Monday 15th July 1991.
Albus felt hollow as he read the letter for the thirteenth time.
The words had not changed and while they were overly polite and not aimed at him specifically, he could not help but feel responsible.
Harry Potter had refused to attend Hogwarts. What would the media do with such a sensational headline? He had taken so many hits to his persona in the past few years but none had the potential to be so devastating as this.
He placed the letter on his desk, removed his half-moon spectacles and ran one hand through his long beard.
"Where did it all go so wrong?" He asked the empty room rhetorically.
A long sweet trill answered from behind where his once again featherless little friend recovered from a burning. The sound called to the indecision inside of Albus and he stood, shifting to the wee bird and fed him a few Chilli Bites, Fawkes's preferred snack.
"What am I becoming, old friend?" He asked, confused by the bird's accusation.
Fawkes chewed his spicy treat before sounding off several more bright trills that ended with a long sorrowful call. Albus stroked the bird's bald head, feeling several bumpy points where the new feathers were beginning to grow through. He found himself looking inward at his friend's comments.
"Have I gone too far? That Harry fears me more than he desires to walk the halls so full of stories of his parents? What have I done?"
Fawkes chirped for almost a full minute, his tone wavered up and down while the final note seemed very accusatory.
"Do you think so? Perhaps I have lost sight of what is important." Albus gave the bird one final stroke before he stood straight once more and looked about the long-familiar room.
He had been headmaster of this fine school for almost thirty years now, and yet, he'd allowed his focus to drift in that time. His renewed interest in the Hallows, driven by witnessing the power of James's Cloak during the war, had distracted him once again, as it had in his childhood.
"You are, of course, correct, Fawkes. As always. Has it been hard?" he queried, glancing at the phoenix once more.
Fawkes trilled cautiously before giving a happy set of chirps.
"Rightly so. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. That should be my priority once again." He said firmly, the decision was made.
Immediately he felt a weight lift from his shoulders he hadn't even realized he had been carrying as he once more let go of the past. And his vain search for an answer held on the other side of the Veil itself. After so long, perhaps it was easier to simply live out the rest of his days and find the answer once he joined them there. At least then he could do some more good on this side before he passed over.
He had, after all, done frightfully little in the past decade. So obsessed had he become.
"Excuse me, Headmaster." Eupraxia's portrait above the door drew his attention from his odd conversation. "A man is approaching. I believe he wishes to meet with you."
Albus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck to relieve the soreness that had arisen in it as he stared so long at the piece of paper. He quickly shifted back to his desk. "Thank you, Eupraxia."
A knock sounded throughout the room a moment later as he cast his eyes over the letter once again. "Come in."
The door swung inward and Bartemius Crouch wasted no time as he closed the distance between the door and desk, taking a seat before Albus could offer it, making the older man smile at the younger's continued rushed demeanour. "Bartemius, how are you?"
"Busy, as always, Dumbledore." The man replied shortly.
Albus gave a slight nod as he folded the letter on his desk. He briskly returned it to its envelope and placed it carefully in his third desk drawer. The drawer had a great number of special enchantments protecting its content, but in line with his renewed desire to do better, Albus applied several more with the Elder Wand before addressing Barty once more.
"How might I alleviate your burden?" He smiled.
Crouch passed a thick folder over the desk, the title of which surprised Albus as he flicked it open and read the cover page explaining the endeavour. "We've been trying to get this thing off the ground for years. I was working on it back as Head of MLE. And I am very much tired of things getting in the way. It was meant to be a celebration of our victory over You-Know-Who."
"Our victory, Bartemius?" Albus raised his eyebrow at the curt man. "Voldemort's downfall should be rightly credited to the Potters. It cost them greatly while we reap the rewards."
Barty's moustache twitched and Albus chose not to push him any further, he could see the stress he was under weighed on him enough already. "Yes, well…"
"You do recall, I assume, the reason this was cancelled in the first place?"
"Steps shall be taken, of course." Barty defended.
"Of course," Albus replied, with a knowing smile as he closed the folder without looking further. "But I am afraid that until they do, I will not have Hogwarts and her students subjected to the dangers it poses. I have recently been reminded that childhood is a most precious commodity and we should not squander it on their behalf. My answer shall be no until you can convince me otherwise."
Barty began to redden in response and Albus prepared for a vicious retort to come his way.
