract them from the houses so you can focus on their boss.”

Harry stopped, “Alright, just be careful.”

HPaCT

A quick shield charm shimmered into existence before Harry, before brilliantly illuminating the air as bullets bounced off of it. Harry grimaced from the strain of holding off the barrage of projectiles, feeling his strength fade with each shot.

The shield shattered on the fifth shot, and Harry just barely avoided the sixth. A curse rang out as the outlaw hesitated, torn between reloading his revolver or chasing after the duster wearing wizard. Harry took full advantage to scramble behind a water barrel, before looking frantically around for some kind of advantage. Drawing his gun, he listened as the outlaw's heavy footsteps grew closer.

Harry jumped out, brandishing his revolver with complete abandon. With a primal roar, he pulled the trigger again and again. Pete flinched away hoping that his leather coat would offer some protection. He needn't have bothered.

Every shot missed.

“Not too good a shot, are you boy?” The bandit asked, recovering his former confidence and, with a sadistic grin, pointed his own gun at the completely exposed wizard.

“Not as such, no.” Harry said reflexively, before ducking in a desperate attempt to dodge the shots once more. He wasn't as lucky as he had been before, but Hermione's spellwork held up. Each bullet felt like someone had thrown a fastball at him, but it was better than being blasted full of holes. He fell to his knees, then to the ground as the last bullet hit home. In the distance, he could see Hermione and Ron running towards them, but they were too far away. He would have to deal with Wily Pete himself.

Harry lay there for a moment, stunned, listening to Pete's cackle as he confidently strolled over to the fallen wizard. Harry waited until it sounded as if he were just inches away, then gathered all of his remaining strength for one last attempt to win the battle.

“Expelliarmus!” Harry shouted, as he rolled over, firing a blast of red light at his enemy. The outlaw only had a moment for a surprised shout, before his gun was thrown across the deserted street, his wand clattering beside it a moment later.

“Don't move.” Harry groaned as he struggled to his feet. It felt as though he would be completely covered in bruises the next day, but he tried not to let it show.

With some effort, Harry managed to retrieve a pair of handcuffs from one of the many pockets in his duster, and tossed them over. Carefully, he checked to make sure his revolver had been reloaded, before shakily pointing it as the bandit in front of him.

“Wily Pete, I'm placing you under arrest. Now get down on your knees, and put on those cuffs.”

Slowly, Pete reached for the handcuffs strewn in front of him, never taking his eyes off Harry. With deliberate slowness, he lowered himself to the ground, picked them up, and carefully locked them around his wrists. Harry circled around him, keeping a watchful eye out for sudden movements, before seizing Pete and dragging him to his feet.

Harry winced as another wave of pain shot through him, but fortunately, the jailhouse was just a short walk away.

HPaCT

As soon as Pete was safely behind bars, Harry down at his his newly acquired sheriff's desk, intent to wallow in his pain until he passed out, but fate had other plans in store.

“Harry, you alright mate?” Ron asked with concern as he walked in and saw the thoroughly worked over wizard..

“I've been better, but it could have been a lot worse.” Harry groaned as he slumped down behind his desk. “Even with Hermione's enchantments, getting shot is no walk in the park.”

“Heh. Knew I didn't miss you from that close.” Pete said from his cell, earning a glare from Harry.

“How did it go with the rest of them?” Harry asked.

“Easy as pie.” Ron said with a grin. “They were so focused on you that we managed to take them out before they knew what was happening. Hermione's tying them up right now, I just wanted to make sure you made out alright too.”

“Every part of my body hurts, but I managed to get him.”

“Well, I think I've got something that might help with that second part.” Ron said, looking around conspiratorially, before reaching into his bag and pulling out a bottle filled with

“”Is that-”

“Yep. Top shelf quality too.” Ron said. “Joe the barkeep said that you deserved something for all your trouble, and after drinking this, pain will be the least of your worries.”

Harry didn't bother responding, simply grabbing a dirty glass off his desk and filling it to the brim. Without any hesitation, he downed the entire thing in a single gulp to the shock of his red haired friend.

“Harry, I don't think you're supposed to drink it all at once...”

“Ron, we're trapped in some sort of parallel reality, and somehow, I got stuck working a job where I'll probably be shot on a regular basis. Until you or Hermione figure out a way back to the world where people only try to kill me once a year, I'll drinking as much as I damn well please.”

“Don't forget all the paperwork you'll have to do. You are the law after all sheriff.” Hermione chimed in as she brought in the rest of Wily Pete's gang.

“That's it I'm deputizing both of you. Now do what your new boss says and take care of all this paperwork.” Harry said, downing another drink immediately after. It wasn't Hogwarts, but Harry couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that this would soon become routine for them.






Even if you don't post a reply, a +1 to Rep would be appreciated if you enjoyed this.

 

[Innortal]

LOL, perfect. Bet they never taught that in Muggle Studies.

 

[Obfuscated]

Did you mix-up your stories ? I'm very confused right now.

