The next morning, Harry woke up to a note telling him Lupin was getting up early so he could help Snape, and for Harry to look after Sirius, and to behave, and to go down to breakfast without him.

"Did he say if he was coming to breakfast at all?" Sirius asked as they sat down and helped themselves to food. "Maybe he has another headache."

"He didn't say," Harry told him. He had crumpled the note and burned it in Snape's fireplace; he didn't think Sirius would have liked being nagged first thing in the morning.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Harry was going over their class schedule again in his head.

"I forgot they were here," Sirius said, pointing with his fork at a table set up in the corner of the Great Hall, near where the staff sat.

Harry turned to look. He saw a number of adults and very young children, and he remembered seeing them before, when Snape had first brought him to Hogwarts.

"I thought maybe they'd gone home," Harry said. "Do you think all those people are still in the hospital wing, too?"

Sirius shrugged.

Harry frowned as another thing occurred to him. "How come all the first years had to be sorted again?"

"Huh?" Sirius said, his mouth full of baked beans and egg.

"I mean, at least some of them must have been here when Dumbledore opened the school before."

Sirius looked at him blankly.

"I didn't make it to the Welcoming Feast, so I suppose I wouldn't know," Harry said, still thinking it over. "Odd, though."

"What's odd?" asked Lupin a little breathlessly, sitting down next to him.

"You all right?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Still not used to all these stairs," Lupin said, grimacing. "Now, what's odd?"

"I was just saying it's odd all the first years had to be sorted again," Harry said.

"Again?" Lupin said, frowning. "Why again?"

"Because Hogwarts was open before, wasn't it? Not everyone came back, but you'd think there were some first years."

"Milo? Milo, what's wrong?" Sirius asked, looking alarmed. He started to get up.

Lupin looked like he was about to sick up. Harry actually saw a green tint spread over his face.

"Don't," Lupin said, shaking his head vehemently. "I just need a moment."

Lupin hid behind a tall glass of pumpkin juice, though Harry didn't see him actually drink any.

"Are you sure those potions are helping?" Sirius asked, reluctantly sitting down again. "What is that git good for if not potions?"

Harry watched Lupin carefully through the rest of breakfast. Lupin gradually regained his normal color, but still looked rather miserable.

To make things worse, the lack of conversation was having a bad effect on Sirius, who looked even more moody and sullen by the time they were heading to History.

"Go on, James," Sirius said when they reached the door and Malfoy had left without waiting to see them go inside. "I need to talk to Milo."

Harry frowned, but went into the classroom and found seats in the very back for the three of them.

Class was about to start. Sirius and Lupin still weren't inside.

Harry started to crane his neck to make sure they were still just outside the door.

"Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Professor Spinnet," chorused everyone except Harry, who had almost been bumped off the edge of his seat by Sirius' sudden arrival.

Harry regained his balance and turned to glare at Sirius, but faltered when he saw that both Sirius and Lupin now wore the same sickly look Lupin had at breakfast.

Harry started to ask what was wrong, but didn't get the chance.

"We shall wait until we have everyone's attention," Professor Spinnet said in a very irritated tone. "Perhaps Mr. McKenna has something to share with the class before we begin?"

Harry felt his face heat up, and sat up straight in his seat. "Sorry, Professor."

"I will not tolerate inattention in this class," Professor Spinnet continued. "This class is not merely concerned with the ancient origins of Magic and distant events in the wizarding world's past. It is the study of our shared heritage as witches and wizards, and the study of recent events as well."

There was absolute silence. She had everyone's attention.

"We all lived through a war, which will become part of history. Children a thousand years from now will be studying events that we experienced first hand, perhaps with the same lack of attention and care as some of you may have toward Goblin uprisings."

Everyone jumped as she brought her hand down on the podium with a loud bang.

"I will not allow the bravery of our war heroes to be forgotten," Spinnet said in an angry, low voice that nonetheless echoed in the silent room. "As long as I am teaching History at this school, their sacrifices will be known to every student."

Harry heard a soft sniffle over on his left; students were beginning to cry.

"I lost friends in this war," Spinnet went on mercilessly. "Some of you I know lost friends, too, as well as parents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, cousins, grandparents..."

Harry swallowed, realizing with a painful pang that he himself was part of that list.

"Those who forget are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past!" Spinnet finished. "And I am here to prevent that from happening... so take out your notes from last class and find a partner to switch with!"

For a few moments no one moved.

Then, almost as one, they reached for their book bags.

"Dismissed, Mr. Perkins. Take yourself to the nurse."

Harry was sitting only two seats away from Noah Perkins, and looked over to see what was happening.

Perkins, eyes glassy and staring straight ahead, seeming completely unaware of Professor Spinnet standing in front of his desk, was rocking back and forth, arms around himself.

"Mr. McKenna!"

Harry jumped.

"Mind your own business, if you please. Miranda, take him to the nurse and return to class just as quick as you can."

Though Harry ducked his head, he couldn't stop himself from frowning.

Sirius poked him. "That was something else."

"Let's not tell Professor Snape," Harry said, a bit shakily but trying valiantly to make light of what had just happened.

"What?"

"He thinks he's the meanest teacher at Hogwarts, you know. He might take it up as a challenge if he hears someone else made a whole class cry."

Sirius gave him a slightly reproachful look. "Don't make jokes about that greasy git around me, James. It isn't playing fair. You know if I did it the two of you would grouse at me."

Harry looked over at Lupin, but Lupin was digging through his book bag with a very dark expression on his face.

"Has everyone got notes that aren't their own?" Spinnet demanded a few moments later.

"Yes, Professor Spinnet," chorused the class in a gloomy monotone. Some of the students were still sniffling and rubbing their eyes, and at least one voice among the many had a nasty case of hiccups.

Lupin had ended up with Harry's notes, and Harry with Sirius'.

Harry looked down at his own notes, except in Sirius' handwriting, and resisted giving Sirius a glare for not even bothering to hide the fact that he'd copied.

"What happened to your notes, James?" Lupin asked, trying to smooth the parchment out.

Harry, in the excitement of the previous evening, had forgotten to put his crumbled notes under some books.

