Chapter 1177 - Ch: 3-4

Chapter 3 - Dobby's on his Game

Harry and Hermione were sitting with their heads together, studying for their first classes in the morning. Harry though kept getting distracted by the glower aimed in their direction.

"What is his problem? One minute he's all over us, next minute you'd think we'd kicked his puppy. Is he bipolar or something? The last thing we need is a ginger version of Malfoy in our own house."

"Ron's eleven, Harry, and he thinks you still are too. This time last Sunday evening, you would have been sitting right beside him and just generally goofing off. He's also jealous. Not only are we getting out of Snape's class, Professor Dumbledore is going to teach us potions. We'll face a lot more jealous stares when that news gets out."

Harry had been delighted to hear that from Professor McGonagall today at his detention, he still had a worry though. "Do you think Gandalf's up to something?"

"Dumbledore always does things for a reason but I don't think it's something you need to worry about. While I'm trying not to give you a read on what I think about people, I know Dumbledore will be watching me too - purely to see what he can learn. Albus Dumbledore is the best hope we've got of pulling this off. At the moment, only he has the magical and political power to stand up to the ministry and Malfoy's malignant ministrations."

"At the moment?"

"You'll get there one day, that's why they moved to take you out early. We have time though, Harry, this is something else I don't want you worrying about."

"Meanwhile, you're gonna worry for the both of us. That's not fair to you. When can we start on these lessons so I can be told what you know? Then we can make the decisions between us."

"As soon as we get you up to speed with your coursework, then we can shift our focus. With you spending Christmas with me, we can even work on it then too."

"We haven't heard back from your parents about that yet…"

"Harry, we will be staying together over Christmas. I'll miss the bloody train and stay here with you if that's what it takes. I'm sure my mum and dad will love me having a friend home for the holidays, hence why we're waiting until later to say you're my boyfriend. I think you are going to ask me on the train heading home for Christmas, I of course will say yes…"

"You look as if butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, yet I knew I was in trouble the moment I walked out of the uni bar with you. Harry, I said to myself, this lady is going to steal your heart. I didn't know then it already belonged to you."

"Mister 'I've got no lines' Potter, that was beautiful." A peck on the lips just seemed to increase the ferocity of Ron's glare, though neither of them was complaining now.

"Last night Ron mentioned something about a giant three-headed dog that's hidden in the school. He seemed to think this was something we should investigate, I told him no bloody chance. He also seemed to think this was something you knew about, claiming both you and Neville were there when we found it."

"Yes it is something I know about and I agree totally with you, there's no bloody chance of us going anywhere near it."

"Eh, he also said you thought getting expelled was worse than being killed. Did you really say that?"

Though blushing, Hermione was smiling too. "Not one of my better moments. Then again you two used to drive me nuts. I was obsessed with learning and thought all figures of authority were perfect. The ministry railroading you finally cured me of that last one, and I think I've got a better handle on the first."

"Have you got a handle on what we're going to do to stop me being railroaded again? I'm not asking for any specifics here, more a general idea to tide me over until I can be told what you know."

Hermione was chewing her bottom lip, a sure sign she was deep in thought. "Last time all our efforts seemed to be concentrated on merely staying alive, with everyone else calling the shots. I'm proposing we let Dumbledore deal with Voldemort, that wasn't who railroaded you anyway. We need a plan for fixing the real problem, namely Lucius Malfoy and his control over the ministry. We're nowhere near ready to take that on yet but I have a few ideas. Since Dobby used to be their house elf, he may be able to help us immensely with that. I don't know how Dobby coming back in time will have affected his former bond. He might not be able to tell us anything, or everything we want to know. That's something we can discuss with him over Christmas. I don't want Dobby seen inside Hogwarts, he's our secret weapon."

"I saw the little guy toss those three wizards right out of Stonehenge like they were nothing, I'm really glad he's on our side."

"If he spends Christmas with us too, you're guaranteed to be welcome at the Grangers anytime. House elves are at their happiest when they're working and helping their family. Dobby used to have our house in France spic and span, with meals on the table whenever we were hungry. My parents were in absolute awe of the little guy, their appreciation of his work making Dobby even happier."

This left Harry shaking his head in disbelief. "I've come to the conclusion that magic and common sense can't exist in the same universe. To have one, you have to totally suspend belief in the other."

"That might be the most profound thing you've ever said."

"Hermione, they don't let stupid people study to be vets. I'm no longer eleven and now only goof off with you."

Seeing the time, they packed away their books. A chaste goodnight kiss and it was off to bed. Hermione had promised Harry one of the first things she would teach him would be a silencing charm. The first year Gryffindor's dorm sounded like a woodworking shop some nights, with Ron giving a router a run for its money on decibel levels.

-oOoOo-

After Hermione had managed to talk Harry past the why in 'why the hell would he want to change a match into a needle' in that afternoon detention with Professor McGonagall, she discovered this version of the boy she loved was a whole different animal.

The Harry she had known always had a close connection with his magic, being able to cast a corporeal patronus charm while still only thirteen came to mind. This 'back to the future' version still came with that ability, along with a boost to his magical power, but now had an entirely different attitude to studying that Hermione could only describe as oh so sexy. She didn't need to be swept off her feet with grandiose romantic gestures, sitting holding hands with her boyfriend while they studied was the height of romance as far as Hermione Granger was concerned. Harry, under her tutorage, was flying through the first year work they'd supposedly already covered at a rate of knots.

Herbology only needed one lesson for her to run him through the basics before they were both able to rejoin the class, Astronomy was the same. History of magic was purely a case of reading the textbook, no one actually listened to Binns. Charms, transfiguration and defence would see that subject's professor set up a silencing charm for the corner of the room they were working in, allowing Hermione to push Harry with revision while the professor concentrated on the rest of the class.

Harry was up to speed in transfiguration and charms in two weeks, she deliberately dragged defence to three. While delighted Harry had no reaction to the presence of the turban wearing Quirrell, she didn't want Harry performing too well in front of the possessed professor.

Potions tuition from Dumbledore was everything Hermione had hoped for, it was easily their most enjoyable class of the week. While no one doubted Snape's ability to brew potions, his attitude to those he was paid to teach was nothing short of disgraceful. It could be broken down to 'I'm brilliant - so if the students don't learn then it must be their fault'. Dumbledore, though without doubt a brilliant wizard, never acted like that. It was almost as if he enjoyed the lesson as much as his students did. No detail was too small to be overlooked or not explained properly. Each step was carefully revealed in meticulous detail - your instructions are on the blackboard was not for Dumbledore.

Hermione even joined Harry for his flying lesson, Madam Hooch easily believing that she needed the extra practice. Harry's natural skill on a broom was still all there for anyone to see, as was the wide grin he wore zipping around while getting faster and faster.

His reintroduction to Hagrid was also a highlight. They'd been invited down for tea and Harry had once more immediately hit it off with his biggest friend. That Harry had wanted to become a vet added yet another layer to their renewed friendship, Hagrid's knowledge of his beasties enthralled the now eleven year old wizard. They left with wide grins on their faces and promising to return.

Hermione was sure coincidence played no part in them bumping into Dumbledore as they left Hagrid's hut, she was also sure Harry's wide grin pleased the old wizard no end.

As expected, Hermione's letter from home contained an invitation for Harry to spend Christmas with the Grangers - if he wasn't returning to his aunt's. Harry had written home, explaining about his accident and asking about things he thought he remembered. It had taken two weeks for the reply to come and Harry was now terrified to open it.

Since it was a Saturday, Hermione suggested they wrap up warmly and go for a walk around the lake. This would guarantee their privacy to read what the letter said, and also allow them that same privacy to deal with Harry's response to reading it.

They were spotted though and soon had a visitor, a very welcome one. Hedwig swooped down to join them and perched on Harry's shoulder. Both his girls now sitting either side of him gave Harry the courage he needed to open the envelope. He would need their support as the letter got off to a bad start and went downhill faster than a four man toboggan team on an olympic run.

