‘I wonder what that noise was?’ thought Harry.

‘I believe your sister is trying to get to her big brother, anyway I’m sorry, but I don’t know where to sort you,’ the Hat finally stated.

‘So, what am I going to do?’ Harry asked, anxiously awaiting the answer.

‘I could sort you into Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw. Which do you want me to sort you in?’ the Hat suddenly enquired.

‘Hmmm. Gryffindor is Mummy’s House, Slytherin Daddy’s. Maybe I should go to a House where the Head of House is not one of my parents in order to be just a normal student and not anyone’s child,’ Harry thought.

Harry let out a relieved sigh when the Hat finally shouted, “Ravenclaw.”

Harry gave his father a grateful smile when he took off the Hat from his head. “Congratulations, Harry,” Severus whispered, throwing him a proud glance.

Before he could turn to the Ravenclaw table, Harry saw from the edge of his eye that something blue appeared seemingly out of nowhere, dashing over to him, and he felt small hands grabbing the edges of his robe. He let out a relieved laugh. That could only be Isa.

Slightly embarrassed he picked his sister up while multiple ‘aww, how cute’ could be heard throughout the Hall, he whispered, “Hey, sweetie, what are you doing here?”

‘Isa is indeed cute in her light blue robes and that huge smile on her face,’ Harry thought but told the small girl, “Sorry, Isa, but tonight you can’t sit with me. Starting tomorrow it will be all right, but tonight you have to stay with Mummy.” He carried Isabella back to the Head table before he finally headed to the Ravenclaw table.

At the Ravenclaw table, the Quidditch team gave a huge applause to Harry and one of the members shouted, “Welcome to our new Seeker!”

Fortunately, as soon as she became Headmistress, Minerva had abolished the – in her opinion stupid – rule about first years not being allowed on the Quidditch teams. Harry felt his cheeks getting red at the attention he was receiving. He quietly thanked the team and sat down next to a second year, which he knew because he was on the Quidditch team as well, and Evelyn, who had reserved the seat for him.

While Harry was talking animatedly with Evelyn and a few other first years, he heard that Angela and Marc Zabini were sorted into Slytherin. ‘So we have at least one of each House in our group, might be of some use some time,’ Harry thought while he absentmindedly introduced himself to the other first years.

Besides Evelyn and Harry, there were eight other first years in Ravenclaw, Brian, Cian, Aidan, and Noah were the boys, who would be staying in the same dormitory as Harry. Niamh, Lucy, Anna, and Maya were the girls. Each of them seemed very nice, and Harry relaxed a little. Maybe staying in the House wouldn’t be as bad as he had imagined.

As soon as dinner was finished, the fifth year prefect, Oliver, whom Harry knew well because he was on the Quidditch team, motioned the first years to follow him to the Ravenclaw Common room. Animatedly talking to his Housemates Harry followed the crowd to Ravenclaw, glad that he had already stayed overnight in Ravenclaw several times during the few last years, so that he knew what to expect.

The first years were supposed to go to bed directly after dinner. However, just when Oliver finished explaining the rules to the first years, Luna entered the Common room, throwing a smile around the room.

“Good evening, Professor Lovegood,” the older students greeted their Head of House immediately. Contrary to Professor Flitwick, who had never set a foot into the House except for emergencies, Luna used to come into the Common room every evening just before curfew to look after her students and to give the children the opportunity to ask questions concerning lessons or anything else. She also liked to look into all the dormitories later when the students were supposed to be in bed.

Luna gathered all the students around her and briefly introduced herself to the first years. Then she asked the new students to introduce themselves. When everyone was finished, she told the students that Harry had grown up at Hogwarts and therefore had already attended many lessons, so that he’d have a slightly different timetable than the other first years.

Before Harry could feel very embarrassed, the Quidditch captain, Silas, told Luna, “Professor, Harry is going to be our new Seeker.”

“What’s a Seeker?” Noah asked. He was a Muggle born.

“That’s a position in Quidditch, which is a sport in the wizarding world just like football in the Muggle world, but it’s played on brooms and is a lot of fun,” Harry explained kindly.

“If you have questions or don’t know the way to a classroom just ask Harry; I believe he knows Hogwarts better than anyone else,” Luna told the first years.

“That’s good to know. I’ve only known that I’m a witch for four weeks, and everything is new to me,” Maya said, obviously relieved.

“All right, now, if you don’t have any urgent questions I think it’s time for you to go to bed. I’ll come around your dormitories in half an hour, and then the lights will be switched off for the night,” Luna told the first years before leaving the Common room.

Harry suddenly felt his vision failing. ‘Oh no!’ he thought desperately, ‘not a vision, not now!’ He jumped up and ran up the stairs to his dormitory, and just managed to lie down on his bed before he was pulled into a vision.

