Chapter 158: "Hogwarts Express and Another Year"

The Hogwarts Express gleamed a brilliant scarlet against the backdrop of Platform 9¾, billowing steam as it prepared for its journey to the magical school. Students bustled about, hauling trunks and cages, saying farewell to their families amidst a cacophony of hoots, meows, and excited chatter.

Harry Potter, now entering his fourth year at Hogwarts, navigated the crowded corridor of the train, searching for the compartment where his friends sat. As he slid open the door, he was immediately engulfed in a whirlwind of enthusiasm and mild reproach.

"Harry!" exclaimed Cedric, his eyes shining with excitement. "Why didn't you tell us about the dueling tournament?"

Before Harry could respond, Arabella chimed in, her voice a mix of admiration and frustration. "We had to find out from the Daily Prophet, of all places! Our friend, the dueling champion, and we couldn't even cheer you on!"

Harry found himself surrounded by his closest friends - Cedric, Roger, Arabella, Alicia, Angelina, Elvinia, and Reggy - all talking at once, their voices a symphony of curiosity and mild accusation.

"I'm sorry, really," Harry said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "I honestly forgot to mention it. This summer was... well, it was quite busy."

Elvinia raised an eyebrow, her clever eyes examining Harry closely. "Busy enough to forget to tell your best friends about a major tournament?"

Harry sighed, running a hand through his perpetually messy hair. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but yes. I had so many plans this summer, so many things I wanted to accomplish. The tournament was just one part of it all, and somehow, in the whirlwind of everything else, I forgot to send an owl about it."

Roger grinned, punching Harry lightly on the arm. "Well, you're forgiven. But only if you teach us some of those champion-level dueling moves."

"Deal," Harry laughed, relieved that his friends' annoyance was already fading. "I promise, I'll show you everything I saw at the tournament. It was an incredible experience."

As the train lurched into motion, the group settled into their seats, the familiar landscapes of London beginning to roll by outside the window. The conversation naturally drifted to the upcoming school year, and inevitably, to the subject of their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"Did you see the Daily Prophet?" Reggy asked, pulling out a slightly crumpled newspaper from his bag. "The famous writer Gilderoy Lockhart's going to be our new DADA professor."

The announcement was met with mixed reactions. Elvinia frowned slightly, her brow furrowed in thought. "His books... well, they contain important information, I'll give him that. But the way he writes them, it's like he's more concerned with glorifying himself than actually teaching."

Cedric nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. It's like reading adventure novels where he's always the dashing hero. Gets a bit tiresome after a while."

Harry listened to his friends' opinions, a knowing look in his eyes. He waited for a lull in the conversation before dropping his bombshell. "I wouldn't expect too much from DADA this year," he said quietly. "In fact, I think it might be even worse than our first two years."

His statement was met with surprised looks and a chorus of "What?" and "Why?" Cedric leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "What makes you say that, Harry?"

Harry took a deep breath, knowing his next words would change his friends' perspectives dramatically. "I've come across some... information," he began carefully. "It suggests that Lockhart is a fraud. He doesn't actually do any of the things he writes about in his books. Instead, he finds people who have had these adventures, gets their stories somehow, and then rewrites them as if he did them himself."

The compartment fell silent as his friends absorbed this shocking revelation. Reggy was the first to speak, his voice thoughtful. "You know, that actually makes a lot of sense. I always wondered how one person could be an expert in so many different fields of magic. And some of his timelines never quite added up - it was like he was in two places at once sometimes."

Elvinia nodded slowly, her initial frown deepening. "If this is true, it's... well, it's despicable. Using other people's experiences and claiming them as his own? That's not just lying, it's stealing."

"But how can we be sure?" Roger asked, always the voice of reason in their group. "I mean, that's a pretty serious accusation, Harry."

Harry shrugged, "I can't say too much about where I got the information, but just trust me here or your could wait for our first DADA class to experience the truth first hand. And honestly, when you look at everything we know about Lockhart, doesn't it fit? The way he's always seeking attention, his celebrity-like behavior..."

