Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Talk or Two

I'm a nightmare, a disaster,
That's what they always say.
I'm a lost cause, not a hero.
But I'll make it on my own.
~Simple Plan: Me Against the World

Harry's eyes snapped open and he shut his mouth, effectively ending his screaming. The privacy curtain between Snape's bed and his had been removed and a very angry looking Snape was sitting up in bed looking at him.

"Could you keep your screaming to yourself?" Snape asked in his normal, cheerless voice.

"No," Harry replied dryly. "I don't understand why any of you serve Voldemort."

"I've asked you not to use his name," Snape told him sharply.

"And I'm still going to use it," Harry replied. "All he does is abuse you and scream at you and order you around. It's not even worth the hassle of being a Death Eater."

"You know nothing about us," Snape replied acidly.

"I watch you all have fun at your Revelries and then get the crap Crucio'ed out of you," Harry told him quietly. "There's always someone every week who needs punishing. Last week it was you. This week it's Bellatrix, Wormtail, and Lucius. The thousand galleon question is: who is going to say the wrong thing and get abused next week?"

Snape looked at Harry carefully. The only light was from the waning moon and Snape had a hard time seeing Harry's face. Luckily for Harry, no one had taken off his glasses so he could still see.

"How much do you watch?" Snape asked finally.

"Too much," Harry replied faintly. "I see almost every Revelry and a punishment every other week. My scar burns like hell the weeks I don't see the actual punishment."

"I see," Snape said carefully. "And what did you see tonight?"

"Bellatrix and Wormtail getting punished for letting us escape," Harry told him quietly. He laid his head down on his pillow and thought the vision through. "He didn't like their excuses. Then Lucius got in trouble."

"Lucius actually got in trouble?" Snape interrupted surprised.

"Yes, he did," Harry told Snape coldly. "I'm not making this stuff up. He was under the Cruciatus Curse for a long time. He wouldn't answer a question. Avery came in and told Voldemort that we were alive and expected to stay that way. Then Voldemort dismissed him and he asked Lucius if Draco," Harry spat the boys name out as if it was poisonous, "was willing to serve."

"Lucius said he was, correct?" Snape said with a faint smile.

"Yes," Harry replied giving Snape an odd look. "There was some task that Malfoy was supposed to do, but your angelic voice woke me up before I heard what."

"I'm guessing it's to kill me," Snape said dryly. "Or at the least capture me."

"You're rather calm about it," Harry told him.

"I'm just happy to be alive," Snape said with a sigh. "You don't usually get away from the Dark Lord when you turn traitor right in front of him." A silence fell between them and Harry stared out his window at the setting moon.

"Why'd you save me?" Harry asked after a while. Snape sat back up and looked at the boy.

"I'm not really sure," Snape replied truthfully. "I wasn't sure which side I would pick. I figured I'd go along with the Dark Lord to stay alive. If I wanted to remain a part of the Order I could have told them that it was all a part of the costume."

"Oh," Harry said thoughtfully. "But why'd you step in front of that curse?"

"Because I couldn't watch a boy take that torture," Snape replied honestly, but venomously. "Even if that boy was you."

"Well, thanks, I appreciate it," Harry told the man.

"Don't mention it again," Snape said angrily.

"You're not good with apologies are you?" Harry asked the shadowy form of his Potions Professor.

"No, I never was," he answered. There was something about being in the hospital wing--perhaps it was the inability of attacking each other--that made them talk to each other civilly, or at least compared to normal circumstances.

"How could you be a Death Eater if you can't watch kids get beaten up?" Harry asked, confused.

"It was the biggest mistake of my life," Snape said tiredly. "And it ruined what could have been a perfect one." Harry thought about his talk with his mum. He almost told Snape the message, but something held him back.

"That doesn't really answer my question," Harry informed him.

Snape glared at Harry but answered anyway. "I worked alone. I didn't pick kids to poison. If I had to, I'd used my doctored potions. Mostly I made poisons for others to use."

Harry looked at the man several beds away. What had made him become a Death Eater and what made him come back?

"Why do you continue to fight?" Snape asked after a short pause. Harry didn't get a chance to answer, as Snape almost immediately stated, "And spare me from your arrogance. You're not the hero."

