Trying not to make the slightest noise, Harry quickly walked to a small alcove that held an old suit of armour. Squeezing himself behind it, he felt he was rather safe at the moment; nobody was going to come here and bump into him. On the other hand it wasn't exactly a strategic position. The students closest to him were some first years who were amusing themselves playing Exploding Snap, making a lot of noise during the process and making it practically impossible for Harry to listen to any other conversations in the room. Harry thought hard. To whom should he listen first? Weren't the oldest students bound to know the most about everything? A small group of older-looking students were sitting around a low round table having an animated discussion. Malfoy on the other hand was with his classmates at the back of the room. Harry decided to start with the older students and then, when he had listened enough to them, proceed on to Malfoy and see what he could find out there.

Carefully he stepped forward and squeezed himself out of the alcove. He was glad that the Slytherin Common room was rather spacious, otherwise it would have been rather difficult to walk between the different low tables and armchairs without being detected. On tiptoes he made his way over to the older students.

‘... so if you can't get shredded gecko skin, why not try with just the skin of an ordinary lizard?'

‘Are you daft, what if we mess up the whole project because of that? Snape will shred our skin!'

‘Oh come on, of course we would experiment on a lower scale first, but sometimes you just have to experiment a  little, where should any progress come from otherwise?'

Disappointed, Harry realized that the heated discussion he had seen from afar and which he had assumed to be of interest for him was just about some potions project, probably for NEWT class. How anybody could discuss potions so animatedly was a mystery to Harry, but maybe the enthusiasm for potions was something that came with being Slytherin.  Be that as it may, he wouldn't find out anything interesting there. So he went over to Malfoy and the others of his year.

Carefully he made his way over to where the blond  boy was sitting. Malfoy was half-stretched on a sofa, Pansy beside him, Zabini and Bulstrode sat in armchairs close by. Another pale boy of his year, whom Harry actually had never spoken to and whose name he thought was Theodore Nott was sitting a bit apart from them at a table, obviously studying. Malfoy had carelessly thrown some of the sofa cushions behind the sofa. That suited Harry fine. He settled behind the sofa on one of the cushions on the floor. Unfortunately he couldn't see the others that way, but it was comfortable and he decided to stay there for a while. Hopefully he would get to hear something more interesting than potions problems.

‘So Draco, already planned your revenge on Weasley?' It must have been Zabini who spoke, as he was the only other boy apart from Malfoy in the group. Harry grinned triumphantly. Yes, this was perfect, now he would learn about Malfoy's plans and Malfoy would be even angrier if his revenge didn't work out... Unfortunately Draco didn't answer.  Zabini, however went on.

‘Too bad, huh, that Greg and Vince are with Snape "to work on their catastrophic academic achievements".' Harry grinned at the accurate imitation of Snape's iritated snarl. ‘If they had come with you to the door, Weasley would have run even faster, I guess.'

‘I couldn't care less' said Malfoy in a bored voice. ‘What does the oak tree care if a pig is scratching his back against his bark?'

A snort - was it from Zabini? - was all that Harry could hear as a reaction. He was diverted by a black cat that had appeared right next to him and leapt up on the back rest of the sofa. From there the cat looked in Harry's direction and as with Mrs Norris, Harry had the horrible feeling that the cat could see through his cloak. Could cats really do that? Harry decided they needed to experiment with Crookshanks. If cats could, what about McGonagall when she was transformed?

In a graceful movement the cat jumped down on the other side of the sofa, out of Harry's sight.

‘Urgh! Bulstrode, your cat is shedding fur all over the place again!' complained Malfoy.

I thought the black fur looked somewhat familiar, thought Harry and chuckled internally, remembering the fur-covered Hermione after she had drunk her dose of Polyjuice potion. I need to tell Hermione that Bulstrode's cat keeps dropping hair!

‘So what? It's normal for a cat to have a change of fur now and then!'

‘But not on me!' said Draco. He got up and leaned over the back rest so that Harry could see him again. He grabbed the black cat at the scruff of its neck. ‘Go shed your hair elsewhere!' With these words he dropped the cat, and it fell on top of Harry before jumping off and disappearing.

Harry's heart hammered fast. Had Draco noticed something? Had he seen that the cat had stopped seemingly in mid-air? Draco's puzzled face showed him that indeed he had noticed something and was trying to figure it out.  Well, Harry wan't going to take any chances, he needed to get away immediately. He quickly got to his feet, noticing too late that he had moved the cushion in the process. But that didn't matter right now. As fast as he could, he zigzagged around the other cushions and decided to get into the safe alcove as soon as possible. He'd have to stay there until everything settled down.

Draco jumped over the armrest. ‘There's something in here!' he exclaimed. The other third years had also got up.

‘Where?' Millicent Bulstrode asked.

‘Here, just behind the sofa, something weird is happening!'

