“So, when do you want to go to Diagon Alley?”

Harry looked up at his father from the novel he was reading (Storm Front by Jim Butcher).  He found the book very interesting as it was about a wizard named Harry Dresden who – like Harry himself – got into more than was healthy.  Harry (the character) also had a familiar as Harry did.  Only his was an air spirit named Bob who resided in a skull, not a telepathically talking raven who had powers Harry still didn’t know of.

“I told ye, Da.  I plan to go wi’ Ron and them.”

Over the summer, Harry’s accent has slowly begun to come to a more normal tone.  His voice still sounded the same and he still said a few words that lingered from his years on the streets however.  He had also grown a few inches taller, which made him even ganglier than he had already been.  Severus had jokingly told him he looked like a scarecrow.

“An’ besides, no one but you, me, Jar, Dumbledore and N…  and Dumbledore know yer me father.”

Severus arched an eyebrow.

“Who else knows?”

“Nobody,” said Harry quickly.

“Harry.”

“I swear, Da!”

“Harry.”

Harry sighed and closed his book, turning down the corner of the page he was on.

“Alrigh’.  Ni knows.”  He added sharply, “But she found out on ‘er own, mind you.”

“What?  How on earth did she do that?”

Harry shrugged.

“Doan know.  But she badgered me ‘fore she left about tellin’ everyone else.  An’ she’s been badgering me in ‘er letters, too.”

Severus frowned and said, “Now I don’t know.”

“Da, if I doan tell ‘em an’ they find out on their own, there’ll be Hell ter pay.”

Severus sighed.

“Alright.  Just don’t tell everyone.”

Harry snorted.  “Ye think I’m an idiot?”

“No,” said Severus, smiling.  “I know you’re an idiot.”

“Oi!”

Severus simply grinned down at his son then asked, “Where is that crazy bird of yours?”

Harry reopened his book as he replied, “Off deliverin’ letters.  I expect an invite to the Burrow from Ron, more badgerin’ from Ni, warning from ‘Ermione not ter get in trouble, and Mika tellin’ me not ter get in McGonagall’s way.”  He looked up at his father and asked, “Why does she seems ter dislike me so much?”

“Minerva?” asked Severus, sitting down in a chair.  “I believe she holds a strong dislike to you, my boy, because you ended up in my house instead of hers.”

“Tha’s insane!”

“I know!  She also doesn’t like my Slytherins.  Having never liked me, I think she carried over her dislike of me to all of you.”

Harry shook his head and muttered, “Crazy.  Jus’ plum nutters.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that.”

“She woan.”

“How so?” asked Severus, arching an eyebrow.

“I’ll say i’ in Elven.”

Severus looked at him for a moment then burst out laughing.

“Gods.  No wonder you ended up in Slytherin!”

“My immense charm?” asked Harry with a grin.

“Merlin, no.  You are simply too much for any other House to handle.”

Harry beamed and bowed mockingly in his chair.

“Thank ye, thank ye.”

“Don’t get a big head, now,” said Severus with a laugh.

“Like Lock’art?”

“Don’t even mention that idiot.   I don’t see how he became an Obliviator in the first place.  He was three years about me, you know.  Take Draco and multiply him by fifty then add Miss Parkinson in.”

Harry shuddered violently.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I thought…”

Suddenly Jardin swooped into the room, cawing incessantly and flapping about the ceiling.  Harry glared up at the bird and snarled, Come down here, you, or I’ll give you to Fang as a chew toy.

Severus laughed as Jardin folded his wings immediately and landed on the nearby table, glaring balefully at Harry.

“Oh, shut it,” growled Harry good naturedly as he rose to untie the rolled up letters from Jardin’s legs.  He then flopped back down in his chair, legs thrown up over the side.  Jardin fluttered over and landed on his knee as Harry unrolled that first letter.

“Who’s that one from?” asked Severus.

“Ni,” replied Harry.

Harry,

How are things at Hogwarts lately?  Any trouble?  Any adventures we’re missing out on?  I hope not.

I dearly hope you do really intend to tell Ron, Mika, and Mione the truth when we’re at the Burrow.  And Ginny too.  Perhaps Fred and George as well.  With those two, I’d not be surprised if they already knew.

And I warn you, if you don’t tell them, I’ll tell them myself.  After all, Mione lives right next door.  I could easily open the door and prance over to her house…

Or I could have already told her.

Harry groaned, “Ni, yer incorrigible.”

Severus arched an eyebrow but said nothing, picking up the copy of the Daily Prophet an owl dropped off earlier that morning.

But – I haven’t.

I couldn’t do that to you, mate.

Anyway, see you at Ron’s.

Cha, Ni

Harry smiled and shook his head in amusement as he set Niamh’s letter aside and picked up Ron’s.

Harry,

Having fun all up in the castle with no one else there?  Lots of stuff to do?

“Damn boring actually,” muttered Harry.

Well, maybe you can ask whatever teacher your staying with if you can come to the Burrow.  Two weeks before we go back.  Ni, Mione, and Mika should be here too.  Mum’s worried us and the twins are going to tear the house down.  Dad keeps telling her that if Fred and George haven’t blown us up by now, they never will.

I think we should keep an eye on them anyway.  Just a precaution.

Anyway, see you here if you can come!

Ron

“From Ron I presume?”

“Yeh.”

“So, that’s two left.”

< One actually, > said Jardin.  < Hermione didn’t write back.  Just told me to tell you that she can’t wait to see you and she keeps wondering what this big secret you want to tell everyone is. >

Severus frowned at Harry and the boy picked up Mika’s letter hurriedly.

Harry, mate,

I’m assuming things are good for you.  You are at Hogwarts after all.  Best place in the world in my opinion.

Anyway, I’m guessing I’ll be seeing you at Ron’s before term starts again and you’ll tell us that Big Secret here, correct?  I tried to get Jar to tell me what it was but he threatened to set my hair on fire.

Harry arched an eyebrow at the raven, who shrugged.

See you at the Burrow!

Mika

“So,” said Harry, putting all the letters together into a roll.  “Can I go ter Ron’s?

“I suppose…  That’s almost a month away.”

“I can wait tha’ long.”

“Mmm,” said Severus.

“Oh, shut up.”

Ni,

Slytherin help me, if you told Mione, I’ll hex you so badly you’ll be stuck in the Hospital Wing all term.  And you know I can do it, so don’t tempt me.

And yes, things are fine here.  And, yes, I am going to tell them.  Gods, woman, you are persistent.  I got yelled at this morning because Da found out you knew.  By the way, how did you find out?  You never did tell me that.

Anyway, see you at Ron’s.

Harry

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Ron,

No, it’s incessantly boring.  Beyond flying, all I have to do is my homework.  And I finished that the first week.

And, yes, I can come.  Can’t wait to see the Burrow again!

Harry

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Mika,

Hogwarts is not half as fun to be at without you guys.  Dreadfully boring.

Jar threatened to set your hair on fire?  I’ll kill him.

And yes, yes, I am going to tell you guys the Big Secret.  Too bad that’s a month away!  I don’t think I’ll survive.

Harry

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Finished writing letters yet?”

Harry looked up from his book (still Storm Front) as his father entered the room from the bathroom, hair dripping water onto his shoulders.

“Yeh.  I sen’ Jar off with ‘em jus’ a second ago.”

Severus nodded and, after performing a Drying Charm on his hair, sat down at the table with a pile of papers.  Harry arched an eyebrow and said, “Tests?”

“Exams,” replied Severus.

“Tests, exams….same thing.”

“If you’re hoping to see yours, forget it.”

“Oh, doan worry about i’,” said Harry offhandedly.

“And why is that?” asked Severus with an arched eyebrow.

“I already looked.”

Severus smirked.

“Slytherin is as Slytherin does.”

Harry snorted in agreement and turned back to his book.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

July 31…

“Harry!  Harry!!”

“Wha’?” said Harry blearily, stumbling out of his bedroom into the main room.

“Get these blasted owls off my table if you want to eat breakfast!”

“Owls?” said Harry, rubbing his eyes and peering at the table.

Sure enough, there were owls perched all over it.

“Is there some special occasion that I don’t know about today?  Or is it simply your birthday?” asked Severus as he walked back into the room from where he had been having a conversation with one of Hogwart’s house-elves.

Harry mock-glared at his father then separated the first owl from its letter and attached parcel.  He recognized Hermione’s neat writing fairly well and opened her letter.

Harry,

Happy birthday!  Niamh told me that you’ll be at the Burrow.  Which means you can finally tell us that Big Secret you won’t tell of in your letters.

And since you’re being so secretive, I thought I’d give you this.  I picked it up last year at Diagon Alley.

Hermione

Harry opened the parcel and grinned.

“Mione, ye should’n have.”

“What is it?” asked Severus.

Harry held up the book of Advanced Charms Hermione had sent him.  She knew of his and Professor Flitwick’s friendship and had hence, sent him a book.  It was also because he was very good at Charms and finished most work in that class ages before anyone else.

He then turned to the next owl, which was a post owl as Hermione’s had been.

Harry,

Curse my parents!  If we couldn’t use magic over summer hols, I would curse them!  Gods, Harry they’re horrible!  HORRIBLE!  They told me I could go to the Burrow and now they tell me I can’t!  The only reason I was able to send this to you was because they don’t know Mione’s a witch.  If they did, we’d have moved by now.

Help me, mate!  Come with Professor Snape!  Scare the bloody piss out of them!

Cha, Ni – pissed off and severely annoyed

“I presume that is from Miss O’Feir?”

“Yeh,” replied Harry.  “Her parents woan let her come ter the Burrow.”

“Did they not already say she could?” asked Severus.

“Yes!”

“Hmm.  Perhaps we should do something.”

“Tha’s what she suggested.”

“It is tempting.  She is one of my Slytherin’s, after all…”

“So…”

“So, what?  Open the rest of your presents while I contemplate.”

Harry grinned, knowing already what his father’s answer would be.  The man could muck about all he wanted to, but in the end he would always go to the aid of his Slytherin’s.  Even Malfoy and his cronies.

Harry eyed Niamh’s gift – which was a box – before lifting the lid and peering inside.  A hiss issued from it and Severus jumped.

“What the…?”

“Humansss…”

Harry opened the box fully and peered down at the tiny black garden snake that was nestled inside on a bed of grasses.  The snake looked up at him with opaque black eyes and blinked.

“You…” it hissed.

Harry blinked.

“You!”

Severus frowned and looked from his son to the snake.

“Did I miss something?”

Harry ignored the question, still staring at the snake.

“How?”

The snake gave the equivalent of a shrug.  “I do not know.  The woman threw me out after you left.  A few daysss ago, a girl caught me.  I had no idea ssshe was sssending me to you.  I would not have put up asss much of a fight.”

“Ye fought Ni?”

“Ssshe iss a friend?”

“The best.”

“Sssorry.”

“S’all right.  Ye did’n know.”

Harry looked up now at Severus, who was watching him.

“What?”

“Nothing.  Just listening to your conversation.”

Harry blinked.

“Ye can understand i’?”

“I caught a few words,” replied Severus.  “I am not a Parselmouth myself, but my mother was.  She taught me a little of the language before she died.  I don’t have the skill to speak it, but I can understand when someone else speaks it.”  He turned thoughtful and continued, “I believe your conversation with your friend there was something about ‘a woman who threw him out’ and ‘a girl who caught him’.  There was a something about a fight but I didn’t catch the rest.”

Harry nodded.  “Tha’s pretty much i’.  Ni caught him an’ sent him ter me.  I guess ‘cause…”

“Because you are a Parselmouth.”

“Yeh.”

“What isss all thisss ‘him’ busssinessssss?  I am a ssshe!”

Harry picked up the tiny snake and hissed, “Sorry.  Do you have a name?”

The snake shook her head and slid down Harry’s hand to curl about his wrist.

“No.”

Harry looked up at Severus and asked, “Wha’ would be a good name fer her?”

Severus frowned.

“Hmm.  Perhaps…  No.”

“Wha’?”

“No, I don’t think you would like it.”

“Tell me,” growled Harry.

Severus looked across the table at his son and said softly, “You already know.”

Harry blinked and looked down at the snake before turning his head towards his halfway open bedroom door.  Through it he could see the tiny statue of his first ever pet.

“Hedwig.”

“I like it,” hissed the snake from her spot on Harry’s wrist.

Severus smiled and looked at Harry, who was also smiling but with a glitter in his eyes.  Harry then looked up and said, “Hedwig it is.”

Hedwig sighed contentedly and muttered, “It isss good we have that cleared up…”

Severus and Harry laughed before the teen turned back to his presents.  He picked up the limp bundle of gray feathers that was the Weasley’s ancient owl Errol and removed the letter and attached package before carrying the poor owl over to Jardin’s perch.  When he returned, he ripped open the letter – which was very long.

Harry,

You can come!  Yes!

// Harry, I can’t wait to see you again! //

Ginny, give me –

~ Harry! ~

:: Absolutely spiffing. ::

~ We have some new stuff for you. ~

:: Loads to use on the Git this year.  We sent a small bit… ::

~ …but you’ll have to ask us for more. ~

:: We know you and Niamh will use it up quickly! ::

Will you two sod off?

// Ignore them, Harry. //

:: Why would he want to ignore us? ::

// Because all three of you are absolutely nutters? //

OI!

// It’s true, Ron. //

Maybe THOSE TWO are nutters, but I’m not!

:: Suuure, Ronnikins. ::

~ Whatever you say. ~

Oh shut up…

// See you soon, Harry! //

Ron, Ginny, Gred, and Forge

Harry laughed and shook his head as he sat the letter aside to rip open the paper on the package the four Weasley’s had sent him.  Inside was a large box of joke stuff from the twins (Harry eyed the Canary Creams with a mischievous look in his eyes), an equally large box of Chocolate Frogs from Ron, and a smaller box that must be a gift from Ginny.  Harry lifted the box out and opened in, eyes popping as he saw what was inside.

An intricately made silver Basilisk bared its fangs at him, the tiny emeralds set in place of its eyes shimmering in the light from a nearby torch.  From his wrist, Hedwig hissed her approval.

“Ssshe hass tassstesss.”

Severus arched an eyebrow at that but said nothing, turning a page in A Tale of Two Cities.  Harry drew out the necklace and held it up, admiring it.  It hung from a supple cord of black leather and seemed to writhe in the light.  Harry slipped it over his head and pulled his hair out of it as he tucked it under his shirt.  It hung to halfway down his chest and was a warm weight, when he thought it should have been cold.  Inside the box was another letter, this was folded and wedged in the top.  Harry dug it out and unfolded it.

Harry,

This is a thank you for rescuing me last year.  I know there’s no possible way I could repay you but consider this it.

Thank you.

Ginny

Harry smiled and folded the letter back up, closing his eyes as he did so.  He murmured, “No trouble, Gin.  No trouble a’tol.”

If Severus heard, he made no sign.

The last owl was a gift from Mika, which was a newer addition of Niamh’s Aurors of the Centuries.  According to the Slytherin’s short letter, the book was charmed to add in new pages whenever they were created, which Harry knew Niamh’s version did not (it was also two years older).  He wondered for a moment how Mika could have gotten a hold of the book then remembered that he had said his father was a ‘paranoid old Auror’.  Shaking his head, he picked up the letter from the last owl, which was his Hogwarts letter.

“Why did’n ye get this?”

Severus looked up from Two Cities and replied, “Minerva sends those out.  And as if would look rather strange for me to go to her cottage to get it, I decided against it.”

“Oh.”

Severus chuckled then turned back to his book as Harry opened the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter, (Harry snorted here, earning a half-glance from Severus)

Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first.  The Hogwarts Express will leave from King’s Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o’clock.

Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends.  Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.

A list of book for next year is enclosed.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry pulled out the permission form and looked at it.  Hogsmeade was the wizarding town he had heard about just down from Hogwarts.  According to the twins, they’re butter beer was spot on.

“Da?”

“Hmm?”

Harry slid the permission form across the now owl-free table to his father, who picked it up.  After a moment he said, “I’ll have to think about it.  First, breakfast.  I believe it should be here any…”

Before he could finish his sentence plates full of steaming food popped up onto the table, accompanied by a large pitcher of pumpkin juice.

“…minute.”

Harry chuckled and picked up his fork, hissing to Hedwig before he dug in.

Niamh sat dejectedly in her room, idly twirling her eagle-feather quill.  She was locked up in her room with no way to contact her friends besides Hermione, who had left for the Burrow earlier.

So, here was Niamh, sitting in her room bored out of her skull and wishing she could transfigure her parents into snails.

Suddenly there was a knock from downstairs.

Niamh leapt to the window and peered out but couldn’t see the front door because of the roof built over it and the porch.

Damn!

She threw her quill across the room where it lodged itself into the doorframe just as the door opened.

“Gods, Ni.  Are ye tryin’ ter kill me?”

Niamh whirled, eyes widening.

“HARRY!”

She flung herself onto her friend, sending him tumbling to the floor in the hall.  Harry grinned and said, “Yeh.  Me.  Come ter rescue ye from this…what would ye call it?”

“Hell,” replied Niamh, grinning down at her friend, who had changed over the summer.  He had grown much taller, towering over her even more than he already had, and his words had become more normal, even if his voice had kept its street sound, his accent had lingered off.  Beyond that, he was the same longhaired boy she knew.

“So, come to rescue the damsel in distress?”

“Damsel?” snorted Harry.  “Ye could never be a damsel in distress, Ni.  Its jus’ not ye.”

“Damn right, its not.  How’d you get here anyway?”

“How else would he get here, Miss O’Feir?  I brought him.”

Niamh looked up to see Snape standing at the head of the stairs, her mother cowering behind him.

“Professor!”

Snape smiled.

“Yes, Miss O’Feir.  Now, if you wouldn’t mind getting off Mr. Potter and grabbing your trunk so we may be going…”

“Going?” asked Niamh in confusion.

“I believe you were invited to stay at the Weasley’s?”

“…yes, sir.”

“Then that is where we are going.  Get your things, girl!”

Snape then turned and, sending her mother into hysterics with a glare, stormed downstairs.

Niamh looked down at Harry (she was still sitting on him) and asked, “Is he always like this?”

“Na always,” replied Harry.  “He’s jus’ got ter keep up appearances.  Wi’ me he’s…I doan know.  Normal.”

“Snape being normal.  Now there’s an image…”

“Oh, sod off an’ get yer stuff.  Ron’s expecting us.”

Niamh nodded and leapt up, dashing into her room.  She threw everything she had gotten out into her trunk and slammed the lid down before she grabbed one end and Harry grabbed the other to drag it out.  By the time they had gotten it to the top of the stairs, Snape had looked up and pointed his wand at it, shrinking it.  Niamh picked up the tiny trunk and tucked it into her pocket, blinking at the sight of her father standing frozen in outrage in the kitchen doorway.

“She won’t be going!”

Snape turned to him and said silkily, “I’d like to see you stop one of the two best Hexers at Hogwarts from doing as she wills.”

“She can’t do magic!”

“She can if I say she can,” said Snape as he ushered Niamh and Harry out.

“Could I really, sir?” asked Niamh as they walked away from her front door.

“Certainly.  Right after I perform a tiny charm that hides it from the Ministry.”

“Could you do that?”

Snape looked down at Niamh, caught the glint in her eyes, and said, “No.  I am afraid not.”

“Aww, drat.”

Harry laughed and slung his arm about his friends shoulder.  Her head barely came up to his shoulder.

“Doan worry, Ni.  Two more weeks an’ we’ll be back at Hogwarts.”

“Merlin help me when that happens,” said Severus good-naturedly.

“Oi, we’re na that bad, Da!”

“Your close.  Veery close.”

Harry snorted and shook his head while Niamh looked between the two of them, marveling at how close they had obviously come since the end of second year.

“Something wrong, Niamh?”

“No, professor.”

Severus arched an eyebrow but said, “Alright.  This way, you two.  Can’t have the Muggle’s see us vanish into thin air, now can we?”

Harry chuckled and steered Niamh into an alleyway.  Severus followed, holding out a battered copy of Oliver Twist.  The two teens grasped the book and a moment later they were gone.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Ooophf!”

Harry tightened his grip about Niamh’s shoulders and kept her from falling as the Portkey landed them right on the lawn in front of the Burrow.  Severus in his black robes stood out starkingly while Harry and Niamh in their jeans and t-shirt’s fit right in.

“Harry!  Niamh!”

Ron came bursting out of the house, followed swiftly by Hermione and Mrs. Weasley.  The older woman nodded at Snape and said, “Hello, Severus.”

“Hello, Molly.”

“It’s good to see you again.  You look – well.”

“Thank you.”  Snape gestured at Harry and Niamh and said, “I believe these are yours.”

Mrs. Weasley nodded and smiled.

“Yes, I believe they are.  Thank you for bringing them.”

“My pleasure,” said Severus with a flourish, winking at Harry and Niamh before he straightened and Apparated away.

“Come inside, dears,” said Mrs. Weasley.  “Harry, how you’ve grown!”

Harry flushed slightly.  By now he was challenging Ron for height.  And the way it looked, he was probably going to end up taller than his friend.

Niamh poked him in the ribs and he glared down at her, earning a bright grin in response.

As soon as they were inside, a red whirlwind from the kitchen threw itself onto him.

“HARRY!”

“There you are!  I was beginning to wonder if the two of you were ever going to get here.”

Harry grinned over Ginny’s red hair at Mika.  The white-haired boy was leaning against the doorframe, smiling.  But his dark eyes were darting from Harry down to Ginny and back.

Harry immediately understood.

Mika had a crush on Ginny.

He smirked inwardly and disengaged Ginny from his chest, grinning down at her.  She grinned back, brown eyes glittering.

“‘Lo, Gin.”

She blushed and murmured, “Hello, Harry.”

Harry smiled and said, “I’m wearing yer gift.”

Ginny’s eyes widened and Ron looked at his questioningly.  Mika looked furious.

“R-r-really?”

Harry nodded and pulled the basilisk necklace out from under his shirt to where it lay out in the open, the emerald eyes glittering.  Ginny flushed even more and ducked her head.

Niamh nudged Harry in the ribs and he heard her thoughts clearly in his head as Jardin had fluttered in from the Weasley’s living room.  Harry had sent the raven earlier that day to wait for him.

Look, she’s blushing.

Hush, Ni.

Oh, but she’s so cute when she blushes…

Harry rolled his eyes.

You do know what that sounds like don’t you?

Yes.  Do I look like a give a damn?

Not in the slightest.

Good.

Niamh grinned and Harry smiled.  Hermione glanced between Mika and Harry and decided to quickly change the subject.

“When are you going to tell us the Big Secret, Harry?”

Harry frowned and considered it for a moment.

“Now’s good, I ‘spose.  Le’s go up ter Ron’s room.”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

< Harry, this is crazy. >

Shut up, Jar.

Jar, its not crazy.  Harry has to tell them!

< No, he doesn’t! >

Yes, he does!

Jar, if I don’t tell them and they find out I might as well have let the basilisk kill me.

< Fine.  But just remember that I had no part in this! >

Of course you didn’t, Jar.

Harry turned from his conversation with the raven, which was perched on the headboard of Ron’s bed watching Scabbers snooze on the windowsill.  The rat had been looking worse and worse ever since Ron and his family had returned from their trip to Egypt.

“So, Harry, going to tell us or are we going to sit here all day?”

Harry looked at Mika, who was perched on Ron’s bed with Ginny.  Ron himself was sitting on the other side of the bed while Hermione and Niamh had settled on his and Mika’s trunks.  Harry himself was sitting on the floor.

“Yeh.  I am.”

“So, what is it?” asked Ron, blue eyes bright.

Harry looked at Jardin, who looked balefully back at him, then turned towards Niamh, who nodded reassuringly.  Turning back to his friends, Harry took a deep breath and muttered something in Elven before looking up again.

“Professor Snape is me father.”

The reaction to this statement was not completely what Harry had expected.

Ron had promptly fallen off his bed in shock and began to laugh.  Ginny’s jaw had dropped and she stared at Harry.  Niamh simply looked amused.

But it was Hermione and Mika’s reactions that were unexpected.  Hermione looked hard at his face, brow furrowed.  Mika’s dark eyes studied him then did the tiny flicker that told Harry the boy was delving into his memories.  If there was one thing Mika had going for him besides his extraordinary cunning, it was his photographic memory.

Ginny was the first to speak.  Jardin got a word in before she did.

< And now the shit hits the fan. >

Shut UP, Jar.

“Y-your not are you, Harry?”

Harry nodded slowly and her eyes bulged.  He laughed inwardly.  For all of being in Slytherin, the girl still carried the thought that Snape was all her brothers had said he was.

Mika’s eyes suddenly snapped back and he narrowed them at Harry.

“Its true.”

It wasn’t a question.  Harry was surprised Mika hadn’t figured it out earlier.  Hell, he was surprised Hermione hadn’t figured it out earlier.

Then he noticed the suspicious flicker in the other boy’s eyes.

What the…?

Then it hit him.

Mika’s father was an Auror.

Harry’ was a Death Eater – even if he had never truly sided with them, he still carried the Mark.

Shit.

If Mika’s father was an Auror, he most likely had told him about Snape.  Hence the reason Mika was eying Harry as though he was the next Voldemort waiting to happen.

Well, he’d have to have a talk with the other boy about that…

Ron finally pulled himself up off the floor and back onto the bed, saying, “You’re joking, right?”

Harry looked seriously at his friend and shook his head.  Ron’s jaw dropped and his eyes bulged.

“Sn-Snape is your father?”

Harry nodded.

“C’mon, mate.  It’s got to be a joke.”

“And why is tha’?” asked Harry, quirking an eyebrow.

“B-because,” stuttered Ron.  “H-he’s… he’s…”

Nice impression of Quirrel, said Niamh.

Sod off about Quirrel, snarled Harry in response.

“Evil?” suggested Niamh, glaring mentally at Harry.

“Yeah!  And you’re…well, not.”

Niamh laughed and said, “Our Harry not evil?  Ron, my boy, you haven’t seen and evil plot until you’ve seen Harry’s!”

“Yer na helping,” growled Harry, glaring at her.

Ron gaped.

Hermione spoke now.

“So…its true.  You’re Professor Snape’s son.”

“Las’ time I checked.”

“How?”

“How do we know, is more like it,” growled Ron.

Niamh sighed.  “Ron, haven’t you noticed things similar between the two of them?  Especially now?  Harry looks like spitting perfect image of Snape!”

“An’ I tried so hard ter do tha’,” said Harry sarcastically.

“Plus, there’s the teeny fact that they both have the same glare and get ticked off at the slightest things.”

“Now I resen’ tha’ remark!”

“Shut up.  And have you ever noticed that they are both as scary as hell when they’re angry?”  She glared at Harry, as if daring him to contradict her.  He held up in hands in defense and smirked at her.

Ron frowned for a moment then his face clouded and he snarled, “You snake!”  He leapt to his feet and Harry followed, eyes narrowed.  From his wrist Hedwig issued a remark that sounded like, “He’sss not a sssnake!  I am!”

“You slimy, Slytherin snake!  You’ve known all along, haven’t you?  I bet you’ve even been chumming with Malfoy behind our backs, laughing at how stupid we were for believing your act!”

In that moment, Ron’s anger dissipated.  If the rage playing across Harry’s face hadn’t done it, the rage in his eyes did.  And flicking underneath that: betrayal, outrage, and sadness.  Those green eyes made Ron want to curl up into a ball, just so they wouldn’t be staring at him.

Harry pulled his lips back from his teeth in a snarl and his fists clenched until the knuckles burned white.  He dearly wanted to punch Ron in that moment.

But he didn’t.

Instead, using every bit of his control, he leaned forward so their noses almost touched and snarled, “If ye knew me truly, ye’d know how I’d never CONSIDER chumming with Malfoy.”  With that he turned on his heel and stormed out the door, which had thrown itself open.  The door slammed against the wall hard enough that it almost slammed itself shut, leaving a dent behind in the wall where it was hit and a hole where the doorknob had.

The four of them sat there for a moment before Jardin took off out the window, glaring balefully at Ron, who shivered and turned away.

Only to find himself looking down the nine inches of Niamh’s ebony wand.

The girl’s blue eyes burned with cold fire as she snarled, “If we were at Hogwarts, you would be writhing in pain at my feet, begging for mercy right now.  As we’re not, I’ll just do with cursing you when we get there.”  She then pocketed her wand and stormed out after Harry.

Mika leaned back against the headboard and said, “Now you’ve done it, Weasley.”

“Done what?” snapped Ron.

“Seriously pissed off the Lord and Lady Hex.  If you don’t recall, they earned those nicknames by being the best hexers in the school.”

Ron paled, freckles standing out sharply.  He had forgotten.

