Shattering Timelines

Harry groaned as he woke up the next morning. It was still dark outside. The sun wasn’t even close to rising yet, in fact, Harry could still see the moon brightly shining through one of the windows in the room. Although Harry had always been an early riser, he had to get up even earlier than normal in order to take a shower and get dressed before the Marauders. Not to mention he didn't know what time they normally woke up, so he had to get up extra, extra early. It would be just his luck for Remus to be up and about at four in the morning.

Harry began to sit up when he noticed a slight weight on his chest. Kali was curled up in a ball, purring slightly as she slept peacefully. Harry glared at the sleeping dragon before a mischievous smirk spread across his face. He watched her, making sure she wasn't about to wake up before snapping upright into a sitting position, sending Kali flying through the air. Kali squawked loudly and tried to fly, but her sleep addled mind only allowed her to haphazardly flap her wings until she landed in a heap at the foot of the bed. Harry fell back onto his bed laughing. Very rarely was Harry able to prank or trick Kali in any way. She had been around for a long time (Harry still hadn’t found out the exact date she had been created or born) and had to deal with two of the most powerful wizards of all time. Harry liked to think they played as many pranks as they could on her as well.

Slowly Harry calmed down, and his laughs became quiet chuckles as he sat up again. “I’m sorry, Kali, but I just had to do it. I just couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that...Kali?” Harry looked down at the foot of the bed. The silver dragon wasn’t on the bed at all. The blankets were rumpled where she had landed but Kali was not there. He listened carefully, hoping he would be able to hear her moving, but all he could hear was the quiet, steady breathing of the Marauders sleeping around him. “Kali?” Harry called again.

A flicker of movement from above him caught his eye a second before something violently attacked his face. A startled yelp escaped him as he fell backwards trying to escape the cold talons scratching at his face. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have woken you up!” Harry shouted as he protected his face with his arms. Good thing he had put a silencing charm around his bed, or he would have to explain a very awkward situation. Eventually, the attack ended and Harry became brave enough to peek out at Kali through the gap between his arms. Kali looked like she was ready to pounce with the way she was crouched low, her teeth barred, and low growls emitting from her every once in awhile.

Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself for what he was about to do. “I shouldn’t have woke you up,” Harry admitted before a smirk spread across his face again, “You obviously need your beauty sleep. Do you always look this dull in the mornings?”

Kali launched herself at Harry again with a roar that sounded too much like the roars he heard from the Hungarian Horntail in his fourth year. Harry quickly covered his face again in hopes of protecting it from most of the scratches Kali was sure to give him. Maybe he shouldn’t have insulted her looks. Alright, he knew he shouldn’t have, but it had been too tempting to pass up.

After several minutes of Kali clawing at his arms and growling, she finally calmed down again and crawled up as close as she could to his face and laid down. Harry tensed, waiting for her to attack again. When she didn’t Harry carefully lifted her arms. Harry almost jumped back when he saw how close she was to him. Kali was almost nose to nose with him, the emerald chips of her eyes staring into his. “I am sorry,” Harry said truthfully, “Are we good now? Since you’ve, you know, almost tore me to shreds.”

Kali stared blankly into his eyes before snapping forward and biting his nose. With a yowl, Harry jumped back trying to throw her off. Harry yelped as her grip on his nose grew tighter unexpectedly, causing him to jerk. Unfortunately, he was too close to the edge of the bed, and he tumbled to the floor with a loud thump.

Harry and Kali froze. Carefully, they looked around the room, checking to see if any of the boys had woken up. They didn’t move; they hardly even breathed. Well, actually, Kali didn’t breath at all considering she was made entirely out of silver.

Harry chuckled quietly when he noticed that the boys hadn’t so much as twitched in their sleep. Either they were all heavy sleepers, or they all had a little too much to drink last night.

Harry glared down his nose at Kali until she slowly let go of his nose, looking chastened. “Are we good now?” Harry whispered. Kali hesitantly nodded before glaring at him again. Harry rolled his eyes as he scooped her up and put her back on the bed.

“Go back to sleep. I’ll come get you before I leave for breakfast.”

