Harry Potter and the Past That Never Was

Harry walked back inside of the Burrow after he and Dumbledore had their talk. Molly and Arthur were sitting in their living room talking, and abruptly stopped when Harry walked in, seeing the expression on his face.

"Is everything okay, Harry?" Arthur asked him.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," said Harry. "Professor Dumbledore said it's time I told everyone about my little secret."

"I don't know it that's such a good idea," said Molly. "But if that's what Dumbledore wants."

"I think it would be easiest with everyone knowing," said Harry. "Sooner or later something will happen such as when the twins heard us talking."

"That's a fair point," said Arthur. "If you want to do this now, I'll call them all down."

"Thanks Mr. Weasley," said Harry. "Yes, I'd like to do this now, please." The eldest Weasley nodded and then got up from his chair and disappeared up the stairs. Molly gave Harry a reassuring pat on him arm before the kids began to filter downstairs to see why their father wanted them there in the first place.

Once they were all assembled, Harry told them his secret, and to HIS surprise, none of them acted surprised.

"I thought you sounded a little too much like an adult to be eleven," said Percy. "I should have known there would be some magic involved."

"So why did this happen?" asked Ginny. Harry told them in short order the situation, and how Dumbledore and Snape planned it. He omitted the parts involving Hermione and Draco, except to say they knew what was going on.

As one might expect, Percy and Ron fired out question after question about the future. Harry answered these questions by repeating what Dumbledore told him, that the future as Harry knew it no longer existed. "I could tell you everything, but it's likely not to be true any longer," said Harry.

"Well," said Ron. "How do I turn out? I mean, what am I going to be like." Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Ginny answered for him.

"You're going to be a prat, Ron," said Ginny, causing everyone to laugh. "We don't need to be able to tell the future to know that."

Harry did tell them the task he'd been given, and how he planned to accomplish this task. "It sounds as if Dumbledore wants to find an excuse to abolish the four house system," commented Arthur.

"Or make it meaningless," added Molly. Harry went on to tell how since he was so famous, they were going to use him as a magnet.

"Not that I want to make myself out to be some sort of leader," said Harry. "But it's always been like for me, people flocking in my direction."

"That's the sort of thing you'd have to expect with fame," said Molly. "And that plan sounds to me as if it has a good chance of success."

"I'll do what I can to help," said Percy. Harry smiled at all of them, knowing they would all support him in what he was trying to do.

Ron on the other hand, seemed to believe Harry was going to be some sort of free ride through school. As they went back to their rooms, Ron made it clear that not only did he believe such to be true, but also that was it something he expected. Harry found this to be a little disconcerting, not that he had any problem with helping Ron. Nevertheless, just the idea Ron seemed to believe he had some sort of right to that help, caused Harry to frown.

The morning of their return to Hogwarts came upon them, and the Burrow buzzed with excitement. Although she didn't seem unhappy, Ginny just didn't seem to be caught up in everyone's excitement. "This is going to be the greatest year at Hogwarts," she said to Harry. "And I have to miss it."

"And next year," said Harry with a smile, "you'll be right there with the rest of us, right in the middle of it all."

The financial benefit of Arthur's new position could already be seen. The four kids who were about to head off to school did so armed with new textbooks rather than second hand, and they all sported new robes. That Arthur himself seemed to spend a lot more time at the Ministry as he did prior was no surprise as he was definitely in his element.

"It certainly is nice to not have to worry about where we're going to get the gold to get ready for school each year," Molly commented as she supervised all the packing and the last minute details. At the urging of both Bill and Sirius, Arthur started an account with Gringotts and unknown to Molly had begun investing some of the extra gold he was making. The specific stock Harry put Bill onto had already begun to show some movement upwards. He even took his own advice and invested a good portion of his own fortune into the same company.

"I've already gotten a rise," Bill told Harry just a couple of days before.

"Wait four more years and see how much that company is worth," Harry said, laughing.

The morning of their departure arrived with all five of them anxious to head to King's Cross.

"We can't leave just yet," said Arthur, who'd taken the morning off to see them off to school. "We have to wait for our escort."

"Why do you we need an escort?" Ron wanted to know.

"Harry needs the escort," said Arthur. "We'll have two others from the Order along with us."

"Oh that's right," said Ron. "Are we going to have ministry cars?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes," Arthur confirmed. "I was able to secure one for the morning."

