The Third War by dumbledorefluertwins
Chapter Notes: Authors Note: *Sorting Hats Poem from the Order of the Phoenix â“ Not me! I'm terrible at making up poems - I did try, but my six-year-old sister could of done better.
Jamie woke up and yawned. He had been up late last night, since he had waited until the last minute to pack his trunk for school. He plodded down the stairs and into the kitchen where everyone else was already out of bed and dressed. He suddenly felt slightly embarrassed in his blue striped pajamas.
âAnd the male bear, finally, comes out of hibernation,â Lillian said.
âShut up.â
âYou could sleep for England, Jamie. We only have half an hour to get to the station. I hope that youâre packed.â Jamie nodded at his fatherâs words and took a bite out of his slice of toast.
âHow are we getting to the station, Mum?â asked Sirius.
âWeâre walking! We only live a couple of streets away!â (The Potter family lived in Grimmauld Place) said Ginny, amazed that her children could be so lazy.
âHave you thought up a name for your cat yet, Lily?â Jamie asked. Lillian nodded.
âI was looking through the books mum and dad got me for school, and I found out that the Greek name for star is Astro, hence Astronomy. So, heâs called Astro or Ash for short âcos heâs an ash colour.
âAnd my rabbit is called Domino because heâs black and white,â piped up Sirius.
âHonestly, you two! I come up with a Greek based name for my pet and you two have got Blizzard and Domino!â
âThatâs âcos youâre a geek.â
âGit.â
âNerd.â
"Enough you two - get your coats on or we'll miss the train."
"Can't we go by flying car like you did in your second year?"
"No."
"Oh."
***
Soon, the Potters were walking down a London street on the way to the station. They were getting funny looks from the people as they went by, because although Harry had shrunk their entire luggage, there was no hiding Astro or Blizzard.
They waited by the barrier for Ron, Hermione, and Melissa. They soon came, although, by the looks of things, they hadnât been as organised.
âWeâre going to be late!â
âDad! Iâve forgotten my diary!â
âIâll send it on â“ Hurry!â
âYou have dirt on your nose, Melissa â“ donât you wash?â
âLook! Harry and Ginny!â
âSee! They managed to get here on time!â
âItâs not my fault â“ you burnt the toast!â
âSo?! It would have taken you two minutes â“ oh, never mindâŚâ
Everyone greeted each other enthusiastically before the Weasleys went through. Melissa, leaning against the barrier was chatting to her parents before she slipped through.
âYouâre next.â Lillian felt her mother push her gently towards the barrier. âBest go at a run if youâre nervous. Thatâs what grandma always used to tell us.â
Lillian nodded, gulped, and ran fast towards the barrier with her eyes closed shut. She was going to end up with a broken nose. She knew it. She opened her eyes and slowed to a stop. Her mouth dropped open at the scene in front of her.
There, in front of her, was a massive scarlet train, with black wheels the size of dustbin lids and a thick cloud of grey smoke coming out of the front. Students and their families were swarming around it, and there were hundreds of different animal noises.
She could see one boy with a large spider crawling slowly up his arm. Another with a budgie sitting on his head, and one girl, who, at first sight, appeared to have no pet with her at all, until you saw the reptilian head of a grass snake poking out of her sleeve. So much for âAn Owl OR a cat OR a toad.
She then felt a sharp pain at the back of her knees, and found herself sitting on top of a suitcase on a trolley. She looked up at her brother, who had also run through the barrier with his eyes shut.
âSorry Lily,â Jamie said. Lillian rolled her eyes at him. That often happened between the pair, Jamie saying/doing something silly and then Lilly rolling her eyes.
The twins were soon joined by their parents and younger brother, who was begging his mother to let him go to Hogwarts.
âEverybody says Iâm tall, I could pass for eleven easy! Câmon mum please! Please let me go.â Harry grinned at Ginny.
âI remember another young redhead doing the same thing about twenty one years ago, donât you?â Ginny shuddered dramatically.
âThat makes me feel so old Harry, stop it!â
âAre you coming on the train with us, dad?â asked Jamie quietly. His heart was now thumping loudly against his chest as he turned green with nerves.
âNo, Iâm Apparating to Hogsmead and then Iâm getting a coach up, but donât worry Jamie, youâll be fine.â Jamie nodded gulped then hugged his parents and brother goodbye. For the first time in his life he held on to his sisterâs arm for comfort, and stepped on board the Hogwarts Express.
