Harry got up early while the rest of the room was still filled with snores; he’d get Hermione to check on Neville if he didn’t come down by breakfast. Getting dressed, he gathered up his bag and supplies for the day before making his way down to the common room. This early, it was empty, but the lamps still burned dimly along with the blazing of the fireplace, he settled onto one of the couches with a book and spelled the nearest lamp a bit higher.

A few hours later, people started trickling down the stairs. Hermione smiled at him and took a seat next to him with her book. It was almost time to head down to breakfast when the portrait opened, and Professor McGonagall stepped through, surveying the rest of the rooms.

“Miss Granger, can you ask everyone in the girl’s dorms to come down? Mister Harris, same for the boys. I want to hold a quick House meeting before breakfast.”

“Of course, Professor,” Hermione said with a nod, leaving her book next to Harry as she headed up the stairs, the other boy already disappearing into the first dorm. Ginny quickly plopped down next to Harry and gave him a winning smile that he ignored, flipping through the book Hermione had been reading.

Once everyone was gathered, she looked over the assembled group with a stern expression. Her eyes lingered on Harry for a long moment before glancing over the rest of her lions who had been involved in the attack on the ministry. Ron earned a slight frown as he stumbled down the stairs, yawning widely, the last student to make the trip.

“After the events of last year, I wanted to meet and assure you that all the educational decrees placed by Madam Umbridge last year have been repealed." she gave an indulgent smile as many of the students cheered, “Quidditch will resume this year, and I expect everyone to perform to their best abilities both on the field and in their classes. The schedule for tryouts will be posted later this week.”

“I expect everyone to be on their best behavior this year. Gryffindor is earning a reputation for fighting, and I would like to see that changed. Any student in my House who is caught fighting this year will receive a month of detention with me. I expect better of my students." she said harshly, watching as several of the first years and older wilted under her gaze.

“Courage is not just being able to fight; it also is being the better man or woman and knowing when to step away and re-examine your stance. Not every challenge can be won through physical violence; sometimes, it only makes the situation worse," she said with a sigh, scanning over the waiting faces before her.

“I won’t keep you from your breakfasts, but if anyone is having any problems, my door is always open." she said with a final nod, “Mister Potter if you have a moment?”

“Of course, Professor,” Harry said, gathering up his things and following her out of the portrait, ignoring the pout from Ginny as he left her without a backward glance.

She led him down the hall away from the rest of the crowd that was trooping down the stairs to breakfast. Harry followed silently; he still wasn’t sure he could trust his Head of House here at Hogwarts. She was supposed to be his acting guardian while he was under her care at school, but he’d been ignored or brushed off whenever he tried to bring up an issue with her over the years.

“How are you doing, Mister Potter?" she asked, scanning over his changed appearance.

“I’m good, Professor," he said, giving her a tired smile; he might as well keep up the depressed act.

“I was surprised when I received your owl this summer, Harry. It’s good to see that you are finally taking an interest in your education.”

“I’ve been considering changing classes for a while, Professor, it just seemed like with everything that happened last year, I no longer had a reason to put it off,” Harry said with a shrug, glancing down.

“If you need anything, you know my door is open, Harry. I hope to see an improvement in all your classes this year. Let me know if the Captaincy is too much; I can help you rearrange practices or assign a co-captain. You will need to meet with the remaining team members this week and book time on the field for your practices with Madam Hooch.”

“Yes, ma'am," he said with a nod, adding it to his mental to-do list.

“Now, your test is scheduled in the Ancient Runes classroom immediately after breakfast. Don’t be late.”

“No, ma'am.”

“Go get your breakfast, Mister Potter." she said with a genuine smile, “I’ll have your test results by dinner tonight, come see me in my office when you finish.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Harry said, giving her a small smile and heading down the hall.