There was no 'Dear Harry' or even just a 'Harry'. Like an assassin's dagger it plunged straight into the heart of the matter. Harry of course recognised the handwriting as his Aunt Petunia's, he just couldn't get his head around that the person who wrote this was the same woman. This was not a letter written to a loved one, more like curt answers you would politely give when stopped on the street by a stranger. A stranger with a clipboard who asked you to complete a quick survey on double glazing. The entire thing was short, abrupt and so impersonal.

'To the best of our knowledge, you have not visited Brighton - and certainly never with us. As we weren't expecting you home for the holidays anyway, you may spend them wherever you wish. If this Christmas arrangement works out, perhaps you could spend part or all of the summer there too?

Please let us know nearer the time as Dudley's Aunt Marge is hoping to spend part of the summer with us, we would like to arrange her visit for when you are not here. I do appreciate you sending your letter by normal methods, please do the same to let us know about summer.'

Hermione's head was right next to Harry's as she read this alongside him, she was fighting to contain her anger. "That woman didn't even have the decency to sign it, she probably couldn't think what to put there. It certainly wouldn't have contained the word 'love', and probably not even 'aunt'."

Harry understood Hermione was angry on his behalf but it wasn't helping here. He gently kissed her quiet before asking a question. "Every day I see how much you've done for me, the sacrifice you made for me. You said the only other people you would do that for are your parents. Do you still believe that, Hermione?"

"Yes, of course I do..."

"The woman who wrote this is my family. It's maybe not a family I would recognise at the moment but, apart from you, the Dursleys are all the family I've got left in the world. You have nineteen years worth of memories of growing up in a loving home. Would me telling you those memories were false change how you feel about your mum and dad?"

Stunned into silence at that, Harry asked her another question. "Why did you come back to Britain? Was it to save me, or all of this?" Harry indicated toward the castle but Hermione's eyes never left his.

She leaned forward, kissing Harry as passionately as she could with Hedwig still perched on his shoulder. The clever owl then gave her opinion on the matter by using her beak to try and weave their hair together. The young couple's foreheads were now resting on each others, both trying not to laugh at Hedwig's antics.

"I think I get the message both my girls are trying to give me here, a message I'm very happy with. I've made no secret of the fact I'm not impressed with the whole idea of magic, you two are the only reason I don't tell them all to fuck off and give me back my old life. I't may not be real to those who changed it but it was real enough to me and my family who were living it."

"I get it now, Harry. You can see from that letter though what we have to work with here. Getting your family back is going to be every bit as difficult as what we came back in time to change."

"To me, it's every bit as important. I also need something else from you, a promise. If things start to get that bad again, we grab our families and get the hell out of Britain."

This was one thing Hermione had absolutely no problem promising. "I will not lose you again. Things start going pear-shaped, we are so gone."

They stayed like that until the cold eventually forced them back into the castle. Hedwig seemed to enjoy hopping from shoulder to shoulder, making her message clear that these two should stay together. Harry and Hermione may have been chittered as they made their way back to the castle but both considered their condition to be well worth the further strengthening of their relationship.

"After Stonehenge, I never thought I would complain about being cold again."

While Harry agreed with that, his mind was still on the letter. "I kinda expected something like that response, and not just from what you'd already told me. Looking through my trunk, apart from my Hogwarts uniform, everything is Dudley's castoffs. My aunt always believed her two boys should be smart, and act like proper little gentlemen. I would only be allowed to wear rags like that if Dud and me were painting the shed or something - with the clothes going straight in the bin as soon as we were finished. I have a lot of shopping to do, I hope you're right about this vault I have?"

"Dobby could get you a statement from the goblins, even have gold converted into cash for you."

"That would be great. I need clothes, contacts and a haircut. I also need to buy some Christmas presents. For my girls, Dobby, your mum and dad - and my family. Will you come with me to Little Whinging when I deliver them?"

Hermione had both arms around him and gently kissed his lips. "I told you, Harry, you're stuck with me. Where you go, I go too..."

"Well I think the guys are going to have their eyeballs popping onto the floor when we hit the shower."

"Potter, you have a one track mind..."

"...and that track leads straight to you."

"You need to write these down, Harry, they're pure gold. The twins got Ron a book, once he realised girls were different. Twelve failsafe ways to woo your witch - or something like that. You're better than any book..."

Minerva stood at the window with Albus as they watched the young couple, with a snowy owl circling above them, head back into the castle. "I have to say I like the change in Mister Potter since he started hanging around with Miss Granger. He even told Wood he would only play quidditch if it didn't interfere with his studies."

"I have to say both are a joy to teach potions. Young Harry may look like James but his attitude is now pure Lily."

"If I didn't think it would cause a further split in my house, I would ask if Mister Longbottom could join them for your lessons. Any confidence the lad builds over the week is destroyed the instant he steps into Severus' class. Students are not supposed to be terrified of their professors but Severus seems to revel in invoking that reaction from my young lions."

Minerva just mentioning a split in Gryffindor sent shivers down Albus' spine. That was certainly not his intention here. "I will speak with Harry and Hermione, see if they would mind the rest of their Gryffindor yearmates joining the class."

"I don't think they'll mind, but we both know someone who will."

"Yes, but Severus is the adult here. I'm not prepared to put up with any childish behaviour from him over this matter. If he did the job properly in the first place, I wouldn't have to take this class. I have to admit though, I am rather enjoying teaching again."

His deputy couldn't hide her smile at that admission, and also the possibility of getting all her young lions out of Severus' clutches. He refused to accept that a teacher had to treat an eleven year old student different from those who were sixteen or seventeen. The entire first year pride of lions all receiving their potions tuition from Professor Dumbledore would certainly make the Potter-Granger partnership very popular inside Gryffindor. "Can I be the one to tell Severus when those two say yes?"

-oOoOo-

After sharing their now customary chaste goodnight kiss with Hermione, Harry then headed up to his dorm to find the rest of his dorm-mates waiting on him. They were all smiling and had arranged some sort of party, complete with cakes and pumpkin juice.

"We just wanted to welcome you back, mate. Now that you're learning the same as us again, you won't have to hang about with Hermione all the time. She's turning you into a bookworm - just like her."

Taking a deep breath, Harry tried to answer without losing his temper. Hermione's comments that they all thought he was eleven too coming to mind and certainly helping. "Guys, I really appreciate you doing this for me..." He felt rotten at now having to wipe the wide grin off Ron's face.

"There's a few things we need to sort out though. Hermione's my girlfriend, and will be for as long as I can convince her to stay with me. That means I'll be hanging about with her way more than with you guys. I also learned from Hagrid that my mum and dad had my name down for Hogwarts since I was born. That really means something to me, and I'm not here to let them down. If that has you considering me a bookworm, well I've been called worse. I really want to remain friends with you guys, but my studies and Hermione have to come first."

Ron appeared ready to explode but Neville got in first with his opinion. "That's perfectly understandable, Harry..."

The redhead wasn't about to be denied however. "No it bloody isn't. You've changed so much, I wish we'd never gone to that toilet on Halloween!"

The air appeared to be sucked out the dorm as Harry's green eyes focused on Ron. "So you would rather Hermione had died that night, then things could be okay again in Ronald Weasley's world."

"That's not what I said. Someone else would have rescued her, and you wouldn't have lost your memory."

"Well they didn't and I did, and you're just going to have to learn to deal with that fact. This is who I am, Ron. If you can't handle that then stay the fuck away from me. You have insulted Hermione for the last time. Do it again and I'll be coming after you. Sorry guys, I'm not in the party mood anymore."

It was only as Harry was heading out the dorm he realised that his voice had been raised, raised enough that they'd drawn a crowd. That same crowd parted to let him past as he went downstairs and plopped down on an unoccupied sofa. He was soon joined by a Hermione who was wearing her dressing gown. She sat on his knee and wrapped her arms around his neck, Harry curling his around her waist as the anger slowly bled out of him.

They were still quietly sitting like that ten minutes later when McGonagall found them. "I received a report of a disturbance inside Gryffindor. Would you care to explain what happened?"

