Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter Seven

Back At Last

The days that remained in the holiday were tense and quiet. No one in the Order were surprised of what Ron and Harry had seen in Knockturn Alley, and noting that this was just a continuation of what Lucius had been doing for years. They were not allowed to linger on the second floor, but Harry did not need an explanation of what had happened; after Lupin and Kingsley had pulled Harry from the room and closed the door; Harry had a lurch of anger that was not his own; He knew what had caused it.

Bellatrix Lestrange was being punished for doing something she was not supposed to. Harry did not know what she had did to earn it, but knew that she, instead of helping them get closer to doing what Voldemort was wanting them to, had instead caused more problems and obstacles to rise in their way. Exactly what and how she did it, he did not know.

However as the days past, Harry's mind was soon turned away from Bellatrix's mistake and soon the thrill and excitement of their return to Hogwarts grew to ease his troubled mind.

Ginny spent most of her time playing with her cat which she had named Diaz; a black and white spotted kitten that Ron liked to call "the cow" as her patterns reminded him of a cow. Though Ron teased Ginny about her cat, he really started to take a liking to Diaz. When Ginny was not playing with her, Ron was sitting out in the clearing throwing wadded up pieces of parchment for Diaz to fetch. This annoyed Ginny as she saw it more as a dog's trick then a cat. It was not uncommon for Harry to be sitting on his bed, and hear a strangely muffled meow and look down to see Diaz with a wad of parchment in her mouth wanting him to throw it for her to play with.

Hermione had taken to compulsively checking and rechecking the work that they had been assigned over the summer and making sure that everyone else was fully and properly pack. Harry would normally have been fine with Hermione but he found it quite annoying when Mrs. Weasley was also busy breathing down their necks and making sure everything was ready for September 1^st. Soon both Hermione and Mrs. Weasley's mollycoddling was growing heavy on Harry's nerves and he was grateful for a reprieve as the weak sun rose on the morning of their return.

Mrs. Weasley had woken them up early that morning, and as Harry opened the shutters of his window to look out into the clearing, he couldn't help notice that dull grey color of the clouds that was doing its best to block the suns rays; the grounds were cast in a pale sickly silver grey light. He quickly looked around making sure that everything was packed only to remember that he had packed everything a few days before to get Hermione off of his case.

Tempers were running high as Harry dressed quickly, and heaved his trunk down to the kitchen were they piled them against the far wall by the door. Upon entering the kitchen, he found as he expected a large gathering of people waiting to escort them to kings cross. Remembering that he had left Hedwig up on the top floor, he hastily ran up and picked her cage up, taking one more look at the dreary cold light outside the window. As he passed through the second floor however, though he listened hard, there was no sounds, or voices coming from any of them.

Mrs. Weasley was already setting out plates of sausages, eggs, and potatoes on the far side of the table well away from the discussion on the other end. Harry sat down by Ginny, and pulled the nearest plate of fried eggs towards him. Mrs. Weasley took once more to bothering them, asking if everything was packed, and choose instead to run upstairs and check their rooms for anything they might have forgotten to gather.

Even though the weather outside was rather depressing, Harry could not help but be excited for his return to Hogwarts. Though they ate quickly in silence, Harry's mind was elsewhere, at Hogwarts where he felt truly at home. He did not know how much time had passed when Ginny's voice broke his train of thought and pulled him back to reality.

"Are you ready?" she said, giving his shoulder a little shake. "Lupin wants us in the hallway."

Harry looked down at his half eaten eggs, but rose quietly and followed Ginny into the hall.

Harry looked around as they stood in the entry hall of Spinners End. He took in the handsome wood panels, and the polished stone floor; he turned to look at the intricately carved wooden door with the phoenix rising from the flames. He turned to look up at the silver brackets with the phoenix that seemed almost to be dancing within the flames that illuminated the hall.

