Heirs & Nightmares

Chapter 24

Harry's POV

Today was the day, I was going back to Hogwarts, I would get to see everyone again. I couldn't wait until we could all meet up tonight and I was able to give everyone their presents. I still hadn't figured out a way to give the twins and the rest of the Weasley's their presents without the youngest siblings being suspicious and finding out. The best I could think of was to owl mail it to them, probably by using a school owl for the twins.

I was just so excited for this year, Hermione and I surmised that there would be some type of event this year, involving other wizarding schools. I had some intel from Silver Fang as well as some vague hints from Charlie and Miles. But our excitement meter skyrocketed at the idea of meeting new people, especially if they were from different wizarding schools.

The idea alone made me excited to go back to Hogwarts, I would finally be able to have a quiet year this time; what with all focus on the other schools. I could spend more time on homework and my friends. I would also be allowed to go out into Hogsmeade, without the use of my cloak and the map. I would have the opportunity to be out in the open and meet with Remus and Sirius; even if he looked different due to his ring.

I honestly couldn't wait for this year, the only things that made me nervous was breaking off my friendship with Ron and Ginny. I had hope that they would do something colossally stupid, that would allow me to wash my hands of them. The other was Dumbledore. I wasn't to sure about being in the same castle as him. Even if his focus was more on getting Zefra under his control. I Knew that his mind never strayed to far form his end goal, and controlling me like his perfect little golden puppet.

I knew that he would use the elves under Hogwarts bond to fill me to the brim with potions the moment he realised that I've started to 'slip' from his tutelage. But thankfully not only was I heir to half of Hogwarts, but I had managed to smuggle some of my own elves into Hogwarts. I had smuggled enough to make the food for me, Hermione, the twins, Neville, Luna and the Slytherin 4th years; about 10 or 11 all up.

I had my suspicions about the Slytherins true affiliation and thoughts, and I didn't want them risked with potions just so they could suit Dumbledore's game. I unfourtantly wouldn't be able to do the whole Slytherin or Gryffindor table less my elves get found out by the mad puppeteer.

I was now on a mission to find a way to make muggle technology work inside the castle and around magic. So that I could find something to either shut Ron up, and take his attention away from Quidditch for even a second. Or so I could block out his incessant chatter. We were only 2 hours in on the train and I already wanted to smother him to stop him from talking anymore.

He just went on and on about the World Cup, and about how cool Victor was. He moved from the Hogwarts league to the professional league, and about how cool he thought it would be to play at Hogwarts and get scouted right out of school. How he might want to be a coach one day, and he kept asking for my opinion on his idea of playing and coaching the big leagues.

Old me would have encouraged my friends no matter what dreams they had, or how unlikely they were. So deciding to stick with the safe bet, that's the path I went down. Thankfully, Ron loved having his ego stroked, and he hardly noticed Hermione's shoulders shaking or my sarcastic tones. He finally stopped talking when I pretended to nod off, and after 30 minutes of silence he left with an aggravated huff and mumble about finding someone interesting to talk to.

It was so much better after that, Hermione and I got to talking, and I let her in on my project which she was thrilled to hear. Deciding that she would definitely help. She told me about how at home she used to always listen to classical music when she studied and that it helped her mind work at a reasonable pace. She confided in me that while she was smart, and she loved reading, she had a hard time staying on one topic for to long. She often wanted to study whatever she found interesting in that moment.