@ Wolf: Thanks, mate! Hope you like the new version of that one. The changes are starting to show a little more in that chapter.

Note to the new readers: This is the moment where the AU-side of this story is starting to show. Keep in mind that it has been started before book 6 came out. Hope that won't drive you away.

Here's the next part.

Chapter Two: Back on the Hogwarts Express

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A few weeks later
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“Look at that flying demonstration the two seekers are giving today!”
The voice of the commentary echoed in the whole stadium.
“Still it’s Spinett holding the Quaffle for London. She passes to Warbird, who passes back, avoiding a collision with McGregor. Spinett still in possession. She passes to Hutchinson. Hutchinson aims, shoots, and she scores!!!! London scores again!!!!!”
The wind was whistling in Harry ears as he flew around the pitch, in search of the Golden Snitch. The game was getting mad. The Glasgow Highlanders were a serious opponent, but still, there was a clear domination on Harry’s side, as they led the score seventeen to ten. Harry had seen wonderful attack actions led by Alicia Spinett his old team mate of the Gryffindor team. They had been playing together again for two seasons now. They had both transferred to London at the same time, and they had changed the whole team’s play. Alicia was a great tactician, and with her two fellow chasers, she was ruining the chances of Glasgow to score.
But, because of that, Hamish McDermott, the Scottish Seeker, was trying daring manoeuvres to lure Harry into traps, as the only remaining chance of Glasgow was to catch the snitch before him. This has been one the most exciting chase between seekers he’d lived since he was chasing Cho Chang across the Hogwarts pitch in his sixth year. They had just buried the thought of ever getting together at the time, and thus the match between them had been furious.
McDermott dived at Harry, who was forced to avoid him in a very dangerous loop. And then, he saw a golden flash passing before his eyes. The snitch was right behind McDermott. Harry leaned on his broom, and dived just behind the Scottish Seeker. The crowd made a confused sound, as some had seen the snitch and some hadn’t, and so didn’t understand Harry’s trick, believing he’d fallen into one of McDermott trap. Hamish must have believed it too, as he turned his head to see Harry. He smiled, but the smile faded away from his face the second he saw Harry extending his hand before him.
Harry winked at Hamish, and his fist closed on the snitch. He flew past McDermott (Whooshhh!) and pulled up, as his opponent slowed down, a look of disgust clear on his face. Harry raised his fist to the air, showing the snitch to everyone. The crowd cheered (not that much, as they were playing in Glasgow) when the referee whistled the end of the game. Harry was joined by his team mates in the sky. They formed a circle, who flew slowly back to the ground.
After ten matches, they were taking the lead in the League for the second year in a row, as they still were undefeated. Harry was carried on the two London beaters, John Curry and Aloysius Freeborn. His Captain, a large Keeper named Jeremy Westham, chanted “He’s quick! He’s strong! He never did us wrong… Potter! Potter!” He was trying to find a new motto for each victory. Harry thought that this wasn’t the best he’d ever found.
As he was carried to the changing rooms, he caught a glimpse of someone in the main tribune. A cute face with red hair. Ginny Weasley waved at him. Harry waved back, trying to spot Jeb, her boyfriend. Maybe she was here without him, to work. She was writing the sports pages of the Daily Prophet, after all. But beside her, there was someone else. Someone Harry was very pleased to see.
He waved even higher.
“Remus!” he yelled.
“I’ll see you later,” Remus managed to get through the roaring sound of the crowd. And Ginny nodded. She surely hoped an exclusive interview. Harry wouldn’t dare to refuse this to her.
His thoughts were brought back to the celebration when the Beaters kindly asked him to get off their shoulders, so they could enter the changing room. He laughed with everyone and the team disappeared from view into the room.