 

[zerohour]

April Fool's joke. I was messing around with this during march, and thought I would have a bit of fun by posting it in HPaCT.

Anyways, here's another chapter and a brief interlude.




He suffered.

The being that had once been known as Lord Voldemort writhed in phantasmal pain, as his very soul was rent asunder. Torn to shreds, each shard containing a fragment of his mind, each suffering.

Reunion was impossible. Not in this form anyways. For now it was too painful, and the presence of the other incarnations disgusted him, reminding him of what had happened. The urge to slaughter them all, reduce them to nothing but memory was overpowering. At the same time, overhwelming fear of the stronger remains flooded through him

So he fled.

The remains of the Dark Lord scattered, too consumed by hate and fear of their other selves to consider collaboration. Countless weaker ones began to dissolve, incapable of holding their existence together. Others simply infested whatever simple life forms presented themselves, using a host to prolong their own fading lives.

The strongest simply fled, seeking out a safe haven, far from hogwarts, the seat of Dumbledore's power, and from the monstrous beast that dwelled there. The beast that had reduced the greatest wizard of all time to little more than a collection of screaming voices. They would flee, find some place to gather their strength, and then return for their revenge.

Their failure was only due to ignorance. He had been away from the wizarding world for too long. Too many secrets lay undiscovered, or lost to time. There were always fools unworthy of power who would seek it, and they would provide it, giving them a bare taste in exchange for their servitude, helping them attain their goals and petty desires, untl they were consumed, and Lord Voldemort would be reborn.

They would not perish. They had something burning inside them far too strong to allow it to be extinguished. Something that would allow Lord Voldemort to rise up, greater and more terrible than before, to lay waste to all that would stand against him and refuse to acknowledge his right to rule them.

Madness.

And Hate.






Tears filled Hagrid's eyes as the egg in the hearth began to shake and crack. Finally, a lifelong dream of his was about to realized. He could barely restrain himself from cheering as a pair of tiny claws emerged from the egg, slowly widening the hole they had created until a small, scaly head emerged, and let out a squeak.

Hagrid nearly danced around his hut with excitement. As the infant dragon continued to work its way out of its shell, he picked up one of nearly a dozen books he had acquired about dragon rearing, before rereading the section on infant care for what was likely the hundredth time. The baby dragon, unconcerned with the antics of the massive, fleshy creature before it, settled down to devour the gooey innards of its former home, before curling up in the fire for a nap.

HPaCT

Hagrid spent the next few weeks almost exclusively in his hut, feeding his infant pet a mixture of blood and brandy. Almost every waking moment was devoted towards watching the small critter explore it new world and helping it as best he could. The dragon seemed to accept his help only begrudgingly, often trying to bite his fingers or breath flame at him whenever Hagrid crowded too close for its comfort. Hagrid took all if in stride, and even seemed to enjoy the attacks, saying his dragon was certain to be a strong fighter when it was grown.

Finally, it seemed the dragon, which he had affectionately named Norbert, was large enough to take care of himself for a time, and Hagrid resumed his duties, leaving Fang at the tender mercies of his new companion. Even then, Hagrid would often go back to the hut to check up on the two of them, often having to separate the two of them whenever the dragon decided Fang was a nuisance. It was after one of these fateful fights that Norbert lashed out at Hagrid and finally managed to break his skin. While Hagrid brushed it off as youthful exuberance, the venom coursing through Norbert was potent, and while he didn't feel any immediate effects, even Hagrid inhuman durability wasn't enough to stand against a dragon.

HPaCT

“Hagrid, are you alright?” Dumbledore asked his groundskeeper with concern.

“Eh? Yeah, I'm alright Dumbledore.” Hagrid drunkenly waved off his concerns before stumbling into a row of armor. “Just stayed up a bit too late tending the grounds last night.”

“Are you sure my boy?” Dumbledore asked, drawing closer to the groundskeeper to examine him, “it seems you have a rather nasty bite on your hand here.”

“Do I?” Hagrid asked, his head swimming, “Must have been a... centaur. They're famous for their bites after all.”

“Hagrid, I must insist you let me take you to see Poppy.”

“I've never been better Professor! I'm hale and hearty as a... a thing that is hearty. And hale.” Hagrid replied, his ability to communicate continuing to deteriorate.

Dumbledore didn't waste any more time, casting a levitation charm on his incapacitated groundskeeper and quickly walking towards the hospital wing.

“Dumbledore, what brings you to my office?” Madame Pomphrey inquired. It was unusual to see the Headmaster in the hospital wing unless he was visiting someone, and for once, no students were sick or injured.

“Bad news I'm afraid. Something seems to be wrong with Rubeus here, and I was hoping you could help him.” Dumbledore said, indicating the floating man behind him.

“Well, let's have a look at him.” The Mediwitch said, waving her wand over him as she ran her diagnostics. With each spell, her face grew paler and paler, as the exactly state Hagrid was in became more and more apparent.

“Hagrid, you've been poisoned!” Madame Pomphrey exclaimed in a shocked tone. “Given your heritage, just what has venom powerful enough to incapacitate you like this?!”