Hermione and Neville had waited for him near the stairs, and he joined them with a smile, relaxing when neither of them pestered him about what the professor had wanted. They made their way down to the Great Hall and found a place to sit without much fuss. Luna came along and took a seat next to Neville, pulling him into a discussion about the short trip her father had gone on and the animals he’d seen. Harry ate quickly, happy that none of the food appeared to be tampered with that morning, and headed to his placement exam, wanting to get to the classroom a little early.

It was time for lunch before he was excused, and he had no idea how he’d done. There was an exam for every year, so in total, he took four exams and practical examinations. Professor Babbling never reacted to any of his spells, merely calmly continuing with the next objective. Harry thought he’d done rather well, but he’d just have to wait to find out after dinner.

“How did you do?” Hermione asked as he dropped onto the bench next to her with a groan.

“Alright, I think. Professor Babbling never really said if I was right or not in the practical, so I’ll have to wait until I get my results after dinner.”

“You look tired; maybe you could take a nap after lunch?”

“Yeah, I might.” Harry agreed, picking at his food.

He was surprised at how much of a difference his wand made in spell casting. He’d been training with his black wand all summer, and now he was back to his Holly, and the difference was staggering. It was a physical effort to push the harder spells through the Holly, leaving him shaking with exhaustion by the time he finished the final practical.

“Did you still want to meet up?" she whispered as everyone started to finish up.

“Yeah, let’s go," he said with a tired nod, pushing his plate away.

“Did you want to play a game of snap or gob stones?” Ron asked, “Seamus and a few others were going to try to set up a tournament.”

“Maybe later, I promised Hermione I’d help her find a book in the library.” Harry said with a shrug, “I’ll catch you afterward.”

“Alright,” Ron said with a sigh, getting up and following Seamus and Dean muttering about book-crazy women.

“And he wonders why I keep turning him down when he pesters me to go out with him like I would date anyone who bad-mouthed me at every turn,” Hermione said deadpan, gathering up her bag and leading the way to the seventh floor with a few detours that Harry tugged her down to make it look like they were headed to the library.

Harry paced in front of the tapestry, fixing exactly what he wanted in his mind. He wanted a room with no portraits that would be sealed once they entered, a room warded against tracking spells and floo access and not allowing any House-elves not bound to House Potter to enter. The door that appeared was a thick grey wood covered in carved runic wards that clicked closed behind them with a sound of finality. Inside a simple table, a pair of chairs, and a low couch to one side, the rest of the room sat empty.

“What exactly did you ask for?”

“A secure room that only Potter house elves could access once the door was closed,” Harry said, taking a seat and digging through his bag for the books on Occlumency.

“Why only the Potter elves, you think the Hogwarts elves are spying on everyone?”

“Honestly, no. I just think they’re ordered to do the dirty work of stealing things from everyone’s trunks, returning them once they’re spelled, and making sure we’re served the food laced with potions. I don’t think they want to do any of it, but if the Headmaster ordered it, they would have to comply.”

“That door is ironwood; no spells will stick to it, and it blocks all magic not carved and blood warded into it as the tree is growing.” Hermione said with a frown before shaking her head and turning back to the tasks at hand, “What do I need to do before you can tell me everything?” Hermione asked, pulling out a quill and parchment.

“The main thing is learning Occlumency.” Harry said, handing over the books, “I found out last night that Neville and Luna are learning as well, so they might be joining us once you’re ready to practice.”

“I’m glad they got out from under the spells as well. I saw Luna wearing a bracelet, Neville has one, too?”

“Yes, and his grandmother gave him the Longbottom Heir ring, which should protect him from most potions and spells.”

“You said we were doing the DA again this year and a separate club for questions.”

“The Niffler Club.” Harry offered with a grin.

“Good name,” she said absently, making notes, “I’ll meet with McGonagall and make it official.”

“Why not, Professor Flitwick?”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“You think McGonagall knows about the spells and potions?”

