Sands of Time

"The truth...is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution." - Dumbledore: HP&PS

"And now let me say a few words: hoover, papilionoidea, mugwump. Thank you. Enjoy the feast." Dumbledore sat down amidst the open mouthed gapes of the first-years and the enthusiastic cheering of the Weasley twins. Ron rolled his eyes, and dug into the feast with gusto, while Hermione appeared to be buried deeply in a book. Harry absently cut up a potato and occupied himself with watching the staff table.

Professor McGonagall was giving the Headmaster a disapproving look, as he told an animated, and obviously inappropriate joke to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The lanky, dark haired professor was visibly sweating under a full strength glare from Professor Snape, while simultaneously trying to follow Dumbledore's tale. Harry quickly looked down at his plate when Snape looked up and transferred the glare to him. A summer serving as a spy obviously hadn't improved Snape's disposition.

"What are you thinking Harry?" asked Ron around a mouth full of peas. Harry shrugged.

"Just that Snape still hates me," he said. Ron snorted.

"And this surprises you?" Harry shook his head.

"It's rather comforting actually. Snape and the Dursleys will always hate me. And Voldemort," he added as an after thought. Ron was staring at him.

"I think Dumbledore made a mistake in not letting you come to visit this summer. You've gone mad."

"Not mad," said Harry thoughtfully, "Just different." And it was true. Over the summer he had had a lot of time to think and come to terms with his life. Somewhere along the way he had started viewing the world in a new way. He could now watch his aunt and uncle fuss over Dudley and be amused by how ridiculous their lives really were. He smiled at this, than refocused on the table. With his newfound insight, he could also see that Neville was being left out of the conversations at the table.

"How was your summer, Neville?" he asked, interrupting Ron's dissertation on the latest broom model. Neville looked a bit flabbergasted at being addressed, but summoned up an answer readily enough.

"Not too bad. My gran was mostly preoccupied this summer with, well the news about You-Know-Who, and I was able to keep to myself. She did hire me a tutor though."

"A tutor? How horrible," said Ron. Neville shook his head.

"Not really. It was better than bothering Hermione all summer for help," he explained. They all looked at Hermione, who was still deep in her book.

"Are you even going to eat, Hermione?" asked Ron. Without looking up, she grabbed a piece of bread and started chewing, eyes still trained on the book. Ron rolled his eyes and Harry had to fight not to start laughing at his friends. Despite their occasional fights, his friends didn't change either.

The feast was over much quicker than he wanted it to be, and they had moved on to various puddings when Dumbledore stood up to make another announcement.

"Those of you who were here last year know that I told you of Voldemort's return." A shudder ran through the student body, and suddenly Harry was acutely aware of the various empty seats throughout the hall. Nobody from his year was missing, but Shelly Scrabster, a Gryffindor third-year was missing, as was her brother over in Hufflepuff. There were other blank spaces around the tables that belonged to people he couldn't identify. "Some of your classmates have decided not to return for various reasons." Harry didn't want to know how many of those various reasons included them not being able to return. Or to breath for that matter...The thought made him sick, and he had to close his eyes so he wouldn't see those empty spaces. Dumbledore continued talking however.

"You are perfectly safe here at Hogwarts, though I must sadly inform you that Hogsmeade visits are cancelled for all but seventh-years." The students groaned and Harry wanted to scream at them that Hogsmeade visits were not as important as Voldemort returning. Dumbledore was looking straight at him however, and as usual seemed to know exactly what was going through Harry's mind. "We have not forgotten the events of the past year, and I ask you all to remember the sacrifices of those who have come before you." Dumbledore bowed his head and Harry followed suit, as did most of the students. Harry doubted the Slytherin's were bowing their heads, but he didn't have the strength to look up and see them being so disrespectful. Dumbledore looked up eventually and dismissed them, reminding prefects that they must see the first-years to their common rooms. Ron elbowed Hermione.

"Don't you have to see to the first-years?" he asked. She had been made a prefect over the summer along with Dean Thomas. Hermione slowly shook her head, still reluctant to look away from the book.

"Dean's handling them. I arranged it earlier," she explained. Ron gaped at her.

"Is it just me or did I hear you say you had arranged not to do work?" Hermione blushed.

"This book is just fascinating, and I really want to finish it, and maybe reread it," she added almost to herself. She reluctantly closed the book, and started heading towards Gryffindor with the boys following. Ron looked like he was going to set in on Hermione's reading habits, so Harry spoke up.

"What are you reading Hermione?" She looked grateful he had asked.

"It's called Foundation: A New Look At The Founder's Four by Grameyre Studion. It's the latest book on the Founders, but it's almost impossible to find for some reason. It wasn't even in Flourish and Botts. I was forced to order it by post from some obscure shop in Indonesia for a positively blasphemous fee. I only just got it this morning."

"So you like it then?" said Harry, giving her his best deadpan look. Hermione was so engrossed she missed the joke and just looked him incredulously.

"Like it? Look at this!" She flipped through the book to a page filled with someone's tidy handwriting.

"Words? In a book. Why Hermione I'd never have known," said Ron. Hermione glared at him.

"This, I'll have you know, is an excerpt from Helga Hufflepuff's diaries. She gives a fascinating insight into life at Hogwarts a thousand years ago. Look at this entry." She practically shoved the book under their noses, oblivious to the fact that they were blocking the middle of the corridor. Harry adjusted his glasses, and read the neat script.

Janvier, 12, 1091, Saturn is rising tonight,

Salazar has gotten Godric all riled up again. I don't even want to know what it was this time, though I suspect it had something to do with Godric turning up at dinner with green paint smeared all over him. Those two are such children sometimes. Salazar pointed out to me that their practical jokes were teaching the students how to have fun and learn at the same time. I wonder if he understands that he's also encouraging a rivalry between their two houses? He's too intelligent not to notice. One has to wonder why he encourages it then. Perhaps I do not want to know...

Our seventh-year students are making excellent progress on their independent study projects. Rowena has complained that her students are doing too much work, but that was in the middle of praising them effusively. I can understand her feelings. I was so proud when I found some of my Hufflepuff's in the library today instead of out at Hogsmeade. That reminds me, I must arrange with Jeremiah to get a tutor for young Mr. Bragen. He'll never pass Potions without it...

The diary entry continued on to the next page, but Ron was looking very impatient with him for actually reading the book instead of staring at it blankly like he had. Hermione was looking anxiously at them for their opinion.

"It looks interesting," said Harry diplomatically. It was certainly more exciting than her usual 4000 Useless Spells or The History of Magical Buttons.

"You can read it when I'm finished if you like."

"Uh, thanks," he responded, making a mental note to avoid mentioning the Founder's Four for awhile. With luck she would forget her promise.

A Ravenclaw attempted to squeeze by them. "We better get out of the way," he said. They headed off towards Gryffindor tower, the boys chatting and occasionally guiding Hermione as she attempted to read while walking.