“Centaurs!” Hagrid exclaimed, before falling to the floor in a fit of giggles.

“Can you help him Poppy?” Dumbledore asked, his concern growing as Hagrid began to try and converse with the potted plant in the corner.

“Of course I can help him Headmaster. I always keep my potions, antidotes and antivenoms fully stocked. This isn't the first time someone has come into my office is this sort of condition. I'm just surprised he's still alive! Judging by that wound, he was bitten a few days ago, and I've never heard of a poison working so slowly before!”

“Well, given his mother, it's not too surprising. Her people are unusually resistant to most forms of harm.”

“I suppose you're right.” Madame Pomphrey admitted, before forcing a number of potions down her patients throat. Several tense minutes passed, before both Mediwitch and Headmaster relaxed as Hagrid seemed to become more himself.

“Dumbledore? What happened?” Hagrid asked, his head clear for the first time in what felt like years.

“Rubeus, don't you remember?” Dumbledore inquired, looking over his groundskeeper with concern. “I found you wandering the halls, muttering to yourself. I thought a quick visit to Poppy might be in order.”

“Hagrid, you have enough venom in you to kill a man twice your size. If it wasn't for you mother's blood and your habit of acquiring dangerous creatures, you would have died days ago. I suppose this is the results of your latest pet?” Madame Pomphrey interjected, her icy gaze fixed on the unfortunate groundskeeper.

“What? Of course not! Taking care of Fluffy is a full time job!' Hagrid replied, sweat forming on his brow as the venom.

“Oh really, and just what could be deadly enough to lethally poison you?!” Pomphrey demanded.

“Well, I don't know!” Hagrid protested, thinking far quicker than he was used to.“There's all sorts of strange creatures and plants in the forest, and I've been spending more time in there than usual trying to find whatever's killing the unicorns. I guess I must have stumbled into something or been bitten and not noticed.”

Madame Pomphrey looked at him the way a predator might eye a particularly juicy prey, while Hagrid squirmed under her remorseless gaze. After what seemed like an eternity, she sighed in defeat, “Well, you're a grown man. You can keep your secrets for now I suppose, but if I find you back here after getting poisoned again, you can be sure I will look into whatever project you're working on Rubeus”

“Right. Not a problem.” Hagrid answered, “I'll be sure to wear full protective gear next time too.”

“See that you do.”

HPaCT

Hagrid didn't fully relax until he had returned home, and confirmed that both Norbert and Fang were alright. Both of them were fast asleep, though it seemed Fang was suffering from some sort of nightmare. Offering a comforting pat on the head to his slumbering pet, Hagrid settled down into a chair and pulled one of his many dragon books and began to read.

Hagrid frowned as he reviewed the section on Norwegian Ridgebacks, before abruptly seizing Norbert's tail and unceremoniously lifting it up. He ignored the infuriated shrieks of his beloved pet as he glanced back at the book, before flushing in embarrassment.

“Sorry about that boy- er, I guess girl.” Hagrid apologized to the livid reptile, “I guess I should start calling you Norberta now.” he chuckled nervously, heedless of the building flames in his pet's mouth.

HPaCT

Weeks passed without further incident. Hagrid was much more cautious around the newly renamed Norberta, and always kept a pair of dragon hide gloves nearby in case he needed them. They were relatively calm, with only a minimum amount of furniture needing to be replaced, but all that changed in a single day.

“Look at you go girl!” Hagrid nearly howled as he watch Norberta's first flight. Tears of joy filled up his eyes as his newest pet soared over

“You keep going girl! Fly as far as your heart desires right one... over... the school...” Hagrid trailed off, realizing just where she was heading. While he was sure that the students would love the opportunity to see a real, living dragon, he knew there were some who wouldn't be too fond of the idea. Hagrid spent the next several minutes waiting anxiously for Norberta to return, growing ever more worried as time passed.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he saw a speck in the distance. Relief surged through him, as Norberta clumsily landed in the pumpkin patch, but Hagrid knew that this was an important moment, one where everything could change..

Hagrid worriedly paced inside his hut. Ever since Norberta had learned to fly, she had been spending more and more time outside of the house. He had tried to barricade her inside, but she had simply torched a hole in the wall and escaped. It had taken hours to fix, and the hut was more ramshackle than it had ever been before. It took forever to coax Norberta back into the hut, and even longer to get her to settle down for a heart to heart. Hagrid paced back and forth in the hut, trying to think of the words he needed to say to his beloved dragon.

“Girl, you know I love you right?” Hagrid asked with tears in his eyes. Norberta looked at him blankly, before belching forth a ball of flame.

“I know that you want to stay here with mommy, but you're a growing girl! You need your space, and it was wrong of me to try and keep you here.” Hagrid continued. “The forest has plenty of space for you to explore, and there's always something to eat lurking around. Now I know it's dangerous, but you've grown big enough that most things won't bother you, and if it ever gets too dangerous, you can always fly away.” Hagrid continued, before bursting into tears.

