Chapter 2.

Still don't own hp :(

I woke up early, today I was going to Hogwarts. The plan was simple but full of hazardous factors.

First step was getting sorted in Hufflepuff. That was also one of the most hazardous factors.

Being sorted in Hufflepuff offered me the discretion I needed, housemates not too curious like Ravenclaw so less likely of finding out my secrets and at the same time more likely to help me hiding my problems, Hufflepuff was known for the camaraderie between its members. Plus, nobody ever gives a second look at a Hufflepuff and I could play the weak kid always crying his sister, it would fit perfectly. Slytherin would make my project go way faster but it would create such a mess, I would be the center of attention and hiding my secret would be near impossible.

In Hufflepuff I could be forgotten by everyone.

The venturous part of this step was that I had no idea of how the sorting was done. If it's a series of questions, I'm good. Otherwise, I'll improvise.

The second step in my scheme was to obtain James' and soon to be Zach's Invisibility cloak. Stealing it was an option but then it becomes a real problem to hide it, also I was one of the four persons who knew about its existence. That narrows down the suspects list quite a bit. The plan was to get it from Zach himself after he got it. I trusted myself to manipulate Zach especially after the tragedy.

The third and last step was still vague as I didn't have any clear idea of how to go about it but basically it was to get in Knockturn Alley, get knowledge on necromancy and start my little project.

This was very hazardous in itself but once in there I was sure I'd find something. Knockturn Alley was pretty huge and deep, it had multiple layers of buildings and wards. The place was so old and magically twisted it was probably impossible to map it. All kind of illegal stuff happened in Knockturn Alley, everybody knew it and the only reason Aurors never raided it was because a raid would result into a disaster, they would all get killed without a doubt. Aurors worked in Knockturn Alley but as undercover agents, some sort of law was still present, half by the ministry and half by mafias and gangs.

Money was not a problem, James went to the bank to open an account for Zach, an account linked to his one, with a monthly transfer of a few dozen galleons. The goblin saw my name on the register and proposed to do an account for me too. That plus the 30 000 galleons I got from the Portugal Magic Ministry as an apology, my project was heavily funded.

The plan wasn't much of a plan but at least I had a little list of things to do.

I felt good. I felt like I could do this. Sure, we never heard of any tangible proof of someone successfully bringing someone back, but Necromancy was a real thing. And the many legends and tales of knights calling necromancers to bring back their princess had to start from somewhere. Ain't no smoke without fire...

And fucking hell I was a Potter, one of Britain's oldest pureblood families, famous for producing powerful wizards. How many Potters entered History by doing things someone else couldn't do? Edmond Jose Potter, 13th century, created the Imperius curse, Deorwynn Potter, 16th century, invented the potion of Amortentia, the most powerful love potion. Came in my mind.

If only James didn't sell the Potter library to the ministry, there was probably all the knowledge I need in there.

Indeed, James had sold most of the Potter library to the ministry because it contained really dark stuff and the Potter was meant to be a light family. Well at least James considered himself a light wizard. Now all these books were buried deep in the Department of Mysteries. I didn't really care until now, I just thought it was sad to sell such an old heirloom. Now I realize it was the stupidest decision to make.

After a quick shower, I was dressing "the muggle way", it was called like that but nobody wore robes inside their house anymore, at least not the young wizards. I eyed my wand laying on the bed table - Cherry and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Quite temperamental. - had said Ollivander the wand maker. It was long and thin, maybe half an inch thick, no more, like all the wands, but I could feel the power imbued in it, I could tell it wasn't about to break if I sat on it. Zach had gotten the brother of Voldemort's wand, it had created a little commotion, should have expected it.

My trunk was ready, all my robes, clothes, cauldrons, phials, books and whatnot were tucked in it since the day we came back, four days ago to be precise. As Potters, we of course got the best of Diagon Alley, top quality cauldrons, finely carved crystal phials, top notch trunks, and we got an owl each. I named my snowy owl Hedwig and Zachary named his eagle owl Barnaby.

Hedwig had become a real friend to me during these four days, I had exposed her my plans to bring my sister back and she quietly listened to me. I asked her how she liked her name and she hooted happily, I took it as a yes and I was pretty sure she in some way understood me.

Around my neck and under my shirt was Natasha's necklace I snatched up after making my promise to her. Maybe a bit girly for me but it's all that's left of you now.