-----------------
An hour later, Harry was making his way through a wild horde of wizards and journalists, who wanted to get his impressions on the match, the League situation, and London's chances for a second title, along with the rumours about his love life and even the weather forecast.
By the time he got through, he must have said a dozen times “We’ve got very good chances,” ten “YOU were watching the game,” and a hundred “No comment”. Then he caught sight of Remus and Ginny, who were talking together, a little away from the crowd.
When a journalist asked him for the third time he was really dating the niece of Cornelius Fudge, he answered “No, I’m not. And if you want any more details, you’ll have to check the Daily Prophet. I’ve got an exclusive interview with Miss Weasley, so if you’ll excuse me…” The crowd reluctantly let go of him, and tried instead to get a grip on Alicia. She made a face, and crossed Harry’s eyes. Harry winced, and she suppressed a laugh.
Harry joined Remus and Ginny. Harry hugged his former professor for a long time. And then Ginny jump to his neck, kissing him madly on the cheeks, and chanting “you were amazing!! Amazing!”
“That was a pretty good game, Harry,” said Remus. “You have improved even more since last time I saw you.”
“What about a Butterbeer in my Inn?” offered Ginny. “It’s really close.”
“Jeb’s not with you?” asked Harry.
Ginny shook her head.
“The department of magical games is a heartless monster,” she said with a feinted sigh. “They sent him on a two weeks mission in France, for the organisation of the World Cup, leaving his poor girlfriend alone and forlorn.
Harry chuckled, knowing full well that Ginny didn't mean it. She had inherited that sense of humour that ran wildly in Fred and George and sorely lacked in Ron sometimes. Harry wondered if Hermione would be able to get the best over her husband so constantly, if Ron had only half the wits in words as his sister.
Ginny gave him a false stern look, and then laughed with him.
“Anyway, he's due back tomorrow,” she said.
Half an hour later, they were sipping their Butterbeers in the common room of the Inn where Ginny had her room. Remus looked a thousand times better than the last time Harry had seen him. It had taken months for Remus to recover from the wounds he got facing Voldemort on Snape’s side. And after a short time, he had been through an experimental magic charm, in order to deliver him from the Werewolf Curse. It had been a success, but it took Remus two more years to recover from this. Now he was looking better than ever. The only hint of what he had gone through was this thin scar running down his cheek, from the temple to the jaw. He was now working full time for the Order of The Phoenix, alongside with Ron. Harry had gotten word from him through his best friend. But it was their first meeting in two years.
Ginny had taken news from Remus, and then she had turned to Harry to receive his impressions from the match, the Season and his opinion on the spectacular rise of a little team, which had won five matches in a row: Redwall United. Harry answered that things were going quite well for the Falcons, but that they shouldn’t stop here, especially because of emerging teams like Redwall, whose players were impressive, in Harry’s opinion. The championship wasn’t over until all the matches weren’t all played. He vigorously denied the rumour of his departure from London, and confirmed the one which said that he would play for the National team.
“I was available,” he said humbly as his final comment. “It’s a great honour to play for my country. I hope I’ll be worthy of their expectations.”
“That will do, Harry,” said Ginny with a smile, putting down her quill and parchment. “Oh, I forgot a last question. Will you go to the Hogwarts reunion of ancient students, which takes place in two days?”
“Sure,” Harry said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Cool,” Ginny said with a wink. “What about you, Remus?”
“That’s why I’m back in England,” Remus said. “I was in France, until last week. They’ve got a Werewolf Problem.”
“And the Order sent you?” Harry was surprised.
“Now that I’m proved to be a full human again, they found out that I’m one of the finest experts on the Werewolf case, “ Remus said with a false satisfied voice, which made Ginny laugh. “My personal experience, you know. Even that poor Lockhart couldn’t pretend having approached a Werewolf closer than me.”
Harry smiled. Remus was not only in better shape, but he looked even more alive and happier than Harry has ever seen him. It was something important to him, since Remus was his last close link to his parents’ past.
The evening went very well. They were only interrupted once by a young boy, who came at their table to ask him shyly to sign a little photo of one of his most spectacular actions. Harry signed with a smile. The beaming face he got in response was enough for him. He liked those kinds of fans. They weren’t intrusive and never too curious.
By the time Harry apparated to his own Inn, it was already half past eleven, and the night was beautiful.
Only two days before he would go back to Hogwarts. Harry felt good at this idea. He opened the Inn’s door, to be greeted by a huge cheer from his team mates, who were going on with the celebration with some friends. Harry thought that he only had to be in London two days later.
He could have a long sleep tomorrow.
He joined the party with enthusiasm.


