The Portkey Solution

CHAPTER 11 - Back to School

The last week before returning to Hogwarts flew by. Harry rushed to finish his summer homework and soaked up the water and sunshine while he could. Dumbledore had visited, telling Harry and Staci of Voldemort's escape and current incapacitated state. The Death Eaters seemed frozen in place, unable to do anything but wait by his bedside. Given the circumstances, it was decided that Harry could take the Hogwarts Express with minimal risk.

Harry packed on Thursday night, feeling a mixture of anticipation and regret that was completely new. Before, he had counted the days until his return to school, eager to escape the Dursleys. Now he had a home, a real one, and he didn't want to leave it so soon.

Staci understood. She helped him pack, chatting lightly about the times he would be able to come back for holidays and the visits she would make. They sat up late in the night, eating chocolate-chip biscuits fresh from the oven and watching a few of the old overdone musicals that Staci enjoyed: My Fair Lady, Meet Me in St. Louis. Harry finally dropped into bed and slept dreamlessly.

*****

They overslept the next morning and Staci consulted someone in the London Patterson's office by phone. Armed with a location, she witched up a quick Portkey to Kings Cross. They popped into view in an alley down the street from the station and walked quickly to Platform 9¾. When they arrived on the platform, Neville sprang forward to greet him, as did Dean Thomas. But Harry noticed people drawing away from him, and not just the Slytherins.

Staci got him settled in a compartment. While they were putting Hedwig in her cage on the overhead shelf, Hermione found them. She had Crookshanks in a new type of carrier, a soft one with the entire top made of netting. It took up less space and Crookshanks seemed to like it much better than the old crate. He was sleeping, snoring loudly.

Harry stepped off the train with Staci and she gave him one final hug. "Remember, send me a note by Hedwig or call me if you need anything. You'll have to get out beyond Hogsmeade to make the phone work, unfortunately, but you can also send word through the Patterson's branch there. It's behind the joke shop."

The Weasleys came pounding through the barrier, all at once. The whistle blew for final boarding and Harry and Staci dashed forward to help load them up. Harry waved from the door as Staci stepped back with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Ron, Ginny, and the twins stowed their belongings in a vacant compartment and joined Harry. They talked about the Washington trip, about Voldemort, and about the coming school year. Hermione joined them after seeing to the other carriages, as was her duty as a prefect. When talk turned to classes, she opened her satchel with a flourish.

"I've already got everything colour-coded and cross-referenced from our classes so far. Now we simply need to fill in the gaps. Bill was nice enough to lend me his old notes from his O.W.L. preparations, so that's a start."

Ron looked at her with disbelief. "Hermione, you're raving. We've got the whole year to study for those!"

She fixed a stern eye on him. "And what happens if Voldemort becomes a threat again? If he attacks Harry or disrupts the school? If for any reason we lose time in the spring? Think about how we've ended every year so far, Ronald Weasley, and then tell me I'm stupid to prepare in advance."

Ron opened his mouth to respond, but Ginny was nodding in agreement, the twins were grinning gleefully, and Harry was looking...guilty?

"Hang on, Harry. You can't think for a minute that it's your fault!" he cried.

As the others chimed in, Harry looked shame-faced but determined. "As long as I'm a target, you all should stay away from me. Voldemort's down, but he's not gone, and he could return at any time." Harry related Dumbledore's report and Hermione chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"I wonder if we can find the spell he used through research. It'd be useful to defend against Portkeys, but there might also be a way to block it. At least we've scored off him. He'll have to move even more cautiously than before."

Ron made an irked sound, still upset that he hadn't been in on that plan and the others clamoured for an explanation. By the time Hermione finished describing the spells they had used to create the Portkey, Fred and George were looking gleeful. Hermione glanced at them and began shaking her head. "Oh no, don't you two dare add Portkeys to your inventory! Your trick candies are dangerous enough!"

"Don't worry," Fred replied, unable to wipe the smile off his face.