Her ashes had been spread out in the wind like the Potter tradition wanted, no bodies left, ashes free as the wind. It was something passed down the Potter line from the very start. A tombstone has been set in Godric's Hollow's graveyard, people wept, nice words were said as I contemplated the black cloud spread and vanish away. I had memories of her, and I had a few drops of her blood. I didn't need more. I hope I don't.

I spent the morning eating a few biscuits with Hedwig and staring at the sky through my window until Zachary woke up and took his breakfast. A few minutes after, we were all ready and packed in the living room, waiting to floo at King's Cross. Everybody was quiet . I was the one who recovered the fastest about Natasha's death. Probably because I know she'll be back one day...

James wasn't that far behind me in terms of recovering because he displayed a bright smile and waved toward the fireplace, "Your floo is ready, sir. Ready?".

"Yeah, let's go." Zach smiled weakly and walked in the floo.

Platform nine and three quarters was huge. About five time bigger than a regular platform at King's Cross. It was only on the right side of the train, the other side was a grandiose panorama on green meadows and rocky mountains. It was nowhere near King's Cross. Probably just a magic trick to show a fake landscape.

The flamboyant Hogwarts Express was standing still in its rails, breathing a thick white steam from a numbers of pipes and chimneys, children flooding in from all the doors and windows, like a swarm of rats invading a proud and ancient building. I can almost hear it complaining on the lack of respect it's treated with.

We were about to enter the train when Lily stopped Zach and hugged him tightly.

"You'll send letters everyday and you'll tell me everything. Everything, understood?" she placed a kiss on his cheek, "And have fun." she finished with a little smile. She then stepped back, ignoring me. Looks like the extra attention week is over, maybe I should kill Zach to get a couple months more...

"And remember everything I told you about the cloak, son." added James with a grin. Right, I need that fucking cloak.

I went into the train without waiting any longer for goodbyes and made my way to an empty compartment, carrying my trunk without difficulties. The hovering lightweight trunk wasn't the cheapest but if being James' son had one advantage, it was the money. If I had to guess the amount of money stored in the Potter vault at the moment I'd guess about a couple million galleons. Yeah, that much.

Zach followed me and entered the compartment after me. I was about to simply ask him to get the fuck out of there when someone set a foot in the compartment and asked weakly "Err, hi, is this seat free?", pointing to a free seat.

Orange hair, taller than us, probably a second year or a tall first year. I need to make friends and allies don't I? At the very least I must keep appearances.

"Hi, yes it is. Harry, pleased to meet you." I presented him my hand to shake. Damn, I sound awful when I do that.

"And I'm Zachary." stated my twin while shaking his hand too.

"Ronald Weasley, just call me Ron." he then pulled his huge trunk in the compartment with much efforts, and fell on the seat, panting.

"My trunk weights a ton, how did you put yours so high?" he asked, amazed.

Okay this is a dumb one. Or maybe he's just trying to start a conversation, let's not bad mouth too quickly.

"Our trunks are enchanted to be lighter but they go where you ask them anyway, look - Go down." explained Zach, putting his hand on the trunk. It quavered a bit before rising up a few inches to get out of the baggage hold, and gracefully made a curved motion to the floor.

The Weasley boy had watched with saucer-like eyes.

"These trunks are mad expensive..." he whispered, "Are you rich or something?"

Zach looked down, he didn't want to say his surname. Potter was a word this kid wouldn't let slip by.

"Yeah, sort of. We're almost purebloods, and you?" I admitted, turning my eyes from my brother and his sudden anxiety.

"Pureblood, but not rich." He let out weakly, clearly wanting to stop the conversation on money.

"So, what Quidditch team do you root for?"

We spent a few hours talking Quidditch and eating candy. I didn't particularly like the boy, he was a bit dense and uninteresting, but I kept going. Quidditch was an interesting subject after all. We got interrupted once by a girl who was looking for a toad but the rest of the trip was eventless. At some point Zach admitted being The-Boy-Who-Lived and we had to answer a few question from the astonished boy, after what he couldn't stop watching at the scar. Oh yeah, he was also very surprised to hear Zachary had a twin brother.

If I wondered how unnoticed Natasha's death went, I had an answer. Nobody had even heard of her.

The night fell and we slipped our robes on, then the train stopped and we got out.

The huge groundkeeper named Hagerd or something like this led us on small boats, sliding on a lake. Then we finally saw Hogwarts.

A magnificent castle with a hundreds of towers, impossible shapes, thousands of windows and lights, gargoyles on the roof borders, birds and owls all over it and its reflection on the lake's surface. It was incredible, breath-taking.

