For two minutes, Harry acted on his best behavior and remained at the island working on his essay. However, shortly after his father left, he soon found it difficult to concentrate. He wanted to know what was happening. Was that so wrong? He didn't think so.

So, exactly five minutes after his father left, Harry slammed his book shut. Maybe he'd just sneak a quick peek. What was the harm? He was in Hogwarts after all, not out in the Forbidden forest. He'd stay in the castle. He promised. Maybe.

Pushing himself up, he stood and headed for the door, grabbing his robes to throw them as he walked past them. It was just a quick little peek. His dad wouldn't even know he had left their rooms. Well, unless his dad asked Salazar, but he figured his dad would be too happy to think to ask the portrait anything. That was if Aurora forgave his dad.

What was he thinking? Of course she'd forgive his dad. She loved him. Love ruled the world. More so than power or hate ever did, that was.

The young man walked down the cool damp corridor in silence. He briefly wondered where all the Slytherins were, but he brushed that thought aside not long after. What did it matter where they were? He had his own house to worry about. Actually, if he were honest, he'd admit he rarely was even around other Gryffindors anymore. Except Hermione that was. He wondered what Healer McCoy would say about that. He headed up the stairs towards the entrance hall then. The healer would probably say it was an effect of the severe emotional abuse the Dursleys inflicted upon him, no doubt.

"Potter, wait up," a voice called out behind him suddenly.

Harry frowned but did slow down.

"I don't know where Hermione is, Malfoy," Harry said as soon as he caught the blond walking in step with him.

"What?" Malfoy then shook his head. "No, I was hoping to speak with you actually."

Harry's eyes narrowed. Malfoy wanted to speak with him? Why?

"It's occurred to me that I never thanked you, you know, for being all right with us. Hermione and me, that is."

"You guys are just friends. So what?" Harry replied with a shrug. Why was Malfoy making such a big deal out of this? Unlike Ron, Harry was fine with Hermione having other friends besides him.

"Yeah. We are, but, well, it stands. Thank you, Potter." Draco held his hand out to him.

Harry glanced at the outstretched hand for a moment before he sighed and shook Draco's hand. Maybe now things could go back to normal.

"You finish your Charms essay yet?" Malfoy asked, tugging on his sleeve slightly.

Glaring at the blonde, Harry shook his head. "No. But I will later. I have two more hours."

"Aren't you cutting it close, though, Potter?" The blond then cleared his throat. "I could give you some help if you want?"

Harry stopped instantly and whirled on the other boy. "What do you want, Malfoy? I already accepted your thanks and thanked you last year for saving my life two years ago. So, what do you want now? Just spit it out already."

"Me? I don't want anything, Potter. I was just offering assistance."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, 'Why?"

"What are you trying to accomplish? What's your angle, Malfoy? There has to be something in it for you besides keeping Hermione happy."

"That's not . . . Potter, honestly, I was only asking if you wanted some help. That's it."

"For the whole term now, you've ignored me except when I'm around Hermione. Can't we just go back to that?"

"If that's what you want . . . I was trying to be friendly, though."

"Why? I mean, have you honestly forgotten our history together because of Hermione?"

"No."

"Then knock it off, Malfoy. Because I still remember you trying to get me in trouble, you being a conceited git to me and Ron. You might be better now, but don't expect me to forgive you so easily."

"I should go," Malfoy said quietly, taking a step back.

"You should." Harry then huffed and headed for the front doors. Malfoy had probably taken long enough to make it so he wouldn't be able to see his dad with Scruffy.

He had just reached them when the doors suddenly swung open wide. Harry tried to jump out of the way, but wasn't fast enough clearly. One of the heavy oak doors slammed hard into his face. He stumbled back, his hands flying up.

"Potter!" Malfoy yelled behind him followed by heavy footfalls.

"Scabbers! Come back here!" Ron's voice swirled around a moment later. "Scabbers!"

"Get your rat out of here, Weasley!"

"The only rat here is you, Malfoy!" Ron growled back.

Harry yelped when he felt something crawl up inside his leg. When a moment later, he felt a sharp bite to his knee, he screamed and ran as fast as he could away. If that was Ron's stupid rat, he was going to kill his ex-best friend.

"Scabbers, stop!" Ron ordered.