"Only one?" Ron asked.

"It's all we need," said Arthur.

Ron couldn't have known, but one car from the ministry would be magically enhanced to look like a sedan or even a sports coupe from the outside, but have enough room inside to comfortably seat the ten people getting inside, plus the Ministry-provided driver. After what seemed to be a long time for the kids, their escort arrived in the form of Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Hope we're not late," Moody growled. "Traffic is a mess this morning."

"We should make it in plenty of time," said Arthur, glancing at his watch.

"Shall we be off then?" Shacklebolt asked.

After a bit of stuffing everyone's luggage into the trunk, which shouldn't possibly be large enough to hold the five heavy trunks, they all piled into a sedan to find the inside had three rows of back seats.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Ron, as he climbed into the rear seat.

"I told you one would be enough," Arthur said from the front seat.

The drive to King's Cross was uneventful enough. Harry was in the rear seat with Ron; with Ron wondering which classes, he was going to take.

"You're going to fail all of them regardless," Ginny said with a giggle from the seat in front of them.

"Not with Harry to help me along," said Ron. "Right mate?" Molly turned around from the front seat where she rode with Arthur and the driver.

"There will be NO cheating on exams!" she said to Ron and Harry.

"I wasn't planning to cheat," Ron protested.

"See to it you don't, Ronald Weasley." Molly shook a finger at him. "And that goes for you as well, Harry." Harry suppressed a smile as he nodded in agreement.

"Planning to use Harry's prior knowledge, Ron?" Ginny mumbled under her breath.

"Shhh!" Ron held a finger to his lips. Ginny only rolled her eyes and turned back around.

As they'd gotten to the station and were in the process of going through the gateway between platforms nine and ten, Harry as always couldn't help but wonder why Muggles didn't see them doing this. He'd been told Muggles only see what they want to see, but something such as people walking though brick walls would be quite noticeable. However, as always, they were through without being seen and were now staring at the Hogwarts Express.

"I've never been on this train," Ron said in awe as he stared at it.

"Just watch out for the ghosts," said George.

"Yeah, they love to haunt first years," Fred added and the twins said goodbye to Arthur and Molly before getting on the train.

"Are there really ghosts?" Ron wanted to know.

"Oh yes," said Moody. "Nasty ones at that."

"Alastor!" said Molly.

"Oh, there are the Malfoys," said Arthur. Harry looked up and saw Lucius and Narcissa escorting Draco to the train.

"Hello, Mr. Potter," Lucius said, extending his hand. "Excited about finally going to Hogwarts?"

"Yes sir," Harry said, shaking his hand. "Hi Draco," he added to the youngest Malfoy who nodded at him.

"Arthur," said Lucius, inclining his head.

"Lucius," Arthur said brightly. "I've never had the chance to thank you properly for recommending me to the Minister." He was holding out his own hand. Lucius hesitated for a moment; it was no secret how he felt about the Weasleys. Nevertheless, he accepted Arthur's handshake.

"Think nothing of it," he said. "I couldn't think of anyone better suited for the position." Then he smiled slightly. "And I'm told the Muggle Prime Minister can be quite charming."

Narcissa was in the process of doting over Draco, who rolled his eyes.

"Please Mother," he said. "I'll be fine."

Molly smiled and said goodbye to both Ron and Harry, giving them both hugs. "Now you two go straight to Percy if you have any problems." Alluding to the fact he was a prefect. "And we'll see you during Christmas."

When they finally got on the train Malfoy turned to Harry and murmured, "Cool bit you did with that gem, Potter," so only Harry could hear. Then, "I promised my friends Crabbe and Goyle I'd meet them. Find Granger and we'll be along."

"Right," Harry said, motioning to Ron to follow him. They looked in a few compartments before they finally found Hermione, who was not alone, but with another girl. Harry wasn't sure he remembered her from the original first year.

"Hi Hermione," Harry said, as Ron followed him into the compartment.

"Harry!" Hermione said. "We were just talking about you."

"None of it is true, I swear." Harry turned to the girl and smiled, the girl smiled back shyly.

"This is Pansy Parkinson." Harry smiled again and said hello. Then Hermione turned to Ron and said, "And you are?"