"If you say so," Harry told him quietly.

"What makes you think that you are?" Snape asked waspishly. "You are nothing more than a sixteen year-old boy who finds himself in more trouble than he can handle far too often. More often than not, it's because you stuck your nose in were it didn't belong." Harry glared at the man. He would never be able to figure him out. They were actually being civil and then he had to go and say that. "You're nothing more than a boy without parents, without a family, and without any drive to live to see tomorrow."

"If you say so," he said quietly. As they had talked the moon had set and the sun had risen. The sun was streaming in, but thankfully the east was at his back, so the sun wasn't in his eyes.

"I do," Snape replied knowingly.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Madame Pomfrey said cheerfully as she walked into the hospital wing an hour later. "Let's see how you both are. You first, Severus." Harry laid his head back and ignored the "Tut, tut," that continued to come from her. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay another day, Severus."

She walked over to Harry and took out her wand. She murmured a spell and a translucent white light shone from it. She passed it slowly over his body, but didn't say anything, good or bad. She waved her wand when she was done and the light disappeared. She carefully removed the bandages of his right arm and told him to wiggle his fingers.

"Does that hurt?" she asked softly. Harry shook his head no. "Now bend your wrist. Good, now rotate it. Does it hurt?" Once again Harry shook his no. "Now bend your elbow. Does that hurt?" Harry shook his head no once more. Other than being a little sore it was fine.

She went to the other side of the bed and took off the bandages from his burn. Harry had to grit his teeth when she got to the last layer. "I'm sorry, but the burn wouldn't heal with magic. The burn salve that I put on will help, but it will be slow. I'll teach Molly how to change the bandages so that you can leave."

"When will that be?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Today, if the Headmaster gives his approval," she replied smiling at his whoop of joy. "Until then you may stay in your dorm. You must come to see me at noon for a new bandage." Harry nodded and smiled at her. "If you hurry up, you'll make it for breakfast. Here are some robes for you to put on. I'll just move the screens in place for you."

Harry left the hospital wing happy. Just as the door was about to shut he turned around and walked back to Snape's bed. "I'd just like to thank you again," he said quietly. "And I hope you get better soon, Professor Snape." Harry turned and walked slowly out the hospital, trying desperately not to run.

"Have a good morning, Harry," he heard the Potions Master reply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Harry!" Ginny shouted, running from her spot at the house table and hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her the best he could, but he couldn't bend his left arm quite right. "I didn't think she'd let you out so soon," she continued, happily leading him to the table. Only a handful of the students had decided to remain at Hogwarts and Harry couldn't see Ron or Hermione.

"Where is everyone?" Harry asked after sitting down. He piled food onto his plate. He knew he hadn't eaten properly since Friday morning and he was starving.

"At home," she replied laughing. "I disobeyed orders and floo-ed here without anyone. That's how much I'm willing to risk for you." Harry smiled down at her and kissed her cheek softly.

"Thanks, Gin," he told her from the bottom of his heart. He owed a lot to this girl.

"It's no problem, luv," she replied, squeezing his right hand. He didn't want to let go of her hand but he needed it to eat.

"Gin, can I have my hand, please?" he asked, teasing her.

"What? Oh, sorry," she said, blushing ever so slightly.

"Why were you in here then?" Harry asked curiously.

"I thought I should tell someone that I was here, so I told Professor McGonagall," she replied pointing at the head table. Harry nodded and dug into his food. Ginny watched him with a smile, laughing at him every once in a while. Harry ignored her and concentrated on eating. It wasn't until she tickled his knee that he turned to her again.

"Oh sure, just tickle the cripple," Harry said sarcastically.

"Yep!" she said brightly. She brushed her lips against his and then tickled him again. Harry reached out with his right hand and returned fire. After a few minutes they stopped and Harry noticed that several people were staring.

"See what you did?" Harry said, motioning to the rest of the room with his head. Ginny just laughed. They sat in silence and Ginny let Harry finish eating. The Great Hall emptied out as Harry took his time eating. He was finally done, so Ginny got up to leave. Harry was about to stand too when the Great Hall doors burst open. Harry saw Mrs. Weasley in a towering rage.

