Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter: 7

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryfindors back into the Great Hall; since there was no way to get into their common room while the Fat Lady was gone. Harry, Hermione and Ron gathered around the front of the Gryffindor. They were not talking, all though their follow house mates around them were whispering, but Harry wasn't listening. When everyone had turned to Harry and stared, he felt his face go hot, and after a moment he snapped out. "What are you looking at me for, I can't turn into a stag." He refused to voice what everyone was thinking, what his gut feeling was telling him.

Now he had a lot of thoughts running through his head all at once,. He couldn't understand why his dad would be with someone who was supposed to be after him. Unless Sirius Black wasn't really after him, then why would he be here, who at Hogwarts was he after, Snape was a pretty hated person, it wouldn't surprise him if he had angered someone so much they broke out of prison to come after him, but Snape wouldn't be in Gryffindor tower, Harry didn't know if the other Professors or Heads of House even knew where each common room was. Wouldn't make sense to keep their location secret if they knew or maybe that was just to keep students out of each other's houses and trouble and rowdiness down.

Harry didn't really care, but he didn't think Black was after Snape, or he would have gone to his classroom, office or the Slytherin common room, but did Black know where it was. Was Black a Slytehrin, just cause he was supposedly a crazed killer, didn't mean he was. Harry knew all bad guys didn't come from one house, Pettigrew had been Gryffindor after all. Black seemed smart, maybe he had been a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, who knows.

Harry wondered if his dad wasn't working undercover for the Ministry, acting as if he was helping Black only to lead him into a trap and capture him, but Harry doubted that, his father was the hex first ask questions later kind of person when it came to catching dangerous criminals. Though dad has gone undercover. He once used Polyjuice Potion and a fake name to get "connections" in Knockturn Ally to catch an illegal potion selling ring; it took almost two years of getting the right connections and meeting the man in charge of that, another year to get the proof to make a cause enough for the Aurors to go in for an arrest and even then his dad was itchy to just stun them all and cart them off to Azkaban while to await a trial.

So no, being with Sirius Black his dad had to really be helping him, but why, did he threaten him or his Mum. James Potter would do anything to keep them safe, Harry knew that, or was there a chance Sirius Black happened to be innocent, and his dad was helping him get proof, but what proof would be in Gryffindor tower. Harry needed to find out, he needed to make sure his dad didn't get in any trouble, it would just crush his Mum if her husband got himself thrown in Azkaban.

"I have sent Professors Sprout and Professors Flitwick to check on the other two houses, Professor Snape has already assured me the Slytherins are fine and in no danger." Dumbledore Suddenly spoke up, making everyone go silent and jar Harry of his thoughs. Just as well, he was beginning to give himself a headache anyway.

"Now, the teachers and I need to conduct a search of the castle. Hagrid has already been sent to check the ground and forest, for any signs of Black or a stag." Dumbledore said. For a moment his eyes glanced at Harry, before turning away and going on. "I'm afraid that you are all stuck here for the night, as we have yet to find the Fat Lady nor do we have time to find a portrait willing to take her place to let you in the common room. Now I will magically lock the entrance doors from the outside, Professor Lupin will be standing guard on the outside of the doors, I have asked Madam Pomfery to stay in here just in case someone becomes ill or hurt, and I ask the Perfects to help keep an eye out, Madam Pomfrey and the Head Boy, are both in charge listen to them." Dumbeldore paused to let that sink in.

"I also have the Ghost on alert and passing by the Great Hall ever now and then, I ask them to come get me right away if any sign of a disturbance." Dumbeldore said. "I do not think you all are in any danger, nor do I think Black will show up here, but I will not take chances when it comes to the safety of the students at this school. I ask for you to behave, and try to get some sleep."

He turned to go, but then turned back around with a small smile. "Oh yes, I forgot you'll be needing-" He waved his wand and at once all the house tables seem to disappear and dozens of purple sleeping bags appeared; two rolls on each side. "Now, it's like one big sleepover." Dumbledore nodded. "Good night." He then turned and walked out taking the Professors with him. Once the doors were closed and the sound of locks heard everyone one broke out talking again.

"Now, now." Percy Weasley, the head boy spoke up. "Let's do as the Headmaster says, get into the sleeping bags, everyone-quiet-quiet."