"Oh," Harry said. "I forgot... This is Ron Weasley... Ron this is Hermione, the girl I was telling you about."

"Right then," Harry said, stowing the cage with Hedwig on top while Ron did the same with his own. "And what were you two saying about me?" He sat down across from the two girls.

"Oh not much," Hermione said. "Pansy was telling me it was rumored you were coming to Hogwarts this year. When I told her we'd already met and it was true she said she wanted to meet you." The young Slytherin blushed at this but Harry only smiled.

"Well it's nice to meet you," Harry said.

A couple of moments later the train began to move away from the station. "I wonder what it will be like," Ron said to no one in particular. "Fred and George tell me stories but I'm not sure whether to believe them or not."

"What kind of stories?" Pansy asked him.

"Mostly stories about ghosts in the bathrooms and all of that," Ron said. "You never can tell with those two." It was then the door of the compartment opened and there stood Draco, followed closely by his two friends Crabbe and Goyle.

"All right, Potter?" Draco said stepping inside. Another round of introductions and the compartment was pretty well full once the two larger boys sat down.

"My father was telling me there's a werewolf teaching this year," Malfoy said as everyone was settled in.

"And a ghost," Pansy added.

"Right," Ron said. "My brothers told me there's a ghost who teaches History of Magic, and a half goblin who teaches Charms."

"I don't think I want to take History of Magic," Crabbe said, a scowl on his face.

"I don't think we have a choice of what classes to take in the first year," Hermione said.

"We'll get you through it," Malfoy told him.

By the time they got through a conversation about houses, several people, not all first years came to their compartment to meet Harry. Fred and George brought by a few of the people they knew and introduced them all, while Percy showed up at their compartment with the rest of the prefects, and head boy and girl. Harry did his part by making sure to introduce everyone in the compartment.

"Can we have a word?" Percy asked Harry, who nodded and left the compartment.

"We just wanted to let you know if you have too much trouble with people hounding you just come to us and make sure they leave you alone," the head girl said.

"Thank you," Harry said as his eyes spied a large frog hopping in the corridor. He smiled to himself, knowing the frog belonged to Neville. "Everyone has been great so far."

"So far," Percy said. "But just let us know if it gets to be too much."

"Okay," Harry smiled and reached down to pick up the frog. As he did, the frog looked up at him and said, "Brapp!" As if to say, "I can make my own way thank you."

The Prefects were just walking away in different directions when Neville came wandering though saying, "Trevor... Trevor?" looking in each compartment as he did so.

"Looking for this?" Harry said, holding out the frog.

"There he is!" Neville said, relieving Harry of his burden. "Thanks. I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom."

"I'm Harry," Harry introduced himself. "Harry Potter."

"Wow," Neville said, impressed. "I heard you were on the train."

"I've heard of you too," Harry said, hoping to get Neville out of his shell at an early stage.

"You... you heard of me?" Neville asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "We have something in common."

"Oh," Neville frowned. "My parents weren't killed, though." he said as if apologizing.

"I know," Harry said, frowning as well. "I think what happened to your mum and dad was worse though."

"Yeah," Neville said. "I keep hoping they'll get better but Gran says there isn't much chance of that."

"Keep hoping," Harry said bracingly. "You just never know."

"That's true," Neville said. "The healers keep telling me to never give up hope."

"Good advice," Harry smiled. "Come on and meet some of my friends.

Harry opened his compartment and introduced Neville to his traveling companions. "Nice to see you all," Neville said. "I need to get back to my mates though. See you at school."

"So what did the prefects want, Potter?" Malfoy said. "Recruiting you to be the class informer?"

"Nothing like that really," Harry answered. "Just told me to let them know if I want to keep people from bothering me all the time."

"Dumbledore probably put them up to it," Draco said nodding. "You're big news this year."

"I thought I saw that Daily Prophet reporter on the platform," Goyle said. "Rita Skeeter."

"I wonder if she was looking for you," Pansy asked Harry.

"I dunno." Harry shrugged. "I hope not though."

"Might have been a good idea," Draco went on. "You can get your fan club started."

"Oh," Harry said. "The head boy did say to keep an eye out for that blonde kid in my compartment. Seemed to think you were a bit of a troublemaker." Everyone laughed at that.

Near dark, as the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, the three time travelers succeeded in planting the first seeds for their group. It was clear to Harry of the three of them; Draco would have the toughest time of all of this, although he did well on the train.