Death Eaters were attacking Hogwarts in a brutal battle, which left many students dead on the grounds. Harry walked around the grounds, feverishly looking for his friends, when he felt himself being attacked by a curse that made his head feel like it was ready to explode. Somehow, he had the impression that he had been hit by the same curse before.

When he slowly regained consciousness, he just managed to lean his head over the side of the bed before emptying the contents of his stomach onto the floor. He slowly opened his eyes, seeing that his dorm mates stood around his bed, watching him worriedly.

“Harry, are you all right?” Brian asked with concern. “Shall we call Professor Lovegood?”

“No, thanks, ‘m fine,” Harry mumbled. “I’ll tell you tomorrow.” He quickly waved his hand, casting a Scourgify spell on the floor, while the four boys watched in awe.

Harry lay back, closed his eyes and tried to ignore his excited dorm mates as well as the headache, which was just as unbearable as it had been the last time he had a vision. Noah was still awake, when Luna entered the dormitory half an hour later, and told her what had happened. Luna went over to Harry’s bed and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking in that his cheeks were flushed and his face was scrunched up as if he were in a lot of pain.

“Harry,” Luna whispered. “What happened?”

Harry slowly opened his eyes, glad to see Luna. “Pfessor,” he mumbled tiredly.

“Nobody’s here, so you can call me Luna, Harry. Was it a vision?” Luna asked softly.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to tell me what it was about?”

“Death Eaters attacked Hogwarts, many students died, and I was searching for my friends outside on the grounds when he attacked me with a curse that made my head feel like it would explode, it was just like the last time,” Harry whispered.

“Shall I take you to Poppy, or shall I get your father for you?”

“No, please don’t. They’d only keep me there so that I couldn’t attend classes tomorrow, and I don’t want to miss my first day of classes.”

Luna sighed. “Harry, I can understand that but…” She thought for a moment and continued, “Harry, I’ll talk to your father and ask him for a potion to help you. I’ll be back in a few minutes, all right?”

Harry gave her a small smile. “Yes, thank you.”

A few minutes later, Luna returned and handed Harry two phials and Lily’s mobile phone. He quickly gulped down the potions, which helped at least a little. Luna put two more potions on Harry’s night table and told him, “Your father said you should take these in the morning before you go to breakfast, and if you don’t feel well afterwards tell somebody and stay in bed or go home to stay in your own room. If you have problems during the night, call your father or me with the mobile phone.”

Luna quietly talked to Harry until she noticed that his breathing had evened out showing he was asleep. Then she silently continued her rounds through the other dormitories.

In the morning, Harry still didn’t feel well, but there was no way he was going to miss classes on his first day of school. He quickly downed the two potions Luna had brought him, dressed and met his classmates in the Common room.

In the Common room, his classmates bombarded him with questions.

“Do you know what lessons we have today?”

“Do we have to take any books with us?”

“Can you show us the way to the Great Hall and to the classrooms afterwards?”

“Will we have homework?”

“Where can we do our homework?”

“Stop!” Harry groaned and pressed a hand against his aching head. “All right, I’ll try to answer everything, but please ask just one question at a time. Professor Lovegood will give us our timetables during breakfast. Yes, I will show you where everything is. We don’t have to take books now since we don’t know what lessons we’re going to have today. We’ll get lots of homework, and we can do them either here or in the library. We might be able to have a study group and study here together after lessons if you want.”

“Harry, are you feeling alright?” Evelyn suddenly asked, noticing that her friend was shivering and looked ill.

“He was sick last night,” Brian told her. “Maybe…”

“I’m fine,” Harry insisted. “Anyway, I’m not going to miss classes on the first day. I will tell you tonight what happened last night. Let’s meet in our dormitory tonight after dinner. The boys are not allowed to enter the girls’ dormitories; they can’t even climb up the stairs. But the girls can enter the boys’ dormitories. Now, it’s time to head to the Great Hall; if we don’t show up for breakfast, we’ll be in big trouble with Professor Lovegood, since we are supposed to attend each meal.”

To the teachers’ astonishment, all Ravenclaw first years arrived together for breakfast, talking animatedly. Harry had just sat down and sipped a bit of his pumpkin juice when Isabella climbed onto his lap. Harry gave her a small smile and said, “Hello, little one. Everything all right there?”

Isabella shook her head. “No. Isa sad.”

“Why are you sad, Isa? What’s wrong?”

“Miss Hawwy,” the little girl said.

“I miss you too, sweetie, but look, you can see me during the meals every day,” Harry said softly, giving his sister a kiss on the forehead.

“Hawwy hot,” Isabella said, frowning.

“Everything’s okay,” Harry told her. “Now, can you return to Mummy? Look, Auntie Luna is already giving out the timetables and I’ve to get mine.”