-----------------
Alexander had apparated in London at eight o’clock. The train was leaving at 11, just like in the old days. His parents would meet him at ten at the station. Another letter had told him that every guest of the Reunion had to be dressed with the colours of his House. He thus had a travel bag with two sets of robes for the evenings and one for the days. He was dressed as a Smuggle for now, as he walked in London streets to King’s Cross station.
While he walked, he thought about what he had found out during the last months. Although his father wasn’t too worried about it, Alexander did find the political manoeuvres of Devin very disturbing. It was unusual enough to become Head of a department such as Magical Law, but given Devin’s lack of abilities, it was moreover troubling. How did he get there?
Alexander had a very precious gift, apart from his particular brand of magic. He was good at seeking rumours and sorting them out. So he had heard a lot of things during these three months he had passed with his parents. And most of them were meaningless, or simply uninteresting. But some had caught his attention.
For example, there was a huge agitation among the Seers. Prophecies and Vision were still concealed in the Department of Mysteries, but Seers were talking more openly of their visions now. And according to some reports within the ministry, a lot of Visions and glimpses of the future had been seen by the Seers. The last time it had happened was five years ago. The Ministry was at this time swept under a gigantic wave of Prophecies, most of them senseless and useless. But two great events happened that year. Voldemort was destroyed for good, and The Chaos Rift was closed, back in Mongolia. Alexander had witnessed the latter and had even been a part of it.
Was this recent agitation linked to his own dream? Did he experience a vision? It was more of a warning, he thought. But still it remained unclear.
Another thing he had learned was that there had been a lot of owl posting between the Department of Mysteries and Hogwarts. That was pretty unusual, as the Department of Mysteries was used to keep completely quiet on anything. To see them start a correspondence With Dumbledore was something you could worry about. There were so many things that remained unexplained in the alleys of the Department.
He crossed the street and found himself facing the King’s Cross station. A wave of memories rose in his mind. The reunion with his friends every September the first. He saw again the fun he had with his friends aboard the train. He saw again his friends’ faces. Judy, Davon, Alfric, all his classmates. And Phyllis. Alexander had a nostalgic smile. Too bad he never had the nerve to ask her out. Years after, he still had forgotten neither the redheaded Irish girl, nor his feelings toward her.
He passed through the great door of the station Hall. Packed with Muggles, as usual. This was Halloween week-end, after all. A lot of people were visiting their family at this time, even the Muggles.
He made his way through the crowd of voyagers, walking discreetly toward The Platform Ten. When he got there, he casually leaned closer on the barrier between Platform Ten and Nine. He passed through the magical passageway to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. There wasn’t many people at the time, but still the Red locomotive was standing there, ready to start. Alexander walked slowly along the train cars. He was still savouring his old memories, associated with that train. He had to admit that, although it hadn’t been the most adventurous years of his life, his Hogwarts years were among the happiest.
He looked around, trying to catch a familiar face in the few people that were standing on the platform. And suddenly, he heard his named cried out by a woman voice.
“Alex! Alexander Lockenburn! I can’t believe you’re here!”
Alexander saw Judy run toward him and she threw her arms around his neck. They hugged for a long time.
“How are you, Judy?” asked Alexander.
“Great!” she said. “But I thought you were in Asia. Did you come back especially for this reunion?"
“In fact, I was in Russia,” said Alexander. “And I did come back for this reunion.”
“It’s wonderful to see you,” said Judy. “Hey, Colin! Malcolm! Come over here, look who turned up!”
Alexander greeted Malcolm, Judy’s older Brother, and Colin Carmichael, her husband. He had been at their wedding, luckily for him, since Judy had promised she would have ripped him apart if he hadn’t.
“Come on,” said Judy. “We have reserved a whole compartment for the old group.”
“I’ll have to warn my parents; they’re coming too.”
He stepped up on the train and entered the compartment.


