THIRD YEAR
Harry woke up the next morning in a daze.
He was tightly snugged into his fathers chest, his dads chin nestled into his hair, and his mother had wrapped her arms from behind him. His parents were talking quietly when Harrys eyes fluttered opened. He tried not to move so he could listen into their conversation.
“-need to talk to a healer again.” His mum whispered.
Harry felt his dad shake his head. “It’s been 13 years and nothing has happened, we don’t need to worry.”
“He’s seeing visions, I know I’m right.”
“We don’t even know what he dreamed about yet, don’t make assumptions until we have all the facts, love.” His dad reasoned softly.
“I know, but I can’t help but worry about him, y’know?”
“Flower, I’ve been worried too many times to count.”
His mum giggled, her chest vibrated his back and Harry chose that moment to fully wake up.
“What’s going on?” Harry yawned, trying to sound like he wasn’t almost fully awake.
“You’re in our bed, Bambi, you ready for some breakie?” His dad grinned.
Harry nodded and the family slowly got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. After getting some cereal and splashing his face with water, Harry met the concerned stares of his parents.
“Harry,” his mum started, “do you remember what you dreamed about last night?”
Harry grimaced but nodded.
His parents exchanged glances but his dad spoke. “Care to share with the class?”
Harry smiled lightly at the question and closed his eyes to try and fully remember what he saw. “Erm… at first I was in Dumbledores office and he had the diary Tracey and I got a bunch of house points for…umm… then he got out a sword and stabbed it-“ Harry opened his eyes “-that was when the pain started and then the dream jumped to Volde- I’m mean You-Know-Who and he looked to be in as much pain as I was.” Harry drifted off, wondering if it was important to mention the man he saw. “There was a man there too, he looked worried but then I woke up.”
If anything, his parents looked more disturbed than before.
“They’re starting up. The healer said this would happen.” His mum cried.
“What do you mean?” Harry asked with a frown.
“I’m flooing over to St Mungos right now.” She stressed, ignoring Harry’s question.
“Mum-“
She rushed up to Harry, kissed his forehead, took her husbands head and kissed both his cheeks before floo’ing away.
The two males stood in the kitchen in confusion.
“Dad, you need to explain what in Merlins name is wrong with mum.” Harry demanded.
His dad sighed and scratched the nape of his neck. “Your mother's been worried about you.”
“She’s always worried about me.” Harry deadpanned.
His dad snorted. “I know that." Then he turned serious. "But when we came home that Halloween to find our house destroyed and you crying in your bed with a scar on your forehead, we took you immediately to a healer. She told us you may be connected to You-Know-Who and may be able to see…visions of sorts from his perspective. We were horrified that if you could see what he’s seeing, then he could do the same for you, but nothing really happened to make us believe what the healer said was true. You never cried out in pain or your eyes never rolled into the back of your skull- I started thinking that you’d be okay. But then last year we found out you're a Parseltongue and was suspected of being the Heir of Slytherin and-“ he took a shaky breath “maybe the healer was right. And you waking up just last night in agony from only a vision kind of proves that you may be more connected than we thought.”
Harry wiped his eyes, not because he was crying but because he felt irritable all over.
Remus had told him he was a horcrux, and that he and Voldemort were closer than anyone thought. He had promised his godfather he wasn’t going to tell a soul but everything kept coming back to their connection. It was horrible.
“Does that mean You-Know-Who can see my visions?” Harry muttered quietly.
“Lily is getting a healer, we’ll find out soon enough.” His dad replied, looking distantly at the fireplace.
“Should I be scared?”
“I can’t tell you what to feel. Do you feel scared?”
“Not really.”
His dad looked at him curiously.“Then what are you feeling?”
Harry clicked his tongue and leaned his head on his dads arm. “I feel tired mostly and kind of lost, like I’m not fully in control of my own body anymore.”
His dad wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders and kissed the crown of Harrys head. “I’m sorry this is happening to you, baby.”
“Well, I’m not in danger so that’s something.” He joked.
“Ahh yes,” his dad laughed, “let’s not jinx ourselves yet.”
Long story short, Harry was okay.
The Healer examined him thoroughly and even used legilimency to watch his dream for himself. He asked Harry a bunch of questions like if he experienced deja vu or had ever blinked then opened his eyes to see he was in a completely different location and so on. Harry didn’t know what type of stuff this guy had had to deal with but Harry was very concerned for anyone who ever experienced anything like it.
“If you have another dream vision or are feeling like you might be in trouble, give me a whizz and I’ll be here in a jiff.” He talked to Harry like he was baby but Harry just nodded.
