Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter and the Talisman of Prongs**

**Chapter 1**

**Summer At The Weasleys**

The summer holiday went by faster than usual that year. There was an amounting excitement flitting around the Weasley household as September 1st quickly approached. Harry and Hermione had been guests there since two weeks ago, as they had been doing for the past few years.

It seemed to become an unofficial tradition to spend the last few days or weeks of summer vacation with the family (which seemed quite smaller these days now that about half of the children had moved out.) Before Harry's second year at Hogwarts, Ron, George, and Fred had borrowed their father's flying car to rescue him from the Dursleys house, where they had put bars on his window. Before their third year, they all spent a few days staying at The Leaky Cauldron. And they'd all gone to the Quidditch World Cup before their fourth year at Hogwarts.

What Harry liked most about this, besides that he got to be with his friends, was that he no longer had to dread going back to the Dursleys house. He now lived with his godfather Sirius Black. A man who used to be a prisoner in Azkaban prison, framed for killing Peter Pettigrew and a bunch of muggles. But recently it was discovered by the Ministry of Magic (Harry had known for a while), that Peter was alive and was the one who framed Sirius. So now Harry was free to live with him, since the Ministry and Azkaban dementors were no longer seeking him. Sirius still lived in the house in Hogsmeade known as the Shrieking Shack, having stayed there when hiding from the Ministry. But now everyone knew he was there, and the house was fixed up a little bit. And Harry loved the idea of being so close to Hogwarts, a place he'd always considered to be his real home.

He could go to Zonkos whenever he wanted to get jokes—which he usually ended up sending to Ron—or Honeydukes for candy and such. He'd seen Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, a few times and they'd had a butterbeer together at the Three Broomsticks. He would smile to himself every time he'd see a product in Zonkos with a Weasleys Wizards Wheezes brandname on it. George and Fred Weasley had created the line of products when Harry was only in his fourth year.

His fourth year seemed so long ago now that he was about to enter his seventh, and final, year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry was a bit sad to be saying goodbye after all these years. He'd made so many friends there. Hermione was excited about taking her N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) and had practically been studying since they had arrived at the Weasleys. While she did this, however, Harry and Ron were most likely out in the yard playing Quidditch. They didn't exactly have all the right equipment, or enough players, but they played anyway. Harry figured he'd have to keep up on practicing since he was now the Gryffindor team captain.

Ron and Harry had played a short game one night after dinner, and came in since it was getting dark. This usually didn't stop them but it looked as if it were going to rain. As the two entered the kitchen and approached the livingroom, Hermione put the book that she'd had her nose in all afternoon on the couch and looked up.

"Still studying, Hermione?" Ron inquired, mocking only slightly.

She turned up her nose a little in annoyance, having been asked this question several times over the past weeks. "For your information, yes. And you would be wise to do the same."

"Oh, Hermione," Harry interrupted, then smiled and joked. "Ron's not wise." Ron laughed.

She gave a small smile. "I only want to be ready for my N.E.W.T.s."

The two boys sat next to her on the couch. Ron's little sister Ginny, who was going to be starting her sixth year this September, was sitting on a comfy chair next to the couch. "Please. You know everything! You'll probably get a perfect score, and then extra because you'll find a mistake on the test or something." Said Ron.

Hermione sighed a little and they all stared at the fireplace in silence, where a warm fire had been built after dinner. The weather had been chilly for the end of August, and they had built quite a few fires already. Thunder rumbled low outside as the sky proceeded to become darker.

Harry glanced out the window, slightly worried. "I hope Hedwig's alright. I'm supposed to hear from Sirius soon."

"How is Sirius?" Hermione asked, closing her book and setting it aside, having visibly decided she was done for the day.

"He's okay. He still doesn't leave the house that often. Doesn't much care for the looks he gets."

"People still give him looks?" asked Ron, taking his attention off of the fire. "I thought they'd all be over it by now."

"Well Ron, people thought he was a murderer for over a decade. It has to take some getting used to. Besides, they've only _just_ found out. We've known for a few years." Hermione replied. "I know it took me a bit longer than you two to stop thinking of him as a murderer, even after I saw all of the evidence for myself."