I hope these gargoyles are fake ones, Merlin help us if one awakens. Gargoyles were XXXXX-ranked creatures, very rare, incredibly dangerous, they were believed sentient and even intelligent, but way too wild and dangerous to approach. Their speed and strength was beyond any wizard.

We slid a bit further in a cave beneath the castle itself and accosted next to a wooden door. On the door was carved the Hogwarts coat of arms, representing the four houses with a lion, a snake, a raven and a badger. The door had hundreds of little golden lines constantly wiggling on it.

"Well that's Hogwarts fer ya, wonderful place I'm tellin ya!" concluded the half-giant before knocking strongly, making the door shake in its hinges and the golden lines retreat back to the borders with panicked wiggles like little snakes fleeing.

The door opened after a few second, revealing a stern faced witch dressed in emerald green. She surveyed the crowd of first year in front of her, eyes hard and frowning. The half giant suddenly remembered he had knocked and hurriedly proclaimed "Professor McGonagall, the first years have arrived. Kids, this is professor McGonagall, the deputy headmistress and head of the Gryffindor House." he looked like he was about to add something but McGonagall cut him with a wave of her hand.

"Thank you Hagrid, I will take the lead from here." she spoke quietly, casting her gaze over us. I sensed a number of students tensing and straighten up. I would have guessed Ravenclaw head of house, eh. I better not end up in Gryffindor.

"As Hagrid said, I am Minerva McGonagall, deputy Headmistress and head of the Gryffindor House. You will address me as professor McGonagall and nothing else. I will not tolerate disrespect from any of you, Gryffindor or not." she stopped and smiled a bit, "Welcome to Hogwarts. As you all know already, you will soon be sorted into the house that fits you." she paused.

"Hogwarts consists of four Houses, Gryffindor, of which I am the head professor, is said to be the House of the brave, the lion and the red are its emblem. The Gryffindor dormitories are in the south section, in a tower called the Gryffindor tower."

At this point we were walking, led by McGonagall, through the castle, she was walking fast and speaking even faster. I was only half listening, only the Hufflepuff part was interesting for me and the corridor we were walking in was incredibly distracting. Paintings all over the walls commented our little squad of firsties, mocking our amazement, whispering into each other ears and laughing. Some of these paintings must be incredibly old, a potential source of information. Armor sets and stone statues were standing straight in each corners, holding spears, swords and halberds, like threatening guards, about to cut you in half if you break the rules. The torches on the walls produced an awful lot of orange and yellow light, reflecting on the shiny metal of the armors and golden frames of the paintings.

"Ravenclaw, with Filius Flitwick for head of House, is said to be the House of the smart and wise. The raven and the blue are its emblem. Its dormitories are at the opposite of the Gryffindor tower, in the Ravenclaw tower." You could just say every house has its tower and be done with it.

"Hufflepuff, head of House Pomona Sprout, said to be the House of the loyal and hard working. The badger and yellow are its emblem. Its dormitories are in the east yard, next to the greenhouses." No tower for the Hufflepuffs? I'm not complaining.

"And finally Slytherin, head of House Severus Snape," she seemed to add a small dose of disgust in her speech, a subtle difference that I was probably the only one to catch, "said to be the House of the cunning and ambitious. The snake and green are its emblem. Its dormitories are located in the dungeons, under the lake." Yeah, Slytherin would be really too obvious.

As she ended her introduction speech, we stood before a huge wooden door on which was written in thin golden letters Sedere manducare. Sedere ad disserendum. No translation was offered, but McGonagall made it clear enough:

"You're about to enter the great hall to be sorted. Then we will feast and you will go to you dormitories with your housemates. I do hope you'll behave and show some dignity, you will be sorted in front of the full school staff and all the students."

At this, everybody's anxiety level rose up heavily. So here we are, the sorting.

Ron muttered something about the test being a fight against trolls and kids around him paled. What a bunch of idiots... The test would be a series of short questions, I was almost sure of it, some sort of personality and/or intellectual quotient test.

Zachary approached me.

"Dad wouldn't tell me how is the sorting done. What would he say if we're not Gryffindor? What if we were sorted in Slytherin?" he asked to me apprehensively, straightening his hair with his hands.

"I don't know Zach, you'd be the perfect Slytherin, you know, the filthy rich pureblood daddy's little spoiled boy, famous all over the world and all."

He became white as a sheet and shivered.

"You know I'm not like that, I'm not arrogant, I'm not spoiled, I'll never be a Slytherin. You on the other hand..." he squinted slowly, "Maybe that's why mum and dad don't like you, you've always been strange, maybe you're a Slytherin after all..." he whispered.

