Immortality

Chapter 1

And They're Off...

Harry held Dudley at wand-point. Dudley knew that Harry wasn't allowed to use it, but he couldn't help thinking what might happen if he made him angry enough to forget that. He had horrible visions of bobbing around the ceiling until some rather scary people in strange clothes came and got him down. Plus, having been forced to practically live off celery sticks and grapefruit quarters for over a year now, he wasn't feeling up to much retaliation. Sure, he had gone down two sizes and could once again fit into his school uniform, but he had a sad, sort of deflated look, and did even less exercise for fear of fainting. So Harry, for once in his life, had the upper hand.

"Keep away from my stuff," he snarled, advancing on the trembling Dudley. "How dare you touch it? Am I not allowed any modicum of privacy?"

Dudley only whimpered. He had made the mistake of going into Harry's room when he'd been sent grocery shopping and then still being there when Harry came back.

"If I ever catch you in here again..." He left the sentence hanging as he stepped forward again, forcing Dudley out into the hallway. He slammed the door in his face and stalked over to the window. *Stupid lump,* he thought. *You'd think he'd have learnt by now not to touch my stuff, but nooo, he has to come in here and poke 'round.*

He stared out over the immaculate backyard, fuming. *Only seventeen more hours, then I'm out of here, free, for another ten months.*

A timid scratching caught his attention, and wrenching the door open he found a pale Dudley holding his quill out.

"Thanks," he ground out. "Now get out of my sight."

Dudley scuttled away and Harry couldn't help but compare him to Peter Pettigrew. Short, shrunken, and with a rather ratty personality, but he didn't have a bald patch, so the likeness ended there. Harry shut the door quietly and flopped on his bed, waiting for the mountain to erupt.

This time it took almost ten minutes.

"POTTER!!" The roar shook the floorboards. "GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Harry sighed and stood up, dragged himself down the stairs and slouched into the living room, where 'Uncle' Vernon was doing a brilliant imitation of a puce elephant.

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY, WE GIVE YOU THE FOOD OFF OUR TABLE AND

THE CLOTHES-"

"Off Dudley's back, yeah I know, you've told me," said Harry, bored.

"YOU LITTLE-"

"Now Vernon dear, I don't think this is such a good idea," said 'Aunt' Petunia, timidly.

"SHUT UP!! I'M TRYING TO DISCIPLINE THIS LITTLE B-"

"Oh shut up," said Harry irritably, "I've got Potions homework to do, so if you've finished?"

"HOW DARE Y-"

"Yeah, yeah, you've already said that." Harry had found he could be as rude as he liked without much repercussion, as long as...

He casually linked hands behind his back.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE SWINE!!" howled Vernon, "I SHOULD-"

"Should what, Uncle Vernon?" asked Harry sweetly, carelessly bringing his hands out to reveal his wand, which he'd just pulled out of his back pocket.

"-!" Vernon's mouth worked furiously. "Would you be so kind as to stop talking to Dudley like that?" he said through his teeth.

"I might.. As long as he stays out - of - my - room!!" shouted Harry.

"What part of that does he not understand?! Out! Not in, out!" And with an exasperated noise, he turned his back on them and stomped back upstairs.

He threw himself onto his bed again and looked at his clock; ten past six. Sixteen hours and fifty minutes.

Great.

He lay there staring at the ceiling for about half an hour before there were two sharp taps and a plate of dinner was pushed through the cat-flap he still had in his door. He scrambled over and picked it up.

Sausages, with peas and mashed potato, not bad. He tucked in happily and within ten minutes pushed the clean plate back out into the corridor. Then he pulled his pyjamas on and crawled into bed, willing himself to sleep.

***

"Wake up!" Petunia screeched. "It's half past nine."

Harry made incoherent not-quite-awake-but-not-really-asleep-either noises, then leapt out of bed when he realised what day it was and scrambled around shoving everything into his trunk.

"Come on Hedwig, I know you don't like it, but you need to come here!" he said, throwing himself at the owl, catching her safely and gently pushing her into the cage. "There, see it's not that bad, is it?"

Hedwig just glared at him, put her head under her wing and promptly went back to sleep. Harry sighed and stomped downstairs for breakfast, the only meal he deigned to eat with the Dursleys.

In the kitchen he found an unusually happy looking Dudley gobbling his grapefruit with more gusto than Harry thought was normal. He stared at him for a few seconds before Petunia's peculiar looks snapped him back to reality and he decided it was just because he was leaving today. He almost agreed with Dudley's mood, with his cereal looking less like wood-shavings than usual. He scoffed it down and retreated back upstairs after brushing his teeth and making an attempt at his hair. He sat, bouncing on his bed, unable to sit still; he was so glad to be leaving soon.