“Oh Norberta, I don't know how I'm going to live without you!” Hagrid bawled, wrapping his arms around his beloved dragon. Norberta hissed, and attempted to claw her assailant, but Hagrid had already wrapped himself around her, making such an attack difficult.

“Now, I've got arrangements to take care of first.” Hagrid sniffled, “Getting enough food to last you a few weeks while you get used to your new home, and some blankets in case it gets cold, but once all of that is taken care of, we're off, understand me girl?”

Norberta idly puffed a small fireball, which Hagrid took as her assent.

HPaCT

“Come on girl.” Hagrid coaxed the Ridgeback, aided by well timed pulls to the rope tied around her neck. “I know you love living with me and Fang, but you're getting to big for the hut, and I can't feed you myself anymore. Now Mommy didn't have much time to teach you to hunt, but I'll bring you a boar or something every week until you get the hang of it.”

Norberta hissed at him, but allowed the massive man to lead her into the Forbidden Forest. It took what seemed like hours before Hagrid was satisfied they were both deep enough to avoid any trouble with the school, and isolated enough from the centaurs to avoid trouble with them. Hagrid tied Norberta to a nearby tree, before pulling out his hatchet, and hacking away at the surrounding forest, until he managed to create a small clearing.

“Now this is only temporary. The Forbidden Forest is massive, so I'm sure we'll be able to find you a nice cave soon.” Hagrid said as he released Norberta to explore, “I'll come back and we'll make a weekend of finding a better place for you!”

Norberta was content to ignore him, choosing instead to shred some of the trees still standing with her claws.

“Don't worry! I'll visit you all the time!” Hagrid promised as he began to head back towards his hut, leaving Norberta behind to continue exploring her new environment.

“Try not to use your breath too much! The forest is made of wood after all!” Hagrid called out one last time as he tried to resist the urge to cry. As much as he loved Norberta, she deserved to be free, to be able to roam the wilds like the rest of her kind, unrestrained by chains or love, running wild through the forest.

...right?

 

[zerohour]

A rough draft of the next chapter. Let me know about any rough patches you spot, gaps in the narrative or any other type of constructive criticism.

And as always, enjoy!




The summer holidays were significantly less exciting than the last weeks of Hogwarts had been, and as time passed, it only served to emphasize that.

Aunt Petunia and Dudley had taken to hiding up in the attic, only venturing out in the dead of night or vanishing for days at a time on vacations. Vernon had been sent to a summer nursing home, meant to help him recover through a change of scenery. Every week they sent pictures of him, usually consisting of him staring listlessly at the sea. Each and every letter said that they were perfectly fine and there was no reason for Harry to come looking for them. Harry was a little confused why they thought he would look for them. He was far too busy doing his summer homework, enjoying the holiday, and catching up with Annabel.

Speaking of Annabel, she was the source of his current stress. Annabel had been oddly insistent to spend time with him throughout the summer, but he had wanted to see some of his other friends as well. Annabel resisted, especially once she found out who they would be meeting, but eventually relented.

Getting Hermione and Annabel to spend time with each other was like trying to pair up cats and dogs. Annabel seemed jealous that Hermione monopolized his time at Hogwarts, while Hermione was hesitant to interact with the over aggressive blonde. Harry was forced to take the role of the mediator between them, a role with he shouldered with some measure of dread.

“Oh, I didn't know you were coming with us.” Annabel said.

“Well, it makes sense for us to go together. We both need books for second year.” Hermione responded. “Besides, harry wants us to get to know each other, since we're both friends of his.”

“I should probably introduce you to Homer then..” Annabel said, a wicked gleam in her eye..

“Who's Homer?” Hermione asked.

“ME.”

As Homer revealed himself to them, Annabel grinned as Hermione was paralyzed by horror, as she often was when confronted with Rex in his true form. Homer stood over the trio of children, brilliant yellow eyes glowing from the dark depths of his catcher's mask face.

“Annie.” Harry said pointedly, earning a sigh from the young blonde.

“Fine... Homer, don't hurt Hermione, or traumatize her.” Annabel said, getting a disappointed groan from her friend.

“Alright, let's all just try to get along.” Harry said, “We're going on a nice trip to London to visit the magical world, and we shouldn' t ruin it by fighting, right?”

“WE'RE GOING TO THE MAGIC WORLD?!” Rex asked excitedly, “AWESOME”

“YEAH. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CHANCE TO SEE THIS 'MAGIC' YOU GUYS HAVE ALL BE TALKING ABOUT.” Homer agreed, his yellow eyes shining with excitement.

“You guys stay here.” Annabel commanded. The monsters fell silent in shock, and then quickly proceeded to beg, like horrifying, oversized puppies.

“AW... DO WE HAVE TO STAY BEHIND?” Homer whined.

“WE'LL BE GOOD! WE PROMISE!!!” Rex chimed in.

“No means no, or do I have to go and get my bat?” Annabel asked them, pulling her baseball cap low on her head, causing both monstrosities to flinch.

“FINE...” Rex sighed in defeat.