George added, "We'll only use them for short distances, or send people places where they can get back easily."

"Except for Malfoy and the other Slytherins."

"Yeah, we can send those wanks to Greenhouse Five."

"Or under the Whomping Willow."

"Or the fens."

"Or Bulgaria."

Harry let their teasing continue without returning to the subject of Voldemort. Might as well have a bit of fun while they could. He leaned back and watched the green hills go by, wishing he could do without his friends' company but also comforted that they refused to go.

*****

Once in the station, Harry left the train with the others, still in a melancholy mood. He waved at Hagrid, who was sorting out the first years, and followed Ginny up the hill to the carriages that would take the others to the castle.

He stopped short when he crested the hill and saw the line of horseless carriages. They were no longer horseless. He scrubbed his eyes under his glasses while the others went around him and looked again. They were still there.

Things were pulling the carriages. They were roughly horse-sized and horse-shaped, but there the resemblance ended. They had lizard-like heads, black hairless skin, and bat-shaped wings. The skin hung on them as if they had no spare flesh at all and their eyes stared blank and white. Harry grabbed a twin's elbow. "What are those things pulling the carriages?"

It was Fred. "What things?"

Harry pointed at one. "Those things. The horses with wings."

Fred looked at the carriages and back at Harry, then burst into laughter. "Good one, Harry." He ran down the hill to catch up with the others.

Harry stood there a moment longer, willing the hallucination, if hallucination it was, to go away but the creatures stayed right where they were. Finally he realized he was about to get left behind. He jogged down the hill, to discover that the only carriage with space left included Neville and two unfamiliar students.

One was a Hufflepuff, a small black boy who appeared to be a second-year. The other was a Ravenclaw, a girl with stringy pale hair and huge eyes. She was possibly the oddest student he'd ever seen: her wand was tucked behind her left ear and she was reading a magazine upside-down. Neville was sitting next to her and looking quite uncomfortable. The Hufflepuff boy took one look at Harry and tried to unobtrusively slide as far away from him as possible.

The girl saw it and put down her magazine for a moment. "He won't bite, you know." The boy looked ashamed and Harry tried not to notice. The girl held out a hand with lime-green polish on the nails. "I'm Luna Lovegood, fourth year, Ravenclaw."

Harry shook. "Harry Potter, fifth year, Gryffindor."

"Oh, I knew that. Everyone does. And who are you?" She looked at the Hufflepuff boy.

"Thomas Atkinson, second year, Hufflepuff," the boy replied in a small voice.

She turned to Neville. "You're Longbottom, right?" Neville nodded. "I thought it would be you," she continued vaguely, and disappeared behind her magazine, still upside-down.

Harry raised his eyebrows at Neville, who shrugged and carefully tapped his temple out of Luna's sight. They had a while to go, so Harry asked Neville about his Herbology projects from the summer and was pleased when Thomas joined in shyly.

As they got out, Harry took another look at the shafts. The not-horses were still there. Luna laid a hand on his arm and gave him a knowing look. "They've always been there, you know."

Harry stared after her, not in the least comforted.

*****

The Sorting Ceremony and Welcome Feast were a quieter affair than usual. Harry had the feeling that the returning students were remembering the last time they had been in the Great Hall, draped in black to honour Cedric Diggory. The first years seemed to be taking their cue from the others. A cousin of Seamus', Tansy O'Rourke, was Sorted into Gryffindor.

For the first time since Harry began attending Hogwarts, September first had fallen on a Friday. As part of the announcements, Dumbledore informed the students that the weekend was free with classes starting promptly on Monday. Third-years and up had permission to go to Hogsmeade. The announcement distracted most of the students from the fact that Dumbledore had not announced who would be the new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher. Harry exchanged looks with Hermione and Ron, but none of them could think who might be taking over.

Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys sat around at their table for some time after the feast. Neville joined them, carrying a notepad, and he and Hermione soon had their heads together with some preparations for Snape's project.