He watched his clock like a hawk, watching the last few minutes he had to spend in this house slowly trickle away. At a quarter past nine he dragged his gear down the hall and out to the car where Vernon was standing, scowling as his nephew shoved the enormous trunk into the boot. Then he got in the car and slammed the door. Harry got in the back and sprawled out over the seat, watching with glee as Privet Drive disappeared into the distance.

His uncle said not one word as they drove to King's Cross Station, silently fuming away in the driver's seat. Harry didn't care; he wouldn't have minded if Vernon had broken into song he was so happy getaway from the Dursleys. As soon as the car stopped moving, he leapt out of the car, grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage and raced towards the barrier. But he did remember to stop and carefully cover his disappearance through the solid brick wall. On the other side was the wonderful sight of the long scarlet Hogwarts Express. Suddenly, his trunk gave way, books and robes cascading down all over his feet.

Swearing quietly he stuffed them haphazardly back in and attempted a repair with some Spellotape. Then he stood up, brushing himself off and taking a good look around. Casting about, he found some familiar flaming hair.

"Ron!" Harry hurled himself at his friend. "Am I glad to see you!"

"What's up?" Ron looked worried.

"Nothing, nothing, I'm just glad to be out of that house. Dudley's turned into a complete and utter pain, not that he wasn't before, but now he's all creepy and pretending to be nice."

"Urgh," said Ron, grimacing sympathetically, "how revolting."

"Try living with him." Harry gave an exasperated sigh. "But he's still got enough guts to go through my stuff, and they'd just dropped me off when I found he'd sabotaged my trunk."

"Well you won't have to see them for another ten months."

"Yeah, it's great; no more slinking lard-ball." But then he was nearly floored by a very enthusiastic Hermione-hug.

"Hermione! What's got you so excited?" asked Ron curiously.

"Oh nothing, just the prospect of another year of school," she said, giving him a hug as well.

"Typical," said Harry, "One day I swear you're going to turn into a book, Hermione."

"Oh, go away," she said, giving him a friendly shove. Unfortunately, this was too much for Harry's vandalised suitcase. It split open again, spilling parchment and everything across the platform, with Ron only just stopping Harry's wand from straight off the edge and under the train.

"Oh God," said Harry, "I can't wait until I'm not under-age any more; Dudley is going to get some serious comeuppance."

"Ah, but then that would count as an abuse of your magic and the Ministry would be on you like a tonne of bricks," said Ron knowingly.

"Gah, I'm Harry Potter, what are they going to do to me?" said Harry, puffing out his chest and strutting around before bursting out laughing with the other two.

"Oh dear, Harry," gasped Hermione, "the thing is; you're probably right!"

"Hey Ron," said Harry, "where's Pig?"

"Pig? Oh, Ginny's got him; she's still convinced he's cute. But where's Crookshanks?"

"He disappeared a while ago, I think he's on the train already, not sure."

"Aren't you worried?" asked Harry, thinking of Hermione's fierce protectiveness of the animal last year.

"No, he can take care of himself, and I've told the station guards to look out for him, so he should be just fine."

Just then the clock blew its whistle, signalling five minutes 'til departure. The three of them scrambled and dashed down the train to their usual carriage. Unfortunately, they were too late, and it was full of first-years, so they traipsed back to the one Ron's brothers had taken.

"Go on Ron," said Harry, "open the door."

"Why me?" said Ron, bewildered.

"Because they're less likely to do anything to you," explained Hermione, patiently.

"Get off! They're more likely to do stuff to me than anyone else; I'm their brother. You open the door!"

So Hermione cautiously slid the door back and poked her head in.

"Um, can we come in? All the other carriages are taken."

Fred and George looked at each other. "Yeah, all right," said Fred.

"I suppose we could do that," said George. He paused, looking at them standing in the doorway. "Well come on then!" he said. "We don't bite."

"Hard," added Fred.

They came in and sat down, looking nervously at the twins, wondering if they'd be subjected to any new Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products.

"Our guests don't look very comfortable do they, Fred?" said George.

"No..." said Fred. "We need to do something about that, George."

"How about a chocolate frog?" asked George.

"Yeah, why not?" said Fred, then seeing their terrified expressions added, "Shop stock, not ours."

"Come on, nothing will happen, promise," said George, attempting an innocent expression.

"Like that's going to convince us George," said Ron.

"It can talk!" exclaimed Fred, overjoyed. "Look George, it can talk!"

"Cor, that's weird, we'd better turn it into something to shut it up again."

"Nah, waste of a good frog that would be."

"Thanks George," said Ron. "Come on guys, give over."

"Or we might be forced to barricade ourselves in the luggage rack," said Harry.

"Oo look Fred! Two!" said George gleefully, and disappeared under three flying teenage boys.