"Well," said Lupin from the front door. "Is everyone ready? Just leave your luggage; they will be waiting for you at kings cross."

Harry turned as Lupin opened the front door and a cold rush of wind entered into the hall. Harry followed Lupin out the door and into the clearing.

"How are we getting there?" asked Harry, as mad eye closed the door behind them with a snap.

"Seeing as you all have succeeded in apperating," said Lupin, looking around the clearing. "Dumbledore set up an Apparation point near kings cross."

"I thought we could only apparate in the clearing with out the ministry knowing?" said Hermione, shivering slightly in the oddly cold air.

"You can," said Lupin. "The ministry can not trace your Apparation inside the clearing. The reason we kept you in the clearing is because you can't apparate outside it with out being known. If you apparate within the clearing, the ministry will not know where your apperated to because it couldn't tell you apperated in the first place. If you were to apparate from outside the clearing, they would know it."

Lupin led them to the edge of the clearing. Harry turned to watch as Spinners End disappeared before him leaving the clearing barren and grassy.

"But, how do we apparate if we have never seen the Apparation point?" said Hermione, nervously.

"Well, you will be apperating to Moody's side," said Lupin quietly.

"You mean like the deatheaters do when Voldemort calls them?" said Harry. Hermione and Ron flinched at the sound of the name.

"Yes," said Lupin quietly.

"Ready?" growled Moody, as he checked his watch.

Lupin nodded, and with a crack Moody had disappearated into thin air.

"I guess we should practice this first," said Lupin, looking over at the nervous faces. "Just try to will yourself to apparate beside me."

They each took it in turns to apparate to Lupin's side, and though it took Harry and Ron a second try each, in the end they were successful.

"Okay," said Lupin, looking around. "Why don't you go first Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes, and centered himself. He felt the strange sensation as if his body was falling like he was unsupported, and concentrated, willing himself to appear next to Moody. It took a few second before he felt a strange sensation that was much stronger then before. He felt as if he was flying in a strong wind, but all was black until seconds after it had started, Harry felt his feet hit the ground, and quickly moved to regain balance.

"You might want to move," said Moody's familiar growl.

Harry opened his eyes to see that he was in an empty blank room. There were no windows, and only one door which was closed. Moody, in honor of his venture into the muggle world had placed his bowler hat over his magical eye, and Harry had a feeling that the eye was probably moving ceaselessly around keeping an eye on what is happening in and outside the walls of the room.

There was a pop, and Hermione appeared a few moments later looking slightly pale and winded. She choose to lean against the wall as Ron, then Ginny apperated shortly afterwards. Lupin was the last to arrive.

"Well," growled moody, checking his watch, "we are only a few minutes behind schedule." He opened the door and beckoned them out, Lupin in the front, and their hands in there jackets clutched tight around their wands.

Harry found himself in a dingy hallway that lead to a large oak door through which the street beyond could be seen in the rippled frosted glass. When Lupin opened the door and exited to check if the coast was clear, the hallway was flooded with the silver light. What had looked dark and foreboding in the windowless darkness was very much like the hall at Spinners End, with is polished stone floor and its dark wood paneling.

Lupin beckoned them out and Harry found himself standing before a busy street. Looking back, he saw that the building they had exited looked much like a fashionable London flat, though it was empty and curtains drawn to prevent others from seeing within.

"Okay," said Lupin, checking his watch. "Best be off."

Lupin and Moody led them through the London streets. Harry noticed every once in a while that someone familiar from the order could often be seen on the street corners trying to fit in. when they would meet eyes, they would move, as if to go about their daily business. The air was still oddly cold for the end of summer and Harry pulled his jacket all the more closely to him as they made their way.

After what seemed like an almost an hour, Harry started to recognize the buildings and could hear the trains in the stations. His heart lifted as they entered the station, and made their way to Platform 9 3/4 and to the Hogwarts express.

