Previously on A very Black Plan: After another date with Hermione, showing her, Neville and Susan Potter Manor and going for a last trip to Diagon Alley, it was time.Preparations for their return to Hogwarts have started. Saying goodbye to all the people, portraits, creatures and animals he had grown close to this summer was hard. It was so strange for Harry to have people and a home to miss this year. Meanwhile, Amelia had started her own project together with Croaker, cleaning up the Ministry of Magic.
Harry met with his friends by the Hogwarts train and he was glad to see Hannah joining them. Soon Luna joined them too and Harry took the opportunity to ask her if she wanted a Mandrake Leaf. She did, and even said something about which animal she thought she would be. Knowing her, she was gonna be right too.
Ron and Ginny joined them too and after telling his friends some about his summer, mostly just that he decided to leave the Dursleys for the safe-house Sirius left him, the train started moving.
Harry felt good. Voldemort was gone, his health was so much better and he only had to deal with school and Dumbledore. Harry even felt optimistic about his chances, he would be alright, he thought. He could be a normal teenager having a normal school year.
Finally.
The train had been moving for only about a hour when it all started going wrong. The train shook, breaks squealing and then it stopped with a worrying sigh. Harry got the strong feeling that his hopes for a normal year were quickly going down the drain already. Well, it was a nice for the few hours it lasted.
Students started to look out of the doors and windows before it got abruptly quiet. A voice sounded that made the hairs on his neck rise and made Neville pale rapidly.
"Ickle little Potter, come out, come out, where ever you are!" Bellatix Lestrange babyish sing-songed voice sounded everywhere.
Susan carefully looked out of the window and told them, "Lestrange and two others in full on Death Eater regalia are standing in front of the train. It looks like they destroyed part of the track. We're stuck here."
Harry felt his heart skip a beat. This was horrible. This was dangerous. Bellatrix Lestrange had a train full of hostages or targets if he didn't take action soon. Sharing a look with his friends he stood up and took out his wand.
"Expecto Patronum." His beautiful stag came out looking ready for battle. Harry took a deep breath and told his patronus, "Go to Amelia, Prongs, and tell her that the train is under attack. Bellatrix and two unknown others have stopped the train and are demanding I come out. We need help, quickly."
The stag bowed and ran off.
Harry looked at his friends determined faces and said, "Well guys, we've been training for this. You know what to do. Hermione, Susan you two go and carefully approach them from the other direction. Neville, you are with me."
Hermione, Neville and Susan stood up and nodded. They were ready.
Hannah was less sure in her ability and that was okay. She had less time to train with them so Hannah had been trained so far as a supporting role. Harry told her to hide and wait for an opportunity while still staying inside the train.
Ron and Ginny were pale and shaken. Luna, well Luna looked as she always did, like this happened every day. Yet there was a steely determination creeping into her eyes.
Ginny managed to sarcastically arch an eyebrow as she said, "A boring summer you said?"
Still, she and Luna took out their wands, ready to defend themselves. Ron followed suit after them after a short moment of indecision.
Neville pointed his wand at his throat and cast a Sonorous, "Every student stay inside their compartment and away from the windows! Bellatrix Lestrange and two Death Eaters have stopped the train. Members of the DA or sixth year and up, take out your wand and defend the younger years! Shields up people!"
Then that horrible childish voice sounded again, "Is ickly little Potty afraid of poor auntie Bella? Don't be shy, sweetie. Come out, come out, little Harry. Or otherwise I get bored. You won't like me bored Potter, bored Bella wants to play with those cute little firsties hiding inside the pretty red train."
Harry was glad to see that as he walked toward the front of the train that no compartment had only first years in it. The students had clearly listened to Neville. Good. If worst came to worst they would need to defend the train themselves.
Harry stepped out of the bright red train with his wand raised and Neville at his back. Bellatrix had two 'friends' of her own with her as Susan said. Harry couldn't see who they were with the masks and robes they wore which made this tricky.
Taking a good look at his opponent Harry noticed several things. She looked truly unhinged. Her hair was wilder than ever and her clothes were in rags. Then there was the mad glint in her eyes that worried Harry. Bellatrix Lestrange looked like she'd just escaped Azkaban instead of being free for over a year.
Behind him Neville whispered, "Just distract her, Harry. Until Amelia arrives we'll have to keep her from the kids."
Harry gave a subtle sign that he understood. Hopefully, Hermione and Susan had made it to the other side of the train. They would try and approach the insane witch and her lackeys from behind.
Walking closer to where Bellatrix was impatiently waiting he whispered from the corner of his mouth, "Divide and conquer?"
"Sure, mate."
Lestrange lit up like a child on Christmas day when she saw them coming her way, "Well, well, well, ickle little Harry came to play with Bella after all! Auntie Bella was getting worried she had to pick someone else to play with!"