Isabella pouted but finally slid down to the ground and returned to the Head table.

“Are you calling our Head of House Luna? Evelyn whispered.

“Sorry, yes, only when nobody is around. You know, I’ve known her since she was a student here, she’s one of my best friends and my sister’s godmother,” Harry whispered back. “But in front of everyone, I have to call all the teachers ‘Professor’, even my parents.”

“That’s weird, isn’t it?” Brian, who had been listening in on their conversation, said. “You have to get used to it, won’t you? I bet that will be tough.”

Harry shrugged. “Yes, it probably will be.”

“Harry, don’t play with your food, you need to eat,” Evelyn admonished him, seeing that Harry still hadn’t eaten a bite.

“I’m not hungry; I’ll eat at lunchtime,” Harry replied, and began to explain to his new friends who the people at the Head table were.

Finally, Luna came around to the first years and handed out the timetables. Harry’s was the last one. “Harry I’d like to speak with you about your timetable. Just have a look at it, and we can change things if we need to, all right? Come to speak with me as soon as you feel better, please.”

“All right, thank you, Professor,” Harry replied, glancing at his timetable.

“Now, take your timetable and go back to your dormitory,” Luna added in a much smaller voice. “I’ll inform your teachers accordingly.”

“No!” Harry said vehemently. “It’s all right, Professor. Thank you for helping me last night.”

Luna gave him a concerned smile and walked back to the Head table, while Harry turned to his classmates, who were worrying about their schedules. “We have a double Herbology lesson first and since it’s in the greenhouses, we should leave now so we can be there on time,” Harry told them and all first years followed him out of the Great Hall.

The teachers laughed at the way how the Ravenclaw first years seemed to stick together and follow Harry. Lily however was very worried about Harry. He didn’t look well and he hadn’t eaten a bite at breakfast. It was strange not having him close by and be able to look after him. Severus put an arm around his wife, giving her a calming nod before he headed out of the Hall to be in the dungeons in time for the first lesson.

The first years learned something about the differences between the poisonous plants and the harmless herbs, which were mostly used in potions. Harry already knew everything and was glad that he could just sit there and tune out everything for the time being – at least until Neville showed up and after being introduced by Professor Sprout, asked Harry if he could help him for a moment. Harry wondered what help Neville needed but in fact the man only took him into his office to talk with him. He had obviously noticed that Harry hadn’t been listening to the lesson at all and was beside himself anyway. He made him sit down comfortably and questioned him about his first day as a student.

“Harry, how are your dorm mates? Are they all right?” Neville asked hesitantly.

Harry gave him a small smile. “Everything is alright I guess. For me, it’s easier since I don’t have to worry as much about the lessons, and I have my family and all of you nearby; it’s probably not as easy for the others. I’ve suggested to them that we study all together after lessons, and everyone agreed, so that’ll be should be a lot of fun I suppose. And yes, they are all very nice, and the girls are very nice too.”

Neville laughed. “You probably really fit into Ravenclaw very well. Do you remember the time when you first came to Hogwarts before you were de-aged?”

Harry sighed. “I often get my memories of my first childhood back while I’m sleeping. I know that I should have all my memories anyway since Dumbledore made me remember everything. However, Dad helped me bury those memories deep down in my mind, so that I don’t remember anything except for Spells, Charms, and other lesson contents from that time. But I get a lot back of the memories back while I’m asleep. I now remember how I remember that I was sorted into Gryffindor and remember you being a good friend.”

“But you don’t regret being de-aged, do you?” Neville asked hesitantly.

“No,” Harry answered determined. “I’ve had a wonderful childhood, and from what I remember from my first childhood it must have been horrible. Also, I have my Mum back and even have a little sister. She’s so adorable. No, I’m very happy very grateful, too. I believe it was you who de-aged me, right? Dad said something like that.”

“Yes,” Neville replied, smirking. “You know, I was really bad at potions. Your father always called me a dunderhead.” He shrugged. “Your father has changed completely since he discovered that you’re his son. He really was a git before and we hated each other, but now I like him a lot.”

“I’m glad,” Harry replied. “I like you and Luna a lot, and I’m happy that my parents made both of you my sister’s godparents. She couldn’t have nicer godparents. I’m also glad to have Luna as my Head of House,” he added quietly, thinking about how she had helped him the night before.

“Another bonus of your de-aging is that we got to know the truth about Dumbledore and also about Ron,” Neville remembered.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Harry admitted. “However, I hope Dumbledore will stop torturing me, especially as he really seems to know when it hurts me the most like on my birthday, which is Christmas Eve, or on my first day as a Hogwarts student. I really hate him for that.”

Suddenly, a voice penetrated his mind. ‘Hate is a very strong word; don’t you think so, my boy?’