"Of course," said Ron.

Hermione looked as if she didn't know if she should be offended or not. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Just saying you're different than most of us."

Harry knew that this was going to be bad. Ron shouldn't have said anything. He still smiled, though. His two best friends had been quarreling a lot lately, and he knew what it meant even if they didn't. Ginny got up and left, not being able to concentrate on her book over all the noise. He watched, amused, as they argued for a few more minutes until thunder interrupted them. This was his chance. "Alright, you two." He stretched his arms. "I'm going to bed. Getting late."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Hermione agreed. "I think we're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow." She paused to pick up a small stack of books from beside the couch, then faced them. "Night, Harry. Ron."

"Hermi." Said Ron in reply, knowing that she didn't particularly care for the abbreviated nickname he'd given her. She narrowed her eyes at him for a split second, then turned on her heel and went upstairs.

Harry and Ron made their way through the kitchen to pick up their brooms (which they'd left against the counter after their quidditch game.) Then headed up the stairs to Ron's room. Harry shared the room with him when he stayed over. Hermione shared Ginny's room. When they opened the door, they found Hedwig sitting on Harry's bed with wet ruffled feathers. She looked like she'd just gotten in, and a letter sat about a foot away from her.

Harry picked it up as Ron collapsed onto his own bed and closed his eyes. "Ron," Harry waved the letter slightly even though his friends eyes were closed.

"Yeah, tell me what it says." Was his reply.

Ripping it open, he pulled out the letter and started to read to himself.

_Harry—_

_Glad to hear that you're having fun at Ron's. Not much_

_happening here. Had an idea, though. While you're there,_

_why don't you ask if Ron can spend Christmas_

_vacation with us? Hermione, too. It'll be fun. I've done a_

_lot of work, the house is looking great. Well at least better_

_anyway. Just thought I'd suggest it. Have fun. I'll see_

_you when you get back to Hogwarts in a couple of days._

_Sirius_

Harry smiled and folded the letter back up. It was a great idea to have Ron and Hermione spend Christmas down in Hogsmeade with him. It would be his first Christmas away from Hogwarts. He looked up to tell the exciting news to Ron, but found him lying on his stomach with his head resting in his arms. His red hair was messy and a small muffled snoring noise was coming from him. Asleep already.

Harry just shook his head, set his glasses on the small night table next to his bed, and turned out the lights. He'd tell him in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Harry Potter & The Talisman of Prongs**

**Chapter 2: The Nightmare**

Sirius Black whistled lightly as he set a couple of logs into the warm fireplace. He stood back in the dark room and smiled to himself as he watched the flames dance. He started whistling again and sat down onto the old beat-up sofa that was in the living room, picking up a copy of the Daily Prophet.

The song that he whistled was very distant in his past but he knew it like he'd heard it yesterday, though he couldn't quite remember the words. It was a lullaby his mother had sung to him when he had been a child.

Just then, the fire went out, leaving Sirius in complete darkness. But a second later, the fire roared back to life, and even more powerfully than before. And in the middle of the room stood a man. Or at least it looked like a man. His face wasn't visible because he was wearing a long black hooded cloak. The man stood haunched over and then slowly approached the sofa.

He raised a cloaked arm, in which his hand held an old wand. A low growl came from the man's lips and he spoke an inaudible spell. A flash came from the tip of his wand and Sirius fell to the floor.

"HARRY!" The scream echoed through the house

Harry remembered seeing Voldemort feed off of a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest during his first year at Hogwarts. It seemed horrible to him that someone would harm such a beautiful creature. But he knew how evil Voldemort was, and it didn't surprise him that he would kill anything. Harry knew what Voldemort was capable of. The subject was always so painful to think about because he'd murdered so many people that he knew. His parents, Cedric Diggory…

The setting of the place was so dark that Harry couldn't see the walls. All he could see was a small light about twenty feet away, and all he could hear was a muffled crying. It sounded like Hermione, and that scared him. He'd only seen her cry a couple of times in all the years he'd known her.