Instead, the other man simply grabbed the folder from his wizened hands and turned away, stomping heavily towards the door once again. "You know, I used to be respected. All that… nonsense. Black is just the most recent embarrassment. I thought you of all people… I'll be back, Dumbledore."
"I look forward to it, Bartemius. It has been a pleasure to see you as always." Albus smiled, one of the most genuine he could recall in several years. "Have a pleasant evening, and I wish you the best of luck with your efforts. The Tournament will surely be a fine spectacle once you get it all worked out."
Barty huffed once more and slammed the door as he departed.
Despite his eleven decades, Albus felt renewed with his revised attitude. He had failed the Potters resoundingly, especially Harry. They had only met face to face once, but the memory of the event now made Albus shake his head in dismay. He could see how his overzealous need for the Stone had ruined their meeting.
It was high time for him to return to the days when he could be proud of who he was now, rather than his previous achievements. A man dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge into young minds.
That was, after all, why he became a teacher all those many years ago.
ϟ
Friday 26th July 1991.
Harry felt that something was off.
He was happily tucked under the oak in the Grangers' backyard as Hermione leaned on his side and read aloud. He should have felt utterly at peace, but something niggled at the corner of his mind. Or was it his magic?
He closed his eyes and let his consciousness drift through his form, paying attention to each sense in its turn but found nothing that stood out. But when he seeped into his magic, he felt something nagging at the corners. He couldn't quite figure out what it was, but there was something new there, on the outside looking in.
Harry opened his eyes once more and swept them over the garden, yet found nothing out of place.
Natalie's tools were in the barrow by the small rose plot, where she had been at work earlier that morning. Richard was returfing the section around the shed after he had accidentally chewed it up with the fancy new ride-on lawnmower he had bought after he refused to let Nemea handle the garden and yard. That being the Grangers' favoured way to wind down on a weekend.
No matter where he looked, he could not find the source of what worried him. Was it the idea of being outside the Manor for the first time since the letters had arrived? He was sure it was something outside his own control but he couldn't identify it.
"Hermione." He whispered as he nudged her gently, barely breaking her focus on the book. "I'm going to take us to the clearing. Something feels wrong."
Her reading took an affirmative tone and within a moment, the pair were relocated to Harry's favoured hiding spot within the Manor's world. Back now pressed against the massive stone, he let himself fall into his senses again and was surprised to find the feeling was still there, but this time it had a direction.
Straight ahead of where he was seated. His eyes flicked open and he directed his gaze where he knew the source to now be hiding. A small bush at the edge of the clearing shuddered and Harry froze. Whatever was watching them had followed their elf transportation.
It could get into the Manor.
He nudged Hermione again and this time she stopped reading. He indicated the errant bush and the pair glanced at the other from the corner of their eyes. In another moment the book hit the dry grass and the pair were on either side of the bush.
"Please come out," Harry commanded.
A high-pitched squeak greeted them and a small dirty figure fell forward out of the bramble bush, looking worse for his short time inside of it. Harry realized that the creature wasn't as dirty as he'd first thought when he realized most of what he was seeing was an awful pillowcase, tied above the shoulders and caked in grime and blood, and now torn in several places.
The creature rolled onto its back and Harry finally took in the rest of it. It was a house-elf, slightly smaller than he was used to at a bit under three feet tall which stared up at him with big green eyes. There was a fear within that shocked the boy as he offered his hand to the wee elf.
"Let me help you up."
The eyes widened considerably and tears seemed to form in the corners, which confused Harry greatly. He felt Pops and Tybalt appear behind him but knew they were invisible to their visitor. He gestured for them to remain in place as he took the elf's hand and lifted him to his feet. "My name is Harry."
"Dobby knows who you is, sir. The Great Harry Potter is known to all elveses. Though many thought you were dead. Dobby always hoped it was untrue."
"Hello, Dobby." Harry greeted with a smile, Hermione copying him exactly. The elf twitched again and Harry found it very odd, he'd never seen someone react in such a way to politeness. "May I ask why you've been watching my friend and I? And how you came to be here?"
Dobby looked about frantically at the question, before he leapt back into the bramble bush face first, much to the children's surprise. "What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she fished the elf back out of the nasty bush and walked him a few feet away from it.
"Dobby cannot say." The elf twitched under her grip but she did not yield, worried he might make a run for it again.
"Please, Dobby. Sit, let us talk." Harry offered as he sat in front of the tiny figure. "Would you like some tea?"