Kali nodded and curled up into a ball again. Soft purrs entered the room as she fell asleep almost instantly. Harry shook his head and carefully gathered his clothes before heading to the bathroom. Harry made sure all the Marauders were all still asleep before carefully closing the bathroom door, and casting every silencing and locking charm he knew. It would not be good for one of the Marauders to walk in on him showering and see all of his scars.

Harry had accumulated many scars over the years. Ever since his parents died when he was one, Harry had not gone a year without obtaining several scars. He was covered with them, and Harry knew he was going to have trouble hiding the scars from the Marauders. Harry could easily cover the scars he had gotten from the Dursleys with a simple glamor, but Harry couldn’t hide the scars he had gotten throughout his years at Hogwarts so easily. Most of the injuries Harry had received since he was eleven had been caused by magic, specifically dark magic. Dark magic had a way of marking the intended victim. It never left, even after the wounds healed, and overpowered any kind of glamour or cloaking spell cast on it since the dark magic had bound itself into the blood of the victim.

In his old time, Harry had been able to bare his scars openly since everybody knew about the war. In fact, some people had even begged him to show them his scars since they were a ‘symbol of his heroic deeds’. In this time, his scars would only bring suspicion or concern. Harry didn't know which was worse.

Harry mindlessly went through his morning routine, listening for any sounds from the sleeping Marauders in the other room. He quietly slipped back to his bed and began to pack the books he would need for his classes, silently casting a feather-light charm as he did with barely a twitch of his fingers. Harry opened his bed curtains and gently picked Kali up and placed her around his neck. Wincing as she growled at him again, and dug her claws into his neck, he whispered to her in hopes of placating her, “Come on, girl. Surely you don’t want to miss the first day of classes? If you don’t, tell me now so I don’t have to put up with an annoying dragon for the entire day.”

Kali growled again, before reaching up and nipping his ear sharply. She continues to grumble as she curled around his neck tighter than normal. Harry tried to pry her tail away from his neck. “I thought you had to protect me from harm? Keep this up, and I’ll be dead before I reach the common room.”

Kali continued to growl but loosened her grip on his neck as Harry silently left the Gryffindor Tower. Harry grinned. Free at last. Now he could finally explore his old home without having to live up to any expectation or having to deal with people. Harry needed to see how much the war was affecting Hogwarts. He needed to see if it was as bad as his time.

Slowly but surely during Harry’s time at the school, the war destroyed Hogwarts. Not just physically but emotionally. Every year Hogwarts crumbled more and more until there was almost nothing left at the end of the war. The war had brought everything and everyone down. Each attack weakened the schools ward’s and spirits. Every fight added new scars to the walls of the castle and to people’s hearts.

Harry gazed at the many moving staircases. “Where should we go first, Kali?”

Kali murmured something before stretching like a cat and standing precariously on his shoulders. Harry grinned. “Race ya to the dungeons!”

Harry took off running, jumping from staircases as Kali flew ahead of him. Although the war had wounded everyone, maybe it wasn’t as bad in this time. At least, that’s what Harry liked to think.

Harry finally made his way to the Great Hall several hours later, bright eyed and rosy cheeked.  He had spent the last several hours racing Kali through the halls and dodging the occasional teacher or student. He had been right; the war wasn’t affecting the castle as much as it had in his time. It was still there, though, lurking in the corners of everybody’s minds.

Harry made his way into the Great Hall before looking around in surprise. The hall wasn’t even half full. He knew it was still early, but he had expected more people to be out and about. It seemed like the only ones in the Great Hall were the Ravenclaws and Slytherins, and even their tables were only about half full and the students seated there looked dead on their feet. There were only a few people at the Gryffindor table, and they were all trying to finish some last minute summer homework. Harry sat down at the nearly empty table and started to butter a piece of toast. He never was very hungry nowadays.

“Hadrian! What are you doing up so early?”

Harry turned and looked at the girl who had addressed him. Lily was dragging Marlene and Alice behind here with Gwen trailing slightly after them. Marlene looked as if she was barely standing, with her eyes lowered to the floor and staggering slightly. Alice didn’t look much better. She had dark circles under her eyes, but she wasn’t stumbling after Lily like Marlene.

Suddenly, Lily froze, her face a mask of concern. “Merlin, Hadrian! What happened to you?!?”

Harry stared at her blankly. The group of girls, who had been startled out of their hangovers, quickly ran over to him asking question after question as they looked him over.

