The Golden Trio are done withbeing helpless and relying on luck to save them. Together they start training to be better fighters and wizards. Together they will face dangers, uncover Hogwarts secrets, and survive the Goblet of Fire.

I OWN HARRY POTTER… well I own all seven books anyway… but not the rights…:(

Playtime Is Over

Harry and Hermione had just done it. They went back in time (illegally, but who really cares about that) and saved Harry's godfather,Sirius Black, from the dementor's kiss. A fate worse than death.

They ran as fast as they could to reach the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay-I can hear Dumbledore," whispered Hermione tensely. "Come on,Harry!"

Together, they crept down the corridor as quietly as possible. Then, the door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared. "I'm going to lock you in," They heard him saying. " It is five minutes to midnight Miss Granger , three turns should do it. Good luck."

Dumbledore then backed out of the room. But when he pulled out his wand to lock the door, Hermione and Harry ran forward. Dumbledore looked up and gave and gave them a smile under his long, silvery mustache. " Well?" he asked quietly.

"We did it!" said Harry trying to catch his breath. " Sirius is gone, on Buckbeak…"

Dumbledore gave a sigh of relief.

" Well done you two, " Dumbledore paused, listening for any sound inside the hospital wing. " Yes , I think you two have gone. Get inside- I'll lock you in."

Harry and Hermione walked back into the hospital wing. They were the only ones there, apart from Ron who was still unconscious from a dark spell the traitorous rat Peter Pettigrew flung at him. Twelve years the Weasley family took care of him and this was the thanks they get. Their youngest son in the hospital wing.

Harry had half a mind to take back Hermione's time turner and kill the rat himself with his bare hands for causing so much pain for for his godfather and best friend. But decided not to because Hermione would probably hex him to the bed for even thinking it.

However he was brought back to the present when Madam Pomfrey came out of her office. " Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my students now?"

She was in a bad mood so they decided to quickly get back into their beds and accept their chocolate without any fuss. Around the time they were eating their forth piece, the three of them heard an angry scream and footsteps coming in their direction.

It was Professor Snape. He was livid. It was then he started screaming that it HAD to be Harry and Hermione ( but mostly Harry). That they were the ones who freed Sirius Black. The children were pretty much silent throughout the whole ordeal. It was finally when professor Dumbledore said that the two of them were locked in the room that the matter dropped.

Of course Snape , being Snape, hated that he didn't get his way and stormed out of hospital wing like a child. Quickly followed by the Minister of Magic muttering about how the paper was going to tear him apart. ( 'My heart bleeds' Harry thought annoyed.) Finally Dumbledore left after giving a secret smile to Harry and Hermione. Madam Pomfrey huffed angrily about barging into HER domain and disrupting her patients and went back into her office.

Harry and Hermione gave each other an amazed look. "I still can't believe we did it- and got away with it." Hermione whispered in awe.

" Do you think Snape will do something?" Harry said.

" Well, what can he do? Sirius is gone and he already makes class awful for you. What else can he do?"

"Knowing him? Something horrible." Harry quipped.

There conversation was cut short due a moan on the other side of the room.

" Ron." Hermione said as she left her bed walking over to him. Harry followed her. " Ron, Ron-can you hear me?"

" Ugh."Ron moaned " What happened?"

" How much do you remember?" asked Hermione.

" The last thing I remember is Pettigrew hitting me with some spell…" Ron said, struggling to remember. "Before that… before that-" Ron's eyes went wide and he immediately sat up. " Sirius! Sirius is he okay? Lupin turned- and Sirius-"

" Ron he's okay." Harry interrupted while Hermione pushed him back down onto the bed. "I think you should explain." Harry said to Hermione.

While Hermione was telling Ron about the little adventure the two of them just completed, Harry looked out the window and started thinking. Thinking about the last three years and how no matter how much he tried to be "just Harry" , fate was apparently very much against that idea.

First year he had to stop Voldemort from getting the Stone. Second he had to stop past Voldemort from killing students from a basilisk. And this year he had to keep he to make sure Voldemort's servant didn't kill him. Every single year , no matter what he did , he had to solve the problem. It's not like he didn't try to get help but after Mcgonagall dismissed the three of them in first year… and Ginny was slowly dying in second year so there wasn't time to get a (proper) professor. Then there was this year when Ron was dragged by his leg into the Whomping Willow so there was no time to get a professor.