Harry tried to move but there was a big weight holding him down. It felt like rubble. Stone and wood. He tried to call out to Hermione but his voice wouldn't work. The weight was so heavy that he could barely breathe. Everything was blurry but he could see Ron.

Ron was lying on the floor a few feet away. There was an enormous gash on his forehead and blood on the floor next to him. Then he saw Hermione leaning over Ron. She was lightly shaking him and calling for him to wake up.

Something sank in the pit of Harry's stomach that told him Ron wasn't going to be waking up for a while—if at all.

The black figure appeared behind them and Hermione screamed but the scream faded away and suddenly the cloaked figure lunged at Harry, and a deep voice said, "I'm coming for you."

A flash of light and a loud crackle woke Harry. He was back in his bad at the Weasley house, sleeping in Ron's room. Rain poured outside and another bolt of lightning lit up the sky accompanied by the rumbling sound of thunder.

He lifted his hands to his face and discovered that he was covered in sweat. He was suddenly aware of how cold he was. Harry closed his eyes and waited for his heartbeat to steady. His senses returned and the room filled with Ron's snoring.

With his hands and legs still shaking, he put his glasses on and went to the window to look out at the yard. He sighed, seeing that it was only a dream and nothing more. Sirius was safe in Hogsmeade, Ron was safely snoring in his bed, and Hermione asleep in the other room. Harry was about to go back to sleep when something outside caught his eye.

Lightning had revealed what looked to be a person standing in the middle of the Weasley front yard. Harry rubbed his eyes and squinted, trying to see better, but when the next bolt of lightning struck, the yard was empty.


	3. Chapter 3

**Harry Potter & The Talisman of Prongs**

**Chapter 3: Draco's New Pet**

"That's _bloody _frightening."

Hermione stepped down from the last stair and gave Ron a look of death. "Shut up, Ron." Having just woken up, Hermione's hair looked massive, and Ron never missed a chance to crack fun at her lately. She joined Ron and Ginny at the kitchen table, and Mrs. Weasley set a plate of breakfast in front of her.

Mrs. Weasley was hurrying around the house busily trying to get everything ready for their trip to Diagon Alley. She stopped abruptly and looked around. "Where's Harry?"

"He's still asleep," replied Ron through a mouth full of food.

As if right on cue, Harry slowly made his way down the staircase to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Ah, there you are Harry, dear. Come and have breakfast so we can get to Diagon Alley soon."

Harry mumbled what sounded like an agreement, and plopped down next to Ron. He didn't even look awake. His hair was half matted and half sticking up, and his eyes were barely open.

"Er… you alright?" asked Ron.

"Did the storm keep you up, Harry?" asked Hermione as she stared at him from across the table.

Harry's head snapped up and he looked around. "What? Oh… er… yeah." He ran a hand over his hair, trying to press it down. But it had the reverse effect. Harry didn't feel as bad as he probably looked, but he was quite tired, having not gotten back to sleep until about two hours after he'd woken up the first time.

The rest of breakfast was finished and the four of them went upstairs to get ready for their trip to Diagon Alley. Their schedules and book lists had arrived the day before. Each of them had a heavy load of seven classes so they knew they would be exceptionally busy this year. Not to mention that they also had their N.E.W.T.s. and O.W.L.s.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny arrived in Diagon Alley by way of floo powder, and of course were accompanied by Arthur and Molly Weasley.

"We get to learn how to apparate this year. I can't wait." Ron was saying excitedly as they group of them walked through the alley crowded with witches and wizards. "I'll be poppin' up all over the place!"

"I wonder who our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be," said Hermione.

Mrs. Weasley broke up their conversation for a moment. "We're taking Ginny with us to get stationary. You three stay close by and we'll all go to Flourish and Blott's after."

"Alright, mum." Ron said, nodding a little and his parents and sister walked off.

Harry looked around and turned back. "Hey, let's go get some ice-cream. It's only just over there." He pointed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor that was almost directly across the street from Flourish and Blott's.