“Did you get attacked?!”

“Was it the Slytherins? I swear I’m gonna kick their asses one day!”

“Are you alright, Hadrian? Why haven’t you seen the nurse?”

“Was it the Marauders? That damn Potter saw me talking to you last night, didn’t he? He is such a bully; I can’t stand him.”

The loud, outraged questions continued to overlap, drawing the attention of a few of the teachers in the hall. Professor McGonagall regally stood up and strode over to them. “What seems to be the problem here?”

 All the girls started talking at once again.

“Just look at Hadrian! Somebody attacked him!”

“It was those Marauders-”

“Hadrian needs to go to the hospital wing!”

“Those slimy snakes-”

“Enough!” McGonagall shouted before turning to Harry. “This seems to revolve around you, Mr Emrys-Slytherin. Would you care to explain how you became injured and why you haven’t gone to the hospital wing already?”

Harry looked at her confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Emrys-Slytherin,” McGonagall said looking slightly surprised, “You’re covered in rather deep scratches. Did you not notice them?”

Harry turned a deep shade of red. Damn that dragon and his own forgetful mind. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten to heal the scratches Kali left or at least hidden them under a glamour. That was so incredibly stupid of him.

“You don’t have to lie for anyone, Hadrian,” Lily said worriedly, “You can tell us if someone did this to you.”

Harry turned and even darker shade of red before stuttering out, “No. No, I wasn’t attacked. Well, technically I was, but-”

Gwen gasped and edged closer to him as if she wanted to give him a hug.

“No! That’s not what I meant! I meant that my…” Harry trailed off as he glanced down at Kali curled up on his wrist, “I meant I was attacked by my owl. Not that somebody attacked me.”

McGonagall looked down at him suspiciously. “And why haven’t you seen the nurse?”

“Well,” Harry chuckled nervously, “I didn’t really know where the hospital wing was since I’m new, and by the time I got down here, I completely forgot about the scratches.”

“They look like they hurt. How could you forget them?” Alice said, looking him over carefully.

Harry shrugged carelessly before giving a cocky smirk. “Pain? What pain? I feel nothing at all.”

The group seemed to relax, the tension slowly ebbing out of the girls. Lily rolled her eyes before shoving Harry playfully. “Careful, Emrys, you might become as cocky as Potter if you keep it up.”

“Talking about me, Lily-pad?”

Lily froze before groaning and turning to face the direction the voice came from. “Don’t call me Lily-pad, Potter, or I might think of an even worse nickname for you,” Lily paused before smirking, “I’m surprised to see up this morning, considering last night you were practically begging for-”

“A beautiful girl to go out with me?” James cut in quickly, casting a glance at McGonagall. Harry wondered if Lily would really rat them out about the party. Surely his mother hadn’t been like Hermione in her first year at school, always following the rules and tattling on others. Although McGonagall could overlook some things her Gryffindors did, Harry doubted she would be willing to overlook a party that involved copious amounts of firewhiskey and staying up past one in the morning.

“I was going to say ‘my help with your summer homework’ but, sure, that works too,” Lily said as she smiled innocently.

McGonagall coughed to get their attention before she began to speak. “Since I am already here I’ll hand you your timetables,” she glared at the Marauders as she passed out the slips of papers, “And do try to be on time to your classes. I would hate to be forced to take you off the Quidditch team because of something as silly as a few tardies.”

James and Sirius snapped up straight and gave her a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

McGonagall eyed them carefully before turning and looking at Harry kindly. “Don’t forget to go to the hospital wing. I’m sure one of these lovely girls would be willing to take you there.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll go right after breakfast.” Harry said as she walked back to the teachers’ table.

The Marauders began to sit down by the girls which, unfortunately, left Harry right in the middle. This was not going to end well.

“Why do you need to go to the hospital wing, Emrys?” Remus asked curiously.

Harry sighed and turned to face the Marauder’s for the first time that day. The group looked at him in mild shock before Sirius burst out laughing.

“Damn, Emrys! What did you do? Get caught in a cat fight?”

Gwen shifted closer to Harry as the rest of the girls glared at Sirius. Alice looked at him and snorted. “None of your business, Black. For all you know, girls could have been fighting over him. I mean, have you seen Hadrian?” Alice said as she looked Harry up and down appreciatively, “When was the last time girls fought over you, Black?”