Harry was amazed that the already enormous eyes could widen any further but they did. Dobby began to sob heavily and Harry stared between the elf and his friend in utter surprise. He took the moment to look Dobby over closer. He was covered in grime, much like his pillowcase, and Harry began to suspect he was a renegade elf, living wild since the death of its master.
He let his magic wash over the tiny creature and found that its magic seemed fully intact, so if it was free, it had happened recently. Using the link between himself and the elves behind him as a guide, Harry ran his magic over the elf's and noticed the tether to its master was still there, but it was very weak.
"Dobby, where is your master? Who is your family?"
The elf struggled in Hermione's grip and she loosened her fingers to prevent herself from harming him. He managed to slip free and he chanted through clenched teeth as he bashed his head against the ground. "Can't say. Can't say."
"Ok, you can't tell me then. Please stop hurting yourself." Harry could feel concern coming from Pops behind him. The aged elf had snuck closer until he was at Harry's ear.
"Be careful with this one Master," Pops whispered. "He's been abused by his family, badly."
Harry nodded and considered his options. Abused elves were a tricky issue. He had to be very careful with his questions if he didn't want the elf to hurt itself. "Dobby… Can you imply to me why you are here?"
The elf stilled on the ground and looked up at Harry. A tight smile began to form as he sat once more, clearly considering the question. "Dobby… has come to warn Harry Potter."
"Ok, then. I am warned. Can you give any specifics about the warning I should have?"
Dobby considered again before smiling more. "Dobby warns Harry Potter not to go to Hogwarts."
Harry smiled. "Deal."
"Terrible things will happen at Hogwarts. Harry Potter cannot be risked by going. Dobby will stop him if he must!" The elf popped to his feet at the declaration, looking fierce.
"Dobby, relax." Harry held his hand out to the elf. "I'm not going to Hogwarts. I swear."
Dobby looked at Harry's hand with a slight twinge of fear, but mastered himself and extended his own. Harry felt a jolt as the two shook. His initial assessment of the elf's magic had been wrong. It was very poorly underneath, but strong enough to put up a solid facade.
"Please sit, Dobby. I need to ask you something else." The elf complied, crossing his legs and looking straight at Harry curiously. "How are you feeling?"
The elf looked utterly shocked as if no one had ever asked him such a question in his life. "Dobby… Dobby is… Never in Dobby's life. So great. Dobby is fine, sir."
"Please be honest with me, if you can. I truly want to know." Harry let a warming finger of magic touch the elf who shuddered happily under its touch.
"Dobby is not well, sir. Master often punishes Dobby. Or makes Dobby punish himself. They do not care for Dobby." The elf-shot up again, but Harry used his magic to keep him in place, not hurting him but preventing him from running for the bush.
"Dobby, I forbid you to harm yourself in my presence." Harry's voice echoed with power and the elf relaxed deeply. Harry almost thought he had fainted, but the eyes brightened and were still looking between him and Hermione.
He loosened the grip his magic had and the elf sat once more. "Thank you, Harry Potter, sir. That feels much better already."
"Good. So there is danger at Hogwarts, something we already knew, hence why we're not going. Your master is a nasty man who mistreats you for no reason. And house-elves can apparently find us and come and go from here as they please?"
"That's not true, sir." Dobby squeaked, looking shifty all of a sudden. "Dobby managed to find the lady's house, for an elf the wards were obvious in the low magic place. They are very powerful. It took Dobby days to carefully cross them without being stuck. A wizard would not see them like elfs do."
"That's good, but how is it you followed us here?"
"Dobby… could feel sir searching for him. When you left, Dobby held onto your magic. You brought Dobby here with you." The elf looked like he was waiting to be struck.
"I'm not going to hurt you Dobby. I just want to make sure we're safe here. Could you return here on your own now?" The elf nodded, no longer able to maintain eye contact. "But could you have if I didn't bring you here first?"
Dobby shook his head fiercely which made his ears wobble wildly. "If you left without looking for Dobby first, Dobby would have lost you."
"Well, that's good to know. Now, is there anything we can do to help keep your master from hurting you?"
"Dobby is used to it, sir. It is the only life Dobby has ever known."
Pops's voice sounded in Harry's ear once more. "Order him to never punish himself again. It won't stop his master from harming him, but he'll be unable to do so himself. I have a feeling this master enjoys the idea of having Dobby administer his own punishment."