He and Ron were describing the Washington zoo to Ginny when he felt a foot plant itself beside him on the bench. A familiar voice sneered, "So, Potter, back again after all? Not hiding away this year like you ought?"

Harry paused only a fraction of a second, then continued, "And you know what I think I like most of all? Most of the wizards there don't have the stupid separatist notions and pure-blood idiocy that a lot of families have over here. They accept that Muggles exist, they use Muggle ideas and inventions adapted to their use, and they don't have nearly as many slimy gits around."

Ginny and Hermione began giggling madly. George, sitting beside them, was trying very hard not to smile broadly. Even Neville was looking more amused than frightened. Malfoy's face must be a picture of annoyance. Ron glanced Malfoy's way and spoke up, "Let's go up to the tower. It suddenly smells vile around here."

They got up together and Harry pretended to be startled. "Oh, didn't see you there, Malfoy. Excuse me." Malfoy hadn't grown nearly as much as Harry in height, and Fred's burly presence parted Crabbe and Goyle as they brushed by. The latter pair still sported faint scars from the jumble of hexes they'd taken at the previous term's end; apparently Malfoy's parents had paid a great deal to tidy up their son.

It was a tremendous act of will, but none of them looked back to see the fury on Malfoy's face or Crabbe and Goyle's confusion. They made it up several flights of stairs before the twins collapsed into howls of glee, sparking laughter among the rest.

"That...was priceless..." Hermione gasped out. "I thought...Malfoy...was going to...explode..."

Harry slowly got control of himself. "I decided...to finally take...your advice...Hermione. It's not worth...getting into trouble with him anymore."

"Good," Hermione replied with heavy emphasis. She adjusted her new prefect badge. "I'd hate to agonize over having to turn you in for the next three years."

*****

The next morning, Harry was about to sit down to breakfast when Fred and George waved him over. They were sitting with Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet, Gryffindor's Chasers on the Quidditch team. Harry changed direction and joined them.

George plunged in immediately. "Since we've got the weekend, I say we get a jump on practice and on finding a Keeper to replace Wood." The others nodded. "I also say we need to name a new captain now." He looked at Fred.

"And I think we should do what we did last time. Look at the stability it gave us! If it weren't for a few unfortunate interferences, why, Oliver would have been captain of the winning team three years in a row instead of his last. So I nominate Harry as captain."

"Me?" Harry spat out a mouthful of toast. "I'm the youngest member of the team! I can't be captain!"

Katie reached over and patted his hand. "Think about it, Harry. You start as captain this year, while we're all here to help you. Then next year you don't get thrown into it without any experience. Like Fred said, the team did the same thing with Oliver. He was named captain his fourth year even though there were a couple of older players, but he learned fast and became a good leader. And now you'll have three years as captain to get our team rebuilt when we all graduate."

Harry looked from one face to another. They were all serious, all in agreement. "Well, it just doesn't feel right. One of you ought to be captain before you go."

"But none of us want it, Harry," Angelina replied with a smile. "It's thanks to you that our team became competitive again, and thanks to you that we won the Cup last year. We think you deserve to be captain now."

Harry gave in. "All right, all right. I accept. But you all had better be ready to help me a lot this year!"

George clouted him on the back as the others clapped and promised their support. "And for starters, I have a suggestion for replacing Wood at Keeper. I think Alicia should move over." Alicia looked mildly startled, but didn't object immediately. "Of the three of you, she's always been the best at deflecting the Quaffle, and she's been the one to hang back and guard the goals when Wood has been taken out. That way we replace a Chaser instead, one who will be able to learn on the go with two experienced players supporting her."

"Her?" Katie interrupted with raised eyebrows. "Is that a slip of the tongue because we've had female Chasers for so long or do you have someone in mind?"

Fred stepped in. "Actually, we do have someone in mind. Ginny."

Harry glanced over to where Ginny sat with her year group. "Why Ginny?"