Sirius spluttered indignantly before James came to his aid. “Probably around the same time you last got laid.” Harry saw Remus wince out of the corner of his eye. Harry felt the exact same way. Lily wasn’t going to like that.

Alice looked at them coolly before raising her hand and wiggling her ring finger at them, showing off a delicately made birthstone ring. “Virgo, honey. Sign of the virgins.”

The boys choked on their food, their faces turning a bright red color. Alice looked at Sirius in fake concern. She batted her eyes and pouted her lips slightly. “Does that mean Sirius has never gotten laid? If girls aren’t willing to fight for him, then surely they’re not willing to fuck him.”

Lily gasped, scandalized, before kicking Alice under the table rather hard considering the wince she gave. “Alice! You can’t talk like that! For Merlin’s sake, I’m Head Girl! I’ve given detentions to kids who have said less!”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Really? That’s the only problem you have with this situation? Not the fact that I’m cursing but the fact that I’m doing it around you?”

“I’ve come to accept the fact that I’ll never be able to get you to stop cursing,” Lily sighed, “I just try to stop you from doing it in front of the wrong people.” Lily glared at the surrounding Marauders.

James raised his hands up innocently. “Don’t censor people on my account, Lils. We both know I don’t have the cleanest language.”

“Not like you ever try to, anyway,” Lily snapped back at him.

James shrugged. “I’ve got a reputation to maintain,” James winked at her, “The girls love a bad boy.”

“No wonder I can’t stand you! Everybody knows that bad boys are idiots,” Lily mocked. “How you ever became Head Boy, I don’t know.”

Harry leaned over slightly to Gwen as the two continued to bicker and whispered, “Are they always like this?”

Gwen snorted. “Usually, they’re worse!”

Marlene moaned from the other side of the table as she carefully laid her head on the table, ignoring the plates of food. “Can’t they just shut up! My head hurts enough without them yelling.”

Alice looked at Marlene unsympathetically. “Well, that’s your own fault. I can’t believe you actually drank that whole bottle of firewhiskey. Not to mention the Marauders gave it to you. Don’t you know by now, never trust a gift from them?”

“I thought they were being nice, and by the time they gave it to me, I was already drunk,” Marlene moaned.

“We were being nice, Lena! We were being extremely nice! After all, that was the first batch of whiskey we ever made!” Sirius called from down the table.

Marlene looked up in horror. “Oh Merlin, I’m gonna die! Who knows what they put in it.”

“Stop being such a drama queen. I was drinking last night and you don’t see me whining and crying about it.”

Marlene glared at Alice. “That’s only because you were only drinking a bottle of tequila, not a full bottle of firewhiskey. Not to mention, you were sharing it with Longbottom! And what the hell was he doing there last night anyway? He’s a Hufflepuff! ”

“He’s dreamy,” Alice said as she spread strawberry jam on her croissant, “And he’s nice and handsome and a whole hell of a lot better than most guys in our year!” Alice ignored the shouts of protests from the Marauders, “Not to mention he actually likes me, and I like him!”

“Still a Hufflepuff,” Marlene grumbled.

“What do you have against Hufflepuffs?” Gwen asked curiously.

Marlene’s face darkened. “They’re assholes.”

The group scoffed at her. “They’re in the house of the loyal and hardworking,” Lily said incredulously, before she paused for a second, “Wait… Does this have to with that creep, McLaggen?”

Harry started slightly. There was only one McLaggen he knew, and he sincerely hoped that this McLaggen wasn’t related to the one Harry knew. Harry watched as everybody’s faces darkened before leaning over to Gwen again. “What’s she talking about?”

“McLaggen’s a Hufflepuff Marlene dated last year. She broke up with him after she walked in on him and the Ari twins, you know, together,” Gwen stuttered when she got to the end but went on, “Turns out he was, you know, with seven different girls. There were even rumours going around that he slept with one of the Ravenclaw guys.”

Gwen paused before saying hesitantly, “It hurt her really bad. She was so embarrassed about the whole thing and people kept asking about the rumors. It damaged her reputation pretty bad.”

Marlene scowled from across the table. “No. It isn’t about Longbottom being a Hufflepuff,” she paused as everybody stared at her disbelievingly, “Maybe a little,” she finally conceded.