This time he did glare at Sirius, who raised an eyebrow innocently.

"Smushed in my bag," Harry said shortly.

"Silence!" called Professor Spinnet from the front of the room. "You would not want to distract your friends while they grade your work. Pick up your quills. You will place a check mark next to each item I call out, if you are able to find it in your partner's notes. We will begin with a simple one -- the date Hogwarts was founded and the names of the four founders. You have one minute."

Harry didn't have to do much to find the relevant line in Sirius' notes. He placed a check mark in the margin and waited for further instructions.

"Next, the date of the Salem witch trials."

Harry, to his consternation, found two mentions of the Salem witch trials, but no date.

Sirius glared at him when he realized Harry had put his quill down without making a mark. "Last time I ask for your notes," he muttered under his breath.

Professor Spinnet asked for a few more dates and names before collecting their notes for formal grading.

"Open your books. You were to read the introductory chapter and highlight what was covered during our first lesson together." She waited a few moments until all books were open. "You may refresh your memories by reading silently while I come around to check your work."

Sirius looked outraged. "What did we do this yesterday for, if she's going to make us do it again in class?" he hissed at Harry.

Harry, who saw Professor Spinnet's eyes turn in their direction, elbowed Sirius in the ribs to make him be quiet.

To make matters worse, Harry and Sirius had done this part of their assignment in the morning before breakfast, and without Lupin Harry had barely managed to convince Sirius to do it all.

"Very good, girls," Professor Spinnet said as she walked down the isle. "I don't recall mentioning dragon pox or any of the seven plagues, but I am pleased you found your homework so fascinating..." She was getting closer to Harry now. "Is that all? I believe next time I shall specify the minimum amount of effort expected..."

Harry and Sirius each received a nod, their work apparently not even worth words, but Lupin got another, "Very good," and seemed pleased enough. Harry didn't even know when Lupin might have done the assignment, though he wasn't surprised that Lupin hadn't forgotten it.

"Not bad for your first assignment," Professor Spinnet said after finishing her round of the classroom. "Once you receive your graded notes back, you will know where improvement is necessary. Your books and notes will be checked at the beginning of each class, so come prepared."

Even Lupin didn't look particularly happy at this announcement.

"This is a friend of yours?" Sirius whispered into Harry's eat, poking him rather painfully.

"Not my fault she took a page out of Professor Snape's book," Harry whispered back defensively.

"Shh!" Lupin said.

"-- with your book and make a big circle."

Lupin gave Harry and Sirius an ugly look. "Now I missed what she wants us to do!"

Harry looked around. Other students were dragging their chairs to the front of the room.

He shrugged at Lupin. "I don't think you missed much."

Lupin shoved his book under his arm and started dragging his chair, leaving Harry and Sirius behind.

"Poor Milo," Sirius said with an exaggerated sigh. He rolled his eyes. "Well, come on."

Eventually all the students were seated in a circle, more or less, with Professor Spinnet stalking the outside and an empty chair sitting rather ominously in the middle.

"On page twenty-four of your book, you will find a letter written by our first Minister for Magic to his brother shortly after taking office. I would like a volunteer to play the part of the Minister --" Professor Spinnet looked around the circle, but no hands were raised. "-- Anita will be Minister. Come to the center, please."

Everyone watched as Anita Pembleton, one of the Gryffindor twins, reluctantly left her seat, clutching her book to her chest like a shield.

"Everyone else shall play the part of the brother, and think of one good question to ask the Minister. Your question should be such that the answer can be found within the letter. You have two minutes -- begin!"

"Hex me," Sirius muttered, slouching down in his seat.

Anita looked like she was trying very hard not to cry.

 

---

 

"I don't know what she thinks she's doing," Lupin fumed as they walked to Transfiguration. "First she tries to come off all friendly, calling us by our first names when no one else does that --"

"Trelawney does," Harry put in.

"Shh!" Lupin hissed at him. "Then she assigns dull busy-work, and then --"

"You're just upset you got detention again," Sirius said with a slightly mean grin. "But you deserved it, dear Mr. Moony, for criticizing a teacher to her face. Even if it was funny to see her lose it."

"I did not criticize!" Lupin said, looking upset. "I just couldn't stand to see her make another child cry, that's all!"

"Have you got a 'saving people' thing, too, Milo?" Harry asked innocently. "You know how that only leads to trouble."

Lupin glared at him.

"I'm sure Professor Snape will understand," Harry went on blithely. "Just explain to him how you think our teacher is too mean."

Sirius snorted with laughter.

But Harry had apparently gone too far, because Lupin shouldered his way past them, speeding up and disappearing around the next corner.

"Whoops," Sirius said quietly. He turned to Harry. "Now, why did you do that, James?"

Harry started to sputter an answer, until he saw that Sirius was laughing at him.

"Don't worry, he can take it."

Harry looked at him doubtfully.

"I think it's hilarious he keeps after us to behave, and he's the one who's earned two detentions."

"He was right, though," Harry said. "I can't believe she insisted on continuing."

Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "She's new to this. If she's still this bad after a month, then we'll let Milo lead a revolt."

Harry was still grinning as they entered the Transfiguration classroom and sat down on either side of Lupin, who gave them a mistrustful look over the top of his textbook.

"We're sorry, Milo," Harry said.

"But you know you shouldn't have said anything," Sirius added.

Lupin shrugged one shoulder and slowly lowered the book to his desk.

"Now, don't go criticizing McGonagall," Sirius warned in a mock scolding tone. "I think you're limited to one detention a day, so you'll just have to hold it in until tomorrow."

"Enough already," Lupin said with exasperation. "All right, so I shouldn't have. Happy?"

Fortunately, McGonagall's lesson was a repeat of the last one. Harry couldn't remember how long they had worked on turning matches into needles in his first year at Hogwarts, but he supposed they wouldn't be moving on to anything more difficult until most of the class had grasped the basics. So far, only Lupin had.