Talking in third person? Apparently she wasn't taking the death of Voldemort well. Shocking.
Bellatrix continued, "And who is that with you? Is that the little Longbottom boy? My useless husband, brother-in-law and I used to play a delightful game with some other Longbottoms. They your parents, boy?"
Harry could feel his friend shaking at the words Bellatrix spoke. Neville was furious. Harry was proud of his friend when he only answered with a seemingly calm, "My parents are Frank and Alice Longbottom, Lord and Lady of the Noble House of Longbottom and they are worth twelve of you, Lestrange."
Bellatrix threw her head back and cackled full of delight, "Ah yes, brave Alice and noble cousin Frank. Such delightful screaming they did. Did you know how long your mummy begged for your life, child? Your daddy was already gone by then but your mum, well your mummy was stronger than him. Sweetie, she kept on screaming for hours."
Merlin's beard, she sounded so satisfiedtelling them this. Harry felt himself pale, it was sickening to hear her talk about the worst day of Neville's life with such joy. Harry had to stop her from focussing on Neville, from saying those horrible things. His friend did not deserve to hear this. Harry changed into an easier position which shifted her attention from Neville to him.
She was getting more serious now she'd turned her attention on him which might not have been a good thing, "And then we have Harry Potter, ickle little Harry Potter. Tell your auntie Bella the truth sweetie, how did a filthy little half-blood manage to become the new Lord Black?"
"Well you murdered the Heir of your former House, my blood adopted father, Sirius Orion Black. So if you really think about it, it's your own fault that a 'filthy little half-blood' is the new Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Black." Harry said with a cutting smirk inherited from said father.
A vein strarted throbbing in her forehead which didn't make her look any saner. Yet she seemed to try to ignore his words for her own questions, "How a stupid little boy managed to ruin my Lord plans time and time again, I don't know, but it ends here. Now, where is the Dark Lord, boy?"
Where's the Dark Lord? Was she serious? Bellatrix was right there when the goblins attacked Voldemort. How could she not know of his death? Either she escaped before Voldemort's ultimate demise or she was crazier then he thought.
Either way, he had to keep distracting her. Hopefully Amelia would get here soon with her Aurors. Harry had to get her angry enough so she would start making make mistakes. At least, he hoped that would help. Ah well, if he was good at anything then it would be pissing of Death Eaters.
"Bella, Bella, Bella. Don't you know not to poke the bear? You are lucky I already disowned you for what you did to Sirius and my friend, Bellatrix No-name," He said mockingly, "You are all alone now, auntie. No husband, no family, no Master. How does it feel to be all alone?"
He spoke the truth. While he hadn't known it when disowning her, it was in her marriage contract that if her husband died and she had not given him an heir, she would go back to being a Black upon his death. Only with him disowning her, well, Bellatrix now became one of the greatest shames possible for a pureblood, a No-Name.
He prepared himself to either duck or cast a shield as he saw the fury rise even higher in her eyes as she let out and angry screech which sounded more animal than human. Bellatrix attacked them in a flurry of spells.
Putting up a quick shield Harry's last thought was that, well, at least he did get her angry. Then he focussed and went on the offensive.
Behind him, Neville did the same. The two wizards that Bellatrix brought with her took Bellatrix's attack as a sign to start attacking too. Luckily they weren't on Bellatrix's level, but they were still with two and Harry couldn't help Neville while he was fighting Lestrange.
It was hard. Bellatrix might have been insane but she was still very powerful and her insanity made her unpredictable. Harry had to protect the train as well and it was taking it's toll. She had hit him with something that made his left arm feel boneless and Harry was getting desperate. What was keeping Amelia?
He cast his fire elemental spell. Three wolves shot out and ran towards the three Death Eaters. Yet before they even reached the two lackeys, a spell shot from the direction of the train and hit one of the Death Eaters fighting Neville.
Ropes went around unknown Death Eater number one just after he shot a dark looking spell towards Neville. The Incarcerous spell cast on the Death Eater caused the dark purple stream of light to go of towards the left and missed Neville completely. Neville quickly stunned the man for good measure before focussing on the other unknown Death Eater. That had been close. Too close.
Harry shot of a quick thanks in his head towards Hannah.
The three wolves were now circling Lestrange and she had a clear difficulty getting rid of them. She had bad burns all over her arms and legs and it made moving hard for her.
Only just ducking ucking under a nasty feeling spell, Harry saw his chance. Taking his inspiration from Hannah he cast a quiet, "Incarcerous." as she was driven into the path of his spell by the wolves.
The ropes went thightly around Bellatrix and she fell down. The wolves circled closer around her and snarled as Harry cast, "Accio."
Catching her wand and a dangerous looking dagger with the crest of House Black on it he put them quickly away in his robe pocket. Then Hermione and Susan popped up behind them and together with Neville they made quick work of the last remaining Death Eater.
