The New Me

Disclaimer: See ch 1

Warnings: See ch 1

A/N: Well...chapter 5. The guys go back to Hogwarts in this one, and Harry gives old Dumbles a bit of what he has coming...;) Thanks to all my reviewers - I absolutely love you guys and gals! Without further ado - chapter 5. Enjoy!

"..." = talking
'...' = thinking

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Chapter 5

When September 1st arrived, Harry had changed even more than he had on his birthday. He had grown another 2 inches so he was now 6’4” and his hair now reached his shoulder blades. He was a lot more muscular thanks to the training he had undertaken and he was agile as well.

His clothes fit to perfection and were of the highest quality. Mr Fontanelle had served him very well indeed.

He had had his ears and tongue pierced a week after his birthday and he had gotten two tattoos as well. One golden dragon with icy silver eyes, and a black and silver snake with green eyes. As they were magical tattoos, they tended to move about as they pleased, and the dragon – named Shari – was currently on his lower back taking a nap.

The snake, Nasha, was curled around his left arm. Both of the tattoos stayed away from his right arm where the founders’ tattoos were, Nasha had even said it was because of the magic they held. He kept those under a powerful glamour now that he was going back to school. The amount of glamourspells on his body was almost astounding, he now had over 600 – one for every scar.

Right now he was waiting for Saffy to finish packing his trunks and bring them downstairs so they could Apparate to Platform 9 ¾ to take the Hogwarts Express.

Harry had decided to travel in one of his many school uniforms to save time later and the clothes were immaculate. From the white button down shirt, to the freshly pressed black trousers and the silk lined robe with the Hogwarts crest.

He had on black dragonhide boots and his long hair was tied back with a leather cord. He was listening to the Wizarding version of an iPod. It had room for over 20 000 songs, and he had filled it with every punk, rock, hard rock and heavy metal song he could get his hands on, muggle and wizard bands alike. Right now he was listening to ‘I write sins not tragedies’ by Panic! at the Disco. Awesome song.

“Saffy is ready to go, Master.” Harry turned around to see Saffy floating his trunks down the stairs.

“Good. You will take the trunks to Platform 9 ¾ while I Apparate there. Then you will follow me with the trunks to the train. Don’t forget to take Hedwig’s cage as well.”

“No, Master, Saffy will not forget.”

“Good. Then, here we go.”

With a CRACK and a POP both vanished from Griffin’s Nest only to reappear at the Apparition point at Platform 9 ¾ seconds later.

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When Harry appeared at the Platform chaos ensued.

Apparently the press thought it would be a good story to have pictures of The-Boy-Who-Lived-to-become-Saviour-of-the-World getting on the train to his last year of school.

“Mr Potter! Over here!”

“Mr Potter! How does it feel to be going back to Hogwarts for the last time?”

“Mr Potter! Is it true that you have spent the summer in America with your best friend Hermione Granger?” Right about now, Harry started to get annoyed. Couldn’t these people just leave him alone?

“Harry, Harry! Is it true that you and miss Granger are now going out after she broke up with Ron Weasley?”

At the last question Harry sent a death glare at the reporter asking the question.
With a burst of magic all the cameras broke and the reporters were all put under the silencing spell.

Harry looked positively furious as he addressed the reporters and a small breeze of magic was making his robe billow and his hair wave softly. His eyes were blazing with fury and he looked absolutely gorgeous. And completely terrifying. This was a new side to their Hero and Saviour that they had not seen before. At that moment there was no question as to how he had the strength to defeat the Dark Lord.

“Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once – Hermione and I are only friends. No, I didn’t spend my Holidays in America with her – and even if I did, it would be none of your business. She broke up with Ron because he’s a prat and not because she’s in love with me. She’s like my sister, for Merlin’s sake! Now, I’m going to get on that train and you are going to leave me the Hell alone! I’m not your Golden Boy anymore, I did my job and killed Voldemort for you, now it’s time for me to live my life my way.”

With that Harry stalked to the train, robes billowing, closely followed by Saffy with the trunks and Hedwig.