"QUIT!" Madam Pomfery shouted. "Thank you, now as Percy was saying, let's do what the Headmaster asked, and try to get some sleep. I want the girls to get in the sleeping bags on the left, and boys the right, no talking please." At first no one listened but then. "Do not make me have to give a bad report to Professor McGonagall."

That got everyone going, Harry and Ron bid a goodnight to Hermione and climb in sleeping bags on the right, Within minutes Harry could hear Ron's snores and other boy's light breathing, letting him know the people around him were falling asleep, but Harry couldn't sleep, all the things came rushing back to his thoughts.

He started wondering if his dad and Sirius hadn't been friends in school, maybe that's why he was helping him, maybe Sirius had been a Gryffindor too, Harry had to find out, they had to be files or something around the school old detention records, something. It just strike Harry how little he knew about his parents' time at Hogwarts, they didn't say much, told some of the same stories over and over they stuff his dad and Lupin got up to in school along with their friends, but it was never told who the other friends were. Maybe that's why maybe the other was Sirius Black.

Harry decided he needed to find out to keep his dad out of trouble, he told himself it was for his Mum, he was too angry at his dad at the moment to care what happen to him, but deep down he knew, but didn't want to admit it was for his dad too. Finding out what his parents did in school seem to be the key to finding out what was going on now.

The next day everything was put back in order, when the sun rose the doors to the Great Hall was opened, and one by one students woke and was allowed to head back to their common room to shower and change (they found a replacement for the Fat Lady, a portrait of some grumpy witch who snapped at anyone wanting in the common room) and then head back to the Great Hall for breakfast, as the house tables had all been put back in place.

Harry was by himself when he headed back for a quick bowl of cereal, being Sunday, Ron decided to sleep more once he walked back in the dorm, and fell down on his bed, and started snoring, and Hermione was taking a shower, he assumed anyway, she hadn't said when going up the dorm, and wasn't down when he came back to head to the Great Hall.

After his quick bowl of cereal Harry headed to the library, thinking there would be the best place to start an investigation on what former kids did when they were in school, and as he hoped Madam Pinch was already in there at her desk checking off returned library books from a list, Harry walked right up to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am." Harry figured if he was polite, she would be more willing to help him. Madam Pince did indeed look at Harry a little surprised, then put her list down and pushed up her glasses.

"Yes?" She demanded. Madam Pince was an older witch. Harry guessed probably in her sixties or seventies, tail, thin, her hair looked like a muggle witch wig, little kids would wear on Halloween, black with gray-sliver strikes, she always had it in a bun, held up by a quill. She wore a long brown robe with a sweater pulled down over it and brown boots.

"I was wondering if there was a way to find out about past students?" Harry asked.

"You mean students from years ago?" She asked, frowning.

"Yeah, like if they won any awards or house they were in stuff like that." Harry said.

Madam Pince took her glasses off and dropped them letting them hang around her neck on a string of beads.

"Not many students ask about that." She said. "But you are in luck young man, follow me." Madam Pince walked around her desk and headed to the very back to the library to a section Harry never been before, then lead him to a door in between two rolls of books, that had a small sign hanging on in that read "Records Room"

"No one hardly comes back here." Madam Pince said. "This is mainly books on subjects that no longer get taught at Hogwarts."

"There is stuff they don't teach anymore?" Harry asked. He then looked toward the books, Madam Pince kept the dust and dirt off them, so it was easy for Harry to see one book titled. "How to keep a magical home in order." by Suzy Homemaker.

"Oh, yes, Magical home-keeping class." Madam Pince said, noticing the book, Harry was looking at as she pulled a small chain with a set of keys out of her pocket. "That class had a brief time in the forties and Fifties, mostly witches took it. Taught everything from cooking spells to cleaning spells. But after Professor Singleton passed away from Dragon Pox summer break of '59, the Headmaster then decided to not find a replacement and the class was taking off the roster." Madam Pince stuck the key in the door and unlocked it. "Wasn't very popular anyhow. There are a lot more subjects taught that have over the years disappeared for different reasons. Or replace with a different subject."

"Hermione would love to know that." Harry mumbled.

"Students are allowed back here when they ask permission " Madam Pince opened the door and put the key back in her pocket and pulled out her wand. "I kept it locked ever since a student ransacked the place back in the 40s, took me weeks to magically fix everything and put it back together." She waved her wand and lights came on in the room.

"What years were you looking for." Madam Pince said, stuffing her wand pack in her pocket and walking on in the room, Harry followed and was surprised at how large the room was, dozens and dozens of selves went all the way up to the ceiling.