"I'm sorry, Professor. I hadn't realised I was shouting, Ron just got me so angry. He seems to think it would have been better if Hermione had been left alone in that toilet on Halloween, so I wouldn't have lost my memory. He claims to be my friend and then says something ridiculous and selfish like that - I just can't work him out. You saw that toilet, how could he possibly think Hermione would be okay in there with that troll?"

"Mister Weasley feels as if he's lost his best friend. I'm not trying to excuse his behaviour, just offer a possible explanation. I'm pleased to see it didn't result in blows or spells."

"I won't lie, Professor, it was close. I'll need to stay out his way for a while. Ron just doesn't seem to get Hermione's my girlfriend, nor that I won't stand for him continually bad-mouthing her."

"I'll have a word with him, and caution you to continue showing restraint. Don't stay up too late."

Hermione didn't consider sitting on Harry's knee inappropriate so hadn't moved when McGonagall entered. She was still sitting there as she answered their head of house. "We'll hear Ron snoring from down here, then it will be time to go to bed. We won't be too late, Professor. Harry's too wound up to sleep just now anyway."

McGonagall went up to the first year boys' dorm, presumably to have a word with Ron. Harry and Hermione were still sitting in the same position when she left.

With the common room practically empty, and their heads so close no one would hear them whisper, Harry began to tell Hermione about something that was troubling him. "I think I know why I'm so poor at protecting my thoughts. You tell me to clear my mind but it's a bloody war zone in here. I have to continually walk away from the boy you tell me was my best friend, otherwise I'm going to punch his face in. At the same time I'm told the boy I thought of as a brother is more likely to do that to me than say hello. I feel like I'm flying a broom blindfolded, unable to see the horizon and even gravity is totally buggered. I just don't know which way is up anymore."

Realising that Harry needed something to focus on, she started giving him some of her future knowledge that wasn't protected by oath. "You like Hagrid?"

A little confused by her change of tack, Harry answered anyway. "Hermione, what's not to like. The man doesn't have an ounce of deceit in his entire body. Considering his size, that's some achievement."

"He's that size because Hagrid is part giant. That is not a mixture welcome in the new magical order. Hagrid's passion for dragons is also well known, he told you about it that first time we had tea in his hut. When he was captured, they recreated a stadium that had been used for an event back in our fourth year. Hagrid was flung into this rocky arena and forced to face a dragon with nothing but his bare hands. The whole school was made to watch, some of them not needing any coaxing. It took over half an hour for the dragon to finally pin Hagrid down and kill him, then it feasted on his body..."

Harry held her close as shivers of revulsion racked her body. "The castle knew I was Dumbledore's protégé, and that Dobby was effectively my elf. Dumbledore granted Dobby access to the castle in a way that another headmaster would need to specifically cancel his access. Since only Dumbledore, Dobby and me knew about it, that access was never going to be cancelled. He was able to pop into the kitchens here and find out all the latest news, no one bothered what an elf heard or saw."

A gentle kiss from Harry saw her reveal more than she'd first intended. "With the dark lord in total command, things went to hell very quickly. The pureblood elite were in charge and they could do whatever they liked with total impunity - so they did. Snape was Headmaster of Hogwarts and it was a criminal offence not to send your children here. With possession of the country's children for most of the year, they had control of any families that might oppose them. Draco didn't just threaten any more, there was no one to stop him doing whatever he pleased. He is one sick little bastard and it takes all my willpower not to gut the blond prick every time I lay eyes on him."

Harry only swore when he was really mad, using words he knew were frowned upon helped. He found it a better, or perhaps safer, release of tension than punching something or someone. That Hermione had started doing the same was an indicator of just how angry she was. Offering her comfort by holding Hermione close kept the revelations coming.

"Susan Bones' aunt was / is head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, she was one of the first people murdered. This left Susan defenceless, and Malfoy had her forcefully moved into the Slytherin dorms. Susan hung herself before Halloween. They buried her body and moved on to their next victims, the Patil twins. Things just kept getting worse. Ron had started dating Lavender, he also has a younger sister. They stuck Ron to a wall and made him watch - you may have gathered that the Weasleys and Malfoys are bitter enemies. Every time Dobby visited Hogwarts I dreaded what he would tell me on his return..."

"And the stuff you're not telling me is worse than this? I need to get a handle on protecting my mind, this is too much for you to carry about on your own."

"Dumbledore intended me to do all this on my own, you coming back too was never part of his plan."

This really caught Harry's attention as Hermione explained. "I hadn't seen Dumbledore since the end of my fifth year. He spent most of that year coaching me on what you needed to know and do, and pointing me in the direction of how to achieve that. I was supposed to travel back in time and begin influencing your decisions as one of your best friends, influence those decisions down a path preordained by Dumbledore. I was never going to play along with that."

Hermione was once more gently caressing his cheek as she whispered in his ear. "To be fair to Dumbledore, I don't think he expected things to start as early, or get so disgustingly bad. I knew what would happen if they caught you, public execution was a certainty. They would have caused you a lot of pain before that though, leaving you begging for the release of death. I couldn't let that happen to you, and neither could Dobby. The access Dumbledore granted him allowed Dobby to take books from the restricted section of the library, and even from the headmaster's personal library. I had my own room at the magical school in France, I spent every spare minute of the two years I attended there working on modifying the ritual. At weekends, Dobby would even bring my meals to that room. Since I was first in almost every one of my classes, the staff left me alone. I didn't make any friends but that was okay, I was too busy trying to save the best one I ever had."

Now that Hermione had started talking about her past, she felt some relief at getting all this off her chest. "My biggest worry was that I wouldn't be magically powerful enough to power the ritual and take both of us back. There's a reason we're not overrun with time travellers, Harry, a few very good ones actually. Firstly, the information needed is incredibly difficult to come by, I had to take an oath to destroy all my materials before attempting the ritual. Then, there's no plan B. It either works or you're dead. That means you would need to have a pretty compelling reason for attempting it in the first place, as well as possessing all the forbidden knowledge. Finally, there's the authorities' reactions to consider. Any ministry discovering a time traveller will obliviate the shit out of them. I'm not talking about the reconstruction that was done to you. This is wiping everything, and not replacing anything. You would be left not knowing who you were - a drooling blank nothing."

This overwhelmed Harry. "You were sitting safe in the South of France, yet you risked all that - for me!"

She kissed him as the girl he first met. "I told you I loved you - and the Harry I knew would have done the same for me in a heartbeat."

"Hermione, what I feel for you is too much to fit into this eleven year old body. It's growing every day too, so I don't think my body will ever be able to contain it. I'm just going to let it overflow and pour all over you."

"I can't make up my mind whether that's pure cheese or twenty four carat gold. Since my whole insides melted at hearing you say that, I'm leaning more toward precious than pasteurised."

They could have sat there all night but Ron's snores signalled it was time for bed. Harry's groan had Hermione giggling, she would have bet long odds against that after their earlier conversations. In Harry's arms though, she just felt safe.

"You have got to teach me that silencing charm. Better yet, come up and cast it now."

"I can't go into the boys' dorm when they're all in there..."

"Hermione, they'll be asleep..."

-oOoOo-

Hermione was very comfortable, and really resented the voice that was trying to rouse her.

"Miss Hermione, you need to wake. The others will be up soon."

She lifted her head off Harry's chest to grumble. "Don't wanna. Comfy." It was then it hit Hermione where she was. Sleeping in Harry's bed, wrapped in his arms. Both had their pyjamas on and had done nothing more than cuddle all night, that wouldn't stop them getting into serious trouble though. A quick peck of a wakening Harry's cheek and Dobby took her hand, he was standing on Harry's bed with her housecoat and slippers in his other hand.

Harry blinked awake and she was gone, the silence inside the curtains of his four poster was total.

Hermione emerged from the shower area in housecoat and slippers while towelling her hair to find her two roommates waiting on her.

"Where were you?"

"Did you spend the night with Harry?"

"Your bed hasn't been slept in."

She could see what was happening behind her roommates and just loved Dobby. The little guy had popped her into the shower area and was saving her bacon once again. "I would ask where you two spent the night, since your beds don't appear to have been slept in either."