The station was full, which struck Harry as slightly odd after Diagon Alley, but he shook himself and remembered that this was a muggle station after all. Moody lead them to the platform, and watched and waiting for a good cover.

Lupin and Harry went first, taking it at a casual walk, and as a batch of passengers moved between them and the rest of the group, they quickly moved through the solid barrier, and out onto the platform.

Tonks was waiting for them with their luggage on trolleys and smiled, winking at Harry. Harry made to move, but it was too late as Ron came out onto the platform at a run, knocking into Harry and pushing him down and causing Lupin and Tonks to jump and look around wildly.

"Sorry," said Ron helping Harry to his feet.

When it had hit Lupin and Tonks what had happened, Tonks burst into laugher, and Lupin look stern and tense. After Ginny, Hermione, and Moody came through the portal, Harry took the time to look up at the clock; they had still 30 minutes before the train left.

"Why are we here so early?" asked Harry, as he took the trolley with his trunk, and Hedwig in her cage.

"We want to get you all here before anyone else comes," growled Moody, who had taken off his bowler hat and his magical eye was moving around, taking in the platform.

The crimson Hogwarts express seemed all the more impressive in the quiet calm of the empty platform. It felt weird yet again to be out into the magical world and find only silence, and emptiness. And yet, even with this, Harry could not help but smile; whatever may be happening in the magical world, his return to Hogwarts was to a place he felt safe.

"Well," said Moody, with one furtive sweep of his eye. "We better get you on the train before anyone else arrives."

Lupin led the way his hand clutched on his wand which he had removed from his coat. Their footsteps echoed strangely in the cold morning air, mixed with the rattling and squeaking of their luggage trolleys. Lupin and Moody dragged each of the trunks onto the door of the second carriage and into the first cabin.

After heaving their trunks into the luggage rack, Moody left them to do a quick sweep of the rest of the train, and by the time he had returned, the sound of laughter and footsteps could be heard in the platform beyond.

"Now," growled Moody, "everything checks out. We will be waiting for you at hogsmeade station."

"You aren't staying?" question Ron, as he tried to cram Pigwidgeon's cage into the luggage rack.

"You will be fine on the train," said Lupin quietly, as the sounds of students dragging their luggage onto the train met their ears. "The Hogwarts express is enchanted to protect those who ride within it. We however have other business to deal with, but after what you four have done, I am sure you will be able to handle everything."

And with that, they left. Ginny closed the door and opened the whicker basket that was holding Diaz as Hermione let Crookshanks out. Crookshanks gave Diaz what looked like a glare and curled up on the seat beside Hermione. Diaz however decided to sniff her way around the compartment before jumping up into Ron's lap, and meow pitifully.

"I almost forgot," said Hermione jumping up as if the seat had been electrified. Diaz made quickly to nose her way behind Ron's arm, and Crookshanks looked up from glaring at the kitten now peering out from behind Ron's shirt sleeve. "We've got to go to the prefects carriages for the first part of the journey."

Hermione paused, and looked at Harry. He knew what was going on in her mind. As he was the only one in the carriage without a prefect's badge, he would be alone for the start of the journey.

"Don't worry," said Harry, as he watched Diaz come out from behind Ron's arm, and rest her front paws on his chest meowing loudly. "I won't actually be alone."

"Are you sure?" said Hermione tensely.

"I am going to be fine," said Harry grinning, as Diaz gave up getting Ron's attention and sat down between Ron and Ginny.

"Well," said Ron, standing up. "We shouldn't be too long. Are you sure you're going to be fine?"

Harry nodded. Hermione gave Harry one more hesitant look, and then opened the carriage door. Together, they exited, closing the door behind them.

Diaz meowed loudly and it finally struck Harry what she wanted. Quickly he opened his trunk in the luggage rack and felt around until he found what he was looking for; a bit of parchment. He crumpled it up and threw it across the compartment, to which Diaz jumped from the seat and caught it midair. Harry couldn't help but enjoy watching Diaz chase the paper around the compartment, and it was a few moments before he noticed that someone had opened the compartment door.