"It wasn't until 1894 that the a former headmaster decided to keep records of the students, what house they were in, awards won, detentions, grades. Anything passed that time little is known and you certainly won't find it in this room. But anything after that, we have."

Harry had to think a moment, what year did his parents attend Hogwarts. "Um, 1971-1978, I think."

"That will be a few rolls back then." Madam Pince put her glasses on her nose, this first roll here is the 1990s, that's why it isn't finished, far from it, as it's only 1993, next roll is 1980s, aw, yes roll of the 1970s right, here."

As Harry looked closer he noticed the selves were not fall of books, but draws, he guessed had files of some-kind in them.

"You'll be wanting Gyffindor house, right?" She asked. Harry nodded. "The two top rolls here in red are, Gryffindor all the way down, to the end of the self here, every month, from 1970-1974 is the top, second is every month years 1975-1979. I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for in there." Madam Pince reached up and pulled out the draw labeled 1971. "You'll find the information in here comes from the school news paper, detentions slips, teacher notes, and grade slips, all kept apart and organized of course, so you'll be able to find what you are looking for easily enough. "

"You also asked about finding out who was in what house at the time." Madam Pince said. "They are few decrements on the houses, but I think the easiest way for you to find that out is look in the School paper of September 2 1971, they used to have a section that list who got put in what house."

"Okay, thanks." Harry said. A little shocked, he never took Madam Pince of being a helpful librarian.

"If you need anything else I'll be right out front." Madam Pince said. "When you leave let me know, so I can lock the door back. Before I leave you to it, anything else you wanted?"

"No, I think I'll find what I mean here." Harry said. Madam Pince nodded.

"Okay, I'll leave you to it." She nodded to Harry walked around him and headed to the door, paused a moment then turned around. "Don't look so surprised, I can be helpful when asked." She turned around and walked on out.

Harry spent the next few hours going through old files and papers, it was hard to find the Paper for September 2 of 71', but when he finally did, find the sorting section and got to the Bs, Sirius Black was listed. So he figured he was an old friend of his dad, but couldn't be sure, he always heard bad things about the Black family.

Harry decided to go through more pages and try to find more things, he did see Black and his dad and sometime Lupin and Pettigrew, were in detention together, but still no real proof if they were friends or what might have led to Halloween night of 1981. Maybe he should also look for old copies of the Daily Prophet. He would ask Hermione's help, but she already had so much to do, and Ron was helping Hagrid with his case with Buckbeak. Something Harry was supposed to be helping him with.

After a while Harry stomach began to rumble and he decided to go get some lunch and see what his friends were up to, maybe come back tomorrow after classes. Harry placed everything back where it was, told Madam Pince he left the room and headed to the Great Hall. As Harry was heading down the marble staircase some called his name.

"Oh, Harry Potter!"

Harry paused and turned around to see Fred and George walked toward him; both with big smiles on their faces.

"Yes, it is Harry, we knew that mop of hair anywhere." Fred said, as they walked up.

"Yes, I do believe all our other friends have sense enough to comb their hair." George said.

"What'd you guys want?" Harry asked. "I was on my way to eat lunch."

"We have something for you." Fred said, he grabbed on of Harry's arms and George grabbed the other. Harry frowned at them, thinking he was about to get pranked when they dragged him off.

"Come on guys." Harry said. "I don't have time for this."

"In here." They shoved him in a little passageway behind a statue of a hunchback witch.

"Guys?"

"Just hold your hippogriffs." Fred said. "Give is time."

"Yes, no need to be in a hurry the Great Hall isn't going anywhere." George said, pulling out an old blank piece of parchment. Harry frowned at it.

"This here is the secret to our success." Fred said, reaching over it and laying his hand on it. Harry raised his eyebrow.

"Yes, we found this stuffed in a draw in Filch's office our first year." George said.

"A draw marked highly dangerous." Fred said.

"That, dangerous?" Harry said. "A blank piece of parchment."

"Ah, but my young wizard friend this is not a just blank piece of parchment." George said, unrolling it the parchment. "Brother dear, if you will."

"Of course, dear brother." Fred smiled, and tapped the parchment with his wand and said. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Harry watched words appeared.

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present

The Marauders Map.

"What is the Marauder's Map?" Harry asked, as he watched places appear, and little foot prints with names of students and staff at Hogwarts. "It's Hogwarts."

