Leaving and Apologies
Hogwarts came quicker than anyone expected. Harri ended up b keeping Divination and adding Runes. She was going to have more classes than Ron, and she knew that she would be hearing about it.
She got dressed in one of her nice dresses in the Potter's family colors. She wanted to look her best today as it would be her first public appearance with all of her family.
Narcissa and Draco had basically moved in after Lucius hit Narcissa. Lady Longbottom was helping her get a divorce. It was being brought up with their bill at the next Wizengamot session.
Narcissa was also going to be taking Proxie of Harri's seats. She had been furious when she had learned Dumbledore was her Proxie. She immediately asked Narcissa and Augusta to take all of her seats back.
Harri grabbed her trunk and looked around her room sadly. For the first time, she wasn't looking forward to Hogwarts. She sighed and walked out of her room, which had become more decorated over the months. She knew if she had forgotten anything, Nifty would pop it to her.
Harri was the last to join the family in the floo room. She had a small frown on her face as she stepped in between her boys. She sighed dramatically and said, "I don't want to leave now that I finally have a home. We're coming back home for Yule, right?"
"Yes, you all will be coming home for Yule, and remember, love, if Samhain is too much for you, you don't have to go to the feast," Narcissa said as she gave Harri a big hug. Narcissa repeated her hug with Neville and Draco.
"Will one of you floo with Harri?" Augusta asked. "I know that you are getting better at it, Harri, but I still want to make sure you get their safely."
"I'll floo with her," Neville said with a smile.
"It's not my fault that wixen travel is nonsense, and it causes a bad case of vertigo," Harri mumbled with a pout. "I was thinking about exploring the Chamber of Secrets this year, if that's okay?"
"It's fine with us as it's one of your houses, but do be careful and use the detection spell I taught you," Narcissa said before sighing. "We best be off. Remember to keep your heads up." With that, Narcissa stepped through the floo, calling out Platform 9 and ¾. Draco went after her after giving Augusta a hug. He didn't know if his father was going to be on the platform, and he didn't want him to hurt her.
Augusta went next after telling Harri and Neville not to dilly dally. Harri held tightly to Neville's arm. She had let Hedwig fly ahead and had all over her things shrunk in her pocket, Neville held Trevor's in closure with his other hand, so Harri threw the powder.
The spun for what felt like forever but in reality was only a few seconds before stepping out onto the platform. Harri only remained standing due to her hold on Neville's arm. Draco steadied her from her other side.
"I'm going to invite a way of wixen travel that doesn't involve spinning," she swear for the millionth time. The boys laughed softly as their group made it's way to the train.
The train was as magnificent as it always was, and it made Harri smile softly. She was excited to go back to school even if she would miss her home. She hugged Narcissa and Augusta again tightly.
"I'll write once a week," she promised softly as she let go. She stepped back so Neville and Draco could say their goodbyes. She had sat Draco down and told him that he needed to apologize to the Weasleys for the way he spoke about their family and to Hermione for calling her a slur before they had left so this train ride should be interesting.
The three of them boarded the train and went to find a compartment. They found one with a sleeping professor in it and decided it was the best case scenario. The boys sat next to the professor, and Harri sat in front of him. The three spoke quietly amongst each other until the compartment door opened to reveal Ron and Hermione. Harri greeted them happily and patted the seat next to her.
"Blamey Harri, we heard you blew up your aunt and was staying at the Leaky, but when we got their after got back from Egypt Tom had said that you moved in with Neville," Ron said quickly as he sat down not paying attention to the other occupants of the compartment.
"She did," Neville said, bringing attention to him and Draco.
"What's he doing here?" Hermione said, full of venom.
"I need to apologize to both of you," Draco said plainly as he thought over his words.
"No shit," Ron said angerly, his face quickly starting to resemble his hair.
"It was wrong of me the way I spoke about your family, and I apologize. Moving forward, I will attempt to show you the same respect I do for Harri and Neville," he said, addressing Ron. He turned to Hermione and took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have called you a slur. It was wrong and immature and hateful of me. I'm truly sorry that I said it and more so because it hurt you so much."
Neville patted Draco's leg gently to let him know he had done a good job. Harri beamed at him as they had practiced his apology a few times before the start of term.
"Why the sudden change?" Hermione asked caution thick in her voice. She didn't understand how a bully could change over the course of a summer.
"My mother and I have moved away from my abusive father, and I've been able to let go of the persona I had built up around me to keep me safe," Draco said truthfully. "Harri and Neville have helped a lot too. I had been living in a very closed off world with beliefs that painted purebloods as superior, and that had been all I'd ever known despite my mother's best attempts, but now I know differently, and I'm sorry that I made you fee the way my father made me feel."
Hermione was quiet for a long moment as she stared intently at Draco. She seemed to find what she was looking for and nodded. "You are on probation until further notice. You get three screw ups before you get kicked from this group," she said firmly.
"I will gladly honor that. I brought you some peace offerings, actually," Draco said as he enlarged his trunk and pulled out books on wixen culture and government. They were brand new and similar to the books Harri had gotten. "It's to help you adjust. Harri had explained how Muggleborns and Muggleraised children aren't taught the culture they are coming into, and I thought they would help."
"They are really good books, Hermione!" Harri said excitedly. "Camalot was real! It was just the wixen capital before it disappeared!"
"Why should we trust him?" Ron grumbled his face still red. "He's done nothing but try to get us in trouble."
"Ron, I've been living with him for most of the summer and can safely say that he's grown up. We aren't preteens anymore, and we're maturing," Harri said with a small eye roll.
"Whatever," Ron said before storming out.
"He'll come around he's just stubborn," Hermione said with an eyeroll.
"He acts like he didn't pick on you until we defeated the Troll in the first year," Harri said compared unimpressed by his actions.
"I know, right? And he never apologized to me," Hermione said, crossing her arms. She shook her head and turned back to Draco, "Thank you for the books. I'll read them as soon as I'm able. I'm taking every class, so I might not have time."
"Hermione, I don't think that's healthy or possible even," Harri said in confusion.
"Only if you have a time turner," Neville said, shaking his head, "those are extremely dangerous and, if used constantly, can age you several years."
"McGonagall said that she had a way for me to do it but if it's a time turner I don't know if I'd want that," Hermione said thinking about it.
"Why not drop Muggle Studies and Divination?" Draco suggested. "Only people who have the sight can learn more than tea leaves and tarot cards. Most of it is just useless information for the average wixen."
"I think I might just do that. I don't really believe in prophecies any way," Hermione said as she thought it over carefully.
"I also heard that Muggle Studies is really out of date. They don't even talk about the moon landing," Harri said with a shrug.