Luna, looking as vague and dreamily as usual looked down at the kitten picking up the paper in its paws and throwing with her it up only to try to catch it before it fell.

"Would it be okay if I joined you?" she said in her dreamy voice.

"Pull up a seat," said Harry, standing up to help her lug her luggage into the compartment.

"Whose is that?" asked Luna calmly, pointing to Diaz.

"It's Ginny's," said Harry as Luna sat down by Crookshanks and started scratching him behind his ears.

Diaz jumped up into Luna's lap and started to sniff her. After a few moments, she jumped back down and started to bat the paper around the compartment floor. For a few more minutes, Harry watched Diaz bat and pursue the crumbled bit of parchment around until for a second time, the compartment door slid open.

Neville was standing in the threshold panting under the weight of his trunk. Harry quickly helped him pull the trunk into the room, and up onto the rack. Again, Diaz jumped onto Neville's lap making Neville jump the moment he sat down, and sniffed him. Instead of returning to the paper, she curled up in his lap.

Within a few minutes Harry felt the train shudder with a jolt as it set off. Harry watched as they left the station and set out on the familiar way to Hogwarts. Luna was gazing out the window in her normal odd way while she absentmindedly stroked Crookshanks behind his ears. After a few minutes, Neville had gotten used to having a cat in his lap, and was petting Diaz as the train gathered speed.

No one spoke, though Neville did through glances at Harry every few minutes. It was only when the compartment door opened, and the familiar face of the witch who brought the trolley by peered in. "Would you like anything?"

Harry rose pulling his coin pouch out of his pockets, and bought a variety of Bertie Botts, cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, and chocolate frogs. Harry was not very happy when the door opened again and three of his least favorite people entered.

Draco Malfoy was leering down at them. Diaz looked up and hissed.

"Well, well, well," said Malfoy, in his familer sneer. "I am shocked you even risked your bum Potter."

"I would think you would learn to be more adept at hiding yourself when you take your jaunts out into Knockturn alley," said Harry, before he could stop himself.

The sneer on Draco's face vanished quickly; he looked somewhat fearful.

"You better move along," said a familiar voice. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle left quickly and Harry saw Cho standing in the corridor beyond, a shinny new head girl badge pinned to her chest. She left with out another word.

A few moments later Hermione, Ron, and Ginny returned. At the sight of Ginny, Diaz leapt down and picked up the paper in her mouth, and jumped onto her lap begging for Ginny to play with her.

"What were they up to?" asked Hermione, as she sat down by Luna.

"Nothing new," said Harry quietly, as Ginny lobbed the bit of paper across the floor where Diaz skidded to a halt just before she hit the door, the bit of paper in her mouth.

It was a weird feeling when it hit him an hour later that these were the people who had followed with him to the department of mysteries a few months ago. These were the people who had risked their lives to help him. Hermione, like Neville keep glancing at him, as if she also felt how weird it was to think that mere months ago, they had broken into the Department of Mysteries together.

Harry didn't really bother to join in the conversation, and choose instead to watch the scenery that was flying by as they sped north towards Hogwarts.

Though, as the scenery changed and the sky began to darken did Harry join in out of boredom.

"...well," Ginny was saying. "After Umbridge, you can't get any worse."

"At least you were not getting your hand cut opened." He looked down at the back of his hand; though thankfully his cuts had healed and he was not left with the scars of the words.

The topic of abusing Umbridge carried them onward until Harry felt the train slow. They quickly pulled down their trunks and pulled out their black Hogwarts robes. Ginny and Hermione put their cats back into there carriers and they entered into the hallway and out onto platform.

Lupin and Moody were waiting and quickly beckoned them before the platform filled towards a waiting carriage. The thestrals stood in their harnesses, as sinister looking as ever as they got into the first carriage and set off the road to the castle. "Well," said Lupin, as the carriage made its way up the path. "Good trip?"