Telling Saffy to get the trunks on the train and then go home, Harry snapped his fingers to take the silencing charms off the reporters and got on the Hogwarts Express to try and find Hermione.

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Harry finally found his best friend and adopted sister in a compartment at the back of the train, sporting a black eye and a split lip.

“My God, Mione! What’s happened to you?!”

“Oh, Harry!”

She threw herself in his open arms and started sobbing. Harry could hardly make out the words she was saying, so he just let her cry it out for a while. Neither of them noticed that the train departed from King’s Cross, and it was half an hour before Hermione calmed down enough to tell him what had happened.

“Oh, Harry. I was so scared! He just came at me and slapped me so my lip split open and then he punched me in the eye while he was saying the most vile things…he said that I was a slut that had probably been sleeping with you the entire time we were together and…then he said he would kill me if I told you.”

Harry gently took Hermione’s face in his hands and turned her head up so their eyes met. His eyes shone with sorrow, compassion and understanding.

“Mione…are you saying that Ron did this to you?”

Fear flashed in her eyes.

“Don’t be scared, I’m never going to let him hurt you ever again. We’ll go to the Aurors, and if they won’t help I’ll take care of him myself. Now, tell me who it was.”

“I-it was Ron.”

“Ok. Let me heal you and then we can contact the Aurors as soon as we get to school. We’ll go to Professor McGonagall and she can help us. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything. I am so sorry for not helping you out earlier, I should have gotten my shit together last year and stopped him from doing this to you.”

Still holding Hermione’s face in his hands he wandlessly healed her bruises and cuts, making sure to get pictures with a recording charm first. When he was done, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before letting her go.

“There you go. All done. You’re as beautiful as ever.” He smiled softly at her.

“Thanks, Harry. I don’t know what I would do without you. Could you…maybe hold me?” She looked nervous and he gave her another gentle smile before holding his arms open. She curled up to him and placed her head on his chest while he stroked her hair softly.

“I understand, you know. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.”

He wandlessly put locking and silencing charms on the compartment before continuing.

“I’ve never told anyone this before, but I’ve been abused most of my life. My uncle started slapping me around when I was about 3, and it’s just escalated from there. I didn’t tell anyone, ‘cause, well, I didn’t want anyone to know. I didn’t want them to have another reason to stare at me than they already had. And I certainly didn’t want any pity from anyone.”

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In another compartment of the Hogwarts Express sat young Lord Draco Malfoy. He was contemplating a great deal of things, including how totally different his long time enemy and school rival, Harry Potter, had behaved when they had last met.

“It was strange.”

“What was, Draco dear?” Pansy asked from where she sat opposite him.

“The way Potter acted when I ran into him at Gringott’s last month.”

“What do you mean?” Blaise asked from where he was sitting next to Pansy.

“He acted almost…like a Slytherin, strange as that may seem. Instead of blowing up like he usually does when I taunt him, he just struck up a civil conversation with me.”

“Well, maybe he’s just grown up. He did kill someone, after all. Even if it was an evil Lord and his minions. Sorry, Draco.”

“That’s alright, Pansy. You know as well as I do that I hated my father and aunt Bella. She really did earn her nickname.”

“She had a nickname?”

“Well, actually, it’s something I heard Potter call her after he came back after defeating You-Know-Who. He called her Bella the Bitch.”

“Yes, well, she did murder his Godfather, you know.”

“She did? Who?”

“Really, Blaise. Even I knew that. Potter’s Godfather was Sirius Black, my mother’s cousin.”

“Really? The murderer? I thought he tried to kill Potter a few years back?”

“Apparently he was innocent. The Ministry declared his innocence a couple of months ago when they found Peter Pettigrew in one of their raids to capture more Death Eaters.”

“Well, at least Arthur Weasley is doing a better job of it than Fudge. Merlin, that man was incompetent!”

“I agree completely. The man was a menace who couldn’t do anything right. He was always taking money on the side and only caring about the power and social influence he could gain. Why do you think my father had such influence over what happened in the Wizarding community? He was practically pouring galleons in to Fudge’s pockets.”