Both spun around to see their beds made up before turning confusedly back to Hermione. "It would seem the house elves are really on their game today." Hermione deliberately dropped the towel used for drying her hair, and it disappeared before it could hit the floor.

"Yes, definitely on their game. Thanks very much, guys." Hermione walked past her two dumbstruck dorm mates to get dressed.

The rest of his dorm mates were surprised to find Harry in such a good mood that morning, especially after the altercation last night. He was walking about whistling a tune that only Dean recognised as being by Heuy Lewis.

Ron could hardly look in his direction so Harry broke the ice. "Look Ron, I meant what I said last night about Hermione but I'm sorry I shouted at you. If you can't handle Hermione and me being together then there really is no hope of us ever being friends. You need to go and seriously think about that before saying any more."

The redhead nodded as Harry breezed past him, almost skipping in his haste to reach the common room. Hermione was waiting and, a quick peck later, they were out the portrait hole en route to breakfast.

"This is the best I've felt since coming to Hogwarts, we are so doing that again."

Seeing Harry so chirpy, his girlfriend didn't disagree. She too had been very comfortable but they had to take precautions. "I'll need to make sure Dobby knows to wake me earlier the next time. Even although we were only sleeping together, McGonagall would have a fit."

Feeling two light taps on the small of her back immediately focused Hermione's mind on other things. Harry felt his hand being squeezed and then Hermione's thumb tracing a 'D' on the back of it. This had Harry raising a questioning eyebrow, since he couldn't see any danger. They had only taken a few more steps though when Malfoy and his posse stepped out to block their passage. Hermione however was concentrating further down the corridor, Dobby had appeared silently and very briefly to indicate there was someone else present too.

"Walking around the castle holding a mudblood's hand. There really is no hope for you, Potter. Your father did the exact same, and look what happened to him."

Knowing what was going on here, Hermione interrupted before Harry could react. "There really is no hope for you either, Draco. You actually think you're a Slytherin, when a real Slytherin would get themselves sorted into another house. Picking a fight while your head of house hides down the corridor isn't cunning, it's juvenile bullying at best. Then again, that's exactly what you lot are, a bunch of juvenile bullies."

Struggling to believe they'd been so easily read, Draco tried to force a reaction out of Potter. "You know nothing, mudblood. Do you let this bitch do all your talking, Potter?"

Now seeing this for what it was, Harry played along with his girlfriend. "Why not, she's easily got your number. Aren't you going to come out, Professor Snape? I mean, there's only five of them and two of us - they're gonna need help when Malfoy cries like the bitch he is and draws his wand. We all know Hermione will kick the little shit's arse all over this castle."

Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson all glanced toward where they knew their head of house was, only Knott didn't respond. Draco was far too busy now hurling insults at the top of his voice.

"You think you're special, Potter, but you're both nothing…"

Hermione cut Draco off in the middle of his very loud rant. "Then why are you bothering with us? You are forever quoting how your pure blood makes you superior, perhaps you could explain that? You see I'm magically more powerful than you, easily more intelligent so just what does this superior blood do?"

Draco's rage was building and he got louder. "The Malfoys are one of the most powerful families in Britain…"

Once more Hermione cut him off, that act enraging Draco even more. "Ah, so it's daddy's money that provides the power, not anything to do with blood. Then again, it was daddy's money that kept him out of Azkaban when Harry destroyed his master. Funny how that powerful pure blood running through his veins was useless against the imperious curse. You still haven't told us what this superior pure blood does that makes you so special?"

Draco was now screaming about mudblood bitches and what would happen to them, he also had his wand out. Hermione was still signalling to Harry she would deal with this. Feeling her wand slide into her hand he was holding, Harry decided to let her.

Malfoy fired the first curse but Hermione's shield sent it right back at him, along with the other two that came their way. The fight, though it barely warranted that description, was soon over as McGonagall screamed for everyone to stop.

Minerva had been waiting for her two lions outside the great hall, wanting a quiet word with them. When she heard Malfoy begin shouting, Minerva headed in that direction as quickly as possible. She arrived just as the spells began to fly, and didn't miss Severus already lurking in a classroom doorway.

"I want to know what's going on here?"

Hermione got in first. "Malfoy and his goons tried to provoke a reaction out of us. We suspect their head of house was lurking nearby to catch us fighting... Oh, hello, Professor Snape."

"Your Gryfindors are the ones who provoked this..." Snape's version of events wasn't being believed by anyone in the corridor.

Holding her wand out to her head of house, Hermione offered a suggestion. "After Professor Snape attacked Harry in that toilet, Professor Dumbledore was able to tell which spell his wand had cast last. You'll find mine cast a shield, it would be interesting to see what their wands cast."

Severus began gathering wands from his Slytherins when Minerva simply took them off him. "Mister Malfoy's detention with you clearly didn't alter his behaviour. This incident will now be investigated by the headmaster and me, and we will be assigning whatever punishments we think appropriate."

Taking Hermione's wand, Minerva demonstrated in front of Snape that it was indeed a shield charm she had cast, before returning it. "Parkinson, Nott and Crabbe, go to my office now. The headmaster and I will be there to interview you shortly. Severus, escort Malfoy and Goyle to the infirmary. Tell Poppy they are not to leave before Albus and I interview them. Potter and Granger, follow me and I'll collect the headmaster from the great hall. Oh, and Severus, my office and the infirmary are in opposite directions. Take these two there now before Mister Malfoy's teeth get any bigger and do him an injury, at least it's keeping him quiet. You really must discourage your house from using that disgusting boil curse."

Draco was whimpering in agony, his new super-sized teeth making it impossible for him to have a louder reaction to his second batch of painful boils. Goyle had been hit in the face with a reflected stinging hex so was in a fair degree of discomfort too.

Minerva walked with her two young lions and told them why she had been looking for them. "Professor Dumbledore is offering to teach all the first year Gryffindors potions, providing you two don't object to that."

This time, Harry signalled through their joined hands that he would take the lead. His answer however shocked his girlfriend nearly as much as their head of house. "I don't think that would be fair, Professor."

"Why ever not?"

"Well the holidays are only five weeks away. When we get home, both Hermione and I will be sitting down with our families to discuss whether we want to return to Hogwarts. If we don't come back, Professor Dumbledore is then left teaching that class. If this is something he wants to do anyway, then of course we have no objections about the others joining."

"What do you mean, not return? You have to return."

"We have to return? Who decided that? Are you saying Hermione and I can't transfer to another school or take our education in a different direction? I thought Hogwarts was a boarding school, are you saying it's a prison?"

"No, of course it's not a prison. Why wouldn't you return?"

"Why? How about being injured so severely that I have no memories of my first two months here. Then I was magically attacked by a senior member of staff on the same night. I might have no idea what went on in that toilet but Hermione misses nothing. Now the same boy has hurled racial abuse and magically attacked me twice, the second time with the backing of a senior member of the Hogwarts staff. Perhaps you could explain to us why we should return, because I really can't come up with any reasons."

"Your parents would have wanted you to come here..."

"I just found out on Halloween how my parents' died, I'd previously been told it was a car crash. Hermione said they were murdered trying to save me. Do you think parents, who gave their lives to save their child, would then want their child in an environment that wasn't in any way, shape or form safe? Like so many things in this castle, that just doesn't make sense."

"What would you do about school?"

"We were leaning toward hiring private tutors, or attending a school in France. Hermione already speaks the language fluently, and has certainly proven to be an excellent teacher, so could work with me on that. These options though will all have to be discussed with our families during the holidays."

"Can I ask you not to do anything hasty, and at least talk to the headmaster first?"

Harry just shrugged his shoulders. "We're here until the twenty third of December anyway, and can't make any decisions without talking it over with our families. That's our timescale but I have to say up front, Hogwarts has not impressed me so far. In the school system Hermione and I are used to, a student repeatedly hurling racial abuse at another student would see them expelled - no matter how much money their father had."

They had now reached the great hall. McGonagall left them to their breakfast and headed straight to Dumbledore, before both of them quickly headed back out.

Hermione was forced to whisper in Harry's ear. She didn't want anyone else to hear but was desperate to understand his reasoning. "What was that all about?"

