Time and Again

Chapter One

Voldemort's Reign

Everything was silent as the door to the Riddle House opened once more. As Nagini slithered inside looking for her master, a single word was whispered into the night.

"Come," Voldemort said from the red armchair in front of the fire. "I've been waiting days, Nagini. Where have you been?" The snake slithered towards Voldemort, hissing and spitting all the while. "You do not take orders from Wormtail any longer. I nearly starved to death."

The snake hissed loudly.

"Come and found you? Do you really think I could've come and found you? No, it is too risky for me to travel alone, now that the word is out that I'm back to full power. Where is Wormtail, Nagini?"

The snake hissed loudly again

"The woods. Getting firewood? What is he, a muggle?" Voldemort spat. He knew Wormtail was a little idiotic, but collecting firewood?

"Nagini," he started, but was cut off by a short, rounded man with a bald head walking through the door noisily.

"My Lord, I'm t-t-terribly s-sorry," Wormtail stuttered. "I had no idea we would be gone so long--."

"Silence!" Voldemort roared. "You are not a muggle! You have MAGIC!" Voldemort cast the Cruciatus Curse in Wormtail's direction. It hit him in the face and he immediately started twitching and screaming. Voldemort, laughing to himself, walked across the room and stared down at Wormtail.

"I've been wanting to do that for a long time, Wormtail, but you never did give me enough reason." He pointed his wand again at Wormtail and muttered, "Finite." Wormtail stopped twitching but continued to scream. "Shut up!" Voldemort snapped, and Wormtail fell silent once again.

"I could end your life right now, you know," Voldemort continued, "But I need the companionship." Voldemort slowly back over to the armchair, though he did not sit down. He gazed in to the fire, and started mumbling to himself. "Dumbledore hasn't seen the last of me. Though, I'm sure he's aware of that." A grin stretched widely across his face. He started to laugh; that cold, high-pitched laugh that was never a good sign.

* * *

Harry wanted to hear more, but at that moment Hermione was shaking him awake for the third time that day.

"Harry, wake up! We'll be there in fifteen minutes!"

"All right, I'm up!" he exclaimed. He looked over at the window and stared out at the beautiful landscape. He had never mastered Occlumency. Snape's lessons were always so difficult; he had been practicing for a year and a half now, and was still going nowhere.

"Seventeen," he said sadly. "I can't believe that this is our last year at Hogwarts."

"Please don't go into that rant about the Dursleys again!" Ron pleaded.

"I won't, I won't," Harry grumbled, turning back to Hermione. "I mean, after this year I'll have to live with them for month and a half. It bites!"

"I thought you said that you weren't going to go into the rant again!" Ron screeched. "Please don't."

"I said I won't!" Harry replied. "We might as well get changed now. We're going to be there soon."

Chapter Two

To Hogwarts Again

As the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station, the three were happy and ready to be stepping off the train and into the open air. But the happy feeling immediately dissolved as a very unhappy voice greeted them.

"Ron, Harry, Hermione. How are ya'?" It was Hagrid, the Hogwarts Gamekeeper and the Care of Magical Creatures teacher.

"Hey Hagrid," Ron glared at him for a moment. "What happened to you?" It was almost immediately apparent as to why Hagrid sounded unhappy. He was covered in bruises and large cuts, and he had a few leaves and twigs tangled into his hair and beard. His clothes had large rips and tears in them, almost as though someone had sliced through them with a carving knife. There was fresh blood covering his left shoulder, and this led to Harry's next question.

"When did this happen? It looks as if you cut yourself up not even a moment ago, then came out here to greet students!"

"Me and Grawp had a row," Hagrid replied with a grunt. "He wanted ter go home, but I says 'No, Grawpy, yer stayin'."

"Hagrid," Hermione said. "You were supposed to have found a new home for him. After he killed Bane the centaur last year, you were supposed to move him, remember?"

"I know, but I couldn' let him go out there all alone! Besides, he don' have nowhere ter go."

"So, can he speak in full sentences yet?" said Harry, changing the subject.

"No, no' yet, but he's real close," Hagrid replied. "He's still callin' me Haggar an' he's been askin' fer Hermy all summer." Hagrid nodded toward Hermione and she smiled weakly. "Sorry, but I have ter get goin'. Firs' years this way!" he shouted over the crowd, and many bewildered first years looked at him as if he were a joke.

"Bye Hagrid!" They said, and strode off towards the thestral-strung carriages. The three of them climbed in with Ginny (Harry blushed at this, he had had a crush on her since early last year) and rode silently up towards the castle. When the carriage came to a halt near the castle gates, the four of them hopped out, Ron whispering to Harry:

"Just ask her out already! You know she won't turn you down!" Every time Ron was to say this, Harry's reply was the same:

"No, later." Harry wasn't embarrassed by his crush; it was just that he needed time to think about how to phrase the question.

The four of them walked through the castle doors, half-expecting for Peeves to be there with ammo. But, no Peeves, and for once there was peace in the hall. Though this didn't last long. Half way through the feast, Peeves burst in with water balloons and was sling-shotting them through the hall. As soon as the Bloody Baron, ghost of Slytherin House, had gotten Peeves to calm down and leave the Great Hall, the feast continued. When everyone was done eating, Professor Dumbledore stood up to make his usual announcements.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts everyone! As you know, this year we have a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, as we have for the past six years. This, everyone, is Professor Lanric! I hope you all will find his classes exciting." Professor Lanric stood up, and everyone burst into wild and enthusiastic applause.

"Why is everyone acting like this? He's just a teacher," Harry said, but Ron and Hermione looked at him as though he had lost his mind.

"Are you telling me that you have never heard of Roger Lanric?" Ron exclaimed as he stared at the Professor in awe. "The famous Quidditch player for Ireland? He was the best beater they ever had!"

"Ron, you know I'm not good with Quidditch teams," Harry shot back at him. "I live in the muggle world! Am I supposed to read up on all the Quidditch teams in Europe?"

"No! I was just saying that...well, I figured you might have heard of him over the years that you have come to the Burrow. I mean, Fred and George used to talk about him all the time while they were at home!"

"Well, not while I was around 'cause I've never heard of him!" Harry shouted at Ron, pointing at the High Table while doing so.

"Do you two mind? I'm trying to listen to Professor Dumbledore!" Hermione shot at them, and they both became quiet.

"...Remember, Weasleys Wizard Wheezes are not allowed at Hogwarts this year, especially after what happened to Seamus Finnigan last year. I'd rather not have any broken necks again this year." There were many small laughs from the students before he continued on. "This year, we will be having a new Head Boy and Girl, as we do every year. They are Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." There was scattered applause that died rather quickly. "Well, that will be all. I'm sure you all would like to get some rest before starting classes tomorrow so, off to bed with you!"

As Dumbledore finished, everyone got up from the house tables and left for their dormitories, longing for a good night's sleep. Harry and Ron walked towards Gryffindor Tower by themselves, as Hermione had to supervise the Great Hall with Malfoy. When they got to their dormitory, Harry and Ron were glad to be back with their roommates. Harry changed into his pajamas silently, as did Ron and they climbed into bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, Harry was fast asleep.