Harry Potter and the House of Black

"Now," said Dumbledore, "Since Mr. Weasley has finished doing an exceptional job making up for his older brothers Fred and George in their absence, I have a few start of term notices for this year."

"This should be interesting," Max put on his tricorn hat, which fit his pirate-like look, "I was talking to him just last night and he said there would be a few important changes he'd let us know about at the feast, but I thought he meant his army not the whole school."

A hush so absolute fell over the great hall that one could here the flames on the candles overhead flicker.

"The first of which is a great shock to many and against my wishes completely, but seeing as the ministry will go to any lengths to make bad choices in times of great danger, it is inevitable. Many of you will find this as a treat, seeing as there are rules restricting this until your third year. Hogsmeade village, in an act of equality of age and an act of freedom of weekends will be open to everyone on any given weekend they so wish to visit. However, I urge you not to leave unless life deems it necessary, but, seeing as I am just one very old man and you are young people I doubt anyone will want to stay cooped up in a castle older than me, so have as much fun as you can on these weekends they will be a break from a few new security measures also placed on Hogwarts by the Ministry."

Harry groaned.

"Not dementors again," Malfoy whined. The great hall all laughed at him.

"No, Mr. Malfoy, the dementors are the servants of Voldemort now," Dumbledore stared at Harry, "So, I must make you aware that we have hired goblins to guard the school entrances as well as placed restrictions on certain areas around the school. The third floor corridor on the right hand side is once again out of bounds to those not alerted to its private use. A certain group of students who I have awarded more privilege than prefects will have access to this hallway, the prefects' bathroom, and the prefects' monthly meeting room. They can also access the previous room of requirement that they used last year."

"What's next?" Rags shouted from his seat.

"Quidditch," Dumbledore stated with astonishing power for his weary old voice. A new hush fell over the Hall, more absolute than ever before, "The new season, uninterrupted by meddlers like Madame Umbridge, will begin this year, but as such there will be security measures before entering the stadium on days of games, especially any that include Mr. Potter or any young Gryffindor who might be threatened by the wrath of Death-Eaters. We will inform you of those security measures before you are to go to bed so enjoy, eat up, be merry for tonight for tomorrow you will all need full strength to begin a new year here at Hogwarts."

After the feast was over and Dumbledore had finished explaining Ron and Harry led all the other Gryffindors out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase towards Gryffindor tower.

"Goblins at the school entrances," groaned Dudley stupidly, "Don't they think they might start a bloody rebellion while we're trying to walk out to that village Hog's Head or whatever it's called."

"Hogsmeade," Harry, Ron, and Hermione corrected him automatically.

"And not if the Ministry's paying them," said Harry.

"Anyway," Neville walked up behind them, "anything's got to be better than Dementors, hasn't it Harry?"

"Yeah," Harry replied honestly, "You wouldn't want to be around one of those right when you started your weekends would you?"

"I suppose not," Dudley yawned.

"Now how does this whole situation work?" Rags asked Ron.

"Well," Ron explained, "We'll show you if you follow us up to our dormitory from the common room tonight."

"Alright then," Rags walked along behind them, a proud new member of Dumbledore's Army.

"Harry," called a voice from the bottom of the stairs, it was Cho.

"Anyone who is in D.A. stay here," Harry called over the crowd of Gryffindors, "The rest of you, Hermione will let you into the Common Room."

"Shouldn't I stay here?" Hermione asked.

"No," Harry whispered, "It's easier to explain stuff to you because you're smart."

"You're making me blush," Hermione grinned.

"Shut it," Harry stated clearly.

Harry walked back down the stairs to Cho.

"I think we should expand," Cho stated.

"No," Ron and Harry both said.

"Why not?" Cho asked.

"Because," they said in unison again.

"Harry, you said no more secrets," Cho whined.

"Okay two more people, but that's it, and I say if I trust them or not, so I pick because we have limited brooms and Ron just gave one to a new Gryffindor," Harry said.