It was over.
Wiping his forehead he went to Neville and together they walked over to where Bellatrix was laying. The madwoman was still snarling like a wild animal and struggling furiously to escape her bounds. Harry dismissed his wolves and turned to his best friend, "We've got her. She won't be able to escape again. What do you want to do with her, mate?"
Neville was pale when he looked into the eyes of the woman who had tortured his parents into insanity and then bragged about it. The woman who had made him an orphan.
He took out his wand and said in a toneless voice, "Stupify."
Bellatrix stopped stuggling and went as stiff as a board. Harry was relieved, because while he hadn't expected his gentle friend to actually kill the woman, he was still worried. He would have understood, yes, but it was different to kill someone when they had her at their mercy instead of in the heat of battle.
Pops sounded and there were the Aurors. Amelia, Moody and a few other looked at the destruction around them, the four teenagers standing around the three stunned and bound bodies of the Death Eaters. The Aurors that didn't know them were clearly shocked to find the criminals already secure but quickly recovered their composure.
The Aurors went to secure the prisoners and Amelia ran to hug her niece. Then she turned toward the rest of them and said, "I am so very proud of you all. I'm sorry that we couldn't get here fast enough. Fudge tried to stop me with some talk about the up coming elections but Alastor stunning him fixed that little obstacle. But never mind that, I am so very proud of how you handled yourselves. Well done!"
Moody stomped over to them and clapped Harry and Neville on their shoulders, "Well done indeed, boys! I see you lads have been practising. Do come find me if you want to learn some more curses, alright? We could use some more Aurors who know some good curses." Nodding to them he walked off again, his fake eye whirling.
Harry shook his head at the man. He wasn't sure yet what he wanted to do after Hogwarts but he was pretty sure he wouldn't want to be an Auror. He had enough of fighting.
Then as he tried to relax from his battle-ready stance, Harry felt his adreneline crash. He was so relieved that they made it. No one was seriously injured and they had kept the insane woman from attacking the children in the train all by themselves. Hermione must have felt the same way because she just about apparated into his arms for a well deserved and much needed hug as soon as Moody walked away again.
Then she wiped the sweaty hair from his forehead and kissed him.
The student hanging outside the windows started cheering and Harry could hear a vague 'What?!' coming from the direction he knew where Ron was. But Harry didn't care. He wrapped his working arm around Hermione and kissed her soundly back.
It didn't take long for the Aurors to fix the track and make sure the train was safe to move again. No student had been injured except for some scrapes and bruises for Neville and Harry's cursed arm. Luckily, Amelia had brought a Healer with her in case more students had been injured.
The Healer made quick work of his arm and assured him that if he took the potion that it would be fixed by tomorrow.
Amelia would take Bellatrix and the two other Death Eaters with her. They were two formerly unknown Death Eaters from a minor pureblood family. They'd get their trial and their punishment as soon as possible. Harry was relieved. Those three wouldn't be able to hurt anyone ever again.
The threat of Bellatrix was gone now and without Voldemort she'd be unable to escape from Azkaban again. They were safe.
Sitting in the compartment with his friends Harry took the time to explain more about his summer. Ginny wouldn't accept anything less anyway even if he'd tried to keep it a secret.
Neville, Susan and Hermione took over at some points and the girls, bar Hermione- she just smiled smugly, squealed when they got to the point where Harry and Hermione got together and again for Neville and Hannah. Ron was a bit unhappy at the part where Hermione and Harry got together but not as much as Harry had thought Ron would be.
Perhaps Ron too had come to the conclusion himself that he and Hermione were a bad fit. Not that Hermione ever even gave a sign of interest in the redhead, but Ron always kinda seemed to think that they would end up together anyway.
Ron was offended at first that they'd excluded him but he settled down when Neville explained how much work they put in training this summer. Ron might be his friend but even Harry knew how lazy the other boy was.
Ginny on the other hand asked if she could join them which prompted a terrified look from her brother. Harry had to laugh a the look on Ron's face as he and the others agreed she could join them.
Hermione asked if Luna wanted to join them too and she agreed happily. Harry was glad to see Hermione trying to include Luna on her own initiative.
"I will give you a time and place later, okay? But first I've got something else to ask you two," Looking at the two Weasleys he continued, "We've decided to try and become Animagi in secret. Ron, would you and Ginny be interested to try it too? I've got the Mandrake Leaves here if you want too."
Both siblings looked intrigued and Ginny started asking some interesting questions to learn more about the process. Hermione was all to happy to answer the younger girl and they were soon discussing all the pros and cons of becoming an Animagus. Ron had been very happy to accept Harry's offer but that soon changed as he heard how much time and effort it would take to actually change into your inner animal, if he even had one.