“I BET WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS STUPID ANYWAYS.” Homer said petulantly, both monster shrinking down to their benign forms.

“Whatever.” Annabel answered, before turning to her human companions, “I don't have to worry about you turning me into a newt or anything like that, do I?”

“Human transfiguration isn't until sixth year at school!” Hermione said.

“Besides, we're not supposed to use magic outside of school.” Harry said.

“Really.” Annabel said, with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Hermione gulped at the predatory smirk on her face, and subconsciously moved so Harry was between her and the blonde.

The moment was broken by an abrupt honking noise. Annabel sighed, before turning to her happily waving mother. She walked over to the car, and turned around.

“Well, are we going or not?” Annabel asked, angrily.

“That would be faster than waiting for a bus, and we do have to hurry.” Hermione said, catching Harry's interest.

“What do you mean Hermione?” he asked.

“You mentioned that you missed your housemates, so I owled Susan, and she managed to get Justin, Ernie, and Hannah together to meet us at the Leaky Cauldron today,”

“Really?” Harry exclaimed, as they walked to the car. He hadn't expected to have a simple meet up turn into such a sizable gathering.

“Yes. They're arriving at about ten, so we should hurry.”

HPaCT

"Are we just going to stand around here all day?" Annabel asked, tapping her fingers with impatience.

"We're waiting for Ernie, Justin, Susan, and Hannah." Harry explained, "They said they'd meet us here about one o'clock, so they still have a few minutes."

"Are they going to just fly in on brooms?"Annabel asked.

"They said something about Flooing in, whatever that it." Harry said.

"It's a magical form of transportation using fireplaces as conduits for travel." Hermione said, “Afterwards, we can move on to Diagon Ally and pick up our supplies for next year.”

"You mean we get to visit those wizard stores of yours again? Finally!" Annabel exclaimed. However, further conversation was halted as the fire flashed green, and four children came out, one after another.

Harry grinned to see his housemates. He waved them over and began to talk, exhanging pleasantries and catching up with what they had been doing over the summer.

“Don't know why you're so excited. You see them eigth months out of the year.” Annabel huffed.

“Well, I haven't seen any of them since Hogwarts ended for the year.” Harry sighed, only to be interrupted by one of the newly arrived companions.

“Harry, you can't talk about you-know-what in front of the you-know-who!” Ernie hissed at him, causing the young wizard to sigh.

“Wizards aren't exactly subtle, Ernie.” Harry said, “Owls are constantly flying around my house from all the mail you guys have been sending me, all of my school books have titles like 'Seven ways to skin a newt,' and you're wearing robes, right now. Besides, she just saw you step out of a fire. I think she can figure it out.”

Ernie turned a brilliant crimson, “Robes are coming into style! Just you wait and see!”

“I suppose we should add clothes to the shopping list s well...” Annabel sighed.

“I'm really sorry about this. Wizard and Witches don't really keep up with modern tends... like pants...” Hermione apologized.

“Some of us keep up with the times.” Justin said, adjusting his oversized, red tinted sunglasses.

“Justin, you're kidding, right?” Harry said.

“You do know that Disco is dead, right?” Hermione added.

“Disco is forever!” Justin protested, “My dad's wears his polyester jacket and bellbottoms all the time!”

Harry stared at him blankly, while Annabel sighed in annoyance, and Hermione took him aside, talking lowly to him.

“Well, we can't go walking around with you dressed like that,” Annabel addressed the majority of magic users, dragging them out to the streets of London, “As much as I hate shopping for clothes, I think this is something we need to do, right now.”

“Agreed.” Hermione voiced, “People are starting to stare at them.”

Susan and Hannah's eyes lit up, and Harry felt an instinctual dread well up inside him. The kind of feeling one might have before a hurricane or tornado descends on them. Fear, despair, and resignation raged within his heart as they headed towards London's nearest shopping mall. He glanced at his male companions, and could see the same look in their eyes as well.

The next hour passed in agony as the two female Hufflepuffs fell upon their first major clothing store like ravenous wolves. They quickly tore through rack after rack, pulling dresses, blouses, shirt and pants seemingly at random.

“Are you sure we can afford this?” Harry asked Annabel as they watched the rest of the girls tear through yet another aisle, heaping more clothes on the beleaguered boys behind them.

“Not a problem. I swiped one of my mom's credit cards before we left.”

“Won't that cause problems?”

“I doubt it.” Annabel answered easily, “It's not like she pays attention anyways, and dad's too busy working to notice.”

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but was drafted as a pack beast for the recently reveal shopaholics. They continued their inexhaustable efforts to try on every scrap of clothing in the store, while Hermione and Annabel watched from a safe distance.

“I'm surprised you're not in there with them.” Annabel commented.

“Well, I've never been the girly type.” Hermione admitted.

“I didn't take you for a tomboy.”

“I'm not. I spent most of my time in the library. The last time I tried any sport I was walloped in the face by the ball. I got a bloody nose and spent the next hour in the nurse's office crying.” Hermione admitted with some shame.