Hermione sat and watched the struggling pile for a while, before picking up one of the chocolate frogs and taking a close look at it. It didn't look any different, and Hermione wasn't about to taste it, so she couldn't find anything the twins had done to it.

"Hey Fred," she said, "are these actually yours? What have you done to them?"

Fred's head emerged from the heap. "They're in the same line as Canary Creams, that enough of a hint?"

"They turn you into a canary?"

"No, silly, they turn you into a frog. Watch." He shoved the offending item into Ron's mouth.

"Mmph!" said Ron desperately, but it was too late, and within two seconds they were joined by an enormous green frog.

"Ah," said Harry, trying to get out from under it, "how long do these things last?"

"Oh about an hour," said George airily.

"Ah, so Ron's going to be a frog for an hour. Great," said Hermione. "Can't you undo it? There's really not enough room," she squeaked plaintively, squirming into the corner.

The twins looked at each other.

"Yeah, all right," said Fred.

"I suppose we could do that," said George, and dragged out a rather battered looking wand. "Shall I do it Fred?"

"Yeah all right," said Fred.

"Desaruno!" cried George, and Ron was suddenly sitting on the carriage floor.

"Argh," he said, rubbing his head. "Not pleasant." Then he turned to Hermione, "See? Told you." He hauled himself up and flopped on the seat next to Harry, "Jeeze, being you guys' brother is a danger to my health and sanity."

"Which is exactly how we like it," said Fred with a grin. "Come on Ron, surely you don't wish we were all like Percy?"

"Good heavens no! No one would be able to have any fun!"

"I knew he'd see it our way," said Fred, leaning back and pulling another Frog out of his pocket.

"What are you going to do with that?" asked Hermione nervously.

"Eat it of course," said Fred, and scoffed it. Finding Hermione staring at him he said, "Hermione, do you really think I'd eat one of ours? I thought you were one of the smart ones."

Hermione shook herself, "Sorry, didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why?" Ron looked at her curiously. "Surely you weren't up doing homework?"

"No, just couldn't sleep for some reason. I think I'm coming down with a cold."

Just then the door slid open and a dreadlocked head poked in, "Hey guys! We're fifteen minutes away from school, so you'd better start thinking about putting your uniforms on yeah?"

"Ta Jordan, will do," said George.

"Cool, see you at school," Lee said, and slid the door shut again.

"Right, now where did I put my uniform?" muttered Fred, climbing onto the seat and rummaging around in the luggage rack. "No, not there." He leapt across the carriage and had a look there, standing on Ron as he did so.

"Oi!" said Ron indignantly. "Watch it!"

Fred peered down at him, "Ah, right, this seat's taken then."

"Get off!" said Ron. "I don't need your footprints all over me."

"Calm down Ronniekins, shouldn't you be looking for your robes too?"

"No, I'm organised, unlike some people!" snapped Ron, oblivious to Hermione and Harry cracking up at the thought of Ron being organised. "They're in the rack above me."

"Well you'd better put them on then," said George. "Or you'll look a bit silly traipsing up to school in your jeans."

"I'm going to! Argh, you two are incredibly annoying, do you know that?"

"Yes, but we do need the occasional reminder," said Fred, having finally finished rummaging and dropped off the seat with his uniform in his hands, grinning evilly.

Ron just scowled and got his robes down.

***

The Express pulled into the school station and all the students scrambled out. Hermione, Harry and Ron stood and watched as the usual crowd of first-years were loaded into the little boats.

"Heya you lot!" Hagrid yelled. "See you in class!"

"Bye Hagrid!" called Harry.

"Come on guys, we need to get a carriage or we'll be left here," said Hermione, chivvying them towards the waiting coaches. "Come on Harry!"

Harry had stopped, having spotted a familiar hated blond head.

"Harry? Hello?" Ron waved a hand in front of his face, "She's right, we need to move."

Harry followed them, keeping one eye on Malfoy. Hermione pushed them into a carriage and shut the door, discreetly removing the 'Kick me' sign Fred had stuck to the back of Ron's robes, "Harry, don't worry about Malfoy, he's really not worth it."

"Yeah I know, but I just can't help not liking someone who's tried to destroy my every attempt at success," he said.

"Well he can't do anything for at least another two hours so just settle down, you look like a cat that's been rubbed up the wrong way."

Harry looked at her; she was looking at him with a mixture of exasperation and understanding on her face, "Just try to keep away from him, OK? And that goes for you too Ron."

Ron just ignored her and stared out the coach window. Hermione sighed, for all she loved these two, they were awfully silly sometimes. She settled down in her corner and waited for them to get to school.

***

They walked into the Entrance Hall, pushing through the milling mass of students and nervous first-years. Professor McGonagall appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Everyone into the Great Hall, except the first-years; you follow me." She waited for them to separate themselves and then strode off down the corridor. The three made their way into the Great Hall and over to the Gryffindor table.