***
The pair walked down the train until they found an empty compartment. Within a few minutes, the train began to move and they waved back until the train went around a corner and the station went out of sight.
âCan we sit in here? Weâve been chucked out of our compartment by some Slytherin fifth years and everywhere else is full.â A boy was speaking to them. He had light brown hair and warm brown eyes. He was rather tall for his age and broad chested.
He was followed by a scared looking girl with dark blonde, slightly wavy hair. She too had brown eyes but was small and graceful looking.
âOf course.â said James gesturing to the seats opposite.
âAre you brother and sister?â asked Lily. They shook their heads.
âSheâs muggleborn and Iâm a half bloodâŚIâm sure I recognise you from somewhereâŚâ The boy seemed confident while the girl just sat there staring curiously, her leg bouncing up and down nervously.
âYou probably do recognise usâŚweâre Potters,â James admitted. The boyâs mouth hung open.
âY-y-your Potters? Lillian and Jamie Potter?â They nodded.
âYes,â said Lillian, âbut please, call me Lily â“ I hate the name Lillian.â
âWow,â he continued weakly. âWow⌠my nameâs Matt and this is Lottie.â
âWhat are Potters?â asked Lottie. Lillian and Jamie looked at each other.
âWell,â started Lillian. âItâs a long story, but then itâs a long train ride tooâŚMy father is called Harry Potter, right,â
Lily was now in her story mode, James watched her to make sure she didnât exaggerate. âAnd when he was one-year-old a prophecy was made saying that only he had the power to defeat this evil guy called Lord Voldemort. His parents tried to hide him, but they made a terrible mistake. They told Peter Pettigrew, one of their friends, where they were hiding, and he told Voldemort. Then, on Halloween night, Voldemort came and he killed my grandfather. My grandmother stood between Voldemort and my dad and sacrificed herself to save her son. Because of this, when Voldemort tried to kill my dadâŚâ
And Lillian was off telling the story of her father. Only Jamie wasnât interested, as he had heard the story several times before. Lillian continued for half an hour, reciting the life of her father, very much enjoying the attention, until she got to the part where Harry killed Voldemort. Then she stopped with an uneasy look on her face.
âWhat? What happened next?â Lottie eagerly asked . Lillian paused.
âNothing,â she said. Lottie raised an eyebrow.
âOh come off it! Something happened â“ I can see it in your face!â
âNothing happened, okay?! My dad fought a few Death Eaters, got injured, landed himself in hospital and thatâs all there is to it!â Lottie looked over at Matt who shook his head at her, warning her not to continue.
âAre there Death Eaters still out there?â asked Lottie, ignoring Matt.
âWell, yes,â admitted James. âBut theyâve been inactive for over a decade now.â
âBut The Daily Prophet says that-â Matt started.
âThe Daily Prophet has it wrong!â Jamie snapped. âIf Death Eaters were starting to regroup my parents would have told me. I know that my dad is coming this year because the Headmistress was sent a threatening letter but nothing will happen â“ they havenât got enough people.â
âUmâŚactually⌠I heard the adults talking last night.â And Lillian told them what the adults had said in the restaurant. A short silence followed this until Jamie, anxious to get them off this moody topic, practically yelled, âSO?! Lottie! Know about Quidditch?â They stayed on the subject of Quidditch until Melissa stuck her head in the compartment to inform them that they were approaching Hogwarts. They changed into their robes as the dark silhouette of Hogwarts approached.
***
Harry kissed his wife and Sirius goodbye.
âYou will look after the twins wonât you?â Ginny murmured into his shoulder.
âNo, Iâll let them starve! Of course I will. Will you look after Sirius?â
âI donât need looking after â“ I can take care of myself!â interrupted Sirius. Harry smiled and kneeled down. He drew his son into a close hug that Molly Weasley would have been proud of and whispered, âWell youâll have to take care of your mum then, wonât you.â Sirius laughed and pulled away, sniffing slightly.
âIâll be back at Christmas and Iâll send loads of owls,â Harry said comfortingly. He gave Ginny one last hug and ruffled Siriusâ hair before turning and Apparating to Hogsmead.
It was a pleasant but windy day in Hogsmead, the trees were shaking off the last of the autumn leaves and flocks of birds could regularly be seen migrating. Harry checked his watch and swore quietly, he was late. He practically sprinted to the station and, following the orders given to him by the Minister, got into a nearby carriage, pulled by a pair of Thestrals.