“Thank you Healer Clemente, and sorry for the short notice.” His mum sighed as the healer got his floo powder out.
“No problem,” he chirped, “anything for the Boy-Who-Lived, right?” Then he disappeared in a haze of green fire.
Harry always felt his arms raise with goosebumps whenever someone said that.
“See, dear, Harry is fine.” His dad cooed, pulling Lily into a hug and kissing her cheek.
“Better safe than sorry.” She murmured.
James chuckled and held Lily’s face in both hands, then leaned in and kissed her softly. Harrys mum smiled in the kiss and deepened it.
Harry slouched down on the couch and watched his parents bitterly. It was disgusting. They both seemed to have forgotten he existed and continued to snog one another like they were teenagers again.
“Can Moony come over?” He asked loudly, trying to get their attention away from one another.
His dad pulled away with an understanding expression and gave his wife one last peck before sauntering to the kitchen.
“Why?” The older man yelled.
“I need to talk to him.”
“About?”
“That’s private.” Harry replied haughtily.
“As the Marauder code of conduct states, Moony must tell me everything, so I guess I’ll find out later anyway.” His dad grinned, pulling out the two way mirror, he handed it to Harry.
“Remus doesn’t tell you everything, you know.” Harrys mum said.
His dad looked confronted. “Well, I like to think he does.”
Harry rolled his eyes as his parents started arguing and left to his room with the mirror. He had used it many times and his dad even gave it to him to bring to school in first year, for second year he didn’t bring it with him and Harry was sure he wouldn’t pack it for this year either.
“Moony?” He said to the glass. Nothing.
“Moony? Moony? Moony? Moony? Moony? Moony? Moony? Moony? Moony?”
Harry grinned when he heard a ruffling sound and Sirius’s tired face filled the screen.
“Prongs, shut the fuck up will you.” The man croaked, looking squintingly at the glass.
“It’s Harry.”
“Is something wrong with Harry?” Sirius sat up with worry.
Harry laughed. “No Padfoot, it’s me, Harry.”
“Oh good,” Sirius sighed, “what’s up, Prongslet?”
With the initial worry gone, Sirius sat back down and leaned against the fluffy cushions on his and Remus’s bed.
“I need to speak to Remus.”
“Moony? What can you speak to him about that you can’t with me?”
“It’s private, Padfoot.” Harry giggled.
“Alright then.” Sirius sighed and he disappeared from the mirror.
“Moony mine,” Harry heard him mutter, “the Prongslet want’s to talk to you.”
“‘Bout what?” Remus grumbled. The full moon was tonight and Harry felt a wave of guilt, his godfather was probably in pain right now and all Harry was going to do was yell at him.
“Wait, Pads.” Harry panicked. “I don’t need to talk to him, let him sleep.”
“It’s okay, what’s up?” Remus came into view. His eyes were bloodshot and he had dark circles under them. On the day of the full moon his scars were always more defined and Harry flinched at how red they looked.
“Oh Moony, go to sleep. I’ll leave.” stressed Harry.
Remus chuckled and tried to sit up but Sirius must have pushed him gently back down because Remus huffed and tutted.
“It’s bloody difficult having all these people fuss about me.” Remus joked.
“It’s because we love you.” Harry reassured him. “And I really don’t need to talk to you, it was stupid.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t, just tell me.”
“Okay…” Harry told him everything. He mentioned the nightmare and the pain and the screaming, he mentioned the healer this morning and what his dad had told him about everyone being worried he could be used as a spy glass.
Remus was silent after Harrys little rant, so silent that Harry thought he had fallen asleep with his eyes open.
“Wow.” The man ended up saying.
“And it all comes back to what you told me!” Harry said passionately. “I’m a weapon and I’m dangerous-“
“You are not a weapon nor are you dangerous.” Remus told him calmly.
“But I am!” Harry cried. “Everyone’s thinking it, I’m just saying the facts now.”
“Remember what I told you last term?” Remus asked seriously, Harry nodded. “You are the Harry you were born to be and no little horcrux is going to change that, nobody can hurt you as long as you're with us, I promise.”
“That kind of backfired last night.” Harry snorted. “ ‘Cause my forehead hurt like a bitch-”
“Language.”
Harry laughed. “Says the king of saying fuck himself?”
Remus rolled his eyes but laughed loudly. His eyes crinkled at the edges and Harry was pleased with himself for making him feel a little better. That moment he promised himself he would become an animagus like his father, Sirius, and Peter, and keep the wolf from doing anything to one of his favourite people. Remus wouldn’t like it but he would hate being teared to shreds even more.
——
Before Harry knew it, he was on Platform 9 3/4 with his sobbing dad clinging to his shoulders and his fond mum trying to get her husband off their son.