"Ginevra Weasley!" she started to yell. Harry noticed the all of the Weasley boys and Hermione enter behind her. "I told you that you could NOT come to Hogwarts by yourself! I went into your room and found you gone! Hermione didn't know where you were! Ron didn't know were you were! None of your brothers or your father knew! I thought you were better behaved than Ron and the twins! I'd expect them to leave without a note! They've done it before!" Harry decided that he couldn't watch Ginny fade under her mother's wrath any longer. He stood up and smiled at Mrs. Weasley. "You leave without telling a soul - oh good morning Harry - and we spend--" She stopped and looked at Harry again.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said cheerfully, standing in front of Ginny.

"You're out of bed," she said without thinking.

"Yes, it appears that I am," Harry said with a laugh. Everyone joined him, even Mrs. Weasley. "I'm sorry if I got Ginny in trouble," he said lying. "I floo-ed and she was the only one around. I told her that I was bored and needed someone to eat with. She didn't want to get Ron up--it was too early--and she didn't want to get Hermione in trouble, so she left by herself." Ginny grabbed his hand and squeezed it thankfully.

"That's very nice of you to try and get her out of trouble, Harry," Mrs. Weasley began, "but Ginny completely ignored what I told her by coming here without someone."

"I begged her to come, Mrs. Weasley," Harry told her earnestly. "There was no way she wasn't going to come."

Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry and then to the smiling Ginny behind him. "She should have left a note," Mrs. Weasley said weakly.

"Yes she should have," Harry said agreeing with her. He turned around and faced Ginny. "You should leave a note the next time you leave home without permission," he told her sternly. Ginny had a hard time keeping her face straight. "I'm disappointed in you, Gin," he said angrily, but he was smiling at her. "You shouldn't let me convince you to go against your mum's commands. You need to be stronger than that next time."

"Harry, if you're done convincing us that you're lying," Hermione said cutting him off, "you can tell us when you can come back to the Burrow." Harry turned around and smiled.

"As soon as the Headmaster says so," he said happily.

"And what if the Headmaster said never?" Dumbledore asked from directly behind Ginny. Harry laughed as he felt Ginny jump in fright. "I'm sorry, Ginevra. I didn't mean to startle you." Ginny grimaced at the use of her full name, but Harry smiled at the old man.

"I'd like to talk with you, sir," he said meaningfully.

"Molly," Dumbledore said turning to Mrs. Weasley, "Poppy just informed me that, in order for Harry to leave with you today, you must learn how to apply his bandages for his burn." Molly nodded and hurried up the stairs to the infirmary.

"Go with her, Gin," Harry whispered in her ear. "I'd rather you change them." She smiled at him and followed her mum, dragging Hermione behind her.

"Harry, would you like to talk with Professor Dumbledore on your own?" Ron asked slightly hurt. Harry thought about it. That wasn't why he sent Ginny, but they all thought it was.

"I would like to speak to Harry alone," Dumbledore clarified. "Charlie, Hagrid has received an interesting shipment today. I'm sure you'd like to take a look. All of you, except Ronald, are invited to take a look, actually. Hagrid won't let any of his students see until their classes begin."

"What should I do?" Ron asked hopelessly as his brothers and father headed to Hagrid's.

"Go up to the hospital wing and be with Hermione," Harry told him. "I'll meet you guys in the common room later?" Ron nodded and Harry left with Professor Dumbledore.

They walked up to his office in silence; Harry was thinking about everything he didn't know how to do. They stood still as the spiraling stair case lead them to the office door.

"Please have a seat, Harry," Dumbledore said, motioning to the chair next to Thia. "What do you want to learn, Harry?"

Harry thought about the answer for a moment. His first reply was wrong; he felt like saying he wanted to learn how to survive this Prophecy. However, he knew Dumbledore would take it the wrong way. He wanted to learn everything out there. Anything that might help him out in the long run.

"I need to learn more spells," Harry answered finally. "I need to learn some healing and I need to get into better shape." He stopped for a moment and thought again. "I need to learn how to see everything without taking the time to analyze it. I need to spend more time with Occulmency."

