A/N: Guess whose back? Back again? Sooner than you'd expect I reckon. This is the prologue and first chapter for my story Harry Potter and the Hufflepuff. For those just tuning in it's a rewrite of my story Harry Potter and the Altered Fate with Susan Bones. Expect this to be different than the other one. Least I hope so.

I made some changes and I will be making more as the story goes along. Let me know what you think

Also if anyone has any good cover art, I'd be eternally grateful!

AS ALWAYS: Like, Subscribe, Favorite and Review!

Without further adieu... *lights dim, screen opens*

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing in her world.

Harry Potter and the Hufflepuff

Prologue

Harry Potter groaned as he opened his eyes. The light all around him was bright. He covered his eyes and fixed his glasses until he managed to get adjusted to the bright light. He stood up and looked around. He was somewhere familiar but he couldn't quite place a finger on it. Wherever he was, he was alone.
He wondered out loud, "Is this…."

"King's Cross Station. Only a lot nicer," came a feminine voice from behind him.

He spun around to see a woman with dark hair standing a few feet away from him. She didn't look anything special. She was just wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a pair of black boots.

"Who are you? Are we…dead," asked Harry.

"To answer your 2nd question first…yes but no. Kind of. As for the first I am Death, at your service." With that she took a bow.

"Wow…you look different than I expected."

"Let me guess. Skeleton with a giant scythe and a dark foreboding cloak? I gave that up years ago. I only bring it out for costumes parties…or people who deserve to have the stuffing scared out of them," Death replied with a shrug and a smile.

"Well I was gonna say attractive but...ya know...whatever floats your boat," Harry replied confidently. If he really was meeting Death he might as well play it cool. "I don't suppose you could do that and scare the bejesus out of Draco Malfoy for me huh? It'd make for a great joke."

Death looked at him and grinned. "Ever the Marauder, just like your father."

"You knew my father?"

"I know everyone. I'm Death."

Harry looked at her nervously, "so um….what happens now?"

"Well that depends on you actually. What is the last thing you remember?"

Harry thought about it. The last thing he remembered was he was starting the final task of the triwizard cup. He and Cedric had made it to the cup by working together but when the grabbed hold of it they were taken to a graveyard where Cedric had been killed in a surprise ambush by Peter Pettigrew. Then he had been knocked out. He woke up tied to a gravestone and had unwillingly taken part in the resurrection of Lord Voldemort. After that he was released and made to duel Voldemort. He didn't remember anything after that.

"Did…did Voldemort…he..," Harry stammered.

"He killed you. Yes. As he expected too. However this is not the end for you my friend. There is still more for you to do and this time we're going to do it right. Show that bastard who is boss. He has evaded Death long enough and his penitence is due." She paused for a moment before she placed a smile on her face. "This time around we're going to give you some help though. Someone else who will remember this timeline as well. Someone who lost her parents in the first wizarding war as well. I think you'll know her already but I'll give you two a moment or two alone." With that Death snapped her fingers and there was a bright flash of light.
When Harry managed to clear his vision he saw a familiar face in front him with long red hair. She looked just as confused as he had been.

"Hello Susan."

Susan spun around to see the only other person around her was none other than Harry Potter. She smiled at the familiar face in front of her.

"Harry! Thank goodness! Not that it isn't every girl's dream to be alone with the famous Harry Potter but would you mind filling me in about where we are," she asked with a grin.

"Far as I can tell King's Cross….only cleaner."

Susan looked around for a moment before continuing. "Ok so that answers where, now how about why?"

"I can answer that," Death said as she popped in next to Harry, "you see the triwizard tournament was a trap. Well more specifically the triwizard cup was a trap. Harry and Cedric had reached the cup by working together but when the touched the cup they were transported to a graveyard where Cedric was killed by Peter Pettigrew and Harry was forced into a duel with the newly resurrected Voldemort who killed him."

Susan looked shocked. "Is that true," she asked.

Harry nodded. "Susan Bones meet Death. Death, Susan Bones."

Susan looked at Death and then back to Harry. "Wait you mean Death as in…the Death right? Like from the Deathly Hollows?"

Harry shrugged confused. "I don't know about the Deathly Hollows being muggle raised and all but yes it is THE Death."

"Please just Death…or Marion if you prefer. I've always liked the name myself. Anyway Miss Bones you are here because you and Harry share quite a few things in common. You both lost your parents during the first wizarding war and you are both are going to be the only ones to remember this world. There's a few other things but I don't want to ruin the surprise," she said with a wink.

"I still don't really understand what is happening," Harry stated honestly, "or what Susan has to do with it."

"Let me put it simply for you two," Death began, "I'm going to send the two of you back in time to the day you started Hogwarts and you're going to get to do it all again…with a few changes. The big one is that I'm going to tell you all about the Horcruxes that Voldemort is using to keep himself alive as well as the prophecy about you and him." After going through the prophecy between Harry and Lord Voldemort, Death explained Horcruxes, what they were, how to find them and how to destroy them. "You now know how to defeat Voldemort. With that knowledge, go and bring forth a better future for all of mankind and send me Voldemort," she said with a wicked grin. "Now before you go I have one last thing for the two of you. I know you've already done this all and I'm sorry you have to do it again. Remember to talk to each other though. Together you two can make the future better for not just yourselves but for the wizarding world as a whole. Trust in each other and don't forget to love," she said with a sly grin. She snapped her fingers and there was another bright flash of light.