Draco's shout caused students from other years to get up and have a look as well.  For Harry this meant that all of a sudden various students were coming his way. After jumping to the right in order to avoid a small girl, he found himself suddenly in the path of a pudgy boy. Harry made another dodge to the right and decided to jump onto one of the small empty tables in front of him. No sooner said than done! He leapt up onto a table, and when he lost his balance and painfully crashed on his left knee he noticed to his great shock that he had stumbled over the hem of his robe.

‘There's someone on the table! Over there!' somebody shouted.

Before Harry could react he felt somebody snatch the Invvisibility cloak from him.

‘Wow, that is some cloak!' Harry heard someone say in bewildered awe.

 ‘Potter!' yelled Draco, outraged.

‘How the bloody hell did he manage to get in here?' asked a fourth year girl in grudging admiration.

Harry's heart was hammering fast. Yes, he had been discovered, and once Snape found out, he would be in terible trouble. But now he had to get his cloak back and escape with it into the safety of his own common room, he couldn't allow the cloak to fall in the hands of the Slytherins. Knowing them, he didn't doubt they would want to keep it as their trophy.

‘Give that here!'he shouted, jumping off the table and trying to snatch it out of the hand of a fourth year boy.

‘Not so fast, Potter!' Harry felt his arms restrained by someone with more strength than he possessed, and then there was Malfoy in front of him, his facial expression an odd mixture of fury and triumph. ‘Spying on me, were you?' And before Harry could think of anything to say, his world exploded in pain as Malfoy punched him directly in the face.

‘Argh!' With a mighty jerk, Harry managed to get his arms free. Tears had shot into his eyes, and when his right hand flew to his nose, his suspicion was confirmed. Blood was running out of his nose and his upper lip was smarting tremendously. Now Harry's apprehension was joined by fury as well.  ‘You git!' he shouted and launched himself at Malfoy. However, the blond boy easily evaded him, and somebody tripped Harry from behind so that he fell to the floor. Harry balled his fists and jumped up.

‘You can't fight fair, can you, you cowards?' he hissed, wiping over his bloody nose again.

The faces of the crowd around him showed him that his words didn't go over well. He shrank back a bit as Marcus Flint approached him and Harry hastily drew his wand. However, before he could shout a spell, Flint had grabbed his arm and turned it so that, powerless, Harry let go of the wand and it fell to the floor. Flint didn't content himself with merely disarming Harry and gave him a punch that made him double over and gasp for air. He hissed into Harry's ear, ‘Not fair, is it Potter? How fair is it if you come here, invisible?'

Flint's attack caused mixed reactions among the students surrounding Harry, who had up to now been mostly silent observers. The majority seemed a bit put off by Flint's violence, and when one of Flint's classmates muttered, ‘Come on, Marcus, leave the little one alone. He hasn't hurt anyone, after all,' there were numerous nods in agreement. Not from Malfoy, though.

‘Not yet, you mean', the blond boy spat. ‘He's been spying on me, sneaking behind me, behind all of us,' he added, motioning towards his classmates who were standing next to him, shooting angry glares at Harry as well. ‘Who knows what he would have done next? Attack us while we couldn't see him?'

Affirmative muttering followed, and Malfoy and several others advanced threateningly, some of them with their hands balled into fists. Harry swallowed nervously and cursed his situation. He had lost his cloak, his wand and he was surrounded by a whole group of more or less angry Slytherins. Harry had been too often the victim of Dudley and his gang not to know a lost battle when he saw one. He had also been too often the victim of Dudley and his gang not to realize that although the majority of the students surrounding him would be willing to just let him go and would disapprove of him being beaten up, they weren't about to actively help him. So he lowered his head and shielded his face with his arms protectively. Come what may, he knew he would just have to wait the beating out.

‘Stop!' a voice called. Harry winced when a punch connected with his side. ‘Malfoy! I told you to stop!' the voice repeated, even louder. ‘And no, you are not going to use your wands on him! Everybody step back!'

Harry couldn't see the person the voice belonged to, nor was it familiar to him. It was obvious however, that the owner of the voice was used to being obeyed, and in fact, the students seemed to do so. Not without protest, though.

‘Oh come on, he deserves this!' This was Malfoy's voice.

‘That's not for you to decide! I fire-called Professor Snape, he'll be here shortly, and he'll sort him out! All of you step back!‘

Feeling relieved, Harry noticed that they did as they were told.  Somebody stepped close to him and lightly touched his shoulder.

‘Look at me, Potter.'

Harry drew a deep breath. He slowly lowered his arms and looked at the boy standing in front of him. It was a tall boy with brown hair and brown eyes, which were scrutinizing Harry critically. On the breast he wore a silver prefect badge.

‘Are you alright, Potter?' the boy asked coolly.

Harry shrugged. ‘I suppose so', he muttered.

