Harry sat down on what seemed to always have been his favourite spot on the sofa, directly in front of the fireplace and looked questioningly at his mother who had watched him and was smiling lovingly at her son. “What are you laughing about mom?”

“Do you know that this spot has always been your favourite place?”

“Yes, I know, but I’m not sure why I know. It’s not as if I had seen a memory, I just have that feeling.” He threw an unsure glance at Lily, who had sat down next to him on the sofa putting an arm around him.

“Alright my dear. First, Poppy has allowed you to stay here if you feel well enough and are comfortable here. However, we, meaning Severus or I, have to keep an eye on you and call her if something is wrong. Also she wants you to come down to her office once a day for about an hour, just to talk to her. You know that Albus made her study psychology, so that she would be able to help you not only in questions of health but also with mental problems, when you came back from the past. Of course, you can talk about everything with Severus and me as well, but she might be more able to help you than us. Is that alright with you?”

“Yes, of course. When do I have to go, I mean at what time?”

“She proposed that you should come during lesson time, for example straight after breakfast; or any time between breakfast and dinnertime.”

“Alright. Am I going to have breakfast in the Great Hall with you?” Lily sighed.

“Harry, I have thought about it. The fact, that you gete along so well with Julia will help a lot I think, especially as you are in the same house and have always been sitting together. Now, do you remember Anna and Ginny?”

“Anna as in Anna Lupin? I don’t know her, because she just didn’t exist in my old time line. And Ginny as in Ginny Weasley? Of course, she was a very good friend, as were Hermione and Ron.”

“Then you will have to meet Anna as soon as possible, because she is your very best friend, and I think it would be better to meet her alone the first time, as you will definitely need her help.”

“She’s in Merlin House with me, right? And Ginny, Ron and Hermione are in Gryffindor?”

“No Harry, Ginny is in Merlin, Hermione in Ravenclaw and Ron in Hufflepuff.” Harry was stunned.

“Wow” he managed to say. “So when can I meet Anna? I want to join the others as soon as possible, although I’m not confident that I’ll be able to do so for a whole day, but at least for some time every day; and I want to play Quidditch as soon as possible.”

“Alright. If you are well enough, tomorrow morning, I will invite Anna here for breakfast. Normally we all eat in the Great Hall, but I’m sure Albus will excuse us this time. Ginny won’t be a problem, because you know her, and when you manage to assimilate to Anna as easily as to your sisters, you’ll be able to start eating meals in the Great Hall during the next few days. And then Quidditch won’t be a problem.” Harry nodded with a hopeful look on his face. “The third point is, that Granny and I have something to discuss with you, but we would like to have this talk when you are lucid and well enough. So at the next opportunity when you really feel fit in the evening we should call her here for a discussion.”

“We could talk now. I – am – lucid!” Lily frowned.

“No Harry, well enough means without a headache or fever, which you both seem to have. Maybe tomorrow; it is a very important discussion, so I will decide when we are going to have it.” Harry gave her a curious glance and nodded dully.

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In the morning, Lily deemed Harry fit enough to have breakfast with his friend Anna, herself, Julia and Marina. After floo-calling Dumbledore to excuse herself and the two Merlin students from breakfast, she floo-called Amelia to invite Anna for breakfast and was considering calling Dobby for breakfast but decided to make breakfast by herself. Harry was very excited. He had slept very well, because he had only received one new memory late in the evening, when his father was still up to calm him and give him potions, so that he felt quite fit when he woke up. However, as he didn’t have any memory of his friend Anna so far, he couldn’t remember her at all. Hopefully he would get along with her. But all his worries were in unfounded. When Anna arrived, his positive feelings, which came up the moment he saw her, helped him to overcome his anxiety towards the unknown girl, who on her part tried to behave as if nothing had happened. When she asked him,

“Harry when are you going to come back to Merlin and to classes and everything else?” Lily answered for him.

“He will have to stay here with us for a while. Concerning classes, we still have to decide several things, but joining you for dinner and maybe Quidditch practise should be possible during the next few days. It depends on his physical and mental condition.”