“No, I think she’s heavily spelled herself. I just don’t have a way to get her scanned without Dumbledore knowing. Too many times, she’s offered me special training or help only to ignore me the next morning. If we can’t trust her, then I’d go with the most trained teacher, he was a dueling champion, Hermione.”

“And with Professor Snape gone, he’d be the most alert to changes." she said with a sigh, “How do we know he’d not been spelled?”

“We don’t yet, but the goblins are trying to convince his relatives to offer him an invitation he won’t be able to refuse so he can be scanned.”

“Good, how fast do you want me to finish these?” she asked, stacking the books to one side.

“In the next few days, I want to give you some books that helped me pick things up faster, but you have to have the other down first,” Harry said firmly.

“Alright, I’ll finish them tonight and start practicing tomorrow." she said, glancing at him, “It’s nothing like Professor Snape taught, was it?”

“No,” Harry said with a laugh, “I found out he gave Dumbledore several books to give me that I never received. If I’d studied those first and practiced each day, I’d probably have done well.” Harry said, shrugging.

“So Dumbledore wanted you to fail?”

“And for Snape to hate me, there’s more, but you need to study first," he said, giving her a grim smile.

“When do you want to start the friendship ritual?” Hermione said after the silence had dragged on a while, changing the subject.

“Fall equinox is on the twenty-third, we need to start then. You already read the books I gave you?” Harry asked with a grin, already knowing the answer.

“Of course, the month of September is the month of Hazel Trees and Vine, and for a fall equinox, we need to gift each other with something we will give up for the coming year until the Spring equinox. The gift has to be symbolic of the thing we’re giving up and represent how important the relationship is to us.”

“It also has to reflect on our friendship and how you want it to grow.” Harry pointed out. “We have three weeks to figure out what we want to give, so take your time.”

“We probably should get to the library for real before dinner, but we have a bit of time. Did you want to take a nap while I started reading?”

“Yeah,” Harry said with a sigh, which turned into a tired chuckle as a bed popped into existence to one side. “Before I forget, I wrote down all the scanning and curse-breaking spells I’ve been using. We’ll need to teach Neville and Luna as well.”

“This is going to be a busy year," she said, taking the list and skimming over it.

“Can you start a study schedule as well? Once you get Occlumency down, I have a way we can learn faster, but you still have to practice the spell casting, and I have a few more topics we need to research and ask the other pure-blood Houses about. I have some ideas about changing how we do the club, adding more physical practice and homework assignments.”

“Do you want to try and call a meeting next week?”

“No, make it two weeks out. I want plenty of time to get our new DA Assistants up to speed before we open the club officially.”

“Assistants?”

“If it’s an official club, then we have to open it to all years and Houses. We need a sponsor, one of the teachers; I was thinking we could present a schedule and outline of lessons to Flitwick. We’re going to need to have separate sessions for each year and someone to help with the teaching since the classes are going to be larger. I was thinking one or two students from every House.”

“Even Slytherin?”

“If they are willing to do the work, yes. Some of Gryffindor’s sure to protest, but I think it’s needed.”

“Ron’s going to be one of them," she said with a resigned sigh, she’d been dealing with the moody boy most of the day and was starting to wonder when their friend had changed so drastically.

“If they don’t work with them, then they can leave the club. We’re not segregating the lessons by House.”

“I’m not against it, Harry; I’m just trying to point out how things are going to fall out. Do we want Ron working against us if it comes to that?”

“I don’t know how to not piss him off.” Harry said with a shrug, “There are things in play that might help, but I can’t tell you about it, and we need the Slytherins.”

“Alright, you do know that this is just going to make me study Occlumency harder, right?”

“I’m counting on it.” Harry said, tugging off his robe and making his way to the bed, “I need all the help I can get at this point.”

*****

Dinner was boisterous, with everyone relaxed and ready for classes to begin on Monday. The older students were telling the new first years about how crazy last year was, and Harry was doing his best to ignore the conversation and glares aimed his way. He just crossed his fingers that everything would go right that night. He had only tonight and tomorrow night to finish up his tasks before classes started back.