“I heard that he was found out to be a Death Eater as well.”

“Really? Well, I can’t say that I’m surprised.”

The others nodded and they fell silent for a while. Suddenly Blaise started chuckling. Both his girlfriend and his best friend gave him strange looks.

“I just thought how totally pathetic the Weasel is going to behave this year, now that his father is the Minister of Magic. Talk about a pompous arse!”

“You’re right. Wonder if the Weaselette will do the same? Although…she always did seem more level headed than her brother. She’s got a right nasty temper, though, my face hurt for days after she threw that hex at me back in fifth year.”

“Guess we’ll find out soon, we’ve arrived at Hogsmeade. Let’s go before all the carriages get crowded with second years.” Pansy said as she stood up.

The two boys quickly followed her out and made their way to a carriage. On their way they passed a man with long dark hair that had his arm wrapped around a beautiful girl with long wavy chestnut hair. They seemed vaguely familiar, but none of the Slytherins could place where they would have seen them before. It was obvious that they were aristocrats from the immaculate state of their clothes and shoes. The girl seemed upset, and was leaning in to the man’s embrace as he gently placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Shrugging their shoulders they got into the carriage and waited for it to start the journey that would take them up to the school.

“I wonder who they were…did they seem familiar to you too?” Blaise said as he wrapped his arm around Pansy.

“Yes, but I can’t place them. I guess we will find out at the Welcoming Feast. Maybe they’re transfer students? Or maybe new professors?” The boys looked thoughtful and they sank back in to silence once more, as they watched the surroundings flash by the windows of the carriage.

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When they sat down at their House table in the Great Hall, they could clearly see the commotion at the Gryffindor table.

“Why don’t you just leave, you pathetic bastard?! Nobody wants you here, anyway!” Ginny Weasley could be heard shouting. The entire Hall fell silent, wondering what was going on with the otherwise rather cheerful House. As the rest of the girl’s house-mates backed away, it became apparent that it was her own brother, Ron, she was shouting at. Almost everyone in the Great Hall raised their eyebrows at the scene that was unfurling in front of their eyes. They could see Ron getting redder and redder in the face.

“What do you know, Ginevra? I think it’s only you that’s having a problem with me being here. Why don’t you go sit with your little friends, and leave me alone. As soon as Harry and Hermione get here, we’ll want to catch up – without nosey little brats hanging around.” Ron sneered. The Slytherins’ were surprised at the poisonous tone he used at his sister. They watched with renewed interest as Ginny scoffed at her brother.

“And why would they want anything to do with the likes of you?”

“We’re best friends, and Hermione’s my girlfriend.”

Suddenly the magical ceiling in the Great Hall changed from a starry night sky to a rumbling thundercloud. Lightening bolts made everybody jump with fright as they stared in wonder at the sudden change. No one could remember it doing that before (they had all conveniently repressed the memories of that happening when the false Moody had arrived 3 years ago).

“Is she now? And did you really think I would be friends with you after she told me what you did to both her and me?” A silky and powerful voice could be heard saying from the open doors. As one the entire Hall turned towards the voice.

Standing in the doorway was the man and girl they had seen earlier. The man still had his arm wrapped around the girl, but his gentle expression from before had now changed in to a mask of hate and scorn. The girl’s expression was a mix between hate and fear.

“H-Harry? Is that you?” Ron stuttered as his face drained of all colour. He swallowed loudly when he took in the look in his best friend’s eyes.

The other Houses snapped their heads back to the people at the door so fast, it was a miracle none of them got whiplash.

The man gave a frightening chuckle that sent shivers down everyone’s spines before answering.

“Oh, yes, Ron. It is me. Now, why don’t you remove yourself from our table and go hide like the rotten coward that you are? I will deal with you later, but first, Mione and I would like to talk to Professor McGonagall, please.” Ron spluttered a bit while Harry and Hermione turned their eyes to the Head table. Professor McGonagall stood up and made her way over to her two students. She strode past them and was clearly expecting them to follow her. Hermione hurried after the Professor and Harry turned to do the same when something stopped him.