"I have some -- let's call them friends -- that can help you," Thia finally said after glancing at Dumbledore. "One's a battle healer, another's a spell master, and the last one specializes in physical training. They'll be able to help you a lot."

"Will they be willing to help teach him?" Dumbledore asked.

"I believe so," Thia answered, after a moment's pause. "They all owe me huge favours so they should be willing with that added on." Dumbledore nodded. There was a pause as Dumbledore thought about something.

"I'll need to drop classes," Harry finally said. "I'm not giving up the D.A. or Quidditch and I'd still like to train with Thia."

Dumbledore thought about this for a moment. "I'm not sure, Harry. What classes would you drop?"

Harry's first thought was Potions, but he realized that he didn't want to. "Herbology and... Charms," he finally thought. "Herbology was always a filler course and if I'm learning from a Spell Master, there have to be some charms in there somewhere."

Dumbledore thought about it with a frown. "You can't make him give up the things he finds joy in, Professor," Thia said softly. "He's got to have some free time with his friends and time to do the things that he loves. And the students get a lot out of the D.A. I'm impressed with how much they learn from him." Dumbledore looked at her for a while, then he turned his gaze onto the blushing Harry.

"Very well, you may drop those two classes. However, I would still like you to sit the N.E.W.T. Level Charms exam at the end of your seventh year." Harry nodded.

"Fair enough," he replied. "When can I go back to the Burrow?"

"Tomorrow," Dumbledore said with authority. "I want you to stay here one more day and then you can go." Harry nodded once again, but he wasn't happy.

"Can Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stay the night?" Harry asked hopefully.

"I don't think so," Dumbledore said with a frown. "Think of it as your punishment for not telling me about Voldemort's threat to Severus."

"I still think he needed to pick on his own," Harry said bristling.

"I would disagree with you on this one, Harry," Dumbledore said sternly.

"You can't just force him to do whatever you like!" Harry yelled at him. He hadn't realized that his temper had risen. "You can't just force him to spy his whole life!"

"I have never forced him too," Dumbledore replied calmly.

"Do you really think that he would have just said, 'Hey, I don't feel like spying anymore, so I quit.'?" Harry asked surprised. "He's not like that. Very few people are!" Harry shook his head in surprise. "No one wants to disappoint you, Professor! None of us would quit on you for a stupid reason like fear or weariness or pain or any of the other billion things he had to put up with as our spy! I watched him and other Death Eaters get the crap beaten out of them just because someone else messed up and they were nearby!"

"He accepted those--" Dumbledore started, but Harry cut him off.

"He accepted those dangers when he was in his early twenty's if not late teens! He's almost forty! He's not young anymore and experiencing the Cruciatus regularly can't be good for anyone!" Harry took a deep breath. "He needed a chance to switch sides this time around. The last time the opportunity presented itself, he took it and became our spy. This time he couldn't make up his mind. In the end his decency won out and he's still on our side. He needed to make sure that he was fighting the fight he believed in or at the very least fighting against the side he's against."

Dumbledore surveyed Harry over his half moon glasses. There was a long silence as both Thia, thoroughly surprised at Harry's outburst, and Harry, a bit surprised himself, waited for Dumbledore's response. "You can't just force him to fight for you, Professor," Harry added quietly. "If you do then you aren't that much better than Tom." Harry watched as a cloud passed over Dumbledore's eyes, but it was gone quickly.

"You're right, Harry," Dumbledore finally said. "I never thought of it like that. Your friends, though, still cannot stay here for the night." Harry was stunned and just stared at Dumbledore.

"Why not, Professor?" Thia asked him, also taken aback. Dumbledore, it appeared, was deep in thought.

"Because I said so," Dumbledore finally said with all the authority he had. "There's only one Gryffindor boy here this Christmas and I dare say he'll let you bunk with him."

"Please let them stay," Harry said quietly.

"I am sorry, Harry," Dumbledore said in a voice of finality, "but, alas, I cannot let them stay."

"Well, I'm going to go find them and tell them that," Harry said bitterly. "Have a good morning, Professor Dumbledore. See you later, Thia." Harry left the room quickly and jumped down the stairs, too angry to wait for them to take him down.

