The Hand Of Justice

The Passing of Time

"Sirius, do we really have to be here before the feast? I would much rather visit Uncle Moony then come here for the FOOD. Its just classes right now." Harry complained as he and his Godfather walked towards the main doors of Hogwarts.

"Now pup, I told you that you need to make some friends before you come here next year. Besides, you would do well to learn all the twists and turns and secret routes if you want to get to class on time." His Godfather said with a grin. "Uncle Moony is busy right now anyway; he will be fine to hang out within a few days."

Harry scowled up at the full moon overhead as if it was responsible for his current situation. Which, in his opinion, it was. Looking back at his Godfather, he tried his next idea.

"I already have friends here, though! Lily and James will be starting soon, and I know all the teachers!"

"James and Lily will be starting next year, as first years, the same as you, although you are going to be a second year. However, you need friends your age! Teachers are all well and good, but during the school year, Filius will not be playing Exploding Snap with you. During the school year he is your teacher, not your 'Uncle'." Sirius replied, and Harry grimaced. He knew that the teachers had to be more distant at school, but he still didn't think it was a great reason why. He'd known them forever, so why not be friendly?

"Fine, fine. I'll go try and find some kids my age then." He muttered as they entered the Entrance Hall. Walking over to the nearest portrait, this one depicting a posing scientist, he smiled and asked.

"Hey, William. How have you been?"

"Just fine Harry, just fine. Looking for the first years?" the portrait replied, smiling back.

"Yeah, Sirius says I should get to know people before next year, when I start coming here." Harry grumbled, and the portrait laughed.

"They're in Charms Harry. And your Godfather is quite right, you should make some friends."

"You're supposed to be on my side William." The youth muttered before walking away as the portrait chortled behind him. Walking through the halls, he found his way to the Charms classroom and knocked. When a familiar, somewhat high-pitched squeak of "Enter!" came from the other side, he pushed the door open and walked through, grinning as he caught sight of his "Uncle" Filius Flitwick, the Charms teacher, perched on a pile of books on the chair behind his desk.

"Harry! Great to see you, my boy! How was Greece?" Flitwick said, keeping an eye on the class even as he spoke.

"Hello, Uncle Filius. Very nice to see you as well." Harry replied, ignoring the class for the moment. "Greece was brilliant, and Sirius was planning on heading over to America after the feast tonight. Florida specifically. Apparently, he wants to go to Disney World." The last was said in a dry but amused tone, and Flitwick shook his head in bemusement. He had no idea what "Disney World" was, but leave it to Sirius Black to go to America for something most people never heard of.

"Well, I assume that you are here to meet some people who will be your year-mates next year?" Flitwick said, and chuckled when he saw his favourite 'nephew' grimace and nod. "You were just coming for the food, weren't you lad?"

"Yes, but Sirius told me meeting people before next year would be a good idea." Harry said, wandering over to one of the desks, where a red-haired boy and a bushy-haired girl were sitting with a feather in front of them. He turned back to Flitwick and raised an eyebrow. "Levitation Charm?"

"Quite right. I would give you points if you were in a house, but..." was the reply, and Harry smirked slightly.

"But I'm not, at least not until next year." he finished, before looking about the classroom, noting both the time and the fact that no one was working. "Mind if I move about and introduce myself while the class works Uncle?"

"Not at all. Now, as I was saying everyone. Use the incantation and the motion we have been practicing! Begin, and remember to swish and flick!"

  The room was quickly filled with shouted incantations and flailing arms as the first years tried to make their feathers float in the air. Their efforts were, by and large, met with a resounding lack of success. More than one student had to duck or risk losing an eye to their partners' increasingly desperate attempts. Harry shook his head and grinned at the antics of his soon-to-be year-mates. The Levitation Charm was easy enough. He had learned it a little while ago himself, and found it far simpler than this lot seemed to be. Of course, he did have the advantage over many of them, having been taught magical theory since he was able to understand it so that his practical applications would be that much better. He had loathed Sirius and the Professors for doing it at the time, but now he (secretly) agreed that it had been a good idea. On his second circuit around the room, having stopped to greet several people, he saw that the red-haired boy was in danger of injuring his partner as he wind milled his arms, while yelling the incantation wrong. 

 Harry grimaced as he started to walk over. The girl needed saving, and the boy needed to be stopped before he mangled the spell badly enough to create accidental magic of dangerous proportions. Before he could get there, however, the girl grabbed his arm and told him to stop. After she corrected him on his pronunciation, he sneered and told her to do it if she was so much better. Harry raised his eyebrows as the girl performed the charm perfectly. The only one in the class who had managed anything at all and she did it flawlessly! Here was someone he could get along with easily, or at least he hoped so. The bell rang and the class left, while Harry ambled along after them after waving goodbye to Flitwick and promising to explain what Disney Land was at dinner. Weaving his way through the crowd, he found himself next to the bushy-haired girl, and was about to introduce himself when words from directly in front of them became audible.

"Stupid bushy-haired, buck-toothed, bossy know-it-all. I mean, it's Halloween. Surely she has noticed that she has no friends at this point in the year!" the red-haired boy was saying to an Irish boy who, if Harry recalled correctly, had caused his feather to explode in his face.

Beside him, the girl abruptly sped up and rushed ahead of everyone, but not before Harry heard a quite sob. Apparently, the Irish boy noticed to.

"Ron, mate, I think that she heard you...."

"So what? Doesn't matter Seamus. I mean, it's true right?" the boy, Ron, said with a shrug. Harry frowned at his back, not pleased with his attitude. Subtly, he drew his wand and pointed it at the boy, whispering one of the mild hexes Sirius had taught him without telling the Professors.