As the realization sank in, a pall seemed to fall over the group. The prospect of a year of DADA classes with a fraud for a teacher was not an appealing one.

"Merlin's beard," Angelina groaned, "how are we supposed to sit through his classes now? All that preening and those blinding smiles... it was bad enough when we thought he was actually accomplished."

The rest of the train ride passed in animated discussion about Lockhart, speculating on how he had managed to fool so many people for so long, and wondering what their DADA classes would actually entail this year.

As the sky outside began to darken, signaling their approach to Hogsmeade station, there was a commotion in the corridor. Neville Longbottom, looking flustered and worried, burst into their compartment.

"Harry!" he panted, clearly distressed. "Charles and Ron are missing. The Weasley twins were certain they saw them at the platform, but now there's no sign of them on the train!"

Harry, taken aback, considered the situation. It seemed like Dobby the house elf might have intervened, blocking the platform entrance to prevent Charles from reaching Hogwarts, much like the canon events.

"Are you sure, Neville?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm. "Have you checked every compartment?"

Neville nodded vigorously. "Twice! And I've asked everyone I could find. Nobody's seen them."

Harry's mind raced. He had thought that with Charles's parents there, any problems like Dobby's interference would be quickly fixed at the platform. Yet, it looked like things had gone wrong, possibly leading to the same flying car incident that happened in the books.

"Don't worry too much, Neville," Harry said, trying to sound reassuring. "I'm sure the professors will sort it out. They might even be brought directly to school by their parents."

As Neville left, somewhat comforted by Harry's words, Harry felt a pang of sympathy for Charles, knowing the trouble he might face this year, especially after last year's chaos that caused Gryffindor to lose so many points.

Harry hoped that if the flying car was involved, it wouldn't draw too much attention or break the secrecy rules. If it did, Charles could be in serious trouble, and even Dumbledore might struggle to help since it would involve the whole wizarding community.

The remainder of the journey passed quickly, and soon they were all seated in the Great Hall, awaiting the Sorting ceremony and the start-of-term feast. As Harry's gaze wandered to the staff table, he suddenly understood why Charles had missed the train.

There, seated among the other professors, was Lily Potter. She looked nervous, her green eyes - so like Harry's own - darting around the hall, clearly searching for her younger son. It was obvious she hadn't been informed about Charles's absence.

Harry's mind raced, quickly piecing together the puzzle. After the dangers Charles had faced last year, it made sense that his parents would be reluctant to send him back to Hogwarts. Lily's presence at the staff table could only mean one thing - she had taken a teaching position to keep a closer eye on Charles.

A quick scan of the table confirmed Harry's suspicion. The only missing face was that of the Muggle Studies professor. It seemed Lily Potter would be taking on that role this year.

As Harry pondered this, he pieced everything out. If Lily was already at Hogwarts as a new professor, she would have arrived early to prepare for the term. And with James likely busy with his Auror duties, they might have asked the Weasleys to take Charles to Platform 9¾. This explained how Charles had ended up in a situation where he could miss the train.

A wry smile played on Harry's lips as he considered the irony of the situation. Despite all the changes in this world and the alterations Harry himself had induced, somehow, the major events from the canon timeline seemed determined to repeat themselves. It was as if fate, or perhaps the very fabric of magical reality, was conspiring to maintain certain fixed points in time.

As the first years filed in, looking small and terrified, Harry couldn't help but smile to himself. This year at Hogwarts was certainly going to be interesting, in more ways than one. Between a fraud for a DADA teacher, Lily Potter as the new Muggle Studies professor, and his brother already in trouble before term had even begun, Harry had a feeling that his fourth year at Hogwarts would be just as eventful as the others.

The Sorting Hat's song began, but Harry's mind was already racing ahead, contemplating the challenges and adventures that surely lay ahead. Whatever happened, he knew one thing for certain - it was going to be an unforgettable year.