"I hope you have a good reason for this, Professor," Thia said after the door shut.

"Oh, I do," Dumbledore said with a smile. "You'll contact your 'friends'?"

"Yes, I'll send the letters today."

"Good."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's the matter, luv?" Ginny asked an hour and a half later. He hadn't felt like going to the common room so had gone to his cliff in the Room of Requirement.

"Nothing," he lied angrily. Ginny gave him a worried look and went over to stand next to him. The weather was stormy again and the wind blew out to sea. Hermione and Ron took seats under the oak tree and let Ginny deal with the angry boy.

"We've been looking for you, luv," Ginny said, taking his right hand in hers. It felt odd to be on this side of him. She was usually on the other side so that she could still use her dominant left hand. "How long have you been here?"

"An hour," Harry answered shortly. "Maybe a little longer."

"Why didn't you come to the common room?" Ginny asked, sitting down with her feet hanging over the edge. Harry sat with her and Ginny snuggled into him.

"I needed to think," he said quietly. He owed so much to this wonderful girl next to him. He wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for her. "I'm sorry that I didn't go get you guys from the common room, but I needed to think alone."

"About what, luv?" she asked, looking up at his face. Harry smiled at her and kissed her quickly.

"About life in general," Harry answered vaguely. He felt Ginny's temper rise and he prepared for her shout.

"And what about life in general do you need to think about?" she asked calmly, surprising Harry. He looked down at her angry face and smiled at her. She hit him in the chest and Harry laughed.

"Oh, I had to compare the beauty of the rising sun to the beauty of my girlfriend," he said dreamily. "I decided the sun rise faded in comparison to her."

"I'm serious, luv, what were you thinking of?" Harry looked at her. When had she started to call him that? He decided that he would wait to ask her when Ron wasn't sitting right behind them.

"I was thinking of the new training I'm going to have," he answered her tiredly. "How stupid the Prophecy is. I was thinking about Snape for a bit." Ginny noticed that the normal venom that usually accompanied Snape's name was lacking. "How aggravating Dumbledore can be. How I need to apologize for yelling at him once again." Harry ran his fingers through his hair. His arm went back to its spot on Ginny's shoulder but he didn't continue.

"What else, luv?" Ginny asked. Harry looked at her, startled; he really didn't want to say it aloud.

"I was thinking of death," he finally answered. "And what I'd miss out on if I die because of this." Ginny froze in shock. Harry looked away from her and turned his eyes towards the stormy horizon.

"I don't ever want you to think of that again, Mr. Harry Potter," she finally said, furious. "Ever! You will survive!" She stopped and forced his chin down to look at her. "You have to believe that you will! You have to live," she said quietly. Harry wasn't sure, but he thought she had added 'for me' on the end.

"But it's still a possibility, Gin," he replied seriously. "I would have died Friday, had Snape not saved me. I owe him my life." Ginny looked at him worriedly, but Harry ignored it. "I keep getting lucky when I face Voldemort. My mum protects me with an ancient charm. Voldemort's curse rebounds on him. Ancient charm protects me from the grasp of Quirrell. Voldemort flees without a host. Fawkes and the Sorting Hat come to my rescue when I'm trying to rescue you. Voldemort's memory fades away, destroyed by the fang stuck in my arm. I only survive because of Fawkes. I only survived the duel in the graveyard because we have brother wands. I won the Priori Incantatem and was able to escape because the cup was a portkey back. The only reason I survived meeting Voldemort this summer was because Dumbledore showed up to duel with him. And this time, well, Snape took the punishment." Harry stopped and looked at Ginny, his eyes full of anguish. "How can I be so lucky and how can I expect to stay so lucky?"

"I don't know if it was luck, luv," she answered quietly. "Your mum's love saved you the first two times. Your loyalty to Dumbledore, which is a form of love, and true Gryffindor-ism saved you second year. Your will power saved you fourth year and your love for your parents and Sirius saved you last year. As for Snape, well I don't know what made him do it, but it had to be a strong emotion to take that punishment."