"Because Ginny has a brilliant refurbished Nimbus 2000, courtesy of her loving brothers and has been practicing with us all summer. Because she's been picking up all our pointers bloody quick and come up with a few moves of her own. Because next year she'll be able to teach the new Chasers. Because as long as there's a Weasley on the team we have a better chance."

"Yeah, remember Charlie's time? The last time we won the Cup he was on the team," George chimed in.

Harry looked from one twin to the other, an idea teasing around in his head. "Hang on. Why wait until next year?"

They all looked at him, confused.

"Why wait until next year to choose replacements? If we have tryouts and create a team of reserves, well, they'll be ready to jump in first thing next year. And if we have any injuries, we won't have to play short or forfeit. The reserve player can step up for that game."

Angelina appeared floored. "That is a truly terrific idea, Harry! I can't believe no one ever thought of it before! How'd you think of it?"

"Well, Wood's a member of the reserve team for Puddlemere. And I've got a cousin in the States that's a reserve for the Boston Bats." Harry dimly remembered meeting the young woman among the crush at the Georgetown party. "She told me how she had to step up for the Seeker when he got ploughed."

"Let's do it!" Katie crowed. "Let's announce tryouts in the common room tonight!"

This time it was Fred who pounded him on the back. "Cracking start, Captain! It's going to be a great year!"

*****

Most of the Gryffindor fifth-years decided to go down to Hogsmeade together that morning. The conversation started out at light chatter, then Lavender Brown turned to Harry. Stiffly, she asked, "How was your summer?"

Harry couldn't keep the smile from bursting through. Lavender was startled; she'd never thought of Harry as handsome before, but the way his face lit up was a revelation.

"I spent the summer with my cousin on my dad's side. She's a witch, from America."

"Yeah, Harry and I went to Washington last weekend," Ron broke in. "We went to one of the Muggle museums, and you wouldn't believe the things Muggles have done!"

"Air and Space Museum," Harry told Dean Thomas in a very Draco-like drawl, and Dean laughed. They all began arguing good-naturedly about wizarding accomplishments versus Muggle ones: Harry, Dean and Hermione against Ron, Lavender and Pavarti Patil. Seamus stayed neutral, as did Neville. They kept up the discussion as they entered Honeydukes.

Even surrounded by multiple distractions, Harry noticed Cho Chang right away in a clutch of other Ravenclaw girls. She was looking longingly at the display of truffles but shook her head when the clerk came to assist her. Harry hung back within the other Gryffindors until Cho and her group had left. Then he checked his pocket and pulled out a Galleon.

"Excuse me? How much are the truffles?"

"Two for a Sickle, dear."

"And how many flavours are there?"

"Oh, I'm not sure there's a limit, dear. We keep coming up with new ones all the time."

"Which ones was that girl looking at?"

"Ah, she had her eye on the fruit ones. Strawberry and orange and peach and kumquat..."

"I'll take twelve, six different flavours. And wrapped for a gift."

She complied with a smile and Harry tucked the little silver box in his cloak. Perhaps he could get Dobby to deliver them...

They left Honeydukes and scattered. Harry wanted to find the Patterson's office and Ron and Hermione followed him willingly. They passed the road to the train station on the way back and Harry glanced at the smattering of people walking up, towing Weightless trunks behind them. One woman had conjured a trolley to carry hers and no wonder...she had at least four carriers, each with a yowling cat inside. Harry stopped so suddenly that Hermione nearly knocked him down. It couldn't be...

The woman spotted them and brightened. "Ah, Hogwarts students! Excellent. Perhaps you can tell me where the headmaster is likely to be at this time of day."

Hermione spoke up. "I'd try his office first. Second floor, look for the huge stone gargoyle. If he doesn't answer, Professor McGonagall probably can find him. Her office is on the first floor."

"Thank you, my dear."

Harry narrowed his eyes. The voice was different, with a slight accent, but it was her. "Could I ask what you want with Professor Dumbledore, Mrs. Figg?"

The woman with Mrs. Figg's face looked at him, eyes twinkling with humour. "And you would be Harry Potter, correct?"