Harry saw the look on Ron's face and felt his heart sink a bit. He'd hoped this would be something to reconnect the two of them but that was clearly not going to happen. He and Ron were too different to go back to being the close friends they were before.
Harry gave Luna and Ginny their Mandrake Leaves and they all laughed together at the faces the two girls made at the taste of the disgusting things.
Ron, realising this was an important secret to have, offered to take a vow of secrecy to protect them. Harry and Hermione were honestly shocked that their old friend thought to offer something like that on his own.
It gave them hope that they still could be friends with the redhead.
Ron took the vow and left to find Dean and Seamus. Neville said as soon as the door closed, "Well, I didn't expect that."
Harry nodded, it had been surprisingly mature of Ron. Ginny laughed but agreed.
Later that afternoon they finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station. It had been a stressful train ride but now, seeing Hogwarts again in the distance, Harry felt nothing but happiness. The old castle had been his home for so long and Harry was glad to see that it wasn't any different now that he had an actual home to go back to.
Before getting into the waiting carriage he petted the Thestrals for a moment with Luna. He was still grateful for their help last year when he thought he needed to save Sirius. They were good creatures who didn't deserve their reputation.
Stepping into the Great Hall he immediately saw Dumbledore sitting in his seat at the Head Table. There was no twinkle in the old man's eyes anymore. It made him look a lot less kindly even though the man was clearly still trying to project his usual aura of wise, if quirky, old man. Professor McGonagall sat next to him and gave a subtle nod in Harry's direction.
Harry, Hermione and Neville said goodbye to their two Hufflepuff friends and went to sit down at the Gryffindor table. Ginny went to find her own friends from her own year as Dumbledore watched on. Harry felt his eyes burning in the back of his neck as he sat down next to Hermione.
Soon everybody was seated and Professor McGonagall went to fetch the first years. Every year they seemed to get smaller and it was the same this year, the poor things were even wet and shivering from an unexpected late summer rain and they looked so young.
Harry couldn't remember ever being that young. He always felt different from his peers but perhaps that was just in his mind. Hermione'd confessed in one of their talks that she always felt different too. Neville and Susan too, thinking about it. They could be different together now. He liked his friends just like they were.
Subtly shaking his head to clear his thoughts he focussed on Professor McGonagall leading the new students. The new firsties formed a neat line and the Sorting Hat began to sing:
A long time ago when I was new
And Hogwarts had just been started
The four founders of our noble school
Hoped never to be parted
United by a shared dream,
They all had the same yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach!"
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that what they taught
might cause their decendents to become so divided,
For were there such friends anywhere
Close as brothers were Slytherin and Gryffindor
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Slytherin debated, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest."
Ravenclaw told, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Gryffindor demanded, "We'll teach all of those
With brave or noble deeds to their name."
Hufflepuff wanted, "I'll teach them all,
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused a little strife
When first they came to light,
So for each of the four founders had
A House in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Or those with great cunning, just like him,
And only those of the creative and sharpest minds
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to noble Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
Those loyal and hard-working and taught them all she knew,
Thus the Houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The Houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up our school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with dueling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend
And at last there came a morning
When old Slytherin departed
In the hopes the fighting would stop
Still, he left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the Houses been united
As they once were meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though sad I am to split you
As I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether splitting
May bring the division I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From internal and external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within.
Be kind to each other like the four intended, I have told you, I have warned you.
Let the Sorting now begin.
The students clapped politly but they were all quiet from the warning that came from the Soring Hat. Harry only hoped that they would listen. The division the sorting into houses caused was not good. The disrespect, bullying and discrimination had to stop. Hopefully, things would change for the better when Dumbledore was gone and a new Headmaster installed.
But back on the Sorting. One after the other student got sorted and soon Gryffendor gained another fifteen students.
All of them stared at Harry which he was trying to ignore. It had got even worse after his battle with Bellatrix, which they witnessed. Neville snorted when he saw his friends uncomfortable expression.
"Come on mate, they're just little firsties. I bet at least one of them would faint if you smile at them."
Hermione turned towards their friend, "Neville Franklin Longbottom, my boyfriend will not pick on the first years for you!"
Neville put his hands in the air in a who-me gesture, "Oh no, she used my full name! Safe me from your scary girlfriend Harry!"
Harry had to laugh at the two. He knew what they were doing, distracting him from worrying about the Prophet that should arrive any moment now.
The Welcoming Feast appeared and Harry tucked in. He was just picking out his piece of treacle tart for his dessert when dozens of owl started sweeping in. Harry breathed out a sign of relief, it was time. They were all carrying the newspaper they had been waiting for.
Dumbledore stood up and tried to get a newspaper of his own but he didn't succeed before the students had one of their own and started reading it. By now just about all the students had a newspaper of their own and read on the frontpage:
Deeply Demented Dumbledore!