The Rebels

Chapter One - Returning to Hogwarts

    Hogwarts... To see the old castle brought warm feelings to every member of the compartment; the place exhaled calm, safety and homeliness... It was impossible not to feel comfortable and happy.

    The friends meeting at Station 9 3/4 had been an awkward affair. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had stood, facing each other, for a few moments. Each was looking at the other, noting the small changes that two months apart would bring, when suddenly Hermione had thrown herself at them and begun to say, in a slightly hysterical voice, exactly how much she had missed them.

    Then she composed herself, let go of the two boys and said,

"Harry, I heard you were made a Prefect. Is it true?"

"Yeah, they even sent me a badge," said Harry, "don´t know were they got this idea from. It´s not as if my record was any good."

"Well, you did save the world a couple times. I think that counts for something," she answered playfully.

"Yeah I guess it does," he answered, smiling for the first time since they had met. Hermione then turned to Ron

"You have grown even more! Ron, you have to stop it, otherwise I won´t be able to hug you properly anymore!"

"Well Mione, so sorry about that."

"Come on," said Harry, "the train is leaving. We should hurry if we want to get a compartment for ourselves."

As expected, the train was packed with students and the three only found an almost empty compartment at the very end of the train. The only other person there was Ginny, who was looking out the window at the still crowded station.

After putting their trunks away and sitting down, Harry, wanting to make conversation said,

"So, how were your vacations? Any news in the Wizarding World? It´s been some time since any of you sent me an Owl. I was beginning to feel lonely."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, and Ginny, who had still been looking out the window, turned to Ron and said,

"You do realize that you will have to tell him, so better sooner than later."

"Tell me what?" Harry asked

"Nothing important Harry," said Hermione, "Why don´t you tell us of your time with the Dursleys?"

"Tell me what? Ginny?" he asked, turning to the girl sitting beside him, who was looking defiantly at Ron.

"What Ron and Hermione here are so afraid to tell you is this: Minister Fudge was found murdered last week. Didn´t you notice all the Aurors at the station?" Ginny asked

"I did, but I thought it was because of Voldemort. Why didn´t you want to tell me? You do realize I would have found out anyway don´t you?"

"Yes Harry, we do... It´s just that this is much more serious than anything that has happened up till now."

"And why exactly is that?" he asked, greatly annoyed that his friends didn´t trust him enough to tell him something like this.

"The thing is Harry," said Ginny, "that the Ministry is trying to cover it up. We only know this because Dad works there. I really don´t see the point though... Rumour will spread and in the end, it will end up badly for them."

"Who will take his place?"

"No one knows yet Harry." said Hermione.

After the conversation, the train ride had been rather silent. Harry was too angry with Ron and Hermione to even try to talk to them. Ron kept shooting angry glares at Ginny, who didn´t seem to care in the least bit. Hermione had taken a book and was ignoring everything going on around her.

They had just arrived at the Entrance hall when a voice made them turn around.

"Potter, Weasley, Granger! The Headmaster wants to see the three of you before the feast," Professor McGonagall´s voice rang through the overloaded Hall. "The password is Sugar Quill, I believe you know were the door is Potter?"

"Yes, Professor. I can find my way."

"Good, what are you waiting for? The feast can´t begin without the Headmaster." And with that, she returned to the frightened first years.

    As they walked in the deserted corridors of the school towards the stone gargoyle, Harry begun feeling more and more uncomfortable. He was dreading what he would hear once he reached Dumbledore´s office. If the Headmaster wanted to see him this early, it could only mean that something really bad had happened; otherwise he would have waited at least until the end of the welcoming feast.

    The stone gargoyle appeared before them and Harry whispered the password. They stepped onto the moving stairs and then into the Headmaster´ office. Ron and Hermione stared at the room, just like all the newcomers must stare, Harry thought. He could almost feel Hermione holding all the questions that came to her mind at all the strange objects that appeared before them.

"Hello Harry, Hermione, Ron," said Dumbledore, while Fawkes gave a tremulous note that hang in the air and sent a warm feeling to Harry´s heart. "Thank you for coming. We don´t have much time to spare so, directly to the reason why you´re here, even before the official beginning of the school year. It is a well known fact that Voldemort," Ron flinched visibly at the name, and so did Hermione, imperceptibly, "will want revenge for the humiliation he suffered a few months ago. He doesn´t like to have his victims escape, especially as Harry was impossibly outnumbered, and, if we were to think rationally, should be dead."

    At this point, Harry had already figured out why exactly Dumbledore had called him to his office. Protection. He was sick of protection. He was sick of everybody talking to him as if he was a delicate jewel, he wasn´t about to break anytime soon. People should have realized by now that he was capable of taking care of himself.