"Is that the only reason?" she pressed her issue.

"No, we have to keep it mostly secret because our group will still have secrets that we don't want people with Death-Eater parents to find out," Harry explained.

"Oh, okay, I got it now," she seemed to have a moment of enlightenment.

"You okay?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, good night," she hugged him and left him standing there.

"Women," Dudley shook his head, for once Harry agreed with him.

Rags followed Ron, Harry, Neville, Dean, Seamus, and now Dudley and Max, up the stairs to the Gryffindor Boys Dormitories for Sixth year students.

"So what's all this about?" Rags asked.

"So we meet weekly in a secret room," Harry explained.

"We keep our secrets from the rest of the school," Seamus continued.

"And fight Voldemort and his followers to help Dumbledore in his ultimate goal of defeating him," Dean finished.

"Plus we have a lot of fun doing whatever Harry teaches us that week," said Ron.

"Well that too," Harry laughed.

"And we get to try some new stuff this year," said Max from the doorway.

"Like what?" Harry turned.

"Yeah, like what?" Dudley asked stupidly.

"You taught them to fight dementors Harry?" Max asked.

"Yeah," said Harry.

"Well I taught Dudley and Rags will pick up on it fast enough," Max rambled on, "I know fighting spells that would be illegal if anyone found out they existed, I also know how to turn a dementor into an ally."

"You really do have Death-Eater blood in you don't you?" Ron asked.

"I'm not so sure that wouldn't be a good job for me, Ron," Max admitted, "but I know the difference between right and wrong." He took a long swallow from a bottle Harry recognized as Madame Pomfrey's dreamless sleep potion, "That's what makes me bad for the job. I do like to hurt people, but I like to hurt the bad guys. I would've gladly made Malfoy have a limp for life with my bare hands. I know the human body, non-magic and magic self-defense and attack. Have you ever heard the muggle saying it's not murder if it's self-defense?"

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," said Dudley.

"Don't get on my bad side, Dudley. Don't be a Death-Eater, that's my bad side," he said before finishing the bottle and passing out on his bed.

"Is he always that scary?" Seamus asked.

"Only before he goes to sleep," Harry yawned.

"Anyway," Rags sighed, "Good Night."

"Hold on," Ron whispered.

"What?" Rags was a little irritated. Ron tossed him one of the three spare brooms from Fred and George's shop. Rags looked like he was going to cry, but he turned and dashed down to the first year beds without saying a word.

"Good Night," Harry rolled over in his bed and went to sleep.

That night Harry had a dream that he was once again a snake that was in a room coiled on the floor. This time however he did not bite anyone. He was under some sort of strangely shaped table and he longed to be found. Two men walked into the room and Harry, as the snake poked his head out from the shadows.

"Nagini is tired of you games Wormtail," said a cold voice he recognized very well, "When will you join your brethren in battle?"

"Y-Your Lordship certainly knows how I-I feel about fighting other W-wizards," said the quivering voice of Wormtail, "I-I can't B-be S-S-seen."

"YOU ARE AFRAID TO FIGHT THE BOY BECAUSE HE SAVED YOUR LIFE!" Voldemort hissed loudly, "Come Wormtail, you know the boy is everything to me right now, if you found him you wouldn't have to do it. Just bring him to me, I'LL KILL HIM!" Voldemort wheezed.

"I-Is Y-Y-Y-your L-L-Lordship A-A-alright?" Wormtail tried to sound concerned.

"I'M FINE!" Voldemort shouted. He straightened up to his considerable height, "Now get out of my site you worthless piece of dragon feces! You disgust me! I'll give you your orders and you will follow them are we agreed?"

"Your L-Lordship is kind, of C-course W-we are at A-an A-A-agreement," Wormtail stuttered, "I am so TH-thankful Y-your L-Lordship I-is M-merci-"

"OUT, WORMTAIL!" Voldemort shouted angrily.