Harry nodded. She continued, "I suspected as much. Arabella has written me so many times about you, wishing she could do more than just watch." She held out a hand. "Isabella McPherson Valora, your new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher. Arabella is my twin sister."

Harry's mouth dropped open as he registered her words, barely aware of his hand pumping up and down in hers. Hermione stepped forward to shake hands as well, and Ron followed her. Harry tried to gather his scattered wits and fell in step behind Hermione, who had started chatting with Professor Valora about her direction for the Defence Against Dark Arts class.

"I expect it will be quite different from anything you youngsters have had before. Our mother was Italian and our father Irish, you see. Arabella turned out to be a Squib and married a Muggle from Yorkshire, but found a place by helping where a witch or wizard couldn't be spared--" here she threw a kindly look back at Harry "--keeping an extra eye on our young friend, for example. I did my time at Hogwarts, but I was quite interested in Mother's side of the family and went to live in Venice. Married Signor Valora there, divorced him when he couldn't be English enough to suit me, and knocked about the Mediterranean until we got the stirrings that Old Snaketongue might not be as gone as we'd hoped."

They listened politely, getting the sinking feeling that Professor Valora's chattiness might carry over to her classes. Then Hermione stepped in. "What do you think you'll focus on? We've had a good solid year in Dark creatures, and we did learn a great deal about curses last year, despite everything..." she trailed off.

"Hexes, I think There's some that say they're lightweight spells, only useful for vermin or jokes, but even the smallest jinx in the right place can turn the tables, I say."

Hermione nodded. "And of course, we have the O.W.L.s coming up as well."

"Don't I know it! If you can survive the fifth year at Hogwarts, you can survive anything. Why, I remember..."

They entered the front gates and Harry and Ron slipped away unnoticed as Professor Valora began reminiscing for Hermione again.

*****

Classes began on Monday, and Harry resolved to give Divination one last try. Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures went smoothly enough, with Hagrid starting a very practical set of lessons on caring for owls, cats and other common companions. After lunch Harry and Ron climbed the long flights of steps to Professor Trelawney's tower, unsurprised that Lavender and Pavarti were already there, at their favourite table close to the fire. The boys retreated to their usual chairs near the window.

Professor Trelawney was dressed more soberly than before, in purples and blacks instead of her usual bright gauzy colours. She glided forward and spread out her arms. "My dears, my dear, dear students...of all the times to study the future...I was nearly tempted to retire rather than risk exposing you to the horrors that lay ahead of us, but one can never run from one's destiny, no matter how tragic it is." She looked significantly at Harry as she trailed off, causing the rest of the class to glance at him.

That's one, Harry thought.

"You all were instructed to bring a set of the Tarot with you this year. Please get them out now, and we will begin with the Major Arcana..."

Harry let her voice fade as he examined his deck. Staci had given him one from her school years, a Muggle set with rich colourful illustrations that included a cat in every scene. Ron poked him and he focused his attention back on Trelawney as she demonstrated a simple, five-card spread from the Major Arcana.

"Think of some current concern you have, my dears," she instructed. "Shuffle the cards in some way, mixing them as you concentrate, then lay out the cards. Refer to pages 85 through 95 of your books for interpretations."

Harry shuffled idly, wondering what Staci was up to now that he was back at school. He laid his cards out and opened his book.

His first card was the Emperor. Harry grimaced at the card, seeing the figure with a florid moustache and severe expression that reminded him of Vernon Dursley. The second card was the Tower; the painting of a cat-shaped tower being struck by a meteor, with figures falling from it, was not a pleasant sight. The third card was Death, the robed and scythe-wielding figure accompanied by a skeleton cat, and Harry knew for a fact that Trelawney would zero in on it. He barely glanced at the last cards, the Wheel and the High Priestess as he looked up the meanings.