“Alright Harry, don’t forget, I’m waiting for you; and if you ever need me to come here, send Julia to get me.” She beamed at him, happy to have her best friend back.

“I will do so Anna. Maybe I can even join you for lunch today.”

“Harry”, Lily interrupted him, “Today I want you to go to Poppy’s office, when we go to classes in a few minutes, and stay there until I come and get you. I have a free period during second class, so I will stay here with you and Marina. And in the afternoon Albus is going to stay here with you. Normally I have Dobby looking after Marina, but considering your condition I want an adult to be near by and not only a house elf. Alright, Anna and Julia, are you ready? What do you have first?”

“Potions,” Anna said, and Julia replied,

“Transfiguration.”

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During his time with Pomfrey, he got his next memory back.

Harry was circling above the Quidditch pitch looking for the snitch, which was hiding between the low lying clouds, when he suddenly saw a boy falling off his broom. Harry raced down in a blink and gripped the boys’ arm to pull him onto his own broom, but at that moment a Bludger hit the end of his broom, so that finally both of them tumbled the last few meters down to the ground.

“Harry, are you alright?” he could hear his mother’s voice and was just going to say ‘no’, because he had the impression everything hurt, when he remembered he had still to catch the snitch and replied,

“Yes, I’m fine” and climbed on his broom only to grasp the snitch a few minutes later. The memory ended with Dumbledore handing the Quidditch Cup to Harry, who then gave it to his mother.

Poppy put him to bed immediately and made him drink the potion with the slight strawberry taste. He slept until he was woken by his mother and Poppy having a discussion.

“Yesterday we had the problem that the next memory kept coming before he was recovered from the one before, so that he had quite a fever for the rest of the day.”

“In such a case either you or Severus have to stay in your quarters with him. Should Albus haves something to say about you or Severus needing someone to take over a class or missing a meal in the Great Hall, just send him to me!”

“This morning he said he would like to join his friend Anna for lunch in the Great Hall. Do you think it will be alright to take him there?”

“Here Lily, take this with you. I charmed a magical thermometer for him. If there are any questions if he can do this or that, you take his temperature with this like with a normal thermometer while thinking about what he wants to do, and it will show you in colour and text not only the temperature but if he can be allowed to do it. It will be very handy, because he has to realize that there is no way to contradict the result but that he just has to accept it.” When they tried it out before going to lunch, ‘38.5’ appeared in orange letters and Pomfrey’s voice announced ‘I don’t like it, but you may go if you come back immediately.’ Harry groaned ignoring the disapproving glance his mother threw at him and said,

“I hate it. Does she think that’s funny?” Lily snorted and said,

“I don’t think it’s a question of funny but of experience she has had with you in the past! Now let’s go, if you are sure you want to come.”

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When they arrived in the Great Hall, Marina took Harry’s hand and turned to her mother,

“Mommy, I’m going to have lunch with Harry today. See you later!” and pushed Harry in the direction of Merlin table. Arriving at their house table Harry was pulled into an embrace from two sides; after the first shock, he recognized Anna on one side and Ginny on the other.

“Oh Harry, I’m so glad you could come,” Anna said, and Ginny asked,

“Finally they let you come. Is everything okay now?” Harry shook his head and told her about his memories, which were more or less slowly, coming back and were annoying him a lot. Then he asked Anna and Ginny,

“Sorry for asking, but is any of you on the Quidditch team?” Ginny frowned and said,

“Yes Harry, we are both chasers, together with Julia.”

“Alright, I want to resume Quidditch practice. Sorry, Marina, I have to discuss something with Ginny and Anna; you have to wait for a moment. Anyway, I want to continue with team practise, but my problem is that I won’t know in advance whether I’ll be able to attend.” Ginny interrupted him and asked,

“Why? Who decides? If you are not well enough to play, maybe you could come and at least observe the practise?”