------------------------------------

“Come on, we’re getting late, children,” Mrs Weasley said, on an urging tone. “Is everybody here? Bill, Fleur? Are you done with the owls, now?”
“Yes, Mum,” said Bill, with a side look at Harry. He winced a little, and then smiled widely.
Harry suppressed a chuckle. Mrs Weasley hadn’t changed a bit since he first met her in his first year at Hogwarts. She was still acting toward every child of hers, just like they were little kids. The fact that Bill already was married to Fleur Delacour and father of a young girl didn’t matter to her.
Ron also winked at Harry.
“Molly,” said Mr Weasley. “They’re all grown up now, you know. They can handle getting on a train.”
The twins nodded furiously, a large smile on their faces.
“So, we’re going with…” said Mrs Weasley.
“Your former classmates,” finished Charlie in her place. “We know. It’ll be okay, Mum. You can go now!”
He patted her on the shoulder. Mrs Weasley frowned, half smiling. Fred and George tried to pat her on the shoulder, too, but one look discouraged them for good, which made Ginny snigger.
“Daring but no fool,” she said under her breath.
The Weasleys parted from their children and strode to their car. Mr Weasley turned to his children and winked. That would mean “now whatever you do, how will she know?”.
Hermione giggled. Harry turned to her and saw that Ginny was whispering something in her ear.
“Care to share the joke?" he asked.
“In fact, I was saying that Mum would soon feel so way back in time that she would forget she has children”.
“You don’t believe in that any more than I do, Ginny,” said Jebediah Curren, her boyfriend, smiling.
Ginny had to admit he had a point. She and Jebediah had been dating for six months, now. And Harry thought he was alright, as far as boyfriends went. But he was a little pedantic, sometimes. And there had always been some tension based on the fact that he had always paid more respect to Harry than to Ron, which was, in the fine art of surviving a relationship with a Weasley, a fatal error. But Ginny liked the guy, so everyone was making an effort, even Jeb himself, if Harry had to be honest.
They got on the train and found a compartment that was empty.
“Harry Potter!” cried a voice from the corridor.
Harry was about to enter his compartment. He turned to the voice. A tall, beautiful woman, with dark skin was walking toward, frowning.
“So, I heard Mister Potter was going to play for a certain Quidditch team? How come they asked you to be on? They didn’t find a decent Seeker?”
Angelina Johnson was smiling broadly as she spoke. Harry returned the frowning.
“In fact, they thought that their first chaser was so pathetic, I would look quite good on the pitch next to her.”
Angelina burst into laughing.
“Nice one, mate! You’re getting better at this, aren’t you?”
And suddenly she hugged him, still laughing. Harry returned the hug with a smile. This was a game. They had settled a deal. Each time their team met in the League, they would throw fake insults at each other. The more elaborate the insult was, the more inexistent the grudge between them would be. In spite of their rivalry on the pitch, Angelina and Harry were great friends.
“So back together, huh?” said Angelina. “And with Wood, to add on things.”
“You didn’t hear the news?” said Harry with a smirk.
“What?” said Angelina.
“Cunningham injured himself yesterday. He won’t be able to fly for a month. Chudley said they wouldn’t risk his health. The national team called Alicia to fill in.”
“Awesome! Four from the old Squad! Just like old times. No offence, Weasleys,” she said to the compartment.
A collective groan came in response. Angelina may have forgotten that five person in the compartment had played for the Gryffindor team, at some time. From Charlie to Ginny.
“How’s Bob?” asked Harry.
“Fine,” Angelina replied. “He sends his bests.”
Bob Walkovich was one of the Chasers of Wimbourne. And he was Angelina’s boyfriend, which explained they worked so well together. Bob was from another school in Europe, and thus he wasn’t invited. He had declined coming with her, since he didn't know so many people at Hogwarts. Angelina said she was going to look for Alicia and Oliver, to celebrate the reunion. Harry finally made his way to a seat in the compartment.
“You didn’t tell me about Alicia,” said Ginny, on an accusing tone.
“When you interviewed me, Walter was perfectly fine,” Harry replied innocently.
The clock in Fred’s pocket rang, telling everyone that it was eleven. The train started immediately to move on, and soon, he was rolling fast through London. Harry smiled. They were on their way home!
As the train left the city, there was some agitation all along the train. People began to pass from compartment to compartment to say hello to old friends or just to see who was here.
Some familiar faces passed before them. Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown, who were on their way to get married soon, showed up at some point. Dean Thomas, Ginny's ex-boyfriend, and still a good friend of the group was with them. They all exchanged recent news before Seamus, Dean and Lavender went on.
Oliver Wood made a stop at their compartment, to say hi to everyone and rejoice a little with Harry of their selection in the National team. This had been Oliver’s obsession during all his years in Hogwarts, to get in high level Quidditch. Being asked for the National team, had to be the achievement of his whole life.
The next person to sneak into the compartment was Neville Longbottom. He waved at someone outside and entered, shaking hands with everyone, a large smile on his round face. He was followed immediately by Luna Lovegood, his girlfriend.
In some ways Luna wasn’t any different from the girl they had met in their fifth year. She still was a little strange, as if she was absent. Except for Neville. She seemed to catch half the words of everything they talked about, but each time Neville spoke, she was getting it all. Harry couldn’t help but thinking that Ron got really lucky that Hermione finally made her move on him in sixth year. Because Luna had seemed really interested in him. Harry liked Luna, but he was sure it took someone with the patience of Neville to handle a relationship with her. At no time Ron could have coped with that.
Harry noticed also, that if Luna still looked a little lost, she was now dressed in a very elegant way. She was now working with her father at the Quibbler. She was something of a redaction manager, or anything they would call such a position in the Quibbler. Harry had never completely understood the organization of the magazine. It was as confusing as the theories published in the pages of the paper. But he was glad that she was doing so well.
Neville, on his side, was now doing more than well in a herbology lab, depending from the Ministry. He had always been gifted with plants of all kind.
Neville and Luna stayed with them for the rest of the trip. Jeb, who was from a different year than them, parted company from them, saying he was going to meet some friends. Ginny stayed behind to catch up with Luna.
Some other old friends passed by. Lee Jordan was pretty excited about Quidditch, but moreover, as an associate of the twins, he wanted to talk about the shop all along, until Fred himself told him that they were on vacation, for a change. Then Lee went completely back on Quidditch. Meanwhile; Hermione, Ginny and Fleur spoke about what Ron qualified half mockingly as “girl’s stuff.” He avoided the slap from his wife with a chuckle, and kissed her on the cheek, before leaving the compartment with Lee. This kiss had made Hermione fell silent and looking dreamily through the train window, with a little smile on her face. Harry had already noticed that his two best friends could have this effect on each other.
Many people passed before them. Cho Chang passed before one of the compartment window, winked and smiled at Harry. Both Hermione and Ginny gave her a thoughtful look and raised their eyebrows to Harry, in a single move that made him laugh.
“What?” he asked.
“I didn't know you were on such good terms with Miss Hosepipe,” noted Ginny, frowning.
“So that’s it, you have a nickname for every girl I dated?” he protested.
“Pretty much,” said Ginny. “Honestly, you’ve given us all the material we could have hoped for with your girls, Harry.”
Harry had a wince. Even he had to admit that it was true. Actually, it wasn’t surprising that his friends would put so much meaning in his interaction with Cho, since she had been his longest relationship, in fact, over two years. After the war, Harry had begun to go from date to date, with girls that didn’t ask for much. They were Quidditch groupies, for the most part. He had tried for another kind of girl, Sophie, who had turned out to be a Harry Potter groupie, based on his status as the conqueror of Lord Voldemort. Oh, boy did that end badly! Ron, Hermione and occasionally Ginny had been commenting on his love life, preferring to stay out of limiting their contacts with his dates to the minimum required by politeness. And so the ritual of the nicknames had begun. And to say they weren’t friendly was putting it obscenely mildly.
“I mean, Harry, you’re on a celibate trend, these days.” Ginny was going on. “If you’re having good contacts with Cho Chang, you should stick to your trend, because between the Cow, the Grindylow, the Gnome Brain and that… what was the name we picked for Brenda, again?”
“The Very Common Welsh Twit,” supplied Fred, helpfully. “I remember that was my favourite,” he added with a toothy grin.
“Thank you, Brother mine,” said Ginny, with a frighteningly similar smile. “Anyway, with a track record like this, you don’t really want to get back at the Hosepipe square, do you?”
Harry laughed.
“Well, first, she's not crying so often, these days,” said Harry, with an amused grin. “And second, since we play against each other, we became very good friends,” he said. “We're playing that game, and the newspapers love to speculate about us. But we both know we're just friends. Her fiancé doesn’t mind,” he added with a grin.
“She’s engaged?” Hermione said.
“You didn’t know?" Harry said, surprised. “It was all over the papers. Cho has many fans, so it was well documented. She’s engaged to the singer of the Banshees.”
“Jimmy Stringless? Said Ginny. “Oh, my, he’s absolutely gorgeous! Hum, don’t tell Jeb I said this!”
“We’ll be silent as a tomb, sis,” said Fred with a devilish smile, like he had been offered an early christmas present.
They all laughed. Charlie said he wanted to find his old classmates, and so left the compartment.