Sirius was still a disaster. McGongall had given him ten matches when everyone else got one, but Sirius ended up with ten piles of ash in spite of what Harry thought was a lot of effort and concentration. Even Lupin hadn't told Sirius once to pay attention. Sirius, with his brows knitted and his lips pressed together, certainly looked like he was trying to make the spell work.

"Are you having any luck with this?" Sirius asked, reaching the end of his matchsticks and apparently his patience, too. He tapped his wand irritably on the edge of his desk.

"No," Harry said, looking closely at his match in case it had maybe gone silver or slightly pointy. "But this isn't my best subject."

"Shh!" Lupin warned. He had finished; Harry had seen him roll the needle under his book a few moments earlier.

Harry looked around, but no one was paying them any attention.

He noticed that Noah Perkins was still absent.

"What?" Sirius asked, noticing Harry's frown.

"Noah Perkins -- you know that boy Spinnet sent out? -- he's still not back."

Sirius and Lupin exchanged a look. Harry couldn't help noticing how Lupin's face paled.

"What?" he demanded, lowering his voice to a whisper so as not to bring McGonagall down on them. "What are you not telling me? There was something going on at breakfast, too."

"Shh!" Lupin whispered. "Not here, James." He looked at Sirius again. "Anyway, I don't think you need to know this just now."

To Harry's consternation, Sirius nodded, looking grim.

"You're going to tell me," Harry hissed at them, gritting his teeth. He was thinking of all the times Lupin wouldn't let him read the newspaper while he was recuperating at Grimmauld Place. It always enraged him when he wasn't allowed to know what was going on. "Right after class, you're going to tell me."

"Mr. McKenna!" McGonagall called from across the room. "Unless you are prepared to show me your progress, I suggest you get back to your work."

Harry ducked his head, but through the rest of the class he kept shooting icy glances at Sirius and Lupin to remind them he hadn't forgotten.

"Hey -- where're you going?" Harry exclaimed as Lupin swept his books and parchment into his book bag and took off without waiting for him and Sirius.

"Lunch. See you there," Lupin called over his shoulder.

Harry turned on Sirius. "Don't think this lets you off."

"Just let it go, James," Sirius said, avoiding his eyes. He started to pack up his things. "We still have classes today and --"

"You're going to tell me," Harry insisted. "I told you everything when you asked me because no one else was telling you anything!"

Sirius slung his book bag over his shoulder and stood up. Harry scrambled after him.

There were too many people around for Harry to continue to badger Sirius while they walked down to the Great Hall.

"Do you think he went to put his books away, or straight to lunch?" Sirius asked as they got to the Entrance Hall.

"Don't change the subject."

"Fine. I'll tell you during our free period," Sirius offered grudgingly. "But don't blame me if it ruins your day. There are some things it's better not to know, no matter what Spinnet says."

"What does she have to do with it?" Harry demanded. Someone jostled his arm and he had to stop to pick up his spilled quills and books as Sirius pushed ahead through the crowd without him. "Wait, Paddy!"

Sirius tried to stop, but the crowd of first years were joined by older students coming out of the dungeons, and with a helpless wave to Harry, Sirius disappeared through the doorway to the Great Hall.

Harry shook his head and waited for the worst of the crowd to pass before he went on.

"Really, Weasley, picking on a first year?"

Harry whipped around so fast, his book bag slipped off his shoulder and went skidding across the floor.

"Mind your own business, Malfoy!"

"This is my business. I'm a Prefect. Just because you don't take your responsibilities seriously --"

"Shut up! None of us even know why you came crawling back -- nobody wants you here --"

"Ron!"

"Clear off, Neville, this has nothing to do with you!"

Harry, by this time, had made it up the first flight of stairs. He could hear running footsteps behind him, but didn't waste time turning to look.

"He's right, Ron. I don't think you should have been saying those things."

"I said clear off!"

Ron had his hand clamped around the arm of Noah Perkins, who was in tears much like the last time Harry had seen him. Ron's wand, in his other hand, was raised against Malfoy.

"I'd put that down, if I were you, Weasley."

"Or what?"

"Or," said Neville, stepping between Ron and Malfoy with a determined, if slightly pale, expression, "you'll be stripped of your badge. I'm not going to let you bully anyone, Ronald Weasley, including me."

Ron sputtered, his face turning bright red, and Harry was sure he was going to curse Neville.

Instead, Ron shoved Noah Perkins forward, causing Neville to have to step to the side to catch him.

"This is for everything you ever did to us, Malfoy!" Ron spat, bringing his wand slashing down.

"Protego!"

A burst of bright white light flew over Harry's shoulder, narrowly missing his ear.

Ron dropped his wand, his hand flying to his face, which was starting to swell.

"What's the matter, Malfoy," he said viciously, bending to pick up his wand. "No friends left? Now you need a pair of first years to defend you?"

Harry looked at Sirius again, afraid of what might happen next.

Sirius had his wand pointed at Ron's head and his eyes were shining dangerously, but he stayed silent. Harry wouldn't have even known the hex had come from Sirius at all, except there was nowhere else it could have come from.

"I don't see anyone standing by you, Weasley," Malfoy said. He had dropped the protective shield and was pointing his wand at Ron, too. "Not even Gryffindors. Maybe that should tell you something."

Ron's wand hand twitched.

"It's ironic," Malfoy jeered, his lip curling. "I recall you stayed home, safe with Mummy --"

"That's enough," Neville said.

Malfoy fell silent.

"I'll take your badge now, Ron," Neville said quietly, holding out his hand.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

"I'm serious. I may only be a temporary teacher, but I think the Headmistress will forgive me for overstepping."

Ron stared at Neville like he could not believe what was happening. "The Neville I knew from D.A. would never --"

"The Ron I knew from D.A. wouldn't ever have bullied a first year," Neville said. "And I know Harry wouldn't have stood for it."

Ron's red face turned a sick shade of white. He ripped his Prefect badge off his robes and threw it to the floor, where it bounced until it came to rest against Neville's shoe. He turned on his heel to stalk away, shoving his wand in his pocket.

"Stay where you are, Mr. Weasley."

Harry was glad he had never taken out his wand; Sirius was quickly putting his away, but it was too late for that.