"Hey guys," Seamus Finnigan said. "How were your holidays?"

"Fine," said Harry. "How were yours?"

"Oh, they were OK, we went to Wales to visit my grandparents, but apart from that nothing much happened."

But then Professor brought out the Sorting Hat and put it on its stool. Everyone stopped talking and turned expectantly towards it.

"Step right up, don't hesitate

I'm not a normal hat,

I'm not for decoration,

Other something else like that.

I'll sort you all into a House,

To Slytherin or Ravenclaw,

Or perhaps it's possible you will be

In Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.

It all depends on who you are,

And what it is you'll be

And I'm sure you'll never find

A hat more talented than me.

Whether you be smart or brave

Loyal, sly or bored.

I'll find somewhere to put you,

Where you'll have the most accord.

For no matter where you came from

Or where you're going to

I'll take a peek between your ears

And find the House for you."

The hat finished its song and everyone applauded. McGonagall stepped up with her list of names.

"Abbott, Laura!"

A little girl, who looked a lot like her older sister, Hannah, stepped nervously towards the Hat, perched on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on her trembling head.

A few seconds went by -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

"Brown, Jake!"

"Look, it's my little brother!" squealed Lavender.

"RAVENCLAW!"

The little boy stumbled over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down, while his sister was busy explaining to anyone who would listen that they had been expecting that to happen because...

"Davis, Helen!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Fenwick, Penelope!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry and Ron cheered their first new addition as the short brunette came and sat next to Dean Thomas, who immediately struck up conversation with her like an old friend.

"Jarvis, Leith!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The whole Slytherin table went wild, and Harry could see Malfoy giving Leith a once-over, making sure he was worthy of his house.

"Madley, Timothy!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

There followed a whole lot of 'N's, a few 'P's, various 'S's, 'T's and 'W's and then Dumbledore stood up:

"So, another year has begun, and you're all looking forward to lessons aren't you? No, didn't think so, but we must soldier on. Now, I have some announcements: We were unable to hire a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, it seems it is widely believed that the post is jinxed, however, we were able to obtain a new Potions master."

Harry and Ron made triumphant gestures in silent joy, while Hermione, who could put two and two together faster than they could, was looking as though she'd just been smacked with a Flobberworm.

"I am pleased to announce that Professor Severus Snape has volunteered to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts and we have hired Professor Venin to replace him." A tall thin woman stood up at the mention of her name, while Ron and Harry deflated suddenly; Snape was going to stay after all. Harry thought the new teacher looked as though she made a regular habit of eating a lemon every morning. She stared down at the assembly with narrowed black eyes for a moment, before sitting back down.

Dumbledore continued, "Also, as the Triwizard Tournament was so popular last year, we have decided to hold an Inter-House Tournament. It is open to sixth- and seventh-years only, and entries are to be dropped in the miniature black hole, so kindly set up by Professor Flitwick, in the Entrance Hall. We will draw the House representatives on Monday. Don't worry, Quidditch will still be running and your pitch will be left alone. A corresponding dance will be held after the Christmas holidays and everyone is invited. However, I can tell by your faces that if I keep talking I will be devoured by hordes of hungry school children, so: Que aproveche!"

The usual spread filled the golden plates and everyone started tucking in.

"What do you think of the new Potions professor?" asked Hermione.

"I think," said Ron, swallowing, "she looks like a lizard."

"Yeah, all cold-blooded, with unblinking eyes," agreed Harry.

"She could be quite nice, you don't know," said Hermione, serving herself more potatoes.

"Yeah, and Snape could be a belly-dancer in his spare time, you don't know," challenged Ron. "She looks like a human icicle."

"Oh just eat your dinner," said Hermione, "I'm not going to argue any more."

They finished dinner, ploughed on through dessert and Ron would have kept going if Harry hadn't mentioned that the only others left were Crabbe and Goyle. Harry and Hermione dragged him upstairs to the Common Room, where they found the usual party going on, with Fred and George having raided the kitchen for even more food. They dumped him in an armchair and settled down themselves, Harry lounging back in his chair and staring happily around the common room, overjoyed to be 'home' again. He stayed there, watching people, until the new Head Girl, Angelina, came in and told them all to bugger off and go to bed. He and Ron climbed the spiral staircase to the fifth landing and pushed open the door, finding Dean, Seamus and Neville already there and flopped down on their beds. Harry found his much-abused trunk bound firmly up with rope, and had to borrow Dean's knife to break into it. Pulling on his pyjamas on, he climbed into bed and was going to ask Neville why he looked so miserable but suddenly not sleeping properly for the last two nights and having just consumed an enormous amount of food caught up with him, and he fell asleep.