"Yes it is, and you can see where everyone in the castle is, and who is in the castle." Fred said.

"And we hand it to you our dear friend." George held it out and Harry took it. "In case you would like to make some trouble."

"Or check to make sure there isn't any Azkaban escapes that might me lurking around, ready to pop out and do you in." Fred said.

"But don't forget to clear it or anyone might see it." George said. He tapped the map again and said. "Mischief managed." and the whole thing went blank. After a few more words Fred and George headed off and Harry folded the parchment up and stuck it in his pocket and headed to the Great Hall.

After lunch Harry hung out with Ron and Hermione in the common room doing homework for the rest of Sunday afternoon only stopping to eat dinner. When they were the only ones left in the common room Harry showed them the map at first Hermione didn't like it, until Ron pointed out Harry would be able to make sure Sirius Black was nowhere near him and Harry promised to keep it on him at all times so it couldn't fall in the wrong hands. When they finally headed to bed Harry figured he would be able to go finish trying to find out about his parents after classes the next day.

But Harry was unable to return to the records room on Monday, he had to get his homework done early; that morning at breakfast Lupin came up to him and told him to meet him in his class room at seven that night, something about an owl he had gotten from his dad.

So Harry hurried through homework to have it done before dinner, so he could make it to Lupin's classroom on time. What Lupin wanted turned out he wanted to teach Harry how to make a patronus. That's what his dad's letter had been about, he asked Lupin to teach Harry how to defend himself against the dementors in case they came back on school grounds or in Hogsmeade. But so far the lessons Harry had wasn't going anywhere.

Lupin used a boggart cause Harry saw them as a dementor, it turned out Lupin didn't let Harry take on the boggart in class because he thought he would see Voldemort and he didn't think it would be a good idea to have Voldemort suddenly appear in the middle of the classroom. But Harry had explained it was a dementor he thought of not Voldemort. So Lupin got the idea to use a boggart as a dementor for Harry to practice on; they couldn't really use a real one, but it didn't really go as planned, Harry still heard the women's screams from that night, and was have problems making a full patronus, so far all he could do was make a few silvery vapor shout out of his wand.

But thankfully when they went against Slytheirn in the next Qudditch match the dementors did not show up, and no storm this time, other than the cold it wasn't very bad for Quidditch conditions. And they beat them in little over half- hour, Malfoy was so furious he threw his broom across the field and had a fit.

But Harry had to burrow a broom from a fellow Gryffindor, since his parents were yet to replace his, and the school brooms were too old and too fast to play an actual match with.

Harry was actually getting a bit frustrated with his parents, he sent a letter to them every week begging for a new broom, sometimes twice, so far no broom and his parents reply letter never even brought one up, it was like they were ignoring his pleas.

The days were still going by pretty fast, the nights getting colder, and Harry between school work, Qudditich, hunting clues to his parents' past, and helping Ron with Hagrid's problem. Harry was beginning to become as busy as Hermione, well almost, and he started to get so much homework, he had to start using the map and his cloak to sneak into the library at night, he of course had to use a spell he seen his mum use a lot to copy the key to the records room so he could sneak in there after hours.

And even though he was so busy, Harry still found the time to make sure Hermione was eating, and trying to make sure she didn't get stressed out. It was only a matter of time. And that happened one day during divinations, after once again Predicted Harry's death, they had moved up to studying Crystal Balls when it happened.

"This is bloody stupid." Ron cried out, after ten minutes of staring into a crystal ball trying to see Harry's future. "You can't see nothing in there, it's all foggy, and well, I really don't think I'm much of a seerer." He leaned back and rubbed his eyes.

"I see something." Harry smirked, "I can see the other side of the table through it." Ron rolled his eyes as Harry snickered.

"Of course you can't see Harry's future." Hermione spoke up, making Harry and Ron jumped, neither could remember her getting there, she had been late.

"It's just a ball made of glass." She went on. "No one can tell the future, it hasn't happened yet. It's just impossible, I'm starting to wonder why I ever even took this class."

"Let me try dears." Professor Trelawney happened to be passing by at that time, and heard what Hermione had said, she pulled a chair over and sat down. Pulled Ron's crystal ball over to her and stared into it, at first nothing, but then she gasped, leaned back in her chair and threw her arm over her eyes.

"What is it, Professor." Lavender, who was sitting at the next table over stood up and asked. Trelaweny gave Harry a pity look opened her mouth to speak, but then to the shock of everyone Hermione stood so fast her chair turned over.