Harry glanced to Hermione, who nodded, indicating she had heard the comment too. His eyes drifted back to the elf who was holding his toes and rocking slightly. "Dobby." The two pairs of green eyes locked. "I forbid you to punish yourself, ever. No matter who gives the order. Do you understand?"
Dobby's eyes widened but he nodded. "I also want you to feel free to visit here if you need to get away from your home. But you cannot bring anyone else here without my permission first or tell anyone about us or this place. Is that understood?"
Dobby rocked excitedly. "Yes, Harry Potter sir. Dobby is very grateful."
"So," Hermione spoke properly for the first time during the encounter. "How about that tea?"
Dobby smiled widely in response.
ϟ
Friday 2nd August 1991.
The more people that filed in the more confused that Sirius became.
He knew them all on sight, and many did not seem pleased to see him or his company present. The letter had been typically vague for the goblins, simply requesting he and Andromeda attend the bank today, with the requested documentation.
Most of the others present were lawyers, representation for those who 'could not attend' for whatever reason. Mostly likely imprisonment. Or sitting beside some unsavoury people from his distant past, which didn't leave Sirius feeling any better about the mysterious proceedings.
However, it was the most recent addition to the room that had him shift uncomfortably in his chair. The aristocratic sneer on the two adults as they noticed Sirius irked him, but it was the way the woman of the trio refused to even acknowledge the existence of the woman a few spaces to his right that really got under his skin.
He and Regulus had never been overly close, but he would have at least acknowledged his sibling's existence.
"The rabble they allow these days." Lucius scowled as he sat in his assigned seat only a few places away. "I feel dirty just sitting here."
Sirius stiffened but resisted the urge to snipe back at the foul git. He stiffened further when the small hand next to him tugged on his sleeve. He glanced down at the empty space, happy the goblins had accepted a few galleons 'donation' and allowed Harry to wear the Cloak they had recovered in the estate audit.
"Not, right now." Sirius whispered over the 'empty' chair. He really didn't want the Malfoy's aware of Harry's presence beside him. While the boy had not been listed on the summons, he'd learned how to use his eyes as a weapon far too well in the last few years. None of the adults could say no when the boy truly turned the green orbs on them.
"Now that everyone has finally arrived." Balrak hissed from the head of the table nearby. "We can commence. Mister Macmillan."
The tall solicitor tidied the papers in front of him and cleared his throat. "You've all been summoned today to attend the reading of the final will and testament of Arcturus Black the Third, Order of Merlin, First Class."
The surprise he felt at the announcement had Sirius turn to face his cousin. She was equally surprised to be present at such a reading, but upon second glance about the table, he noted several others his mother had unceremoniously removed from the tapestry in his childhood home. A building he still refused to enter since his release, and that his healer advised against a return to.
"As his funeral requirements have already been met, we shall skip directly to the estate distribution. To Cassiopeia," Sirius noted the aged woman near opposite him on the table nod. "The unused dowry has been deposited to your account as agreed. Arcturus wished to reiterate his disappointment in your failure to continue the family line, but hoped this amount shall 'see you out'. To Callidora, he offered commiserations on your loss, but wished to remind you of 'the dangers of choosing the wrong side'. Seventy thousand Galleons are to be transferred to your account.
"To Lucretia, you've kept to the family's ways and shall not be held liable for the failures of your grandchildren. One hundred thousand Galleons to you for your commitment. Alphard, at the request of our dearly departed Walburga, the client wishes you to 'return the thirty sickles you traitorous bastard, and hopes you die painfully'."
Sirius tried his hardest to contain the snort but he still caught his uncle's wink from across the table. He was glad to see his uncle did not hold him responsible or begrudge him the aid he'd given in Sirius's escape from #12 all those years ago.
"To Cygnus. Two hundred thousand Galleons and his hearty congratulations on mostly raising your family properly. Distribute it down as you will." Sirius rolled his eyes at the way his other uncle salivated at the reading. He truly despised that branch of the family tree with the exception of the woman to his right.
"And finally, the remainder of the estate and Headship of the Noble Family of Black," Lucius straightened in his seat and inflated, much to Sirius's amusement. "Shall fall to the last surviving male heir able to sire children. His choices have been suspect, but Arcturus knows when it comes down to it, he will hold to the family ways. Accordingly, Headship passes to Sirius Orion Black."