They each got a small cup of ice cream and sat out on the sidewalk in front of the parlor while they waited for the rest of the Weasley's to return.

"So Harry, you never did tell me what Sirius said in his letter." Ron said, eating some of his chocolate fudge ice cream.

"That's because you fell asleep before I could tell you." replied Harry. Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Did he say anything interesting? Or is it just quiet like it's been around here?" asked Ron.

"Actually, he had a really great idea." Harry said. "He suggested that you and Hermione come stay with us in Hogsmeade this Christmas holiday."

Hermione's eyes lit up at the idea. "That's so great! I'd love to stay."

Ron had a dreamy grin on his face and was looking up at the sky. "All the butterbeers I can drink." He looked at Harry and had another bite of his ice cream. "I'm in."

Harry was about to say something when a large black bird flew at Hermione and started pulling at her hair. "Ow! Get off!" She screamed. Harry and Ron jumped up and starting swatting at it until it let go of her hair and flew away.

"What was that?" Ron said, looking at the ground and finding the rest of his chocolate fudge splattered on the sidewalk.

An all too familiar low drawl came from behind them. "I see you've met Ceiro."

The three of them turned. A tall white-blond haired boy stood on the sidewalk with the same black bird on his shoulder. Draco Malfoy.

"That _thing_ belongs to you?" asked Harry coldly.

"Yeah," Malfoy grinned. "A present from my dad for my last year at Hogwarts."

"I know." Ron interrupted. "We all agree, it's amazing you got this far."

"Watch it, Weasley." warned Malfoy. Ceiro crowed loudly at Ron.

"Or what? You'll curse me?"

Malfoy laughed indignantly. "Well it's not exactly like I have to be scared of you. Wand still broken? Wasn't that five years ago?" He paused, but not long enough for anyone to respond. "Knowing how wealthy your family isn't… I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't afford a new wand even after five years."

All three of them glared at Malfoy. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Harry reach in his pocket, probably going for his wand.

"Ron, dear!" Mrs. Weasley yelled at them from across the street. "Come on!"

Malfoy smiled and glanced at Ron's mother. "Mommy's calling. Better run, Weasley."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione—who was still pressing in a rather sore spot on her head—all gave Malfoy one last look before joining Ron's family at Flourish and Blott's.

The bookshop was packed with people like usual. It didn't take long to find the books each of them needed. While they stood in line to pay, Ron turned to his mother. "Mum, Harry got a letter from Sirius last night inviting me to stay with them during the Christmas holiday. Can I?"

His mother looked uneasy. She'd known about Sirius since about their fourth year, but like most witches and wizards, was having a hard time seeing him as anything but a murderer. She sighed. "I suppose so."

"Brilliant." Ron grinned widely. "His house is huge," He started telling her, but she was obviously not too interested. "The bedrooms have fireplaces, and there are really cool rooms that have all this old junk in them…" He continued while Harry looked around.

So far he'd seen Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan—both 7th year Gryffindors like the three of them. And he'd also seen others he'd recognized but didn't know their names. But hearing Ron mention Sirius and fireplaces brought back the memory of the dream he'd had the night before.

All the pain and suffering was frightening. He was positive the man in the dream was Voldemort. Who else could it be? Sure, there were probably loads of Death Eaters that would like to see him dead, but there was a cold familiarity to the dream.

"Voldemort…" Harry muttered to himself.

"Did you say something, Harry?" asked Hermione, who was standing in front of him.

Unaware that he had spoken out loud, Harry looked her in the eyes and realized what he'd said. "No… Nothing."


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry Potter & The Talisman of Prongs**

**Chapter 4: Hogwarts Once More**

September first came quickly, and before anyone knew, they were leaving for Hogwarts. They'd had no problems getting through Platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross station and were on the Hogwarts Express only minutes before it left for the school.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione found somewhere that they could sit together, and waited. Hermione, who had come down with something that could've been a cold, was looking out the window at the passing scenery. "Jeez, Hermione," said Ron, getting her attention from where he sat next to her. "You look a mess."