Harry looked at her with astonishment; he had never thought of it like that. Had love actually saved him every year? Harry shook his head to try and clear it from the extra thoughts that crowded it. "Maybe, Gin, but how can I count on it next time?" Ginny rolled her eyes at him and didn't answer.

They sat together in silence, each thinking their own thoughts. Had they spoken them out loud they would have been surprised at how similar they were. Harry promised himself that no matter what happened to him, he'd make sure that his three friends would survive. He couldn't forget, however, that if they did survive without him that probably meant Voldemort had won, and so it wouldn't be a life worth living.

Ginny, on the other hand, was promising herself that come what may she would make sure Harry survived it. She didn't care if Voldemort died or not, Harry had to survive. Not just survive, but also be able to live his life afterwards. She could tell how much this affected him. He had grown up too much since the graveyard.

"Thanks, Gin," he said after a while. He squeezed her arm where his hand was and looked at her.

"For what?" Ginny asked, slightly confused, but very curious.

"For giving me the necklace," he said with a smile.

"You already thanked me for that, luv," she scolded him lightly.

"Yeah, but it saved my life," he told her. "I couldn't think of a happy thought when the Dementor was lowering its hood to kiss me, but its hands pushed the stone into my neck and I thought of you." He smiled at her. "You're a life saver, Gin."

"Oh, luv," she said, launching herself at him. He didn't mind the hug, but it caused him to loose his balance. His burnt arm couldn't support his weight and they toppled over the edge of the cliff. He heard Hermione scream and Ron curse, but he and Ginny were laughing. They had fallen only two or three feet to the sandy beach below.

He looked up to the cliff, now appearing to be hundreds of feet high, and waved to the tiny figures of Ron and Hermione. He and Ginny started to walk along the beach, happy to be together and relatively alone. That, however, didn't last long. There was a loud thud and Hermione and Ron ran to catch up.

"You never told us about that," Hermione said accusingly.

"Yes I did," Harry replied. "When you thought I was going to jump, I told you that there was a safety net. Well, that's the safety net." The four walked along the beach for a couple hours, talking about mundane things like Quidditch (the Holyhead Harpies were first in league and weren't looking back) and school and what they hoped to get for Christmas in two days. Nevertheless, underneath it all they couldn't forget about what one of them would need to do, and they couldn't help but believe that they wouldn't all survive this war.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He won't let us stay!" Ron yelled at supper that night. "Why not?"

"I don't know," Harry said tiredly. He had waited as long as he could to tell them about the plans. "He wouldn't tell me why."

"Maybe if we talked to him?" Gin said hopefully.

"No, I don't think so," Harry said, shaking his head. "He has his mind set and nothing is going to change it. He's a pretty stubborn person."

"I'm worse," Ginny said angrily. Harry smiled at her.

"I know, Gin, but let's pick our battles," he told her. "It's only one night and I want to go Neville's later this break, so we'll give him this one."

Ginny nodded angrily and the other two gave in. The other Weasleys were at the head table discussing Order business. Harry didn't mind that, because it gave him time to be with his friends. Supper ended and Harry walked them down to the castle entrance. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione would be talking a portkey back and the others were going to apparate back because it was easier.

"Bye, luv," Ginny said as she hugged him good-bye.

"I'm coming home tomorrow, Gin," he told her with a laugh. "It's not like we won't see each other for years." He swore he heard her say, 'you never know,' but he wasn't sure.

Harry said good-bye to every one else and waited until they left. He then walked slowly up to the castle, feeling slightly deserted. He knew it wasn't their fault that they had to leave, but he already missed them. He had no idea what he was going to do until ten o'clock the next morning when he would arrive at the Burrow.

Once in the common room Harry was surprised to see that only five students were still here. There were four girls from the third and fourth years and one boy in his first year. Harry walked over to the lone boy and smiled at him.

"Hey, I'm Harry," he said holding out his hand. The boy took it, his face filled with awe.

"I'm..." but he couldn't get his mouth to form his name; he blushed. "Sorry, I'm Christopher Harens."

"It's nice to meet you, Christopher." Harry looked at the boy. He looked lonely and bored. "Do you go by Chris or Christopher?"