"It's been worse before," said Harry grinning, as the first signs of the castle appeared in the carriage's window; the windows of the castle glowed above them. Harry was very grateful when the carriage trundled to halt before the stone steps.

"Well," growled Moody. "Have a good year and keep your eyes open!"

They bid them goodbye at the stone steps into the entrance hall. The open doors to the great hall were beckoning them further, and they entered under the enchanted ceiling which was an inky mass of blackness dotted with stars.

Being in the first carriage, the hall was empty. Luna bid them goodbye and made her way over to the Ravenclaw table while they choose seats near the front of the Gryffindor table.

Harry scanned the staff table to see the normal friendly faces of the staff; well, most of them had friendly faces; Snape looked as foreboding as ever. Harry scanned the rest of the table. Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout were deep in conversation. Hagrid was absent, but he of course was helping the first years on their journey across the lake. They had been shunted so quickly out of the station that Harry did not have much time to look around for him.

Harry looked to the Dumbledore's chair, only to find that it was uncharacteristically empty. It was the first time that Dumbledore had not been there when he entered the hall, and a part of him felt strangely nervous that Dumbledore was absent.

Looking around the rest of the table, there was only one more empty seat, which of course was where the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher sat. Was Dumbledore not able to find a replacement in the light of Voldemorts return? Harry's heart gave a jolt when he remembered the Ministry decree that gave them Umbridge. He shook himself; Umbridge was not coming back after everything she did.

Hermione too was scanning the staff table, but did not have a comment to make about why Dumbledore was missing. The sounds of footsteps in the entrance hall quickly took Harry's attention as the students started to file in, laughing and meeting up with friends.

Soon the hall was filled with the sound of the students happily enjoying their return. Harry however was quiet, waiting to know why Dumbledore was not present. Soon however his focus was sent elsewhere when professor McGonagall entered with the line of first years. The hall became quiet as she placed them before the stool holding the sorting hat.

All was silent as all eyes were on the frayed and patched hat before them. The anticipation grew until the rip near the brim opened, and the sorting hat began its song.

Darkness lies before us

As we stand upon the cliff

But light can come within

In unity the dark will lift,

And so you stand before me

But do not fear my song

For I am here to sort you

From the gathered throng.

Many years have passed

Since that fateful night

When anger grew so fast

In bitter twisted spite.

For one among the four

His hatred knew no bounds

And rose in angers sound

He fled through yonder door.

The roots of this event

Lies in the difference of all

He failed to see the truth

He refused to heed the call.

For now in times of darkness

We may befall this fate

If we seek to divide ourselves

With such bigotry and hate.

One has rose in hatred strong

And most so fear his name

He choose among the two

And cursed one with much fame,

But this was but one person

Lost among his spite

For there were those before him

Who were lost to the epic fight,

And now, we stand again

On the verge of a mighty war

When we must stand together

For with unity we will soar.

And yet now I am cursed

To pick you from the throng

And sort you into houses

For it's the meaning of my song,

But how can I divide you

When the danger lies as such

When in the growing darkness

It could hurt us all so much.

But understand that which I say

And take it to your hearts

We are on the verge of an old dark way

And in adversity we must not part.

So heed my warning that I make

And don't seek in hatred strong

We must seek to work together

For the journey ahead is long.

But I have rambled on to much

In warning of that which comes

And I must return to my job as such

I now will move on.

Four friends once so strong and true

They joined in years of old

And each held true their values

So often are they told.

One among the four

Was know for courage bold

Of strong mind and body

His anger he did withhold.

One was of pure heart

Her compassion knew no end

And in the heart of a willing

She was always a true friend.

And one with mind so sharp

Who sought the ancient tomes

And in her mind could be found

The ancient knowledge's home.