Ginny suddenly turned and slapped him hard enough to snap his head to the side, tears pooling in her eyes.

“Ron – how could you?!”

Before he could answer, she fled the room.

Hermione shook her head and, eyes blazing, said, “I have half the mind to follow her, you know.  Even if Harry is Snape’s son, you shouldn’t have said that and you know it.”

“Please don’t,” begged Ron.

“Alright.  But only because I’m probably the only one here who can set this right.”

As Hermione rose and sat down on the bed beside him, Ron asked, “What about Mika?”

“Not with him look at Harry like he’s the next You-Know-Who.”

Mika blinked.  She had caught that?

Hermione glared at him then leaned against Ron, closing her eyes.  She murmured, “This is going to take a lot of work.”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Harry!  HAROLD JAMES POTTER!”

“Actually i’s Harold Jamison Snape,” said a voice from above her.  Niamh looked up and found Harry sitting on a branch in the tree she was standing under.  Part of his long-sleeved shirt had pulled up to where she could see the tip of one of the scars on his arm and the garden snake she had sent him for his birthday.  She heard it hiss and Harry hissed back at it, the sound making Niamh jump slightly.  It sounded – threatening.

“Harry?”

Harry turned from the snake and smiled down at Niamh.

“Sorry, Ni.  Hedwig was jus’ saying somethin’ about Ron.”

Niamh grabbed a low branch and pulled herself up so she sat on a branch just below Harry.

“What did she say about Ron?”

“She says tha’ he’s an ignorant arse.”

Niamh laughed.  “I like this snake.  What did you say you were calling her?”

“Hedwig.”

Niamh’s eyes widened and Harry smiled.

“She chose i’.”

“Oh.”

They were silent for a moment then Niamh punched her palm with her fist.  She growled, “Damn Ron!  Damn him!  How could he?  He knows how much you hate Malfoy!”

Harry placed a reassuring hand on his friends shoulder.

“But ‘e hates Snape jus’ as much.”

Niamh said something Harry knew she could only have learned from someone off the streets then snapped, “How can you be so bloody calm?”

“I’m na,” replied Harry, turning his head to look out of the tree towards Ottery St. Catchpole.

“Then what are you doing?  You look pretty damn calm to me.”

“Something yer not.”

“And why should I be!  Ron just practically insulted you and Mika kept looking at you like you were a criminal!”

Harry smirked, “Ye caught tha’, did ye?”

“Harry,” growled Niamh, “be bloody serious or I’ll kill you with my bare hands.  Right after I kill Ron.”

Harry sighed and turned his head sideways to look at her.  She noticed he had the same glint in his eyes that he had whenever he was forming one of his dutifully called ‘evil plots’.

“Yes?”

“Alrigh’.”  Harry turned back to look towards the village and said, “I’m thinkin’ o’ how many ways I can possibly kill Ron withou’ actually killing him.”

Niamh was silent for a moment then – true to Niamh style – asked, “How many have you come up with so far?”

Harry couldn’t help but smirk at her question and held up his hand as he ticked them off.

“Drawing, quartering, hanging, shooting, disemboweling, drowning, poisoning, beating, flaying, an’ having him eaten by snakes.”  He added quickly, “An’ tha’s not counting all the deadly curses I could put ‘im through.”

Niamh smirked and said, “If you do decide to do one of them, I have only one request.”

“Wha’?”

“Let me help!”

Harry burst out laughing at his friend’s plea.  Despite Ron’s anger at him and Mika’s suspicion, he could still laugh.  Niamh seemed to realize this as well and gave a rather forced looking smile.

“So, now what?”

“Now,” said Harry, leaning back against the trunk of the tree, “we wai’.”

“For what?”

“Who knows?”

< For something to happen, of course, > said Jardin as he landed on Harry’s knee, rubbing his head against his master’s hand.  Hedwig hissed reassuringly and Harry smiled as Niamh added her now unforced smile to it.

“Exactly, Jar.  Fer something ter happen.”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

In Ron’s bedroom, a rat pretended to snooze.  But this was not ordinary rat.  Nooo.  It couldn’t possibly be an ordinary rat.

Peter Pettigrew had to try hard not to open his eyes in shock when he had heard what the boy, the boy he had thought to be his best friend’s son, had said.

No, his once best friend.  He had betrayed them.  All of them.

But now he knew that James’ son had not been who they all had thought he was.

Had Lily known? wondered Peter as he lay on the windowsill.

He would never know.  Not now.  Not when Lily and James were dead.

But the boy lived.

And so did his father.

Harry and Ron avoided each other like the plague that first week at the Burrow.  Niamh and Ginny stuck around Harry like faithful bodyguards, the two of them glaring at Ron whenever they saw him.  Mika stayed out of the middle of everything while Hermione ran back and forth between Harry and Ron, trying to get them to apologize.  It wasn’t until Niamh made if quite clear on Friday how the situation could be fixed that Hermione calmed her efforts.

“Harry isn’t going to forgive Ron until he apologizes.  Only Ron has a damn reason in the world to apologize and if he doesn’t, I will make his life a living Hell.”  She had looked coldly at Ron as she said this, making the boy shiver and turn away.

On Saturday morning before they left for Diagon Alley, Fred and George took a good look at the six younger people sitting in the living room.  Ron was sitting in a chair on one side of the room, Hermione sitting in another chair beside him.  Ginny and Niamh had made claim on the couch on the other side of the room and eyes Ron coldly; Harry sprawled casually on the cushion between them, Hedwig curled up on his lap.  Mika was sprawled on the floor between the groups in a half-doze, Jardin standing by his head and messing up his hair.

Fred turned to his twin and asked, “Do you know what’s going on?”

“Not a clue.  They’ve been like this ever since Harry and Niamh got here.”

“I know.  Harry, Niamh, and Ginny all in one group; Hermione and Ron in another.  Mika seems to be staying out of whatever’s going on.”

“The question,” said George, “is what is going on?”

Fred shrugged.

“I don’t know.  But I bet you a Canary Cream Harry’s right at the heart of it.”

“He always is.”

“Should we ask him?”

“Of course.”

“Today?”

“Today,” said George, grinning.

Fred grinned as well and the two of them slunk off.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“May I mention how much I hate Floo travel?”

“Ye just did,” said Harry blandly.

They were wandering about Diagon Alley now.  Ron and Hermione had gone off on their own as soon as they arrived, Mika trailing behind them.  Which left Niamh, Ginny, and Harry together as the twins had already taken off.

“Hey, look!  They’ve got a new broom!”

Niamh, of course.  The girl ran swiftly over to the Quidditch supply store where a crowd had gathered around one of the windows.  Harry and Ginny followed, Harry in a little better mood at the thought of a new type of broom.

When they finally got up to the window, they found Niamh there with her nose pressed up against the glass, blue eyes wide as saucers.  Harry casually leaned on her shoulders, knowing she was too out of it to notice, and read the sign in the window.

THE FIREBOLT

This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a stream-lined, superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number.  Each individually selected birch twin in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision.  The Firebolt has an acceleration of 150 miles and hour in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable Braking Charm.  Price on request.

Harry looked at the broom in the window and arched his eyebrows.  It was a fine looking broom but the Nimbus 2001 his father had given him was quite fine and had never failed him.  After a few more moments of gawking, he forcibly dragged Niamh away from Quality Quidditch Supplies and to the Apothecary, Ginny trailing behind.  He had come here several times with his father over the summer hols so he now knew the shop from top to bottom and the owner (a distant cousin of his father’s) very well.

“Good mornin’, Basil.”

“Good morning, Harry.  School supplies, I presume?”

“Yeh.”

Basil ran a hand through his silver-shot, black hair and pushed his wire-frame spectacles further up on his rather hawkish nose as he came out of the back room.  His sea-green eyes brightened as he saw Niamh and Ginny flanking Harry.

“Ingredients for all of you?”

Harry nodded and Basil set to work.  In no time, he had replenished their supplies and was taking their money.  As Harry paid, the man whispered, “I’ll just put this on Severus’ tab and make sure this gets back in your vault.”

“No…”

“Harry, m’lad, its fine.  I know Severus won’t mind, so don’t you be worrying.”

Harry frowned but nodded anyway.

“Alrigh’.  Ye know ye can mention Da ‘round them.”  He motioned at Niamh and Ginny, who were studying an unidentifiable pickled creature in a jar.

Basil nodded at something over Harry’s shoulder.

“But not in front of them, I think.”

Harry turned and saw Draco and his father standing in the Apothecary doorway.  He scowled then turned back to Basil.

“Definitely na.”

Basil nodded and said loudly, “Have a good day, Mr. Potter.  Ah, Mr. Malfoy and young Master Malfoy.  What may I do for you today?”

Lucius brushed past Harry, not even looking at him.  Draco however sneered at Harry, who happily replied with a dark scowl.  He grabbed his potions supplies and walked swiftly over to Niamh and Ginny, who had also noticed Draco.  The three of them cast dark looks in his direction before they left.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Harry, Niamh, and Ginny were walking back to the Leaky Cauldron to meet back up with the Weasley’s when two pairs of hands grabbed Harry.  Niamh and Ginny let out surprised yelps as he vanished without a trace.  They looked frantically around but nothing was around them but store fronts and a wall.

Meanwhile, Harry drove his elbow hard into the gut of one of his captors.  They had pulled him through a wall, which was – in reality – only an illusion.  Whoever it was grunted and released him.  As he spun and aimed a high kick at the other one’s head, a pained voice growled, “So much for being friends.”

Harry blinked and twisted in mid-kick, sending himself spinning to the ground.  Hedwig made a rather violent complaint from his wrist while he regained his bearings.

“Fred?  George?”

“Now, he notices,” grunted George, who was the one Harry had jabbed in the stomach.

Harry pushed himself up off the ground and brushed himself off.  After telling Hedwig such a think couldn’t be done with a wand, he glared at the twins coldly.

“Wha’ in the bloody heck was tha’ for?”

“We want to talk to you,” replied Fred.

“And ye couldn’t do it outside?”  Harry closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them, growling, “Ni is going to kill ye two for this.”

“We’ll survive,” said George.  “We want to talk to you about why you and Ron aren’t talking.”

Harry scowled.

“Why?”

“We want to know what ickle Ronnikins could have done to keep you two from talking and made Ginny angry at him,” replied Fred.

Harry growled and spat a curse.  He snarled something in Elven or Parseltongue after that – he wasn’t sure which –, making Fred and George look at each other nervously.  Scowling at them, he inwardly berated himself for telling his friends his true parentage at all.  Perhaps he should have listened to Jardin….

Which posed a question; why had Jardin not wanted him to tell them?  It simply wasn’t to keep it secret.

Harry shook that thought off for the situation at hand.

“I doan know what yer talking about.”

“I’m ssssure they’ll believe that,” hissed Hedwig from his wrist.

Fred and George looked at him skeptically.

“You know what we’re talking about, Harry,” said Fred.

“C’mon, you can tell us,” said George.

“I don’t trusssst them,” hissed Hedwig.

“Tha’s because they tried tha’ potion on ye,” muttered Harry to the snake.  Hedwig hissed irritably in response but said nothing.  Harry scowled at her and George blinked.

“I know.”

“Know wha’?” asked Harry, narrowing his eyes.

“Know what you told Ron and them,” replied George.  “You’re Snape’s son, aren’t you?”

“How’d you guessss?”

“Shut up,” spat Harry to the snake.

Fred gaped, “Its true, isn’t it?”

Harry sighed and nodded slowly.  “Yeh.  Its true.”

“No wonder Ron blew up,” said George.  “He hates Snape more than Malfoy.”

Harry blinked at the two of them.

“An’ ye two don’t?”

“Us?” said Fred innocently.  “No.  Not in the slightest.”

“We enjoy his class.”

“A lot…”

“Annoy him to death…”

“…and of course, get lessons in our spare time.”

“Potions lessons?”

“Yep,” said Fred with a nod.  “Turns out Snape’s not such a slimy git after all – no offense, Harry.  He’s been helping up make potions since our second year.”

“Seems he was quite a prankster in school, too.  Some of our stuff comes from him.”

Fred waved a hand and said, “But enough about us.  We’re talking about you.”

Harry snorted then asked, “How did ye two know?”

“That you’re his son?”

Harry nodded.

“Well,” said George, “we didn’t really know; just suspected.”

“For a long time.”

“A very long time.”

“How long?” asked Harry.

“Since we met you,” replied the twins in unison.

“What?!”

“Yep,” said Fred, nodding.  “You and Snape have the same scowl.”

“Right scary, that is,” added George.

Harry shook his head, shaking with silent laughter.

“So – ye two ‘ave known – suspected – all this time?”

The twins nodded.

Harry shook his head then froze when a hand reached through the ‘wall’, followed swiftly by a furious Niamh.  Ginny followed her, smiling when she spotted Harry.  Niamh scowled at Harry and snarled, “There you are.  I ought to kill you for doing that to me!”

Harry pointed at the twins and said, “They did i’.”

Niamh whirled, eyes narrowing to cold slits.

“You two…”

The twins looked at each other nervously then back at Niamh.

“Now, c’mon, Ni…”

“We just wanted to talk to Harry.”

“Nothing harmful.”

“Just talk.”

“About what?” growled Niamh.

“Ni, they know.”

“How in the sodding hell do they know?”

Niamh spun to face Harry again, eyes wide, then turned back to Fred and George.  Ginny moved over to Harry as she began to interrogate the twins.

“Are you okay?”

Harry nodded and looked down at Ginny, watching Niamh out of the corner of his eye.

“Yeh, I’m fine.  I elbowed George when they grabbed me, so I doan think they’ll try tha’ again.”  He glanced at Niamh and grinned.  “An’ I doubt they want to incur Ni’s wrath again.”

Ginny giggled and nodded.

“So, you two have known since you met Harry?  Why didn’t you say a fragging thing?”

“We told you, Ni…”

“…we didn’t know for sure.”

“We simply…”

“…suspected.”

“STOP FINISHING EACH OTHER’S SENTENCES!!”

The twins simply grinned while Niamh glowered at them.  Harry smacked his hand against his forehead and let out a low moan then jerked as Ginny let out a tiny shriek.

“Oh God!  Mum’s going to kill us!”

The twins looked at their watches then at each other and even Niamh paled.  All of them had gotten on Mrs. Weasley’s bad side with the exception of Harry, who simply arched an eyebrow at them then walked out of the illusion into the street.  Ginny followed him, eyes darting about nervously, and the other three followed her.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Where have you five been?”

“Erm…”

“Well…”

“Y’see…”

Mrs. Weasley placed her hands on her hips and glared up at her sons before turning her piercing gaze to a twitching Niamh and Ginny before flashing it to an unnerved Harry, who was almost as tall as the twins.

“Well?”

When no one else answered, Harry sighed and said, “Ginny dropped ‘er stuff an’ we had ter pick it up.”

Niamh gaped at him.  It wasn’t often that she heard him lie.  He flicked a half-scowl and she pulled her jaw back up.

Mrs. Weasley frowned at Harry for a moment then at the other four before turning back to her other children, Hermione, and Mika.  She then grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the mantle above the fireplace in the pub and threw it in.  Ron scrambled in first and the rest of them followed swiftly.

“The train will leave in ten minutes.  All Hogwarts students please get your luggage on board.”

Harry tugged his trunk off of the trolley he had wheeled it in on, dragging it towards the train.  The familiar weight of Jardin settled on his shoulder and the raven tugged at his hair, which Mrs. Weasley had insisted on cutting, as it was ‘ridiculously long’.  So now it was back to just gracing his shoulders, which Mrs. Weasley had said afterwards made him look unnervingly like a young Severus Snape.  Niamh had snorted when she had heard that, spraying milk out her nose.

Harry sighed and pulled his trunk onto the train, searching for an empty car.  The only one he found was occupied by the prone figure of a man with light brown hair flecked with gray.  Harry frowned at him for a moment then crept silently into the cab, muttering to Jardin and Hedwig to keep quiet.  Just as he dug out one of the books he had snitched from his father’s collection (a tome on the dark arts that he had cast an illusion over to make it appear as a potions book) Niamh came bounding into the car.

“Oh hap…”

Harry cut her off with a sharp Hush! and a nod towards the sleeping man.  She blinked then nodded and sat beside him, shoving her trunk under the seat.  A moment later Ginny entered, much more subdued than Niamh, and squeezed herself into the space between Harry and Niamh.  Harry simply glanced at the two girls over his book, stretched out his long legs, and read.  He didn’t look up until the cab door opened again.

“C’mon, Ron, there’s room in here.”

Harry looked up just as Hermione entered the car, followed by Ron, who glanced nervously at Harry.  Mika hovered by the door for a moment, frowning, then muttered something and walked off.  A few minutes later he returned and sat on the floor.

“Who’s that?” asked the white-haired boy after a few moments of silence.

“R. J. Lupin,” replied Harry lazily.

“How do you know?”

Harry simply pointed at the battered bag under the man’s arm.  The letters ‘R. J. Lupin’ were stitched into it.

“Oh,” said Mika dumbly.

Harry rolled his eyes and turned back to his book.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

A few hours later Harry looked up.  He had felt….something.

Closing the book, he sat up, looking at Hermione, who was the only other person in the car that was awake.  She stared back at him then looked out the window.

“We stopped,” she said simply.

Harry frowned and looked over at the man before turning back to the cab door.  He was getting a bad feeling…

And then the lights went out.

“What the…?”

“What’s going on?”

“Who turned out the lights?”

“How should I know?”

“Quiet!”

Light sprang up in the tiny room, illuminating the pale, drawn face of the older man.  But his gray eyes were bright and alert.  He looked at all of them and said, “Stay here.”  As he rose and reached for the door of the cab, it opened.

And Harry felt a chill like nothing he had ever felt before enter the cab.

A tall, hooded figure slid inside and all the warmth seemed to be sucked away.  The creature let out a rattling breath and Harry saw a pale, scabbed gray hand slid out from under its ragged black robes.  It turned towards him and that’s when it happened.

It started out softly.  The screams.  His screams.  An image flashed before his eyes as he saw his first beating from Argil.  God, how he had screamed.

Then it changed.

He heard more screams.  But they weren’t his.  They were….a woman’s.

Then he was falling….falling in the swirling white mist….

“Harry!  Harry!”

Crack!

Someone slapped him hard, snapping his head to the side.  As they did it a second time, he blinked.  By the time their hand came towards him again he was aware enough to reach up and grab it.  Looking up, he glared at Niamh.

“Do ye mind?”

Niamh gave him a rather strained smile and deadpanned, “You’re alive.”

Harry rolled his eyes and said blandly, “Yer observation skills amaze me.  Now, GEROFF!!”  He shoved her backwards off of him, which sent her and Mika sprawling onto the floor.

“Thank you sooo much, Potter,” grumbled Mika from under Niamh.

Harry smirked and said, “Yer welcome, Davids.”

Suddenly Professor Lupin reappeared in the cab, a large chocolate bar in his hand.  He broke it into pieces and handed one to each of them; the biggest of which he gave to Harry.

“You should eat that.”

Harry took the chocolate, only just noticing that his hand was shaking.  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before biting into the chocolate.  Warmth spread through his slightly shivering body.

“Did anyone else ‘ear?”

“Hear what?” asked Hermione.

“The screams,” replied Harry softly.

Niamh arched her eyebrows while Hermione shook her head.  Mika said, “I didn’t hear anything.  It just got cold and you slid down to the floor.  Gin was shaking like mad, too.”

Harry looked up at the red-haired girl and saw her still shivering slightly, the piece of chocolate Professor Lupin had given her beginning to melt in her hand.  He eased himself up beside her and gave her a gentle poke.  She jumped and stared at him, eyes seeming to be staring through him.

“No…please…don’t….please, Tom.”

Harry’s eyebrows flew up into his hair and he quickly shook the girl.

“Gin.  Gin, snap out o’ it.”

Ginny jumped and stared at him again.  This time her brown eyes were bright and he could see himself reflected in them.

“Oh, God….  What was that?”

“A dementor,” said Professor Lupin.  “A dementor of Azkaban.”

“Dementor,” breathed Harry.  He suddenly noticed that Jardin was lying on the floor in a heap.

“Jar!”

Harry swept the limp bundle up into his arms, pushing up his sleeve to check on Hedwig.  Professor Lupin froze when he saw the pale scars up and down the boy’s arm.  The teen wasn’t paying any attention but his other friends thought he had frozen because of the snake curled limply around Harry’s thin wrist.

“Jar?  Jar?”

Jar, wake up.

The raven stirred weakly and his eyes opened so a pale slit of gold showed.

< Harry? >

Harry’s face broke into a smile.

You’re okay.

Jardin rustled a wing and blinked, eyes steadily opened wider.  Niamh snaked forward a hand and brushed them against the raven’s inky feathers.

You’re not dead.

Jardin gave a throaty laugh in their heads, his eyes glittering with laughter.

< My dear lady, as I told you when we met, the only thing that can kill my kind is Avada Kedavra. >

For which I am glad, said Harry, grinning mentally and physically.  He then turned his attention to Hedwig, who was shivering about his wrist.

“Hed?”

The black snake shivered more but managed a feeble, “Harry?”

Harry handed the recovering Jardin to Niamh, ignoring everyone else in the car as he unwound Hedwig’s coils from his wrist and held her up.  The snake shivered and curled her body up around his hand, her wedge-shaped head turning to rest on his knuckles.  He hissed in a soft voice, “Hedwig?”

Meanwhile, the other people in the car watched this in either awe or confusion.  Professor Lupin was staring openly at Harry.  His mouth moved to silently say, “Parseltongue.”  Niamh cradled Jardin in her arms, watching Harry.  Ginny did as well, listening as he murmured to the snake in Parseltongue.  It sounded nothing as it had the year before at the Dueling Club or from when she could remember him unconsciously cursing in the language.  Then it had sounded harsh and…well, evil.  Now it was almost….soothing.  The expressions on Mika, Hermione, and Ron’s faces seemed to echo her thoughts.

“Harry…” hissed Hedwig feebly, cracking open one eye.  “Ssso cold.”

Harry blinked and breathed, “The dementor.  It affected ye?”

Hedwig closed her eyes and shivered again, whispering, “Cold…”

Harry looked sympathetically at the tiny garden snake for a moment before uncurling her from his hand.  He looked up at Professor Lupin and asked, “Will the chocolate help ‘er?”

Gray eyes blinked and Lupin gave a little shake.  He then nodded and said, “I suppose it will.”

Harry’s eyes flickered at that then he broke off a tiny piece of chocolate from the unfinished slab resting on his leg.  He held it out to the snake and hissed, “C’mon, Hed.  Eat.”

Hedwig’s eyes opened to slits.  “What isss it?”

“It’ll back ye better.”

“Alright.”

The snake flicked out her tongue then took the hunk of chocolate between her jaws.  They waited in silence until she swallowed it.  Immediately she improved, eyes flicking open and brightening.  Harry sighed with relief then looked up when Professor Lupin suddenly said, “We’ll be at Hogwarts any minute.  You all should get your robes on.”

A few minutes later they were scrambling out of the train sans Professor Lupin.  Jardin let out a surprised squawk and tried to burrow under Harry’s robes.  Rain was coming down in sheets on the platform.  Hedwig hissed irritably from under Harry’s hat, which was where she had insisted on being placed.  Harry ended up with Jardin cradled in his arms, the raven looking insolently at anyone who happened to be near.

< I hate rain. >

“You and me both,” said Niamh, pushing her sodden hair back from her face.

“Firs’ years this way!  You lot, alrigh’?”

The six of them turned to wave at Hagrid through the rain before trudging up the hill towards the horse-less carriages.  They all crammed inside one and it set off; yet again Mika sat on the floor.  As they rattled up to the gates Harry felt the cold chill settle about him again.  Peering out the window, he saw two towering dementors hovering about the gate.  He suppressed a shiver and patted Ginny’s shoulder reassuringly as she shivered violently beside him.

A few minutes later they were scrambling out of the carriage and heading up to the castle.  Ron spoke for the first time since they had gotten on the train.

“What are all the dementors here for?”

Everyone but Mika shrugged.  The white-haired boy was chewing on his lower lip, dark eyes unfocused.  Harry nudged him inbetween the shoulder blades and asked, “Oi, Mika, wha’s wrong?”

“Er…nothing.”

Niamh snorted and Jardin muttered, < Nothing, my feathered arse. >

“Somethin’s up.  Wha’ is it?” said Harry, blatantly ignoring the raven.

Mika replied, “I can’t tell you.”

“Why?” asked Ginny.

The boy muttered something that sounded like ‘Auror business’, looking down at the ground.

“Ooooh,” said Hermione.

“‘Auror business’,” repeated Niamh.

Mika nodded.

“Secret stuff, y’know.  If anyone knew my da told me…well, let’s just say there’d be trouble.”

“Why’s that?” asked Hermione.

“Because he’s not even supposed to know about Auror business.”

“Hold on.  He’s an Auror and he’s not supposed to know about Auror business?” said Niamh incredulously.  “That makes no sense!”

“It does if he’s a retired Auror,” muttered Mika.

“Ahhh…”

“Potter!  I heard you fainted!”

< Here comes the Great Idiot. >

Harry growled softly and snapped, “Sod off, Malfoy.”

“Was the dementor that scary?  Did you faint too, O’Feir?”

“Is something wrong here?”

Professor Lupin stepped out of the carriage, his battered case in his hand.  Draco eyed the shabbily dressed man in contempt and sneered, “Nothing wrong, professor.  Just talking with my fellow Housemates.”

Lupin blinked, eyes flicking to Draco’s House badge.  His eyes then went to the group of six that had turned to face him and widened when he saw four Slytherin House badges and two Gryffindor winking back at him.

Draco then smirked at Harry and co and headed up the steps, Crabbe and Goyle trailing behind him.  Harry scowled after him and trudged upwards, taking off his hat to pull Hedwig out of his hair.  They joined the throng of students creeping into the Hall and moved inside.

“Miss Granger!”

Hermione muttered a goodbye and went to talk to McGonagall, who was waving at her over the crowd.  Harry, Niamh, Mika, and Ginny separated from Ron and walked over to the Slytherin table.  They sat as far away from Malfoy and his cronies as they could get, settling back to watch the Sorting.

Afterwards Dumbledore stood and addressed the school.

“Welcome!  I have a few things to say and one of them is quite serious.”

“I am sure you are all aware that we are playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, after their search of the Hogwarts Express.  They are here on Ministry of Magic business.”

Niamh leaned over to Harry and whispered, “Dumbledore doesn’t seem too happy about that.”

Harry nodded.  Neither was he, really.

“They are stationed at every entrance onto the grounds, so I must make it plain that no one is to leave the school without permission.  Dementors cannot be fooled by tricks or disguises – or even Invisibility Cloaks (the blue eyes flicked to Harry, who didn’t bat an eye).  It is not in their nature to understand pleading or excuses.  So, I warn you all to give them no reason to harm you.  I hope our prefects and the new Head Boy and Girl will make sure no student runs afoul of the dementors.”

At the Gryffindor table, Percy puffed out his chest.  Further down the table Fred and George erupted in silent laughter.

“And now,” said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling.  “We welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.”

“Firstly, Professor Lupin, who will take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts post.”

There was very little pause for the gray professor except for those who had been in the cab with him.  Harry, Niamh, Mika, and Ginny were the only ones applauding at the Slytherin table and received dark looks from their Housemates, which were quickly turned aside by an even darker scowl from Harry.

“Lookit Snape!” hissed Mika suddenly.

They looked.  Snape was glaring down the table at Lupin, the look on his face telling loads.  It was a look of loathing.  Niamh looked questioningly at Harry, who shrugged and made a note to ask his father about that later.

“Our second new appointment is for the Care of Magical Creatures position.  Professor Kettleburn, sadly, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy time with his remaining limbs.  But, I am happy to announce that Rubeus Hagrid will be taking on this position in addition to his gamekeeping duties.”

Niamh burst into applause but Harry gave very little.  He was imagining the Care of Magical Creatures class with Hagrid.  An image of them being chased around the grounds by a giant spider leapt into his mind and he thumped his head down on the table.

“We’re dead.”

Niamh finished her applause and whispered excitedly, “I should have known!  Who else would have given us a biting book?  Harry, mate, what’s wrong?”

“Nothin’, nothin’,” muttered Harry.

< He’s… >

SHUT UP, JAR!

Jardin rustled his feathers irritably.  < Fine.  Be that way. >

Harry let loose an exasperated sigh then sat up as Dumbledore boomed, “I think that’s everything important so…let the feast begin!”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

The four full Slytherins trudged out of the Great Hall into the entrance hall, heading for the entrance down to the dungeons.  Niamh suddenly drew her wand and growled, “I’ll be back in a moment.”  She then turned and shoved her way through the crowd, heading towards where the Gryffindors were climbing the stairs.