The prefect turned to the group around. ‘You idiots! Just look at him! What do you think Snape'll do to us when he sees him like that! At least you've had the sense not to curse him! If I were you I'd see to it that he looks a bit more presentable when Snape gets here! And now give me his wand and his cloak!'

A girl quietly passed him the two items, while one of the NEWT students pointed his wand at Harry and with a muttered Scourgify made all the blood from his nosebleed disappear. It was Flint who grabbed the cloth off a nearby table, folded it and soaked it with water out of his wand. Wordlessly he gave it to Harry who took it and, not being a novice to nose-bleeding, expertly put it behind his neck. Another Slytherin passed him a hankerchief which he put under his still bleeding nose.

Abruptly the door to the common room opened. Harry didn't need to look to know who had just come in; the silence of everyone around him spoke volumes.

‘Mr Chesterton, you alerted me there was a problem; I am pleased to see you have it under control. What was the matter?' Snape's silky voice made Harry's heart thrum. Oh, he was going to be in so much trouble.

The prefect swallowed. He mutely pointed to Harry.

‘Potter.' Harry shrank under the piercing stare of Snape that took in his still-bleeding nose and the cooling cloth at his neck. A swift flick of a wand made the bleeding stop, another one made the bloody hankerchief and the cloth disappear.

‘He has been assaulted.' The calm statement did not appear to be addressed to anybody in particular.

‘Just roughed up a bit,' Flint muttered, and on Snape's glance he hastily added, ‘Without magic.'

Snape looked at the Prefect. ‘Explain', he said simply.

‘You see, sir, it's like this: Potter managed to sneak into our common room because he has an invisibility cloak. Here it is,' the Prefect said and handed the silvery cloth over to Snape who took and examined it, a sharp crease between his eyes.

‘I don't know what it is that he wanted or how long he was here. Well, somehow he was detected, I didn't see myself how it happened.' He swallowed nervously before he continued, ‘I'm afraid I was rather absorbed in my reading over there,' he vaguely pointed to the other side of the room, ‘so I didn't notice straight away that something was amiss. When I did, I decided to first call you, so I couldn't prevent all the punches. I'm sorry, sir. But really, I don't think it was too bad. And you see, sir, they were just angry.'

Snape's eyes glittered dangerously. ‘There is no need to explain any more. As for Potter,' Harry now actually started shivering as Snape looked at him with undisguised fury, ‘I am sure that once this evening is over his inhospitable reception will be the least of his worries.'

The prefect nodded, not bothering to hide his relief. Snape hadn't finished yet, though. ‘And while I'm dealing with Potter I want all of you to be working on an essay - two feet, I think. First, I want an explanation of the carelessness that allowed Potter to enter, with or without an invisibility cloak, and secondly, describe why several of you were foolish enough to give someone who wronged you the opportunity to present himself as a victim.' The younger Slytherins looked merely upset at the extra work, but some of the older students appeared extremely uncomfortable. The prefect blushed profoundly. He then went to Harry and stretched out his right hand. On his palm lay Harry's wand. ‘Here, Potter, your wand,' he said.

Harry hastily took it and and hesitated. Should he say something to the older boy, who had in a way helped him? But an inner voice told him that it hadn't been out of concern for him, but in fear of Snape's possible retribution. There was no time anyway, because Snape had grabbed his upper arm and pulled him towards the exit of the common room and through the door. He walked with long, angry steps quickly along the corridor, dragging Harry with him.

‘I can walk on my own!' Harry protested loudly. ‘There's no need to pull me!' He tried to yank his arm free of the painful grip of his professor, but his effort just resulted in Snape's fingers tightening.

‘If I were you, Potter, I would stay quiet!' hissed Snape. ‘You are in absolutely no position to argue about anything!'

‘But you're hurting me!' Harry insisted and tried to wriggle free again. Indeed Snape's fingers seemed to be made of steel.

‘And you think I care, Potter?' spat Snape. However, he let go of Harry's arm, but grabbed his robe right behind his neck instead and marched him on.

Harry made a face and rubbed his arm. He hoped they wouldn't meet anybody in the corridors, the position he found himself in was just too embarassing, but in fact he knew better than to argue any more.  So he kept quiet and didn't resist any longer against Snape's shoving. Predictably, their journey ended at the door of Professor McGonagall's office, where Snape knocked once heavily and then, without bothering to wait for an answer, opened the door and shoved Harry inside.

‘Severus Snape!' Mc Gonagall exclaimed in a scandalized voice. She had risen from the chair behind her desk and quickly crossed the distance to where they were standing. ‘What is the meaning of this? I would appreciate it if you let go of Mr Potter immediately!'