The last sought the power

He sought the price of fame

His mind and heart were set

And from him the trouble came.

And now I must continue

And sort you all as such

To place you under the names

Of one of the fabled four.

Now though I must divide you

Consider what I say

If we stand united

In darkness we will not sway,

So try me on and do not fret

And see what choices wait

When you sit upon my stool

And learn your one true place.

Harry turned to Hermione to see that she too was unnerved by part of the sorting hats song. Harry knew that the sorting hat was speaking of him, and he knew of the two in which he spoke of. Hermione was eyeing him with a slightly confused look as if she wondered who the other was. Harry instinctively looked over at Neville though who did not seem to understand the nature of the verse and was watching as professor McGonagall unrolled her list and began calling out names.

Harry turned to look up at the staff table. Above the heads of the nervous first years, Harry saw the one person who he knew would understand; Dumbledore had taken his seat during the sorting hats song and was smiling down upon the first years as one by one, they were sorted. When the last student had been sorted, he rose.

"Well," said Dumbledore, smiling down at them all, "I see no reason to keep you from our excellent feast any longer."

Dumbledore waved his hands and the plates before them filled with everything anyone could want. Harry quickly filled his plates with whatever he could grab.

"So," said Neville, trying to start a conversation. "How was your summer?

"Fine," said Harry, as he started in on roasted potatoes.

"My gran wasn't too happy," said Neville quietly.

"Why?" asked Hermione, she poured herself a goblet of iced pumpkin juice.

"Dumbledore told her about the..."

"Shhh," hissed Hermione. "We don't need everyone to know."

"Oh," said Neville looked slightly abashed, "sorry."

The rest of the meal was quiet outside of the noise of the students around them. Harry knew that the ordeal had to have been as hard at least on them as it was on him. He had tried not to think about it, to force it from his mind. He was forced however to deal with it in his dreams, and he wondered if the others had been plagued as he was. Harry was grateful when the last bits of the desserts left the plates.

The hall went silent as Dumbledore stood. He smiled at the gathered students and opened his arms in welcome.

"Another year," said Dumbledore quietly. "And I am grateful to see all your faces among the crowd. So much has happened in the last few years and yet, we now are looking at hard times. We must remember, as the sorting hat says, that if we unite, we can overcome the obstacles that lie before us. Many among us have been effected by the works of Lord Voldemort," The hall did a collective shudder but Dumbledore moved on. "There are some among us who have had to face the threat he gives head on and it saddens me that we have only just begun. It is my wish that we all unite together for as I have said before, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. And now, as we begin a new year, it is in a growing darkness, but within the walls of Hogwarts, you are safe if you unite together."

Dumbledore paused. "As always, I must review with you a few guidelines and rules. Students are not allowed to venture into the Forbidden Forest, for the danger within has grown. There is to be no magic used within the halls. No student below the third year will be permitted into Hogsmeade. On a much warmer note, I would like to introduce you to our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Branxton."

Dumbledore waved his hands toward a young tall man who was sitting between Professor Snape, and Professor McGonagall. The students applauded him politely making his cheeks blush red as he smiled weakly. His hair was of a ginger blond hue and was tied up in the back much like bill's was. He had pale blue eyes that reminded him very much of Dumbledore and very handsome features though they looked somewhat nervous at the moment.

"And now," said Dumbledore smiling. "Off to bed for you have lessons in the morning, and nothing prepares you better then a restful night. Off you go."

The noise in the hall grew as the students rose. Ginny and Colin creevy who it seemed had been chosen as the other Gryffindor fifth year prefect was calling out to the first years. Harry however left with Neville and headed out the door into the entrance hall.

"The password is mandrake," said Hermione in a whisper as Harry passed.

As Harry climbed the familiar pathway to the Gryffindor Common Room, he couldn't help but grin. He finally felt like he was home, and as he drew the curtains around his four poster bed, he layed back, happy to finally be returned to Hogwarts at last.