Snape, with Lupin trailing behind him and looking guilty, stopped in front of them, his black eyes traveling slowly over Malfoy, Neville, Noah Perkins, Harry, Sirius, and finally Ron.

"We shall discuss this in the Headmistress' office later today, Weasley. Dismissed."

Snape waited until Ron had stepped on the next staircase, which promptly swept him away.

"The rest of you," Snape said, turning back to grace them with one of his most displeased looks, "will see me during your free period."

Harry swallowed.

"James didn't do anything," Sirius said immediately.

Snape apparently didn't deign this worthy of an answer, and ignored him. "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Longbottom, escort these first years to the Great Hall."

Neville moved to take Noah by the hand, but Noah wouldn't budge from where he had pressed himself against a corner of the banisters.

"We've got him," Sirius said, grabbing Noah's hand and tugging him forward. "Come on, Perkins, stick with us."

Harry exchanged a look with Lupin, but followed Sirius.

"Nice stinging hex," Malfoy commented. "What is your name again?"

"Puddifoot," Sirius said irritably. "Thanks."

Malfoy looked at Neville. "So, what did you get involved for, Longbottom?"

"I wasn't going to let him say those things," Neville said, shrugging. "You just beat me to it, that's all."

"Don't you have to sleep in the same dorm?"

Neville's shoulders slumped a bit. "Well, yeah..."

"What is with him, anyway? Never really took Weasley for a cowardly bully, much as I hate to compliment him."

"He just lost his best friend, what do you think?" Neville said, bristling. He sped up, reaching the Great Hall well ahead of them.

"Touchy, isn't he," Malfoy muttered under his breath. "Stupid Gryffindors." He looked over at Harry, Sirius, and Lupin. "You three stick together, like all Slytherins should do. Gryffindors have always been quick to attack, with magic or with fists. They've got no self control."

With that, he strolled through the doorway to the Great Hall, not noticing that he'd left Harry and Sirius sputtering with indignation.

"Come on," Lupin said with a sigh, catching them both under the arms. "Let's take Noah over to the Hufflepuff table and see if we still have time to eat a proper meal before our next class."

They left a still sniffling Noah with the Hufflepuff prefect and sat down at the end of the Slytherin table.

"You did magic," Lupin said to Sirius, eyeing him warily. "That was a pretty strong spell."

Sirius shrugged, stabbing his fork into a piece of sausage.

"You attacked my best friend," Harry said quietly.

Sirius wouldn't look at him. He just shrugged again.

"What happened?" Lupin asked, frowning at Harry. "One minute you're standing in the doorway and the next I see you running, with Patrick tearing after you."

"You got Professor Snape," Harry said, only half hearing Lupin's question. Sirius had hexed Ron. Lupin had gone running for Snape. It all made a big mess inside his head.

"Yes, well..." Lupin scratched the back of his neck and trailed off.

They ate in silence. There wasn't much time, anyway; by the time they had sat down, many students had already finished eating.

Harry couldn't stop turning everything over in his head, trying to make it fit somehow.

Ron wouldn't have --? But Neville, no matter how much confidence he had gained the previous year, wouldn't have attacked first. Harry just couldn't see that happening, so he had to accept that Neville must have heard Ron say something quite bad.

Harry knew Ron was capable of saying ugly things when he was angry, but what could he have said that would have turned both Neville and Malfoy against him? Harry couldn't think of a more unlikely pair to team up against another student.

It made his head hurt.

"Are you all right?" Lupin asked as they headed for Potions.

"No," Harry said.

"I understand you think you can handle anything --"

"Huh?"

Lupin blinked, frowning. "I thought you were upset I got Professor Snape."

"Not that I think you should have..." Harry muttered.

"It could have been anything," Lupin said irritably. "I don't know why everyone is so determined to get personally involved in every fight."

Harry, feeling absolutely at the end of his nerves, entered the Potions classroom with dread.

Sirius steered them to the corner where Noah Perkins was trying to look small and unimportant.

"Budge over, Perkins," Sirius said. "It's customary to save seats for your friends."

Noah Perkins looked like he was about to faint, but he scooted his things over to the end of the table, leaving space for Sirius to sit down.

"What is he doing?" Harry whispered to Lupin as they sat down at the next table.

Lupin shrugged. "No idea."

Snape came in just then, and the room went quiet.

It didn't take long for Snape's gaze to land on them. His forehead creased and the corners of his mouth twitch downward, but Snape continued to the front of the room without saying anything.

Still, Harry felt Snape's eyes on him all through the lecture. He kept his eyes on his parchment, mostly, but just about every time he looked up, Snape was looking their way. Harry couldn't help feeling that something was coming, and it did nothing for his nerves or his mood.

He tried to tell himself that it was only because he had a meeting with Snape to look forward to instead of a free period, and because he, Sirius, and Lupin were all in trouble one way or another, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else.

"Listen, Patrick," Lupin said when Noah Perkins helpfully -- at Sirius' suggestion -- went to get ingredients for all of their potions. "You are not going to bully this little boy into doing half our work."

Sirius looked insulted. "What?"

"I mean sending him to get ingredients for me and James, when we're --"

"I did not!" Sirius said hotly. "That is not at all --"

"Five points from... Slytherin." Snape had clearly almost said something else. "For excessive noise."

Sirius glared indignantly at Lupin. "I did not, Milo."

"Then what are you doing?" Lupin asked, echoing Harry's question. "I'm not letting you use him as part of some ploy to annoy Professor --"

"Five more points from Slytherin," Snape said in a deadly tone. Now he was walking toward them.

Sirius snapped his mouth shut, his eyes flashing and splotches of red blooming on his cheeks. Without another word, he turned his back on them.

"Is there a problem?" Snape asked, stopping in front of them. His eyes were burning into Harry's, which was absolutely unfair given that Harry had not so much as made a sound while Sirius and Lupin argued.

"No, Professor," Lupin said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Then I will ask you one more time not to disturb those students around you who actually wish to learn something."

Snape's eyes lingered on them even as he moved away.

"Thanks," Harry said to Noah Perkins, who had returned with their thistles, willow leaves, and frog legs. "My name's James, by the way. This is Milo."

