How to Prevent a War

Debrief

Harry entered the library last of all his friends. The rest were all already seated in the far back, where very few students ever ventured. Ginny noticed him first and waved him over smiling. Harry smiled back and walked up, sitting down next to Fred and Sirius.

"Hey," he greeted.

"We were just asking around how everyone is doing in their new Houses," Sirius told Harry.

"How do you think I'm doing?" Harry asked frowning.
"I'm bunking with Tom Bloody Riddle."

Ginny winced at the name, and the expressions of the twins darkened. Ron and Sirius seemed sympathetic with Harry's dilemma, but Hermione just sighed and shook her head.

"It was your own idea to give the boy another chance, Harry," she pointed out.
"I know it's hard, but we can't back out now. We're here if you need us, but in the end, it'll be you who'll have to do this."

"I know that," Harry groaned, lying his head down on the table with a deep sigh.
"But it's not easy you know, always with his blasted 'holier than thou' attitude. He's bloody infuriating!"

"If it helps, we've got this awesome prank ready for him," Fred comforted.

"Just say the words, and we'll have him singing ballads for a whole week," George added grinning.

Harry couldn't help but snort at that. The twins always had some way or another to make him feel less like shit. He tried to imagine how Riddle would react if they did something like that, but the face of a raging Voldemort appeared before his mind's eye and he quickly shook his head.

"Let's keep that as a back-up plan," he mumbled softly.
"I'm sure I can think of something else to stop him from becoming Voldemort."

"If you say so," the twins replied in chorus.

Harry chuckled and looked around himself, observing every single one of his friends. They seemed calmer than they had in a long while already, more relaxed than they'd been at Grimmauld Place. None of them was worried about never going back, and Harry was sure that if they tried, they could make a new life here that was worthwhile.

"So," he spoke up after a short while.
"What's everyone been up to this week?"

"I have been getting to know my housemates," Hermione spoke up proudly.
"Though Ravenclaw has always been considered a neutral house, there are a lot of dark wizard children there too. Not as many as Slytherin, but definitely more than Gryffindor and Huffelpuff."

"Like who?" Ron asked frowning.

"Lucinda Malfoy and Cedrella Black from 7th year for one," Hermione replied.
"Not that Cedrella Black is particularly dark. She'll marry Septimus Weasley, so she's very light oriented already. Then there's Hannah Wilkes in 6th, Johnathan Selwyn in my year. He's an awful bully, just like that Olive Hornby. They always pick on poor Octavian Weasley."

Hermione sighed and leaned her head on her hand.

"It's horrible to think that poor boy will die in a few months..." she muttered sadly.
"He's really smart and kind. He could have a wonderful life, if it wasn't for all those bullies."

"You think we can save him?" Ginny asked hopeful.

"We might," Hermione replied nodding.
"That's why we're here, aren't we? Saving lives?"

"We are, but remember it's only secondary," Sirius told her.
"Stopping Voldemort will have priority in this, no matter what."

With grim faces, the teens all nodded at the only adult in their group. Sirius smiled weakly and turned towards the twins.