"Whatever," he answered with a shrug. "Most people just call me Christopher."

"Mind if I call you Chris?" Harry asked. He had the feeling that this boy didn't have many friends.

"No," Chris said quickly. They sat in silence for a little bit, but it didn't take Harry long to realize that the boy was working on Charms homework.

"What are you learning about in Charms, Chris?" Harry asked politely. He couldn't remember any spells he had learnt during those first two years.

"Oh," Chris said blushing, "I'm working on some extra work. I don't get Charms, so Professor Flitwick gave me extra homework."

"What spell are you working on?" Harry asked nicely. He would miss Flitwick when he dropped that class.

"This is for the floating spell," he answered pointing at the paper in front of him. "I've got loads of others though."

"Wingardium Leviosa?" Harry asked. The boy nodded and Harry let out a laugh. This caused the boy to blush and the girls to look over at them. "Sorry, I'm not laughing at you, but at my best mate Ron. He had loads of problems with that spell."

"He did?" Chris asked quietly.

"Well, he did until he used it to knock out a troll," Harry said laughing harder.

"He did what?" Chris asked surprised. The girls had heard him too and were pretending not to listen in.

"It was our first year on Halloween. We had Charms that day and Ron was paired up with Hermione," Harry said reminiscently.

"Bet he liked that," one of girls said before she could stop herself. Her face turned red as Harry looked over at them and laughed.

"Let's go sit by the fire so that they don't have to strain their necks," Harry said to Chris, still laughing. Chris nodded and the two walked over. The girl sitting in his favorite chair jumped out and Harry took it. "Sorry I laughed at you," he said to the girl who had spoken, "but you couldn't have been more wrong."

"Why?" she asked perplexed. "You three have always been best friends and she's good at helping people learn spells."

Harry smiled and shook his head, "We weren't friends yet and she was, in the words of Ron, 'a nightmare.' She was the worst kind of know-it-all and she made sure everyone knew it." He stopped and shook his head at the memories. "That Charms class, Flitwick had introduced us to the incantation of the Levitating Charm. We had been practicing the wand movement for a week or two, but this was the first day that we would try to get a feather to rise. Ron tried a few times but couldn't get it to work. Hermione told him in her bossiest voice exactly what he was doing wrong. 'You're saying it wrong. It's Wing-gar-dium Levi---o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long.'" Everyone started to laugh at Harry's impression.

"That's what she sounded like too. Ron snapped and told her to do it if she was so smart. Of course, she did, and she was the only one to manage it that day. Ron was so annoyed by the end of class. As we were walking to our next class, Ron started to complain about her. He called her a nightmare and said that she didn't have any friends."

"That wasn't very nice," the girl who had first interrupted said. Harry thought her name was Vani, but he wasn't sure.

"No, but it was the brutal truth," Harry said with a shrug. "Even Hermione will admit that she was bad those first two months. It was our luck that she was right behind us and heard everything he said, and all the laughs it brought. She pushed past us and went to a bathroom to cry. Well, we didn't know that at the time and I think it's the only time Hermione has willingly missed classes." He stopped putting everything in order.

"We went to the feast and Lavender told us that she was in the bathroom crying. It was a good feast, the house elves out did themselves as they always do." Harry grimaced as he thought about their Dark Arts teacher. "Professor Quirrell was the Dark Arts teacher that year and he came running into the room screaming about some troll in the dungeon."

"So that's true!" the first girl said. "I thought Parvati was just trying to tease me."

"Oh yeah, it's true," Harry said ruefully. "As we were walking up to the common room I remembered that Hermione was in a bathroom crying. I made Ron turn back with me and we went to find her. As we were walking we noticed this odour. Nothing has ever come close to that smell. The troll walked into the corridor and into a room. We hurried over and locked the door triumphantly." Harry stopped with a smile.

"I thought you said Ron knocked him out," Chris said accusingly.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll get to that," Harry said with a small laugh. "We were going to head back, when we were stopped by a high pitched scream. We realized two things quite quickly. One, that room was the girl's bathroom. And two, Hermione was locked in there with the troll."

"What did you do?" the girl he thought was Vani asked.