Noah squeaked something that didn't quite sound like his name, turned bright pink, and fell into his seat next to Sirius.

Harry tried to turn his attention to Snape, who was demonstrating on a magically enlarged thistle.

"Use light pressure, cut down the middle and lay the halves flat on your cutting mat before cutting once more down the middle. You will end with four identical pieces. Begin."

Harry noticed that Sirius was hacking angrily at his thistles, with Noah watching open-mouthed.

"Do you want me to do it?" Lupin asked.

"Let's take four each," Harry suggested, moving four of the pink-topped, prickly flowers over to his side of the table.

Snape was walking around, but Harry didn't hear him make any comments. Not even when he reached Sirius' table and saw the butchered bits of thistle lying in their own sticky juices, though his lips thinned into a straight line.

Next, they ground up the willow leaves into paste, something Sirius also found agreeable to his wrathful mood.

Lupin shrugged at Harry. "Ignore him."

Snape had them place their prepared ingredients on a tray and take them to a long table near the front of the room. For the rest of class, they copied out the recipe for the potion they would be making the next time. Harry, still not used to a Potions class that was only one period long, breathed a small sigh of relief that they weren't going to be actually brewing.

"Class is dismissed," Snape said. He looked over at Harry, Sirius, and Lupin. "Except for the three students I need to speak with."

"Bye, Perkins," Sirius said, a little too late to be heard by Noah, who had fled like he was being chased by fiendfyre.

The classroom emptied fast; students were obviously looking forward to having a free period, probably full of plans to use the time to explore the castle, go outside, catch up on homework, take a nap -- well, Harry could make an endless list of things he would rather be doing than meeting with Snape to discuss their behavior... again.

"Stop lurking in the doorway, Mr. Longbottom," Snape said. "Is Mr. Malfoy going to join us?"

"I'm here, sir," Malfoy said, coming inside on the heels of a nervous-looking Neville.

"Very well," Snape said, waving his wand to shut the door with a bang that made them all jump. "Come to the front."

Harry tried to catch Lupin's eyes, but Lupin was looking down at the floor. Sirius had already marched off toward Snape's desk, so Harry had little choice but to follow.

"Begin from the beginning," Snape said with a cold look at each of them in turn.

"Weasley started it, sir," Malfoy said immediately. "I didn't take my wand out until he pointed his at me."

"That does not sound like the beginning, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said. He turned toward Neville. "Mr. Longbottom?"

Neville visibly swallowed. "I was coming down from the library when I heard crying. Ron had the little boy by the hand and was leading him down to the Great Hall, I think..."

"Noah was sent to the hospital wing from History class," Lupin supplied. "Probably a Prefect was asked to take him to lunch."

"I did not ask you to speculate," Snape said. "Go on, Mr. Longbottom."

"Ron was trying to get him to stop crying," Neville said. "He was trying to bribe him with sweets, so I didn't think to stop and interfere. That didn't work, though, so next Ron threatened to take him back to the hospital wing, and that really backfired badly." Neville stopped for a moment to chew on his lip. "Just after I passed them I heard Ron saying it was no wonder Noah was kicked out of Gryffindor and is a Hufflepuff now. Then..."

"Then Weasley said," Malfoy continued when Neville faltered, "it was probably sniveling that gave them away to the Death Eaters. I thought that was a rotten thing to say to someone who saw his friends die and nearly died himself."

Harry sat frozen, feeling sick to his stomach. Ron did say awfully stupid things sometimes when he lost his temper, but this was just dreadful.

Snape's eyes moved slowly from Malfoy to Neville, who nodded miserably.

"Very well, Mr. Longbottom. That's all I needed from you. I believe you have somewhere to be now?"

Neville practically ran out of Snape's office.

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape said slowly, giving Malfoy the kind of look that Harry was used to being on the receiving end of. "Since you neither drew your wand first nor used it, you are free to go." He paused. "You might want to watch your back."

"Yes, sir." Under his breath, as he followed Neville out, Malfoy muttered, "I can handle Weasley."

Snape waited until Malfoy was gone, shut the door again, and fixed Harry, Sirius, and Lupin with a very dark look.

"I did it," Sirius said. "James didn't even have his wand out."

"I'm well aware of who did what," Snape said, his voice low and abnormally calm. "I saw you do it."

"He was about to use a dangerous curse," Sirius said, leaning forward and staring right into Snape's eyes. "I recognized the movement and, anyway, Weasley doesn't cast non-verbally yet, so he was mouthing the incantation."

"Be that as it may," Snape said, glaring at him, "the spell you used is only a split hair away from Dark magic as well, not to mention that magic between classes is strictly forbidden."

Sirius scowled and looked down at his feet.

"And you," Snape turned to Lupin, who immediately looked down as well. "Another detention?"

"She was picking on students," Lupin mumbled.

"Spinnet is a first year teacher, two years out of Hogwarts, and she doesn't know what she's doing," Snape said bluntly. "I doubt she will improve any time soon. You will just have to deal with it."

Lupin nodded without looking up.

"Do not draw attention to yourself again. You will both serve detention with Filch immediately after dinner."

Lupin nodded again, his shoulders slumping dejectedly.

"Dismissed. McKenna, stay behind, I wish to speak with you privately."

Sirius looked like he was about to protest, but Lupin dragged him out of the classroom.

Snape regarded Harry for a long moment.

"I had been counting on him to keep Puddifoot in line," Snape said finally. "How do you feel that's working so far?"

Having not expected to be asked his opinion on any subject, Harry's first instinct was to shrug.

"That is not an answer."

"I don't know," Harry said. "They're always fighting. Milo says Paddy's fine, though."

"Why has he dragged that unfortunate child into your group?"

Harry needed a few moments to realize Snape meant Noah Perkins. "I don't know. It just happened."

"Find out," Snape said. "I will expect a report."

A report, Harry repeated incredulously inside his head. Snape was really serious about Harry being his little spy.

"I suspect," Snape said, looking grim, "he's going about putting the Marauders back together, and he's just found a pliable weakling he thinks will hang on his every word and applaud his every action..."