"Y-Yes S-sir," the door closed behind Wormtail and Harry woke in a cold sweat.

Max woke too.

"What the hell was that Harry?" he asked looking completely stunned.

"Did you just?" Harry asked.

"Sometimes the dreamless sleep potion makes me have the same dream as someone around me," Max explained, "We've got to tell Dumbledore. That bond you created by saving him may very well save your life, or someone else's."

"That might be true," Harry whispered. He got up, woke Ron, and since it was almost time to wake up anyway they dressed before going to Harry's trunk to get the Marauder's Map. Dumbledore was in his study, pacing as he usually was and time Harry ever used the map.

"Say what happened again?" Ron yawned as they walked toward Dumbledore's Office.

"Voldemort told Wormtail that he wouldn't have to kill me because I saved his life," Harry remembered that Dumbledore had said Wormtail was in his debt.

"What else?" Ron pressed on.

"Not really anything, I guess," Max said, "He told Wormtail that Harry was everything to him, but we all knew that. He said Wormtail would have to capture him."

"Not likely though," Ron laughed, "I'd like to see him try to overpower Harry. Wormtail wouldn't last. That's like sending Neville after Harry." They all laughed.

Dumbledore was coming out of his office when they reached the corner.

"Professor!" Harry called, "I had another dream, only it wasn't just me this time."

"How is that?" Dumbledore turned his glasses gleaming like the sun off of Uncle Vernon's company car from the torchlight.

"You remember what dreamless sleep potion does to me," Max explained to Dumbledore.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore chuckled approaching Harry, "That would be useful wouldn't it?"

"Maybe," Ron shrugged.

"Let's discuss this inside my office," Dumbledore guided the three of them with a strong arm towards the gargoyle that opened the stairway to his office, "Ice Mice." The Gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside to reveal the stairway to Dumbledore's office. Harry and Max explained on the way up.

"That's something, isn't it?" Dumbledore said, "The debt I told you about when you saved him coming full circle to hurt Voldemort. Well was there anything Voldemort gave to Wormtail after the rebirth."

"A silver hand," Harry shrugged.

"Hmm," Dumbledore thought aloud, "Well I have no clue really, but, well it's a hunch."

"What is it?" Ron half shouted impatiently. Dumbledore laughed out loud.

"It could be harmful to us in the effect that silver is and always has been a major magical element," Dumbledore honestly didn't sound like he knew how to word what he was trying to say.

"Like what?" said Max, "Werewolves? Lupin?"

"Well that and a few other things," Dumbledore was in deep thought, "If you'll excuse me, you have a breakfast to get to."

They left the office complete confusion. They didn't say anything all the way down to the Great Hall, and suddenly Luna popped up from nowhere.

"Hello Harry," she handed them all copies of the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet Both had the same headline.

More Ministry Blunders As Darkness Seems To Spread

"What's this about?" asked Harry.

"You'll see," Luna said, "Read them both, Hermione says so. Your weird cousin is in the great hall eating everything in sight."

"Thanks," Harry said blankly. He thought it was a bit rich of a girl who was wearing tin cans for earrings to call anyone weird.

He read the Daily Prophet article aloud as they all headed toward the middle of the table:

Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter reporting:

Blunders, Blunders, Blunders from the Ministry of Magic this week, as You-Know-Who's power to insight terror seems to grow stronger. Just after the Ministry of Magic decided to hire the historically violent Goblins to guard the entrances to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, they decided to unmask many activities in the Department of Mysteries to the Minister of Magic himself. The Prophet has not been able to get the full details but they suspect the fact that a public figure knows the inner-workings of the Department of Mysteries will lead to further miscalculations and unveiling to the public.

"Knowing what goes on in the Department of Mysteries is up to will help in further investigation into which wizards or witches are working with You-Know-Who," says Fudge after the decision was made yesterday.