“What is the meaning of this, Mr Potter?” The Headmaster’s voice rang out over the Hall. Harry turned around to face the Headmaster and the students could see the look filled with pure hate that he threw Dumbledore before answering in a voice dripping with contempt.

“That, sir, is none of your fucking business.” He sneered before walking out of the Great Hall, following Hermione and the professor, leaving over a thousand shocked faces staring after him.

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Harry sighed as he sat down next to Hermione in Professor McGonagall’s office. That had not gone according to plan. But, done was done, and he had decided to give the Headmaster a piece of his mind this year.

“Now, Miss Granger, Mr Potter, what is it that you wanted to see me about?”

Harry turned to Hermione and looked into her pleading eyes.

‘I guess this means I’m telling her.’

He placed a gentle hand on Hermione’s knee and gave her a soft and understanding smile before he turned back to face the professor, his face serious again.

“When I boarded the train this morning, I found Mione alone in one of the compartments. She had a split lip and a black eye. When I asked her what had happened, she broke down crying and it took me nearly half an hour to calm her down enough to get her to tell me who had done that to her. I then got pictures of her injuries before healing her. When she finally told me who it was, I can’t say I was shocked at the answer.” Harry handed the photographs to his Head of House with a grim look on his face.

“W-who was it? Who did that to you, Miss Granger?”

“Do you want me to tell her, or do you want to do it yourself, Mione?” Harry asked softly.

“I-it was R-ron, Professor. A-and, it w-wasn’t the first time.” Tears started falling from Hermione’s eyes as she told the professor exactly what had happened during her year long relationship to Ron. The professor looked appalled at her accounts, but Harry was just relieved that she hadn’t been sexually abused as well.

“Why in the name of Merlin didn’t you tell me sooner, Miss Granger? And why didn’t you do anything to stop it, Mr Potter? Surly you must have known what was going on?”

“It wasn’t Harry’s fault, Professor. He had his own…problems to deal with. And I was afraid. He said he was going to kill me if I told anyone.”

“What? He threatened your life?”

“Yes.”

“Professor, we were wondering if you would contact the Aurors for us please?”

“Yes, of course, mr Potter. Right away.” Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and made her way over to the fireplace, looking shaken and a little pale. She grabbed a handful of floopowder from a jar on the mantelpiece and threw it in the flames. When the flames turned green, she stuck her head in and spoke with a clear voice.

“Auror office, Ministry of Magic.”

As luck would have it, the Auror that greeted her was Nymphadora Tonks.

“Wotcher, Minerva. What can I do for you?”

“Good evening, Nymphadora.”

“I really wish you would call me Tonks, Minerva.” The Auror sighed.

“Would you please fetch another Auror and come through? I’ve just received some rather disturbing news from two of my students. And it might be a good idea to call the Minister, as well.” With that, McGonagall disappeared back to her office, leaving a stunned Tonks behind scrambling to do as her old teacher had asked.

McGonagall sat back in her chair and watched her two students silently while waiting for the Aurors and Arthur Weasley to come through the fire. She could not believe what she had heard tonight. To think that Ron Weasley was abusive! But she had seen the pictures that Harry had taken of Hermione’s face, there was no mistake.

The three occupants turned as the fire turned green and the Aurors and Mr Weasley stepped out of the fire.

“Wotcher, Harry. Wotcher, Hermione.” Tonks said when she saw the two students sitting in front of Professor McGonagall’s desk. The other Auror greeted them as well, turning out to be Kingsley Shacklebolt.

“Hello, Tonks, Kingsley, Mr Weasley. How have you been?” Harry asked.

“Fine, Harry, just fine. Now, why are we here?”

“We want you to arrest someone.”

The three adults quickly shared a glance with each other and the professor before turning back to Harry and Hermione.

“Really? Who, and on what grounds?” Kingsley asked.

“Ronald Weasley. On grounds of abuse and attempted murder.”

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A/N2: Ta-da! Harry kicks ass! *yay* Leave a review and make my day!
//LoveGD