Hermione sniffled and gave him a look that was slightly softened by how terrible she felt. "I'll be better in no time," she replied. "Your mum gave me something to make me feel better, and I'll stop by and see Madam Pomfrey as soon as we get to Hogwarts. She has to have some kind of potion to cure me."

"Why don't you just make your own?" asked Harry, knowing that she never missed a chance to try anything that had to do with magic.

She sighed and leaned back against the seat. "To be honest, I don't feel up to it."

This surprised both of them and Harry thought he saw worry flicker across Ron's face for a moment. Ron moved to sit next to Harry so that she could lie down on the seat. And she did, falling asleep very shortly after that.

The trolley came around a few hours later with the usual pumpkin juice, chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts every flavor beans, and more. Harry treated the two of them to some snacks and they ate while they chatted about what was going to happen this year.

"I wonder what kinds of things we'll be studying in Care of Magical Creatures this year." said Harry, looking at one of the wizard cards that was in the chocolate frog he'd just opened. It was Dumbledore. He almost always got Dumbledore.

"Whatever it is," said Ron. "We'll probably end up burnt or bitten or _something._" He looked through a box of Every Flavor Beans and decided on an orangish one. "Pumpkin." He said when he saw Harry looking at him expectantly. "What about Divination?"

Harry rolled his eyes slightly. "Anything's better than when we studied Alectromancy." He remembered studying this the year before—a way to tell the future according to the certain way a rooster ate grains off of the ground. The lesson had been a memorable one, with the roosters flying around the room while everyone watched Professor Trelawney try and get everything under control. There were feathers everywhere.

"She can't have too much more to teach us," replied Ron, glancing at Hermione who was still asleep.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful, and Hermione woke up when they arrived in the Hogsmeade station. She still looked sick; pale and exhausted. The rush of students coming out of the train was the usual as all of the new first years gathered around Hagrid.

They made their way through the entrance when they reached Hogwarts and took a seat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. The head table was half-empty, having only Snape, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick sitting down. Dumbledore was standing in the middle, watching all of the students enter and find their seats. There was also a new teacher that none of them recognized.

He wasn't young, but wasn't old. He was a little taller than Snape, who he was talking to. His hair was medium brown with a little red and blond mixed in, and he wore long flowing robes of deep maroon.

"He looks nice," Hermione observed. "New Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"Probably," said Ron, looking around. "Don't see anyone else that's new."

Just then, the first years were led in by Professor McGonagall, and Harry noticed that Hagrid had just joined the head table. The sorting went by fairly quickly and Dumbledore stood to speak before the welcome feast would begin. He gave his usual speech, and then the tables filled with food and the Great Hall filled with talking and laughter.

As he ate, Harry glanced around and stopped when he saw a girl sitting at the Ravenclaw table, staring over in his direction. She had long dark brown hair set into a braid and blue eyes that were so bright, he could see their color from where he was sitting.

He elbowed Ron, who was practically face down in his place because he was eating so fast. Ron looked up, chewing on a leg of chicken. "Yea?"

"There's a girl at the Ravenclaw table staring over here." said Harry.

Ron looked at the table and saw the girl he was talking about. "She probably fancies you." He answered. "Wouldn't be the first time." He looked down the length of the Gryffindor table to where his sister Ginny was sitting with Neville Longbottom.

Harry went back to his food, only looking over a couple of times to see if the girl was still staring.

Hermione had barely touched any kind of food. "I think I'm going to go see Madam Pomfrey after the feast." Harry felt bad and he could see Ron did, too. They'd never seen Hermione so sick, especially from what looked like an ordinary cold. When the feast was over and all the students started filing out of the Great Hall, Hermione slipped off. Ron had agreed to meet her outside of Gryffindor tower so she would know the new password.

Harry was happy to be back at Hogwarts, in the common room filled with all of his friends. Tired, he made his way up tot he boys' dormitory and came to the door that now said "Seventh Years." He quickly changed into his pajamas and climbed into his four-post bed. Only minutes later, he was asleep.


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Fantasy