After dinner, Harry assured Ron he’d play chess with him in the common room that evening before heading to Professor McGonagall’s office. The castle was quiet as he walked, the suits of armor and portraits shifted to watch his progress, making the back of his neck itch. He knocked and made his way inside when she called out for permission.

“Mister Potter, please take a seat.” Professor McGonagall said, gesturing Harry to the chain before her desk with a small smile.

“Thank you, Professor,” Harry said with a nod, taking a seat.

“May I ask how long you’ve been studying runes?” she asked, gazing at him over the top of her glasses sternly.

“Just last summer, Professor, I owl ordered a few books and studied every day." he said with a sullen shrug, keeping his eyes on her desk, “I didn’t have much else to do.”

“Well, you managed to pass all your exams with flying colors. If you wish, you can take the sixth-year test tomorrow and be placed with the seventh-year students.”

“Really?” Harry asked, blinking in not completely fake shock.

“Professor Babbling was rather impressed and would like to work with you on a project for whichever year you decide to take.”

“Can I stay with the sixth years, Professor? I’d kind of like to stay with my house mates, at least.” Harry said, making sure his voice sounded uncertain, the last thing he needed was for something else to single him out.

“Of course," she said with a rare smile, “Do you have the course books you need?”

“Yes, it was one of the ones I ordered,” Harry said with a sheepish smile.

“Good," she said with a nod, “We’ll hand out the class schedules on Monday, but you should be in the same class as Miss Granger.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

******

After several hours of chess and gob stones with Ron, Harry and the other sixth-year boys retired to their beds stuffed full of treats and exhausted from the day. Harry changed into a new pair of pajamas and wished everyone goodnight, warding his bed and trunk discretely. He waited until everyone was snoring peacefully before pulling out his newly unspelled invisibility cloak and his black wood wand. Casting several extra notice-me-not spells and protection wards on himself, he made his slow way down the stairs and out the sleeping portrait of the Fat Lady.

He made his way quickly, checking the Marauder’s map as he went. Everyone seemed to be asleep, even Dumbledore’s footprints were showing in his bedroom. hoH the Marauders had managed to map that he didn’t want to know.

He breathed a sigh of relief when even Myrtle was absent from the girl’s bathroom tonight. He cast every detection spell he knew, but nothing but the runic-controlled mechanisms that opened the entrance showed. He hissed for the entrance to open and, on a whim, asked for stairs, the pipe shifting with a grinding sound that he quickly silenced with several spells on the pipe and the bathroom entrance.

He quickly made his way down and closed the entrance after him; hopefully, he wouldn’t be leaving that way anyway. Once he reached the cave-in, Harry took off the cloak and set his supplies to one side.

“Mathis, I need you," he called out, listening to the echoes dying away. Mathis popped in a moment later, looking around the destroyed hall with a look of distaste.

“I am here, Master Harry.” Mathis said with a quick bow, “The wards are thick but do not prevent house elves from entering.”

“Good, I need you to go to Gold Kris at Gringotts and bring him and however many goblins he wishes to make the trip. Use as many elves as you need, I don’t want any of you exhausting yourselves," he said, casting a spell to light the remaining torches, giving a bit of light to the hall.

“I will be back, Master," he said, giving another bow and popping away.

Soon, the hall was filled with the pops of arriving elves as they brought Gold Kris and ten goblin guards and warders. Harry cast some cleaning spells while they waited for the last to arrive, revealing murals and runic carvings along each wall.

“Thank you for coming, Account Manager Gold Kris, Master Goblins,” Harry said with a short bow.

“Few would have refused such an endeavor, Mister Potter.” Gold Kris said with a grin.

“There is a skin in the next chamber that will need to be collected, but first, we need to clear and stabilize the cave-in.”

“Leave that to us; goblins are born of stone.” Gold Kris said with a snort.