Mika frowned and asked, “Where’s she going?”

Harry looked after Niamh thoughtfully for a moment then replied, “Going ter hex Ron.”

“Ah.  Fulfilling that promise she made?”

“Yeh.”

Ginny stood up on her tiptoes and squealed, “I want to see!  Curse my shortness!”

“Gin, I think you’ve been hanging around Ni too long.”

“Shut up, Mika.”

“See?” said the boy with a grin, earning a glare from the red-head.

“Harreeeeey.”

Harry rolled his eyes then grumbled, “Alrigh’.  Wait till she starts.”

“Yay!”

“Harry, what are you doing?” asked Mika.

“Ye’ll see,” replied Harry simply.  “C’mere, Gin.  She’s started.”

Ginny held out her arms and Harry picked her up easily, the girl being much smaller than him.  Mika glared up at Harry and growled, “You tall bastard.”

“Language, Davids.”

“Sod off, Potter.”

“Snape,” hissed Harry softly with a grin before turning back to watch Niamh gleefully hexing Ron around Ginny, not catching the stony look Mika had given him.

“What isss going on?” hissed Hedwig from his wrist.

“Niamh’s cursin’ Ron,” replied Harry.

“Ahhh.  Good for her.”

“MISS O’FEIR!  IN MY OFFICE, NOW!”

Harry winced and lowered Ginny to the floor.  The red-head frowned and whispered, “McGonagall.”

“Yeh,” said Harry.  “Le’s go.”

“What about Niamh?”

“She can handle ‘erself.  I’m more worried about McGonagall.”

Ginny giggled and the two of them headed down towards Arx Serpens, Mika trailing after them.

“Dickens again?”

Severus looked up from his book as Harry entered his rooms.

“Dickens, indeed.  And should you not be in your dormitory sleeping sweet dreams?”

Harry held up the invisibility cloak and Severus nodded.

“Ah.  Potter’s cloak.  Your mother stole it once so we could sneak about the school, you know.”

“Really?” said Harry as he sat down in a chair, draping the cloak across his lap.

“Yes,” replied Severus, marking his page and setting the book aside.  “We planted garden snakes in the first year Slytherin’s beds.”

“How amusssing,” hissed Hedwig from Harry’s wrist in a sleepy tone.

“So,” said Severus.  “What did Miss O’Feir do to incur Minerva’s wrath?  I heard her yelling all the way down here.”

“Hexed Ron.”

“I see.  What, may I ask, did he do to deserve a hexing from the dear Lady?”

Harry frowned and Severus smirked.

“Yes, I know the nicknames they have given the two of you.”

“Eh.  ‘E’s being a prat again.”

“What in Merlin’s name happened this time?  Last year it was his sister.”

“This year i’s me,” said Harry solemnly.

Severus frowned then stated simply, “You told them.”

Harry nodded in reply.

“I see.  I suspect Mr. Davids gave you a good look over.”

Harry nodded again and said, “Yeh.  Like I was the next Voldemort.”

“His father’s fault, I assure you,” said Severus.  “The man is an old, paranoid Auror who’s probably told his son I am the next Voldemort.”

Harry grinned and asked, “Then what does tha’ make me?”

Severus smiled and reached out to ruffle his son’s hair as he replied, “Why, the Dark Prince, of course.  Who else would succeed the Dark Lord?”

Harry laughed then suddenly asked, “Wha’ are the dementors doing ‘ere?”

“Ah,” said Severus, turning serious.  “I was wondering if you would ask about that.”  He paused for a moment then asked, “Have you ever heard of Sirius Black?”

Harry couldn’t help but note the anger in his father’s voice as he spoke the name.

“Na.”

“Well you’re about to get an education on him.  Black went to school with your mother and I, along with Potter and Lupin.  They and their little sidekick Pettigrew – a pitiful excuse for a Gryffindor – gloried in badgering me.  Your mother tried to warn me beforehand of things they were planning but not even she could help me out of what Black had planned.”

“I had tailed them for several nights when they crept out of the castle but always lost them by the Whomping Willow.  Black told me how to get past it and, like a fool, I went.  I nearly died that night.”

“Died?”

“Mmm,” said Severus with a nod.  Anger laved his voice as he spoke next.  “It turns out that Lupin was – is – a werewolf.  Black apparently thought it would be….amusing to make an attempt on my life.  Potter saved me, amazingly.  It turns out that Lily hexed Black until he told her what he had done then sent Potter after me.  Amazing woman, your mother was.  Lupin tried to apologize to me afterwards and wouldn’t speak to Black for weeks after.  I didn’t accept his apology.”

Harry blinked a few times then said, “Professor Dumbledore hired a werewolf?”

Severus smiled a tight-lipped smile and said, “He hired a Death Eater, didn’t he?”

“Yer na a Death Eater, Da.”

“You, I, and Albus know that.  I doubt anyone else would believe me.”

Harry frowned.

“None o’ the other professors, either?”

“No.  Minerva – as I told you – had never liked me, Filius tends to avoid me, Emily is still nursing a crush on me from school, Poppy doesn’t really care either way, Florence hasn’t spoken to me since I accidentally set her robes on fire first year, and I really don’t care what that old bat Trelawney thinks of me.”

“Ye still ‘aven’ answered my question, Da.  Why are the dementors ‘ere?”

Severus sighed and said, “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

“Tell me anyway!”

“Black escaped from Azkaban.”

Harry blinked.  “The wizard prison?”

Severus nodded.

“‘Ow?”

“That is what is bothering everyone.  It is also why the dementors are here, guarding the school.  They say he was muttering your name over and over in his sleep the night before he escaped.”

“Me name?”

“Yes.”  Severus placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and said, “I want you to stay inside the castle at all times, unless it’s a Quidditch match or you are outside with your friends.”

Harry ducked his head and muttered, “I guess tha’ means no ‘Ogsmeade then.”

“Generally so.”

Harry sighed heavily.  And he had been looking forward to going down to the all wizarding town.  His father hadn’t let him go over the summer.  He yawned suddenly, blinking his eyes blearily.

“Maybe you should get to bed.  Classes tomorrow remember.”

“Yeh.  Wha’ about Professor Lupin?”

Severus looked thoughtful for a moment.

“Be careful around him, that’s all I warn you of.”

Harry nodded and picked up the invisibility cloak, throwing it about his shoulders.  He moved towards the door, stopping to mumble, “G’nigh’, Da.”

“Good night, Harry.”

Harry then pulled the hood over his head and left.  He fell into bed a few moments later, only staying awake long enough to uncurl Hedwig from his wrist and stuff the invisibility cloak under his pillow.  Burrowing under the green blankets on the bed, he closed his eyes, falling asleep in moments.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Wake up!  Wake up!  Wake!  Up!  WAKE!  UP!”

Harry groaned as the bed bounced like a ship at sea.  He reached for a his wand without opening his eyes and pointed it at whoever was keeping him from another hour of sleep, snarling half-heartedly, “Go ‘way unless ye want yer ears fixed to yer wrists.”

The bed stopped bouncing and a voice hissed in his ear, “And if you don’t get up, we’re going to be late for our first class.”

Harry grumbled something about toads in Elven and growled, “Ten more minutes, Ni.”

“We don’t have ten more minutes, Harry.  C’mon!”

“Perhapsss you ssshould try tickling him.”

“Hedwig, you…” began Harry angrily then stopped at Niamh attacked his sides, her fingers digging into him.  He began to laugh uncontrollably, not able to catch his breath.

“Oh….Ni….stop….please….stop…hurts…”

“I’ll stop if you get up,” said Niamh in a singsong voice.

“All….righ’…”

Niamh stopped and patted his cheek before hoping off the bed.  Harry opened his eyes and glared at her.

“Ye are a sadistic braggart.”

“Yes, I know.  Now GET UP!”

Harry cursed but got up, crawling out of bed and staggering to his trunk.  He dressed quickly and pulled his hair back into a ponytail as he walked out of the third year boy’s dorm.  Niamh snagged Hedwig off the dresser, making the snake hiss in complaint.  She handed her to Harry as soon as his hands were free and he let her curl about his wrist.  Hedwig grumbled something about rude humans and broomsticks.  Harry wasn’t awake enough to tell her what she had just described was anatomically impossible.  Especially when a frog was involved.

They entered the Great Hall and Niamh grabbed their schedules from McGonagall as Harry had continued to plod towards the Slytherin table.  Breakfast was short and rushed, then they were off to their first class.

“Okay, Divination.  North tower.  Where in Slytherin’s name is the North Tower?”

“To the north,” replied Harry, earning a glare from Niamh.  He rolled his eyes then rubbed at them sleepily before muttering, “Follow me.”

They got to the North Tower in record time, beating everyone else there, as Harry knew two different ways to get there – the long way and the short way.  Very few people knew the short way, which was behind a tapestry of a dragon fighting a griffin.  Once you stepped behind the tapestry, you came out from behind a portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw in the North Tower.

“Good morning, Harry,” said Rowena good naturedly as the two of them came out from behind her portrait and it swung shut behind them.  Harry mumbled something unintelligible and Rowena blanched.

“Now, that’s not very gentlemanly, Harry.  What would the young lady think of your language?”

“She’d ‘ave ter understand it first,” said Harry to the portrait before turning and walking down the hallway.  Rowena gave a ‘humpf’ and crossed her arms, glaring after him.

“Young scamp.”

Niamh looked at the portrait for a moment then dashed off after Harry.

“Harry, mate!  What was that about?”

“Nothin’, nothin’,” replied Harry with a wave of his hand.  He then said, “We’re ‘ere,” as a silver ladder unrolled from the ceiling above them and fell at their feet.  The two of them looked up to see a trapdoor above them.

“Guess that’s the Divination classroom.”

“Yeh.”

“Shall we go then?”

“Yeh,” replied Harry dully, climbing up the ladder.  He pushed open the trapdoor into the classroom and scrambled up, turning to pull Niamh up after him.  The black-haired girl wrinkled her nose at the smell in the room.

“Ick.”

Harry didn’t say anything in response; he simply walked over to one of the over-stuffed chairs in the rooms and sat down in it.  Niamh followed, sneering at the brightly colored poufs scattered about.  They sat quietly for a few moments until the rest of the third year Slytherins slithered (pardon the pun) into the musty tower.  Mika sneezed several times as he walked over to the table Harry and Niamh had sat down at.

“Damn allergies,” muttered the boy as he sat down, rubbing his nose on his sleeve.

A voice from the other side of them room suddenly drawled, “Hey, Potter, going to entertain us with another faint today?”  There were bits of scattered laughter and Niamh growled, her hand going to her wand.  Harry grabbed her wrist before it got there, meeting her eyes hard before shaking his head.  He looked towards Draco and said casually, “Perhaps ye should entertain us with yer act.  Wha’ was it again?  Screamin’ like a girl?”

Draco’s face tinged pink and he drew his wand, rising from his chair.  In that moment the professor entered and he hurriedly sat down.  Niamh smirked and cackled quietly.

“Welcome.  How nice to see all of you in the physical world.”

Every Slytherin head turned towards the misty voice and Niamh jumped.  Professor Trelawney was tall and thin with a spangled shawl about her shoulders.  Her glasses were huge and magnified her eyes to several times the natural size.  Chains and beads hung about her thin neck and as many bangles and ring adorned her arms and hands.  Mika eyed the professor with unveiled distaste.

“Welcome to Divination,” said Trelawney in her misty voice.  “My name is Professor Trelawney.  You may not have seen me about the castle.  I find descending too often into the hustle and bustle clouds my Inner Eye.”

“Inner Eye my…” muttered Mika under his breath.  A few other Slytherins snickered at Trelawney’s statement.

“You have all chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts.  I warn you, if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you.  Books can only take you so far in this field…”

Niamh laughed softly and grinned at Harry, who winked at her.  Hermione was going to go nuts when she heard that!

“Many witches and wizards, though talented in the area of loud bangs and sudden disappearances, are unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future.  It is a Gift granted to few.  You, boy, how fares your father?”

Trelawney turned her gaze on Mika, who gave her a cold look before responding in a dark tone, “Oh, the old wolf is fine.  And you?”

“I am well, Mr. Davids.  Thank you for asking.”

“Pleasure’s all mine,” replied Mika sarcastically, glaring.

Trelawney turned away and began to speak again while Niamh leaned across the table and poked Mika hard in the arm.  She hissed, “What’s up with you, Mika?  You act like she’s got the plague.”

“She’s a fraud, Ni.  A fraud.  My Dad’s told me all about her and her misty predictions.  I’ll give her two days then I’m out of here.”

“You’ll fail!”

“Fail what?  Reading palms and tea leaves?”

Harry rolled his eyes at the two of them then blinked as Trelawney said, “Unfortunately one of our number will leave us soon.”  He frowned and looked at Mika before snorting and turning back to Trelawney.  Good ears, he mused.

“Now, I want you all to divide into pairs.  Collect a teacup from the shelf, then come to me and I shall fill it.  Then, sit down and drink until only the dregs remain.  Swill these around your cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain, then give it to your partner to read.  You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future.  I shall move among you, helping and instructing.”

Mika growled something under his breath as they walked over and retrieved a cup.  As Harry and Niamh had paired up, he walked over to the table where one of Niamh’s dormmates sat.

“Hey, Veronica…”

Niamh shook her head then quickly knocked back the tea, grimacing as she placed it upside down on the saucer.

“Arrrgh.  That stuff seriously needs sugar.”

Harry nodded as he sat his cup upside down.  The two of them then swilled the dregs around and swapped over.

“Anything interesting?” asked Niamh as Harry peered into her cup, one finger poised over a symbol on page five in Unfogging the Future.

“Na really,” replied Harry.  “I thin’ I see…..er – an umbrella?”

“What’s that mean?”

Harry looked to the book.

“Annoyances.”

“Ron,” hissed Niamh.

“Er…yeh.”  Harry turned the cup and peered at it.  “Erm – a sword.  Tha’s an argument with a close friend.”

“Yeah, at the Burrow.  Sheesh, doesn’t it say anything about my future?  I’d love to know if I’m going to be Petrified by a basilisk again.”

Harry glared at her over the cup.  She knew how much it had hurt him to see that happen to her.

“Och, sorry, Harry.”

Harry grumbled something then turned back to the cup.

“There’s a pig ‘ere too.”

“More on the past!  Is that it?”

“Jus’ more past stuff,” replied Harry after consulting Unfogging the Future once more.

“I think your Inner Eye needs to be tested,” said Niamh.

“More like yer cup.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Anyway, you’ve got – I think that’s a noose, which means there’s danger ahead.  That doesn’t sound too good…and there’s a lizard….apparently you have a hidden enemy, mate.”

“Yeh.  Voldemort.”

“Eh.  Moving on, we have a…giraffe?  That means a misunderstanding.  Ron’s idiotic self could be counted for that.  And then there’s…hmm….I haven’t the foggiest what that it.”

“Sod off on the metaphors.”

“What metaphors?  I really don’t have the foggiest what it is.”

Harry growled then blinked at Trelawney came towards their table and took Harry’s cup from Niamh.  She turned it then said, “There is danger ahead of you, my dear.  A hidden enemy.  My this isn’t a happy cup.  A misunderstanding is in your future…”  She turned the cup once more then gasped.

The piece of china shattered upon impact as it hit the floor and Harry calmly arched an eyebrow at Trelawney, who had clapped her hand over her heart.

“My dear…you have the Grim.”

Harry frowned.

“The wha’?”

“The Grim, dear boy, the Grim!  The spectral dog that haunts churchyards.  It is the worst omen one can have – the omen of death!”

Harry simply looked at her quizzically.  He had faced death too many times to count on the streets to be afraid of it now.  Especially an omen, which he really did not believe in.

And neither did Mika as the white-haired boy snorted, muttering something about frauds and false omens.  Veronica Tabolt gave him a scathing look and he sneered at her.

Trelawney waved a hand and said, “That is enough for today, my dears…pack away your things…”

And so they did.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Did you hear, Granger?” drawled Draco.  “Potter’s going to die.”

“Bugger off, Malfoy!” snapped Niamh.

“Leave’ im, Ni.  ‘E’s na worth it.”  Harry plucked at her sleeve and walked on towards the Potions classroom, which they had second.  Hermione, Niamh, and Mika followed, Ron trailing on behind them.  When they arrived at the classroom, Hedwig hissed at Ron from under Harry’s sleeve, causing several of the other Gryffindors to back away from him hurriedly.  Ron simply stared, turning his eyes away when they met Harry’s cold one’s.

“Inside all of you!”

Snape threw open the door and they entered, settling into their seats for yet another class of snickering Slytherins and angry Gryffindors.

“Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“You think he’s going to be better than Lockhart?” asked Mika softly, leaning back in his chair to look upside down at Niamh.

The dark-haired girl frowned at him for a moment before replying.  The looks the white-haired boy sent Harry when he thought no one else was looking had set her to be suspicious of him.

“Anyone would be better than Lockhart.”

“What about Quirrell?”

Niamh looked at Harry, who was half-listening to the role call and whispering in Parseltongue to Hedwig.

“Nevermind Quirrell.”

“ Niamh O’Feir?”

“Here, sir!”

Mika arched an eyebrow and Niamh gave him a shove forward.  Harry arched an eyebrow at the two of them then looked towards the front of the room when his name was called.

“Harry Potter?”

Lupin’s voice was hushed and surprised.  Harry called out, “’Ere, sir,” and the gray eyes widened in surprise.

This was Harry Potter?  This long-haired, gangly boy who spoke Parseltongue and was known as Lord Hex by many of the students was his best friends son?  These were Remus Lupin’s thoughts as he stared at Harry.

“Why’s he looking at you like that, mate?” whispered Niamh in his ear, her breath tickling.

Harry shrugged, knowing the answer already.  Lupin had been James Potter’s friend in school.  And Harry knew well enough that he didn’t look anything like James Potter, who wasn’t his real father.  Small wonder Lupin was staring at him.

Lupin seemed to catch himself and gave a little shake, finishing off the role.  He then said, “Follow me.”

The third year Slytherins looked at each other before rising and following him out.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Lupin lead them along the corridors until they came to the staff room.  Inside, sat none other than the Slytherin Head of House.  Snape sneered at Lupin as he entered before nodding casually at the third years.  A few returned it with smiles, Niamh being one of them.  Harry nodded in return, eyeing Mika as the boy gave his father a calculating look before turning it to him.  Green eyes met dark brown in a flurry of cold gazes and brown turned away quickly.

“Good morning, Severus.  Come to watch?”

Snape rose from his chair and replied in a scathing voice, “I am afraid not, Lupin.  I fear you shall be too embarrassed to face me after this class.”

Several Slytherins snickered, Malfoy and his cronies among them, but Lupin didn’t waver an inch.  He simply looked at Snape with calm gray eyes and said, “I look to change your impression on that.”

Snape sneered once more then turned in a flurry of dark robes and stalked out, jet eyes flicking once to Harry before he was gone.

“Well, then,” said Lupin, clasping his hand together.  “Let us begin.  Who knows what a boggart is?”

Hands raised and Lupin called out, “Mr. Malfoy?”

Draco smirked and said, “A boggart is a shape-shifter.  It takes the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us the most.”

“Very good, Mr. Malfoy.  Five points to Slytherin.  Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces.  Wardrobes, underneath your bed, the cupboard under the sink – even a grandfather clock.  The one in the wardrobe here moved in yesterday and I asked Professor Dumbledore to leave it for my first years.”

All eyes turned to the wardrobe, which gave an almighty shake, thumping on the wall.

“So, our boggart just sits there in the dark, waiting for us.  He doesn’t know what form will frighten us yet.  Nobody knows what a boggart truly looks like but when I let him out he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.  This means we have a huge advantage over him before we begin.  Miss O’Feir, have you spotted it?”

Niamh blinked then said, “Because there are so many of us, it won’t know what to turn into to?”

“Excellent.  Five points.  It’s always a good idea to have company when dealing with a boggart.  He doesn’t know whether to turn into a banshee or a flesh-eating slug.  I once saw a boggart who turned himself into a half slug.  Not very scary.”

“Now, the charm that repels a boggart is simple, but it requires force of mind.  The real thing that finishes a boggart is laughter.  You simply need to force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.  Let’s practice the charm without wands first.  After me….riddikulus!”

“Riddikulus,” said the Slytherins back half-heartedly with the exception of Harry, Niamh, Mika, and a scrawny looking girl with scraggly blond hair and bright blue eyes.

“Very good,” said Lupin.  “Miss…Brethel.  If you would assist me.”

The scrawny looking girl blinked and stepped forward, slipping her wand out of her sleeve.

“Now, Miss Brethel, what frightens you the most?”

Brethel frowned then murmured something softly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Werewolves,” repeated the girl in a feeble voice.  Harry glanced at Lupin, who nodded solemnly before asking another question.

“Do you have a dog, Miss Brethel?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Ah.  And what does this dog look like?”

“He’s…a Labrador.  Kind of skinny with big brown eyes.  My brother says he’s dumb but I don’t think so.”  The girl ducked her head and Lupin placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Is he playful?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright then.  When the boggart comes out of the wardrobe, it will assume the form of a werewolf (Brethel shivered).  Now, you raise your wand and cry ‘Riddikulus’, concentrating hard on your dog.  If all goes well, your werewolf will become as docile and playful as your Lab.”

Lupin then turned to the rest of the class and said, “If Miss Brethel is successful, the boggart will likely turn its attention to the rest of us.  I want all of you to think of what makes you most frightened and how you might make it comical.”

Harry frowned.  What was he afraid of?

Voldemort?  No, not really.  Not as the parasitic shadow the Dark Lord was now.  But a Voldemort with a body and all powers returned….  A Voldemort that might take his newly found father away from him and leave him with only the Dursley’s as kin once more….  That scared him straight down to the marrow in his bones.

But just as he had conjured the image of a towering Voldemort being forced into a hideous outfit he had seen once in a London shop window another image entered his mind.

Gray, skeletal hands reaching out of a black robe…harsh breath coming from an unseen mouth…swirling white mist and the screams of a woman…then the fierce cold that made him shiver even now in the warmth of the teachers staff room in its memory.

To his left he heard Mika muttering, “Not the light, not the light,” and Niamh’s more fierce hissing of, “Not again.”

“Everyone ready?”

Harry froze.  How the hell was he supposed to make a dementor comical?

“Alright, Amanda, we’re going to all back away and give you a clear field.  I’ll call the next person forward…  Everyone back, now.  Give her room.”

Amanda Brethel shivered violently but held her wand at ready, pushing her sleeves up to her elbows.

“On the count of three.  One – two – three!”

A jet of sparks shot out of Lupin’s wand, striking the doorknob.  The wardrobe burst open and a werewolf leapt out with a savage snarl, beady red eyes turning to bear on Amanda, who stood frozen in terror.  The werewolf moved forward with another snarl, shaggy gray fur prickling on end.  Amanda seemed to snap out of her daze and cried, “Riddikulus!”

A sound like a whip crack went through the air and the werewolf stumbled, coming up with a whimper and moving forward to nuzzle at Amanda’s hand.  The girl smiled and patted it head with a nervous motion.  Lupin smiled then called, “Pansy!”

Pansy stepped forward and the boggart turned towards her, shifting into a rather large spider with another crack.

“R - riddikulus!”

The spider fell to the floor, legless, slavering fangs clicking loudly.

“Gregory!”

Goyle lumbered forward and - crack! – the spider became a ghastly, bloody head.

“Riddikulus!”

The head was surrounded by a box.

“Draco!”

The boxed head turned into a huge, towering black horse with a twisted horn spiraling out of its forehead.  A jet colored mane blew in a wind none of them felt and eyes of the same jet glared balefully at the blond boy.

Harry smirked.  Malfoy was scared of a Darcorn!  And going with the gasps around him, so were a few others.

“Riddikulus!”

The Darcorn was saddled and bridled suddenly and Harry felt a surge of anger.  The creature was only a boggart in the guise of the dark unicorn but it still made him angry to see a creature such as the one that had saved his life twice in such a state.

“Mika!” roared Lupin.

Crack!  The room was flooded in bright green light.  Harry shielded his eyes as several cried out in shock.  That light…  He knew that light…

“Riddikulus!”

The light was suddenly contained in a jar.

“Niamh!”

Crack!

“Stupid girl…”

Niamh flinched violently away from the angry man that had appeared.  Harry recognized him as her father and frowned.

Lupin, seeing Niamh’s distress, suddenly cried, “Here!”  Niamh’s father vanished, replaced by a floating silver orb.  He lazily said, “Riddikulus,” and the boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach.  Lupin gave a short “Ha!” of laughter and it vanished in a puff of smoke.

“Five points to everyone who faced the boggart.  Read the chapter on boggarts for homework and summarize it for me to be handed in on Monday.  That will be all.”

The Slytherin made to leave and just before the last of them had cleared the door, Lupin called, “Miss O’Feir, may I speak with you?”

Niamh froze and turned to look back at the professor.  Harry touched her shoulder gently and said, “I’ll get yer stuff.”

Niamh nodded numbly and Harry left, looking back at her once before Lupin closed the door of the staffroom.  As he walked back to the Defense classroom, he wondered why Niamh’s greatest fear was her father.

Harry was sitting in the common room thumbing through the copy of Aurors of the Centuries Mika had given him when Niamh came in, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy.  He looked up at her, did a double take, then leapt to his feet, the book falling to the floor in a flutter of pages.  Hedwig made a hiss of protest from where she lay curled up on the floor as the book had very nearly fallen on her but Harry wasn’t paying any attention.  His eyes were on his friend, who looked as though her entire world had fallen to pieces and couldn’t be pieced back together.

“Ni!  Slytherin’s ghost, wha’ happened to ye?”

Niamh simply shook her head and made to walk past him towards her dorm but he grabbed her arm and turned her back around to face him.  She ducked her head but didn’t try to move away.

“Let go, Harry.”

“Na until ye tell me what’s goin’ on.”

“Harry, please…”

“Ni, ye can tell me.  Ye know tha’.”

“I know,” whispered the girl in a barely audible voice.

Harry sighed and asked, “Ye want some cocoa?”

Niamh looked up at him and smiled slightly.

“That’d be great.”

Harry smiled in return and said, “Alrigh’.  I’ll be righ’ back.  Ye go sit on the couch, ‘kay?”

Niamh nodded and Harry left, returning a few moments later with two carefully concealed mugs of steaming cocoa.  He slipped across the common room to where Niamh sat curled up on the couch hugging a pillow to her chest, tears streaking her cheeks silver.  Harry sat the mugs down on the low table in front of the couch then slowly sat down beside her.  He lifted one hand to brush away the tears from her cheek with his thumb and said softly, “Ni.”

Niamh looked up at him and sniffled, more tears pooling in her eyes.

“Ni, what’s wrong?  Ye can tell me.”

The girl shook her head, burying her face in the pillow.  “No,” said her muffled voice.  “No, I can’t, Harry.”

That hurt.  It really did.  It hurt that Niamh could not tell him what was wrong.  But he understood.  He’d often had things he wouldn’t tell Tyls, who had been his only friend on the streets.

“C’mere.”

Harry pulled Niamh close and she sniffled softly before burying her face in his shoulder and sobbing.  He sat there and let her, whispering something in Elven to her.  When she finally sat up, brushing her hand over her now even redder eyes, he smiled.

“Better?”

Niamh nodded, smiling, tears prickling in her eyes.  Harry brushed them away then handed her the cup of cocoa, picking up his own and taking a sip of the hot liquid.

“What was that?”

“Wha’?”

“What you were saying,” replied Niamh, resting her mug on her knee.  “It wasn’t Parseltongue.”

Harry set his own cup rest on his knee and sighed.

“Elven.”

“What?”

“It was Elven.”

Niamh blinked and asked, “Where did you learn Elven?”

“I could always speak i’.  One of me ancestors married an Elven princess.  D..”  He dropped his voice before he continued.  “…Da says that we’ve go’ a bit of the magic left and that speakin’ Elven comes to us as easy as breathing.”

“Wow.  High Elves?”

Harry nodded, taking another sip of the cocoa.

“Wow.”

“I presume ye feel better?” asked Harry with a smile.

Niamh’s cheeks flushed slightly and she ducked her head, fiddling with her mug before taking a sip of the hot liquid.  As she lowered the cup, she replied softly, “A little.”

Harry smiled.

“Tha’s good.”

The two of them sat in silence for a moment then Niamh asked, “Is that my Aurors of the Centuries?”

Harry noted she was changing the subject and went along with it.

“Na.  Mika gave it ter me.  Apparently i’ updates itself whenever another page is made.”

“Whoa.  That must’ve cost a bundle.”