Harry sighed and explained, that his health condition had been quite bad in the past and he had betrayed Poppy or ran away or just did anything to play Quidditch. “And now she has given my mom a thermometer which says definitely if I am allowed to do something or not, and she has been ordered to check on me just before I intend to go somewhere. So it will be nearly impossible to fake it or do anything about it. I can only promise that I will do anything to be able to play in the match, even if I get grounded for months afterwards.” The girls were laughing now. “So I think I should have a Co-Captain. Would any of you be willing to take the position? Or both together as Deputy-Captains if you want to? Or… is one or both of you playing in the Hogwarts team as well?”

“Yes Harry, Ginny plays in the first team,” Anna explained.

“Oh, alright. Then I would like to have Ginny as Co-Captain for the Hogwarts team please and Anna as Co-Captain for the Merlin team. Will that be agreeable to both of you?” Both of them grinned at each other.

“Of course Harry, thank you,” they answered at the same time, before Ginny said,

“Harry, don’t forget this is lunchtime. You have to eat and not to talk the whole time.” But Harry ignored her and asked,

“When are the practise times for both teams?” Anna explained,

“For the Merlin team each Monday, Wednesday and Friday after dinner and for the Hogwarts team every Sunday after breakfast.”

“Alright. As I don’t know if I’ll be allowed out once more today, I will prepare two parchments to be put up in the common rooms tonight, and either bring them to dinner or let my sister give them to you. Can you please hang the parchments on the wall in the common rooms tonight? We will start practise on Friday this week and on this Sunday.” Both nodded.

“Alright, but that’s enough about Quidditch. Now eat Harry, lunch will be over soon,” Ginny urged him and Marina piped up,

“If you don’t eat, I’ll tell mom!” Harry sighed and glanced disapprovingly at his little sister, before he said quite upset,

“If YOU do something like that, please remember that this will be the last time you lunch together with me in the Great Hall. Is – that – completely – clear?”

Marina nodded and only said,

“Yes, but haven’t you noticed that Granny is watching you anyway?” Harry groaned.

cocoCOCOcoco

At this moment, Lily came over to them and glanced sternly at Harry. “Harry I don’t appreciate this; tonight we will have dinner at home and I expect you to eat.” However, Harry contradicted immediately,

“Sorry Mom, but I have to meet some of my friends because I want them to put an announcement on the common room wall concerning Quidditch training, and I have to hand the parchment over tonight, because I want to resume training on Friday.” Ginny interrupted him.

“I have a free period before dinner. Might I perhaps visit Harry and get the parchment from him then? Lily nodded and said,

“You can come and ask Professor Dumbledore, who will be staying with him, if you can see him, alright? Otherwise, he can give it to me, and I will take it to the common room tonight. Now Harry, take Marina and go over to Granddad; he will stay with you until classes are finished.” Marina took Harry’s hand and pulled him over to the Head Table, before she jumped on Dumbledore’s lap, while Harry exchanged a few words with his father.

Back in their quarters, Harry took parchment and a quill and wrote the announcement for the Quidditch team. Afterwards he asked his Grandfather,

“Granddad would it be possible for you to announce at dinner, that the Hogwarts team will resume its practise on Sunday after breakfast? Otherwise I have to write to the four captains.” Dumbledore nodded and said,

“Alright. I will announce it at dinner today. Have Poppy and your mother approved that you participate?” Harry glanced at him mischievously and said,

“I didn’t ask them, but why should I not?”

“Because it could be very dangerous, if you got a memory back while you were flying.”

“Oops, I didn’t think about that at all,” he admitted. “But I can tell you now, I – will – participate – in the matches! For the practise, it will suffice if I watch it. But I will not miss a game, and I don’t care what Pomfrey, Granny or Mom say about it!”

“Harry, can you play with me now?” Marina seemed to have woken up from a short nap and wanted Harry’s attention.

“Alright Marina, what do you want to play? Shall I read you a book?”