Most were at ease when the Ministry finally acknowledged the rebirth of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The rumors had been flying for a year, and many were more scared of whether it was just a rumor or not rather than the actual truth. Once it was acknowledged the safety precautions could begin. The Ministry has made further mistakes by adding to their staff many ex-Aurors thought to be dead or more deranged then Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. These so called "Dark Wizard Catchers" will no doubt become more of a hindrance than a help in their old age and paranoid condition.

At least fixing mistakes is on the Ministry's agenda, they have cleared Sirius Black of the charges against him in his death. They have instead leveled those charges on the head of one very small rat of a man that most believed to be dead, Peter Pettigrew. He is You-Know-Who's right hand man and not very dangerous even with a wand. The location of You-Know-Who is a complete mystery to the Ministry. They are not searching for him at the moment, but insist they will start once all magical weapons and bases have been covered.

The ministry has recalled many of the banished giants, and befriended any magical creature they could find to fight the Dark Forces. We can only hope that these instances can prevent the Dark Lord from rising to the level of power he possessed sixteen years ago, before everyone in the wizarding world learned the name Harry Potter.

"That's great," said Harry, "More time for finger-pointing."

"What's the Quibbler say?" Max asked, "It always gives me a laugh, except for last year..."

Harry began to read the Quibbler article, which was much shorter than the Daily Prophet's article:

Quibbler Press Writer John Manton reporting:

The Ministry of Magic, in all of the confusion surrounding the rebirth of Voldemort, has made many mistakes including hiring Yetis with invisibility cloaks to back up the Goblins outside Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, they have also failed to answer one simple question. Where is Gilderoy Lockhart?

There have been suspicions that he went mad in the Chamber of Secrets far below Hogwarts four years ago and was put in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Others speculate that after many years of fighting Dark Forces he has left us to retire. The Ministry failed to re-hire Lockhart to the Dark Force Defense League.

Many think that the Ministry will look weak without such an accomplished wizard as Gilderoy Lockhart to back up the Dark Force Defense League.

Battles will surely rage now that the Dark Lord has risen again...We can only hope for another miracle from our favorite young wizard, Harry Potter...

"Great," Harry muttered, "more publicity."

He looked up and saw Dudley with a pile of food on his plate. He seemed to inhale the breakfast food.

"Hey Harry," Dudley said through a mouthful of eggs.

"I tried to stop him," said Parvarti.

"Thanks anyway," Harry sighed, "Dudley, you can't afford to gain all that weight back. We've got to stay in good shape for quidditch."

Dudley swallowed and put his utensils down, "Okay."

"Just like that?" Seamus said.

"Whatever Harry says," Dudley shrugged.

"I like this job," Harry muttered to Ron.

"Malfoy won't," Ron admitted to Harry.

"Well he'll just have to deal with that won't he?" Hermione was behind them.

"Hey Hermione," Ron said.

"Schedules?" it was back to school Hermione.

"Not unless we all sit down," Max chuckled in a way that reminded Harry of Dumbledore.

"Then let's sit," Harry ordered.

"Hey Max," Vanessa said from across the table.

"What?" Max looked almost surprised to see her as he sat down at the table.

"How did you sleep last night?" she asked.

"I'd have slept better if Harry had finished Occlumency lessons with Snape over the summer.

"Sorry the last few were hard," Harry laughed weakly, "He didn't get far. He really dug, but I guess I'm weaker when I'm asleep." The schedules began to come down the table. Harry looked down at his breakfast, cereal, eggs, and bacon.

"What's your schedule say?" asked Vanessa.

"Do we all have Occlumency?" Ron asked.

"Why do I have it?" Rags's eyebrow went up.

"They must know you're in Dumbledore's Army," Ron pronounced.

"Wow, that fast?" Harry wondered if the whole of Gryffindor house had it just in case.

"Great," Hermione groaned, "First thing we come back to is Snape for two classes."

"Oh no," Ron whined, "Weren't we going to drop potions?"

"I have to take it again because I wanted to become an Auror," Harry moaned.