-----------------
Alexander chuckled seeing Davon playing with a little fairy he had summoned. His old friend was still the little clown he had always been. The compartment they were in saw a lot of people pass. Old unknown faces or more familiar ones. Students from all years passed before them.
Alexander thought he recognized Ron Weasley when he passed with Lee Jordan, talking excitedly about Quidditch. Then he saw Charlie Weasley, who stopped by to say hello. Charlie and Judy had always been good friends and Judy was delighted to see him.
Alexander was half hoping he would see Phyllis aboard the train, but then he remembered that she was working for the local bureau of Gringotts, in Hogsmeade, so she didn’t need to take the train. He suppressed his disappointment.
After the lunch, Judy, Davon and Colin went to wander in the corridors of the train. Alfric and Diana followed them.
Alexander stayed alone with Malcolm, but a young lady came into the compartment to speak with Malcolm. Alexander caught a meaningful look from Malcolm, took the hint and went for a walk, leaving the compartment all to his friend.
He was making his way to the front of the train, when he crossed a familiar face.
“Hello Alexander,” said Remus Lupin with a smile.
“Hello. How are you, Remus?”
“As you can see, a lot better than last time we met,” Remus said with a grin.
Alexander had met him many times with his parents as he was an old friend of Damien. But he had met him more recently, while he was on an investigation in Europe. Lupin was there on the same mission, for the Order of the Phoenix. At this time, he was still under recovery from his magic treat of his lycanthropy, and he had been looking positively dreadful. Right now, though, he was smiling, and he had rarely looked that healthy.
“What news from the East?” Remus asked.
“Not much, except that some trolls are going out of their caverns a little too early for the season. But nothing the Russian minister can’t handle. But there has been some fascinating things to see up in the sky,” said Alexander.
“Really?” Remus said.
“Two Eclipses in the same months is quite the unusual phenomenon,” explained Alexander. “I think that the whole region is still under the effects of the Chaos Rift”.
“That is possible,” said Remus. “’We don’t know the exact amount of effects that it could have. How long have you been back in England?”
“Roughly a month,” Alexander replied. “I stayed at my parents’.”
“So the rumours I read were true.”
“They're a hughe pile of exaggeration, if you ask me,” said Alexander with a wince.
“Are your parents on the train?” Remus asked.
“Yeah, they’re with the Hawkeyes, as far as I know.”
“So I guess I’ll drop by their compartment,” Remus said.
“I’m sure they’d be delighted to see you.”
Remus walked away in the direction Alexander had indicated. Alexander stayed a long moment, looking by the window. The night had fallen around them. And the landscape was familiar. They were almost there. He walked back to his compartment, to find Judy back with her husband and grinning widely to her brother. Apparently she had walked into him in a very interesting situation with the young lady. Alexander chuckled at the embarrassed look on Malcolm’s face.
The train began to slow down.
“Yehaa!” shouted Judy. “We’re there!”