Repeating her behaviour, Harry told his girlfriend what she was dying to know. "Just putting more pressure onto Snape. He's obviously near the top of your shit list and I certainly have no love for the arsehole."

"I sometimes forget how smart you are, sorry about that. Since Snape murdered Dumbledore and then allowed Draco to do whatever he wanted, feel free to pile as much pressure on as you can. If we can get him chucked out of Hogwarts, I'll certainly sleep sounder at night."

Harry could only nod in agreement, and wonder just how far he could push Dumbledore on this. He also had to whisper something else. "I need to know what you know before we can make those decisions, that needs to happen during the holidays at the latest. I understand it'll take a lot longer to learn everything else you're going to teach me but I hate being kept in the dark."

Knowing how much she hated not knowing things, Hermione had no arguments against that. Instead she offered a suggestion. "If Dobby can pop me to your bed, we could get an extra couple of hours practice every night. Over and above what time we can practice during the day, we might just be able to pull that timescale off. My oath though won't allow me to tell you everything until your mental shields are strong enough, I can't fake it."

"I'm gonna learn everything I'm desperate to know, and get to spend every night cuddling into my girlfriend - I can do this."

Hermione was just as pleased with the arrangement and kissed Harry to seal the deal. Her main worry now was that, when he discovered everything she had to tell him, Harry wouldn't want to come within a hundred miles of Hogwarts.

She could only hope that her plans for the rest of their first year would meet with his approval, at least enough to see them return on the Hogwarts Express come January. Harry appeared happy to let her take the lead in certain situations but wasn't afraid to make sure his opinion was heard. Only his lack of knowledge was stopping him doing that more often.

They would be working their socks off to remedy this imbalance in their relationship as quickly as possible, and she'd also get to spend every night in her Harry's arms. Now that was a plan Hermione really liked.

Chapter 4 - Leader of the Light

After interviewing the three Slytherin students in Minerva's office, it had taken Albus mere moments to ascertain the level of Severus' involvement in this plot. A quick scan of the wands involved soon determining who had cast what too. It was rather ironic that Mister Malfoy cast the same boils curse, and again had it reflected back at him by Miss Granger. Only also having Miss Parkinson's Densaugeo reflected at him too stopped the boy's screams once more ringing out around Hogwarts. Nott had cast the stinging hex that had also been reflected by Miss Granger's shield back at his housemates, with Goyle catching it with his face.

"Miss Parkinson, Mister Nott, for deliberately setting out to ambush fellow students, and then casting curses at them, you will receive a week's detentions. Those detentions will be spent helping Professor Sprout in her greenhouses. Mister Crabbe, while you didn't cast any curses, you were there with intent to do so - and this is your second offence. The leniency I showed in the last instance was apparently the wrong approach to take with you, since once more you were assisting in an attack on a fellow student. You shall receive the same punishment as the other two. Do any of you three have anything to say on this matter?"

The trio of Slytherins had nothing to say. Facing the wrath of Dumbledore and McGonagall in the Deputy Headmistress' Office was utterly terrifying for the three first years. They wanted out of there as soon as possible and all gladly accepted their punishments, just to get away before they started crying.

After dismissing the first years, Dumbledore and McGonagall headed for the infirmary to deal with the other half of the problem. While they were walking along the corridors, Minerva just had to say what was on her mind. "Those children need a firm hand, not a head of house who wants to be one of the ambushing gang. I find his behaviour disgusting. I don't care what you say, Albus, Severus was the force behind this whole incident."

"I was thinking of Septima. Do you think she would be firm enough?"

Minerva was speechless for a moment, then had to ask for conformation of what she thought Albus had just said. "Septima Vector? Head of Slytherin?"

There was a slight twinkle in Albus' eyes as he answered his deputy. "I don't know any other Septimas working at Hogwarts who I would be considering appointing. Do I have your backing for offering her the post?"

"Providing it's a permanent appointment, and not just some token punishment of Severus, oh Merlin yes!"

"I think Severus has crossed way over the line of what could ever be considered acceptable behaviour for a Hogwarts professor, far less the higher standards demanded by a head of house. What happens next will partially be up to him. Losing his position as Head of Slytherin though is non-negotiable as far as I'm concerned. I'm pleased you agree with me."

Minerva didn't just agree, she thought this was a decision that was long overdue. She graciously didn't say so, just thankful that Albus was finally taking the proper action.

Albus himself was thinking he didn't really have any other option. Severus had been incredibly stupid, letting his hatred for James Potter totally warp his senses. This coupled with the crystal clear signals coming from the two time travellers gave Albus the strongest indication yet that Snape simply had to go. After promising himself he would do everything in his power to aid Harry and Hermione, Albus was really left with no choice.

He had actually shed tears at the very thought of the sacrifices these two must had made to travel back in time, something the supposedly great Albus Dumbledore didn't have the courage to do himself. He'd tried to convince himself this forbidden magic and knowledge shouldn't be used for personal gain, traveling back in time to fix his own family would certainly be considered that. To save his family though, Albus would have to travel back to an age before Arianna was attacked by those muggles. Speaking of age, that would see him being too young even to attend Hogwarts. Being totally honest with himself in the wee small hours of the morning, Albus was forced to admit he just didn't think he could live through all those years again.

His future self had obviously trusted Miss Granger enough to not only train her in occlumency, but probably revealed his greatest secrets to the girl as well. He would have to trust her now, just as Harry clearly did. She obviously loved Harry, and Albus was positive that love was the power behind her decision to leap into the past. That she brought Harry with her astonished Albus, both from the magical power required to complete the ritual and the incredibly complex calculations needed in her preparations. This was why he was so certain the girl's own studies wouldn't be affected by tutoring Harry. He didn't know how far back in time they'd travelled but Albus suspected Miss Granger could probably teach at Hogwarts, never mind pass her first year exams.

They entered the infirmary to be faced with an infuriated Severus, a Severus who had obviously decided attack was the best form of defence. "Once again, I have had to take members of my house to the infirmary. I would like to hear what's going to be done about this. I already know Saint Potter won't be blamed for anything."

The potions professor had totally misjudged the situation though, he was facing a headmaster who was in no mood for his theatrics. "Since you were in the corridor for the entire incident, I'm sure you already know Harry did nothing other than verbally respond to taunts aimed at him and Miss Granger. You need not worry about the Slytherins in the infirmary, they are no longer your responsibility. Your participation in that ambush today was behaviour that flies in the face of everything a head of house should stand for. I am removing that responsibility from you, and also adding a two week suspension from Hogwarts. I would advise you to use that time to look at your life and consider some of the choices you have made - especially lately."

It took a shocked Severus a few moments to get the words he wanted out, his mouth was moving but no legible sound was passing his lips. "You can't do this to me!"

"I can, and I just have. I will of course release you from any oaths you may have made to me. Should you wish to contest my decision, a school board meeting would need to be called. Please let me know if this is what you want to do, I'm sure I could arrange one before the end of the week."

"Of course I want to protest this decision. You are taking the word of a couple first years over a head of house, just because one of them is Potter…"

"I haven't spoken with Mister Potter or Miss Granger regarding this incident. I interviewed your Slytherins and reached this decision after discussing what took place this morning with my deputy. You seem determined to blame Mister Potter for everything, Severus, but this situation is entirely of your own making. I will contact the school board and schedule a meeting, you will be informed by owl of the date and time. Please excuse us, we have another two students to deal with." Albus stood firm and left Severus with no option other than to leave the infirmary. They then approached the two boys Poppy had lying on beds.

"Mister Goyle, this is your second offence so you will receive a week's detention working with Professor Sprout in her greenhouses. Mister Malfoy, I can't express how disappointed I am in you and your behaviour. You will receive two weeks' detentions working with Mister Filch."

"What? Never! When my father hears about this…"

"I intend that one of the first tasks our new head of Slytherin undertakes will be to inform your parents of your disgusting behaviour, and the punishment you received for it. Should your parents then wish to remove you from Hogwarts, that is of course their choice. Otherwise, you will report to Mister Filch every night after dinner for the next two weeks. Perhaps this will stay your hand from drawing your wand in future. If not, there are further measures that can be taken to ensure that lesson is learned. Do not test me on this, Mister Malfoy. Changes are coming to Hogwarts, those who don't like them are welcome to leave."