"So they just stuck us in with the Slytherins?" Pavarti and Lavender both said in outrage.

"I guess we'll have to deal with it," Dudley laughed.

"What makes you so cheerful?" Max asked.

"Wasn't that shiny kid a Slytherin?" Dudley asked stupidly.

"Yeah," Harry answered, understanding by shiny, Dudley meant Malfoy.

"Well then, we'll scare the pants off him daily," Dudley laughed.

"Dudley, this isn't your old school where you can just bully anyone because you wrestle, or because Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia will ignore it," Harry explained.

"I wasn't going to hurt him," Dudley said, "Just rub my knuckles at those three, and a few well placed pranks wouldn't go amiss either."

"Go amiss, go amiss?" Harry repeated in astonishment, he wondered if the trance had heightened Dudley's vocabulary, "Dud' you just sounded smart."

"Very good, Dudley," Hermione congratulated him.

"I have a question for you," Dudley looked at Hermione, "but not here with a whole bunch of people around."

"Little Dudders embarrassed to talk to girls in front of other people?" Harry chided him.

"No," Dudley glared at him, "and you better watch it Potter."

"Go on and ask her," Ron urged him.

"Come on Big D." Max said, "We don't keep secrets around here."

"He's right," said Seamus, "Hermione will just tell us anyway."

"Fine," Dudley gave in, "I wondered if I could go down to the kitchens and learn better English with the House Elves."

Max snorted, but then he turned it into a cough when Vanessa stepped on his foot under the table.

"Sure," Hermione smiled at the thought of another student, "The more the merrier, a lot of the house elves aren't as eager as Dobby and Winky to learn proper English. It would be good for them to see a human who wants the same education."

"Thanks Hermione," Dudley said honestly.

"That's great. It took Viktor ages to get that far," Hermione laughed.

Everyone laughed, and Harry explained to Dudley how a famous quidditch player had come to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament in his fourth year and developed a crush on Hermione. It didn't help matters that Viktor Krum had been foreign and not been able to say Hermione's name right.

"I see," Dudley smile weakly. He didn't really think it was that funny.

"That seems like forever ago," Harry smiled remembering the days when he didn't have to worry about Voldemort attacking at some random moment.

When the bell sounded for the end of breakfast they were already headed down to the dungeons when Harry saw Cho right outside the Great Hall waiting for him.

"What is it?" Harry asked. She handed him her schedule. It looked like it was completely wrong for Ravenclaw and completely right for Gryffindor. It matched Harry's to every last class.

"Well?" She asked almost annoyed.

"It's the Dumbledore's Army schedule," Harry muttered to her. She seemed to understand, but she was still upset about it for some reason.

"I had other classes in mind," she whispered to him as they approached Snape's dungeon.

"Potter," Draco sneered as they approached brandishing both newspapers, "make any miracles lately."

"Dudley," Max said, "Break his knee caps."

"I don't think anyone's made a way to shut your fat mouth Malfoy," Harry pronounced coolly, "That would be a miracle everyone could appreciate."

"Well, well, Potter needs a bodyguard," Malfoy motioned to Dudley.

"What do you call Crabbe and Goyle?" Harry named them out loud.

"I call them friends," Malfoy gritted his teeth.

"Well I call this big oaf Dudley, my cousin," Harry had his hand on his wand.

"I noticed Granger managed to get uglier this summer," Malfoy lied out loud, Hermione if anything looked prettier than last year, "Did your mother get fatter as well Weasley?"

Dudley had to hold Ron back from hitting Malfoy.

"For your information Ron's mother is looking rather thin these days," Cho said cooly, "And where is your little whore Parkinson, Malfoy? Last I heard you still had to pay someone that ugly to go out with you."

"Nobody asked you to stick your nose in where it doesn't belong, you filthy mudblood," Malfoy had his hand on his wand now.

"Who are you calling filthy," Harry glared at him, "Maybe if you washed your hair more than once a year it wouldn't look so oily."