"Under the circumstances you will understand why I feel compelled to give the three of you some extra protection." continued Dumbledore.

"I don´t want it," interrupted Harry.

Everyone in the room stared at him as if he had suddenly turned green.

"Harry..." began Dumbledore.

"I don´t need it!" Harry´s voice had a final tone to it.

"Mr Potter, I will finish my explanation and afterwards we might discuss your reasons not to accept it."

As Harry didn´t answer but kept his eyes firmly locked on the floor, Dumbledore continued.

"I´ll give each of you a small amulet attached to a silver chain. I have charmed those to be unbreakable. I am the only one who can take them away from you. There is a tracking spell in the amulet and a Portkey set to Hogwarts. You are the only ones who can use this Portkey. All you have to do is concentrate and you will land in the Gryffindor common room. These amulets have some very powerful protection spells and will glow when too much harmful magic is being done around you."

The Headmaster handed Ron and Hermione each a chain with a small pendant. Hermione´s represented a running Unicorn with its head held high; Ron´s was a Griffin. When they had put them round their necks they realised even they couldn´t take them of.

"Ron, Hermione, you may go. The feast will begin shortly. I have a few things to discuss with Harry here, but he will join you in a few minutes, I am sure."

    When they had both left the room, Harry kept silent for some time, then in a perfectly clear voice, filled with barely contained anger, he said,:

"I won´t have it. I don´t need it. I managed perfectly well on my own up till now, I don´t see why this has to change."

"You know as well as I do, and probably better that things have changed considerably."

"I won´t let him rule my life! If we live in fear, then he has already won. That´s just what he wants."

"If you get yourself killed, then he wins too."

"I don´t care."

"Well, others do."

"You won´t make me change my mind, Professor Dumbledore."

"I just might, Harry." the Headmaster stated taking a battered peace of parchment from a drawer. Showed it to Harry he continued, "Last semester, while going through Barty Crouch Junior´s trunk, I found a very interesting map that I believe belonged to you. The chain that I was hoping you would accept was a piece of jewelry that belonged to your father. It´s a very old family amulet that has been passed on from father to son by the Potters for centuries now. Your father gave it to me, it should go to you when you were old enough to understand."

Harry´s eyes, which had been fixed firmly on the floor turned to Dumbledore.

"What I am proposing to you Harry, is this: I give you your map, if you accept to wear your father´s chain."

Dumbledore gave Harry a beautiful charm, representing a Phoenix with its wings spread, as if preparing to take flight. It was amazingly real; one could almost see the bird, flapping its wings, flying in a perfect blue sky.

"The Phoenix is the Potters´ family symbol. This amulet already had some very powerful protective magic. I just took the liberty to add some more. Now all you have to do is decide."

Harry was glaring at the Phoenix with a mixture of envy and disgust. He wanted to just put the blasted thing on and have it over with, but it went against all the resolutions he had made during his horrible vacations. Finally, the need to know more about his family took over and putting the chain on, and grabbed the Marauder´s Map that was on the table. He left the room without a word.

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    The Great Hall was packed with students. The first years were already lined in the middle of it and the Sorting Hat was only waiting for the Headmaster to begin the sorting. Harry´s entrance came almost unnoticed with all the excitement of the new school year. He sat down beside Ron and Hermione. Opposite him was Ginny as well as the twins and Lee, in deep conversation, something that couldn´t possibly be good.

"Harry?" asked Hermione, tentatively.

"Hmmm?"

"What was that all about?"

"What was what about?" he answered irritably

"Your little stunt in Dumbledore´s office?"

"Mione, I really don´t want to talk about it."

"Come on Harry. What did he say after we left?" insisted Hermione

"He gave me my map back," answered Harry tonelessly

"The Marauder´s Map?" asked Ron curiously

"Yeah."

"Did you put on your necklace?" asked Hermione, while glaring at Ron for interrupting her. Harry noticed this. They had rehearsed this little speech. This irritated him even more.

"Yes, I put on the bloody necklace! Not that I wanted it... He wasn´t really fair."

"What wasn´t fair?"

"He made me choose between what is left of my family and his damned protection."

"Harry, you do realize he is only doing what he thinks is best for you, right?"

"Yeah Harry, Hermione is right, he is only trying to keep you safe," added Ron.

"Well, guess what, I don´t want to be kept safe," With that, Harry turned towards Ginny, who had seemed rather lonely in the crowded table, and said, "So, Ginny, figured out who the new DADA teacher is?"

"Excuse me?" she seemed surprised that anyone was even talking to her.

"Do you know who the new DADA teacher is?"

"No, I hadn´t thought about it yet." She turned her eyes to the High Table and then said, "well, there are three new teachers, and I can´t see either Hagrid or Snape sitting there."