“He’s not a bad guy,” Alice tried to convince her, “He’s not even friends with McLaggen! Actually, he broke McLaggen’s nose last year.”

Marlene perked up. “Really?”

“Yeah, he did,” Lily piped in, “He caught McLaggen bullying one of the younger Hufflepuffs and lost it. I’m surprised you didn’t hear about that.”

James looked at Lily uncertainly before he started talking. “Frank’s a good guy. He usually sticks up for the younger years. I’m surprised he didn’t get sorted into Gryffindor actually. I know he wants to join the Aurors like me.” Lily smiled brightly over at James. Harry had to stifle a laugh when he saw James practically glow and turn to Sirius excitedly after Lily started talking to Marlene again.

“Now come on,” Lily said as she got up from the table, “Let’s go to the hospital wing. We’ll get you a migraine potion and get Hadrian healed before class.”

Harry had to hide a wince. He really didn’t want to be reacquainted to Poppy so early in his stay here. He had seen her so many times in his own time that she had become rather overprotective of him. Harry didn’t want that starting up again. The Marauder’s began to snicker before Lily silenced them with a glare. On second thought, maybe it was better to leave with the girls rather than stay here with his father’s friends and have to deal with them messing with him.

Harry allowed himself to be dragged out of the Great Hall all the way to the hospital wing. Lily and Alice chatted happily in front of him as they walked, Marlene and Gwen slowly treading behind them, not talking much. Gwen slowed her pace until she was walking beside Harry. “I thought you said it was nerves?”

“What?” Harry asked, confused.

“Last night. You said it was nerves. That’s why you weren’t eating, but you didn’t eat this morning.”

“I just wasn’t hungry this morning,” Harry said hesitantly.

“That’s not healthy, Hadrian. You only had a piece of toast this morning and a few bites of dinner last night. Plus, I know you couldn’t have eaten much yesterday. We were on the train all day, and they only sell candy.” Gwen watched him worriedly.

“I ate yesterday!” Harry claimed, “And I’ll eat today. I’m just nervous; that’s all. Once I get used to this place I’ll start eating more.”

Gwen tried to decide if he was lying or not before sighing. “Okay. I promise I won’t nag you anymore, but please try to eat more. You’re already skinny enough as it is.” Gwen said with a smile, trying to soften her previous statements.

Harry grinned and held his hand. “Pinky promise.”

Gwen laughed and wrapped her pinky around his. “Pinky promise.”

Before they knew it, they had made it to the hospital wing. Lily paused outside the room, her hand on the door handle. “I just thought you should know,” she started off uncertainly, “Madam Pomfrey can be a little… overprotective of her patients.”

Harry nodded. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He had been on the receiving end of Poppy’s overprotective nature several times. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be as bad this time since he only had a few scratches and not any of the life-threatening injuries Harry usually sported when he came to this wing of the castle.

Lily opened the door and called out quietly for Madam Pomfrey ignoring how Marlene flinched at the noise. The nurse came bustling out of the back room. She looked a lot younger than Harry remembered her to be. There were no lines on her face, her hair didn’t have any gray in it, and her eyes didn’t have the same sad but determined look in them in this time. The war must have really done a number on her.

“What? An injury so early in the year? Merlin, you just got off the train yesterday, surely you couldn’t have gotten hurt so soon?”

Marlene smiled sheepishly. “I’m not hurt ma’am,” she stated hesitantly, “I just have a really, really bad migraine.”

Madame Pomfrey narrowed her eyes and looked Marlene up and down before retreating to the potions cabinet and snatching a potion. She stomped back to the girl and thrust it at her. “Here’s a hangover potion. Be sure that this does not become a habit.”

Marlene spluttered slightly, trying to deny the fact that she had a hangover, but Madame Pomfrey silenced her. “Please, do you honestly think I wouldn’t know? You’re a Gryffindor; I know all about your parties and what you do at them,” Pomfrey smiled slightly, “After all, I was a Gryffindor myself at one time, long ago.”

She turned to Harry. “And what may I ask happened to you?”

Harry smiled sheepishly before muttering his excuse, “I got attacked by my owl.”

Pomfrey tutted slightly as she looked him over. And why didn’t you come to me early? These scratches look hours old, but I could have healed them in an instant.”