How fucking dense can you be Zach. The massive wooden door creaked and started to open, students straightened even more if it was possible and got ready to enter the hall.

"Yeah, I'm a Slytherin, that's why they hate me. Same for Nat, we both have a Slytherin birthmark on the asscheek, you discovered the big secret, good job Sherlock." I spat angrily before entering the hall, leaving The-Boy-Who-Is-Retarded to think about that.

The great hall was as great as they get. The ceiling was more than a hundred feet high and rendered the sky in real time, stars and the moon could be seen along with dark blue clouds in the night, casting an eerie white light on the walls, illuminating the cracks and engravings, some runes could be spotted, glowing with moonlight. Torches and candles were set at around ten feet in the air and on the wall, breaking the weak starlight with fiery orange light, casting constantly moving shadows all over the place.

Four tables, around two hundred talking and laughing students at each table. Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, in that order. The staff table was set perpendicularly to these four, on a higher platform. In the middle, on a ancient throne, sat Albus Dumbledore, the current headmaster of Hogwarts. At his right was an empty smaller throne, without a doubt McGonagall's seat. About twenty professors and staff members sat at the table. I could see Flitwick, famous champion duelist, whom I knew from a book and the half giant who had led us through the lake, but I didn't know any of the other faces.

Between the staff table and the four Houses stood a small four-legged stool. An old dark grey hat had been put on it.

As our little hundred and something first years went silently to stand in a corner under the order of McGonagall, the students noticed us and started being louder and louder.

McGonagall walked to the center of the platform and stood next to the mysterious hat. She said nothing and waited. As I was starting to wonder just what the hell was going on, the hat twitched, a rip opened and it began to sing.

It sang a song depicting each House's traits but I didn't listen, my brain caught one thing - The hat called itself the Sorting Hat! It's a mind reading hat, I'm fucked through and through!

Calm down, nobody said anything about mind reading, for the moment it just showed that it can talk and have some form of intelligence. Maybe it'll just ask questions.

The other kids were laughing at the relief it was - "you just have to put a hat, thank Merlin", but I felt more uneasy by the second, I'd have to play this carefully.

McGonagall now had a roll of parchment in her hands, "When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and put the Hat on. Abbot, Hannah !" she barked.

The young blonde girl jumped and almost ran to the hat, probably fearing to be too slow for McGonagall. Once the Hat was on her head, nothing happened, not a sound. And suddenly, "Hufflepuff !". The Hufflepuff table roared with cheers and clapped loudly.

Hannah was stumbling toward the third table when I made my decision. I need information on the sorting process, and it's the perfect way to break the ice with one of my soon to be housemate.

I pushed my way through the pack and got slightly out only to grab her arm before she was too far -"Andie, Rosaline!"- before she could wonder why she was being stopped on her journey to her House table, I quickly asked:

"I'm sorry, could you quickly tell me how did the Hat sort you? Did he ask questions? Was he reading in your mind?"

She nodded, "Yes? Yes to what? Both?" she nodded again and I let her go. Fuck.

"Hufflepuff!"

The hat could read my mind. I was fucked, I had to think about something dumb to hide my true intentions, I had to do something but I had no idea of how this sort of thing worked.

"Arvel, Paul!"

But the hat asks questions too. That means he listens to answers. That mean I can negotiate with it.

"Gryffindor!"

The sorting went on for at least an hour. I got a couple more reports from the students that got sorted and passed near me on their way back. They all said the same thing, mind reading and discussion with the Hat.

Great, I'll have to try and make a two thousand years old magical artifact bend to my will. Threatening it won't work, I have nothing on it except maybe the fact that I could set it on fire. I have to either act dumb and be sorted Hufflepuff or explain my plan and hope it's nice enough to help me. It all depended on how far it can read in my mind.

Eventually, it came.

"Potter, Harry!"

The hall hadn't been nearly as quiet since we got in. People raised from their seat to see me and soon enough, they started to whisper, "Harry Potter? Who is that? Is he related to Zachary Potter?", some talked out loud, "Is he his brother? In the same year? He sure does look like a Potter!"

I really didn't care about that right now, all I had in mind was my plan. Do not fuck up Harry, this is the first step, do not fuck it up!

I sat on the stool and put the Hat on my head, it went over my eyes and all sound vanished along with my vision.

"Let's see there ... oh dear ... yes I can read pretty deep in your mind Harry, the acting dumb plan isn't going to get you anywhere. Oh James... and Lily ... how disappointed I am..."

I hadn't had the time to start thinking dumb, the Hat had read me like an open book.