“Yeh.”

“Can I look at it?”

“Sure.”

Harry picked up the book, snagging Hedwig as he did so.  Niamh moved close to him and he laid the book across their knees, setting Hedwig down on the pillow that was stained with Niamh’s tears.  As the girl turned the pages in the book and he laid his right arm along the back of the chair, he stared at the pillow.  Sipping at the cocoa, he looked at the completely oblivious Niamh out of the corner of his eye.

When would she tell him what was wrong?

“Oi!  Did you lot hear about Longbottom’s boggart?”

Mika came bounding up out of nowhere to land in an empty seat next to Ginny.  Across the table, Harry and Niamh glared at him for his cheerfulness.  Harry, who had already heard rumors of the Gryffindor’s boggart, said icily, “Please.  Enlighten we poor, uninformed people.”

Mika ignored the icy tone and said excitedly, “It turns out Longbottom’s scared of Snape.  Snape!”

“What person not in Slytherin isn’t afraid of Snape?” asked Niamh, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, but that’s not the best part.  Longbottom imagined Snape into some of his grandmother’s clothes!”

Niamh blinked then burst out laughing, nearly falling out of her chair.  Harry glared at her but couldn’t help smiling at the thought of his father in a dress.

“Did somebody get a picture?” asked Niamh as soon as she got her breath back.  “Please tell me they did.  That’d be priceless.”

“No,” replied Mika sullenly.  “But Hermione says she’s going to draw one.”

“Hermione can draw?” said Ginny, looking up from her lunch in surprise.

“Apparently.  The twin’s fount out and she says they’ve been bugging her for days about drawing something.”

“That’ll be loads of fun to look at,” said Niamh with a grin.  “No offense, Harry.”

“Offence?  Why shou’ I take offence?  Now, if i’ was me Neville was afraid of…”

Niamh laughed then the four of them looked up as a commotion outside the Great Hall got their attention.

“You go and apologize to him!  NOW!”

“But…”

“APOLOGIZE!”

“I think I know who that is,” said Mika.

“Who?” asked Ginny.

Niamh bared her teeth, glared at the door, and growled, “Ron and Hermione.”

“But, Mione.”

“YOU GO AND APOLOGIZE NOW, RONALD WEASLEY!”

“Yep, that’s them.”

Niamh reached for her wand as a ginger-haired figure entered the Hall, followed quickly by an angry wrath with bushy brown hair.  Harry slipped Niamh’s wand our of her pocket and tucked it up his sleeve, his eyes focused on Hermione and Ron.  He grumbled, “Could’n she ‘ave picked some other time ter do this?”

“I think Mione’s fed up with him.  Oi, where’d my wand go?!  Harry, you bastard, you snitched my wand, didn’t you?”

“I did nothin’ of the sort,” said Harry blandly, slipping her wand back into her pocket when her turned to snarl something at Mika.

“Oi, look.  They’re coming over here.”

All four of them watched as Ron trudged past the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables to the Slytherin one.  He walked towards them, stopped, then started up again when Hermione prodded him in the back.

“You think he’ll do it?” asked Ginny, eyes on her brother.

“Not a chance,” growled Niamh.  “Hey, there’s my wand!”

“’Magine that,” deadpanned Harry as Hermione gave Ron a shove towards them then stood scowling in a very un-Hermione-like way at him.  Ron stumbled but caught himself, straightening and looking straight at Harry.  His mouth opened but no sound came out.

Niamh smirked and sneered, “Crookshanks got your tongue?” referring to Hermione’s bandy-legged cat that was constantly trying to eat Ron’s pet rat Scabbers.

Ron closed his mouth then opened it again to say, “I’m trying to apologize.”

“Then do I’,” said Harry.  “Doan stand there an’ gape at us.”

Ron’s ears reddened and Harry felt like hexing himself for his stupidity.

“You snakes are all the same!  Too arrogant for you own good!”

“And here I thought it was Gryffindors who were arrogant,” said Niamh

“Arrogant and stupid, you mean,” added Mika.

Ron glared at them then turned and stomped off.  Hermione came huffing up a moment later and whacked Mika across the back of his head.

“Idiots!  I was this close to getting him to apologize.  And you two had to go and ruin it!”  This was said as she glared at Niamh and Mika, who was rubbing the back of his head and wincing.

Niamh sighed and said, “You can’t make him apologize, Mione.  He has to do it on his own.”

Hermione glared at her then sighed, shoulders slumping.  She whispered, “I just want everything to be back to normal.  Nothing’s the same anymore.”

“An’ never will be,” said Harry.  “As long as I’m me Da’s son, Ron’s gonna ‘ave somethin’ against me.”  He turned his gaze to Mika and added, “And maybe ye too.”

“Mika?  What’s Mika got against you, Harry?” asked Ginny in confusion.

Harry glared mildly at Mika, who ducked his head, before replying.  “Tell ye later.”

“Why not now?”

“’Cause we’ve go’ ‘Erbology in five minutes,” replied Harry as he rose from his seat and left the Hall.  Niamh gave a yelp of surprise and sprinted after him, her bag bouncing against her shoulder.  Hermione followed a moment later, dashing over to the Gryffindor table and getting her books and Ron before running out.  Mika rolled his eyes and followed them at a more leisurely pace, staying long enough to say goodbye to Ginny.  The red-head sighed and finished her lunch before picking up her books and heading to Transfiguration.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Now, will you tell me?”

This Ginny asked later that day as they headed down the corridor to the Slytherin dormitory after classes.  Harry nodded then turned piercing eyes to Mika, who flinched.

“And I want ye ter tell me what yer problem is.”

Mika gave him a pitying look and said, “You’re not going to like it.”

Harry smirked, already knowing part of Mika’s problem.

“Ye’d be surprised.”

Mika looked at him in surprise and had just opened his mouth to speak when Jardin came out of nowhere and landed heavily on Harry’s shoulder, digging his talons in sharply.  Harry let out a surprised yelp of pain and came to a sudden halt, turning his head to look at the raven.

Jar!  What the sod are you doing?

Niamh winced and grumbled, rubbing her temples, “Can you not say that so loudly?”

Sorry, Ni.

S’alright, mate.

Harry looked back at Jardin and asked, What was that about?  I think you pierced my shoulder.

< Sorry, > said Jardin.  < But I just heard some really bad news. >

“What?” asked Niamh in her real and mental voice.

“And please say it so everyone can hear it,” grumbled Harry in the same manner, glaring mildly at the fidgeting Mika and Ginny.

< Alright, > replied the raven and gave a little mental couch.  < I ended up eaves dropping on a conversation between McGonagall (“That cow!” spat Niamh) and Sinistra about why the Dementors are here. >

“Really?” squeaked Ginny.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the raven and said, I already know this, Jar.  He made sure that his voice did not go to Niamh, who would hear every word he spoke to the raven at close range and vice versa.  Jardin blinked at him and said just as quietly, < You do?  Severus told you? >

I’m his son.  Why wouldn’t he tell me?

Stop having your own conversation.

< You can hear us? >

Niamh scowled and grumped, No, but can tell when you two are leaving me out of something.  Especially when the first words one of you say is ‘You can hear us?’

Bravo, Jar, bravo.

< I do so appreciate your sarcasm. >

I’m so happy for that that I am jumping in joy.

< Yes, I can see that. >

Just tell them and get it over with, said Harry with a sigh.

“What’s going on?” asked Ginny.  Her eyes darted from Harry to Niamh to Jardin and back again.

“Jus’ a little argument,” replied Harry offhandedly.  “Nothing ter worry about.”

< May I continue now? >

“Yes, Jar.”

< Good.  As I was saying, I ended up eaves dropping on McGonagall and Sinistra talking about why the Dementors are here.  It seems that Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. >

“Sirius Black!” squeaked Ginny, brown eyes wide.

Mika nodded solemnly and said, “Its true.  My dad says fudge is an incompetent fool.  He hasn’t told anyone but the Aurors and Dumbledore that Black escaped.”

“What about the dementors?  What are they doing here if Black’s out there?”

Mika shrugged, as his Jardin, but Harry sighed and said, “‘E’s after me.”

“What?” said Niamh, Mika, and Ginny in unison.

Then Niamh asked, “How do you know?”

“Ma da tol’ me.  ‘E was in the same class as Black.  Apparently Black played one prank too many on ‘im.”

“This guy sounds serious.”

“That’s not funny, y’know,” growled Mika.

“It wasn’t meant to be,” snarled Niamh in response.  “And while I’m talking to you, what’s your issue with Harry?  We all know why Ron’s got his broomstick up his ass.  But we don’t know why yours is.”

Mika sighed and looked up and down the empty corridor.  He looked back at them and asked, “Can we go somewhere more…quiet?”

Niamh frowned and snapped, “Here’s plenty quiet.”

“Charms classroom,” said Harry firmly.  “Flitwick should be in the Hall by now.  If he’s na, I know somewhere else we c’n go.”

Mika nodded and said, “Alright.”

“Let’s go,” sighed Niamh.

“Can we put our stuff down first?” moaned Ginny, shifting her heavy bag on her shoulder.

Harry smiled and replied, “Yeh.  Let’s go dump our stuff then head for the charms classroom.”

They all nodded in agreement and set off.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Alright.  Let’s hear it.”

The Charms classroom has turned out to be occupied by a pair of rather – rambunctious Ravenclaws, so, after much ado from Ginny, they had ended up in the same dungeon room that Harry had brewed the Prosapia Potion in.  Niamh and Ginny had taken claim on the table, sitting on it with their legs hanging down and Jardin perched between them.  Harry leaned against a wall, half in the shadows.  In the center of the room sat Mika, perched on a reversed chair, his arms along the back.

The white-haired boy looked at Niamh and sighed.

“Alright.  But you aren’t going to like it.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Niamh with a narrowing of her eyes.

“Ni,” growled Harry softly before turning his eyes back to Mika, who was staring off into space.

“We’re waiting,” hissed Hedwig after a moment of silence.  Harry hushed her quickly then said loudly, “Davids!”

“What?” exclaimed Mika, jumping.

“The story.”

“Oh, right.  Well, my dad wanted me to go to Durmstrang but my mum insister on sending me here.  She won, as you can tell.”

“And this had what point to the story?” asked Niamh scathingly.

Mika glared coldly at her and growled in response, “I’m getting there, I’m getting there.  Anyway, my dad told me before I go on the train to watch out for one of the professors.  He told me that there was one Death Eater that had gotten away from him and had fooled everyone into believing he had been forced to join their ranks.

Harry spat in Parseltongue suddenly, “That’s my father he’s talking about!”

“How obssservant you are.”

“Oh, sod off, Hed.”

Mika ignored Harry’s outburst and continued.  “He told me to keep an eye on this Death Eater for him – make sure nothing untoward happens, y’know.”  Dark eyes flicked to Harry as he added, “And he told me not to trust anyone who was friends with him.”

There was a moment of silence until Niamh gasped, “Your talking about Snape, aren’t you?”

Mika nodded but Niamh’s eyes were not on him.  They were on Harry, who was watching them with narrowed eyes.  Ginny looked wide-eyed at him and gaped.

Harry smirked and said, “Close yer mouth, Gin.  Merlin knows what sort of potions ‘ave been brewed in ‘ere.”

Ginny’s mouth snapped closed and Harry laughed.

“I’m jokin’, Gin.”

“Are you?” asked Mika.

“Aye.  I think I know me father better than ye or yer dad do.”

“Are you sure?”

“’E wouldn’t lie ter me,” said Harry firmly.

“I wouldn’t put it past a Death Eater,” remarked Mika.

Harry’s wand was out in a moment and he was across the room at Mika’s throat before any of them could blink.  He jammed the length of holly against the other boy’s throat and snarled in a savage voice, “Doan ye ever call me father that.  Ye don’t know him.  Ye don’t know him worth sodding heck, so don’t ye make any damn assumptions about ‘im.”

Mika choked and sputtered as Harry became aware of Niamh and Ginny tugging on his arms.  He turned his head to glare furiously at them, eyes glittering.  Ginny back up in fear up Niamh only paused for a half-second before pulling on his arm again.

“Harry, let him go.”

“Let me bite him,” hissed Hedwig from beneath Harry’s sleeve.

“Ye’ll do no such thing,” snarled the dark-haired boy at the snake.

“Why not?”

“Because I want to hurt him first.”

Hedwig hissed, “I sssee,” and was silent after that.

Niamh tugged determinedly on Harry’s arm again and he released Mika reluctantly, stepping back away from the other boy.  He cast one fierce glare in his direction, muttered a few rude words in Elven, then turned and stalked out.  Jardin followed him in a flutter of wings.

Niamh then turned to Mika and gave him a shove.

“What the hell did you provoke him for?”

“Snape’s a Death Eater, Ni!”

“Harry says he’s innocent!  And I, for one, believe him.”

“Me too,” said Ginny determinedly, jumping off the table to stand by Niamh.  The two girls looked defiantly at Mika, who sighed.  He couldn’t fight against the girl he had a crush on.

“You ought to apologize,” said Ginny a moment later.

Mika chuckled softly and said, “I don’t think he’ll be willing to hear it.”

“I didn’t mean now.  I meant later.”

“But not long enough as it’ll take Ron to apologize,” added Niamh.  “Slytherin knows, I’d kill the both of you then.

Mika smiled.

“I’ll take that into account, oh wise Lady Hex.”

“Sod off, Davids,” snapped Niamh, grinning despite herself.

Mika and Ginny grinned in response then Mika went off in search of Harry.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Harry?”

Harry looked up from where he was having a quiet conversation with Hedwig in the common room.  He narrowed his eyes at Mika and growled, “What do ye want?”

“To apologize.”

Harry arched an eyebrow and gave a wave of his hand.

“The floor is yers.”

Mika smiled slightly then sat down in a chair and began to talk quietly.

“Alright, I’m sorry I judged your dad.  Your right.  I don’t know him and neither does my dad, and we shouldn’t make judgments.  Especially when we don’t know the person.”

Harry looked at the white-haired boy for a moment before saying softly, “Apology accepted.”

Mika nodded and asked, “Friends again?”

“On’y if ye’ll stopping looking at me like I’m the next Voldemort.”

Mika didn’t flinch at the name like Ginny, Hermione, and Ron usually did and nodded.

“It’s a deal.”

The two boys sealed the pact with a handshake and grinned foolishly at each other.  Part of their group was back together.  Now what of the other half?

And what about Black? thought Harry grimly as Jardin settled down on the couch beside him.

Harry was sitting outside with Niamh by the lake a few days later when a huge, shaggy, black-furred dog came bounding up to them, tongue lolling.  Niamh blinked then reached out a tentative hand to pet the dog.

“Hello there, boy.  Where’d you come from?”

The dog barked as Niamh lifted her other hand to feel for a collar.  Harry scratched behind the dog’s ears, watching Niamh as he searched.  The girl frowned and said, “No collar.”

Harry looked at the dog and frowned as well.

“I guess he’s a stray,” said Niamh, burying her hands in the thick fur.  She then grinned at Harry and asked, “You think we could keep him?”

Harry shrugged.

“I doan know.  We’re on’y supposed ter have a cat, toad, or owl.”

“If I don’t recall correctly, you have a raven and a snake.  And Ron – jerk that he is – has a rat.  Those aren’t a cat, toad, or owl.”

Harry held up his hand in defeat, grinning.

“Alright’, alright’.  Ye win.  We c’n go ask.”

“Snape or Dumbledore?”

The dog seemed to freeze when she said ‘Snape’ but the two third years did not notice.

“Snape, o’ course,” replied Harry, turning back to the dog, which was nuzzling at his folded cloak lying on the ground.

“Oi, ye!  What’re ye doing?”

The dog looked up at him, its blue eyes boring into his own, and Harry felt a shock of recognition.  It was much like the one he had felt when he had first seen Hagrid – only much stronger.

“Harry.  Harry, mate, what’s up with you?”

Harry shook his head and replied, “Nothin’, Ni, nothin’.  Le’s go ask.”

“Alright.  C’mon, dog.”

Niamh got to her feet and Harry rose after her, picking up his cloak.  A cold wind flew past them, sending their hair flying and Niamh shivered, rubbing her bare arms.  The two of them were dressed in Muggle clothes as it was the weekend but only Harry had brought his cloak outside.  He moved close to her and placed it over her shoulders, reaching around to pin it with the serpent clasp his father had given him last Christmas with the green and silver cloak.  Niamh smiled up at him, a blush creeping over her cheeks.

“Thank you, Harry.”

Harry smiled and said, “Yer welcome, Ni.”

The dog watched them knowingly then padded after them as they set off towards the castle.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Severus was sitting in his office grading a test he had given to his third year Gryffindor/Slytherin class when there was a knock at his door.  Not looking up, he called, “Enter.”

The door opened and Harry entered, followed swiftly by Niamh, whom had Harry’s cloak pinned about her shoulders from the look of the length and the snake clasp at her throat.  Behind them came a large, shaggy dog with matted black fur and blazing blue eyes.

Severus finished marking the test he was on, set it and his quill aside, then looked at the two students with a small smile.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Harry said, “We were sittin’ outside and then this dog came bounding up ter us.  ‘E hasn’t got a collar, which means ‘e doesn’t belong ter anybody.”

“I was wondering if I could keep him,” added Niamh meekly.

Severus looked at the two of them then at the dog, which seemed to be glaring at him.  Eying it coldly, he turned his gaze back to his son and his friend.

“I will have to talk to the headmaster but I see no trouble in you keeping him.”

Niamh beamed and looked as though she wanted to run around the desk and hug him.  Harry looked to be restraining her by his hand casually placed on her shoulder.  Severus chuckled inwardly.

Niamh, not able to go through with her first impulse, cried, “Thank you, professor!”

Severus nodded and the two turned to leave, the dog slipping out before them.  Before they fully got out the door, he remembered something.

“Miss O’Feir?”

“Yes, sir?” said Niamh, looking at him around Harry, who had turned halfway about.

“I trust you will be at the Quidditch trials this Wednesday?”

Niamh beamed and nodded vigorously.  Harry chuckled and said, “Ye can bet she’ll be there!”

Severus smiled and nodded.  “Good, good.  I look forward to seeing you on the team.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Niamh, beaming foolishly, bounced out into the corridor, humming.  Harry shook his head after her and gave his father a vague wave before he followed his friend, closing the door behind him.  Severus shook his head after the both of them and returned to grading.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“So Snape let you keep him?”

Niamh nodded and said proudly, “Yep!  Only dog in the school!”

Harry and Niamh were now in the Slytherin common room, with Mika and Ginny by them.  Ginny was on the floor petting the shaggy black dog while Niamh and Mika were talking across their chairs.  Harry himself was sprawled out on the couch, Jardin perched by his head and running his beak through the boy’s long hair.

Is there a reason you do that?  You’ve done that to everyone.

The raven shrugged and replied, < Protection. >

In our hair?

< Well, where did you expect me to put it?  In your shoes? >

What kind of protection?

< From harm mostly.  It’s a small spell really, woven in many times.  It couldn’t protect you from – say, Avada Kedavra – but it would from other things. >

Such as?

< Such as Niamh about to hit you. >

What?

“OW!  Bloody ‘ell, woman!”

Niamh scowled and snapped, “Pay attention then!”

Harry brushed his hair out of his face and propped himself up on one elbow to glare at her.  “What?” he asked.

“What do you think I should name our new Slytherin?”

The dog looked froze at that.

Harry frowned at the animal and thought.  He looked at Jardin and asked, What do you think, Jar?

The raven tilted his head to look at the dog and replied, < Hmm.  Something to deal with the stars perhaps. >

Stars? said Harry in surprise.

< That is what I said. >

Ooookay.

Jardin snorted mentally and Niamh rolled her eyes.

Stars.  Something to do with stars.

< That is what I said. >

We know, Jar.

< Just thought I’d say it again as you two are repeating yourselves. >

Jar?

< Yes, Harry? >

Shut up.

< Yes, Harry. >

Niamh snorted then frowned.  She turned to Mika and Ginny and asked, “What’s a name that has something to do with stars?”

The two looked at each other then back at Niamh.

“Polaris?” suggested Mika

“Orion?” Ginny said.

Niamh frowned then said, “Crux?”

< Leo? >

“Canisss?” hissed Hedwig.

Harry frowned at the dog for a moment longer then smiled.

“I know.”

“Really?”

“Do tell.”

“Pleassse do.”

Harry smiled and said, “Sirius.”

The dog froze and stared at him.

Ginny smiled and Mika nodded in agreement.  Niamh said, “I like it.  Harry, you’re a lifesaver.”

< Isn’t that a Muggle candy? >

“Yep.  Speaking of which, I just so happen to have some in my trunk.  Anyone want one?”

“What’s a Lifesaver?” asked Mika and Ginny.

Niamh rolled her eyes and said, “I’ll go get them.  Harry, you explain the concept.”

“Ye want me ter explain the concept of a bit of candy to them?”

“Yes!”

“Ni, yer nuts.”

“I know.  Too many hexes swirling about my brain.  IT’S THE HEXES, I TELL YOU!”

Several of the first years looked at her in slight fear and surprise while the other students ignored her.  Niamh often yelled rather odd things.

Harry shook his head, chuckling, and said, “Go ge’ them, then.  I’ll explain.”

Niamh nodded and dashed off, while Harry turned to Niamh and Mika and explained to them what Lifesavers were.  He then explained to Hedwig why she couldn’t have one.

By the time that was done, Niamh had returned and dished out the round candy.  Mika grabbed a yellow and spit it out seconds after he’d put it in his mouth.

“Argh!  What in Merlin’s name was that?”

Harry looked at the yellow candy stuck to his pants leg and said, “Lemon.  An’ thank ye fer giving it ter me.”

“Very welcome, Harry.”

Harry rolled his eyes and handed Ginny a red one.

“Try tha’, Gin.  Red’s the best.”

“No, green’s the best!” said Niamh as she popped a green lifesaver into her mouth.

Mika grabbed a green and ate it, this time smiling.

“I’d have to agree with Ni.”

“Ye haven’t even tried the red!”

“Oh.  Right…”

Harry laughed and the others laughed with him.  Hedwig rolled her eyes at them and snapped at Jardin, who sidestepped and fell off the couch to land on Sirius, bringing more laughter from the group of students.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Sirius’ POV

Harry’s a Slytherin.  How can he be a Slytherin?  James and Lily were Gryffindors.

And why does he have that accent?

Did something happen that I don’t know about?

And how in Merlin’s name did he pull that name of all names out of nowhere?

Harry was awoken Wednesday morning by something large and furry leaping up onto his bed and licking his face.  Hedwig hissed in annoyance and slithered out from under the pillow and off the bed to the floor.  Whenever she slept under the pillow, it meant Harry had had a nightmare the night before and tossed and turned.  The Slytherin rarely remembered these dreams but most of them were of his times on the streets.  And then there was the recurring one about the green light that had gotten an addition since he had met the dementors.  He now heard the woman’s screaming in the dream.

But dreams weren’t what was bothering him at the moment.  It was the large furry creature standing over him and licking his face.

Reaching up, Harry buried his hands in shaggy fur and shoved.  The beast barely moved and made a sound in its throat.  Harry opened one eye blearily and glared at the large dog hovering over him.

“Shouldn’t ye be in Niamh’s dorm?”

The dog simply looked at him and he sighed, brushing the saliva off his face with one of the sheets.

“Do ye mind letting me up, Sirius?”

The large dog looked at him for a moment then jumped down off the bed, causing Hedwig to slither hurriedly under the cabinet.  Harry heard her hiss loudly, “Ssstupid mutt!  Nearly ssstepped on me!!”

Harry chuckled and swung his legs over the side of the bed.  Leaning down towards the dog, he whispered, “I suggest ye be more careful.  Hed’s na very happy wi’ ye.”

Sirius looked at him and barked in response.  In the bed beside Harry’s, Crabbe snorted and rolled over.  Sirius seemed to sneer at him and Harry nodded, agreeing with the dog.  He then hopped to the floor and padded across the cold stones to the end of his bed.

“Bludgering hell, its cold!”

Harry grabbed one of his spare school cloaks and threw it on the floor, transfiguring it into a fluffy rug with his wand.

“Much better.”

Hedwig hissed, “No fair,” and slithered across the floor onto the rug, where she curled up around Harry’s ankle.  Sirius looked askance at the snake then lay down, putting his head on his paws.

Harry shucked off the shirt he had slept in and Sirius’ head came up fast.  He blinked at the dog then shrugged, tossing the shirt into a basket beside his trunk.  Reaching into the trunk, he pulled out the white shirt, gray sweater vest, and silver and green tie that finished off his uniform and pulled them on.  Tugging Hedwig off of his ankle and tossing her onto the bed, he pulled on his shoes and socks before stepping off the transfigured cloak and changing it back.  He slung it into the trunk and pulled out his robes, closing the lid of the trunk as he did so.

“C’mon, Sirius.  Le’s go see if Ni’s up yet.”

Harry shrugged the robes onto his shoulders and crept out of the boy’s dorms, the large dog at his heels.  When he entered the common room, it was deserted except for a very sleepy looking Ginny in a chair by the fire.

“Mornin’, Gin,” said Harry, sitting across from her on a footstool.  The girl jumped then smiled at him.

“Good morning, Harry.”

She yawned and he smiled.

“Tired?”

“Yeah.  Victoria and Lilliane kept the rest of us up all night with their chattering.”

“Ye should hex ‘em.”

Ginny smiled a tired smile and said, “I’m going to ask Niamh if she’ll do that.”

“Oh, she’ll be delighted.”

“Delighted to do….what?”

Niamh entered the common room, her voice stretched out as she yawned.

“Hex Gin’s dormmates?”

Niamh’s eyes lit up as she fell into a chair near them.

“Delighted.  Sirius, what’re you doing in here?”

The dog looked at her and Harry reached out to pat his shoulder.  He said, “Yer new pet ‘ere woke me up this morning.  I got a faceful o’ saliva.”

Niamh chuckled and asked, “Did it taste good?”

“I didn’t taste i’.”

“Pity.  Hey, where’s Hedwig?”

Harry groaned and got up.

“Be right back.”

He vanished into the boy’s dorm and reappeared a moment later when there was a loud crash and a few curses yelled.

“What was that about?” asked Niamh with an arched eyebrow.

“Zabini’s terrified o’ snake’s apparently an’ had a fit when ‘e saw Hed.  ‘E also fell off the bed,” replied Harry as he sank back down onto the footstool.

Ginny asked, “Why was he cursing?”

“Becaussse the floor isss cold.”

“Floor’s freezin’.  I transfigured me cloak inter a rug when I woke up.”

“You mean when Sirius woke you up.”

“Same thing.”

“Good morning, my dear, dear companions!”

Mika came bounding into the common room, eyes bright.  Niamh glared at him and asked, “How can you be so bloody cheerful?”

“Why, Quidditch trials are today, of course.  Surely you didn’t forget.”

“Today?!  What!  NO!  When?”

“Four o’ clock,” said Harry.

“Damn.  So I won’t have any time to practice beforehand.”

“No, I don’t think so,” said Mika.  “You need practice?”

“Yes!  Unlike you, my parents are Muggles.  I also don’t own a broom, so they kind of puts a wrench in my plans, doesn’t it?”

“Snappish today, aren’t we?”

“Sod off.”

“Oh, yes.  We are.”

Harry decided to get inbetween the two of them before Niamh hexed Mika beyond recognition.

“Le’s go down ter the Hall.”

“Good idea,” said Ginny, who has been about to say something of the same sort to keep Mika and Niamh from killing each other.

Niamh nodded and turned to Sirius.

“You stay here.  Don’t go anywhere.”

“Ni, he can’t understand you.”

Sirius barked loudly at Mika in retaliation and Harry smirked.

“Apparently ‘e can.  C’mon, le’s go.”

The four of them plodded out of the common room, leaving Sirius behind by the fire.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

A good many hours later…

“Harry, I can’t do this.”

“Yes, ye can.  Chaser or Beater.  Ye can play both.  Ye’ll do fine.”

“Yeah, Ni.  Perfectly fine.”

“You shut up, you too cheerful bastard.”

“Ouch.  I’m hurt.”

Harry rolled his eyes and looked over at Flint.  He silently prayed, Please let us get through this without any incidents.  Preferably without Ni and Mika killing each other.

“Alright!  Let’s go!”

Harry walked out onto the field with Niamh and Mika beside him, the two of them dressed in normal robes except for Niamh, who was wearing the gloves Harry had given her the year before.

“O’Feir, why are you wearing those things?” asked a fourth year, eyeing the gloves.  Niamh looked at Harry, who had climbed up into the stands, then replied, “For luck.”