“I’m new here, and I didn’t know where the hospital wing was,” Harry said as he rubbed the back of his neck.      

Pomfrey hummed quietly before waving her wand and healing the scratches. “I knew I didn’t recognize you. What’s your name?”

“My name’s Hadrian Emrys-Slytherin. You may have heard of me.”

Pomfrey looked him over carefully, her eyes lingering on his tie. “A Gryffindor? That must have come as a shock to you last night.”

“No, actually. Not really.” Harry said with a small smile.

“Yes, I suppose you already know who you are even before the hat sorts you,” Pomfrey said with a small smile, “Now, off you go. I’ll probably be having more patients soon, with it being the first day of school. Everyone’s always reckless the first day back. And you don’t want to be late to your classes.”

Pomfrey quickly shooed them out the door and before they knew it, they were standing outside the closed door once more. Lily looked at her watch before gasping. “She was right! It’s almost nine! What classes do you guys have?”

Everyone blinked in shock before they pulled out the forgotten timetables from their bags. “I have Arithmancy,” Harry said, “Does anyone else?”

Lily wrinkled her nose as she shook head. “I don’t. Couldn’t stand the class. Too much math for me. I have Herbology first hour.”

Alice and Marlene smiled brightly at Lily as they proclaimed they had Herbology as well. Gwen quietly made her way over to Harry. “Don’t worry. I have Arithmancy too. You won’t be there alone.”

Harry blushed slightly. “That’s not what I meant! I just curious!”

“Well, I know if I was in a completely new school, I wouldn’t want to be separated from the few people I knew.”

Harry smiled at her. She truly was a kind person. He couldn’t help but wonder what happened to her after the war. She wasn’t part of the Order in his fifth year, and neither Sirius nor Remus had mentioned her as being one of Lily’s friends. Harry hoped nothing bad had happened to her during the war.

“Come on. Let’s go, guys. We’ll never make it to our next class if we don’t leave now,” Lily said as she looked at her watch again. Everybody quickly said their goodbyes before the split off, Lily, Marlene, and Alice headed for the Herbology greenhouses while Harry and Gwen ran to the Arithmancy classroom.

  “Come on! Arithmancy is this way!” Gwen called as she started running to the opposite side of the castle. They ran through the corridors, dodging other late students or lost first years. They barely ran through the door before the door rang. Snickers rang out around the room as Gwen and Harry stopped to catch their breaths. Harry looked around. The room had very few students, only about fourteen students counting Harry and Gwen. He didn’t recognize many students. About half of them were Ravenclaws and the others were a mixture of the other houses. Remus looked slightly uncomfortable since he was seated towards the front with two overly friendly Hufflepuffs. The Ravenclaws sat in a large group, quietly going over the syllabus for the class. Three Slytherins sat silently in the back of the room. Harry did a double take when he noticed Regulus sitting on the edge of the group, but Harry quickly averted his eyes when Regulus sent a chilling glare at him. What was Regulus doing here? This was an Advanced Arithmancy class; only seventh years could take it. Gwen pulled him over to the last two seats, ignoring how quiet he had become.

The door connecting to the teacher’s office suddenly snapped open, banging against to stone wall. The teacher stomped out and threw her papers on her desk. She was short and rather chubby with long messy brown hair. But what caught everybody’s attention was her don’t-mess-with-me-attitude.

“Alright, you little creeps, let’s get things straight. I only take the best of the best in this class; that’s why you’re all here,” Harry raised an eyebrow at that. That must mean Regulus was either extremely smart, or he bribed his way into the class. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll stay. If you screw around in this class or act like you’re smarter than me, you will be kicked out of this class faster than you can say ‘Please, Professor Vector!” Got it?”

The class silently nodded their heads. “Another thing. I expect you try to do your absolute best in this class. That means if you don’t do well in this class, you better find yourself a tutor because I don’t have time to teach you outside of class.”

The Ravenclaws were furiously taking notes while the Hufflepuffs just looked plain scared. Remus looked nervous but was masking it well, and the Slytherins had the same blank look on their faces but Harry could tell they were slightly worried. Arithmancy was known as an extremely hard class, and it seemed like this professor wasn’t going to be overly helpful.