Fuck.

The Hat didn't answer for a while.

Hello?

"Yes Harry, I was thinking. You're a tricky one. One of the trickiest." it paused again for a full minute. I said nothing.

"A tragedy, a real tragedy. One of those tragedy you read in books and think never happens, what have Lily and James become ... this promise you made, this vow you took ..." it sighed.

"What you're to accomplish is called True Necromancy, Harry. It's the ultimate purpose of necromancy, the perfect resurrection, to bring someone back in their integrity - body, soul and magic. If anyone ever managed it, they had the good sense of hiding it from history, nobody has ever officially performed true necromancy."

I will do it, somehow, I will find a way.

"Maybe you will, Harry, maybe you will. You're a powerful wizard, and a natural in the range of mind magic, from what I see here." it sighed again.

"But to accomplish such things Harry, you'll have to go in branches of magic that will make you an outlaw, a dark wizard as they call them now."

"I see that going dark isn't a problem for you but you don't know dark magic, you don't know what it could turn you into."

Don't play games, Hat, you read my mind. You know that I'd kill everybody in magical Britain and myself to bring her back if I had too. The Hat seemed to be on my side for the moment, I only had to be honest anyway, I couldn't hide anything from him.

"But can I let you go down that slope? I know you have the potential of a great wizard, be it light or dark, Harry, but should I let you destroy yourself and others in your foolish quest of bringing your dead sister back?"

You're a fucking hat, why would you care?

"Right on it Harry, I don't. I don't care and that's why I should do my job and place you in Slytherin for what you are. How about it Harry?"

You know what I want, what do you want ?

"I wanted to test you a bit, I can't read that far in your emotions Harry, you are pretty good at defending your mind. You should start with that by the way, not only hats can read your mind in this castle..." it said mysteriously.

"Occlumency is the word, look for it. Now I'm going to sort you in Hufflepuff, Harry, I never do the whole undercover Slytherin thing because every time a brat comes with this genius idea in their head, they have no actual reason to hide their Slytherin-ness and they're not smart enough to be sorted in Ravenclaw anyway. Funny thing, you're the first one to ever ask for Hufflepuff."

"But this is the exception that proves the rule. Don't disappoint me Harry, do what you have to do and stay yourself, you are not evil Harry, you have a good heart."

The end is a bit corny but I appreciate the gesture. I said cheekily, happy that the hat was more than your standard good doer and actually saw the importance of step one. Had I been sorted Slytherin, I would have been labeled as the evil twin of The-Boy-Who-Lived, I would have been monitored, everybody would be have been suspicious on everything I did, that would never have worked.

"Hufflepuff!" I took the Hat off. There was a few second of unperturbed silence. Everyone was looking at me like I was going to grow wings any second.

What the fuck do they want? My heart stopped. Did they hear any of that? Holy tit please no...

Then, a plump woman at the staff table started to clap, and soon I got the same cheers and clapping as any other Hufflepuff. The witch was Pomona Sprout, head of Hufflepuff, I understood when I watched her more closely once I sat and shook hands with a bunch of Huffies.

"What was that about Harry? You were there for like ten minutes, everybody else took a minute or two at most - What did you tell him?" asked the little blonde called Hannah Abbot.

"I dunno, he asked me about personal stuff and all, I had a lot on my heart so I told him everything." Perfect whiny Hufflepuff first year mode, activated.

She nodded knowingly and a few other asked me. I served them the same plain emotionally-charged-pansy dish - they all bought it and backed up before I started crying about my problems on their shoulder.

This is going perfectly, step one, success. I high-fived myself mentally.

McGonagall waited for the little commotion at our table to quiet down and barked the next name.

"Potter, Zachary!"

"Ohmygosh!" squeaked a second year to my left and I looked up to the ceiling, knowing what would follow.

As I was staring at the stars, my mind drifted away and I was with her again.

"The weasley twins are the indisputable masters in the domain. I heard your brother hangs out with them anyway, give it a try." I thanked the fifth year Hufflepuff for the piece of information and walked away.

So these two pranksters are the most knowledgeable source about secrets passageways in this castle? That actually makes a lot of sense, as the notorious pranksters, they would have to have an advantage like this.

It was the first day of November. My classes were going well, I studied seriously and I took the lead in my class. Nothing insane, just good grades. Perfect comportment, I went totally unnoticed save for the few question about my twin, to which I answered kindly that I wouldn't tell anything about him in his back. Hufflepuffs agreed to not harass me with that because it wouldn't be nice. Thanks guys.