Harry felt his ears start to burn.

"That child went through enough already, and doesn't need Puddifoot influencing him. And the last thing any of us need this year is another group of rule-breakers at Hogwarts."

Snape frowned and looked off to the side, apparently forgetting he even had an audience.

"Er -- sir?"

Snape's eyes refocused on Harry.

"I... well, what did happen to Noah Perkins, sir?"

Snape stared at him in silence.

"I was going to make Milo and Paddy tell me," Harry said defensively; Snape's strange gaze was creeping him out. "I think they know."

"Noah Perkins," Snape said slowly, his voice low. He cleared his throat. "Noah Perkins was sorted into Gryffindor on the first of September. There were only ten first years in all."

Harry nodded when Snape paused. He knew that very few students had come back to Hogwarts after the summer. He had missed the Sorting and the Welcoming Feast, but it had been nearly a full week before Voldemort attacked the school, and it had been very clear that enrollment had dropped to a fraction of usual. Harry, lost in his own troubles, simply hadn't taken much notice of the first year students.

"Professor Sprout was leading the younger students out of the school through a passageway between the castle and Greenhouse Three," Snape continued. "Fighting on either end made them take shelter inside for a prolonged period." Snape paused again, drawing in a slow breath and looking at Harry with a slightly wary expression. "They were discovered. Whether on purpose or not, the passageway was collapsed."

Harry felt lightheaded. His spine didn't seem to want to hold him up anymore.

"Why didn't I hear about it?"

"I suppose you had been taken away from the school by then," Snape said. Harry became suddenly aware that Snape had propped him up with a firm hand on his shoulder. "There was an article in the Daily Prophet, but they did not list the casualties because families had not been notified yet... and some of the dead had not been conclusively identified."

Harry vomited all over his lap, shoes, and the floor.

"Tergeo."

Harry wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, but found it dry. "Thanks."

"Go clean yourself up at the sink," Snape said quietly, giving him a small push to get him going.

Harry rinsed his mouth and splashed cold water on his face. He still felt lightheaded and weak, and his legs were so shaky he didn't want to let go of the counter to return to where he presumed Snape was waiting for him.

He leaned his hands against the damp wood, staring at the wall in front of him.

"They all died?"

"No," Snape said after a moment. "Many of the older students managed to cast shields and save themselves from falling debris. There were sixteen casualties, including Sprout herself."

Harry's stomach heaved again, but nothing came up this time. He leaned over the sink, trying to get air into his lungs.

"Noah Perkins was not the only first year to survive, but he is the only one to return to Hogwarts," Snape continued. "It was decided he would be sorted again, with the others... and you know the outcome."

"That's... that's terrible," Harry managed to choke out. "And I didn't even know... why didn't someone tell me?"

"That is not something I can answer," Snape said. "There was a complete list of casualties put out by the Ministry for the memorial service, but I imagine most names didn't mean anything to you even if you saw it."

Harry nodded bleakly. He had seen the list and hadn't connected most names to anyone he actually knew. He remembered trying to count names of students, names of Order members... but he hadn't known...

"I guess I just assumed most of those names were Ministry people and Aurors and... it was bad enough seeing so many of my friends on that list."

Snape didn't say anything.

"I hate this," Harry said, feeling his chest constrict. "I hate finding out it was even worse."

He stood there for a while, his hands going slightly numb from leaning on them, staring at the empty section of wall above the sink. Finally, he turned around.

"I'll let you know if I find out anything."

Snape nodded. "I believe you have another class now."

"Yes, Herbology."

But Harry didn't make a move to leave.

"Is there something else?" Snape asked.

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "No, nothing."

Snape studied him for a while. "Do you need a calming draught?"

Harry shook his head again.

"Do you need time to pull yourself back together?" Snape asked, a note of impatience in his voice.

"I... No."

Snape frowned at him.

"I'm going," Harry said.

He crossed the room and grabbed his things, not meeting Snape's eyes again.

 

---

 

By the time they got to Greenhouse One, Harry was already feeling annoyed by the looks Sirius and Lupin kept shooting in his direction and the way they kept exchanging meaningful looks over his head. He was just waiting for them to ask what Snape had wanted, which was about the last thing he wanted to talk about.

There was nothing in Greenhouse One but a long table with a pile of empty pots in the center and pairs of gloves already laid out on top of mats. Since there were no instructions and Neville was nowhere in sight, the students milled together in a corner by the door in a slightly apprehensive group. Apparently, the teachers they had already had the pleasure of meeting had them worrying what this new one might be like.

"I heard he killed a giant snake," whispered a boy behind Harry, whose ears perked up until he realized they weren't talking about him and the basilisk.

"He killed it with a huge sword. My Mum told me. She's an Auror, you know."

"I heard he talks to plants. He told one to strangle a Death Eater!"

"I heard he was friends with Harry Potter."

Harry didn't like the frightened tone in which that had been said.

"I heard he hexed Ron Weasley with boils. Isn't that your Prefect, Gareth?"

Sirius snorted quietly.

"They let a Sixth Year teach class?"

Conversation died into total silence as Neville Longbottom walked into the greenhouse, a large crate full of leafy plants in his hands.

"I apologize for being late," he said. "I was speaking with the Headmistress."

No one said anything. Harry felt rather bad for Neville, who was pink and nervous.

Neville got to the front and dropped his crate on the table. He folded his hands in front of him, clearing his throat.

"My name is Neville Longbottom and I will be teaching beginning Herbology until a permanent teacher can be found --"

"Bad move," Lupin muttered, shaking his head slightly.

"Huh?" Harry whispered back.

"-- Our textbook is One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. Please bring it to every class, since we will be working on identifying plants. Any questions?"

No one had any.

"Great..." Neville said, smiling a nervous smile that looked more like a grimace. "Well, let's begin, then. The best way to learn about plants is to work with plants, of course. Today you will start a project that you will be working on for the next twelve weeks. Put on your gloves, please."

Once everyone had their gloves on, Neville had them take four empty pots from the pile and write their names on the labels stuck to the sides.