Everyone: Peter, Sirius, Marlene, Mary and Dorcas had all come over the day before to wish Harry goodbye with a large chocolate cake and a sign that had all the letters evenly on it that said Goodbye Harry! perfectly. Remus had returned early as usual and missed out, but Sirius saved him a piece and floo'ed to Hogwarts to give it to him.
“James, Harry’s going to miss the train if you don’t let him go.” His mum prodded.
This made his dad wail and hug him tighter. “That’s the whole point!”
“Dad." Harry groaned. Even Hedwig was looking strangely at them. If she could, her eyebrow would probably be raised with an unimpressed expression.
“Dad, I’ll write the minute I’m in the dorm.”
“You better.” The man sniffed, finally letting go.
With one final nod, Harry grabbed his luggage and waved goodbye to his parents before getting quickly on the train.
His friends were all in their usual compartment and they were huddled together, listening intently as Draco talked.
“Hello.” Harry said as he entered. He put his trunk on the racks and got Blaise to open the window so Hedwig could fly to Hogwarts. “What’s with all the whispering?”
Draco gestured for him to close the carriage door and come sit next to him.
The blond looked taller, an inch or two taller than Harry. His hair wasn’t slicked back tightly with gel and instead fell neatly and naturally around his forehead. His cheeks were lightly scattered with freckles, Harry remembered the letter Draco sent him with his birthday present saying he was in Spain, the sun had done him some good. Lots of good. Harry always thought his best friend was attractive but this was ridiculously attractive.
During his obvious staring, Draco had been talking to him the whole time. Harry shook his head and asked the boy to repeat it.
“What I said was the new defence against the dark arts teacher is rumoured to be exceptionally talented in the arena, my father told me that was what Dumbledore said at the committee meeting.”
“Well that’s good, we haven’t had a good teacher the whole time we’ve been here.” Harry grinned.
Tracey hummed. “We need a refund.”
The group was still obviously split. Blaise was sitting next to Tracey who had Pansy and Millicent beside her and Crabbe, Goyle, Harry and Draco were all on the other seat. Pansy was refusing to look at Draco and was looking intensely at her well polished acrylics.
“I like that fabric, Pansy, is that a new skirt?” Harry decided to ask. Draco whipped his head to look at him whereas Pansy bit her lip shyly and flayed her skirt around her thighs.
“Yep! Sewed it myself.” She grinned with pride. “I’ve been doing that a lot these holidays, even made you boys some stuff.”
“What stuff?” Goyle asked curiously.
“Good stuff.” Pansy kicked his foot. “I made something for each of you. Well, except for…”
Pansy and Draco looked at each other for a second but Draco huffed and looked stubbornly out the window. Pansy sighed longingly but turned her attention back to Harry.
“I like that colour green on you, it makes your eyes pop.”
“Oh thanks.” Harry blushed, looking at his shirt.
“Enough with the prissy talk.” Blaise interrupted. “Let’s talk about Hogsmeade.”
Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and looked out the window. The mid afternoon sun lit the mountains and trees prettily as they passed the fast moving train. He started wondering how cool it would be to jump off like Batman and Robin did in the comics when Draco tapped on his shoulder.
“Wanna harass Weasley with us?”
Harry smirked along with his friend and the two of them along with Crabbe and Goyle left their compartment without telling anyone where they were going. It wasn’t hard to find Weasley and the Gryffindors since they were always in the carriage behind theirs. The four of them strutted to the compartment door and Draco opened it easily.
“Well look who it is?” said Draco lazily, leaning against the doorway. “The Weasel and his rats.”
Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean were sitting together and glaring at them. Except Hermione who grinned at Harry and jumped up with a cat in her arms.
“Harry! I was just about to look for you.”
Harry grinned as well and petted the angry cat lightly on the head. “Hey, Hermione, is the cat new?”
“His name’s Crookshanks, isn’t he lovely?” Hermione cooed. Crookshanks purred at her and nuzzled into her arm, he was half kneazle with thick ginger fur and a long bushy tail. He seemed to tolerate Harry enough to let him stroke his back.
“Go away, Malfoy.” Seamus snapped.
“I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley,” said Draco. “Did your mother die of shock?”
Harry chuckled at that but Hermione gave him an unimpressed look and he shut up.
“Is that how your mother reacts whenever she sees your ugly face?” Ron snarked.
Crabbe and Goyle snickered but Draco quieted them down with a glare.
“Are you only saying that because your mother didn’t decide to throw you off a bridge when you were born and has regretted ever since?”