In the meantime, I had made a couple useful friends in Slytherin, Carson Huey was my first friendly contact in the snake pit. I had caught the fourth year taking a shot of Zenix, a soft magical drug, totally illegal in Hogwarts of course, behind the greenhouses. I had carefully approached the guy and slipped between two sentences that I knew he could smuggle illegal things and that I was interested.

I didn't even had to come to blackmail as Carson apparently understood I wasn't as weak as I wanted everyone to think.

"If you need something, write it on that paper. I'll write back the price and if you have the money, I'll find you with the stuff." he had whispered, slipping a piece of parchment in my hand while looking around innocently.

I didn't know what I wanted yet but having a contact was good enough for the moment.

The other Slytherin I approached was the prefect Darden Marvyn. I went to him while he was alone in the library and clearly explained that I was ready to sell secrets about Zachary, big secrets, for a friendly relationship between me and the clever side of Slytherin.

"And what would the clever side of Slytherin want to do with your brother's secrets?" he had asked with a grin.

"I got money too." I had said, having nothing else in mind. "Listen, if you're not interested, fine, just remember I made the offer." then, as I was looking him in the eyes, I felt a sting in my brain, like a tiny bee rampaging in the back of my skull.

Occlumency! The motherfucker is reading my mind! I broke eye contact immediately, hoping it would work. I had found nothing about Occlumency in the library and wasn't about to ask Madam Pince about it. It was one of the reason I was looking for a passage out of the castle.

He laughed without shame, "Good, very good potential, Potter. I acknowledge your offer and shall think about it." he stated playfully and went back to reading.

He was dangerous, angel faced and seemingly nice, it was only a mask he wore. But he liked what he saw in me, I was sure I could come to him if I'd need to one day.

For the moment, I needed to look for Occlumency, or if I couldn't find anything on it, Necromancy.

You couldn't find that stuff in Hogwarts, not even in the restricted section, after the bit of research I made and the mentions of Necromancy I caught in various books, I concluded it was considered one of the, if not the darkest branch of magic out there.

I needed to go where you find illegal magic artifacts. I needed to go to Knockturn Alley.

And that is why I was currently looking for a secret - or not - passage between Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, which was directly linked to Knockturn Alley. I wasn't ready to ask my newfound Slytherin contacts yet, so the Weasley twins it would be.

I walked into the great hall and glanced at my watch. Nine in the morning, a Saturday, he was definitely here. As I walked toward the Gryffindor table, some of my housemates spotted me and greeted me.

"Hey Harry, I was wondering if you could help me out with the potion essay, you're pretty good at it even if Snape won't admit it." inquired Louise, which was not especially bad at potions from what I recalled.

"You're not bad yourself, Louise, but if you really do need help I'd be glad to." I smiled, and continued on my path as she softly blushed.

"Oy Harry, my good pal, how are you doing?" greeted Ernie, as lively as ever, tapping my back like we were long time "pals".

"I'm good and you Ernie? Listen I just gotta see my brother about something, catch you later, mate." he smiled widely and rose his thumb up, "No problem, see you later."

This is easy. Way too easy. All I have to do is to be nice, smile to girls, and help people with their homework.

I made my way around a group of fifth years standing between the two tables and got to the Gryffindor table. The twins nowhere in sight, I reached my own twin and called him.

"Zach? Can I ask you something?"

"Oh...If it's about the fight with the troll, it wasn't us and we didn't earn all these points." he grinned proudly.

I had heard the rumor of Zach defeating the troll the night before but I really didn't give a damn. While I really doubted of Zach's ability to vanquish such a creature, I knew he was a Potter, and that those needed only a bit of luck to do seemingly impossible things.

"Yeah, no, I don't really care about that, I was just hoping you could present me the Weasley twins, I heard you know them personally."

Zach was coughing his cornflakes, probably shocked at my lack of interest concerning the troll affair, when his friend Ron spoke up.

"The Weasley twins you mean my brothers?" as I noticed that I had totally forgotten Ron's existence until now, I also noticed that his question was about the dumbest he could have managed.

However, I wasn't the one scolding him.

"How many Weasley twins do you know, genius?" said a bushy haired girl, "I'm Hermione Granger" she stood and presented me a hand to shake.

Hermione Granger, the smart know-it-all everybody was talking about, the one that I had been sick of hearing since the very first Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Herbology lessons.

"Harry, pleased to meet you, I've heard numerous things about you." I said cryptically. Perhaps she'll get the hint and stop trying to be friends.