Flint blew a whistle and yelled, “Alright!  Everyone trying out for Chaser make a line over there.  Beaters over here.  Those trying out for Chaser will have a minute to get as many Quaffles as possible past the Keeper.  Those trying out for Beater will be hitting Bludger’s back to Derricks and Bole.  LET’S MOVE!”

Niamh moved with those trying out for Chaser while Mika went into the line where the Beater’s were lined up.

Harry leaned back against the seat behind him, settling down to wait.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“You think I got it?”

Harry nodded as Niamh as him that question for the seventh time since she had finished her turn trying out for Chaser.  She had gotten twenty-four Quaffles past the Keeper during the minute time limit, which was the second best of all those that had tried out.  A sixth year had beaten her by one Quaffle.

“Yeh, Ni.  If ye doan get the main spot, ye’ll at least get on the reserves.”

“With Malfoy.  Oh, joyous day.”

Harry snorted then watched as Mika flew over to them from the Beater tryouts.  He landed heavily beside them and collapsed, panting.  Harry steadied the other boy as he asked, “Ye alright?”

Mika nodded and replied, “Fine.  But Derricks and Bole….they sure work hard.”

“I know.  They’ll be missed nex’ year.”

“Question: why are we having tryouts now, if no one’s leaving till next year?”

“So those picked c’n get ready for nex’ year,” replied Harry.  “’Ere comes Flint.”

Flint called out, “The results will be posted in the common room in a week.  Good job everyone!”

The Slytherins set up a clamor as they gathered their gear together and began to leave the pitch.  As Niamh, Harry, and Mika left, Malfoy caught up with them, smiling maliciously.

“Hey, Potter!  You might want to watch out.  I might just take your spot this year.”

Harry gave the blond a Look and Niamh snorted.  She said, “In your dreams, Malfoy.  Oh wait.  That is a dream.  I’m so sorry that that’s so.”

Mika chuckled as Malfoy glared at Niamh then turned and stalked off.

“Very nice, Ni.”

“Thank you, thank you.”  Niamh bowed mockingly and Harry laughed, shaking his head.

“Hey, isn’t that Sirius?”

The three of them looked across the grounds to where Mika was pointing.  Indeed, there was the shaggy black dog Niamh had claimed as her own, sniffing the ground.

She asked in shock, “How’d he get out of the common room?”

“Who knows?” replied Harry.  “Le’s get ‘im and head inside.  Supper’s in a few minutes.”

“Right.  Sirius!  Sirius!”

The dog looked up and barked, bounding over to them.  Niamh patted the great head, scratching behind the ears.

“There you are.  How’d you get out of the common room, eh?”

“I don’t think he can answer you, Ni,” said Mika.

“Hush, goose.  It’s tradition to talk to your pets.”

“Not in Harry’s case.”

“Harry’s a special case.”

“Uh-huh.  His pet’s can talk.”

“Oi,” said Harry sharply.  “I doan consider Jar or Hed a pet.”

“Then what do you consider them?” asked Mika.

“Friends.”

“Speaking of friends, let us get inside and find our young red-headed one.”

The two boys nodded in agreement and the three of them headed towards the castle, Sirius plodding along between Harry and Niamh.

“Hogsmeade weekend!”

Niamh bounded happily into the common room and onto the couch beside Harry. He glared at her and so did Ginny, who was sitting across from him in a chair, Harry’s copy of Aurors of the Centuries on her lap.

“C’mon, Harry. Hogsmeade weekend! Why aren’t you happy?”

“’Cause I can’na go,” replied Harry in a low growl.

Niamh blinked then shrieked, “WHAT?! Why?!”

“Well, it’d look a little strange fer me House o’ House ter sign the slip me guardians are supposed to sign, wouldn’t it?”

Niamh’s face fell.

“You’re not going to get to come with us?”

“I believe I jus’ said that,” said Harry sarcastically. “Da wouldn’t even let me go over summer hols.”

“Oh, Harry…”

“Wait a minute,” said Ginny, leaning forward over the edge of the large book. “We turn those into our Head of House, right? So, what’s the problem?”

“Then they go ter McGonagall,” said Harry. “She’s Deputy Headmistress, y’know.”

“Oh.”

“Yeh.”

Mika stomped into Arx Serpens suddenly, looking furious. He slammed his bag down then threw himself one of the chairs in the Hexer’s Corner. Ginny stared at him for a moment then asked, “What’s wrong?”

“That damned dog nearly tripped me coming down here. Blew past me like a Hellhound was after him. And with Crookshanks right behind him!”

“Hey, don’t insult Sirius,” said Niamh.

“He nearly tripped me! Down the main stairs, no less. You know how steep those things are.”

An image of the main staircase leading down into the dungeons popped into the three other Slytherins minds. Harry shook his head then said, “’E’s a dog, Mika. Dog’s do stuff like tha’.”

“Yeah? Well, next time I’ll set his tail on fire.”

“You do and I’ll have your head,” growled Niamh.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

That Saturday…

Niamh and Mika returned from Hogsmeade in good spirits and with goodies to spare hidden in their pockets. Niamh handed Harry a bottle of butterbeer and proclaimed, “Since you can’t go to Hogsmeade, we’ll just bring Hogsmeade to you!” Harry simply grinned at her and grabbed a Chocolate Frog from the pile of various bits and pieces of candy Niamh had dumped out of her cloak pockets.

Four days later, Slytherin House was in an uproar, with students in Arx Serpens shoving each other every which way. The reason for this was the list of the Quidditch team for next year and the reserves posted on the wall earlier that morning by Flint.

Harry sat calmly in the Hexer’s Corner, Jardin perched on his knee and Hedwig in his hair, watching the pushing and shoving with unveiled amusement. Beside him Ginny winced as she heard a hapless fifth year get hexed by Niamh for stepping on her foot.

A few moments later the aforementioned girl shoved her way through the crowd and ran over to them, leaping on Harry and hugging him tightly.

“I made it! I can’t believe it!”

“What’d you get?” asked Ginny as Harry choked in Niamh’s grip.

“First string Chaser,” replied Niamh proudly. She then noticed Harry’s red face and let go hurriedly.

“Sorry, mate.”

“S’alright,” croaked Harry, rubbing his throat.

Mika walked over and joined them now and Ginny asked him the same question. The white-haired boy sullenly replied, “Reserve Beater. Oh, and watch out next year, Harry.”

“Why?”

“Because Malfoy’s been promoted. From reserve Seeker to first string Beater.”

“Y’know,” said Niamh with a thoughtful look, “Malfoy’s always seemed a better Beater than a Seeker.”

“Correction,” said Harry. “I’m a better Beater an’ Malfoy’s stuck as a Seeker.”

“Huh?” said Ginny.

Mika suddenly laughed and Harry grinned at him. The other boy had understood perfectly what he was saying.

“Harry means that he’s better at beating Malfoy.”

“And Malfoy’s good at seeking the beating,” finished Niamh with a wry smile. “Ha ha! Bloody brilliant.”

“Bloody true’s more like i’,” said Harry.

“Ah, bugger that. So, who’s reserve Seeker next year? I didn’t look.”

“Why, our Ginny,” said Mika with a gesture towards the younger girl, who flushed.

Harry looked at the girl beside him and said, “You tried out, Gin?”

Ginny shrugged, still blushing, and replied, “Yeah. I’m pretty good.”

“Pretty good!” gasped Mika. “Gin, your bloody amazing! Not as good as our resident Seeker, but pretty damn good.”

“Don’t compliment him. He’ll get a big head,” said Niamh.

“Oi!” cried Harry good naturedly and they all laughed.

On the next Hogsmeade weekend two weeks later, Harry was wandering about the castle looking for Hedwig.  The snake had been missing for two days and Harry was worried she had been eaten by one of the owls or someone’s cat.

He rounded a corner and something leapt at his ankles, latching onto them.  Looking down, he smiled.

“Hello, Norri.”

Mrs. Norris meowed and Harry knelt down to pet her, rubbing his fingers in hard along her spine.  She arched her back and purred loudly, eyes half-closed in content.

“You’re very good with animals, I see.”

Harry looked up and saw Professor Lupin standing not five feet away.  Mrs. Norris arched her back and hissed at him before turning and sprinting off down the corridor Harry had just come down.  The boy looked after her sadly then turned to face his professor.

“Hello, professor.”

“Hello, Harry.  Perhaps you would like to try something else?  I was just going down to see Hagrid’s hippogriffs.”

Harry eyes lit up at the word ‘hippogriffs’ and Lupin smiled.

“Let’s go then, shall we?”

Lupin began to walk and Harry strode swiftly after him, smirking slightly when his robes billowed out behind him in a way not unlike his father’s.  So that’s how he does that, thought the young Snape with a mental chuckle.

The two of them walked in silence until Lupin asked Harry a question.

“Why aren’t you down in Hogsmeade with your friends?”

Harry sullenly replied, “Did’na get the form signed.  Me relatives hate magic.”

Lupin arched an eyebrow.  He swore Albus had told him that Harry had stayed at Hogwarts over the summer until he went to the Burrow two weeks before term began.  Something fishy was going on…

“So you were wandering the halls with Mrs. Norris?”

“Na.  I was looking fer Hedwig.”

“Hedwig?” said Lupin.

“Me snake.”

“Ah!  Oh, bright, isn’t it?”

The two of them had stepped out into the bright sunlight spreading over the grounds, both lifting their hands to shield their eyes.  They turned towards Hagrid’s hut as they stepped down from the last of the stairs leading down from the castle doors and were greeted warmly by the giant of a man when they arrived there.

“Professor!  ‘Arry!  Come ter see the hippogriffs?”

Lupin nodded and replied, “I did.  Harry was wandering about the halls and I asked him to join me.”

Hagrid looked down at Harry and asked, “What were yeh lokin’ fer?”

“Hedwig.”

“Tha’ snake o’ yours?”

“Yeh,” sighed Harry.

Hagrid look thoughtful for a moment then reached into a pocket of his moleskin coat and drew out something.  He held his large hand out to Harry and asked, “Would this be ‘er?”

Hagrid opened his hand and Harry heard a voice snap, “Stupid human!  Can’t even take me home, correctly!”

“Hedwig!”  Lupin and Hagrid both gave a little twitch as Harry spoke in Parseltongue.  The black snake in Hagrid’s palm jumped and swung her head around.

“Harry?”

Harry took the snake from Hagrid and let her coil about his wrist.  Smiling, he said, “I’m glad ye found her, Hagrid.  I thought she might’ve been eaten.”

Hagrid chuckled and said, “No pro’lem, Harry.  Mrs. Norris brought ‘er to me, by the way.  Always does that, that cat.  Anyway!  Le’s go see the hippogriffs!”

“I want to go home,” complained Hedwig.

“Hush,” muttered Harry to the snake.  “We’ll go after we see the ‘ippogriffs.”

“Alright,” said Hedwig sullenly.

“C’mon around ‘ere,” said Hagrid.  “I’ve goh ‘em tied up in the back.

The three of them tromped around the tiny hut to the back where several hippogriffs were tied up in a fenced in area.  Hagrid’s eyes lit up as he saw them and so did Harry’s, causing Lupin to chuckle.

The hippogriffs were almost as beautiful as the Darcorn.  But not quite, thought Harry, eying the gray hippogriff, which tossed its regal head, amber eyes flashing.  He took a step forward, entranced by the creature.

“Careful there, ‘Arry,” warned Hagrid.  “Ye’ve got ter bow…”

“I know, Hagrid,” said Harry, walking to the fence.  “I’ve read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them at least ten times, na ter mention several other books on magical creatures.”

Hagrid looked a bit flustered and Lupin let out a hearty guffaw.

“He has you there, Hagrid.”

“Ar, hush, ye.”

Harry chuckled mentally at the two men, eying the gray hippogriff.  He then tilted his head slightly back towards Hagrid and asked, “What’s ‘is name?”

“Eh?  Oh, Buckbeak.”

“Buckbeak,” repeated Harry, turning to the hippogriff again.  “Hello, Buckbeak.”

Buckbeak snorted in response and Hedwig suddenly hissed, “AWAY!  AWAY!”

Harry’s hands flew to his ears, causing him to fall off the fence onto his rear with an expelled whuff of air.  Hedwig shrieked an outcry from his wrist and Harry snarled at her, “Oh, sod the bloody heck off you.  Yer not the one who just fell on their arse.”

“HIPPOGRIFFS!  I HATE HIPPOGRIFFS!”

Harry pulled up his sleeve to glare coldly at the snake.

“Ye could have told me that, y’know.”

“Sorry.”

“Gods, Hed…”

“Harry, are you alright?”

Harry looked up at Lupin and Hagrid and nodded, standing up and brushing himself off.

“Fine, professor, Hagrid.  Hedwig has a problem wi’ hippogriffs apparently.  I guess I should take ‘er inside.  Good day.”

With that Harry strode towards the castle, muttering insults to Hedwig in first Parseltongue then Elven.

Lupin stared after the boy for a moment then turned to Hagrid.

“Hagrid, can I ask you a question?”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

About a week later was the first game of the new Quidditch season.  The first match; Slytherin against Ravenclaw.  As game time neared, Flint was continually yelling at the team, most particularly Harry.

“Look, Potter, they’ve got a new Seeker this year.  Cho Chang.  She’s good.  Really good.  You’d better be paying attention when you fly against her.  THIS ISN’T CEDRIC DIGGORY!!”

Harry pulled on his right glove, lacing it tightly.  He had learned to tune out Flint’s rants and now turned to the older boy with a bland expression.

“’O course, Marcus.”

Flint glared at him and growled, “You’d better get the Snitch, Potter.”

“What else am I going ter do?” asked Harry as he picked up his Nimbus 2001 and walked out of the changing room.  Flint glared after him then cursed.

“Damn him!  Come on!  Game time!”

The Slytherin team followed Flint out, waiting at the entrance that led onto the pitch until they were called.  Lee Jordan’s amplified voice filled their ears suddenly and Harry tightened his grip on his Nimbus.

“And now, the Slytherin team!”

Harry leapt onto the Nimbus and kicked off hard, flying up to the Seeker position.  He had to fight to keep in his place as there was a fierce wind blowing.  His sharp eyes scanned the Slytherin stands and picked out Niamh, Mika, and Ginny sitting there.  He also noticed Ron and Hermione sitting on the Ravenclaw side, the bushy haired girl looking to be yelling at the ginger-haired boy.

“So…you’re the star of Slytherin I’ve heard so much about.”

Harry looked at the girl across from him, her dark hair pulled back from her face in a ponytail.

“Depends on what ye’ve heard.”

Cho Chang laughed and said, “Oh, I like you.”

Harry smiled tightly and said, “Quidditch, Chang.  We c’n talk later.”

“Well, aren’t you single-minded?”

“Na, single-minded.  I just want ter win.”

“How very Slytherin.”

“Tha’s what I am.”

“I know.”

“Heh,” said Harry, jerking his Nimbus upwards as Madam Hooch’s whistle blew.  He noted that Cho was tailing him and smirked.  Her broom was a Comet Two-Sixty and she was trying to tail him?  Oh, he was going to show her a time!

Smirking, Harry pushed the nose of the broom down, leaning close to the handle as though he were diving for the Snitch.  Cho followed and he nearly laughed.  This was too easy!

Bare inches from the ground he pulled up, his feet brushing the grass as he flew in a half-circle before heading back upwards.  Just as he had seen a gleam of gold at the other end of the pitch, a cold like nothing he had ever felt seeped into his bones.  He looked down and saw a hundred dementors standing below him.  The white mist seeped into his brain and the screaming began.  But instead of his own this time, it was the woman’s.  And there was more.

“Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!”

“Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now…”

“Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –”

His grip on his broom slackened and he couldn’t tell where he was.  Why was he flying?  Where was that woman?  He had to help her!

“Not Harry!  Please…have mercy...have mercy…”

The white mist clouded his mind and he fell, plummeting to the ground.  As he did, he heard a voice scream his name in pure horror.

“HARRY!!!”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“He’s was lucky.”

“Luck?  Pah, luck.  Luck would’ve won us the game!”

“Sod off, Flint!  Just be happy you still have your Seeker!”

Flint glared at Niamh, who scowled furiously at the older boy before turning back to Harry, whose eyelids were fluttering.  She leaned over him and asked, “Harry?”

Harry’s eyes flew open and he sat up with a gasp.  Midway up, his head and Niamh’s connected with a crack, sending the girl sprawling and him back to the bed.

“IDIOT GOOSE!” bellowed Niamh as she got to her feet, clutching her forehead.  “What in the SOD did you hit me for?”

“Sorry, Ni.  Did’na know ye were there.”

“Well, LOOK NEXT TIME FOR SLYTHERIN’S SAKE!!”

“Miss O’Feir, if you don’t stop that ruckus right now, I will kick you out of here.”

Niamh winced and gave Madam Pomfrey an apologetic grin.  “Sorry, Madam Pomfrey.”

The mediwitch snorted and disappeared.  Niamh shook her head then turned back to Harry, who asked, “What happened?”

“Plum scary,” said Mika, who was standing at the end of the bed with Ginny.  “Those dementors came onto the field and it was so bloody cold!  Like on the train all over again.  And then you just – FELL!”

Niamh nodded and said, “Dumbledore charged out onto the field and waved his wand at you and you sort of – slowed – in your fall.  He started firing silvery stuff at the dementors while Snape came on the field and carried you off.”

“That seem ter be a reoccurring situation,” muttered Harry.

< How true, > said Jardin from his perch at the end of the bed.

Harry glared at the raven then asked, “When’s the rematch?”

The three Slytherins looked at each other then away from him.  Harry blinked and breathed, “No…  We did’n…”

“Chang caught the Snitch after you fell.  Fair win, she said.”

Niamh muttered something unflattering, causing Ginny to give a little squeek.

“What about me Nimbus?”

The three looked away from him again and Harry snarled, “NOW STOP THAT!”

Niamh frowned and said, “Well, after you fell…its sort of…”

“Got blown away…” added Mika.

“Uh-huh,” said Harry, not following them.

“It flew over to the Whomping Willow…” breathed Ginny.

No!

“And y’know how the Willow is,” said Niamh softly.

Hermione suddenly entered the Hospital Wing, carrying a bag.  She looked sadly at Harry then tipped the bag, spilling the dark splinters that were all left of his Nimbus on the bed.  Harry looked hopelessly down at the broken pieces of his beaten broom.

“Our next match is in two months, Potter.  If you don’t have a new broom by then, USE A SCHOOL ONE!”

“Gryffindor’s Seeker has a Nimbus!” cried Niamh in outrage.  “A Comet Two-Sixty is the best thing the school’s got and that won’t beat a Nimbus!”

Flint glared at the third-year and snarled, “Well then it’ll just have to do, won’t it?”

“Why you…”

“Calm down, Ni,” said Harry condescendingly, his tone offering no room to contradict him.  He looked at Flint and continued, “I’ll get a broom.  Ye just keep yer shirt on.”  Grabbing Niamh’s shoulder, he pulled her over to where Ginny sat by the fireplace; Sirius curled up at her feet and Hedwig in her lap.

Niamh wrenched herself free of Harry’s grip and glared up at him, blue eyes flashing.

“What the hell was that about?  Why the sod don’t you stand up to that bastard, Harry?”

Harry gave her a calculating look that reminded her of his father and replied shortly, “’E’s Captain.”

“Well, that still doesn’t…”

“Ni, I’m na in the mood.”

“Not in the mood?  Well, I am!”

Harry threw up his hands and groaned, rubbings his temples for a moment before growling to the girl, “Flint’s the bloody team captain, Ni, and if he wants ter us the ruddy reserves in the next game, ‘e can!”

“Bloody foolish, that is.”

“ARGH!  Gin, ye try and talk some sense into her.  I’m afraid I’m going ter hit her.”

Ginny smiled warmly and nodded, handing Hedwig to him as he sank into the chair opposite her.  Harry idly stroked the snakes head as he listened to the two girls argue.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

The next day the three Slytherins were walking into Defense Against the Dark Arts when Mika – who was in the lead – came to a sudden halt.  Harry and Niamh – engaged in a rather racious conversation over Quidditch (again) – ran into him.

“Sodding heck…  Davids!  What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” spat Harry.

Mika ignored him and asked in a dazed sort of voice, “What’s Snape doing in here?”

The other two Slytherins looked to the front of the room and saw that – indeed – Snape’s dark visage was sitting there glowering at them.  Harry walked to the front of the room and leaned over the desk to talk privately to his father.  To keep off eavesdroppers, he spoke in Elven.

“I’m taking a wild guess here, but would Professor Lupin possibly be off taking time to bond with him…ah…animalistic side?”

Snape arched an eyebrow at him and leaned forward to reply, “He is.  Though not to bond, I am certain, as I brewed the Wolfsbane Potion for him and watched him as he took the required amount.”

“Ah.  So, he’ll be back when?”

“What?  Don’t want your ‘old man’ teaching you DADA?” asked the dour potions master with a suppressed smirk.

Harry chuckled and replied, “Hardly.  And you’re not old.  Beside the point, you being a Death Eater, I am certain we could learn much more than we could from anyone else.  Even Lupin.”

“Was would be the correct term.”

“I know that.  Bugger off.”

“Get it right.”

“Oh, stuff a broom in it.”

“You watch your language, young man.”

“Oh, I assure you my language is much more graphic than that.  Believe me in that, Father.”

“I ought to wash your mouth out with soap.”

Harry leaned back, a smirk playing across his lips.  “And what good would that do, pray tell?”

“Go sit down,” growled Snape, waving a hand dismissively.

“Yes, my lord.”

Snape rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling as his son returned to his seat and groaned mentally.  How in Slytherin’s name was he going to survive this?

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“You have DADA with Gryff’s?” asked Mika to Ginny as they sat down to lunch in the Great Hall.

Ginny frowned at him for a moment, her spoonful of stew halfway to her mouth.  She lowered it and said cautiously, “Er, yeah.  Why?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“You ask me about my DADA class and then tell me its nothing?  Piss and sod!”

“Calm down, Gin,” said Harry casually as he sat down next to her, stealing Mika’s roll and taking a large bite out of it.  “’E’s just trying ter bait you.”  This was said as he stole a piece of cheese from the white-haired boy’s plate and began to nibble on it.

“Why?” asked Ginny.

“Because Lupin’s out and Snape’s teaching DADA till he gets back,” answered Niamh as she sat down on Ginny’s other side, reaching out to snag a piece of fruit from Mika’s plate.  The boy caught her and growled, “Shove off, O’Feir.”

“Bugger to you too, Davids.”

“Yeah, yeah.  Who stole my roll?  And my cheese?!”

Harry innocently tucked the roll into his pocket and popped the last of the cheese into his mouth.  Ginny caught this and had to keep from laughing.  Niamh was also trying not to laugh as Mika eyed the dark-haired boy.

“You.”

“Yeh?”

“You stole my roll.  And my cheese!”

Harry blinked innocently and held open his hands to show the palms to Mika.

“I doan see a roll.  Or any cheese.”

“Braggart!  Empty your pockets!”

“My pockets?  What will that accomplish, Davids?”

“Snape!”

“Tut, tut.  Remember, we doan use that name in public,” said Harry silkily with a smirk, waggling a finger at Mika.

“Sod off.”

“How harsh.”

“Just empty your pockets.”

Niamh giggled, “I feel like we’re in a Cops show.”  When the other three Slytherin’s stared blankly at her, she groaned and let her head fall with a thunk to the table.  “Nevermind,” she grumbled, “American show.”

“Ah,” said the three as though this explained everything.

Harry looked at his watch and quickly exclaimed, “Look at the time!  We’ve got Transfiguration!”  He rose quickly and left the hall, Mika rising angrily after him.

“Potter!  GET YOUR ARSE BACK HERE!”

Harry, smirking, ignored the other boy’s yell, nibbling on a piece of the roll as he strolled down the hall to Transfiguration.

By the time Christmas holidays rolled around, Hermione had tried once more to fix the rift between Harry and Ron.  It had ended in a near bout of hexing and a racious bit of cussing from Niamh.  Those who were in the hallway at the time were highly confused as to what was going on between the Slytherin Four and the Gryffindor Duo and asked Hermione as soon as the battlefield was clear and the Four stalked off with fierce glares at Ron, who returned it.

Dean asked, “Hermione, what’s going on?  I thought you and them were friends.”

Parvati and Seamus behind him nodded and Hermione sighed.  She looked wistfully after the Four then said, “We were.”

“What happened?” asked Parvati.

“Nothing much.  Ron’s just being a complete idiot.”

“What’s new?” deadpanned Dean and Seamus.

A voice from Hermione’s shoulder made her jump and her eyes widen.

“When did Harry look so much like Snape?”

Hermione turned wide eyes on Neville, who took a step back, eyes flicking back and forth.  Dean, Parvati, and Seamus peered at her and Seamus asked, “Are you alright, Hermione?”

The brown-haired girl caught herself and nodded, giggling nervously.

“I’m fine.  Just fine.  Neville, can I talk to you?”

“O-okay,” stuttered Neville.

Hermione grabbed his arm and dragged him off somewhere down the hall.  Parvati, Dean, and Seamus all looked at each other in confusion then after the pair.

By the time Neville returned to Gryffindor Tower he was as white as a sheet.  Dean stared at the boy and asked, “What’d Hermione want, Nev?”

Neville jumped and stuttered wildly, “N-n-nothing!”

“Uh-huh.”

“C’mon,” said Seamus.  “You can tell us.”

Neville shook his head, eyes wide.

“N-n-no.  I c-can’t.”

“Why not, Nev?” asked Dean.

Neville shook his head frantically, eyes darting around the common room.  A moment later Hermione entered and came to a halt, looking at them.  She turned to Neville and asked, “You didn’t tell them, did you?”

The boy shook his head even more frantically and Hermione smiled.  She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I knew I could count on you, Neville.”

Neville nodded and Hermione headed up into the girls dormitory.  As Parvati began to round on him, he shook his head and stuttered, “I c-can’t tell you!  I pr-promised!”

He quickly rushed up the stairs into the third-year boys dormitory, leaving the three to stare in confusion at each other, wondering what on earth Hermione could have told the boy.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Ye did WHAT!?”

Hermione wilted under Harry’s fierce gaze and mumbled, “It was that only thing I could think of.”

Harry threw up his hands and snarled, “Mione!  Slytherin’s ghost, what were ye thinking?!  Ye can’t just go around telling people the truth!”

“Harry,” said Hermione, forcing herself to look into his blazing green eyes, “Neville might’ve put the same thought into other people’s heads.  And they might be the kind of people who would’ve investigated that.  I stopped that from happening.”

“And what if it hadn’t happened?  Hmm?  What then?”

“I – I don’t know.”

“Ah.  Ye don’t know.”  Harry shook his head and continued, “Perhaps ye should know next time, aye?”

“Don’t you dare make light of me, Harry!”

Harry placed a hand against his chest in a mock shocked manner.

“Me?  Make light of ye?  Never.”

Hermione glared at him and stated firmly, “You are.  And Neville won’t tell.”

Harry arched an eyebrow, making Hermione wonder how anyone could mistake for anything else but his father’s son as that was one of the many expressions they shared.

“How do ye know?”

“I know Neville,” said Hermione, lifting her chin defiantly.

Harry looked down at her for a moment then began to chuckle.  He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment as he placed on hand over his eyes.  When he reopened them, the bright green orbs were dancing with mirth.

“Oh, Mione.  Alright.  I believe ye.”

Hermione sighed in relief and began to return to Gryffindor Tower but Harry grabbed her arm, turning her to face him again.  The girl was shocked as he leaned down so their faces almost touched, eyes burning now, all mirth gone in an instant.

“But I warn ye,” he said in a low voice.  “If he tells, I’ll come after ye.  And doan tell anyone else, even if you think it would be best.  Its not safe.”

“I don’t understand.”

Harry chuckled and smiled coldly, making a shiver run through her.  God, he was scary when he did that!

“Best that ye don’t.  But trust me, it wouldn’t be safe for me if anyone besides ye all found out who me father is.”

Hermione nodded slowly and mumbled, “I understand.”

“Good,” said Harry, smiling warmly now.  “See ye after hols.”

As he turned to walk off, she said, “After hols, Harry.  I intend to get Ron to apologize then.”

Harry turned to half-smirk at her.

“I look forward ter it.”

He then gave her a short wave and walked off, calling over his shoulder, “Happy Christmas.”

“Happy Christmas,” said Hermione with a nod, wondering what the secret was that Harry thought would be revealed should someone find out who his father was.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Sirius POV

I sat, pondering by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room.  Once you got over all the green and silver in the room, it was actually quite nice.  Very comfy chairs.

Of course, I was not pondering chairs at the moment.  I was wondering what to get Harry for Christmas.

