Neville, in a fit of bravery, stood. "Listen Ron, I think it's best if you just go," he said.
Ron seemed to make another leap in logic and suddenly turned to Neville, his red face matching his hair.
"You! This is all your fault! If you hadn't stolen Harry from me, he would be in Gryffindor!" Ron shouted.
Neville took a step back at the menacing tone Ron used. "That doesn't make any sense," the blond boy said, adopting a look of confusion.
"Yes, it does! This is all your fault!" Ron shouted, the look on his face turning from rage to triumph. "I challenge you to a wizard's duel - midnight in the trophy room!"
Before Neville could even reply, the redhead stalked off.
The rest of the table sat in silence before sudden whispers broke out.
"You're not going to go, are you?"
"A wizard's duel, how exciting!"
"He's a menace, that one."
Neville turned to face Harry, the look on his face full of anxious confusion. "What just happened?" he said.
Harry held back his laugh at how fate seemed to be determined for events to repeat themselves. "I don't know, mate," he replied.
"I don't have to go, do I? I mean, I don't even know how to duel!" Neville asked, looking slightly pathetic.
"No, you don't have to go," Harry assured.
Neville seemed to perk up at that. "He really is a git," he mumbled.
"I would just love to know what his problem with me is," Harry lied.
"Maybe you should go," Terry piped up, "teach him a lesson."
Neville looked miserable at the thought. "I don't know," Harry said.
"If you do, make sure you don't get caught," Lisa said. "We're doing quite well this year. If you got caught, we would lose so many points."
Harry just shrugged as Neville let out the barest of whimpers, an idea forming in his mind.
"Don't worry Neville, you didn't agree so you don't have to go," Harry assured once again.
~
That night, walking alone under his cloak, Harry approached the door on the 3rd floor corridor that he knew hid the entrance to the trials. Reaching out with his magic, Harry was not surprised when he felt the ward on the door. 'So Dumbledore had known,' he thought. The ward would alert the caster about whoever passed through it. Dumbledore had known, in his last life, that Harry and his friends had seen the cerberus. Harry searched the ward for any breaks and found a small one that he knew he would be able to manipulate if need be. However, for now, he wanted Dumbledore to think his plan had worked, that Harry was looking for the stone.
Stepping into the room, Harry watched as all three heads turned to him and sniffed before whining in confusion. Harry had taken to using scent and sound blocking charms whenever he used his cloak.
Stepping back out, Harry returned to Ravenclaw tower, making sure to detour passed the trophy room. He watched with amusement as Filch dragged a howling Ron through the corridors, muttering about dungeons and chains.
The next morning, Harry felt somebody staring at him. Looking up, Harry caught Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkling at him. Making sure to look like he was slightly nervous, Harry spent breakfast acting like a child who had seen a monster; hopefully, now Dumbledore would leave him alone as he believed Harry to be on the trail of the stone.
~
Hogwarts, December 1991
The next few weeks of school passed quickly. Harry continued to meet up with his friends in the library to study Defence, the group growing to include Harry, Neville, Hannah, Susan, Padma and Parvati, Anthony, Michael, Lisa, and Sue. While they worked, Harry would surreptitiously search for any hints about rejoining souls. Harry had been trying to work out a way to get a note for the restricted section, but he didn't have any teachers he could go to. Yes, his relationship with Snape was better in this life, the man even going out of his way to ask if Harry required extra ointments or potions, but Harry didn't want to ask and then suddenly find the man tracing his every movement. He couldn't risk that until he was sure of Snape's loyalties.
He had noticed that, like in his last life, Snape was suspicious of Quirrell; he had seen the man's dark eyes following the turban wearing professor with deep interest. Harry was torn; he didn't think Snape had any deep loyalty to Dumbledore any longer as he had seen the suspicion build in his eyes when he spoke to Harry, but he wasn't sure about the man's views on Tom, not Voldemort, but Tom, who had wanted to change the Wizarding world.
Harry was also torn about what to do about the stone. He had noticed recently that Dumbledore had started to watch him again, and suspected that the twinkly eyed old coot was about to make a move to ensure Harry was on the right path, so to speak. Unsure what to do, as Harry had no loyalty to Quirrellmort in his current form, Harry thought about his options.
Harry was reluctant to let him reach the stone unless he could find a way for his sanity to be returned. Having Voldemort back now, how he was last time, would be disastrous. However, Harry's going after the stone last time had resulted in Quirrell's death at Harry's hands. 'Quite literally,' Harry thought, cringing slightly.
Tuning back into the conversation around him, Harry realised he was the centre of attention.
"Hey Harry, what are you doing for Yule? Or do you celebrate Christmas?" Hannah asked.
Shrugging, Harry shut his book and put it in his bag, making sure the cover wasn't shown. "I'll be staying here," Harry said. "And, honestly? I haven't really ever celebrated either."
"Oh, don't you want to go home?" Anthony said curiously.
Harry made sure to cringe slightly before he answered, "No, I think I would enjoy it better here."
"Really? Well, I can't wait to go home. My parents and I are going to Aspen to see my cousins…," Anthony went on to tell them all about his Yule plans.