Sirius nearly laughed as Lucius not only deflated but went bright red. A comical state given his usual pallor and hair. It took several moments for the reality of the statement to sink in. His grandfather had named him as full heir.
"What?" He practically shouted over the table, drawing every eye towards him.
"His instructions were very clear," Macmillan replied with a superior sneer. "Mister Black, clarified them several times before his passing. Pending the assessment from St Mungos that you are still capable of fathering children, the Headship falls to you. Should you prove incapable, it will pass immediately and irrevocably to Draco Malfoy, with Narcissa acting as regent until he comes of age."
Lucius glared at Sirius openly and the Marauder smiled at the way the man's hand twitched over the head of his cane. He was insulted at the very idea of Sirius taking what he had clearly assumed to be his right as Draco's father, showing he'd never understood the way the Black family worked.
Control of it would never fall to one who wasn't 'of the blood'. Toujours Pur meant more than just fine breeding to his demented relatives.
"Um, well… fine. Andi?" Sirius asked, turning to his cousin, an odd thought given present company were almost all his cousins to some degree.
Some disgustingly so. Given his own parents had been second cousins. Both descended from the children of the almost universally hated Phineas Nigellus Black. Whose brother Sirius was named for.
Sirius shook his head in disgust at the narrow nature of his family tree.
Andromeda reached into a file in front of her and retrieved the medical documents his summons had required him to bring. He had no idea what was required as they only revealed themselves to the Healer noted to perform the process, but it became clear now.
She passed the file to him and he tossed it in front of the solicitor. The tall man quickly read over it before tapping the unfilled section with his wand entering his details.
The goblin beside him quickly filled their own segment and passed them back to Sirius along with a very large folder that had been sat before the solicitor throughout the proceedings.
"Congratulations, Mister Black. You are now confirmed as Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." Macmillan finished as he stood. "Good day."
He quickly departed the room and every Black eye in the room was fixed on Sirius. Many looked at him with undisguised hatred. He was the cast-out failed-son of the family and now he held power over every single one of them. "Bugger me." He mumbled, earning a sharp slap to the head from Andromeda and a glance down at the 'empty' chair.
The Malfoys all stood and with one last vicious glare in his direction and one to the nearby goblin warriors, stormed out without a word.
Most of the family followed suit, almost exactly to an action, until only those who had once been burned off the tapestry remained in the room. Alphard broke the silence at last when he broke out into hysterical laughter.
"My word," Andromeda commented, laying a light hand on the invisible figure between them.
"Tell me about it," Sirius replied.
A renewed tug on his sleeve drew Sirius's gaze down and he nodded. Harry came into view and Alphard stopped laughing promptly but smiled instead. "Oh."
"What's all that mean?" Harry questioned.
"It means Sirius is buying dinner tonight," Andromeda said slyly.
"You know what this really means, Andi." Sirius gave her a cheeky smirk.
"Don't you dare. I am quite happy being Andromeda Tonks. My father and sisters have made their opinion on my choice very plain. The family can be damned bar the few sitting in this room. Should Nymphadora choose so, you can do it to her."
Sirius just smiled in response and considered the young girl who had already had a prior engagement to attend. Keeping her from being present as Harry was.
Sirius was still overwhelmed though. He'd never seen eye to eye with his grandfather. But it seemed the man's narrow views of what was proper, and his need to continue the line, had rewarded Sirius in the end. Had he not been such a misogynistic prick concerned only with the continuation of the family name and line, Narcissa would surely have inherited everything.
"Just so's you know Siri, I'm not expecting you to pay me back. Just keep me in fine whiskeys 'til they do me in." Alphard laughed from his place opposite the three.
Sirius smirked at his uncle and tried to get his mind around what had happened. He wondered if he'd still have been named Head had the others not secured his freedom from Azkaban. He certainly wouldn't if his brother hadn't tried to turn tail and run from his Death Eater compatriots.
"I need a drink." He groaned as he buried his face in his hands.
He glanced between the fingers at the sound of laughter to his right and noted both his cousins laughing at his expense. "You know, I haven't valued the estate in a long time, but I bet I can buy a lot of pranking supplies with what's there." He warned.
"Bring it on." Harry quipped in return. "You really need to lift your game, old man."
Sirius narrowed his eyes at his godson and bit his tongue. Letting the words he wanted to say aloud echo through his mind instead. Fuck me.
ϟ
Sunday 1st September 1991.
Nym settled into place on the long bench.