“That's rough,” Annabel winced in sympathy, “It happens more often than I'd like to me. Sports can be rough, especially when you can run circles around the boys.”

“I can imagine.” Hermione smiled, and was pleased to see the hint of one on Annabel's face. The two girls managed to make small talk until the rest of their group had finished their shopping.

“Finally!” Annabel sighed in relief as they moved to ring up the considerable sum of clothing. “Can you hold these for us? My mom won't pick us up for awhile, and we have so much else to do.”

“Well...” the clerk hesitated, before Annabel peered up at him with her big, blue eyes. “...Alright. Just make sure you come and pick them up before we close.”

“Alright!” Annabel smiled at him, before promptly turning around and leaving the store, joining the exhausted boys outside. “I'm glad that's over with.”

“I don't see what you're so upset about, you didn't have to carry everything!” the boys complained from beneath the massive pile of shirts, pants, dresses and other assorted clothes.

“They're worse than my mum.” Hermione said, “And we can leave her shopping, come back after catching a movie, and she won't even notice.”

“A movie? What's that?” Susan asked innocently, but was interrupted before she could get an answer.

"I don't see why we don't just go to Diagon Alley." Ernie said, fiddling with the collar of his new shirt, “The Muggle world is just so boring, and they managed to make getting new clothes into a three hour torture session!”.

"We're not going to Diagon Alley because Annabel isn't a witch." Harry answered. "Besides, there are loads of things to do in regular London, you're just too much of a snob to know about them!"

"A snob!" Ernie exclaimed, earning a wave of snickers from members of the group.

"You've never even been to the movies, have you?" Annabel asked.

"Well, why would I?" Ernie replied, trying to conceal his ignorance.

"Honestly, you magic types can be so backwards." Annabel sighed.

"A movie is essentially a story, told through moving pictures and sound." Hermione explained. For a moment, it seemed as if she would go on to the history of movies, but she restrained herself.

"Moving pictures? Like " Ernie said, "We have things like that in the magical world, and I don't see what's so exciting about it. They just move around a bit and that's all."

“Ernie, I think it'stime we expand your horizons a bit.” Annabel said, draping her arm around his shoulder, causing the boy to break out in a cold sweat.

"So what movies are playing in theaters now?" Harry asked Annabel, who grinned.

“Hey Ernie, have you ever heard of... Batman?” Annabel asked innocently.

HPaCT

"That. Was. Amazing." Ernie said in a stunned voice as they walked out of the theater. Susan, Hannah, and Justin all offered thei rown heartfelt agreement, before talking excitedly about their favorite parts of the movie.

"You know, we can probably catch another movie." Annabel said, eying the listings thoughtfully

“What were you thinking Annie?” Harry asked.

"Zombies from the Ice Planet Mulgorn Four."

“I don't know about that, we rented Zombie from the Ice Planet Mulgorn Three last week, and I think it might not be the best movies for them to see.”

“Come on Harry! These movie things a bloody brilliant!” ernie said, breaking away from the other Hufflepuffs.

“It's just that-” harry tried to explain, only to be cut off by the over eager Hufflepuff.

“COME ON HARRY!!!”

“Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you.” Harry warned one last time, before following after the rest to purchase tickets.

HPaCT

Ernie stumbled out of the theater, his face completely drained of blood, his hands shaking, and he had some difficulty breathing properly.

"That- That was- ice zombies- " he mumbled, unable to form a proper sentence..

"It wasn't as good as I was expecting." Annabel sighed. "It wasn't as good as the last one, and nowhere near as good as the first."

"Did you really need to show it to them?" Hermione asked. Her hands were trembling, but she was in much better shape than the first timers.

"I like my movies bloody." Annabel shrugged.

"I think you traumatize him." Harry returned, watching as his pureblooded housemate grabbed the wall for support, before slowly sliding down to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees as he did so.

“Well the rest of them were fine!”

“That's because they were smart enough to leave after the flaming chainsaw scene.” hermioen pointed out, “I wish I had joined them...”

“Alright! Alright! I'm sorry for taking you to see such a scary movie Ernie.” Annabel said, pausing to see if Harry was appeased “And... to make it up to you, I'll see if I can find one of my dad's old Batman comics later.

“Batman... comics?” Ernie asked, somewhat emerging from his shocked stupor.

“Yeah, he's got loads of them. I don't think you can get any of the originals, but he generally has a few copies of the newer issues lying around.”

Ernie face lit up with a massive grin at Annabel's promise of more Batman.

“Alright, now that he's recovered, we can finally go back to Diagon Alley!” Annabel; exclaimed, excitement at visiting the magical world again overwhelming her.

HPaCT

"Do we have to spend time here?" Annabel asked petulantly as they stood in front of Madame Malkin's Robe shop.

"Sorry Annie, but we need new robes for school. The ones from last year are a bit too small." Harry apologized.

“Speak for yourself. We got robes with room to grow.” Justin said smugly, grinning alongside Ernie.

“I wish you told me that before we spent three hours shopping for clothes.” Annabel groused at Harry..