"Death" is a card that should always be studied carefully. While it is possible for the card to be read literally, it can also signify great change of some sort. Harry read the page again, then looked at all the cards, suddenly seeing a possible interpretation. The first card had made him think of the Dursleys, and a question he might have would be how rid of them was he? The second card, the Tower, as Past Events could be interpreted as receiving a rude awakening. Harry had certainly felt rudely awakened by the lengths Uncle Vernon was willing to go to in seizing Harry's money. The third card, Death, was how Harry was reacting to the situation, and certainly with the Pattersons' help he intended to make a total break of it, a new life taking place of the old.

He looked at the final cards with more interest. The fourth card, the current environment, was that of luck or good fortune signified by the Wheel. And the fifth card, the solution, was the High Priestess, a person, probably a woman, offering instruction and enlightenment. Well, that had to be Staci. He could read these cards as a message that he was permanently rid of his aunt and uncle, that the last connection to his horrid Muggle childhood was gone and he could step into being a full wizard with his new family.

Harry sat back for a moment, pleased to the point of astonishment that he'd found an answer in Divination that made sense. He glanced at Ron's layout, which included the Fool, the Lovers and the Star that he could see. Ron looked bewildered by his spread.

Trelawney glided over and Harry's good mood was extinguished immediately.

"Death!" shrieked Trelawney, clapping her hands to her face dramatically. "How could it be otherwise! Oh, you poor dear! Look at this: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the very first card! Destruction the next! Then Death itself! Harry, Harry, dear!" The class looked at Harry with varying degrees of fear and awe.

That's two, Harry thought. Then Lavender Brown raised her hand and surprised him.

"But Professor, that interpretation only works if Harry was thinking about You-Know-Who. I happen to know that Harry received some very good news this summer, and reconnected with his father's side of the family. The Emperor could be that nasty Muggle family of his, and the Priestess could be his cousin from America. That way the Death card is only a signifier of tremendous change in Harry's life."

Trelawney actually glared at Lavender, as Pavarti was nodding in agreement, then almost hissed at her pet pupils, "My dear girls, I have been involved in the Divining arts far, far longer than you have, and I think your reading is clouded by a child's desire that everything turn out right. I know that this is not the case and I know that my reading is the more accurate one."

As she turned back to Harry, he said deliberately, "Actually, I believe Lavender is spot on. I was thinking about my cousin when I was shuffling, since she gave me this deck."

Trelawney's eyes, enormous behind her glasses, began filling with tears. "You poor boy, determined to ignore your fate. So brave yet so foolhardy--"

And that's three. Harry stood, shoving his cards and book back into his bag. "That's it. I am not taking any more of this. I quit." He shouldered his bag and gave an apologetic glance to Ron before storming out.

He was on his way to Professor McGonagall's office when he heard voices, one of them Hermione's. She rounded a corner, walking with Professor Vector, a handsome, dark-skinned witch with gleaming white teeth. Hermione spotted Harry and frowned.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Divination?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in Arithmancy?" Harry countered with a humorous glance at the professor.

"I set an essay for today, to be turned in at the end of class. Good practice for the O.W.L.s. Miss Granger finished in twenty minutes and we thought we'd check the library for a few helpful books." Vector spoke with warmth in her rich plummy voice and Harry felt encouraged enough to ask his question.

"Professor, would it be possible for me to change to Arithmancy? I've got the book and I've already worked through the first four chapters on my own. Hermione can help me catch up, if you will, that is?" He glanced at Hermione, who lit up, nodding enthusiastically.

Vector looked surprised, but pleased as well. "I think we might be able to do so, with Professor McGonagall's approval, of course. You will have to work very hard, though. You've got two years of work to catch up on and the O.W.L.s to prepare for."

"If Hermione helps me, I know I can do it. And I can't take another class with that dingb--Professor Trelawney forecasting my death every five minutes." Harry drew a deep breath, trying to calm his temper.

"Dingbat she may be, but she's still a professor here, Harry. Be less descriptive about the situation when you speak to Professor McGonagall," Vector advised him, her amused smile taking the sting out of the rebuke. Harry thought he was going to like Arithmancy very much.