-----------------
Harry got off the train with Ron and Hermione. Bill and Fleur had left the compartment earlier to check on the owls. Charlie had never showed back after he left. The twins followed Harry on the platform. Ginny caught up with them, Jeb in tow, from the rear of the train, after a moment spent with the girls of her year. Everybody had changed at some point to wizard robes, with the colours of the Houses clearly visible. The twins wore absolutely dashing robes, all red and gold, with a huge Lion on their back. The lion was winking endlessly to those who were looking at him.
Harry almost expected to hear a deep, roaring voice to call for the first years, when he remembered that there were no first years to welcome and that Hagrid had to be in the Castle with the other teachers.
And then Harry noticed one thing. It was earlier than he had thought. Usually the train dropped them at Hogwarts just in time for the feast, but it was only seven PM, now. Could the Hogwarts Express be faster than before?
“Well, you know,” said Hermione. “The train can go at any speed we want it to go. The students arrive at the time of the Feast because Dumbledore wants to make sure that everything is ready to greet them. Maybe he has other plans for us.”
Harry admitted that it made perfect sense, as the crowd of guests made their way to the carriages, still pulled by Thestrals. Harry climbed in one of them, gently patting one of the winged skeletal horses on the flanks. Hermione gave him a smile and did the same by climbing in the carriage. Harry had a flash of sadness at the idea that now, most of his close friends were able to see Thestrals. But the sadness faded away when he saw the tower of the castle stand against the starry sky.
Hogwarts. The place he had discovered so much about his world and about himself.
The carriage stopped before the great door of the Castle. And on the top of the short stairs, smiling broadly, stood the most renowned wizard of the Century.
Albus Dumbledore greeted them cheerfully. At some point he crossed eyes with Harry and winked. Harry smiled and nodded.