“This will go a lot faster, since they all look the same.” Harry reassured her. “There'snot much variety beyond black and slightly dark black.”

Annabel sighed, but took a seat as harry and the rest of the girls were measured for new robes. She talked with Ernie and Justin for a few minutes, before one of the workers loomed over them, smiling at the oblivious blonde before speaking to her.

"Tell me, what's your size?"

“Why does it matter?” Annabel asked.

“Well it would make your fitting go a bit faster.”

“What are you talking ab-” Annabel tried to say, before being yanked up and moved to one of the footstools.
"Right this way dearie."

"But I'm not a-"

"Come on sweetie. You're holding up the rest of your friends." the witch said without any regard for Annabel's protests, Every attempt to get out of it was summarily ignored, and Harry smirked as Annabel was forced to do the thing she hated most, after successfully evading that fate earlier that very day.

Try on new clothes.

"I wish I brought Homer with me." Annabel complained, after finally escaping from the witch's grasp. "That would have showed her."

“Sorry Annie.”

“And what's worse, while I was in her claws, the rest of you went ahead and visited all the interesting places!”

“We already have robes!” Ernie protested.

“Besides, we already had to get new clothes, thanks to you!” Justin chipped in, returning Annabel's glare.

“If you didn't fight her so much, it would have been over much quicker.” Susan added, causing Annabel to growl in frustration.

"It's getting late. We should probably call it a day." Harry said, eying the setting sun.

“No way.” Annabel said, “The main reason I went along with this whole thing was so I could see some of the magical things you've had all year. Is that too much to ask?”

“But we already got everything we need...”

“You haven't gone down there, right?” Annabel aske,d pointing towards a nearby street. It was significantly less populated than the areas they had already visited.


“We can't go there! That's Knockturn Alley!” Ernie exclaimed.
"Knockturn Alley?" Harry asked.

"It's where most of the items associated with the Dark Arts are sold." Ernie explained, "Most of them stick to the borderline stuff, things that are technically still legal, but a couple of them are supposed to have the really dark stuff in the back."

"Really..." Annabel said, with a gleam in her eyes, "So you're saying that all the really exciting things are in one convenient location, and that they don't really care who buys them?"

"Er..." Ernie stammered, realizing what he had said.

"Come on!"

"I really don't think-"

"Too late!" Annabel interrupted, dragging the hesitating pureblood down the shadowy alley. Hannah followed worriedly after, accompanied by Susan and Justin.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea..." Hermioen voiced her objections, though she still followed behind them.

"I don't think she cares." Harry said, "Come on, it'll be an adventure."

"I think I've had enough adventure to last me a lifetime." Hermione replied.

"At least here there aren't any trolls on the loose." Harry offered.

"Well, I suppose we could always ask an adult for help in we get into trouble..." Hermione tried to reassure herself as they caught up with the leaders.

"And Annie always has her bat with her too." Harry said, peering into the passing shops.

"I left it at home today. Hm... Theodore's Emporium of Madness... Now this is the kind of store wizards should be using!" Annabel exclaimed, already halfway into the door. The rest of them hesitated, eying the rusty splotches on the windows nervously, before the atmosphere of the twilit alley caused them to follow after her.

The inside of the store was dim and dusty. Numerous trinkkets, ranging from simple rings to full suits of armor cluttered up the shop, and the walls were lined with bookshelves, bending under the weight of their tomes. In the center of the shop was a small desk, with two men sitting at it. One, an elderly man wrapped head to toe in a well worn cloak, was apparently asleep, with the other was engrossed in a book.

"May I help you?" The man reading a book spoke up, not even looking up from it.

"Ah yes, the skull of Wimbledon the Terrible, a necromancer from the eighth century. He terrorized the Goths for decades, constantly resurrecting himself until he was decapitated and his spirit bound to this very skull before you. Over the centuries his mind and power have slowly degraded, leaving him a gibbering wreck who can only manifest himself during the New Moon."

"The New moon, isn't that tonight?" Justin gulped, before Hermione hit his shoulder.

"Haven't you been doing your astronomy homework? The new moon was last week." She snapped, causing the frightened Huffleuff to sigh in releif, only to yelp as Annabel tossed the skull to him.

"What about this one?" Annabel asked the shopkeeper, as she picked up an Ivory comb.

"The product of Reginald the Wise's investigations into lycanthropy. He was attempting to create new Were species, and while he was never able to produce a true lycanthrope, if one were to wear that during the full moon, they would transform into a Were-Rhinocerous."

Annabel continued to wander through the shop, picking up items at random, and asking bout them, before either tossing them to one of her companions, or replacing it back where she found it.
As Annabel explored the shop, harry was conducting some investigations of his own. he was less interested in the unique artifacts, choosing instead to look at

"Distilled Madness... Ashes of the Veil..."

"You know, if it's ingredients you're looking for, you might want to check the apothecary in Diagon Alley. They have a wider selection of more usual ingredients."

"What are all of these? I've never even heard of some of these ingredients.” Harry asked.