“Very well,” Harry said with a nod, “House-elves of House Potter; I want you to clean the rooms as we clear them. Do not move ahead of us until we declare the room free of traps.”

“Yes, Master.” The gathered elves chorused.

“Be careful; I don’t want to see any of you hurt because of hast. If you find any unopened doors or chambers, please alert someone, any artifacts or papers are to be collected and brought to the bank. They will be sorted and analyzed in a separate Potter vault.”

“They will be careful, Master Harry,” Mathis said with a firm nod, gesturing for the others to start work.

The goblins worked steadily, and a short while later, the loose rock was cleared away, and the hallway looked much like it did before the collapse. Harry showed them to the discarded skin while the elves popped around the room, clearing out several centuries of dirt and grim, revealing glittering murals and inlaid runes set with silver and precious jewels. They left two goblins to deal with the skin while the rest followed him to the next set of doors.

-Open. - Harry hissed, ignoring the sidelong glances the goblins gave him.

Inside, the carcass of the basilisk waited before them, its magic and poisons having sustained the flesh and prevented rot in the years since it died. The Goblins quickly moved forward to check the rest of the room, but most kept one eye on the basilisk. Harry couldn’t blame them; somehow, it looked even larger than it had seemed during the second year.

“You killed the beast in the second year?” Gold Kris asked, pacing along the length of the head.

“Yes, a Horcrux was feeding off of Ginny Weasley, and it set the beast on me. I killed it with the sorting hat, Gryffindor’s sword, and a lot of luck. I was wounded killing it, and only Fawkes’ tears saved my life. I used a fang that broke off to destroy the Horcrux, that fang was given to the Headmaster when we escaped.”

“So he has both a fang and the sword?” The goblin sneered.

“As far as I know, yes,” Harry said slowly, “Is it important?”

“Possibly, how did you receive the sword?”

“It fell out of the sorting hat while I was battling the basilisk.”

“So Hogwarts herself gave you the blade, and the Headmaster claimed it. You should be able to claim both the remains and sword as a right of the kill.”

“Yet another thing he took from me in my ignorance.” Harry said with a snort, “How does he keep a phoenix by his side when he’s this corrupt?”

“Phoenix bond with a mortal and cannot be released until the death of the mortal. Even if the creature regrets his binding, he will stay at his master’s side until he is released no matter how the master changes.”

They fell silent for a while, watching as the carcass was butchered and each item carefully extracted and stored. One wall was quickly filling up with large jars of venom, folded piles of skin, and packages of teeth, sinew, and meat.

“The sale of the remains will double your holdings easily.” Gold Kris said with a satisfied nod, every goblin enjoyed watching a client prosper; a prosperous client meant a prosperous goblin.

“There may be more skins or even eggs hiding in the Basilisk’s den. When the others are ready, I can open it.” Harry said, shaking himself out of his musings.

“Please do so; the elves have also found two more doors near the base that we will need to investigate.”

Hours later, they had uncovered two storage rooms, a library and study that looked like it had been ransacked at some point, and several shed skins and eggs waiting in stasis. There were also some caged snakes and small animals who were sleeping under stasis spells that none of them were able to identify. Just the books alone would mean years of research and study.

They exited the last room to the main chamber, which was completely clean and repaired thanks to the diligent house elves working steadily. A new shift of elves arrived to take the packaged remains and goblins back to the bank while the others finished shrinking and packing up the library. With clean floors and no more scattered puddles of water, the chamber was rather nice, Harry thought with a sigh, maybe eventually, he’d be able to do something with the space. They had proven that it wasn’t as sealed as everyone expected, and there was even a long tunnel that led into the Forbidden Forest, probably an exit for the Basilisk to be able to feed.

Tea popped Harry back to his dorm before popping away to rest himself. It had been a long day, and tomorrow would be just as long, Harry thought with a sigh, crawling into bed.