Harry entered McGonagallâs office, forcibly telling himself that Dumbledore was not going to be in there. Inside were three figures; Tonks, who he had expected to be there, Kingsley Shackelbolt and-
âKrum?!â
âHarry! It is very good to see you! Haf you been vell?â Harry was stunned. He had not seen Krum since fourth year, even when Viktor had served as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. The two greeted each other happily before McGonagall interrupted with a cough. Harry grinned, remembering Umbridge.
âNice of you to join us at last Mr Potter.â
âAhâŚyesâŚum sorry about thatâŚâ The headmistress smiled weakly and responded with, âTry to make it on time next time.â McGonagall showed Harry the letters that had been sent to her.
McGonagall,
We are the remaining Death Eaters. We have found a way to get into the school. Students and teachers will be taken hostage, tortured and killed. We shall attack unless all power is handed over to us.
Death Eaters
McGonagall,
This is your last chance â“ make the minister hand the power of the country over or we shall attack.
Death Eaters
Harry finished reading the two letters. Theyâre not exactly subtle threats but then subtlety has never been the Death Eaters strong points. He assessed the letters, staring at them hard. Theyâre both very short â“ could it be a prank put down by students? I doubt it. They wouldnât ask for prisoners to be released.
âI highly hope that these are empty threats but the Minister wants you to be here to protect those in the castle if theyâre not,â said McGonagall, looking stressed.
âIf the Death Eaters do attack three Aurors and an ex-spy wonât be enough,â said Harry. The others all nodded in agreement.
âThe Minister has placed a portkey in the Auror office that leads to the Great Hall. If any of you, or a member of staff, sends a Patronus to the Ministry of magic then we shall have thirty Aurors here in less than three minutes,â countered McGonagall. âYou shall sleep in these rooms, which are all close to the common room of your house.â She handed them all a slip of parchment each, Harryâs read;
Harry Potter = Auror
Protector of Gryffindor
Room = D26
Patrol Area = DADA floor, Charms floor, Hospital Wing.
âYou shall eat at the staff table, and during the day you shall patrol the corridors and grounds. You will be expected to go into the common rooms every three hours and stick to your patrol area unless asked otherwise. You have the power to give out detentions, give points and take away points. Any questions?â They all shook their heads.
âGood. We must now proceed to the Great Hall â“ the students will be coming in now.â
The Hall was filled with noise as Harry entered. Students were taking their seats and trying to talk above the noise, which only made it even louder. When the first years came in, however, the room fell silent, with all eyes on the terrified looking first years. Harry spotted Jamie, who looked like he was about to throw up, and Lillian, who seemed confident and excited.
Flitwick placed a stool in front of the staff table and on top of that, the sorting hat. It opened its mouth and burst into song.
In times of old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the worldâs best magic school
And pass along their learning.
âTogether we will build and teach!â
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might some day be divided
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendship fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, âWeâll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest.â
Said Ravenclaw, âWeâll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest.â
Said Gryffindor, âWeâll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name,â
Said Hufflepuff, âIâll teach the lot
And treat them just the same.â*
There was applause and Flitwick read the first name on the list.
âAired, Harriet.â A dark haired girl approached the stool, shaking. The hat was still on her head for a minute, then the brim split and it shouted, âHUFFLEPUFF!â The Hufflepuff table burst into noisy clapping before the next first year was called forward. Five more were called forward, but none where Gryffindors yet. Harry wondered vaguely what would happen if, one year no one was put into a houseâŚor everyone in the same house.
âFletcher, Matthew.â A boy with light brown hair came forward. He sat on the stool, wringing his hands. After fifteen seconds or so he was made the first Gryffindor. Six more people went forward and there were two more Gryffindors.
âLestrange, Sabriel.â Harryâs stomach plummeted as a smirking girl with waist length, black hair and cold eyes stepped up to the stool. Harry had never been aware that the Lestranges had children, and indeed, how this child came into Hogwarts when her mother was the most hunted and hated Death Eater in England.
The hat barely touched her head when it shouted, âSLYTHERIN.â
âMartins, Lottie.â A blond girl came forward and spent an extraordinary amount of time under the hat before it shouted out, âGRYFFINDOR.â Harry clapped with the rest of the hall, waiting for his children to come forward, sending mental messages to the sorting hat. Hurry up. Get to the Pâs. A few more children came forward and Harry had lost interest.
âPotter, Jamie.â Harry was now paying attention again. The hall was whispering and many students where standing up. Harry smiled â“ this could be a perfect reconstruction of his sorting.