All of a sudden it was a lot noisier. As Harry looked around he found himself in the actual King's Cross station with his cart in front of him and his ticket for the Hogwarts Express in the other. That wasn't all. As Harry looked at his reflection in a nearby train he saw himself. Only he was 11 years old again….

1

Harry thought ahead of all the days that lie ahead. Thinking back, this was the day he met the Weasleys, Hermione and Neville. However, instead of the meeting the Weasleys first he looked ahead and saw a small, familiar redheaded girl with an adult and pushing a cart like his.

"Susan," Harry called out, "Susan Bones!"

The young redhead turned and smiled as she saw Harry approaching. "Hello Harry," she said as he pulled his cart up next to hers. "It's kind of hard to believe, isn't it? It feels like a dream. Yet here we are doing it all over again. The train ride, the boats, the sorting hat, all of it. I wonder if we will be placed in the same houses," she wondered out loud.

"I don't know," replied Harry. "You know what I do know though," Harry asked with a sly grin, "These first couple years are going to be cake. We'll be top of the class easy. I can't wait to see the look on Snape's face." He chuckled at the thought.

There was a cough beside them that made them remember that they weren't alone. The two kids turned and looked up at the lady that was escorting Susan.

"Susan dear, who is your friend?"

"Sorry Aunt Amy! Aunt Amy this is Harry Potter. Harry Potter, this is my Aunt, Amelia Bones, head of Magical Law Enforcement. That means if you're mean to me she's going to arrest you." With that she stuck out her tongue at Harry.

Amelia Bones was surprised, which happened rarely. Harry Potter had been off the radar since the death of Lord Voldemort but here was Susan talking to him like they were old friends despite the fact that she had never seen the two interact. "Harry Potter? As in the Harry Potter," Amelia asked.

Both the kids laughed. "I see where you got it from," Harry laughed recalling Susan's conversation with Death. As they settled down from their laughing Harry pulled back the hair over his forehead and showed his scar to Amelia Bones. "THE Harry Potter, at your service Madam Bones," he said with an overly flourished bow for an 11-year-old.

"But…how do you know my niece? Also, where are your guardians," she inquired.

"Well to be honest, my so-called guardians pretty much booted me out at the curb calling me a freak and said they didn't want anything to do with freaks or their freak school. Not that it matters much, Hogwarts is better than living under the stairs and getting hit by Vernon for not doing chores right or god forbid not making breakfast fast enough," he replied, choosing the truth in the second question over trying to answer how exactly he and Susan knew each other.

Both girls looked at him wide eyed. "Harry…is this true? Do they hit you," Amelia asked in horror.

"Would you like to see the scars and bruising," he asked nonchalantly.

Amelia looked at her watch. "Yes I would but maybe later. Right now, we need to hurry or the two of you will miss your first train ride."

Susan and Harry grabbed their carts and ran straight through the wall and onto platform 9 3/4. They took a moment to remember their first train ride and here they were doing it all over again.

"We've got a long way to go," muttered Susan.

"And we're only first years," added Harry thinking of all the things he had experienced at his previous Hogwarts. Were those memories real? Were they going to be replaced? His thinking was interrupted by a young blonde girl running towards them. Harry recognized her as Hannah Abbott.

"Sue! I thought you were gonna miss the train! I'm glad you finally made it." She stopped and looked at the boy accompanying her best friend. "Who is this," she asked. "Who are you," she asked Harry.

"Harry Potter. You must be Hannah Abbott. Susan's told me a lot about you. Now we better hurry or we're going to miss the train." As he said that the train's whistle blew signaling that it was about ready to leave. After saying goodbye to Amelia and her promising them that she would be along in the next few days to check on them the three kids rushed to the back of the train where they normally sat. They went through the train cars until they finally managed to find an empty one. After putting his stuff away and helping the girls get their stuff settled away Harry sat down on one side while the girls sat across from them. He grinned as Susan reached over and tousled his hair to show his scar once more.

"Susan! You never told me you knew Harry Potter. THE Harry Potter! The one from all the stories. I heard you've been living in a castle," Hannah squealed. Susan just grinned and shrugged at her before winking at Harry.

"More like a cupboard under the stairs but I'm sure it's a castle to some," he replied. Hannah looked confused as Harry went into detail about his life once more. He explained how he was pretty much a slave. How he cooked, cleaned, did all the chores, barely ate and the consequences for doing something wrong." With a toot of the horn and a long pull on the whistle the train departed King's Cross station and bound for their first year at Hogwarts.