‘And I would appreciate it if you finally got this student of yours under control! Potter has outdone himself tonight!' spat Snape and and passed Harry's cloak to her. ‘He has demonstrated clearly that he has no respect whatsoever for any school rules nor about other people's privacy!' He let go of Harry's robe, who hastily took one step to the side. He felt truly horrible, and knew that probably by the time McGonagall finished with him he would be wishing that he still was in the Slytherin common room, even if it meant being on the receiving end of Malfoy's punches.

McGonagall's lips were thinner than Harry had seen them for a long time. She looked from the cloak in her hand to Harry and then to Snape.

‘Explain!' she said curtly - to Snape.

‘Potter used this Invisibility Cloak to sneak into the Slytherin common room to listen to the conversations taking place there!'

Harry felt himself blush as his Head of House looked at him. ‘Is this true, Mr Potter?' she asked sternly. Harry nodded miserably.

‘Well, I'll leave him here with you, while I go to inform the headmaster of Potter's latest escapade', said Snape smoothly. He addressed Harry. ‘I swear, Potter, this time you wil not get away as lightly as you usually do, I will see to that!' He turned on the spot and went towards the door. Before he left, he threw a last pointed remark, ‘I trust I can leave him here and you won't need me to make sure he doesn't cause any more mayhem tonight?' He left before an obviously stunned Professor McGonagall could answer.

Harry flinched at the loud snap of the closing door.

‘Take a seat, Mr Potter', said McGonagall and pointed to a wooden chair in fron of her desk. Harry sat; his teacher didn't, though. Instead she put Harry's cloak on her desk and walked up and down agitatedly in front of Harry for a few moments. Finally she stopped and stared down at him. Her gaze made him shrink in his seat.

‘You have managed to make Professor Snape angrier than I have seen him for decades. He is well known for his cutting remarks, but I cannot remember when I have ever seen him manhandle a student. It's not an achivemnent you should be proud of, Mr Potter.'

‘I'm not', muttered Harry.

‘As you can probably imagine, I am not particularly happy for Severus Snapes to tell me that I do not have my students under control. And I like it even less when all evidence points to the fact that he is right!'

‘I am sorry, Professsor,' whispered Harry and meant it.

‘Sneaking into the Slytherin Common room, listening into other people's conversations while being invisible, sneaking around like a thief! This is despicible behaviour and unworthy of a Gryffndor! I am ashamed of you, Mr Potter!'

Harry felt a huge lump in his throat. He had been in trouble before, but never before had anybody said that what he had done was unworthy of Gryffindor.

‘Just what were you thinking?'

Harry was tempted to tell her about his plan to get to know more about Black, but he found that he was unable to speak. If he started speaking now, he would start to cry, and it was bad enough to have disappointed his head of house as it was, there was no need to appear cowardly as well. He pressed his lips together and looked down at his hands.

McGonagall didn't press the point and sighed. ‘Well, undoubtedly you will have to explain to Professor Dumbledore.' She picked up the cloak and turned it between her hands. Harry, who had looked up at her last words, saw her expression change. The anger faded a little and was replaced by something else - was it interest, or even admiration?

‘Does Professor Dumbledore know that you possess such a cloak?' she asked.

‘Yes, Professor,' Harry managed to choke out. Then he added in a whisper, ‘It belonged to my dad.'

There was a brief silence. Than McGonagall sighed deeply, cautiously folded the cloak and placed it onto Harry's lap. He looked at her questioningly.

‘Yes, I will give you the Invisibility Cloak back - for now. However, if I were you I wouldn't be too sure that Professor Dumbledore won't confiscate it.' She rose. ‘You will go back to your Common Room straight away, Mr Potter, without any detours. Meanwhile I will go and join the headmaster and Professor Snape.' She went to the door and opened it. ‘Off you go.'

Harry mutely nodded and got up from his chair.

‘Will I be expelled?' he asked hoarsely. This thought was unbearable. He had feared expulsion just one week into his first year, when he had disobeyed Madam Hooch, then at the beginning of the second year, when he had arived with the Weasley's flying car, but right now expulsion seemed to him more probable than ever before. He hadn't thought when he had planned his adventure that it was such a despicable thing to do, he hadn't caused anybody any harm, after all, but judging by Snape's and McGonagall's reactions it must have been really bad indeed.

McGonagall's face softened a tiny bit. ‘I doubt it, Mr Potter', she said and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. ‘But you should be aware of the fact that Professor Snape meant it when he said he would see to it that you won't get away lightly. And I have to admit that this time I cannot blame him.' She looked at him encouragingly. ‘However, I will go and join him and Professor Dumbledore now and make sure you won't be eaten alive.'

‘Thank you, professor', Harry whispered and already felt a tiny bit better. With a curt nod McGonagall left for the headmaster's office. While Harry miserably made his way to the common room - his own, this time - he tried to feel some consolation out of the fact that although his head of house was obviously disgusted with him she was still seemingly willing to defend him against Snape.