It was Albus and Minerva who then left, leaving behind a student whose actions matched those of his godfather mere moments ago. Draco's mouth may have been moving but again, no legible sounds were coming out. That revelation about a new head of Slytherin had left him speechless. He wasn't alone in having that reaction. As Dumbledore made his announcement at lunchtime, that exact same reaction was pretty widespread.

"Following an incident earlier this morning, Professor Vector is the new head of Slytherin. I will also be teaching all potions classes for the next two weeks while Professor Snape considers whether his future lies at Hogwarts. I feel we as a staff have become rather remiss in not enforcing the Hogwarts code of conduct, that stops now. After dinner tonight, there will be house meetings held where attendance is mandatory. Your head of house will then go over this document in great detail with every member of their house. There will be no excuses accepted if any individual or group decides this code doesn't apply to them, they will soon discover it does."

-oOoOo-

Having now learned the silencing charm, Harry was prepared when Dobby popped Hermione to his curtained bed. The elf then used some of his own magic to erect 'notice-me-not' charms around the bed, ensuring the couple wouldn't be disturbed before he came back to wake Miss Hermione.

They sat cross-legged and pyjama clad, facing each other in their own little oasis of peace behind the drawn curtains. "I never expected Dumbledore to go this far. It's so frustrating though to know all this was available to him the last time, and he didn't do anything."

"It gets better, Hermione. McGonagall came back for a private word with me. I really did feel eleven as I thought she'd caught on to us spending our nights together."

After hearing what McGonagall had to say, and also that she would be speaking to her tomorrow, Hermione was even more astonished. "Wow! He really is trying to make a difference."

"Yeah, even I figured that one out. After everything that's happened today, I don't know how I'm supposed to clear my mind tonight."

Leaning forward, Hermione kissed Harry until he wasn't thinking of anything else.

"You, Miss Granger, are a wonderful teacher. I can certainly recommend your unorthodox but inspirational methods, and only wonder why they've never been tried before…"

"You want McGonagall kissing you in your bed?"

"Hermione!"

"What? At least I didn't say Dumbledore."

"Aw shit. You've just wasted all that good work, I need another kiss."

"No, you now have thoughts you want to clear out of your mind. Do that first, then we'll see about more kisses…"

Having now provided him with that double incentive, Harry had to reiterate his earlier words. Hermione was a simply wonderful teacher.

-oOoOo-

The changes in Hogwarts were immediate, immediately after Dumbledore had taken the first potions class that is. Every one of those first set of students was raving about it - with the rest of the school now looking forward to their own potions class. Now there was an immediate change right there.

Hermione had agreed with Harry, that this course of action was risky. She also agreed it was one they had to take. That was why both missed their history of magic lesson. Considering they could literally change history here, both thought that was an incredibly small price to pay.

-oOoOo-

Severus confidently sat beside Lucius, certain that he would be reinstated as Head of Slytherin before the meeting was over. That Lucius was livid at Draco's treatment inside Hogwarts added another degree of certainty to the result. Dumbledore may still be headmaster at the end of this meeting but he was going to be humiliated and forced to offer a couple of apologies. Then Severus would be able to go after the Potter brat with impunity. Albus wouldn't dare say a word, and McGonagall was nothing without the headmaster's backing.

When everyone was settled in their seats around the large table, Dumbledore and McGonagall entered - with Amelia Bones.

Lucius was on his feet instantly. "Madam Bones, this is a meeting of the Hogwarts School Board. Since you are not a member of that board, I must ask you to leave."

This actually earned a chuckle from the stern woman. "Malfoy, it may have escaped your notice but I am the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It is in that capacity that I am here tonight. I would like to see you try and throw me out, at the very least you would be charged with deliberately obstructing justice."

"I just couldn't think why the Director of the D.M.L.E. would have business here tonight…"

"Don't worry, Malfoy, I'm not here for you - yet. Severus Snape, you are under arrest for casting legilemens on a child - a child who had just suffered a head injury too."

Severus instantly recognised what was happening here, he was too shocked even to refute the accusation. Lucius was under no such handicap, and intended to make this bitch pay for her dig at him. "Don't be preposterous. Where is your proof? How would a child even know if that spell was being cast on them?"

Amelia was unperturbed. "The attack was carried out in front of the Deputy Headmistress. Severus Snape's wand was then examined by the Hogwarts Headmaster, the results of which were also witnessed by another two heads of house. Mister Potter's injury saw him lose his memory, Snape's mental attack coincided with Harry re-bonding with his wand. The lad's magic acted to protect him, blasting Snape clean off his feet."

This was news the rest of the school board were naturally very interested in, and saw quite a few questions coming from around the table.

"It was Harry Potter he attacked?"

"How did the boy-who-lived lose his memory?"

"Just what is going on here?"

This led to Albus telling the story of Halloween, and how Harry was injured saving his girlfriend from a troll. Ensuring everyone that Harry had suffered no after-effects, except for that memory loss, and that he was now challenging his girlfriend to be the top student in first year eased their concerns. Here was the legend they thought of as the boy-who-lived in action, defeating a troll while saving the maiden.

Malfoy though was coming at this from a different angle. "Has the boy pressed charges against Severus?"

This was answered by Dumbledore. "Yes Harry has. Both he and Miss Granger were interviewed by Madam Bones as part of her investigation into this matter. Since Severus orchestrated an ambush of Harry and his girlfriend, why wouldn't he?"

"Again, what evidence do you have of that? My son is currently cleaning toilets every night, and yet he is the one who was injured in this supposed ambush."

The Headmaster was not for giving an inch over this matter. "Your son was injured by the spell he himself cast, reflected back at him by a shield charm. Draco is also of the opinion that it's within his rights to taunt Mister Potter that his mother was a muggleborn, not the word he used, and his parents were murdered."

"Isn't that actually true?" Lucius Malfoy's superior sneer soon disappeared as he experienced the full power of Dumbledore staring him down.

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. When Harry responded that Draco's father was a cowardly death eater who bought his way out of Azkaban with gold, rather than have the courage of his convictions, your son drew his wand and attacked. The truth can hurt as bad as any curse, Lucius."

"That is slander. I was under the imperious curse, that has been proven."

Albus was now relentless. "Not as far as I'm aware. You saying so doesn't make it true…"

"You doubt my word?"

"You were the one who brought truth into this matter. We all know what the Malfoy word is worth, whatever Lucius Malfoy wants it to be. Madam Bones, perhaps you could refresh my memory here? I can't recall any trial where it was established that Lucius committed his crimes while under the imperious curse, and was therefore innocent of all charges."

Amelia was loving this, getting to poke Lucius one in the eye without Fudge here to protect the blond git. "There's nothing wrong with your memory, Albus. You can't remember any trial, because there wasn't one. I don't know if I could live with myself, something like that hanging over my family name. Especially when it could be so easily cleared up."

"I agree, Amelia. I'm currently teaching potions in Hogwarts, and I discovered some Veritaserum in the potions professor's private stores. We could end all this speculation here and now. Well, Lucius, do you wish to take this chance to prove the truth of the matter? Surely you would appreciate the opportunity for these vile rumours to be put to bed once and for all? It would save young Draco being tainted by these allegations too if you publicly proved them false. I would have thought that was the least a caring father could do for his young, impressionable son."

Lucius was left with a complexion that matched his pure white hair. He tried for bluster but was left fooling no one in the room. Faced with a Dumbledore and Bones who were both pushing hard, and making absolutely no concessions to his money or political power, Lucius Malfoy found himself unwillingly agreeing with Dumbledore. The truth was a terrible thing.