"Potter! Wait!" Malfoy yelled after him.

Like hell, he was going to wait! That bloody rat was eating him alive! He didn't know where he was running, as he had his head tilted back to keep the blood from spurting out his nose. But he knew he needed to get the hell out of there.

Just once he'd like a plan to go his way. That wasn't too much to ask for he thought.

Blindly feeling the wall, he found the difference in texture a moment later. A door. Finally! Kicking it open, he heard the door burst open followed by a loud squeal from the flying rat that had propelled itself out of his pant leg. When Harry heard the soft clunk a moment later, he knew exactly where he was. He gulped. A few seconds later, there was a cascading sound of glass shattering onto the floor. His eyes closed, and he felt his stomach drop. Not his dad's potions store . . .

"Scabbers!" Ron yelled, brushing past Harry.

"Merlin's saggy balls," Draco gasped as he came to stand beside Harry a moment later.

The door then slammed shut behind them. Harry bit his bottom lip. His dad was so going to kill him now. He slowly opened an eye to see what sort of damage he had done. Two of his father's shelves had been knocked over with broken vials littering the floor.

"Ah, crap," he groaned. He'd be grounded for certain now.

"Scab—AH!" Ron suddenly screamed, rushing back towards them.

"What are you going on about, Weasley? There's nothing . . ." Malfoy's voice then faltered.

What? What did they see? Was it his dad ready to throttle him? He slowly lowered his head and followed with his eyes where they were looking. His eyes widened at the portly man slowly climbing out of one of his dad's cauldrons.

"W—who are you?" Harry asked, his eyes widening.

The man's head turned to the side, staring at him before a smile slowly crossed his face. He took a step towards Harry, but stopped as soon as Ron and Draco both drew their wands and held it on the wizard. His eye twitched in response.

"Harry, sweet Harry, I was one of your father's friends. James's friend," the wizard declared nervously. "I can see your mother in you. So much of Lily. Help me out, hmm?" He glanced pointedly towards the boys holding their wands trained on him.

"You're Pettigrew, right?" He seemed to recall Aurora and his dad talking about the man not long ago. "But you died . . ."

"No. No, I faked my death. I had to. You see, Sirius Black, you've heard of him, yes? He betrayed Lily and James, Harry. Not me. I, he's one of them. Black. His whole family was, you know? His brother especially," Pettigrew explained, taking a hesitant step towards Harry. "You're in grave danger, Harry. Grave. The Dark Lord . . ."

"Is locked up somewhere," Malfoy interrupted coldly. "Without his magic."

Harry caught Pettigrew's surprise and frowned. Something wasn't right about that wizard.

"Locked up?" Pettigrew then laughed nervously. "Good. Good. But his followers surely . . ."

"Are locked up as well or have renounced him," Weasley answered.

"E-even Severus?" Pettigrew drew in a quick breath as if he was terrified. "And Lucius?"

"Renounced him," Malfoy replied neutrally. "The old ways have been abandoned decades ago."

"Good. Good." He reached forward to grab Harry before he squeaked and reared back.

"You shall do no more harm in this school, Peter Pettigrew," a voice growled behind the boys. Glancing sideways, Harry caught Sir Nicholas floating in with the Fat Friar at his side. He then saw the Baron and the Gray Lady enter the room together. He had never seen them so united before.

"Is this understood?" the Baron gruffly asked, glaring at the terrified wizard.

"Please . . . please I wouldn't hurt Harry," Pettigrew whimpered. "Honest. I just wanted to . . ."

"Your heart is as black as night, Peter," the Gray Lady declared with a scornful look.

"So your lies have no effect on us," the Friar stated with a frown.

"I . . ." His eyes darted to Harry. "Please, Harry. I was your dad's friend."

"No. You weren't my dad's friend," Harry said. "You were James's friend, but I'm not his son."

"Yes, yes, I know. You're Severus's." Peter nodded fervently. "Lily was so happy when she learned she was pregnant with you."

Harry's frown deepened.

"She had tried with James, but . . . it wasn't to be unfortunately." Peter gave another nervous laugh. "Do you know why she knew you would be special, Harry? No?" He twitched again when Harry didn't answer. "Because you would have Severus's power, a bit of his magic inside you."

"In other words, my mother was a power hungry witch," Harry coldly replied. He bit back the words 'Already knew that.'