“Welcome back in Hogwarts, dear graduates,” Dumbledore said. “I’m glad to see so many had been able to join us tonight. I’m really happy to see familiar faces and I’m even glad to see you again, dear misters,” he added, staring intently at the twins, who chuckled. “We, teachers of Hogwarts consider that all kind of experience would be a good thing to share with your young successors. Even the most unusual ones,” he added with a wink to the twins again.
“So before you join us for the first feast of this Reunion, I will explain how we are going to proceed. We asked you to wear the colours of your Houses. When you’ll get to the feast, I’ll ask you to get to your House table, grouped by year. You’ll find of course, that we have made some arrangements with the great Hall, so don’t be surprised. You will be joined then by the current students. They will be mixed with you, so they can begin to ask questions, in order to make them more comfortable. But before that feast, you may want to take a walk and a look around in the Castle. To meet some people, and that kind of things. So we’ll meet for the feast at nine. And for now, the place is all yours!”
At these words, the Doors of the Castle opened and there was a huge cheer from the crowd of guests.
“Ah, one more thing! The passages to your ancient Common Room have been warned of this event. So any password from your years in Hogwarts will grant you access. Have a good evening!”
And he stepped aside, to let the flow of people enter the gate. Harry and his friends didn’t follow. Dumbledore waited that the flow of people dried out to turn to them.
“I’m glad you’re here, Harry,” he said. “And of course, I enjoy seeing all of you. How’s the Order doing, Ronald?”
Ron smiled, a little embarrassed.
“Well, fine, Sir,” he said.
“Oh, Hermione,” said Dumbledore. “I believe that Minerva will want a word with you about this letter she sent you lately. My guess is that she wants a chance to convince you more directly.”
Hermione beamed at him.
“I’ll see her with pleasure, Sir.”
Harry knew that Hermione had always professed an unconditional love for her transfiguration Professor. Of all the Hogwarts teachers, she was the one Hermione had real links with.
“But my guess is that you may want to pay a visit to someone before getting to the feast,” Dumbledore said to all of them, with a wave of his head towards the grounds and a really familiar hut near the Forest.
“I guess you’re right, Sir,’ said Fred with an exuberating voice.
“Then I’ll see you at the Feast,” said Dumbledore. “And, Harry, I’d like a word with you before you leave Hogwarts.”
“Anytime, Sir” Harry nodded.
Dumbledore walked into the Castle, and after Jeb had told ginny he would see her later, as he was going to visit the Ravenclaw Tower, Harry and his friends headed for Hagrid’s cabin.


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Harry knocked on the wooden door, his heart pounding in his chest. It had been ages since he had seen Hagrid. And for Harry, Hagrid would always be the first thing he had discovered about the Magic world. He knew that Hagrid had been the one who saved him from the ruins of his parents’ house. But, moreover, he had been the one who came to save him from his miserable life in Privet Drive, when he had turned eleven.
The Door opened on Fang’s barks. And Hagrid’s face appeared.
“Blimey, Harry, it’s abou’ time!” the huge man said. “I thought yeh’d lost yer way ofr somethin'!”
He was beaming. Suddenly, Harry’s heart went up his throat, preventing him to say a word. With bright eyes, he simply hugged Hagrid furiously. The half-giant patted him on the shoulders, looking rather moved too.
Everybody around was looking with wide grins. Hermione and Ginny’s eyes were full of tears. Ron held his wife against him to comfort her.
After a long silent moment, Hagrid cleared his throat.
“Well, whatta yeh waitin’ fer? Come in, all of yeh!”
Harry broke the hug and smiled at Hagrid. He entered the cabin. Each one of his friends passed before Hagrid and shook hands with him. When Ron and Hermione passed before him, Hermione couldn’t stand it any longer, and she burst in tears, hugging Hagrid, too. Hagrid looked confused a second then smiled under his beard. He stroke Hermione’s head, while his other hand was hitting gently Ron’s shoulder.
“Aww, c’mon, Hermione,” he said. “A great strong girl like yeh don’t need te cry like that, yeh know?”
Hermione wiped her tears with a little nervous laugh, and she entered with Ron.
Hagrid closed the door, as they all took seats somewhere in the hut.
“Now, what about a cup o’ tea?” he said, clearing his throat again.