"I don't see any need to answer questions on matters that have already been settled…"

Albus had never expected him to answer any other way, that didn't mean he wasn't going to use this to his advantage. "Ah, and there lies the problem we have. Without this evidence, people will make up their own minds on the matter. Thus leaving Draco with no comeback when that story is bandied about the corridors of Hogwarts. I also have to ask the other eleven members of the board here if this is the kind of wizard they want leading the Hogwarts School Board, or even sitting on that board. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, I am allowed to propose matters to the board…

Augusta Longbottom had seconded Malfoy's removal from the board before Albus could even finish proposing it. While Albus didn't have a vote, neither did Lucius - since the vote was to remove him from the board. The vote was quickly taken and it fell to Albus to then ask Lucius to leave the meeting - since he was no longer a member of the school board.

Amelia then removed Snape's wand and fitted magical restraints on him. Severus was left looking at Albus for answers.

"I warned you, Severus, but you couldn't let it go. It would appear your hatred for Harry's father far outweighed the love you professed to have for the boy's mother. You brought this on yourself, thinking the rule of law didn't apply to you. It's one thing to give someone a chance to redeem themselves, it's quite another to turn a blind eye to their continual flouting of that chance. No more, Severus. That will apply to everyone, as your friend Lucius just discovered. The changes happening in Hogwarts will be reflected further afield."

As Severus was led out, Albus turned to face the rest of the school board. "Since you are now a member short, I would like to propose someone who I can honestly say has the best interest of Hogwarts and the castle's students close to her heart. I propose Minerva McGonagall as a member of the school board."

-oOoOo-

Draco was carrying the mop and bucket to his next disgusting cleaning job, ignoring the old fart Filch's rantings as they walked the corridor. Instead, Draco's thoughts were dwelling on the upcoming apology Dumbledore was going to be forced to make. Draco's letter home had resulted in his parents' rage at the muggle-loving headmaster reaching new heights. When his father got that angry, someone always paid for it.

His pleasant thoughts were disrupted by the sight heading toward the Malfoy heir. Draco recognised Madam Bones, the pair of aurors with her were also recognisable as such by their uniforms. It was the fourth member of this group though that shocked Draco, or rather the fact Severus Snape was in restraints and being marched out of the school.

"Professor, what's going on? Didn't my father get you reinstated as the Head of Slytherin?"

"Your father was voted off the school board and I'm being arrested. Blasted Potter's fault..."

Snape never got to say any more, he was hustled along and away from his godson. Draco was soon being prodded to move along too.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" Filch said, leering at the now despondent young boy. "Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed…"

Draco once more tried not to listen as he trudged to the next toilet needing cleaned. It was much harder to do however without the thoughts of an impending Dumbledore apology to buoy his spirits. Instead he started to think about getting even with the person responsible for all of this - Potter!

-oOoOo-

Draco wasn't the only one who spotted Snape being led out the castle by aurors. By breakfast time, that news was all over Hogwarts. The first years were standing in the corridor, waiting to enter their first class of the day, when Draco couldn't hold his anger back any longer.

"My father was voted off the school board and Professor Snape got arrested. This is all your fault, Potter."

They had of course all heard about Snape. Discovering Lucius Malfoy was kicked off the school board too was a very welcome bonus for the pair of time travellers. Harry had an instant reply for the spoiled and angry boy. "Draco, if I really had that much power, don't you think I would have used it to get rid of annoying and whiny little blond gits like you?"

This generated a lot of laughter amongst their peers. As much as they enjoyed the pompous Malfoy heir getting the wind knocked out of his sails, a fair proportion of that laughter was because of who was delivering the verbal blow. Harry had surprised Hermione by introducing himself to all their year mates just after they traveled back in time. She had asked him about this, since he hadn't done that last time, nor given the impression this was something he was comfortable doing - even as an eighteen year old. His answer had surprised Hermione, and showed again she was dealing with a much more mature person.

'Hermione, this is a second chance at everything. I've never been good at making friends, holding my hand out and saying hi just might change that a little.'

It actually had, and destroyed a lot of the mystique surrounding the boy-who-lived too. People from the other houses were getting to know him as just Harry, something they were both very happy with.

Seeing Draco ready to explode again saw Harry react. He didn't want there to be any way he could be blamed for provoking another attack. "Let's look at this logically, Malfoy. I've never met your father, nor anyone else on the Hogwarts school board. How then am I supposed to be responsible for them voting your father off? I didn't even know the first thing about it happening until you just told me a minute ago. As to Snape, Hermione and I were interviewed by Madam Bones while you lot were listening to Binns. She seemed to think there were criminal charges for Snape to answer. You of all people should know the trouble it can cause if you don't keep your wand in your pocket."

That Harry had introduced himself, and also shook her hand, gave a rather shy Susan Bones the courage to speak out. "Madam Bones is my aunt, Harry. If she's arrested Snape, then auntie will already have a strong case against him."

Neville felt as if he just got an early Christmas present. "My Gran's on the school board. If Snape gets found guilty, no matter what he's then sentenced too, that automatically means he can't be a professor at Hogwarts."

There were now looks of awe in their direction, though it was Ron who mouthed what three-quarters of them were already thinking. "You got rid of Snape? There will be a plaque with your names on it in three of the common rooms…"

Their classroom door opening saw them heading inside, leaving a still livid Draco standing there on his own. Even the other Slytherins were giving Draco a wide berth. Snape was apparently gone and Dumbledore wasn't letting anyone get away with anything. Until Draco accepted this new reality, the rest of his house would be staying away from the boy who was nothing but trouble. Dumbledore seemed to be working on an increasing scale of severity regarding misbehaviour, no one wanted to be on the receiving end of any more punishments.

Seeing Hermione with a definite spring in her step during their potions class pleased Albus immensely. While he couldn't ask her any questions, and had sworn to himself he wouldn't stoop to reading Harry's thoughts for information, that didn't mean he wasn't going to use the girl as a barometer to try and avoid the approaching storm. Judging by her demeanour today, after hearing the news about Snape and Malfoy, Albus could only think his actions had knocked some of the wind out of the storm - for now.

He would have a chat with them in a few days to see if they were still considering to look elsewhere for their education, or whether his actions had changed their minds. Albus didn't know he would have another meeting before that.

-oOoOo-

An enraged Minister of Magic was pacing up and down in front of Dumbledore's impressive desk. Albus himself was impassively sitting behind the mahogany masterpiece, watching while Cornelius' temper grew and grew. Those pinstripe robes were flapping about his body and his favourite green bowler was taking a mauling while his hands angrily gripped it for reassurance. Fudge finally gave vent to his feelings in the headmaster's office.

"You deliberately arranged for Snape to be arrested during the school board meeting. This was done with the express purpose of embarrassing Lucius. You then used that embarrassment to have him voted off. Just what are you after, Dumbledore?"

Peering over his half-moon glasses, Dumbledore's gaze pinned Cornelius like the former young student this now Minister of Magic used to be. "Is there any point of me recounting what actually took place at that meeting? You've clearly already made your mind up, or should that be Lucius Malfoy has made it up for you?"

"Don't be preposterous, of course I want to hear your version…"

"This is not my version, Cornelius. That was a pretty full room, and included the Director of the D.M.L.E. You are of course welcome to ask any or all of them what version of events is the truth. Lucius was there with the sole purpose of defending Snape and his own son's behaviour, both of which were indefensible…"

"What has young Draco done to merit such a severe punishment for a first year?"

"That is an internal Hogwarts matter but I will tell you anyway, since it has bearing on this discussion. Draco seems to think it's okay to call Harry Potter's mother and girlfriend mudbloods. When Harry retorted that Draco's father was a death eater who used his gold to escape justice and punishment, he drew his wand and began firing curses…"

"That's perfectly understandable behaviour…"

Albus cut the minister off right there. "Yes, it's understandable behaviour, we can all easily see what he's up to. Draco tries to get Harry to magically retaliate against calling his mother a mudblood. Instead, Harry turned the tables on him. As I pointed out to Lucius last night, Harry's statement is also factually correct. Lucius Malfoy was never tried for any of the crimes he committed, nor was his 'under the imperius' defence questioned to any degree - other than accepting his word. Lucius was given the opportunity to settle that argument once and for all last night, with the Director of the D.M.L.E. and the Chief Warlock in the room. He couldn't refuse that opportunity quickly or strongly enough, and didn't care a jot that this left his son open to those type of verbal retorts. It was this downright refusal to even consider publicly clearing the Malfoy name that saw him voted off the board. If he won't put his own son's interests ahead of his own, there is no place for him on a school board."