"Me too, especially that little ... problem you had at the riding lesson. You know I am researching the subject, I'd really like to know what happened, would you maybe answer a few questions about it?" she uttered in one breath, taking a big intake of oxygen at the end.

My "little problem" at the riding lesson was not on the news anymore but it had attired a bit of attention at the time.

I had been in a bad mood the day we had this lesson, I'd had nightmares about Natasha dying over and over again. I'd avoided everyone successfully, and eventually found myself seething internally in front of my broom, determined to act normal. "Up." I had commanded like everybody else, it hadn't worked, like everybody else.

Only I knew I had good control over brooms, I was even a very good rider.

So I got mad, I got mad at the god damn broom for not helping me in this shitty day. "UP!" I had bellowed, feeling power surge into my arm.

All the sixty brooms of the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw lesson twitched hardcore and raced toward me, crashing in each other, knocking out students, tearing themselves out of their owners' hands, in a insane mess of wood and twigs.

Twelve broken brooms and three broken wrists.

And I only survived because of Madam Hooch's wits and fast reflexes who raised a shield around me. My insane control dropped after maybe half a second, but it was enough to be buried under a mountain of brooms. They would have tore through me, or at least crunched my hand into a bloody pudding.

I explained that I had a nightmare and that it was just a burst of accidental magic. It was shameful to have accidental magic at this age but it was better than admitting that the sheer hate and power I pushed in my command overpowered everything around us.

Thankfully, they ate it up. Mostly. Some fifth years and such eyed me strangely for a couple days after and older Slytherin students watched me from a distance.

Everybody forgot this story quickly enough, with all the things that happen in this castle... The troll affair for instance was the last nail in this episode's coffin.

Except for Hermione Granger, apparently.

"Listen, it was just accidental magic, drop it, okay? I won't answer any questions." I replied shortly.

"But -" she started. No, fuck you Granger, drop it.

"Accidental magic can do crazy things, Granger, dangerous things. You could ask Zach about that but I'm not playing your game. Drop it." I had looked Zach in the eyes the entire time. He was white as a sheet. He quietly put his spoon back in the cereal bowl.

"Drop it Hermione, please." he muttered weakly.

"What do you mean ask Zach, did he do something, did he have an-" she stopped when she turned to look at him. "Well ... ok I'll let it go." she finished, uneasy.

"So, the twins. Where do I find them?" I didn't forget what I'd come for.

"They must be in the Gryffindor tower, let's go look for them. I'll take care of it, you two stay here." ordered Zach softly, he then stood up and walked away, letting his two worried friends behind him.

We walked for a while before I broke the silence.

"So, you didn't tell them."

"I'll tell them eventually, I ... I just want to be sure I can trust them with that."

"Weird that nobody ever heard of it in the first place if you ask me."

"Yeah ... but people don't know anything about us, except for me defeating Voldemort and dad refusing the Head Auror position to raise us, it's all they need to know for the legend ... so yeah"

"I know, but it's still weird." I concluded.

"Know what's weird?" he asked rhetorically, "You being sorted in Hufflepuff."

I said nothing.

"Gryffindor was a given, Ravenclaw would have been understandable since you were always reading books and things, Slytherin would have explained your behavior at home, but Hufflepuff? I don't remember seeing you cry even once and I ... I mean really ? Ten minutes under the Hat to get sorted Hufflepuff, the cry baby House? I know you Harry, and there's definitely something strange here."

I wouldn't have thought you of all people would see through the plot.

"And being under the Hat for ten minutes to be finally sorted Gryffindor, what everyone expected to happen the second you'd touch the Hat, isn't that weird? For the beacon of light, it sure took time to find where you belong."

"Yes, there is something strange, but I know what, in my case. I'm wondering what's strange with you."

"You know how much I loved her, you know how much her death was hard for me. The Hat wanted to put me in Hufflepuff to get the comfort I needed. I tried to get in Gryffindor, so we argued quite a lot. But in the end, the Hat was right, I'm fine in Hufflepuff."

He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled weakly.

"I'm glad we had this talk Harry. I know it was hard for you with mom, dad and Nat and all but I hope we can stay cool." Bingo.

"It'll take time for such wounds to heal but I appreciate, Zach." Augh ... terrible.

A flight of stairs and ten minutes later, I was with the Weasley twins, Zach went back to the great hall and we took a little walk.

"So, here goes, I need to be sure you're gonna be discreet about this so tell me, what is the thing that I can give you want the most? Money, help, anything? I can offer a wide range of services." I asked them. My need for a passage out of the school had to stay secret. Sure I could deny but once the rumor is spread...