"Each of you will get four different magical plants today. There are nineteen of you, so all together we will have four hundred different plants, including the ones I will plant as an example."

"Ambitious," Lupin muttered.

Harry frowned at him.

"Most of these are herbs and none of them are very dangerous to handle. Just don't put anything in your mouth and you should be fine."

"What are we -- stupid?" someone whispered, not very quietly.

Neville reddened slightly.

"Once you get your seeds or seedlings, take some time to examine them and try to identify them using your book. Your grade for this project will be the sum of three parts." Neville held up his hand, counting them off on his fingers. "One -- you will be graded on how healthy your plants are. Two -- you will identify each of your plants. Three - you will write a one-foot essay on each of your plants, explaining their special qualities and magical uses. Each assignment will be worth ten points per plant. The minimum passing score is 60 points."

There were a few grumbles.

"If this sounds like a lot of work," Neville said quickly, "remember this class only meets once a week, and you will have twelve weeks to finish. Also, there will be no other reading assignments --" He paused to let the happy murmurs die down. "Although, of course, your plants will need to be watered daily. I suggest you work as a team with your House members to make this part more manageable."

There were some looks exchanged, and the two Slytherin girls, Juliette Tate and Wilma Salinger, were trying to catch Harry's eye.

Neville quickly distributed the contents of the crate.

Harry examined what he had got. Unlike Sirius and Lupin, who each had seedling with roots, stems, and leaves, all Harry had were seeds.

With a small sigh, he set to work trying to find them in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

The large, flat seed nearly as big as his hand was the easiest to identify -- it was pumpkin, probably one of those giant pumpkins Hagrid usually grew.

"You found one?" Sirius asked grumpily, looking over at Harry's book. "I've got two that look like the same thing."

Harry looked at Sirius' plants. There were two that looked similar, but Harry noticed right away that the leaves had different shapes.

"I'll trade you one for one of my seeds," Harry said generously.

"Thanks!" Sirius said, smiling at him brightly.

"Welcome," Harry said, reaching carefully for one of Sirius' seedlings.

When he put it down on his mat, he saw that Sirius had taken his pumpkin seed.

"Hey..."

Lupin was watching with a half amused, half disgusted expression.

Shrugging, but with a displeased look in Sirius' direction -- which Sirius completely missed -- Harry went back to work.

Lupin was sketching his seedlings on a piece of parchment, each labeled with their common name, Latin name, and the page number where they could be found in the textbook.

"You got them all already?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Aconite," Lupin said, pointing. Very quietly, he added, "Good thing we were wearing gloves, and so much for none of the plants being dangerous." He pointed to the next seedling. "That's buckbean. This one's called caper. This one is henbane... I'm almost sure."

Sirius came over to look at Lupin's plants with an aggrieved expression.

"Oh, no," Lupin said quickly. "You can't have any."

"Don't be daft," Sirius said. "Give me the aconite. What if one day we aren't told to wear gloves?"

Lupin shook his head. "We always wear gloves in here. Besides, I already wrote it down."

"This is for your own good," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. He grabbed the plant before Lupin could move it out of reach. "Here, have a... well, whatever this ugly shriveled thing is."

Lupin accepted the substitution with a bad-natured scowl.

Harry turned back to his own work, examining a shiny, bright red seed with an oblong shape. The color would have made it easy to identify, had the textbook not been in black and white. He read through a few descriptions before deciding to label it as a Lucky Bean plant for the time being.

"I know some of you are still working on identifying your plants," Neville said a few minutes later, "but we want to have plenty of time to get your plants into their pots. There are bags of soil along the wall here, so go ahead and fill your pots about half way."

Harry shook his head resignedly. He only had one plant identified, and he wasn't even very sure about it. Lupin had done all four -- even the 'ugly, shriveled' contribution from Sirius -- and Sirius had two.

"Excellent work," Neville said as he stopped to look over their shoulders. He moved on to calm a Hufflepuff who had stuffed her seedling into the pot wrong end up.

"I will now demonstrate the correct way to water your plants so as not to damage their delicate stems and leaves." Neville waited a few moments, but the talking didn't diminish by much. "All eyes on me, please."

"Shh!" Sirius growled at a group of noisy girls. They looked scandalized, but fell silent.

"Er -- Yes, thank you," Neville said, looking at Sirius with a mixture of gratitude and disapproval. "Like I said, it is important to water your plants carefully."

Neville demonstrated four times before allowing them to get watering cans.

"After you finish, class will be over for the day and I will walk you back to the castle. You may want to use the last few minutes of class to talk to your House members and set up a watering schedule."

Harry looked around for the Slytherin girls in case they wanted to work together -- it wasn't their fault they had Harry, Sirius, and Lupin in their House, after all -- but he found them chatting with a mixed group of Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs.

"Sorry," Juliette Tate mouthed, shrugging, when she saw him looking.

"Perkins -- hey, Perkins!"

"Patrick!"

Sirius didn't listen; he was already making his way around the table to where Noah Perkins was sitting by himself, head down.

Lupin sighed.

"I asked Professor Snape," Harry said to him, keeping his voice low. "He told me."

Lupin turned quickly to look at him.

"He said to keep Paddy away from Noah. Do you think we should?"

Lupin hesitated before answering. "You saw how he is. I don't want him using any of the students."

"Professor Snape said Paddy might be looking for a pushover -- well, he said 'weakling', really..."

Lupin frowned. "I don't think --"

"Hey Milo, James -- Perkins just said he'll work with us."

Sirius was leading Noah over to them, with Noah dragging his feet the whole way.

Lupin plastered a smile on his face. "Hello, Noah."

"Hi, Noah," Harry said.

Noah looked at his feet.

"I thought Noah could water our plants this week --" Sirius began.

"Oh, no," Lupin said, still smiling sickeningly. "James and I already decided you would do it, since we helped you out so much. Isn't that right, James?"

"Yeah," Harry said, nodding. "Then I can do it next week and then Milo. Since we didn't know Noah would be working with us, he'll have to be at the end. Sorry about that."

Sirius gave them an odd look. "Well... all right."