Then, I remembered the conversation a month ago between him, the girl Niamh who had claimed ‘Sirius the dog’ as her own, and the Slytherin team captain.  The name was Flight or something of that sort…

I chuckled mentally and rose, padding over to the secret passage over behind one of the couches.  Tapping a paw against the switch that would open it, I crawled through, grinning in the fashion that a dog grins.

I knew exactly what to get my godson for Christmas.  But I needed help.

Barking as I came out of the other end of the tunnel, I ran out of the dungeons, looking for the rather intelligent ginger cat that I had met.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Two days later…

“Well, everybody’s gone.”

Niamh collapsed into a chair and looked at Harry, who was sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace.  Mika was laid out on one of the couches, which he had dragged over to the fireplace for warmth.

The dark-haired boy smiled and opened his eyes to peer up at him.

“And no Malfoy.”

“Thank Merlin for that,” muttered Mika.  “I think I’d have hexed him by now.”

Niamh laughed and said, “Just give him your wand and tell him to hex you.  It’d be very entertaining.”

“Ah, now there’s an idea…”

Harry laughed then rose to his feet, yawning.

“I’m going ter bed.  See ye two tomorrow.”

“Night, Harry.”

“Night, mate.”

Harry waved to his two friends and walked into the desolate dorm, empty of all occupants but him.  He picked Hedwig up from her spot on his bed, ignoring her sleepy hiss of outrage.  Clambering into bed, he laid the snake back down, watching with amusement as she slithered under his pillow, muttering about rude humans.

“Night, Hed.”

The snake sighed and mumbled, “Good night.”

Harry chuckled as he closed his eyes, falling asleep a few moments later.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

The next morning he was woken by something jumping on his bed and barking furiously at him, waking him from a very sound sleep.  Propping himself up on one elbow, he peered blearily at Sirius, who was giving him the dog equivalent of a grin.

“Good morning, Sirius.”

The dog barked again and Harry gave the bear-like creature a shove, barely making him move.

“Alright, I’m up.  Can ye get off me now?”

Sirius barked again and leapt off of the bed, racing out of the room.  Harry shook his head after the dog and threw back the blankets, crawling out of bed.  He changed quickly, grabbed Hedwig (who made an attempt to bite him), and headed into the common room.

Mika and Niamh were already, both grinning brightly as he entered.

“C’mon!” cried the girl.  “I want to open presents!”

Harry laughed and sat down on the floor beside his friends, setting Hedwig on his head as he reached for the gift Mika handed him.

By the time they were almost done, Harry had claim on the most presents.  Niamh had given him a tiny pewter raven statue, its eyes two tiny, gleaming emeralds.  Mika’s gift was a book on highly advanced potions.  Harry’s eyes widened as he saw that it was a very rare book that not even his father had, as there were only ten copies of the book ever made.  The book had been written by a cousin of Salazar Slytherin himself and given to only the best Potions Masters.  The whereabouts of seven of the books was not even known and witch hunters had burned the other two in the 18th century.  If Harry read the front cover right, he held the original copy in his hands.

“Sweet Slytherin’s ghost…  Where’d ye find this?”

Mika replied, “Mum found it a few years ago on one of her digs.  She’s a magical artifacts hunter and a novice Potions Master, so she knew what the book was.  It as a gift when I had an obsession for potions.”  He shrugged and continued, “I remembered it a few days ago and sent Mum an owl, asking her to send it to me.”

Harry blinked and stared at the other boy before looking down at the book.

“Gods…”

“Is it really that rare?” asked Niamh.

“Ni, this was written by one of Slytherin’s cousins.  It has potions in it that we doan even remember anymore.”

“Slytherin himself?  Its that old?”

“Probably a De-Aging Charm keeping it together,” said Mika.  “Who knows what they had during those times?  Anyway, back to presents!”

Hermione’s gift to each of them was a box of Chocolate Frogs that she claimed was a joint gift between herself, Ginny, and Ron.  Mrs. Weasley had sent each of them one of her famous sweaters and some of her fudge.  Niamh nibbled on a piece as she opened a gift from Hagrid, which were some of his rock cakes.  Harry blanched, having met the hard cakes once and knowing the exact reason they were called rock cakes.  The dark-haired girl winced and muttered something about teaching Hagrid to cook properly.

Harry was surprised to find the Dursley’s had sent him a gift, which was simply a coat hanger that appeared to be twisted into a noose.  Mika looked at the object disdainfully and said, “They seem to have it in for you.”

“They can eat shit and die fer all I care,” remarked Harry.  “Or at least Aunt Petunia and Dudley can.  Uncle Vernon was fairly nice ter me ‘cept he can’t stand up to Aunt Petunia worth a Knut.”

“Dudley?  Who cursed him with such a name?” asked Niamh.

“Your name isn’t too hot either,” remarked Mika.

“My name just so happens to be Gaelic for ‘Bright’, thank you ever so much.  Dudley on the other hand…”

“Is a name me aunt gave ter him and he fits it perfectly,” growled Harry.  “Fat whale of lard that he is.  Let’s get off me bloody spit-sod relatives and back to presents.”

“Dammit, Mika, you’ve pissed him off.”

“Me?  What about you?”

“I made no remarks about the Dursley’s.”

“But…”

“Both of ye sod off!”

The two Slytherins mumbled apologies as Harry glared exasperatedly at them.

“Presents, please.”

“Alright…”

“Alright…”

And so the opening of presents continued.  Niamh had given Harry a Broom Servicing kit and Mika a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans while she had gotten the same thing from the two of them only switched around.  The three of them laughed at the coincidence then Niamh handed a long present to Harry, who began to open.  Sirius wagged his tail excitedly.  Harry was about to open his gift!

Harry ripped the paper aside and gaped at what rolled out of it into his lap.  The three Slytherin’s stared at the sleek broom laying across his knee’s, jaws practically sitting on the floor.  Niamh reaching out to touch the broom just to make sure it was there.

“Holy saints and demons…  That’s a Firebolt.”

“Who’s it from?” asked Mika.

Harry looked at the wrapping and said, “There’s no note.  Whoever sent this…”

“Was very, very rich and should be blessed,” said Niamh, blue eyes on the shiny red broom.  “We’ve got no chance to lose the match against Gryffindor now!  Hell, we’ll tromp all over their fluffy, golden tails!”

“Is that any way to talk about our friends?” asked Mika in an amused tone.

Niamh chuckled and said, “Hey, Quidditch is war.  Friends or not, we’re going to kick Gryffindor ass.”

Harry laughed at her then said softly, “I wish I knew who’d sent this.”

Mika frowned and began, “You think…?”

“Na,” said Harry, shaking his head.  He knew exactly who Mika was suggesting had sent it.  “He would’ve signed it.  ‘Sides, I’ve already got tha’ gift.”

“Really?  What?”

Harry smirked at Niamh and replied, “Secret.”

“Oh, curse you, Harry!”

“Curse me and I won’t be able ter fly.”

Niamh scowled at him and he smirked in response, causing Mika to laugh.

Sirius wagged his tail and barked, happy that his godson had like the gift.  But whom were they talking about?

Lupin was sitting at his desk in the DADA classroom putting together what he was going to teach for the first class after Christmas holidays when there was a knock at the door.  He looked up in surprise, having not expected anyone to come see him on Christmas Day.

“Come in.”

The door opened and a familiar dark-haired Slytherin poked his head in, green eyes darting to the graying teacher.

“Harry,” said Lupin, smiling at the tall, lanky boy.  “Come in, come in.  Tea?”

“Thank ye, but no,” said Harry, entering the room.  He walked forward and added, “Could I ask ye a question, professor?”

“Certainly.  What’s on your mind?”

“Well…I was wondering if ye – if ye knew a way ter dispel the Dementors.”

Lupin arched an eyebrow and asked, “Why do you ask?”

“Ye heard about the match?”

“I did.  Was there any way to save your broom?”

Harry shook his head.

“Na.  Completely shattered.”

“And the question you asked is incase that happens again.”

Harry nodded and asked, “Ye know what Dementors do?”

Lupin nodded.

“You relive your worst memories.”

“Yeh.”

“Harry,” said Lupin, eying the boy.  “What do you hear when you get near them?”

“My mum.  Voldemort killing her.”

Merlin’s ghost.

“They’re getting hungry,” said Lupin.  “Dumbledore won’t let them inside the school.  I suppose that all the emotions running wild at the Quidditch match was too much for them to pass up.”

“Yeh.  A feast.  Like the prisoners in Azkaban.”

“It’s a terrible place.”

“Mmm,” said Harry.  He looked at the werewolf and asked, “Can ye help me?”

Lupin sighed and replied, “It’s a very difficult charm to perform.  Most adult wizards can’t perform it.  They don’t have what’s needed.”

“I can do it.”

Lupin smiled slightly at the boy and said, “Alright then.  We’ll try.  Give me time to find a Boggart.  We can’t have a Dementor in the school, now can we?”

Harry shook his head, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth.

“I’ll inform you when I find one.  Until then…relax.  Enjoy the rest of the holidays with your friends.”

“Thank ye, professor.”

“My pleasure, Harry.”

Harry nodded gratefully then turned and left.  Lupin looked thoughtfully after him for a moment, one finger tapping his chin.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Lupin’s POV

Hmmm.

I am beginning to wonder about that boy.

Especially after what Hagrid told me.

There seem to be several stories about him but none of them seem to fit together.

Hagrid says he’s a good kid, if a little too drawn into himself.

Minerva…oh, what can one say about Minerva’s opinion of Slytherin’s?  She’s disliked Slytherin’s ever since Severus turned her cloak into a bunch of piranha in our first year.

Emily claims he keeps to himself but seems like a well-behaved child.

Frederick says he’s as good at Charms as Lily was and has a higher grade in there than Miss Granger, which is saying something.

Poppy says she sees him often enough in the Hospital Wing along with his friends, which puts them in the troublemakers section for her.  Right in with the Weasley twins.

Of course, Severus won’t tell me what he thinks of Harry.  If anyone can hold a grudge, that man can.

And all Albus will say on the matter is that Harry is a good student who stayed at Hogwarts for the summer because of family problems.

I’m beginning to wonder if it wasn’t because of Sirius’ escape.  Why didn’t Fudge tell the public?  They deserve to know.  The children at the school deserve to know why the Dementors are on the grounds.  But noooo….

I sighed and ran my fingers back through my hair.

Ergh.  I don’t know what to think of that boy.  He doesn’t look anything like James and I can’t place who he does look like.

And it’s driving me mad.

Blast.

I think I need a vacation.

The day after the Christmas holidays ended, Harry received a message from Lupin.  Jardin claimed to have already read the letter and was spouting all sorts of things he thought Harry would need to face the boggart or another dementor.  Harry deliberately ignored the raven, blocking off the chatter from his thoughts and opening the letter at the same time.

Harry,

I just found a boggart yesterday and, if you’re willing, we can start today.  Three o’ clock, alright?  If so, look at the Head Table and nod.

Lupin

Harry looked towards the Head Table, met Lupin’s eyes, and nodded before turning to the angrily cawing Jardin.

< Harry, are you listening to me?  HARRY! >

I’m listening, I’m listening…

< Doesn’t seem that way. >

Yeah, well…

< You weren’t listening, were you? >

…

< Tell the truth now.  Or I’ll search for it. >

Oh, alright.  Bloody brigand.  That’s an invasion of my privacy, y’know!

The raven turned a golden eye towards him and stated, < And your point is? >

Harry sighed and let his head fall onto the table.

Nevermind.  No, I wasn’t listening.  Anything else?

< Hermione told McGonagall about your mysterious Firebolt. >

She did WHAT?

< Oh, that’s not the best part. >

Harry groaned and tilted his head enough to glance through slitted eyes at the raven.

Please don’t tell me…

< Yep.  McGonagall confiscated it this morning.  Right after you left Arx Serpens. >

“Dammit,” growled Harry in both voices.  Where’s Mione?

< Whatever for? >

Because I want to yell and scream at her.

< She’s only looking out for your well-being. >

Against what?  She made no objections when Da sent me my Nimbus before second year.

< She wasn’t there, remember? >

Riiiiight…  Well…  Bloody piss and sod.  Piss and sod and hell spawn.  Aitchaìn delrétch omphê.

< What? >

Elven.

< I noticed that.  But that’s an ancient form of Elven.  That’s… >

The Language of the High Elves.

Jardin blinked.

< Yes.  That’s right.  How did you know? >

Books.

< Tell me another. >

Da’s ancestor married an Elven princess.

< Now how come I just now heard this? >

I’ve been speaking Elven since last term, Jar, sighed Harry.

< And you didn’t think to send me a memo? >

Harry rolled his eyes and rose from the table.

I’m going to find Mione.  Coming?

< No, thank you.  I believe I shall finish off your plate. >

Be my guest.

Jardin attacked the remains of food left on Harry’s plate as the boy stalked out of the Great Hall, heading for the fourth floor and the entrance to Gryffindor Tower by every secret passage he knew

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Merlin.  Excalibur.  Fiddlesticks.  Piffle.  Hex.  Quidditch.  Quaffle.  Bludger.  Snitch.  SOD!”

The Fat Lady shook her head and said, “Try again, dearie.”

Harry scowled and it hit him.

“Slytherin’s suck.”

The portrait swung open and he stepped into the Gryffindor common room, frowning slightly at the brightness.  He spotted Dean and Seamus doing their homework at a nearby table and said loudly, “Ye need ter get a new password.”

The two boys jumped at least ten feet and stared at him with wide eyes.

“H-how’d you get in here?” stammered Seamus.

Harry pointed over his shoulder at the open portrait-hole and said, “The door.  Where’s Hermione?”

“Hermione?” said Dean in confusion.

“Yes, Hermione, ye bumbling idiot.  Is she in here?”

The two boys were obviously too surprised to notice the Snape in that scathing remark and pointed at the staircase leading up to the girl’s dormitory.  Harry nodded to them and headed towards it, ignoring both boys surprised yells.

“Hey!”

“You can’t go up there!”

Harry took the steps three at a time until he arrived at the third years dorm.  He knocked on the door politely, barely controlling himself from transfiguring it into a bat and beating Hermione over the head.

“Come in,” called a girl’s voice and he entered.

Chaos ensued.  Harry saw Parvati diving into the bathroom with Lavender at her heels as Taya Sykes hid behind the curtains on one of the beds.  Hermione simply sat dumbly on her bed during all this, staring at Harry with wide eyes.

When the shrieking finally subsided Harry narrowed his eyes at Hermione and growled, “We need ter talk, Hermione.  Now.”

Hermione nodded numbly and slid off her bed, walking past him out onto the stairs.  Harry frowned at the quivering Taya and chittering Parvati and Lavender before closing the door with a snort and grabbing Hermione by the arm.  He dragged her down the stairs, through the common room, and out into the hall where he shook her violently.

“What in the bloody hell were ye thinking going ter McGonagall?!”

“Of you!” cried Hermione as she wrenched herself from his grasp.  Living beside Niamh must have rubbed off on her, as she lifted her chin defiantly in a manner not unlike the Slytherin and said, “I was thinking of you.”

“Me?” said Harry.  “Then why McGonagall?  Ye know she’s hates me.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

Harry scoffed but made no reply.  He sighed and asked, “Why did ye tell her anyway?  About the Firebolt?”

“Because…”

“Because why?” growled Harry, his fingers unconsciously tapping his wand.

“Because Sirius Black could have sent it!”

Harry snapped back as though he had been hit, eyes wide with shock.  He grabbed her wrist and snarled, “How do ye know about Black?  How?!”

Hermione stared at him fearfully and replied in a bit of a shriek, “I over heard Niamh and Ginny talking!  They said he was after you!”

Harry cursed fluently, letting go of Hermione and turning to punch the wall behind him.  Blood spurted from his knuckles and Hermione cried out, rushing forward, but Harry pushed her back.

“Its fine,” he growled, meeting her eyes hard enough that she took a step back from the force in them.  “But now McGonagall knows we know.”

“About Black?”

“What else were we talking about?”

“So…”

“So, that means we’ll most likely be Obliviated.”

“Obliviated?  WHY?”

Harry sent her an exasperated look and spat, “Surely ye can figure that out on yer own.”  He tore a piece of cloth off his sleeve with his teeth as Hermione frowned in though, wrapping it around his wounded hand.  He’d go to Madam Pomfrey after he was finished with Hermione then went to have a long talk with his father.

“Oh!” cried Hermione.  “Because we aren’t supposed to know!”

“Give the girl a cookie,” spat Harry bitterly, earning a stern frown from Hermione that reminded him far too much of McGonagall for comfort.

“That’s not funny, Harry.”

“It wasn’t meant ter be.”

“I’m sorry.  I just thought…”

Harry held up a hand to stop her from continuing.

“I know what ye thought, Mione.  Ye were just thinking about my safety.  I know.  But I’ve handled worse than Black before.”

“That can get you killed.”

“Wha’?”

“Being cocky like that.”

“S’not cocky,” said Harry with a smirk.

“Then what is it?” asked Hermione.

“Truth,” replied Harry cryptically before turning and heading for the dungeons.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Da!”

“Merlin’s beard…  Harry?”

“Do ye have another son I don’t know of?  I think not.”

Severus arched an eyebrow at his son and asked, “Did I miss something?”

“Yeh,” growled Harry.  “Someone sent me a Firebolt – a bloody Firebolt – fer Christmas and Hermione told McGonagall she thought Black might’ve sent it!  Now ‘Gonagall’s confiscated it and is liable to Obliviate us!”

“Firstly, breathe.  Second, how does Miss Granger know this?”

“Overheard Niamh and Ginny.”

“And how do those two know this?”

“Mika told them.  Same as he told them ye were a Death Eater.”

Severus rubbed his temples and sat down.

“I need a drink.  But first I’ll talk with Minerva and try to get the Firebolt back.  Did it say who it was from?”

“No.”

“Hmmm.  Perhaps I’ll have a look at it myself.  I suggest you go to the Hospital Wing for that hand if the cloth torn from your sleeve is any evidence.”

Harry nodded and turned to leave, his father’s voice bellowing after him.

“AND DON’T TELL ANYONE ELSE ABOUT ANYTHING, FOR SLYTHERIN’S SAKE!!”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Alright, Harry.  You remember what I told you?”

“Yeh.  I just say Expecto Patronum and keep me happy memory in mind.”

“Good, good.  Ready?”

Harry steadied his wand in his right hand, newly healed by Madam Pomfrey, and nodded.

“Ready.”

“Alright then,” said Lupin.  He pointed his wand at the cabinet holding the boggart, sending out sparks.  The doors burst open and out came a Dementor, towering and black.  Cold enveloped Harry as a scabbed hand reached towards him but he was already saying the words.

“Expecto patronum… expecto patronum… expecto patronum…”

Screams erupted in Harry’s head, his own and his mother’s, but he kept going.

“Expecto patronum – EXPECTO PATRONUM!!”

Something silver and without form leaked out of his wand and surrounded the dementor-boggart but did nothing to dispel it.  Harry sank to his knees in exhaustion, gasping for breath as Lupin stepped forward, catching the boggart’s attention.  It turned into a hovering white ball and Lupin shoved it into a packing box then turned to Harry, holding out a piece of chocolate.

“Here.  Eat this, Harry.”

Harry took the chocolate and tore off a bite.  He looked up at the werewolf and asked, “What happened?”

Lupin smiled and replied, “You did good for a third year.”

“But na good enough,” said Harry bitterly, downing the remainder of the chocolate.

“If you want we can…”

“No,” said Harry firmly.  “Let’s go again.”

Lupin nodded and moved over to the box, releasing the boggart again.  Once again cold filled the room and Harry began to recite the incantation, focusing on another memory.  His original one has been when he had met Niamh.  Now he focused on the second time he had walked into the Leaky Cauldron and been taken by Molly Weasley

“Expecto patronum… expecto patronum…”

The dementor took in a rattling breath and Harry heard his mother’s voice in his head again.

“No, not Harry!  Please, not Harry!”

“Stand aside girl!”

“Expecto patronum…”

But now a new voice added itself to the fray.

“Lily, take Harry and run!  It’s him!  Go!  Run!  I’ll hold him off –”

Now a high-pitched cackle filled Harry’s head and he ground out a last expecto patronum before collapsing once more.  Lupin shoved the now once again glowing ball-boggart into the packing box and handed Harry another piece of chocolate after the teen had come to again.

“Are you okay?”

“I heard ‘im,” said Harry in awe, nibbling on the chocolate.  “I heard J…me father.”

Lupin caught where Harry almost said ‘James’ and logged it in his memory for further thought.

“You heard James?”

Harry nodded and took a bite of the chocolate.

“Ye knew him?”

“We were friends,” said Lupin, not knowing Harry already knew this and was just asking to keep the professor from thinking suspicious thoughts.  “We really should stop, Harry.  This charm is ridiculously advanced…”

“I can do it,” ground Harry determinedly and Lupin was reminded of a certain stubborn redhead he once knew.

“Alright…  Ready?”

Harry nodded and held his wand out in front of him like a sword.  Lupin watched the boy for a moment then released the boggart from the packing box once more.  The dementor towered above Harry, taking in a rattling breath.  Green eyes narrowed, Harry focused as hard as he could on another happy memory.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”

The voices in Harry’s head dimmed until they sounded as though they were coming from far away as something huge, silvery, and without shape burst from the end of his wand, hovering between him and the dementor.  The towering creature had halted and Harry was still on his feet, hand shaking slightly –

“Riddikulus!”

The dementor and Harry’s cloudy Patronus vanished, replaced by the silvery orb once more.  As Harry sank into a chair, Lupus shoved the boggart into the packing box with his wand then turned to the teen, smiling.

“Excellent, Harry.  Excellent!  That was a very good start!”

As Lupin handed him a bar of Honeydukes chocolate, Harry asked, “Can we give it another go?”

“No,” said Lupin, “I think that’s enough for now.  You look exhausted.  Go get some rest.  Classes tomorrow remember.”

Harry nodded and said, “Thank ye professor.”

“Your welcome, Harry.  We’ll give it another go at the end of the week.”

Harry nodded again then left the room, walking down the corridor until he came to an alcove in the wall.  A marble gargoyle grinned at him from the spot but he easily shrunk it and placed it in his pocket, climbing up into the alcove and leaning his throbbing head against the cool stone.

He could still hear his mother’s voice echoing through his head.  She was haunting him in a way.  And the only way he could hear her…

No.

Harry sat up hurriedly, eyes burning.

He would not go near a dementor just to hear his mother.  He would NOT!

“She’s dead and nothing will bring ‘er back,” muttered Harry as he leaned back against the stones, opening the bar of chocolate and taking a bite.

A month or so later…

“Potter!  POTTER!”

“WHAT IN SLYTHERIN’S NAME DO YE WANT, FLINT?!”

Flint sneered at the third year, who was almost as tall as himself, and growled, “Game’s today.”

“I know.  Do I look like an idiot?” snarled Harry.

“Look like one to me,” drawled Malfoy from his chair.

Harry hissed at the blond then growled to Flint, “I know the game is today, Flint.  What do ye want?”

“You have a broom?”

“Yeh.”

“Good.  Be ready.”

“What else am I going ter do?” exclaimed Harry, throwing his hands in the air.  He walked over to the Hexer’s Corner where Niamh sat with Sirius on the floor and collapsed onto the couch, groaning into the pillow.

“That bad?” asked Niamh.

Harry groaned again into the pillow to clarify.

“That’s bad.  Did the Demon Bitch give back your Firebolt yet?”

Harry lifted his head and laid is sideways on the couch cushion, looking wearily at Niamh.  Between schoolwork, Quidditch practice, and dementor lessons, he was dead tired.

“Yes,” he sighed.  “Da even checked it over himself before he gave it to me this morning.”

“This morning?  Hell, Harry, you haven’t even rode it yet?”

Harry looked exasperatedly at Niamh then smirked.

“Why doan we go test it out then?”

Niamh grinned and said excitedly, “Quidditch pitch, here we come!”

Sirius barked happily at this, wagging his tail, causing the two Slytherins to laugh.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

A few minutes later the three of them walked out onto the pitch, Harry garbed in his gear with the Firebolt over his shoulder and Niamh bundled up in a scarf and Harry’s green Slytherin cloak.  She was borrowing it, as there was a fierce wind outside in the February air along with the already cold air.  Added to her outfit was her scarf and Quidditch gloves along with one of the school’s Comet Two-Sixty’s slung over her shoulder.

Sirius planted himself on the sidelines as the two kicked off into the air, barking in surprise as Harry dove towards the ground, only missing it by a few inches when he pulled up.  The boy looked over his shoulder to grin at the dog; his normally pale cheeks were whipped a slight pink by the chill wind.  Niamh laughed and yelled down, “Chill out, Sirius!  We’re not gonna fall!”

Sirius barked at her and she laughed again, pulling out a small ball from her pocket and tapping it with her wand.

“Hey, Harry!” she yelled, hefting the now Quaffle sized ball in her left hand.  “Catch!”

Harry spun about and dove for the ball as it arched towards the ground.  He caught it with one hand, pushed the Firebolt back up into the air, then hurled it at Niamh.

“How’s it feel?” she yelled as she caught the ball simply by reaching out her right hand.

“Great!” yelled Harry back, grinning.  He did a loop and caught the ball as he came out of it, hurling it back to her as he went into another.  Niamh yelped as the ball hit her hands hard, driving her back a few inches.  She shook her left hand and glared at him.

“Are you sure you shouldn’t be a Chaser?”

“Positive!”

Harry came out of another loop and dove straight towards Niamh.  As he went by her, he reached out and tapped her broom, before diving towards the base of one of the hoops.

“Yer It!”

Niamh gaped in shock for a moment then shrunk the ball, tucking it back into her pocket.  She turned her Comet about and dove after him.

“Come back here, you!”

“Catch me!”

“Braggart!”

“Am na!”

“Are too!”

“Na!”

“Too!”

“It!”

“Cheater!”

Niamh laughed and doubled back as Harry turned to chase after her.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

A few hours later…

“Welcome to the second game of the Quidditch season: Slytherin versus Gryffindor!  And here comes the Gryffindor team now…”

Harry tightened the laces on his left glove, the Firebolt nestled in the crook of his arm.  Once the Slytherin first team had found out about the broom they had been parading around with their heads held high.  The Gryffindor team on the other hand was sullen and silent, glaring at Harry whenever he passed.  With the exception of Fred and George of course, who kept trying to steal the Firebolt from under Harry’s nose and grinning innocently at him when he caught them.

“And the Slytherin team!”

“Let’s go!” yelled Flint, mounting his broom and kicking off.  Harry was third out and flew up to his position above the field.  He was shocked beyond belief to find himself facing Ron in the Seeker position.

“Ron!” he cried, nearly falling off his broom in shock.

Ron nodded at him and spat bitterly, “Harry.”

Harry frowned and scowled.  So that was the way it was going to be was it?  Two could play at that game.

“So…Weasley…ye tried out?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Oh nothing,” replied Harry offhandedly.  He then bared his teeth and hissed, “Besides the fact that I am going ter so enjoy the look on yer face when we win.”

Ron snorted, glaring.

“Yeah, right.”

“Notice the broom?” asked Harry casually, looking down to where Madam Hooch was talking to Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint.

Ron’s jaw fell as he saw the golden lettering on the red broom.

“A Firebolt?”

Harry smirked in response then saw Madam Hooch lifting her whistle to her mouth.  He said, “Good luck, Weasley,” before the whistle blew sharply and the Snitch shot past them.  The two of them plowed after it, Ron pushing his Comet Two-Sixty to its limit.  They were neck and neck until Derricks hit a Bludger at Ron, causing the Gryffindor to veer off course.  Derricks gave Harry a thumbs-up then raced down the field after the Bludger.

Harry cursed as the Snitch vanished and dodged a Bludger from Fred.  He pushed the Firebolt higher, scanning the field for a glint of gold.

“And the new Gryffindor Seeker Ron Weasley has seen the Snitch!”

Harry cursed violently and dove.

“…Johnson has the Quaffle – no, Warrington has it!  Spinnet tries to reclaim the Quaffle for Gryffindor but fails!  And the Slytherins drive home!  10 to 0, Slytherin!”

Harry raced after Ron, who was tailing the Snitch with only a few feet between him and the golden ball.  Bole chucked a Bludger at Ron but George deflected it before it got there, sending it spiraling towards the Keeper, Michael Adicks.

Suddenly there was a gasp from the crowd and Harry looked down to see three black figures marching onto the field.

Good time to try this for real, was what he thought as he drew his wand from its holster at his belt.  He kept the Firebolt steadily racing after Ron with one hand and pointed down at the dementors with the other.

“Expecto patronum!”