“No, I want to do a puzzle, can you help me?” She showed him a puzzle of Hogwarts with 100 pieces and Harry smiled and emptied the box on the table to play with his little sister. Dumbledore smiled amused by the interaction of the siblings and continued to read his book.

cocoCOCOcoco

A while later Ginny arrived and asked if Harry was allowed and up to accompany her to Merlin House to put the announcement on the wall, and Dumbledore asked Harry if he felt well enough to go. Harry couldn’t believe his luck and said,

“Yes of course, Granddad, I’m fine,” and was allowed to go, but Ginny was told she had to bring him back before dinner. When they were on their way Ginny said contemplatively,

“I thought Pomfrey said they had to check on you before you’re allowed to go anywhere?” Harry giggled and said,

“Yes, but unfortunately she forgot to tell Dumbledore, and my mom seems to have forgotten too! I am so sorry,” he said sarcastically and smiled mischievously. Ginny frowned.

“Harry, why are you always getting yourself into trouble? Anyway, we must hurry up, because we should be back, before your mother’s last class finishes.”

Harry smiled happily when he saw Tori, who seemed to be even happier to see Harry and started to trill immediately.

#Oh welcome back home, my next Head of House.# Harry frowned at him and asked,

“Do you understand me when I talk to you like this, or do I have to transform?”

#I can understand you Icicle, but I would love to see your phoenix form again.# Harry glanced at Ginny and excused himself,

“Sorry Ginny, I’ll be back in a minute,” and transformed into Icicle.

#My mom is your Head of House, not me, and you know that.#

#Yes, but I think you will take over quite soon, and I’m looking forward to it.#

#Why? What is my mom going to do?#

#Ah, I cannot tell you, because Fawkes told me and he shouldn’t have.#

#Alright, I’ll see you, I have to transform back.# Slightly worried because of what Tori had said – was something going to happen to his mom in the near future? –, Harry changed back into his human form and apologized again to the stunned Ginny.

“Wow, Harry, that’s beautiful! A phoenix! But I always thought a phoenix looks like Fawkes, although you are very pretty.”

“Fawkes is a fire phoenix, and I’m an ice phoenix like Merlin was, that’s the only difference. By the way, what’s the password?” Ginny smiled and said,

“Quidditch Victory,” and entered the Common room ignoring Harry’s astonished glance.

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As soon as they entered the room, several known and unknown faces surrounded Harry. Fortunately, the last classes were still ongoing, so there were only about a dozen students in the common room, but it was not easy for Harry. He went to put up the Quidditch parchment first to get rid of it and to gain some time as well, before he had to talk to anyone. A girl he remembered as Susan Bones, the niece of Amelia asked,

“Harry, is it true what your mother told us? That you went to the past, to the time of your parents, vanquished Voldemort to save all their lives and just came back after spending two years in the past?” Harry sighed.

“Yes Susan, it’s true. And I have changed so much, that there are two different time lines in existence. Currently, I only remember my old one, so I only remember the people I met in the old one like you for example or Ginny here. But my memories of the new time line are slowly coming back and merging with the others, so that in a few months I’ll be alright again. I even have a different father in the new time line; therefore I have a different appearance than before, because I now have traits of both fathers from both time lines.” Everyone looked in awe at Harry. “I’m sorry, it must be difficult to understand; even for me it is difficult to comprehend, but I need all your help to get used to everything here.”

“Harry, when are you going to do tryouts?” Harry frowned.

“I don’t think we need tryouts, do we?”

“But we need a new keeper,” said a boy whom Harry didn’t know.

“Yes, but the keeper of the reserve team will become the first team’s keeper anyway; so we only need a keeper for the second team. We can do tryouts maybe this Saturday, but I have to check with Anna, because I’m not sure if I can participate. Ginny could you ask Anna later, when you meet her, and if it is alright for her, could the two of you arrange it please? And inform me please, because I will try to come in any case.” Ginny nodded her consent.

“Thank you Harry. By the way, my name is Bob, and I hope I’ll be able to make the team.”

“Which year are you in Bob?”

“Second year.”

“Alright. Good luck then for the tryout!”

A girl whom Harry hadn’t met before caught his attention. “Your mother also told us you were the one who discovered and re-founded Merlin House twenty years ago.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Harry said, before he was suddenly pulled into a memory.