"You doubted Lucius' word?"

"Of course I doubted it, and so should you. If Lucius Malfoy is as innocent as he claims, then surely he would welcome any opportunity to prove that innocence. Instead, he fled the castle like a scalded kneazle - terrified Amelia or I would insist he answered questions he certainly doesn't want to. He fled straight to you, the Minister of Magic. That's not a position that should be held by Malfoy's errand boy."

"How dare you, Dumbledore. I am the Minister, and no one's errand boy."

The force behind Dumbledore's reply to that had Cornelius finally sitting in the previously offered seat. "Well start behaving like a Minister of Magic then. I can't believe the shrewd Cornelius Fudge who walked these corridors for seven years has been taken in by Malfoy's silver tongue and golden touch. He's using you, and your position. That wizard is dark, Cornelius, and that darkness isn't very well hidden beneath that respectable veneer Lucius shows the world. When he goes down, and Lucius will, it would be a wise minister who doesn't get dragged down along with his so-called friend."

Cornelius sat there, bowler on his knee while his mind was currently as empty as that lime green hat. Dumbledore was once more relentless though as he piled on the pressure. "There were some powerful and influential people in that room last night, they all caught a glimpse of the real Lucius Malfoy - and that is why they voted against him. You don't invite a poisonous viper into your bosom and expect not to be bitten, they banished that viper last night. That story will also be doing the rounds, hence why he headed straight for his biggest supporter."

The pupils of Cornelius' eyes reminded Albus of an abacus as they flicked back and forth. It was also clear from his expression Cornelius didn't like the way those sums were adding up in his mind. After all the straight talking that had been done here today, the minister decided to continue with that theme.

"Lucius maintains this is your first move in a bid to oust me as minister, taking the position for yourself..."

Since Cornelius had been honest, Albus decided to answer in the same manner. "The Minister of Magic is not allowed to hold any official posts, other than that one. I would need to resign from being Headmaster of Hogwarts, that is something I will never do. This is my home, this is my calling. You know I've been offered the Minister's position on more than a few occasions, I've always turned them down. What does Lucius say is so different about this time?"

This seemed to take a weight off the Minister's mind, Albus though just piled a different load back on there.

"In my life, I've fought against two dark lords. My greatest regret is the social and political conditions that allowed those dark lords to flourish in our country still haven't been addressed. If I see another dark lord in the years I've got left to me, I guarantee you that Lucius Malfoy will be one of his main supporters. I can also guarantee you that I will be opposing that dark lord with everything that I am. The only way I see you and I in opposition is if you allow Malfoy to drag you into a situation where we end up on different sides of that battle. My position on this is clearly defined, Cornelius. I will always oppose the dark."

Since the entire country knew that last statement to be true, Cornelius really couldn't dispute Albus' claims that he stood firmly against the dark. That anyone could even consider Cornelius Fudge as 'dark' sent a shiver of fear down his back. That was not something he wanted associated with his tenure as Minister of Magic.

"You have given me much to think about, Albus."

"That is all I ask of you, Cornelius, think for yourself. There is nothing wrong with asking people you trust for advice, it's ensuring those who you ask are trustworthy that is the problem here. You have my trust and support, and I have clearly stated the conditions needed for those things to change. I want to spend my remaining years overseeing my beloved Hogwarts in a peaceful Britain, you desperately want to believe your friend is telling the truth. I really fear both of us are in for a severe disappointment, Cornelius. We can't count on another miracle like Harry Potter happening again, our country needs to be strong enough to stand up to any threat."

"What do you know, Albus?"

"It's just I can see the pattern starting to repeat itself. Take Severus as an example. I treated him as a young wizard who made a mistake, and then tried to pay for that mistake by helping others. That is why I spoke in his defence all those years ago. I really believed he had turned a corner and wanted to live a productive life teaching children. For him to fire that spell at Harry Potter, and then set up that ambush of the lad, the pattern repeats itself."

The minister who left the headmaster's office had lost his anger, that anger though was now replaced by worry. What Albus was suggesting was not something to dive right into, rather take a step back and try to look at the problem with fresh eyes. His immediate problem though was what to tell a Lucius Malfoy that was anxiously awaiting his return to the ministry.

-oOoOo-

Harry's mind was clear as he monitored his mental shields. Both he and Hermione were certain those shields were getting stronger but as Harry sensed her mental probe, they hit the same problem again. Instead of deflecting Hermione's probe, Harry's mind and magic welcomed her with a loving embrace. The intensity of love expressed in that embrace left his girlfriend blushing.

"Haarrryy! You're supposed to reject me…"

"…and that is where we're having the problem. From the first time I laid eyes on you in the uni bar, there was never going to be any rejection from me. I think I can be honest enough with myself to say it wasn't just because you were stunningly beautiful, I've never felt a pull of attraction to another person like that in my life. When Brian gave me an excuse to go over and talk to you, my insides were cheering like mad."

This had Hermione leaning in and offering a tender kiss, Harry was still smiling as he commented on his situation.

"I'm sitting here in an eleven year old body. That young body is stuck in a magical castle somewhere in the Scottish Highlands and has a family back home in Surrey who now apparently hate me. That right there is more than enough cause to drive anyone crazy. The only reason I'm not insane with all of this is currently sitting right across from me. Have you any idea how weird it is to think about marriage, settling down after uni and having a family - all when you're still a kid yourself. Of course you do. You do, don't you?"

Harry had noticed the tears forming in the corners of Hermione's eyes, her wide smile though dispelled any fears Harry had about just upsetting his girlfriend.

"Of course I think about those things, and it's always you standing beside me. I just didn't know you shared the same thoughts, it's like I'm falling for my new Harry all over again."

"The other Harry you described clearly didn't have the best of upbringings, probably didn't even know what love was. My memories tell me different. Those memories may be manufactured or engineered, they are still my memories though. I know what love is, Hermione, and I love the wonderful girl who's sitting here beside me now. If we hadn't had our 'back to the future' trip, I like to think that an eighteen year old Harry Potter would have been introducing his new girlfriend to his family that Christmas, while making arrangements to visit yours in France. I think of that night in our hotel a lot, every single day, more than once a day too…"

This had Hermione giggling. "I get the picture, Harry. I was there too…"

"The point I'm trying to make is that night was special, the most special night of my life. We connected in ways far beyond the obvious ones. My main thoughts that night revolved around never letting this wonderful girl out of my life - ever. I would have preferred a DeLorean to that ritual though. While naked was nice, the car would at least have had a heater."

Hermione just had to snog her boyfriend after that, their training was over for tonight. Lying snuggling into Harry, she realised they now had a major problem.

"I can't tell you what you need to know without checking your shields are strong enough..."

"...and you can't check my shields when I keep inviting you in. Why don't we get Gandalf the White to do it? You know he's going to want to speak to us before the holidays anyway."

"Ask Dumbledore to check your shields?"

"Why not? He already knows about us, and he's proven trustworthy so far. I know enough to at least tell if Dumbledore gets through my shields. I still don't know any earth-shattering secrets, and Dumbledore would lose our trust if he didn't immediately withdraw after getting past my defences. That would be a big loss to him for very little gain, he's smarter than that."

"If you really think so..."

Harry moved until he was staring into Hermione's eyes from mere inches away. "I can see the burden you carry. Considering some of the things you've already told me, it must be very bad. What I really remember though is you promising to be my girlfriend in the past, present and future - I certainly intend to hold you to that promise. We do this with Dumbledore, and then we'll face those things you're terrified of telling me about together."

"From that first Halloween, Harry, we always have..."

"...and from this Halloween, we always will."

They snuggled in, each drawing comfort from the other and delighted with the way their relationship was growing. Christmas was going to be a big test. Two families to face and revelations about the future to be unveiled to Harry. Both were confident they would help each other through the tough times ahead, and that they would still be a couple at the end of it all.