The Second Try

Sorting and Storm

The rest of the trip was mostly uneventful, and Harry had dispelled the wards. However, about two minutes before they were told to change into their wizarding clothes, a pair of boys strode in. The first was blond and slightly short. The other was tall, with red hair and freckles.

Ron Weasley and Neville thought with a chuckle. He silently cast a wandless spell that bestowed bad luck, as he extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Harry Potter." He said.

"I'm Albus Dumbledore's apprentice, Neville Longbottom." Neville said imperiously. As he stepped forward to shake Harry's hand, he tripped on his own feet. He shivered.

Of course... Harry thought. Dumbledore would choose the other possible child of prophecy to become his minion, once he thought that Harry was dead. He'd obviously gone with a different tactic on this boy. The strategy had obviously worked. Neville was prouder when he said Dumbledore's name than when he had said his own.

Ron stepped forward to shake Harry's hand as well, but Hermione cast a hex that knocked his legs out from under him and he fell onto Neville. They never knew that they'd been spelled. Harry and Hermione laughed. "Wow, you're clumsy." Hermione said with a chuckle. The two stood and walked to their trunks. As they did, Hermione stomped on Ron's hand, breaking several bones in it. Harry "tripped" over Neville, "accidentally" kicking him in the stomach. They grabbed their trunks and wandered off, looking for another place. "I guess we're pretty clumsy too!" The two chortled as they made their way to another compartment.

Hermione had never forgiven Ron for the incidents that had resulted in the deaths of Ginny, Arthur, and Bill. Harry, on the other hand, hated Neville because of the destruction of 12 Grimmauld Place. Neville had gone quite insane after the battle of St. Mungo's in the second year of the war. He had used all of his magic to turn himself into a living bomb, blowing up the Order's headquarters. It had destroyed most of Harry's last links to his godfather. Lupin and Mad-Eye had been seriously wounded by the blast as well.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled to a stop, Harry shrunk his trunk, while Hermione did likewise. It wouldn't do for someone to accidentally trip the wards and get themselves killed. There were things inside that no one from this time should see. As they passed through the gates on their way to the lake, Harry heard a voice.

"Welcome back, Lord and Lady." The school itself whispered to Harry and Hermione. "It is good to have you within my walls again."

"It's good to be back." Harry murmured back. They were referred to as Lord and Lady because they were by blood, battle, inheritance, or marriage, Heirs to all of the Founders. Harry was a descendent of Griffindor and Ravenclaw. Hermione was also a distant descendant of Ravenclaw. He had, by beating Voldemort, gained the title of Heir of Slytherin. When the last of the Weasleys had died, Harry had been given the title Heir of Hufflepuff. Thus, Harry was literally the Heir of Hogwarts.

He and Hermione found an empty boat and got going. On the way to the castle, Hermione waved her wand. As Ron and Neville were crossing, the giant squid flipped their boat, throwing them into the water. Harry and Hermione laughed as the two buffoons sputtered on the water they'd inadvertently swallowed.

Harry and Hermione were quite happy to see Professor McGonagall. She had died in the battle of Hogwarts two years before Voldemort's death. She led them from the lake to the Great Hall.

Hermione was confused when "Granger, Hermione" was skipped. She looked at Harry confused. Harry, on the other hand, knew exactly what had happened. When his name, "Potter, Harry" was called, he stood. There were whispers throughout the Hall as he stood. He wasn't surprised. They'd all been told that the Boy-Who-Lived had died with his muggle family.

"You'll be next." He whispered to Hermione. "Don't worry, Mrs. Potter." Hermione smiled at that, realizing what he meant.

Harry sat on the stool and slid the Sorting Hat onto his head. "I see that you were successful. You have made it back, My Lord." The hat said to his mind