Harry laughed loudly along with his friends and Draco was grinning like a king. Rons face was bright red and Neville was holding him back from behind.
“We’ll talk more, Harry.” Hermione made him promise.
"Course, however will I study without you?" This made Hermione blush and she sat back down.
Neville seemed to be having trouble holding Weasley back so Harry decided it was time for them to leave.
"Let's go, I don't want to miss the trolley witch."
"Oh shit, I even brought extra sickels." Crabbe stressed.
Draco rolled his eyes but stood up straight from his leaning position. "Pleasure as always Weasel."
As his friends left, Harry blew a kiss teasingly at the Gryffindors before leaving too. This aggravating Ron even more but made Harry laugh even harder as he caught up with the others.
Draco wrapped an arm around Harry and Goyles shoulders with a very pleased smirk on his face.
They arrived at Hogwarts in no time and got on the carriages. Harry barely glanced at the thestrals, the ‘invisible’ creatures that pull the carriages to the castle and sat next to Draco. Ron, Neville and Hermione were getting onto the carriage in front of them and Hermione and Harry waved when their eyes met. Ron glared at all of them and flipped the bird to Harry when Harry blew him another kiss.
“Oh I hope nothing bad happens to you this year, Harry.” Pansy pouted as the carriage took off.
“Me too.” Harry grimaced.
“Just keep your head down and don’t look for trouble.” Blaise instructed. “Knowing you, trouble has probably followed you here.”
Harry groaned and leaned his head back. “Can trouble at least be shaped as treacle tart? I’m craving.”
“You’ve had four pumpkin pasties already.” Goyle raised an eyebrow.
“I have a fast metabolism.” Harry shrugged. It was a bonus he would be happy if Voldemort accidentally gave him.
Draco looked behind them and whistled.
“Have you seen Daphne’s sister?” He whispered, Harry turned around to see a dark brunette girl talking to the light haired Daphne. That must be the sister Daphne complained to him about.
“Have you met her?” Harry asked.
“Only when we were younger, my mother had a disagreement with their mother so it’s been a few years.”
“She’s proper pretty.” Harry commented, he watched Dracos face as he said it.
Draco only smirked. “If you’re into that sort, she’s certainly rich enough for you, Harry.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.” Harry huffed, turning back to his seat.
“You look good this year, Potter, we both do.” Draco muttered in his ear. “It’s about time everyone knows it.”
Harry couldn’t help the blush. He didn’t think he looked any better from last year. Sure his hair had grown a little and he’d had a little growth spurt, but that was it really.
“I’ve already had my first kiss, I think it’s time I explore around a bit.” Draco thought aloud.
“With who?” Blaise pushed in, looking very intrigued.
“Anyone who meets my standards.” Draco shrugged, talking very loudly. Pansy looked very hurt and very offended but no one could escape because they were in a moving cart.
“And what are those standards?” Goyle winked from Harrys other side.
“They must be rich, funny, know how to duel, be dark haired - I’m very much into that opposites attract type notion -, can’t be a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, and has to like the same music as me.”
“That it?” Blaise snorted.
“Oh! And tits, okay I’m done.” Draco added quickly, looking very pleased with himself.
“That wipes out more than half of the female population.” Harry joked.
“Tell me about it.” Draco sighed disheartendly.
The carriage trundled towards the magnificent iron gates at the front of the grounds, they were flanked with stone columns and topped with winged boars, and came to a stop. The moment the doors opened, Pansy ran out.
“Oh thank Morgana.” Harry heard her murmur.
Harry straightened out his robe and fixed Goyles tie, the silly boy had managed to put it on backwards.
The Entrance Hall was a sight for sore eyes and Harry almost cried when they walked into the Great Hall. The four tables were in their usual spots and Harry waved excitedly to Remus who was already at the staff table. They sat down, leaving room for the new first years.
“Ugh, I always forget we have to wait an hour until we can eat.” Tracey groaned. Harry silently agreed and looked longingly at the empty table.
Daphne Greengrass sat excitedly next to Pansy and started praising her younger sister like she wasn’t cursing her existence last year.
“Astoria is sure to be a Slytherin, she has all the qualities.”
“Definitely, Daph.” Pansy replied tiredly.
“I’ve especially told her about you, Harry.” Daphne winked. “She’s been dying to meet you -“
“Oh look at that!” Harry interrupted. “Here she comes.”
The doors opened and Professor McGonagall walked in with a group of scared first years looking around the hall in awe. The stool with the Sorting Hat was in front of the staff table and Harry politely clapped with everyone else when it finished its song.
“I’m waiting for the year it can’t come up with rhyming words anymore.” Draco whispered to him. Harry snorted a laugh and covered his mouth.