And every year he almost died. Quirrell almost killed him but died before he could. Second year he the basilisk had bitten him. The venom would have killed him if Fawkes (Dumbledore's phoenix ) hadn't saved him. And this year… he would have been kissed by a dementor. He would have been a soulless husk if he didn't go back in time and saved himself.

And for the most part he didn't win because he was Merlin reborn, he won because he was lucky. The amount of times he was attacked at the "safest place in all of England" was far too high... And that's when he remembered Trelawney's prediction. He forgot about all about it when Hermione and Ron told him Buckbeak lost the trial. But looking back on what she said… the first part came true. Voldemort's servant did reveal himself tonight. But if the first part came true… doesn't that mean Pettigrew would- would somehow bring Voldemort back?

Harry suddenly went pale a that thought. He tried shaking it off. Tried calming himself down by convincing himself that Pettigrew didn't have the brains or the power to do so…

But then, the other part of him was saying that Pettigrew not only managed to convince everyone on the Light side that he was on there side while being a double agent. But, also was able to frame Sirius when cornered and hide from everyone who posed a threat to his safety for twelve years.

All in all he wasn't feeling any better with his current line of thinking and mentally slapped himself to focus. He needed a plan. ' Okay Potter,' he thought to himself ' What do you know? You know that Voldemort is always going to come after you because he is bloody obsessed. Pettigrew escaped and will most likely run to Voldemort to protect him from Sirius and Professor Lupin. Pettigrew would either help or ,at the very least, speed along the process. When Voldemort does come back he will try to kill you. So what's the plan?' Harry didn't have to think hard. The answer was pretty obvious. ' I have to train. I have to know spells I shouldn't know at my age. I need to trick him into thinking I'm just some little kid who got lucky when he was a baby so he won't treat me like a threat.' Harry thought that was at least a good starting ground anyway. And it shouldn't be too hard to trick him. If Snape was anything to go by, Slytherins were taught that Gryffindors were all impulsive imbeciles. So if Harry used that to his advantage as well as Voldemort's enormous ego( seriously it was the size of bloody England) he might have a better chance to escape next time he was confronted by the evil git. He might survive. He could survive! He could-

Harry suddenly thought about the two other people in the room. His best friends. Harry couldn't put them through that. Voldemort was coming back and Harry cared far too much for his friends to put them through all this.

This fight was between him and Voldemort and he utterly refused to put Ron or Hermione in the line of fire. Harry would have to cut off all ties. Yes, this was a good idea. His chest suddenly started to ache at the thought but it was for the best. He already lost his parents, his childhood, and his chance to live with his Godfather because of Voldemort. He would be damned if he let that bastard take away Ron and Hermione from him and everyone else too.

He sealed his resolve. It was for the best he tried telling himself trying ( and failing) to ignore the ache in his chest. He turned around and tuned back into the conversation. Hermione was at the part where Snape was freaking out because he wouldn't get his Order of Merlin and Ron was not even bothering hiding his grin.

He was about to interrupt and hopefully find the right words to explain why he could never talk to them again. When his mind heard Ron's voice said "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron, his best mate, told ,what he thought was a mass murderer, that he would have to kill him (and Hermione) too. At the time he was just to filled with hatred at Sirius too truly register the words. The bravery and loyalty he showed in just one sentence nearly brought tears to his eyes.

But his mind wasn't done tormenting him yet. " If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!" This time it was Hermione. Hermione, goody- two shoes - always- follow- the- rules- Hermione. Who didn't even bat an eye when she took them back in time to save Sirius. Hermione who probably was very aware that they were both breaking several, incriminating, laws. She did it anyway because she knew how much this meant to Harry. The ache in his chest somehow also got to his stomach and got ten times worse. How was he supposed to tell them he couldn't ever talk to them again. They meant the world to him and he… and he…

" Harry, mate, what's wrong?" Ron asked concerned.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and felt the tears escaping from his eyes. What was he supposed to do. These two meant the world to him. They were the only two people he could truly be "just Harry" around. He wasn't "Freak" or "Boy" and he definitely wasn't the " Boy- Who- Lived". They treated him like he always wanted to be treated: Normal. He let out a choked sob.

He was in such a daze he missed Hermione pulling him to Ron's bed and gently forcing him to sit down. It took Harry a few minutes to calm down. Hermione was rubbing gently on his back and Ron was sitting up holding his hand. When Harry completely stopped crying Hermione gave him a tissue and Ron poured him a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside.