Like Sabrielâs, the hat had barely touched his head when it burst out, âGRYFFINDOR.â Harry clapped loudly, a large grin on his face.
âPotter, Lillian.â Harry distinctly saw Flitwick give him a small smile as the students voiced their amazement at the fact that there were two Potters, in a chorus of muttering. The hat, however, spent a long time on Lillian. Harry could see her lips moving slightly, but couldnât tell what she was saying. Finally the hat placed her in Gryffindor and the table erupted into chaotic noise, pleased that they had both Potterâs in their house. But Lillian, although smiling, looked pale and shocked.
McGonagall stood and the room fell silent. She smiled at them all, one of the few times she did.
âTo our first years â“ welcome and to everybody else welcome back! Our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher is Professor Chang-â CHANG!? No way⌠Harry looked down the staff table and, sure enough, there was Cho Chang, smiling and waving at the sea of clapping students. He looked back at the Gryffindor table to see Lillian and Jamie trying to hold back laughter at his mortified face. He bit back the urge to bang his head repeatedly on the table.
âThe ghosts of old girlfriends coming back to haunt you, Harry?â whispered Tonks over McGonagallâs speech, an amused smile playing on her lips.
âSod off.â
âI would like to introduce four people,â continued McGonagall, âwho, although they wonât teach you anything, should still be counted as staff. They are assigned to one house each which they shall guard and watch over. They all have experience of the last war. First, for Hufflepuff, we have Mr Kingsly Shackelbolt, who served as an Auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix,â The Hufflepuffs clapped and cheered in excitement. âFor Ravenclaw, Mrs Nymph- erâŚMrs Lupin shall be the guardian,â Everybody knew who this was as the Lupins and the Weasleys had become as famous as Harry. The Ravenclaws also looked tremendously happy at the prospect of having a celebrity watching over them. âFor Slytherin, Mr Viktor Krum-â But she was cut short at the Slytherins cheering. Harry saw a scrawny boy yell at the Ravenclaw table,
âSee Mudblood! Purebloods get Quidditch stars and spies! You just get an Auror!â Harry made a mental note to look out for this boy.
âAnd for Gryffindor, Mr Harry Potter-â The Gryffindor table seemed to erupt with cheering and amazement and Harry saw McGonagall turn and give him a small smile. She continued with Quidditch trial times and more rules that had been laid down by Mr Filch (The list had now reached one-thousand-four-hundred and twenty six thanks to Fred and Georgeâs Hogsmead branch of Weasley Wizard Wheezes). Then she said the magic words that everybody had been waiting for;
âYou may start eating.â
***
Harry had forgotten just how wonderful the Hogwarts feasts were. He ate more than he had ever remembered; roasted lamb, jacket potatoes, roasted vegetables, chips, chicken drumsticks, soup, peas, beans, and the usual, rather odd, addition of mint Humbugs. And then came the puddings. Harry dove straight for the treacle tart. At the Gryffindor table he could see Lillian doing exactly the same, while shoving Jamieâs hand out the way. Jamie scowled and grabbed a different bowl of treacle tart. Harry smiled and continued to eat. Finally, the students went up to the common rooms to sleep and Harry and the other guardians followed, to introduce themselves properly to their houses.
When Harry entered the Gryffindor common room he was immediately surrounded by a bunch of teenagers that were all trying to introduce themselves at once. Some (the boys) were trying to act hard and tough and others (the girls) were blushing furiously and stuttering their names.
âOkay everyone! Silence please!â The teenagers obeyed his order quicker than they had McGonagallâs, if that were possible. âThank you. As you know Iâm Harry Potter â“ I donât want to be called Sir or Mr Potter; those names really donât suit me. Professor McGonagall has given me the power to hand out detentions and take points. However, I can also give them.
If you ever need help or advice, you can talk to me, but I donât want crowds like this around me okay? I had enough of that during the war. Iâll patrol the Defence Against the Dark Arts floor, the Charms floor and the Hospital Wing and my room is not far from here, so Iâm always in reach. In the evenings Iâll stay in the common room. Now, I believe you should all be in bed â“ off you go.â The students ran off, muttering excitedly.
Hey, Dad? Can I speak to you?â Harry looked down to see Lily, tugging on his arm. He nodded and took her over to an armchair next to the fire. On sitting down, she burst into tears.
âIt wanted me to be Slytherin Dad; the hat wanted me to be Slytherin!â