"See you later, Noah," Harry said as Lupin pulled him toward the exit.

"What's going on?" Sirius demanded as they let the others get ahead of them, lead by Neville, so they could talk in private. "Are you upset with me for some reason?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Lupin said. "We're not going to take turns watering plants anyway."

"We're not?" Sirius said blankly, which saved Harry from stupidly saying the same thing.

"Of course not," Lupin said in the sort of tone Snape might have used to address a particularly dim-witted student. "What are the other two supposed to do while one of us goes traipsing off outdoors? McGonagall and Professor Snape would just love that, wouldn't they?"

Sirius' face fell. "That's --"

"Anyway," Lupin went on, ignoring him, "you aren't going to make Noah do all our work -- I told you that back in Potions."

"I wasn't," Sirius said, looking injured. "I told you I wasn't. I just thought the kid didn't have anyone to work with and --" He looked sideways at Harry, cutting himself off.

"I already know," Harry said. "I asked Professor Snape."

Sirius' expression changed through several shades of outraged, worried, and insulted. "He had no business --"

"Just forget it," Harry said, tired of arguing. "Let's put our books away and go to dinner. I didn't eat enough at lunch and I'm starving."

They made their way down to the dungeons, fighting against the tide of Sixth and Seventh years getting out of Snape's N.E.W.T.s level Potions class, which apparently combined the two years due to the low enrollment.

They had to walk past the classrooms to get to Snape's quarters. Harry's steps slowed to a crawl when he realized the way was blocked by two bickering students.

"That was a terrible thing to say --"

"Lay off me, will you? I only came down here to ask you to take over my Prefect duties tonight. I don't need a lecture."

"Oh, Ron, this is not like you at all --"

"I said lay off me! You weren't there! You didn't hear Malfoy!"

"This isn't about him --"

"NO?"

"We need to talk about this, Ron. You aren't the only one who's suffering. I hurt, too -- I... I lost Harry, too --"

Harry froze. He didn't even struggle when Sirius and Lupin grabbed him and pulled him into Snape's office, the closest open doorway, and shut the door.

They dropped him in a chair and stared at him with wide eyes.

In the corridor outside, two sets of footsteps, one pounding and one hurrying to catch up and then slowing to a walk, faded into silence.

Harry, afraid he was going to be sick again, took some shuddering breaths.

The door banged open.

Snape looked the three of them over, his eyes finally resting on Harry.

"Calming draught," Snape said. He produced one from a cabinet next to his desk and handed it to Harry.

Harry drank it without much thinking. A warm, floaty feeling slowly washed over him.

"Have him lie down for ten minutes or so," Snape told Lupin, ignoring Sirius' presence. "I suggest the three of you spend a quiet evening doing homework and resting."

Harry followed Lupin without protest. Sirius brought up the rear, carrying Harry's book bag and scowling.

"Do you want to nap, James?" Lupin asked when they got to their room. He was looking at Harry worriedly. "We could bring your dinner."

"No, that's all right," Harry said languidly. He lay back against the pillows -- Lupin had taken all the pillows and piled them against the headboard of Harry's bed -- and stared up at the ceiling. Somewhere far in his mind, he knew it was the calming draught, but it was a nice feeling to not have any worries.

Sirius and Lupin exchanged another one of their looks. Harry idly supposed it was their 'worried about Harry look', and wondered just when they had developed it. Hermione and Ron had the same one.

Hermione and Ron.

The calming draught was wearing off.

Lupin perched on the end of Harry's bed. Sirius hovered over Lupin's shoulder.

"I'm fine. Really..."

"It was a tough day," Lupin said, clearing his throat.

Sirius nodded.

Harry sighed. The calming draught had definitely mostly worn off. "Let's go to dinner, all right?"

They went back up to the Great Hall and sat in their usual spot.

Now that Harry was looking at a full plate, he realized he wasn't all that hungry.

"Eat," Lupin said. "It's ridiculous how little you eat."

Sirius nodded in agreement, his mouth already very full.

"I can never eat when I'm nervous."

"Eat anyway," Lupin said unhelpfully. "You said yourself you didn't eat much lunch."

Harry tried the roast duck, which he had to admit was good.

"You can get started on homework while we're gone," Lupin told Harry. Then he peered a little closer at him. "Or take a nap. You really don't look so good."

Harry frowned until he remembered that both Lupin and Sirius had detention.

"Stop that," Lupin said quietly.

Harry looked up just in time to see him swat Sirius' hand. Sirius had been about to put some bread in his pocket.

Sirius looked at Lupin like he'd lost his mind. "It's for later! We've got detention and you know the greasy git won't let us out for tea!"

"Too bad if he doesn't," Lupin said unsympathetically. "You're not bringing any more food into our room to spoil when you don't get around to eating it."

Sirius looked affronted, but he dropped the bread back into the bread basket.

Harry managed to eat most of what he had put on his plate, or at least enough that Lupin didn't nag him when he pushed his plate away and refilled his glass with more pumpkin juice.

"There goes the bell," Lupin said rather dejectedly. "Come on, Patrick."

"Wait, I'll walk with you," Harry said.

They made it as far as the Entrance Hall before an irritated voice stopped them.

"Where are you going now?"

They turned around to face Snape, who had stopped in the doorway to the Great Hall, staring at them.

"We have detention," Lupin said.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I recall telling you less than an hour ago that you are to stay quietly in your room. I already informed Mr. Filch I will be handling your detention myself."

"But mine is from Professor Spinnet," Lupin said.

"Yes..." Snape's lip curled slightly. "However, she failed to set the terms, leaving it up to me as your Head of House. Now, I don't want to see you again for the rest of the evening, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Lupin and Harry said together. Sirius stayed silent, which was probably best anyway.

Snape didn't take his eyes off them until they disappeared down the dungeon stairwell.

A few minutes later Sirius threw himself down on the middle bed, dragging Harry down with him.

"He let us off detention," Sirius said in a slightly awed voice. "I don't think that's ever happened to me before."

"Good," Lupin said, dropping a stack of books on the bed. "Now we have more time to get all our work done."

Harry and Sirius exchanged a look of disgust.