Hermione was the first to break the silence.

" Harry, what's wrong?" she asked carefully.

" A lot of things happened today and my emotions just got the better of me." Harry said trying to avoid the question. " It's nothing-"

"Bullshit." Ron interrupted.

" Language." Hermione said automatically. " But accurate. Harry please, we're your friends. We can help you go through what's going on in your head. We won't judge or be angry with you. I promise. But keeping it bottled up inside isn't healthy and will not go away. So please tell us what's going on." Hermione said in one breath. Harry looked at both of them. Both of them looked concerned and uncertain. He supposed they had a right to. The only negative emotions he had shown around the two was annoyance and anger. Harry took a deep breath, stood up and ignored the ache in his chest. This was for their own good. He had to protect them.

" I can't be friends with you two anymore." he said in a very pathetic, barely audible voice. Ron looked like he was about to stand up and give him an earful when Hermione put her hand on his shoulder to keep him down and said "Why?"

" Why? WHY?!" he started whisper shouting at them ( So he wouldn't disturb Madam Pomfrey) " I'm bad luck that's why. Bad things always happen around me. You would be better off without me! Better off never becoming friends with me. Look at where being friends with me got you two! In the freaking hospital with a broken leg and dark curse" Harry said gesturing towards Ron. "And almost being kissed by a dementor." Harry explaining looking at Hermione.

"Hermione can you perform a privacy charm, right now?" Ron said deathly calm voice. Hermione did it easily and nodded at Ron signaling she was done. Harry got a bad feeling.

" HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Ron shouted at him. " If you think we'll just stop being friends with you because of something you had absolutely no control over you have got another thing coming!"

" But I am dangero-"

" Don't interrupt me!" Ron said in a manner eerily similar to his mother. " We have been your friends for almost three years now and if you truly think we will just drop you just like that." Ron had started pacing with a slight limp." And for some stupid reason that YOU don't even believe then you are dead wrong."

" Harry," Hermione said softly. " All three of us have gone through so much. Much more than are peers I would assume. We will not throw that away. So please tell us what exactly brought this on?"

Harry was about to respond when Ron interrupted." And don't lie to us. We know your tells by now."

Harry swallowed the lie( it wasn't a lie ,it was a half truth) he was going to say and looked back at the two. Then his mind decided to flashback to the end of first year. Right before going through the trapdoor to get the Stone.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione.

He looked both of them in the eye and said solemnly " You two are sure you want the truth?"

They both nodded without hesitation. Harry sighed and told them everything. About the prophecy. About Pettigrew. About Voldemort coming back to get him. About his fears on the matter.

When Harry finished the trio basked in silence for a while. Then Ron said " that all?"Hermione hit him for his lack of tact. " Ow. Blimey Hermione."

" Guys, please. I don't want Voldemort( Ron and Hermione flinched) to kill you because of me. It's for the best that we cut ties now before-." Hermione hit him over the head.

" Harry, please stop being a noble git for five minutes and start thinking please." she said exasperated. "You-Know-Who wouldn't come after Ron and me because you."

"But-"

"No Harry," Ron interrupted "You-Know-Who and his followers would come after me because I belong to the Weasley family. You know, the biggest blood- traitors in all of England."

"And they would come after me because I'm a know-it all-little mudblood." Hermione stated calmly.

" Don't say that word, Hermione!" Ron and Harry said simultaneously.

" Why not?" Hermione challenged. " That's exactly what I am to bigots like I refuse to let that word affect me like they think it would. But that is besides the point." Hermione looked directly at Harry. " You leaving us would not protect us from and his followers would come after us anyway."

" Exactly, so how about instead of trying to bloody save us from something you can't save us from. You let us help you." Ron added.

" Yes, would always work better as a team, surely you've notice this as well." Hermione said.

Harry gave them a small smile. " Yes I have noticed... And don't call me Shirley." Hermione and Ron smiled at the small joke. They knew they made him feel somewhat better about the situation if they got him joking. " I suppose I have been acting stupid the past 10 minutes. Not sure what came over me."

"It's been a long day ,Harry. Finals, Buckbeak, Sirius, werewolves, traitors, dementors, and going back in time. You're exhausted and not thinking clearly." Hermione said.

"No, Hermione I am thinking clearly." Harry said determined.