"First years this way!" Hagrid, towering over everyone, holding up a large lantern was waving his over arm. "With me, first years. This way to the boats." Harry could see the rest of the students piling into the Thestral pulled carriages as he and the rest of the first years went toward the boats.

"You can see them now, can't you?" Harry asked Draco who was looking in the direction of the carriages, a look of revulsion on his face.

"Yeah," he said, turning away from them and back toward the lake. "Strange looking aren't they?"

"They are," Harry agreed. "Flying horses can come in handy at times though."

Harry ended up in a boat with Ron and Pansy While Draco and Hermione rode in one with Crabbe.

Harry remembered his first boat ride across the lake, how he stared awestruck at the castle getting closer and closer. Seeing it again was no less awe-inspiring as it was then. This had to be by design. Nevertheless, it was also slower, which gave the older students time to already be seated at their house tables before the first years were led into the hall to be sorted.

"It's so pretty at night," Pansy was saying. "I was here once but it was during the day."

"You probably didn't see it from this angle," Ron said.

"No, we walked from Hogsmeade," Pansy agreed.

"Awesome," Ron said, looking up at the approaching castle.

"My thoughts exactly," Harry said, smiling.

As the first years entered the castle and were directed to "Right this way you lot," by Filch, they all looked around them, awestruck by the sheer grandeur of Hogwarts.

"And this is just the entrance hall," someone said as they followed Filch toward and onto a staircase, at the top, a severe looking McGonagall gazed at them as they stopped before her. She scanned the group with her eyes for a moment, careful not to linger too long on any one person, Harry included.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," She said, going into her speech about being sorted into their houses, the point system and house cup. "If you'll just wait right here the sorting ceremony will begin shortly." When McGonagall disappeared into the Great Hall, the first years visibly relaxed and began to talk amongst themselves.

As expected, Harry commanded the most attention as Neville came to them, followed by Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.

"Glad to meet you," Harry told them both, introducing everyone with him.

"It's just as Hermione said," Harry thought, as he sure enough was the most popular person among the first years. Hermione chatted with a few people, as did Draco.

"I've read all about it in Hogwarts, a History," Hermione was telling Blaise Zabini about the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall.

"Well look at what we have here!" A ghost broke through a wall and loomed over them; it was the Poltergeist Peeves. "What a sorry lot you are." Most of the first years were stunned not by the verbal assault from the ghost, but rather because the verbal assault came from a ghost. One or two voices jibed back at him.

"Oh sod off," could be heard above the buzz just behind Harry, the voice belonged to Goyle. The Poltergeist cackled with delight as he zoomed toward the voice and stopped in the air just as he was about to pass through Harry.

"Oho!" Peeves said. "And which one of you has just marked himself for seven years of constant torture?" He was looking at each one of them in turn as if trying to decide which of them shouted at him.

"None of them!" said a commanding voice. Looking beyond the Poltergeist Harry could see the House Ghosts had joined them. The commanding voice belonged to the Bloody Baron, Slytherin's House Ghost. Peeves whirled around, gave a loud raspberry and dashed off.

"I would however suggest," said Sir Nicholas, Gryffindor's House Ghost, "you don't tell Peeves to "sod off". It's poor form and gives that wretched Poltergeist all the more reason to cause mischief." This brought about some giggles.

"Well, don't wish to miss the sorting," Sir Nicholas went on. And with that, all four of the House Ghosts moved through the wall and into the Great Hall.

"There really ARE ghosts here," Ron said as they left the first years to themselves again.

"Those are the House Ghosts," Hermione told him.

By the time McGonagall emerged once again from the Great Hall, Harry managed to meet almost all of the first years. "I can almost see why you wanted to be left alone," Draco murmured to him.

"This isn't bad," Harry said. "It's really a pain when I get recognized in a crowd."

"I always wondered why you didn't just cover up that scar," Malfoy went on. "Made you look like you wanted all the attention."

"It's not as if we didn't try," Hermione whispered back.

"Did you try Muggle makeup?" Draco asked.

"I hadn't thought of that," Hermione said." I wonder if that would work."

"It's worth a try," Draco said, as Hermione nodded.

Finally, Professor McGonagall joined them once again. "We're ready for you now, follow me please."