“It was created by the founders, I think it reuses songs it sang already.”
“That’s smart. I mean, nobody’s gonna know.”
Snape, from the teachers table, somehow caught both the boys eyes and slowly raised a finger to his lips to tell them to shut up.
The sorting was normal and as Daphne predicted, her sister was sorted into Slytherin. The table had clapped loudly when the hat shouted “SLYTHERIN”. Even Harry stood up and welcomed her to the table.
Astoria was very pretty from afar and even prettier up close. She and her sister shared the same face shape, lip and nose structure but Astoria had the large doe eyes and dark hair that made even Harry blush. Not only that, she didn’t hammer Harry like her sister did and actually waited for people to stop talking before making her comment. The basic human decency was a shock to see.
Draco had un-subtly flirted with her and offered to give her a tour of the castle. Astoria looked very pleased by this but Pansy looked on the verge of clawing her.
“Silence.” Dumbledore bellowed from where he stood on the podium. He looked the same as ever with his long white beard and hair and his iconic spectacles. He was grinning down at the students with a calming smile, the eery glow of the lanterns lightened his face.
“Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!” He raised his arms and everyone clapped. “To begin, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties.”
The students at the Gryffindor table were applauding so much Harry could feel his own table trembling. Hagrid was red in the face and smiled shyly at the happy students, Harry saw Ron and Hermione stand up and whistle. Blaise looked outraged.
“Who let that massive oaf become a teacher!”
“This is why we have that horrid biting book, my father will be hearing about this.” Draco snapped.
Harry clapped politely, Hagrid did kind of help them in first year, not that he meant too, but he wasn’t as useless as his friends spoke him to be. Plus, his parents were fond of the man and invited him to their Christmas dinner every year.
“As for our second new addition,” Dumbledore continued as the applause for Hagrid died away. “He is an excellent alumni of Hogwarts and was even Head Boy in his seventh year. Please give a warm welcome to your new defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Riddle.”
That was when Harry noticed a handsome man sitting at the table next to Professors Snape and McGonagall. He looked a bit older than his own parents with dark hair and dark eyes that were staring into Harrys when he looked at him. Harry winced and touched his scar that started burning slightly, feeling uncomfortable, he turned away.
Ginny Weasley, who was now a second year in Gryffindor, was looking fearfully at the new professor. She was pale and shaking so hard that she got her dumb older brothers attention.
Harry was tempted to check she was okay when Dumbledore finished the end of his speech and let the feast begin. The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat. Ginny was forgotten at the back of his mind.
It was delicious as always and Pansy was saying how much she wanted to talk to the new teacher. Draco and Blaise, on the other hand, were saying how unqualified Hagrid was for the job and no one would be able to pass their exams with him teaching them.
“Hogwarts really has gone to the dogs, my father will be hearing of this.” Draco said, roughly stabbing a potato.
“You’ve said that already.” Harry muttered, he could feel Professor Riddles eyes on him since his scar was burning.
He groaned and rubbed it.
“Are you okay, Harry?” Tracey asked softly. “You look to be in pain.”
“I’m fine,” he reassured, “it just stings for some reason.”
“Is You-Know-Who back?” Blaise whispered. “The last time it stung, Professor Quirell was-“
“I know.” Harry snapped. “It’s the new professor, I’m not sure but…” he wavered off.
“Maybe you have a crush on him.” Pansy winked. “He is very dashing.”
“He looks forty.” Goyle grimaced.
“And how would having a crush make his scar hurt?” Blaise raised an eyebrow.
“Why do we still need to poop when wizards would surely have created a spell by now? The world doesn’t make sense, Zabini.” Pansy reasoned.
Harry looked back at the teachers table. Professor Riddle was talking to Snape and the two looked to be getting along. McGonagall, who was sitting on Riddles other side, looked very unsure of the new staff member and kept shifting away whenever the man flew his arms anywhere remotely near her. He was a very visual speaker, Harry noticed as he watched Riddle move his hands while describing a thrilling looking story to his head of house.
Dinner and dessert finished and Dumbledore shooed them off to bed. The Slytherins walked together down to the dungeons and Harry grinned nostalgically when they huddled in front of the entrance.
“The password is Galactic Point!” Marcus Flint called from behind the crowd. He was in his seventh year and Harry just remembered, feeling sad that one of his favourite peers would be leaving next year.
Through the entrance and across the common room, the boys and girls separated towards their own staircases. Harry climbed the familiar stairs and walked in a haze into their dorm that said Third Years on the door. Their dorm with five four-post beds looked the same as ever and Harry fell face first into his pillow, feeling so glad to be back.