-----------------

Alexander was walking in the great corridors of the School, all his memories coming back to him. It was a great feeling to revive all this years of fun and learning within seconds. He couldn’t help a slight smile to remain on his face.
He was heading a particular place, though he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. He had waved to his friends and told them he would see them at the feast.
And now he reached the place he was looking for. Funny how he could have remembered so well the way to get to it.
Professor McGonagall’s Office. He knocked on the door.
“Come in,” said an impatient voice.
He opened the door.
“Hermione, I didn’t expect you that soon…” the professor began, without raising her eyes from a parchment. Then she stopped and did raise her eyes. She looked surprised, but then she smiled.
“i guess I bet on the wrong student to come visit me first, this time,” she said, as she stood up. “I’m sorry, Alexander. I just thought this was Mrs Weasley who would drop by first. But do come in, come in. I’m pleased to see you here, of course. Have a seat.”
Alexander smiled and sat in front of her Office, just like in the old times. This was a whole new relationship that he had to establish with her. The last time he had seen her, he was about to leave England, and she had told him to call her Minerva, which was a serious shift in his view of her. She wasn't a teacher any more to him, but a friend and an ally. And still, he could still feel her as a mentor.
“You mentionned Mrs Weasley?” he said, after they had caught up with a few things.
“I’ve had Hermione told to come up and have a chat, but I didn’t expect to see you before the feast, Alexander,” she said.
“Well I thought it would be appropriate to come and visit the one who invited me,” said Alexander casually. “because I was under the impression that you really wanted me to show up, no matter how much I dislike big parties like that.”
“Well, it is true, I needed your expertise,” Minerva admitted. “ We encountered several issues and I need your help on them.”
Alexander raised his eyebrows, interested.
“Go on,” he said.
“First; as you know, there had been some phenomena, linked with the closing of the Chaos Rift. You have dealt with some of them, by now. But the problem is that some of these Phenomena are now happening in England, as if the tide raised by the closing had finally reached our shores. I’ve had some letters from the Department of Mysteries asking me If I could talk to you into helping them to sort things out”.
Alexander grinned. That’s what the Owls have meant, finally.
“Since I’m done in Russia, I could stay around for some time,” he said.
“Thank you,” Professor McGonagall said. “And second, I hoped I could convince you to stay in Hogwarts on a more... permanent basis.”
“Permanent? You expect me to teach?” said Alexander, puzzled.
“Well, it so happens that one of our first years is a chaotician like you,” said Minerva.
“You can't be serious!” said Alexander, thunderstruck.
“I couldn’t be more serious,” said McGonagall. “We figured out his magic accidents were similar to yours. But I had to see it for myself before I could confirm it. Mr Malcolm is having some difficulty controlling these gifts. I was planning on teaching like we did teach you, but I figured you have an edge we will always lack.”
“I known how it feel,” said Alexander. “Right, Professor?”
“Exactly,” she confirmed. “I could stuff the head of this poor boy with all the theory in the world, it would still be better if yo handled his teaching. It doesn't seem that he's at your level, but with the proper guidance, he could use that power to reach great range as a wizard.”
“But to ask me to teach? I’ve never…”
“I’m aware of that, Alexander,” said Minerva. “But as you are the most aware of these things, I think Ian could really benefit from your teachings. Of course, I would be here for any kind of help you’d need.”
Alexander gave the idea some serious thought.
“Well, I can’t really leave this boy without help, can I? I’ll do my best, Professor.”
“Thank you again, Alexander. You can’t imagine the burden you’re taking from me. Professor Dumbledore will be much pleased. I’ll arrange some apartments for you, of course.”
Alexander smiled. The idea of sleeping again in Hogwarts, and in a teacher apartment, was an appealing prospect. It's not like he could stay at his parents forever and his old flat had been long rented since he had left the country.
“Well, if it is settled, I’d like to have some news,” said Minerva with a more relaxed voice. “What have you been up to all these years?”
Alexander grinned and began to talk about his trips and discoveries in the East. As he spoke, the thought of becoming a teacher was spinning endlessly in his head. It was really something! And of all the reasons he expected from Minerva to call him back to Hogwarts, this was the one he hadn't seen coming. She could still catch you off guard, whenever she wanted, that woman.
He had an inner smile, as echoes of the past flickered in his mind.
Now, what?

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That's it for today... on the next bit, we're going through some social mingling...
Next Chapter: The Great Reunion

Harry and the Seal of Chaos © Entropist, September 2004, rewrite October 2011