A silvery shape shot out of his wand and he snapped his head up, switching his wand to his left hand quickly and pushing the Firebolt faster.  He moved past Ron, who hissed in rage.  Harry ignored him and spun as the Snitch doubled back the way it had come.  He caught it halfway there and the Slytherin stands erupted as he yelled, “I’VE GOT THE SNITCH!!”

Behind him Ron cursed and glared at him but Harry only grinned at the crowd, waving the Snitch above his head.  Bole and Derricks pounded him on the back and Adam Warrington, one of the Chaser’s, said, “Congrats, Potter,” echoed by the other Chaser, Phillip Montague.

By the time Harry touched down, Niamh was on the field and rushed to fling herself onto him, shrieking happily into his ear.  Ginny and Mika followed her, both grinning widely.

A hand suddenly fell on Harry’s shoulder and he turned to see Professor Lupin standing behind him.

“I suppose you won’t be needing those lessons anymore,” said Lupin with a smile.

Harry frowned at him and said, “Wha’?”

“Your Patronus,” said Lupin as though that explained everything.

Mika nodded and said excitedly, “Yeah!  Harry, that was bloody amazing!”

“What?”

“You didn’t see?” asked Mika.

Harry shook his head and Niamh bounced up and down, still hugging him.  She cried, “Oh, it was amazing!  It was…it was…”

“A Darcorn,” said Lupin, causing Harry’s jaw to drop and his eyes to widen to the size of saucers.

“So…the dementors…?”

“They weren’t dementors,” said Lupin.

When the four Slytherin’s looked at him in confusion he led them over to where the three cloaked figures lay on the ground.  And crawling out of one of the cloaks was a very familiar blond head.

“Malfoy!” hissed the four at the same time, all of their eyes flashing angrily.

Niamh made strangling motions with her hands while Mika and Ginny fingered their wands.  Harry only stood there, looking at Malfoy with such a look of contempt that it was indescribable.

Malfoy looked up and paled to the color of chalk at the site of the four.

“Erm…” was all he said before Snape stalked onto the field, the same look on his face as on Harry’s.

“Messer’s Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, Sykes, and Talbot – in my office now!”

“Yes, sir,” said six voices through cloth.

Snape sneered and tapped his foot on the ground, crossing his arms.

“I am waiting gentlemen!”

“Yes, professor!”

Niamh smirked and spat, “Serves them right!  Trying to sabotage their own team!  Backstabbing sons of a…”

Mika elbowed Niamh hard, earning a death glare and a sharp remark that Lupin and Snape seemed to ignore.

Harry sneered at the six boys who were still entangled in the long robes then went to find Madam Hooch to hand in the Snitch.  As Mika, Niamh, and Ginny followed him, they did not notice Lupin looking between Harry and Snape in awe and confusion.

Harry, Niamh, Ginny, and Mika were all sitting at the Slytherin table eating breakfast when Ron charged into the Great Hall, his face as red as his ears.  The four watched in surprise as he stalked over to their table and hissed out a breath through his teeth.

Mika looked Ron up and down and said casually, “Yes?” not really wanting to piss off the ginger-headed boy even more than he looked.  Though Harry was really the dangerous one when he was pissed off.

Ron glared at them then threw something down on the table in front of Niamh.  The girl glared at the black ball sitting in the middle of her eggs then looked up at the boy.

“May I ask why there is a rather large and…ah, greasy ball of hair nestled in my eggs?”

Ron hissed out another breath and spat, “Your damn dog somehow got in our Tower and ate Scabbers!”

Niamh snorted and said, “Sirius wouldn’t eat your scrawny rat, Weasley.  He’d look for something with some real meat on it!”

“And besides,” said Ginny, looking at her brother, “haven’t you always said that you hated having a stupid rat for a pet?”

Ron scowled and spat, “Sod off, Ginny.”

“Hey!” exclaimed Mika.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked up at Ron, eyes narrowed.  “Look,” he said, “Sirius did’na eat Scabbers.  I doan know how he got in the Tower but then again its not that hard to get in there.  So, why doan ye got sit down at yer table and leave us to our own devices, hmm?”

Ron glared at Harry, who simply arched an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.  After a moment the ginger-haired boy let out a curse and turned on a heel, stalking off.

“Brilliant, Harry,” said Niamh with a smile.  “Just brilliant.”

“Thank ye,” said Harry, poking at the ball of black fur with his finger.  “And I do that tha’s Sirius’ hair.”

Ginny stared at him, jaw dropped, then stared, “But you said…”

“That was ter throw Ron off, Gin.  But that is Sirius’ fur.”

“Why would he be in Gryffindor Tower?” asked Mika.  “Or eat that fat rat?”

Harry frowned and shrugged, looking at the ball of fur in Niamh’s plate.

“I doan know.  But I think we should find out.”

 

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Hogsmeade weekend…again

Harry sighed heavily and sat in the alcove he had taken as one of his hiding places.  Niamh and Mika had gone down to Hogsmeade and had taken Sirius with him and Ginny was in the library doing research for the DADA paper.  So Harry was alone with no one to talk to but Hedwig, as Jardin was nowhere to be found.

Unfortunately the snake was asleep in his pocket and left him alone.

Harry sighed again and leaned his head back against the cool stones of the alcove, closing his eyes.  When he reopened them, someone was waving a hand in front of his face, causing him to leap backwards.  Or try to.  He ended up hitting his head against the top of the alcove and letting out a surprised yelp.  Rubbing his head, he glared furiously at the grinning pair in front of him.

“Ye two!  What in the sod was that for?”

George shrugged and Fred only grinned.  Harry scowled at them then sighed.  Scowls didn’t work on the Weasley twins.  Not even those of a Snape, who Harry had the firm belief were gifted with the inborn ability to scowl in the most furious manner.  Or snarl, snap, and sneer.

“Alright.  What do ye two want?”

“Us?” asked George, placing a hand on his chest.

“We want nothing,” said Fred innocently.

“Uh-huh.  And badgers can fly.”

The twins laughed and Harry half-smiled at them, waiting for their answer.

“Alright,” said Fred.  “We wanted to give you something.”

“Very important it is,” said George.

“Very,” echoed Fred.

“Can’t be duplicated.”

“Amazing piece of work by four…”

“…fine gentlemen who work solely…”

“…for the good of…”

“Crooks like ye two?” asked Harry with a teasing smirk.

“Crooks?” exclaimed the twins.

“Never!”

“We prefer the term Hysterical Jokers.”

“Uh-huh.  What’s this piece o’ work?”

Fred and George grinned at each other and Fred asked, “You want to do the honors, Gred?”

“Certainly, Forge,” replied George, pulling out his wand with a flourish.

Fred pulled out a scrap of yellowed paper and held it out to his twin, who placed the tip of his wand against it and said, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”

Harry sat up hurriedly as lines curved out from where George’s wand touched the paper, forming a spider web system of lines that resembled…a map?  He blinked as words in bright green lettering wrote out at the top.  They read:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER’S MAP   “Bloody hell,” breathed Harry as he eyed the map, watching the little dot that was his father pace in his study.  He saw a dot labeled Mrs. Norris wandering the third floor corridor and a cluster of dots that were color coded to make out the names.  They were Frederick Weasley, George Weasley, and Harold Snape.  He looked up at Fred and arched an eyebrow. “Frederick?” Fred’s ears tinged pink and he hissed, “Harold.” Harry held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay.  No use o’ the full name.” He looked at the map again and saw a series of tunnels leading off of it.  And if it was labeled right, they led right into… “Hogsmeade,” said George proudly, watching Harry as he gaped at the tunnels. “Seven in all,” said Fred, pointing at the tunnels.  “Filch knows about these four and these two are blocked.”  He pointed out the tunnels in question and lingered on the second.  “The Whomping Willow’s planted right over the entrance to that one.” George pointed at the last tunnel and said, “But this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes.  We’ve been using it for years.” Harry eyed the tunnel and saw it was behind the one-eyed witch on the third floor.  Hedwig had mentioned something once abou that spot being cold… “Let me guess,” he said.  “Ye stole this from Filch?” “Yep.” “Right out from under his nose.” “And yer showing it to me fer what?” asked Harry, arched an eyebrow at the pair. “We’re giving it to you.” “Yep.  Long live the Magical Mischief Makers!” Harry laughed at the two and said, “Thank ye.  Both o’ ye.” “Welcome!” chorused the twins. “Must be off now,” said George. “Yes,” said Fred.  “Lots to buy!” “Candy…” “…and more candy…” “…and Dungbombs.”

Harry shook his head at the two and waved them off, looking at the map in his hands as soon as they were gone.   He eyed the tunnel into Honeydukes and leaned back in the alcove, a smile twitching across his lips.

It was not until the next Hogsmeade weekend that Harry tried out the map and the tunnel into Honeydukes.  The map wasn’t that handy in the area of knowing when there were other people around – with the exception of Filch, who tended to pop up at odd times.  Harry had an acute sense of when someone was near from his time on the streets and the map only helped in that area for long-range.

But the map also showed a good many of the secret passages that he did not know about and how to get into those he had found but was unable to get into.  Those passages that needed passwords showed up on the map with their passwords in tiny speech bubbles.  One such example: the passage behind the one-eyed witch on the third floor.

Harry checked the map for the password once he arrived at the statue then drew his wand, tapping the witch’s hump.

“Dissendium!”

The hump opened and he could not help the grin that spread over his face.  Oh, the things he could do with this…

Still grinning, Harry hoisted himself up into the hole and slid down what felt like a stone slid into the dark.  Once he hit the bottom, he stood, brushing off his robes and hissed, “Lumos!”  His wand tip brightened and he quickly cleared the map as Fred had showed him.

“Mischief managed.”

The map blanked and he folded it, tucking it into his robes.  That done, he headed down the tunnel, which twisted and turned until it rose up to a set of worn stone steps.  Harry bounded up them, taking the steps two to three at a time.  He barely avoiding bashing his head into the trapdoor at the top and only avoided it because he paused to take a breath.  Pushing open the door, he cautiously peered out into the Honeydukes cellar.  Not hearing anyone about, he clambered up the remainder of the steps, easing the trapdoor back down.  Finding the staircase up into the store, he slinked up it, ears cocked for the sound of someone coming down.  When he reached the top, he came out behind the counter – which was unoccupied.  Ducking and sliding away from the counter before straightening and looking around, Harry grinned.

He’d made it!

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Butterbeer?”

“Sounds good.  Where’s the Three Broomsticks?”

“Left.”

“I’m sure its right.”

“No, its left you idiot.”

“You’re the idiot, O’Feir.”

“Sod off, Davids.  C’mon, its this way.”

“But…”

Niamh growled and dragged Mika down the street towards the Three Broomsticks.  It was far too cold to be standing outside in the street wondering where they should go next or wondering what Harry whilst he was stuck back up at the castle.

The Three Broomsticks was packed with Hogwarts students and Hogsmeade residents when they finally managed to shove, squirm, and hex their way inside.  And one particular Hogwarts student sitting alone in a corner booth behind a Christmas tree nursing a mug of butterbeer caught their eyes…

“Harry?” exclaimed Mika and Niamh in surprise when they saw their friend.

Harry smiled cheekily and waved at them.

“Hey, ye two,” said the boy when they scrambled into the booth with him.

“Harry, what are you doing here?” asked Niamh.  “Not that I’m sorry you aren’t, but shouldn’t you be back up in the castle?  I mean, Black could be around.”

“True,” said Mika with a nod.  He then asked, “Ni.  Butterbeer?”

“Yeah.  Thanks, Mik.”

Mika smiled and headed towards the counter as Niamh looked at Harry.

“So, how did you get down here?”

Harry grinned and replied, “Secret.”

“C’mon, Hareeeey.  Tell meeee!”

“A map.”

“A magical map, I presume?”

“Ye would be correct in that assumption.”

“Can I see it?”

“Sure,” said Harry, laying out the Marauder’s Map on the table just as Mika returned, juggling two mug’s of frothing butterbeer and a jug of the drink along with his scarf.  He dumped his burden on the table, pushing Niamh’s drink at her and shoving his scarf into a cloak pocket in the same motion.

“What’s that?” asked the white-haired boy as he sat down, warming his hands against his mug.

“Magical map,” replied Niamh, eying the blank sheet of paper.  “Or it’s supposed to be.”

“Give me a minute,” said Harry, pulling out his wand.  He tapped the map and said, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good!”

“Cool!” exclaimed Niamh and Mika as the spider web lines of the map flowed out and filled the page.  Harry let them look at it for a moment then cleared it, tucked it and his wand back into their respective places.

Niamh looked at where he had tucked map away and breathed, “Imagine what we would do with that map…”

“Imagine what Fred and George had done with that map,” said Mika.  “No wonder they managed to pull off so many pranks nobody could figure out.”

“Yep.  Holy saints and demons…Harry, duck!”

“Wha’?  Hell’s bells!”

Mika blinked and stared at the two of them then turned to see what they were looking at.  His eyes widened when he saw Hagrid, McGonagall, tiny Flitwick, and Cornelius Fudge walking into the Three Broomsticks and shaking snow off of their cloaks.

“Heck-sod.  Duck under the table!”

“Nevermind the table!” spat Niamh, drawing her wand and muttering something under her breath.  A vague chill spread over the three then vanished.

Mika gasped, “What the…”

“Shielding spell,” said Niamh quickly.  “I was looking through the Advanced Charms book and found it.  Thought it might be handy.”

“How’d you get an Advanced Charms book?” asked Mika.

Harry sighed and growled, “Nevermind tha’.  Can they see us anymore?”

“Far as they can tell me and Mik and sitting here discussing the finer points of Quidditch.”

Harry gave his friend a warm smile then perked at the conversation from the table where the professor’s and the Minister of Magic sat.

“Any sight of Black lately, Minerva?”

Niamh and Mika obviously did not hear this and Harry elbowed them, nodding at the table.  The three of them leaned forward, cocking their ears to listen.

“No sign, minister.  But that Potter boy isn’t helping matters any.”

“Troublesome is he?” asked Fudge.

“Very,” replied McGonagall.  “I don’t see how anyone puts up with him.”

“He’s a good boy, Minerva,” piped Flitwick.  “You just don’t trust Slytherins.”

“Aye, ‘Nerva,” grumbled Hagrid.  “’Arry’s a good kid.  Like ‘is Da’.”

Harry winced slightly as Hagrid referred to James Potter, who was not really his father.

“I agree with Minerva,” said Fudge.  “From what I’ve heard, Potter is a troublemaker.  I hear he’s called ‘Lord Bex’ or something of the sort…”

“Hex,” corrected Flitwick.

“’E’s never hexed anyone ‘cept in defense,” said Hagrid.

“But he did beat up another boy in his first year.”

“Malfoy deserved tha’,” growled Hagrid, thumping his hand on the table.

“Rubeus…” warned McGonagall.

“How so?” asked Fudge.

“The boy killed Harry’s owl, I believe,” said Flitwick.  “Am I correct, Hagrid?”

“Yeh.”

“The boy could have lied.”

“NA ‘ARRY!”

“Rubeus!” hissed McGonagall, looking at the students eying them with interest.  “The students!”

“Yes, professor.”

Fudge shook his head and said, “I can’t blame the boy.  There must have been some bit of an impression made on him as a child.”

“That might explain his behavior,” said McGonagall with a nod.

Harry, Niamh, and Mika looked at each other in confusion.  What on earth were they talking about?

“I mean,” continued McGonagall, “there might have been something impressed upon him from his godfather.”

“Godfather?” breathed Harry.

“Pity that was Black,” said Fudge in a low voice and Niamh keeled over in shock.

“What exactly did Black do?” asked Flitwick.  “Wasn’t there something more than just killing Pettigrew?”

Fudge nodded.  “He was the Potter’s Secret Keeper.  As soon as he knew where they were hiding, he ran back to his master.  Voldemort dearly wanted the Potter’s dead.”

Harry’s eyes blazed with cold fury.  Black had betrayed his mother and James and good as killed the both of them!!  He let out a hiss of air, muttering in Parseltongue under his breath.

“You think Black’s after Harry?” asked Flitwick with concern in his voice.

“Perhaps,” replied Fudge.

“Back-stabbin’ devil!” exclaimed Hagrid.  “I saw ‘im jus’ after they died!  Cryin’ ‘is eyes out!  I thought it was fer James and Lily but na!  He was cryin’ ‘cause ‘is master was gone!”

“Rubeus!” hissed McGonagall.

“Let’s get out of here,” whispered Niamh.  “Visit’s almost over.”

Mika nodded and looked at Harry, who was death-glaring the air.

“You going to get him?”

“Sure, you coward.”

“I’m not a coward.”

“Suuuure…”

“Its just that…hell, Ni, doesn’t he scare you sometimes?”

Niamh frowned at Mika then looked at Harry.  She then looked back at the white-haired boy and shook her head.

“No.  He surprises me sometimes but he never frightens me.”

“You’d make a hell of an Auror, O’Feir.”

“Thanks, Davids.  I’ll keep that in mind.  Now, c’mon, Harry!  Up y’ get!”

Niamh pulled Harry up and dragged him out of the booth.  As soon as they stepped out of the bubble of the shield, it shattered, leaving them visible to the world.  Mika moved to Harry’s right and the two of them heaved him out of the Three Broomsticks between them, muttering about too much butterbeer to anyone that looked at them funny.

Once they were outside, they shoved Harry onto a bench and Niamh snapped her fingers in front of his face.

“Harry.  Harry!  Harry!”

“Nothing works.”

“I could try…”

“That might not be a good idea…”

“Hey, if he gets mad, he’ll bang me up, not you.”

“What if he’s madder than usual?  I mean, after what we heard…”

“Don’t mention that.  I’m a bit pissed off about that too.”

“Okay.  You going to…?”

“Yep.”

“Wait.”

“Demonspawn, Mik…  What are you doing?”

“Moving as far away as I possibly can.”

Niamh rolled her eyes and did the only other thing she could think of that might snap Harry out of his daze.

She slapped him.

Harry did snap out of it and his eyes snapped up to Niamh, narrowing until they were two slits of dark green.

“I hope ye had good reason fer that.”

“Well, you were sort of glaring at thin air,” said Mika casually.

Niamh nodded and Harry rubbed his cheek, which stung from the force of the blow.  He grumbled, “Yeh.  Well, ye could’ve just ducked me head in a bucket of ice water.”

“No ice water.”

Harry rolled his eyes and got up, heading towards Honeydukes.

“See ye two in the castle.”

Niamh and Mika waved then looked worriedly after their friend as he vanished into the candy shop.

Gryffindor/Hufflepuff game…

“Oh, that had to hurt.”

“Galloping ghosts, when did the ‘Puff’s get so good?”

“Watch out, Angelina!”

“There’s the Snitch!  There’s the Snitch!”

“Damn, he’s fast!”

“Who should we root for?”

“I’d say Diggory.”

“Alright.  C’mon, Diggory!”

“Go, Cedric!”

“He got it!  Hufflepuff beat Gryffindor!”

“Ha!  Look at Ron!”

“Serves him right!”

Niamh, Harry, Mika, and Ginny mingled into the crowd leaving the stands and managed to end up beside Hermione, who was talking to Neville.  The shorter boy convulsed when he saw Harry and his eyes bugged out.  Niamh arched an eyebrow at him while Harry smiled warmly at him and said, “S’alright, Nev.  I doan bite.”

Neville nodded rather shakily, still looking a bit jumpy.  Hermione patted his shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

Niamh looked from Neville to Harry in confusion then hissed at the boy, “You know?!”

Harry placed a restraining hand on her shoulder and growled, “It’s alright, Ni.  Neville’s got everything under control, don’t ye, Nev?”

Neville nodded and inched behind Hermione, eying Niamh warily.

Mika chuckled and said, “And if he didn’t, he’d be facing the lovely Lady Hex!”

“You two ought to make yourselves t-shirt’s,” said Ginny with a grin.

Niamh laughed and Harry let go of her shoulder as the girl relaxed.  Neville smile weakly and took a step out from behind Hermione.  His eyes widened when the girl leaned down to say, “I couldn’t have offered much protection anyway.”

Harry caught this and laughed before catching Niamh about the shoulders and saying, “Lets go see ‘Agrid.”

“Alright!” chorused three other voices.

“See you, Nev!”

“Ta, Neville.”

“Don’t get in trouble now!”

Neville waved after them, smiling slightly.  Once you got to know them, the Slytherin Four – as the inseparable four were called – they were really very nice.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Hey, Hagrid!”

“What’s…going on.”

The five halted in the door, while the two figures inside looked up in surprise.  Hagrid looked from Ron to Harry, the former of which was glaring and the latter was looking unperturbed.  Niamh and Ginny on the other hand were returning Ron’s glare inch for inch.

“Well, erm…” said Hagrid.  “Ah, sit down, all o’ yeh.”

The five sat, Hermione by Ron while the other four took seats on Hagrid side of the table.  Niamh started off the conversation.

“Were you at the match, Hagrid?”

“Na.  I missed it.  Yeh all want some tea?”

“Sure,” said Mika.

“I’ll help you, Hagrid,” said Hermione, giving the five at the table a meaningful look.  Niamh rolled her eyes then turned to Ron with a smirk.

“So, Ron, two loses in a row, eh?”

Ron growled, “Sod off, O’Feir.”

“Ouch.”

“Y’know,” said Mika, “that’s no way to talk to a lady.”

“The only lady she is is Lady Hex.”

“Oh, and you’re the perfect picture of a gentleman, aren’t you?”

“Sure.  Why not?” said Ron with a tilt of his head.

“Oh, sure you are.”

“Of course I am.”

“Then why did you make an assumption about your best friend?” spat Ginny bitterly, brown eyes blazing at her brother.

Ron blinked at her and gaped.

“I…  I…”

“You don’t have an answer do you?  Well, I suggest you not make assumptions, big brother.  Especially not about things you know nothing about!!”

Ginny gave a huff and crossed her arms over her chest.  A smile twitched at Harry’s lips as he thought of how much like Mrs. Weasley she was.

Ron simply gaped at her, jaw dropped.  He stayed that way for a few moments until Hermione let out a shriek and all of them leapt out of their chairs.

“What is it, Mione?” asked Mika.

Hermione gasped, “It’s…  It’s…”  She turned around and they could see a gray lump in her hands.  “It’s Scabbers.”

“Scabbers!” cried Ron, grabbing the rat, which immediately began to writhe in his hands at the sound of a bark outside.

“Easy, Scabbers, easy.”

“Apparently your rat is scared of my dog,” stated Niamh.

“No kidding,” spat Ron.  “Ow!  He bit me!”

“Hope he’s not rabid,” deadpanned Mika, earning a box on the ear from Hermione.

Another bark sounded from outside and Niamh went to look.  Harry followed her and the rest trailed him.  Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket as they got outside and found themselves in semi-darkness.

“Can’t see a ruddy thing,” muttered Mika.  “Where’s that dog of yours, Ni?”

Niamh shrugged and replied, “Can’t tell.  Sirius!  Here, boy!”

Another bark came from somewhere behind them and suddenly Ron got pulled to the ground by something.

“OY!”

“RON!” hissed Hermione and grabbed for his foot but missed.  Mika saw a flash of blue in the dark and let out a growl.

“Its Sirius!”

“What?” exclaimed Niamh.

“I always knew that dog was a no good mongrel!”

“Nevermind that!” spat Ginny.  “He’s getting away!”

Harry sprang after the dog, Niamh right behind mine and the other three trailing them.

“Where’s…he…going?” panted Niamh.

Harry peered into the dark and saw branches flailing in a flash of light from the moon above.

“The Willow!”

“WHAT?  WE CAN’T GO NEAR THAT THING!”

“No choice!  C’mon!”

The five of them arrived at the willow just in time to see that branches still and the dog drag Ron down through a hole in the base.  The ginger-haired boy yelled at them then vanished down the hole.  Harry dove at it with a yell but got thrown back as the willow’s branches began to move again.  He lay on the ground for a moment, dazed, as Niamh leaned over him.

“You okay, mate?”

“Yeh,” said Harry, sitting up and poking his cheek where the branch had hit.  It sent back a retort of pain and he winced.  That was going to be a bruise in the morning.

Rising to his feet, Harry turned to Mika and Ginny and said, “Go get my Da.  Tell him what happened.”

“What about the teachers?”

“Filch!”

Harry dug the Marauder’s Map out of his pocket and shoved it into Mika’s hands.

“Ye know how to work it.  Now go!”

“Harry…” began Ginny.

“Go!”

“Be careful,” said the girl then she and Mika set off towards the castle.  Harry turned back to the tree and eyed the flailing branches.

Hermione asked, “How are we going to get past those?”

Just as she asked, Crookshanks appeared at the base of the tree, yellow eyes glowing.

“Crookshanks!” exclaimed Hermione.  “Get away from there!”

The cat ignored her and bounded over to where Sirius and Ron had disappeared, batting his paw at a knot on the tree.  Instantly the willow froze and Harry grinned.

“Let’s go!”

The three of them ran forward and slid through the hole down into the tunnel under the tree, the ginger cat bounding down after them.

None of them noticed the figure slinking across the lawn behind them.

Harry, Niamh, and Hermione crept along the dusty little tunnel, Crookshanks padding along behind them.

“Is this one on the map?” asked Niamh.

Harry nodded and replied, “Yeh.  But Fred and George didn’t think it could be used.”

“Because of the Willow.”

“Obviously.”

“Ah.”

“What’s that up ahead?” asked Hermione.

“A trapdoor,” replied Harry.

“And there’s a light on the other side.”

“Shh.  Be quiet.”

The three of them crept forward and slinked up the stone steps that led up to the trapdoor.  Harry eased it open and found himself looking into a dusty little room with a bed, a couch, and a few battered chairs.  Ron was lying on the bed, his right arm lying at an odd angle.

“Clear,” breathed Harry and pushed the trapdoor completely up, stepping into the room then turned to extend a hand to the two girls.  Crookshanks bounded past him and up onto the bed with Ron, hissing.  A lump in Ron’s pocket twitched and the ginger-haired boy lifted his head.

“Harry?  What…?”

Harry shrugged and said, “Yeh.  Here to rescue ye.  Now where’d Sirius go?”

Ron’s eyes widened and he pushed himself up on his good elbow.

“Harry, Sirius…”

“What about Sirius?” asked Niamh.

“He’s not what you think…  He’s…  He’s…”

“Sirius Black!” shrieked Hermione, pointing towards the other side of the room.

And it could only be Sirius Black.  Long, matted black hair fell down over thin shoulders and a patched, dirty gray robe.  The sort of robe you wore in Azkaban.

Harry planted himself in front of Niamh and Hermione, eying the wand in the man’s hand.  He growled, “What do ye want?”

Black looked pleadingly at Harry and replied, “I just want to talk.”

“Oh, is tha’ all?  Talk like ye talked ter Voldemort about me parents!”

Black looked liked he’d been slapped.

“You don’t know…”

“Don’t know wha’?” spat Harry.

“The truth,” replied Black.

“Oh, the truth,” said Harry bitterly.  “The truth o’ what?  How ye really didn’t give me mother ter Voldemort?”

“Yes.  Harry, there’s…”

“DOAN YE CALL ME THA’!  YE HAVE NO RIGHT!”

Black’s shoulders slumped and he nodded.

“I know I have no right.  I good as killed your parents by what I did.”

“Ye did kill them!  Ye gave them ter Voldemort!”

“No!  Harry, listen…”

Harry ‘s wand was in his hand in the instant Black took a step forward and he snarled, “Ye move one more step and I’ll cut ye down like the dog ye are.”

Black’s blue eyes flashed and he said, “I’m sorry, Harry.”  He took another step forward and the words of the first curse he could think of flowed past Harry’s lips.

“Mortis…”

“Expelliarmus!”

Harry’s wand snapped out of his hand and flew over to land in Lupin’s, followed swiftly by Niamh and Hermione’s when they tried to draw theirs.

“Professor,” said Niamh in confusion.  “What are you doing?”

“I want to hear the truth,” replied Lupin, looking at Black.  He nodded slightly and said, “Sirius.”

“Remus,” breathed Black.  “What are you doing here?”

“Albus brought me in after Fudge told him you’d gotten out.  I suppose he thought…”

“That you could do something in case I came to the school.”

Lupin shrugged then asked, “Where is he, Sirius?”

Black nodded at the bed and Ron.

“There.  He’s there.”

“You switched…  you switched and you didn’t tell me…”

“James swore me to secrecy.”

The four students watched as Lupin crossed the room and embraced Black in a brotherly hug.

“WHAT?!” shrieked Niamh.

“You…  you…” stuttered Hermione, pointing at Lupin, who let go of Black and turned to her.

“Hermione…”

“You…”

“Hermione, please calm down and listen to me…”

“I covered for you!  I did….”

