The Time-Meddlers [Harmione]

5. Starting School

"Firs' years!" shouted Hagrid for all to hear as Harry and his three 'new' friends made their way off the train.

"Hi, Hagrid," said Harry enthusiastically as they caught up to him.

"Hiya, Harry."

"These are Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley. They're first-years, too."

"It's good ta meet ya. Now, you'll have ta get in a boat. Ya four can share." He then raised his voice for the other first-years to hear. "No more'n four to a boat."

The quartet got on a boat and enjoyed the ride. Harry realized just how much he missed Hogwarts when he saw the castle. He did manage to simply gaze at it silently like the others. Hagrid found Neville's toad in one of the boats while they were disembarking. Harry, along with the others, followed Professor McGonagall into the castle, and decided that saying anything to alleviate his friends' fears about the sorting would make him look suspicious, so he stayed silent. Besides, he was nervous of what the hat would say when it was put on his head.

The sorting went exactly the same as before. After the hat sang his song, Hermione and Neville both went to Gryffindor; Malfoy went to Slytherin. Finally, McGonagall announced, "Potter, Harry."

He totally ignored the whispering about him as he approached the bench and put on the hat. Almost immediately, he heard the hat speaking in his head. "Well, well, well. What do we have here, Mr. Potter? Not something I've seen often. It's been at least a few centuries."

"Really?" thought Harry. "There have been others? Who?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you or anyone else what I see in other students' heads, which answers your next question. No, I can't tell anyone, not even the headmaster. Godric enabled me to read minds for the sole purpose of sorting students - not spying on them. I suppose you'll want Gryffindor again, although this is a very Slytherin plan you have."

"Yes, please. It will be very helpful."

"Very well. I do hope that you're more careful with your time-meddling than the last one I encountered. Perhaps the older Miss Granger will be of some help to you when she returns."

"I hope so," thought Harry.

"Good luck," the hat said in Harry's mind before shouting, "Gryffindor!" for all to hear. With great relief, and ignoring the cheers from the Weasley twins, Harry took off the hat and sat next to Neville and across from Hermione, waiting patiently until Ron was sorted into, "Gryffindor!" as well.

After Dumbledore said a few words ("Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"), the tables filled with food. Harry remembered how much he'd enjoyed this meal the first time he'd sat through this feast. He'd never been able to eat his fill before then and was malnourished. However, now, he'd been eating much better for the past month, so eating his fill wasn't as foreign a concept to him now, so he didn't really enjoy the feast as much, and really couldn't understand how Ron, who lived at the Burrow where feasts were common, could possibly be as enthusiastic about meals as he obviously was.

He passed his time conversing with Hermione about classes, letting her do most of the talking. To Harry's surprise, Neville joined in the conversation as well, expressing gratitude that Harry and Hermione had helped him some in Transfiguration. The last time around, all Neville talked about was how he was surprised to be accepted at Hogwarts. Ron was busily eating, and wouldn't have noticed if a Death Eater attack occurred unless his food was destroyed in the process.

While Harry was taking a bite of steak, he glanced up at the staff table and started choking. He knew that Quirrel had been killed by the goblins, but hadn't given any thought as to who his replacement would be until that moment. Sitting close to Dumbledore, with Snape (who Harry hated no matter what the headmaster said) glaring at him, was none other than Remus Lupin. He was wearing shabby clothes similar to what he had been wearing the first time Harry had met him. Apparently, he hadn't taken the train this time. Truthfully, Harry had wondered why he'd taken the train during third year in the previous timeline. Surely if he could've woken up long enough to get on the train, he could've apparated. Harry guessed that Dumbledore had asked him to be on the train because of the Dementors, which turned out to be a good idea.