As the train rolled on, Harry finished the details of his life, leaving Hannah and Susan in tears. They had moved to either side of him to hug him as he apologized for making them cry and how it was never his intention. From there the discussion went from everything from a little bit about themselves to what houses they thought they were going to be in until the trolley rolled up. The door opened.

"Anything from the trolley dears," the trolley witch asked.

"6 of everything please, including chocolate frogs. Also 3 bottles of pumpkin juice. My treat," he told the trolley witch as he pulled the coins from his pocket and handed them to her. He handed a pumpkin juice, and 2 of everything else to each girl before returning to his seat.

They all stared at him for a moment before thanking him and digging into their treats. A little while later the door opened once again and a young bushy haired witch popped her head in. "Excuse me. I'm helping a boy named Neville find his toad, Trevor. Has anyone seen it?"

Harry looked at Susan and gave her a mischievous grin. He pulled out his wand and stepped outside the compartment door. "What ARE you doing," the bushy haired witch asked.

"You wanted to find Trevor, right," he asked. He turned and winked at Susan before point his want down the hall.

"ACCIO TREVOR!"

A moment later a toad flew down the corridor and into Harry's hands. "This is what you wanted right? Trevor the toad?" Hermione, and Hannah stared at him with mouths gaping as Susan laughed.

"Did I hear someone mention Trevor the toad," a voice from behind Harry asked.

Harry turned around and held out his hands that held Trevor. "You must be Neville. Here you go! One Trevor the toad!"

"Uh…thank you," Neville replied.

"Would you two care to come in and join us? We've still got a bit before we get there," Harry offered.

"Uh sure," Neville replied as he followed Harry back into the compartment. Hermione followed them in as well.

Once again, Harry made introductions. "Welcome to our little party. This is Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott. I am Harry Potter, at your service," he said with a bow. Susan laughed.

"You've really got to stop doing that," she said between laughs, "all that bowing is going to kill your back when you get older."

Harry laughed at her before turning to their two new guests. "So what about you two?"

"Well…I'm Neville Longbottom…and…uh…this is my first year."

"Ours too," Hannah responded.

"Oh yeah…"

"I'm Hermione Granger and how did you do that? I didn't think we were supposed to learn magic until we got to Hogwarts but I have already been over all the books."

Harry shrugged, "just a natural I guess."

A few moments later a young blond kid followed by two goons approached the door but before they could open the door Harry had pointed his wand at it from where it was hidden.

"Colloportus," he whispered and the door lock glowed briefly before locking. Harry then went back to talking with his friends as if nothing had ever happened until they heard someone trying to pull on the door.

When they group turned to look at the commotion the saw the two goons at the door. One was trying to pull the door handle while the second was trying to pull the first one. The blonde one appeared to be angrily yelling at them. The entire compartment burst out into laughter.

A few moments later the angry blonde and his friends stormed off back down the hallway where they came from. Susan got open and went to the door with her wand up her sleeve. Harry saw the lock glow briefly before she managed to pull the door open. She shut the door and turned back around to the rest of the compartment and shrugged.

"I don't know what their deal was but I had no problem opening the door," she stated.

"Maybe you're just the strongest woman in the world Sue," Harry said with a laugh.

"I have a feeling we were better off without them disturbing us anyway," Hermione added matter-of-factly.

"As do I," Neville spoke up.

Shortly after, the group went back to their discussions about the upcoming school year. Harry really did wonder if things would be different this time around.

"What's wrong," Susan whispered from his side.

Harry shook his head and looked at her. "Just wondering what changes await us this year," he whispered back as the rest of the cabin kept talking.

"You mean other than you and me," she said with a wink. "I don't know. Maybe this time around we will get sorted into the same house."

"As long as it's not Slytherin with that slughead, Malfoy."

"Good call. You know I think you'd be a great puff. Plus you'd look great in black and yellow!"

"Are you sure I wouldn't just look like a honey bee? Maybe that's what you want though. Me to buzzzzzzz around you," Harry replied making bee noises for the buzzing causing Susan to burst out laughing once more. The rest of the group stopped and looked at the pair of them. Harry grinned while Susan was trying to catch her breath. "Sorry," he apologized with a smile. "I'll try to beeeehave." This caused Susan to go into another fit of laughter."

"Is there something going on between you two," Hermione asked curiously.

"Yes. Yes there is," Harry replied seriously. "You see...Susan and I….we….we've been sent back in time….to change the course of events. In order to do so...we must….protect Sarah Connor."

Susan's laughter exploded and Hermione looked at him incredulously. "That was the Terminator." Neville and Hannah looked confused at the reference since they had grown up as purebloods..

"Oh yeah!"

"Seriously though, I've known Sue a long time and you guys are acting like your best friends," Hannah added.

"We're just…..friends," Harry replied.

"Really good friends," added Susan as she was taking deep breaths to calm down.

"When did you guys have time to do that," Hannah inquired curiously. She had spent a lot of time with Sue over the years and never once remembered seeing him with her.

Harry shrugged. "Whenever. I mean I'm not as good of friends with her as you but we just seem to click." Luckily, not to long after that Harry had managed to change the subject.