“Hermione…”

Hermione turned to Harry and said, “Harry, don’t trust him.”

“Hermione…” said Lupin again, reaching out towards her.

“Don’t trust him.  He’s a werewolf!”

Lupin froze, gray eyes dulling.  He pulled back from them then stared at Harry as the boy whispered, “I know.”

“WHAT?!” shrieked Hermione, Niamh, and Ron.

“You knew?” gasped Hermione, eyes wide.  “You knew all this time and you didn’t tell us?”

“Ye didn’t need ter know!”

“I’d say we did,” growled Ron.  “It’d be real nice to know when there’s a werewolf teaching us.”

Niamh simply looked at Harry, then looked at Black and Lupin.

“What now?” she asked.

“We end this,” growled Black, moving towards Ron, who scrambled backwards with a yelp.  Harry threw himself in front of Black, eyes blazing.

“Get the hell away from ‘im.”

Black halted and looked over Harry’s shoulder at Ron before turning his eyes back to Harry.

“Harry, you don’t know what your doing.”

Harry crossed his arms and looking defiantly up at Black, eyes narrowed so much his eyes looked black.

“Yeh.  I do.”

Black sighed and tossed Ron’s wand onto the bed.  He said to Lupin without turning, “Give them back their wands, Remus.  Maybe they’ll listen then.”

Lupin gave Sirius a look but tossed Niamh, Hermione, and Harry their wands.  Harry fingered his for a moment, looking suspiciously up at Black.

“Now,” said Black, “your armed and we’re not.  Will you listen?”

Harry glanced at Niamh and Hermione then shoved his wand into the sheath at his hip.  He stepped back to lean casually against one of the bedposts and eyed the two men coldly.

“Talk,” he said.  “I’m willing ter listen.”

“Alright,” said Black, looking at Lupin.  “Remus?”

Lupin nodded and said, “I was heading down to the dungeons when your friends Mika and Ginny plowed past me.  They dropped a piece of parchment and I picked it up so I could return it to them.  Little did I know that it was something very familiar to me.”

“The map,” breathed Niamh.

Lupin nodded.

“The map.  I saw the three of you running across the lawn after three people and immediately came after you.”

“Three people?  There were only two,” said Hermione in confusion.

“Three,” said Black, eying Ron.

“How’d you know about the map?” asked Niamh.

“I’m Moony,” replied Lupin.

Ron frowned and asked, “Who were the people?”

“Pettigrew’s dead!” yelled Harry.

Lupin shook his head and pulled out the Marauder’s map, handing it to Harry.  Just on the edge at the end of the tunnel under the Whomping Willow were seven names: Hermione Granger, Niamh O’Feir, Ronald Weasley, Harold Snape, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.  Harry suddenly realized that Lupin also knew something he should never have found out.  He lifted his eyes to meet Lupin’s and his stomach did a flip as the werewolf nodded slightly.  Oh, his father was going to kill him when he found out…

Harry looked up at Lupin and Black before turning to Ron and saying softly, “Give them Scabbers, Ron.”

Ron looked at him like he had just told him to cut out his own heart and eat it.

“What?  Are you insane?!  I can’t give Scabbers to them!”

Harry drew himself up to his full height, fixed the ginger-haired boy with his fiercest scowl, and snarled darkly, “Give them the damned rat or I’ll get ‘im!”

Ron looked at Harry in fear and pulled Scabbers from his pocket.  The rat squealed as it saw Black and the man bared his yellowed teeth, eyes glinting.  He reached for the rat and it squealed again, pawing at Ron’s hand in terror.  Ron pulled back from Black, eyes squeezed together.  Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed the rat from Ron’s hands, shoving him into Black’s bony hands.  He snarled, “If ye’ve lied, I’ll kill ye.”

Black gave him an odd, distant look then nodded vaguely, turning towards Lupin.

“Do you want to do the honors, Moony?”

Lupin nodded and eyed the rat in Black’s hand.

“Certainly, Padfoot.  Hermione, may I borrow your wand?”

“S-sure.”

Hermione handed her wand to Lupin and he had begun to open his mouth when there were sounds from the tunnel.  Everyone in the room looked at each other then back at the tunnel as a dark-haired man appeared, black eyes blazing with cold fury as he saw the four students along with the professor and the murderer.

Snape pointed his wand at the two men, who were staring at him in shock, and said silkily, “Well, well.  What have we here?”

Niamh and Hermione looked quickly at Harry who breathed, “Da.”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Da?” repeated Black incredulously, his eyes darting from Harry to Snape and back.

Severus frowned and his eyes glanced towards Harry once before darting back to Lupin and Black.

“Harry,” he said, “I believe we discussed this not too long ago.  What did I tell you about not letting anyone else know?”

“Sorry, Da,” said Harry.

“Snape, you bastard!” spat Black.  “How dare you tell him that – that – horseshit!”

“It is the truth, Black,” said Severus.  “Look at him and tell me you don’t see me looking back at you.”

Black’s blue eyes moved to Harry and there was disbelief, anger, and grief in them.  His eyes darted back to Severus and anger flowed over the disbelief and grief.

“You bastard!  How’d you do it?  How’d you steal James’ child?”

“I stole nothing, you ass.  If you don’t recall, Lily was my girlfriend in seventh year.”

“And if I don’t recall, you greasy git, she left you!”

“To my regret,” said Severus, a touch of misery in his voice that he quickly covered up.  “But Harry is my son.”

“Lying son of a…”

Black started forward and the tip of Severus’ wand began to glow.  Harry leapt inbetween the two of them, planting himself in front of his father and yelling, “Da, no!”

“Harry!” hissed Niamh and Hermione.

Severus stared at his son then at Black, who was also staring at Harry.

“Harry, move out of the way.”

“No.”

“Harry…”

“Da!  He didn’t do it.  Black didn’t kill Mum!  It was Pettigrew.”

“Pettigrew’s dead, Harry.”

Harry shook his head and pulled out the map, showing it to his father.  The dark eyes widened as he saw the now eight dots on the map, one of them the name of a person supposed to be dead.  He looked down at Harry then at Black before his eyes darted to Scabbers and stayed there.

“Pettigrew…  He would not happen to be this Wormtail would he?”

Lupin nodded and said, “He is.”

Severus glared mildly at him and snarled, “I suppose you know too, don’t you, Lupin?”

“I’ve suspected since the Gryffindor/Slytherin match, Severus.  You and Harry look very much alike.”

Severus looked down at his son and muttered, “I know,” before he said loudly, “I know Wormtail.  Voldemort spoke of him before…before the Potter’s were killed.  He said he had information that was invaluable to the Potter’s destruction.”  His eyes fixed on Black and he growled, “I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you for twelve years, Black.  And now it seems we are united in this.  You want Pettigrew, correct?”

Black nodded, eyes hungry.

“As do I.  Let us get this done so I can give you to the dementors with a clear conscience.”

“Da,” growled Harry.

“Perhaps not a clear conscience.  Lupin, I trust you have a wand?”

“Hermione’s.”

“You don’t carry your own?  Relying on werewolf strength gets you nowhere.”

Black growled, “Snape…”

“Be quiet mongrel or I’ll Stupefy you and hand you over to the dementors with a smile.”

“Da!”

Severus half-scowled in Harry’s direction then looked at Lupin.

“One – two – three…”

A soft glow emanated from both wands and enveloped Scabbers, who writhed in Black’s hands.  The rat fell and hit the floor and after another flash of blue-white light, was no longer there.

Instead there was a man no taller than Hermione, his hair colorless and balding, his nose pointed and his eyes watery like a rat’s.  His eyes darted towards the tunnel then at the grim countenances of Black, Lupin, and Severus.

Lupin casually said, “Hello, Peter.  How pleasant to see you again.”

Snape sneered and muttered, “Just as I remembered…  worthless little man…”

“S – Sirius…  R – Remus…” stuttered Pettigrew, his voice squeaky.  His eyes darted to Snape and he paled to a pasty white.  “And S – Severus…  how nice to see all of you.”

“Can’t say the feeling’s mutual,” muttered Black and Severus.

Lupin frowned at the two of them then said in a light tone, “We were just discussing what happened the night Lily and James died and were wondering if you could fill in a few gaps for us.”

“R – Remus,” gasped Pettigrew.  “He tried to kill me…”

“Your lucky I didn’t come after you, you little rat,” growled Severus.  “You wouldn’t have a corpse.”

Pettigrew eyed Severus warily and squeaked, “Remus, he’s still trying to kill me.  He killed Lily and James…”

“No one is going to kill you until we sort some things out,” said Lupin coldly, eying Black and Severus.

“Sort things out?  He broke out of Azkaban to get me!”

“And how did you know he would break out of Azkaban when no one’s ever done it before?  Why have you hidden all these years, Peter?”

Pettigrew pointed a shaking finger at Black and cried in a shrill voice, “I don’t know how he got out of Azkaban!  I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!”

Both Black and Severus laughed.

“Voldemort wouldn’t have taken Black in, let alone teach him anything.  Not that I would expect a Gryffindor to join him,” sneered Severus.  “You on the other hand are just the sort who would have joined him.

“Couldn’t have said it better,” growled Black.

Pettigrew took a step back and stuttered, “M – me?  Join You-Know-Who?  N – never!”

“Liar,” hissed Hedwig from Harry’s wrist, causing him to jump.  He had forgotten she was there.

“You haven’t been hiding from me for year,” hissed Black, “you’ve been hiding from Voldemort’s old supporters.  They curse your name, you know.  I heard them, day in and day out.  They know you were the one who supplied the information to Voldemort and they blame you for his downfall.”

“I – didn’t…”  Pettigrew was sweating profusely now, his breath coming in panicky gasps.  “Remus – don’t tell me you believe this…”

“I’m afraid I have difficulty believing an innocent man would hide as a rat for twelve years, Peter.”

“I was scared!”

“Scared of people like Lucius Malfoy perhaps?” hissed Severus, smirking in satisfaction as Pettigrew stared at him in horror.  “Oh, Lucius would be very delighted to know your still alive, Pettigrew.  Y’know, the day after Voldemort’s downfall he told me himself that if he ever had a chance to get a hold of you, he’d torture you, slowly.  I’ve half the mind to turn you over to him…  Yes…”

“Not a bad idea,” said Black.

“N – no, no!” cried Pettigrew, shaking his head wildly.  “Not Lucius!  Please – don’t turn me over to Lucius!”

Black grinned a grin that would have put the Cheshire cat to shame and hissed, “You just dug your own grave, Peter.”

Lupin smiled grimly and said, “Yes.  Admitting you know Lucius.  Not a good slipup for a Death Eater to make.”

Pettigrew paled and stuttered some more.

“M – me?  A D – Death Eater?  N – no…”

“Worthless liar,” spat Black.  “I bet that was the highest high you ever got in your life when you gave Lily and James to Voldemort.  You always like friends in high places, Peter…  And Voldemort was the highest you could get.”

“No…”

“Shut up!  I ought to have killed you the moment I found out you were here.”

“Excuse me,” said Niamh.  “Sirius – if I may call you Sirius – how did you know he was here?”

Black looked at Niamh for a moment, brow furrowed, then said, “A picture.  In your first year.  It was the Quidditch match when Harry was made Seeker.  I – I didn’t read the article just looked at the picture.  It was after the match.  You and Harry and – Ron, is it? – were all together, hugging.  And I saw Peter in Ron’s pocket.”

“But how did you know it was him?” asked Hermione.

“Didn’t you hear the story?  The only thing left of Peter was a finger.”

Severus nodded slowly and murmured, “He cut off his own finger.  Clever, Pettigrew.  Very clever.  Pity it didn’t work.”

“So,” said Black, “I wondered how I could escape.  It took me almost two years but I finally managed to turn into my Animagus form again.  Dementors can’t see, you know, so I could easily escape in the form of a dog as they find their prey by sensing their emotions.”  His eyes flicked to Harry and he continued, “I just knew that I had to get out of there.  I had to protect my godson.”

Pettigrew looked from one of the three men’s faces to the other then threw himself at Ron.

“Kind master…  gentle master…  haven’t I been a good friend?”

Ron backed away from the man and bellowed, “I let you sleep in my bed!”

Pettigrew turned towards Hermione, who backed away.

“Clever girl…  you won’t let them kill me, will you?”

Hermione kept backing away in horror, keeping away from Pettigrew.  The tiny man turned towards Niamh but met the tip of a wand and cold blue eyes before he got there.  The black-haired girl snarled, “The day I try and save your life, you pathetic bastard, will be the day I kiss Malfoy’s ass.  And that will happen the day the sky falls and Hell comes on earth.”

Pettigrew scrambled away from her and turned to the last person in the room.  He collapsed at Harry’s feet, grabbing his robes.  Harry looked repulsed and hissed, “Let.  Go.  Of.  Me.”

“Harry…  Harry…please.  Your mother…”

“HOW DARE YOU MENTION LILY?” bellowed Severus.

“Harry…  please….”

“LET GO OF ME!” roared Harry, throwing Pettigrew backwards onto the floor.  He shook his head, glaring down at the quivering figure, hands convulsing in anger.  Shaking, he hissed, “Ye bastard.  Ye killed my mother.”

“No, Harry…”

“SHUT UP!  Ye killed her and that’s it!  We know what ye are, Pettigrew.  Yer…  yer the reason I grew up on the streets.  Yer the reason I lived in Hell for eleven years!  DAMN YOU!  DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU!”

Tears pricked at Harry’s eyes but he refused to let them fall, causing his eyes to glitter.  Severus crossed the room quickly, pulling his son into a one-armed hug.  He sneered at Pettigrew and hissed, “I ought to kill you right now, Pettigrew.  But then again, I don’t have as much of a grudge against you as Black does.”

Pettigrew suddenly yelled, “I know Harry’s your son, Severus!  I’ll tell Lucius!  I’m sure he’ll pay dearly for that information.”

Black grabbed Pettigrew by the neck of his robes and snarled, “Not if your dead, he won’t.  I won’t let you ruin Harry’s life.  James’ son or not, he’s still my godson.”  He held a hand in one hand and Harry saw that it was his father’s.  He looked up at the man beside him and Severus nodded sharply before turning back to Black.

“Goodbye, Peter.”

Pettigrew trembled and wailed, “I had no choice, Sirius!  He would have killed me!”

“Better had you died then!” bellowed Black.  Green light blossomed at the end of the wand and Harry felt a memory flash in his mind; one of a woman screaming and a high-pitched laugh.

“NO!”

Black looked at Harry in surprise and so did Severus.  Harry shuddered and said, “Doan kill him.  No – nobody deserves to die like that.  Nobody.  Not even him.”  He whispered in a voice only Severus could hear, “And especially na Mum or James.”  Severus blinked in surprise and pulled his son even closer, looking at Black.

“I suggest we take him up to the castle.  Turn him over to the dementors.”

Black nodded and ropes sprang out of Severus’ wand, binding Pettigrew hand and foot.  Severus grabbed his wrist and hissed, “He can’t be allowed to speak.  If he tells any of the Death Eater’s still loose…”

Black looked from the hand around his wrist up to Severus’ face then down to Harry, whose face was hidden behind a curtain of dark hair.

“I know.”

“And I know what to do,” said Niamh, stepping forward.  She pressed her wand against Pettigrew’s throat and hissed, “Eternus Silentio.”  A ball of red light traveled up her wand and into Pettigrew’s throat, growing brighter before fading away.

“Eternal Silence,” said Lupin.  “It can only be broken by the caster and keeps the person from telling the secret that was in the caster’s mind when the spell was cast.”

Niamh nodded and stuffed her wand into her pocket, glaring down her nose at Pettigrew.  She hissed, “And that’s not going to happen anytime soon.  I’ll kill you before I let you hurt my friend, you bastard.

“Its also illegal,” said Severus lightly, eying Niamh, who shrugged.

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”

“In most of the world.  Here on the other hand…”

“Oh.”

Lupin looked at all of them and asked, “Shall we go then?  We have a ways to walk.  Ron, can you manage?”

“Yeah,” said Ron, wincing as he raised himself up.  Crookshanks purred from where he sat on the bed then bounded down the tunnel in front of Lupin and Black, who were easing Pettigrew down the steps.  Harry gently pulled himself from his father’s grip and walked over to Ron, who looked away before turning back to him.

“Hey,” said Harry.

“Hey.  You okay?”

“Yeh.  You?”

“Fine.  ‘Cept for the fact that my arm’s broken.”

“Bugger.”

“Yeah.”

The two of them looked at each other for a moment before Ron laughed and said, “I’ve really been a git, haven’t I?”

Harry cast him an amused look and replied, “Git is an understatement.  More like a jackass.”

“Ah.  At least its not a bastard.”

“Ye were close.  Very close.”

Ron laughed again and held out his hand.

“Friends?”

Harry grinned and took the offered hand, squeezing it tightly.

“Friends.  As long as ye agree never ter to that again.”

“Now I can’t promise that…”

“I know.  I just wanted ter say that.”

Ron laughed again and Hermione squealed happily, hugging Harry about the waist.  The two boys stared at her and she grinned back at them.

“I did it!”

Ron and Harry exchanged a look over her head and said in unison, “Sure you did, Mione.  Sure you did.”

Hermione grinned cheekily; so happy that they were friends again that she missed their deadpanned voices and bounced down into the tunnel.  Severus looked after her in amusement then said, “Why don’t you two kiss and make-up so we can get out of here?”

“Ew!  Da!”

“Bad imagery, professor.”

Severus half-smiled and headed down into the tunnel, followed by Ron, who held his arm carefully away from his body.  Niamh smiled and said, “Well, things are back to normal, aren’t they?”

“Na quite,” said Harry as they stepped down into the tunnel, he pulling the trapdoor down after him.  “I found out I’ve got a godfather and that he and one of me professors made the Marauder’s map.  And if all goes well, Pettigrew’ll be in Azkaban where he belongs.”

“And everybody’ll live happily ever after?”

Harry laughed and hugged his friend’s shoulders.

“Maybe na.  But we’ll be pretty close.”

When the seven of them emerged onto the grounds, they began to walk across the lawn.  They had just passed Hagrid’s hut when the clouds above them swirled and moonlight shone down upon them.  Severus held out his arms to stop Harry and Niamh as Black pulled Hermione and Ron back.

Lupin had gone rigid, his limbs beginning to shake.  Severus cursed and growled, “Damn him.  He didn’t take the bloody potion and I set it right on his desk!  Dammit!”

“Cursing isn’t going to help us, Snape,” hissed Black, pushing Ron and Hermione back behind him as Lupin’s head and body began to lengthen, his fur sprouting on his face and hands as his shoulders hunched.

A fierce howl ripped through the air and the werewolf turned gleaming red eyes on the six of them.  Pettigrew hovered in the air, jerking every which way, eyes wide.  The werewolf turned towards him and Black cursed.

“Run!” he yelled before bounding forward, transforming into the black dog as he went.  The dog grabbed the werewolf about the neck and pulled it backwards.  They were locked in battle after that, teeth and claws ripping at each other.

“No!”

Niamh lunged at Pettigrew but all she grabbed where the ropes that had bound him.  Harry and Ron leapt over her after the vanishing rat but their heads rammed together, leaving Harry dazed and Ron unconscious.

There was another howl and they looked up to see the werewolf running into the forest.

“Black!” yelled Severus.  “Forget Lupin!  Pettigrew’s getting away!”

 Black was bleeding but at Severus’ yell he was up and off, bounding away into the forest.  As soon as he was gone Severus said, “You four wait here.  I’m going to go get the Headmaster.”

The four of them nodded and watched at he sprinted across the lawn, cloak flying out behind him.  Just as he had reached the steps leading up to the main doors, there was a yelp; a dog-like yelp –

“Sirius!” exclaimed Harry and started in the direction it had come from.

“Harry, no!  Snape said stay here!” hissed Hermione.

Harry threw off her hand and growled, “Sirius’ in trouble!  We have ter help him!”

“But Ron…”

Niamh said, “You stay here with Ron.  Let’s go, Harry!”

Harry nodded and he and Niamh sprinted into the forest, rushing over to where the sound of the yelping had been coming from.

Sirius was by the lakeshore; human now, his head in his hands as he fell to his knees.

“Nooo…  Please…nooo…”

Harry felt the icy chill begin in his spine and drew his wand.  Then the screaming began.  Dementors were surrounding the lake, coming towards them quickly.

“Ni!  Help me!”

Niamh drew her wand and cried, “Harry!”

“Think of something happy!” yelled Harry, focusing on the summer with his father.

“Expecto patronum!”

“Expecto patronum!  Expecto patronum!” yelled Niamh, brandishing her wand furiously.

The silver Darcorn exploded out of Harry’s wand, rearing and flailing its hooves.  It charged at the dementors, driving them back.  He suddenly felt Niamh slump against him and turned to catch her, the voices in his head rising to a higher pitch as he did so.  While his Patronus was chasing the dementors that had been coming up the other side of the lake, the other dementors were still coming.  They formed a circle around the three of them and Harry threw himself over Niamh and Black, trying to focus his thoughts beyond the screaming.  He couldn’t do it.  He collapsed, eyes closed.

A scabbed, cold hand grabbed his chin and forced his face upward and Harry felt cold on his face.  He opened his eyes and saw an eyeless face, the gray skin stretched tightly over the skull.  And then there was the gaping hole of a mouth, sucking in air.

The dementor leaned down and Harry heard Voldemort’s laughter in his head, louder than ever.  Then…

Silence.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Harry felt something tickling his face and brushed it away.  Hot air flew on his face and the creature towering above him snorted, nuzzling at his cheek with a velvety muzzle.

Pettigrew.  Ron.  The Willow.  Niamh.  Da.  Black.  Dementors.

Harry’s eyes snapped open and he saw the Darcorn, the real Darcorn, standing next to his head.  The dark eyes peered curiously down at him and the velvety muzzle nipped at his cheek.

Harry reached up and stroked the soft fur on the Darcorn’s forehead, letting his fingers brush over the hard ebony of its crooked horn.  The creature nickered and butted its head against his shoulder.  He took the message as ‘Get up’ and did so.  When he did, he saw the silver Darcorn standing to his left, its eyes as black as the real Darcorn’s.  As he watched, the Patronus evaporated into nothing.

Suddenly he noticed that on the ground around him were long black cloaks.  Nudging one with his foot, he saw each of them had a hole in them.  Turning to the Darcorn, he said, “Ye saved me again, didn’t ye?”

The Darcorn nickered, shoving its head against his chest.  Harry laughed and stroked the glossy black coat.

“Of course ye did.”

He looked at Black and Niamh then up at the castle.  More lights were on than he remembered and he could hear voices on the other side of the trees.  The Darcorn nipped at his ear and he knelt beside Black, trying to remember the spell for waking a person.

“Enervate.”

Black stirred, moaned, and opened his eyes, blinking.  Harry shook his and said, “Ye have ter hurry or they’ll catch ye.”  He settled back on his heels as Black sat up.  The Darcorn settled its head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm about its neck, leaning into its warmth.  When Black turned and saw the creature, he jumped.

“That’s…  That’s…”

“A Darcorn,” said Harry.  He looked at the towering creature and asked, “Can ye take him ter safety?  Off the grounds?”

The Darcorn nickered and pushed its velvety muzzle against his cheek.  Harry smiled and rose to his feet.

“He’ll take ye.  But hurry.  They’re coming.”

“Harry,” began Black.

“Go.”

“I…”  Black’s shoulder slumped and he said, “I’ll owl you.  Soon.”

Harry nodded and said, “I’d like tha’.  Talking ter someone who knew Mum would be nice.  James, too.”

Black nodded and grabbed the Darcorn’s mane, hauling himself up onto its back.  The big creature shifted on its hooves, head tossing, but at Harry’s touch it stilled.  Black stared down at the boy in wonder.  He certainly had a gift with this creature, which was said to be a Dark Creature yet seemed gentle enough.  Though from the sight of the dementor robes that did not hold a dementor inside them, it had the ability to be very dangerous.

Harry looked up at Black and said, “Keep an eye out fer a raven.  Ye’ll know him when he comes.”

“A raven?”

“Trust me.”  Harry turned to the Darcorn and said, “Keep him safe.”

The Darcorn tossed its head in a nod then half-reared, Black clinging to its mane.  A moment later they were gone, blending into the dark night.  Harry looked after them for a second or two then bent down next to Niamh.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Severus plowed through the line of trees separating him from the lake and saw Harry sitting on the edge of it, Niamh lying on the ground beside him with her head in his lap and empty dementor robes all around him.  He walked towards his son and knelt down beside him, eyes darting around.

“Where’s Black?”

“Gone,” replied Harry, one hand idly twirling a lock of Niamh’s hair.  “Said he’d owl.”

Severus frowned.  He didn’t like the idea of Black owling his son but the idea of Pettigrew still being loose – speechless but loose – was even more unsettling.

“I suppose I can deal with that…”

“Ye’ll have to.”

“Will I?  And here I thought I was the father in this relationship.”

Harry laughed and Severus smiled, patting his son’s shoulder.

“What do you say we get back up to the castle?” he asked.  “Albus is dying for the whole story.”

“Alright.  What about Ni?”

“I’ll carry her.”

“We could jus’ levitate her.”

“But then we have the problem of the counter charm and all that rot and simple carrying is much more simple.”

Harry held up his hands in defense and said, “Alright.  Alright.  Ye win.”

Severus smirked and said, “I always do.”

“Yeh, right.”

Severus ruffled the hair of the boy beside him then picked up the unconscious girl, lifting her up with ease.  Harry followed him as they set off across the lawn, their strides matching inch for inch.

“Ah, the last day of school.”

“I’m going to miss this place.”

“We’re coming back in a few months, Ni!  Good grief, you can’t miss it that much?”

“You haven’t met my parents.  Oh, hell!  They’re going to kill me!  I bet my dad’s still pissed over what Professor Snape did to him!”

“What’d he do?” asked Mika lazily.

“Froze him,” answered Harry, eyes closed as he lay on the ground.  “’E reminds me of Aunt Petunia a little.”

“That means he reminds you of Malfoy.”  Niamh winced.  “Ewww.  That’s gross.  Malfoy as my dad…”

“Erug!” exclaimed the other five, all of them staring at her.

“Thanks for tha’ thought, Ni,” grumbled Harry.  “I’m na going ter be able to sleep for weeks now.”

“Yeah, thanks,” said Ginny.  “Ew, that’s gross.”

“Hey,” said Niamh, leaning towards the redhead.  “How do you think I feel?  Its my dad we’re talking about here!”

“Yeh.  Well, if ye want, Da can send them an owl and ye can stay with us.”

“Really?”

“Sure.  Da won’t mind and if they say no, he’ll keep ye anyway.  Not like they can do anything ter us.”

Niamh squealed and leapt upon Harry, bear-hugging him.

“Harry, mate, you’re a lifesaver!”

< Speaking of lifesavers, > said Jardin from above them in a tree.  < I stole a pack out of your trunk. >

“What?!”

< Ginny made me do it. >

“Jardin, that’s a lie!” exclaimed the redhead.

< I do not have the ability to lie. >

“Liar,” muttered Harry good-naturedly.

Jardin snort mentally and turned his back on the six of them.

“Oh, c’mon, Jar!” yelled Mika.  “Be a sport!”

“Leave ‘im be,” said Harry, sitting up.  He looked at his watch and exclaimed, “Bludgering hell!  The feast is about to start!”

The six of them scrambled to their feet and ran up into the castle.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Dumbledore chuckled at the small cluster of students in the middle of the Gryffindor table and leaned over to Severus, who sat to his left and was also watching the group.

“I see they are all friends again.”

“Yes,” said Severus with a nod.  “Ron apologized to Harry in the Shrieking Shack.”

“You did well there.”

Severus laughed.

“Albus, I nearly took Black’s head off the moment I saw him.  It was only Harry that stopped me from doing that just that.”

“Wouldn’t have boded very well,” said Dumbledore.

“Not really.  Hellhounds, what’s in this cider?”

“I think the Weasley twins laced it with a bottle of Ogden’s Firewhiskey.”

“How’d they…”  Severus shook his head and chuckled.

“Oh, nevermind how they did it.  I need a drink right about now.”

“Ah, yes, Harry asked you if Miss O’Feir could stay with the two of you over the summer.”

“Gods.  Both of them in the Manor.  I’m not going to survive.”  Severus downed the Firewhiskey-laced cider and watched in amusement as the goblet refilled itself.  “Gods.”

Dumbledore patted his arm and said cheerfully, “I’m sure you’ll survive.”

“You might want to come make sure I’m still alive every once and a while.”

“I’ll do that.”

Severus smiled and looked over at his son, sitting at the Gryffindor table with his friends and chatting animatedly.

Oh, it was going to be a long summer.