"And how has your mother been lately Malfoy?" Ron yelled from under Dudley's large arm, "Does she look a little less like she's disgusted now that your convict father is out of the house."

"Mind your tongue, scum," Malfoy had his wand out, "or you'll get it." Dudley got his wand out, but didn't need to because he was holding it left handed so he could punch with his right. Snape wasn't showing up yet, where was he?

"Ron isn't scum," Hermione laughed angrily, "He'll have more money than you once the Ministry finds out your mother has been a Death-Eater longer than your father has. The court will take everything your family's got left."

"That's enough!" Malfoy obviously couldn't think of any more insults because he had his wand on Harry.

"You're kidding right?" Harry asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Worse than you could imagine," Malfoy spat.

"Kill me?" Harry laughed, and he dropped his wand, "Go ahead, you want to go to jail with Daddy? You go right on and do it."

He took his robe off and handed it to Max. He unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up.

"What are you doing?" Malfoy looked insane.

"He doesn't need his wand," Dudley said, "He wants to fight you like a real man."

"He's gonna kick your ass," Max laughed.

Malfoy threw down his wand and swung at Harry. Dudley let Ron go and held of Crabbe and Goyle. The fight went on for five minutes before a teacher showed.

"Break it up! Break it up!" came the voice of Caradoc Dearborn over the crowd.

"Get off me!" Harry yelled although he was the one on top and winning, he wanted to look innocent.

"Stupefy," Dearborn stunned Malfoy, "You alright Potter?"

"Fine Professor," Harry seemed to shake off what just happened.

"Ennervate," Dearborn sighed, "Hell of a job you did, Potter. He looks like hell. Fifty points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, and let's get you to the hospital wing. Harry where's Snape, shouldn't you be in class? Thugs, get over here and take this tantrum throwing child to the hospital wing." He pointed to Crabbe and Goyle who nearly had to drag Malfoy's limp body up the stairs.

"Everyone in the classroom I have to see Dumbledore about what happened to Snape," Dearborn sighed, and then he muttered to Harry, "Listen, Potter, he's out spying right now and we can't do anything about it. He's supposed to be their inside access to Dumbledore and we're prepping him for what he's going to say to Voldemort. He'll be gone all week. I'll need you to teach basic Occlumency to this lot. We can't find a proper substitute. Felix Felicitis, Snape's new assistant won't be here for another two weeks. He's a new order member. He's been busy though, something about a cat and a tea kettle. Just tell the D.A. members the truth when you get the chance."

"Right," Harry muttered back.

"Harry here's in charge of you lot until I get back," Dearborn shouted over everyone.

"You heard him," Harry called, "Inside the classroom, everyone."

Harry was last inside. He pulled the blinds and put the total darkness.

"Lumos," the whole class lit their wands. Harry lit his own.

"Who's first?" Harry asked, "Rags?"

Tiny Morag shuffled towards the front of the classroom and stood wand ready, facing Harry.

Harry fired the same spell at the small boy that Snape had fired at him so many times. He saw a tree on fire, a black dog, a flash of lightning, felt the pain of the Cruciatus curse, and then returned to the classroom.

"Why did you set a tree on fire?" Harry asked.

"I thought it would be funny," Rags answered.

"Let's try that again," Harry looked straight at him, "Only this time I want you to clear your mind."

"Shoot," Rags pointed at his chest. He laughed.

"Fine," Harry fired again. He only got one, pretty foggy submerged image of pushing someone else above water.

"You saw me save her didn't you?" Rags said, "The little muggle girl."

"Sort of," Harry said, "You did a pretty good job of shutting me out that time. Very good."

"Thanks," Rags seemed confident.

"Next," Harry called, and so the class went on through all the Gryffindors and Slytherins until no one was left. Harry sat behind Snape's desk talking to Ron in the front row through the end of the potions period where Dearborn showed up and dismissed the class at the bell.