“Plus I made up a seating chart,” everybody groaned, “What did you say?” The class immediately quieted. “That’s what I thought. Now you’re gonna live with this. I don’t care if the person you’re seated with is your mortal enemy; you’re gonna sit together and you’re gonna like it unless you want to be kicked out.”

The students began to gather up their books as she started calling out names and where they were seated. Harry started when she called his name. “Emrys-Slytherin, Hadrian and Black, Regulus. You’ll be seated in that back desk over there,” she said, waving vaguely at a desk. Harry winced slightly as Regulus glared at him and threw his books on the desk. Gwen gave him a reassuring smile before walking off to the Ravenclaw she was paired with. Harry walked over to the desk, ignoring how Regulus refused to look at him.

“Why haven’t you gotten out your books yet?” Professor Vector asked sharply. The class scrambled to get out their books. “Turn to page seventy-five. I expect you to read the chapter and start on the practical assignment I’ve made for you.”

The class paused uncertainly. It seemed like she was going to throw them into the deep end with no help at all. “Well, what are you waiting for?” she barked, “Get started!”

An hour later Harry stumbled out of the classroom. That had been the hardest class Harry had ever been to, and that list included every class Snape ever taught and Moody’s lessons in defense. It had been exhausting; the teacher had been telling the truth when she said she expected the best from them. The only problem was Regulus wasn’t willing to work with him on the project. He had gone as far as to refuse to even look at Harry not to mention talk to him. His class was going to be hell.

Gwen stumbled out with her Ravenclaw partner before making her way slowly to him. “Why… Why did I pick this class?”

Harry chuckled. “I’m asking myself the same question.

“My brain hurts. It’s literally throbbing against my skull. Maybe our next class will be easier.”

“You go ahead,” Harry said gesturing to the hallway, “I need to stay for a second.”

Gwen immediately looked concerned. “Is everything okay? You’re not quitting, are you? I know it was hard, but she probably does this to get rid of the weak students.”

Harry shook his head. “No, I’m not quitting. I just need to talk with my partner.”

Gwen still looked hesitant to leave. “I can stay if you want.”

“Nah, go on ahead. I’ll meet you later.”

Harry watched as Gwen slowly walked away, turning back to look at him every few steps until Regulus finally stepped out of the classroom with the other two Slytherins. “I need to talk to you.”

Regulus looked at him warily before nodding to the Slytherins, signalling them to go on without him. “What do you want Emrys?”

Harry winced at the stiff tone. “Why won’t you talk to me? You ignored me during class.”

“I was focusing on our work,” Regulus said, his face completely blank of any emotion.

“No, you weren’t. You didn’t even turn the pages of your book once during the entire lesson.”

“I read it before class.”

“Why won’t you talk to me! You were perfectly fine with me yesterday!”

Regulus snarled at him. Harry stepped back unconsciously. At this moment, Regulus remind him a lot of when Sirius first escaped from Azkaban and confronted Wormtail. He had the same furious glint in his eyes. “Yesterday you weren’t a Gryffindor! Yesterday you were somebody that actually stood a chance in this fucking school! You had so many possibilities! You could have been someone! And then you were sorted into Gryffindor and threw it all away. Do you have any idea what you’ve done!?!”

“You can’t choose where you’re sorted,” Harry stated quietly.

Regulus snorted. “That’s fucking bullshit, and you know it! The hat takes your opinion into account. It would have listened to you if you asked to go into Slytherin.”

“What happened to still being friends with me even if I was a Hufflepuff?” Harry demanded.

“That was Lucius who claimed he would still be friends with you in Hufflepuff,” Regulus sneered, “I said no such thing. And even he won’t come near you with a ten-foot pole now. You’re too sullied for even his tastes.”

“What’s wrong with Gryffindor? I know there’s a slight rivalry between the houses but surely that can’t stop us from being friends?”

Regulus laughed harshly. “House rivalries? That’s what you think this is about? You truly are a Gryffindor if you’re that stupid. This has nothing to do with school houses. This has to do with you picking a side. You could have been great! But you had to go and pick the wrong side! Now, you’re nothing. You’re a reckless, brainless sheep like the rest of them, and you’re going to wind up dead because of it!”

Regulus turned and stormed down the hallway. “I’m not a sheep,” Harry called after him.

Regulus paused but didn’t turn around. “Keep telling yourself that.”