The sound of the surrounding students washed over her but could not shift the sadness in her stomach. Ced sat opposite her and tried again to coax a smile from her. Something he'd failed to do since they had changed into their robes on the train.
The sound of the doors opening drew her eye, but only served to further dampen her joy to be back at Hogwarts, for in that crowd of little firsties was a hole, two people in size that no one else even noticed.
"C'mon, Tonks." Dora Williams said from beside her. "Let's see what the new intake has for us. Hopefully some quality new badgers this year."
Nym gave the girl a hollow smile as the students stopped before the raised dais on which the teachers and the ancient Hat stood. Professor McGonagall swept her eye over the gathered students and gave a shallow sigh, something Nym found curious before she called forth Hannah Abbott.
The tiny blonde girl nervously stepped up to the stool and sat quietly as the Transfiguration teacher lowered the Hat. It took naught but a moment before her house grew by one. "Hufflepuff."
Nym clapped with all the rest, trying not to let the absence of her two favourite eleven-year-olds ruin what was still a special night for the other firsties. As Hannah passed them by, Nym put out her hand and received a cheery high-five from the girl. She redirected her attention to the Bones girl who was already at the stool and watched as it deliberated a moment before shouting again. "Hufflepuff."
"Oh, strong start. Abbot and Bones." Dora commented.
"Yeah, good kids," Cedric added, now watching the sorting closely.
Nym drifted as the process continued. Clapping politely when those around her did.
She dwelled on the decision the Family had reinforced. She knew Harry was doing this for her, but it didn't make his absence any easier. She had greatly looked forward to having him around this year.
It wasn't until the next "Hufflepuff" was called for, a Justin... something, that Nym refocused. The next name showed how close they were to the first hole.
Nym missed Hermione just as keenly as Harry. The girl was a whirlwind to study beside. She'd helped Nym grasp most of last year's revision work faster than ever.
The pair had devoured everything she had to offer. So, when the fourth name along from Justin was called as Greengrass, Daphne, Nym sank in her seat.
"Cheer up, Nym. She doesn't look like the kind we want here anyway. Let the Slytherins have her." Robin chirped.
Nym put up a soft smile, most of it due to her ability. A godsend for a troublemaker.
Her ability allowed her to put up a happy, or innocent, face when she really felt anything but inside. The next two joining her house spurred her to clap harder once again, but the calling of the other of her cousins in today's sorting soured her mood once more.
She watched silently as the pompous little twat strode to the stool like he owned the school. She could feel a couple of the teacher's eyes flick from the boy to her and back, and she realized what conclusion they had drawn to her previous vague responses.
They assumed this was the cousin she referred to when she bemoaned Harry's habit of nipping at her heels study-wise. Boy, were they all in for a shock.
Nym couldn't contain her laughter as the Hat screamed "Slytherin" to the rafters before it had even had a chance to muss up the ponce's prissy slicked-back hair. He smirked gleefully at the word and resumed his pompous walk towards his new house.
Draco made a big show of not turning her way as he passed, which only made it more obvious given the third-years were almost all perched right at the end of the long table.
Nym couldn't resist pulling a face at the Malfoy brat as she twisted her face into a caricature of his stupid father mixed with a pig snout. The others sitting around her laughed loudly and drew the serious eye of the Deputy Headmistress to her antics. A sharp glare was enough warning for Nym to return to normal, but the amusement had managed to warm her up to Hogwarts a little despite everything.
It was another three new Puffs before she realized the next name that should have been called. Perks skipped past her happily, gaining another of her high fives. But every ear in the Hall was now fixed on Professor McGonagall. Clearly, everyone had done the math and, by the whispers and given his few newspaper appearances, were now expecting her cousin's showy arrival.
Nym snorted at the stupidity of it, that Harry would ever make a big show of something like that. She did note the slight frown on the Professor's face as she took a deep breath though.
"Rivers, Oliver."
The entire Hall seemed to sag and Nym cheered the poor boy walking to the stool in the suddenly depressive atmosphere. The puffs around her soon joined in and continued to support their newest member as he smiled. Oliver jogged past and claimed another high-five from Nym as he did.
She noticed Ced watching her oddly from across the table, but a slight shake of her head derailed him for now. She sighed when he turned back to the dwindled mass of firsties though.
This made it truly real. This would be yet another year at Hogwarts sans Harry and Hermione, and despite the presence of many good friends, Nym knew she would miss them more this year than she had in the previous two.