"Mmmh what do you think, Fred?"

"Money of course, my dear brother, we can do everything else ourselves!"

"Very well, how much money are we talking about, little Potter?" smiled George.

"Twenty galleon to accept to never tell what I'm about to ask, with vow of silence, on your magic, for ten years." I offered in my best business-like voice.

Fred and George stopped walking both at the same time an dropped all playfulness. They brought me to a secluded bench, on a wide bridge between two towers.

"Offer taken, but we don't have to accept what you ask, right?" asked Fred.

"Not at all."

He then took his wand and performed a flawless vow of silence, I could have done it too but there was no use in showing off.

"We swear on our magic that we will not talk to anybody else outside of this vow about what Harry Potter is about to tell us, for ten years this vow shall be respected." The magic flared and swirled around us before vanishing. I felt the vow taking place.

"Done, now let us proceed." grinned Fred, presenting me his palm.

I placed a purse of twenty galleons in it and spoke.

"I need a secret passage between Hogwarts and Diagon Alley that no one knows about, I'll pay sixty galleons."

They looked at each other.

"Mmmmmh, sixty galleons ... that's quite a lot."

"Indeed it is but this piece of information isn't exactly cheap, is it?"

"Oh, since there is only one secret passage like this, it would absolutely not be." acquiesced George, smiling even more widely, "a hundred galleons and the info is yours."

"We will even promise to not tell anyone about the passage after you."

They're going to sell that info for a hundred galleons? Lucky me.

"Okay for a hundred, but how do you know no one else knows it?" It wasn't vital to me but still very important, I wouldn't like to run into someone while going out of the castle.

Fred whispered something in George's ear and he nodded.

"We own a map, a map that shows some secret passages. Nobody else have that map since it's an unique artifact. Also, we have been using the particular passage for a while now and we never encountered anyone."

"Furthermore, the map is some sort of ... monitoring system. If someone knew this passage, we would know it, trust us."

Monitoring system, secret passages?

"How much for the map? I can pay really big." I asked, sensing the incredible opportunity.

"Ahhh, tut tut tut Harry, the map isn't for sale, but we'll keep you in mind if that changes." mocked Fred patronizingly, throwing his arm around my shoulders "Now for the passage, do we deal?"

"We do, a hundred galleons and a promise to not tell anybody about it." they were under a silence vow so I let my face and tone darken, "I'm not playing guys, If I meet anybody in there I'll know you sold the info and I won't be nice."

"Business is business Harry, don't worry."

"Quite the Hufflepuff personality you showed here, Harry" mocked George, looking suspiciously at me, "We're under vow of silence anyway so, why do you need to get to Diagon Alley?" he asked curiously.

"Thank you and none of your business, George. Now lads if you'd excuse me, I don't have all day." I retorted cheerfully before throwing them a money bag produced from the Gringotts On-Demand wallet.

Fred caught it while George took a piece of parchment and started writing all the indications about the secret passage.

"You've got to understand Diagon Alley is way too far to get here on foot. So the passage we're giving to you leads to a shop's basement in Hogsmeade, you'll have to floo from here. The shop's ward won't be tripped since you come from within , but the owners sleep here, so you'll have to be cautious to not wake them up. We can provide you floo powder to have your personal stash, it would get their attention to just use their own stash." explained Fred.

"The walk is around forty five minutes, your choice to use a broom or not but we don't recommend it, we had a little ... misadventure. The path is quite sinuous. " finished George, handing me the piece of parchment.

I folded it and slipped it on my pocket.

"Pleasure to do business with you. Goodbye." I had it. Now to plan my first visit in Knockturn Alley, you don't just walk in a place like that.

"Our pleasure Harry, our pleasure. Come back any time!"

Knockturn Alley was dangerous, I couldn't go in there with my eleven years old face and weak body. Only the purebloods could do that, those that everybody knew better than to hurt. I wasn't one of those. I would need some base in self defense and an aging potion.

Aging potion were monitored by the Ministry and forbidden under the age of seventeen. It was said to mess with the body growth. I'm not about to hesitate for something like this, if it fucks my growth up then be it.

I looked around. Nobody. I opened my bag and fetched a special piece of paper with the initial C.H. written on it. I took a quill out, murmured Atramenti Replere, the ink charm and scribbled three words.

Aging potion, floo powder, cheap broom.

Let's see how useful you can be, Carson.

I waited a minute or two and seeing that nothing was happening, I put everything back in my bag and went back to the Hufflepuff common room.