"No, Harry. It wasn't power she sought. It was fulfilling the prophecy." He gave a soft laugh, twisting his hands nervously. "You see, I may have told her something I overheard once. I heard loads of things over the years as you can imagine. Lots of secrets and lies." His eyes glistened. "Like Aurora and Black for example. Your father would be quite interested to hear about that, don't you think?"

Harry stared at the man, though. What about Aurora and Black? She had said they were just friends. Had she lied to his dad?

"He was there the night you were born, Harry. With her."

"So what?" Harry returned. He had heard that before. She had lost her baby that night.

"He stayed with her the entire night as she cried after she lost her bastard child. Wept against his shoulder. As if he had never bullied her dear Severus." His smile darkened. "And what of that mark on her forearm? Does she still tell people that the Dark Lord carved that Dark Mark into her, hmm? As if she was so special. Lily, Aurora, it made no difference really. Both witches were fools."

"How so?" Harry demanded, glaring at the wizard.

"That prophecy I told Lily she was to fulfil? The prophecy that led to your conception?" Pettigrew chuckled. "It didn't refer to her at all. How could it when she was a filthy little Mudblood?" he sneered. "Oh, how she believed it, though. Believed that you would be the child to end the war."

"If it didn't refer to her, then . . ."

"I twisted it, you see, Harry. Told her that it had said a follower of darkness would be the child's father. She took that to mean a Death Eater, of course, and the only one she could bear was Severus. She knew he cared for her, so it would be easy for her. A means to an end."

"Who did the prophecy refer to then?" Harry demanded, glaring at the wizard.

"Eileen Prince," Pettigrew stated with a smirk. "It was your father who was to end the war. The Dark Lord learned of this decades ago and set him on the path. A little shove from Black and James furthered it more than he could have ever anticipated." He then chuckled some more. "And then the other prophecy came, the Savior of the Wizarding World, your Prophecy. The one your father overheard Trelawney prophesized in the Hog's Head. Oh, how he ran back to the Dark Lord with it, having only heard a line or two. 'The one to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches," he recited, his eyes glittering darkly. "As if anyone could truly vanquish the Dark Lord! Let alone a spoiled little brat like you!"

"Confringo!" a strong pair of voices suddenly boomed behind all of them.

Harry's eyes widened as he watched Pettigrew fly backwards into another of his father's shelves. He whirled around and felt a sudden surge of some emotion he couldn't quite describe burst from him at the sight of his dad. Love, it was love, he realized after he leapt towards his father, wrapping his arms around the man's middle without thinking.

"Are you all right?" his father asked a moment later, glancing down and inspecting his injury.

Harry nodded and glanced back at the unconscious man. His nose barely hurt anymore.

"Peter," Professor Lupin said softly a moment later, shaking his head in disbelief. "If I didn't see him with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. He's alive."

"Indeed."

Harry glanced up his father hesitantly. He had broken the rules again. His father's eyes darted to him for half a second before the man inhaled slowly, clearly working on controlling his anger.

"Thank you for assistance," his father said quietly, glancing at the ghosts.

"No gratitude needed, Professor," Sir Nicholas replied. "We are always here to help."

"Do you want us to inform the Headmaster, sir?" the Baron asked.

"Yes." He then turned towards Lupin.

Lupin held up a hand, though. "I have this, Severus. Go."

"And in regards to the students, the Friar and I will escort them back to their common rooms," the Gray Lady stated kindly. "You need not worry. We have this."

"Excellent." His dad then sighed heavily. "Fifty points to both Slytherin and Gryffindor."

Harry caught Ron's surprise instantly.

"For protecting a fellow student," his father declared before he headed to the door.

Harry didn't need to be told to know he was expected to follow. He flashed a quick smile at both Draco and Ron before he ran to catch up to his dad. That could have gone sideways in so many ways. Yet, it didn't. He was safe again. They all were. Another dark wizard had been taken down. Harry gave a soft laugh before he caught his father's disapproval. Maybe on second thought it wasn't funny. As they continued walking, a thought occurred to the young man. "Hey, Dad? Where's Mum's dog?"

"Hopefully, dead at her feet," his father mumbled.

Harry, however, had missed the word 'dead' and happily nodded. He couldn't wait to play with their new pet.