"Yeah, you´re right. Maybe we´ll get lucky and get rid of Snape for the year. But I wonder were Hagrid is... I guess he isn´t back from his journey yet," he added quietly.

"I really don´t see who could teach Potions. None of the new professors strike me as a likely candidate for Potions master," said Ginny.

"And what does a Potions master look like to you, Ginny?"

"I don´t know..."

At that moment, Dumbledore entered the room through the same door the Champions had left the Great Hall, after the Goblet choose each of them. The whole Hall quieted as the Headmaster sat down and said a few words.

"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Let the sorting begin."

The sorting went on as usual and as soon as "Zabini, Ann" was proclaimed a Slytherin, sat down beside her sister and the cheering had mostly quieted, Dumbledore stood and begun his speech.

"A new year is about to begin, and although I´m sure all of you are dying to taste the delicious food prepared for us this evening, I have some announcements to make. The Forbidden Forest remains, of course, forbidden. Curfew will be an hour earlier this year, due to recent events. By ten o´clock all students are expected to be in their common room. They are allowed to leave only in the company of a Prefect and only with a specific purpose. Professors will be patrolling the corridors at all times, if you break the rules, you will be caught and you will be punished." As the Headmaster said this, his eyes were focused on Harry, who met his gaze steadily. "The lake, Quidditch pitch and all other locations outside the castle are out of bounds, after sunset. Now, to more pleasant news. As many of you must have noticed, two of our professors are missing. Professor Snape will be arriving shortly and will be able to teach all of his classes tomorrow." A disappointed sigh ran around the Great Hall "Unfortunately, our Care of Magical Creatures, Rubeus Hagrid, won´t be able to teach during this school year due to other, more important engagements. He will be replaced by Mister Mundungus Fletcher."

Professor Fletcher stood as his name was announced. The room erupted in polite applause. He was probably in his mid-thirties, about the same age as Remus and Sirius, thought Harry. He was tall and had an overall cheerful air.

"Our new DADA professor," continued the Headmaster once the cheering had died down, "is Miss Caroline Figg."

Harry stared at the pretty witch that stood as Dumbledore said her name. She was small, about 5´2, in her early thirties or late twenties, with dark blond hair that fell in waves around a heart shaped faced. She reminded Harry of someone although he didn´t know exactly who. As the clapping faded out, Dumbledore said:

"I have taken the liberty, with the Board of Governors consent of course, to introduce a new subject for fourth years and above. Dueling classes will be held in an especially arranged classroom, beside your actual Charms classroom. Your professor will be Miss Helen Carter, former Auror and Dueling Champion."

Helen Carter received by far the most enthusiastic cheering, as a wave of whispers washed over the Hall. This would be most certainly the most exciting class of the year.

        ********************************************

    The rest of the feast passed by with Hermione trying to keep a mindless talk going, and Ron rambling about dueling and Harry, as well as Ginny, shutting the rest of the world out.

    As students began to leave the table, Harry turned to Hermione and asked,:

"Hermione, can you manage the first years by yourself? I need to talk to McGonagall."

"Sure, go ahead."

He had just noticed the teacher leaving the room and began moving towards her.

"Professor McGonagall," he cried and she turned around and saw him. She stopped until he got to her.

"Yes Harry?"

"Professor, I was wondering if I could change some of my classes."

"Why don´t you come to my office for a second and we´ll see."

She took him to her office, which he´d been in many times before, and as she sat down, and motioned for him to explain what it was that he wanted.

"Professor, I was wondering if I could drop Divination and take some other class instead of it." Hearing this, she opened a drawer and after fumbling around for a bit, found what she was looking for, his record.

"So, you want to drop Divination. I won´t say I don´t agree with you, but I´m so sorry. It´s too late, you´ll have to wait till next year to drop it. It must be one of your requirements for the O.W.L.s. You can, however, take some new classes, that you´ll continue once you drop Divination next year."

"Really? Well I was thinking of taking Arithmancy or Ancient Runes, I even took a look at Hermione´s old books during the holidays."

"That is good to hear as you´ll have to keep up with students that have been studying those subjects for two years. But I´m sure Miss Granger will help you with those."

"I´m sure she will."

"That´s settled then, Potter. I will sign you up for both classes, but rest assured, if you feel like you can´t handle it, you can drop them. It is nice to see students volunteering for extra class hours. I think you can go now, Potter. Congratulations on being made a Prefect."

"Thanks Professor."

Harry left the room, thinking hard. He had wanted to change classes, not take new ones. What exactly had happened in that room? Well, he guessed he would have to make do with that. It was only two classes after all. And Hermione would help him, right?

Raising his eyes, he saw Ginny, waiting for him outside McGonagall´s office.