"Harry-"

"No, let me finish Ron. I will not apologize for trying to find a way to protect you. No matter how unhelpful it was. You two mean the world to me and I would fall apart if anything happened to either one of you. So I am going to train myself so hard so I won't have to lose you. I will study until I pass out . I will push myself until I cannot stand up. I will do whatever it takes to defeat Voldemort and nothing you guys say to me will stop me. This isn't some kind of game. Voldemort will come after me, and if not him his followers. Wizards who have decades of practice and knowledge behind their belt. I need to be ready for them and any other plot they may conceive.I will do whatever it takes to defeat Voldemort and nothing you guys say to me will stop me."

" We won't stop you." Ron said.

" I will not be persuaded from this- wait,what?"

"We will not stop you." Ron said rolling his eyes. " Also, for epic speeches given to us late at night, not one of your best."

" I'm tired, sue me." Harry snipped.

"Ron's right, neither one of us will stop you. Personally I think it's a great idea and would like to be apart of this whole endeavor. After tonight I didn't feel particularly good about myself. We easily would have been out matched if Sirius or Professor Lupin had actually wanted to kill us. I for one don't ever want to be in that kind of situation ever again and would very much like to join you. " Hermione stated.

" There is no way I'm letting either of you leave me out of this. I'm in too. I don't care how hard it is, I'll do whatever it takes." Ron said.

" You guys would really-"

"How many times do we have to get this through your thick skull? We are in this together!" Hermione said slightly annoyed.

Harry got a warm feeling in his chest. " You guys really are the best. You know that?"

"We know." They said together.

"So what's the plan now?" Ron asked looking at both of them.

" Well," Harry started. "First things first we should probably plan what we're going to do over the summer then we-" Harry stopped mid-sentence because he saw Madam Pomfrey come out of her office. " Hermione!" Harry said quickly. " Take away the privacy charm."

Hermione whispered the incantation and hid her wand back into her robes before Madam Pomfrey noticed.

"What do you three think you are doing? You three should be resting!" The healer yelled at the trio. She walked right over to Harry and Hermione, grabbed their arms and started dragging them to their beds.

"Oi, we were in the middle of a conversation!" Ron said.

" And you may feel free to continue your conversation after you have rested." Madam Pomfrey said with a pointed look. Ron huffed but went back to his assigned bed. Harry and Hermione were then put back to their original beds and the Mediwitch refused to leave until both of them were under their she then quickly walked away to her office.

" We'll talk about this tomorrow." Harry said loud enough so only Ron and Hermione could hear. They both nodded but didn't respond because Madam Pomfrey came back in the room with three potion bottles.

" I want all three of you to drink these."

"What are they?" Harry asked.

" Sleeping drought. Yes you all have to drink these." She said. Harry suspected she didn't trust the three of them to fall asleep any other way. He didn't comment on it, instead he drank the foul potion as quickly as possible to avoid the taste. He put the potion bottle and glasses next to his bedside table and immediately fell into peaceful slumber.

The golden trio start planning next chapter! Something they should have done in the canon after three years of danger. Oh well. Anyway I wanted to do something fun at the end of each chapter. Readers ( you guys) can ask questions in the reply section and the most popular question or most asked will be answered in the next chapter.( Probably at the end.) I think it would be a good interactive experience. The questions can be about the story, me the author, favorite books, possible future plans… anything you want to know really. So let me start out by telling you MY three favorite headcanons. I did not create any of them, only found them.

is of Indian descent. Ever since I found out Hari means Lion in an old Indian language ( Sanskrit) I just couldn't shake it. Because let's be real James Potter is such a little dweeb and name his son after his house mascot.

Ginny's first ever Quidditch match with the Harpies, the opposing team's Keeper said she only got on the team because she was dating Harry Potter. After hearing this Ginny got a hold of the quaffle and threw it so hard at him he flew back through that goal post. No one questioned her position again.

my favorite. Harry told all of the surviving members of the D.A. about what Dumbledore and Snape did. (Letting Harry die because he was a Horcrux and being a bully teacher and causing Voldemort to hear the prophecy in the first place.) Instead of justifiably being mad at them they created this new in-joke that they were the greatest two people who ever lived. They would go on hour long rants about the two heros. Some made art , some wrote Epic poems. Neville actually made a shrine of Snape in his garden. But Harry and Ginny were in this to win. So they named their second child after them both. They only told the child that he was named after "two of the bravest people he ever knew" to make him feel better about the fact he had a horrible name. But the D.A. knew the truth. That they had won.