"What year are you going into?"

"Second." Harry answered, earning a hoarse and raspy laugh from the cowled man.

"You wouldn't even see the simplest of these ingredients until your seventh year, and even then, you wouldn't do much with them besides follow those recipes."

"Well, what else is there to Potions?" Harry asked.

"The recipes are fine for the basics, but to really understand potions, you'll need a broader education than they offer at Hogwarts. I think I know just the thing." He muttered, before hobbling over to the bookshelves.

"Now, where were those..." he muttered to himself, as he pulled books from the shelves, searching for something. Harry was about to tell him he didn't need to go through all that effort, before he let out an exclamation of success, and hobbled back to Harry, holding a thick, ancient looking tome.

“Here you go my boy. A basic guide to potion ingredients.”

“This is basic?” Harry asked incredulously, looking at its impressive size..

“Mastering Potions is a lifelong endeavor, you're lucky to have something so succinct to peruse. Back in my day, you'd have to reference ten different books just to get the basic structure laid out!”

“Alright!” Harry said, “How much is it?”

“Ten galleons, six sickles.” harry handed over the money, before noticing that most of his friedns were already gathered at the door, clutching their own purchases. He quickjly moved to join them, and they exited the shop.

The children quickly hurried out of the dark passages of Knockturn Alley to the more inviting twilight of Diagon Alley, and the bright warmth of the Leaky Cauldron.

"So, what did we all get?" Harry asked, after they had returned to the safety of the Leaky Cauldron. He hadn't seen what the rest of his companions had gathered during their venture.

“You go and see them off. I'll call my mother and tell her we're ready.” Annabel said, pulling a rather clunky hunk of plastic out of her bag, and began to press a series of buttons on it.

“Haven't any of you seen a phone before?” Annabel asked, as the phone began ringing. She shot a look at Hermione, pointedly asking her to enlighten the ignorant magical folk, as she stepped out

“It's a telephone. Probably one of the newer mobile versions.” Hermione began to explain

“And she can just carry it around with her like that?” Hannah asked in shock, “It's like having a fireplace in your pocket!”

“It's not that impressive. Loads of people have one.” Hermioen said.

“Maybe muggles do, but we don't have anything like that in the magical world. Not that isn't ridiculously expensive anyways.” Hannah replied, still staring where Annabel had exited the pub. “Do you think I could get one of them too?”

“Sure. We can schedule another meeting some time and we can visit one of those new mobil stores.” Hermione assured her.

“Well, she wasn't a bad sort.” Justin said, commenting on Annabel,“A little off maybe, but not bad.”

“Terrifying is the word I'd use.” Ernie said, “I can't believe she made me buy this skull...”

“It'll make for a good story when we get back to Hogwarts, though you should probably avoid talking about how much you cried.”

“I didn't cry! It was just dusty in that shop is all!” Ernie protested.

“Well, at least I don't have to worry about anything with mine.” Hannah commented, admiring the small painting she had been pressured into purchasing.

“You know my Auntie would be willing to look it over, just in case.” Susan spoke up, looking at the rapier she had received, “I know I will.”

“Does that offer apply to me too?” Justin asked hopefully, as he tried to put away an ancient looking lantern.

“Of course, us Puffs need to stick together!” Susan replied, as Ernie and Justin slumped in relief, before hastily handing their objects to the surprised Susan.

“Well, what about your Hermione?”

“No thank you.” Hermione said, “It looks like your hands are already full, and it's just an animated dragon statue. I thought I would show it to my parent”

“Alright then, suit yourself. Harry, be sure to thank Annabel for us!” Susan said, trying to balance the additional objects. “We had a wonderful time, and would love to do this again sometime.”

“Yeah, those movies were amazing! Ernie won't faint next time, I promise!”

“I didn't faint!” the young Puff protested, before picking up a small handful of Floo Powder.

Harry waved goodbye as a flash of green flame enveloped his housemates, one by one, before joining Hermione and leaving the Leaky Cauldron behind. As they stepped out on to the streets of London, a loud honk filled the air. Annabel was waving impatiently from her mother's car

Aside form a brief stop at the clothing store to pick up the purchases, the drive out of London passed quickly and uneventfully. Harry sat between the two girls, and their conversation

“I just hope they haven't destroyed the neighborhood while we were gone.” Annabel sighed as she looked out the window at the passing scenery.

“They wouldn't really do that, would they?” Hermione asked anxiously.

“Oh look. Here's your house.” Annabel said as they pulled p in front of it. “I guess we'll see you later then. Make sure you send those clothes to Susan and Hannah. Harry'll take care of Justin and Ernie.”

Hermione glanced worriedly over at the blonde, before stepping out of the car and hurrying to her house. With a brief wave, she vanished inside, and the car began to move again, this time back to home.

“You realize she'll be up all night watching the news now, right?” Harry asked, only to receive a light chuckle from the grinning girl in reply.

With a sigh, Harry made a note to call Hermione once they got back.

 

[Innortal]

Very enjoyable.