"Hush, Cassandra, let him tell the story," one of the fourth years commanded sternly.

"We rushed back, threw open the door, and saw Hermione shrinking against a wall. The troll was advancing on her, knocking off sinks as he went." Harry stopped and tried to stop the fit a laughter that was threatening to erupt.

"That's not funny," the bossy fourth year told him.

"It wasn't then, but it is now," Harry told her. "Ron and I started to scream at it to confuse it. The troll looked around, saw me, and decided that it wanted to go after me instead. Ron shouted something at it and threw a pipe at it. It didn't notice the pipe hit him, but he looked at Ron because he heard the yell. I ran to Hermione and tried to get her to move. She was frozen solid from fright."

"Is this when Ron knocked him out?" Chris asked excitedly.

"No, I'm getting there," Harry said with a laugh. "The troll was very confused and because of that it was very angry. It went after Ron, but Ron couldn't escape. I then did the stupidest or bravest thing I have ever done; it all depends on how you look at it. I jumped onto the troll's back"

"You did what?" the bossy fourth year asked, completely surprised.

"Be quiet, Lara," Cassandra chided her.

"I take it you think it was rather stupid," Harry asked her. She nodded and Harry laughed. "I would have to agree. The troll didn't feel me on his neck, but he did notice my wand up his nose and he went berserk. He was trying to club me or snatch me off when Ron pulled out his own wand and cast the greatest Wingardium Leviosa I've ever seen. The troll's club floated ten or so feet into the air and then fell on it's skull with a gross crunch. The troll fell flat on its face and I pulled my bugger covered wand out of his nose."

"Did you get in trouble?" the only girl who hadn't said anything asked.

"Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell came into the room soon after. She started yelling at us when Hermione told her first lie," Harry said proudly. "Not that I endorse lying to teachers, but a good lie can save some house points. She told them that she had run off to battle the troll and that we had come to find her. She lost her first, and I think almost only, points, and Ron and I won five points each. We've been best friends ever since and I couldn't ask for better ones."

"When did she lose other points?" Cassandra asked when she was sure he was finished.

Harry smiled and thought of Norbert. "Well that same year--"

The common room door slammed open and a very angry looking Madam Pomfrey stormed in. "Mr. Potter would you care to tell me what time it is?" Harry swallowed a smile and stood up. He felt his height would better serve him if he stood and towered over her.

"I'm guessing that it's past seven," he said calmly.

"Yes, could you please tell me the exact time!" she snapped at him. Harry glanced at his watch and was surprised to see that it was past eight.

"Eight twenty," he paused and counted the minutes, "three exactly."

"And what time were you supposed to come up to the hospital wing so that I could change that bandage?" she asked angrily.

"At exactly seven thirty," Harry said bending his head down. Playing meek usually got her happy.

"Exactly, now explain why I am here and you are not there!" she commanded him.

"Quite simple," Harry told her, "I was telling these wonderful Gryffindors about the troll in the dungeons my first year and how Ron used a Levitating Charm to knock it out."

"You did what!" she yelled at him. "You will give them ideas and I'll be taking care of them next, Mr. Potter. It's bad enough that you spend so much time in my wing, but encouraging others in your footsteps? Tsk, tsk."

"Oh well, it's a good thing you arrived then," Harry said thankfully. "I was just about to tell them about baby Norbert."

"Who's baby Norbert?" she asked warily.

"Oh, he was our pet dragon back in first year," Harry explained absently.

"You had a dragon?" she asked faintly.

"Yeah," Harry said rolling his eyes as if dragons were common pets. The five students were staring at him in awe and Madam Pomfrey looked as if she was about to faint. "Don't you remember that nasty bite Ron had first year? He was in the hospital wing for several days." He ushered her out of the common room and up to the infirmary. He let her bandage his arm and he headed back to the common room without her.

He spent the next several hours telling them about Norbert, the Deathday Party, blowing up Aunt Marge, Draco Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret, Ron's dress robes, detention with Umbridge, and, for Chris's sake, the sheer genius that was the Weasley twins' good-bye gift to the school.

He went to bed in the first year's dorm late that night. He had to admit, no matter how rough life had been, he had always had something to laugh about.