"Nothing, she sees nothing." Hermione cried. "You can't see anything in a glass ball. No one can tell the future, is hasn't even happened yet!"

"My dear, please." Trelawney said. "Have a set, nothing to get upset about, you're just not a seerer, so you can't even begin to understand how it works, what I go through knowing stuff will happen and there is nothing I can do to stop the horrible, horrible things."

Hermione snorted. "Of course I can't tell you the future, no one can, cause people control their own fate, their own lives. Not some crystal ball, not some tea leaves and not you. I'm so sick of coming to this class and instead of trying to teach someone all you do is predict my best friend's death."

Hermione picked up her divination book and slammed it back down in front of Trelawney. "I won't be needing that anymore." She then grabbed her bag and headed toward the trap door where she kicked it open and disappeared down it.

After Harry and Ron got over their shock, both jumped up grabbed their bags and went after her.

"Bloody hell she moves fast." Ron said, Hermione was already out of sight when they climb down the ladder.

"Come on." Harry said, hurrying along.

"I can't believe Hermione just told of a teacher." Ron said. "That was brilliant."

"Yeah, too bad it wasn't Snape." Harry said, they turned to go down another staircase. "There she is."

Hermione was already at the bottom of the next staircase, but Harry could see her bushy brown hair.

"Hermione, wait up!" Harry called, Hermione paused to see who had called to her, stopped and turned around, but as she did so, Malfoy came charging out of a side corridor and bumped right into her, Hermione dropped her bag, and nearly fell over.

"Watch where you're going Granger!" Malfoy snapped. Crabbe and Goyle, who were with him snickered as if he had just told a funny joke.

"It was you who bumped into me." Hermione snapped back, kneeling down and gathering her things that had fallen out of her bag. "Oh no." Tears nearly came to her eyes as she found her Muggle Studies essay covered in ink from a broken ink bottle.

"Aw, did your paper get ruined." Malfoy laughed, along with Crabbe and Goyle.

Harry and hurried up to catch up with her, they both stood on either side, hands in her pocket holding their wands.

"You've done enough, Malfoy." Ron said. "I think it's time you just move on." Harry bent to help Hermione pick up things.

"My muggle studies paper is ruined." Hermione told him. "That took me two weeks to finish just right, Professor Burbage said our grade depends on this paper."

"Don't tell me what to do, Weasley." Malfoy snapped. Then looked down at Hermione. "I say the mudblood is right where she needs to be." He smirked. "Kneeling before purbloods."

Harry and Ron both opened their mouth to yell, but Hermione bent them to it, she made a hissing sound, sounding a lot like Crockshanks, then jumped up, tackled Malfoy around the waist knocking him to the ground, and just pounding into him.

Crabbe and Goyle just stood there, too shocked to do anything else but just stand and stare with their mouths gaped open. But after a moment Ron and Harry rushed forward and pulled Hermione off of Malfoy.

"Bloody hell." Ron said. "You just attacked Malfoy."

Hermione said nothing, she just dropped her arms and looked away, anger in her eyes. But before anyone could do anything else Snape suddenly appeared.

"What's going on here." He looked for Ron, Harry and Hermione to Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, the later two, pulling Malfoy to his feet, who had a bruised jaw, and blood running from his lip.

"She just attacked me!" Malfoy said. "I was minding my business when Granger came out of nowhere and attacked me."

"That's not true!" Both Harry and Ron said.

"Silence!" Snape snapped. He looked out Hermione. "Granger, you of all people should know better." Hermione said nothing, she crossed her arms and looked as if she was going to cry.

"I'm afraid you'll have to come to me." Snape said. "We'll have to go start to the headmaster, I do not know how it might be in muggle school, Granger, but here at Hogwarts we do not go around attacking other students."

Hermione glared at Snape, Harry could see the tears falling down her cheeks now.

"Go to hell!" She snapped, then took off running down the hall.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry cried, running after her, he turned a corner and found her with leaning against the wall, her arms crossed, head in her arms. Harry slowly walked up to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. For a long moment neither did anything else

"I can't do this anymore." Hermione suddenly cried out. "I just can't, it's too much, I won't have time to redo that paper, and I'm falling behind in all my normal classes, I don't have time to eat, I barely have time to sleep."

"Then don't do it." Harry said. "I doubt Trelawney is expecting you back to Divinations, tell the muggle studies professor you can no longer take the class-"

"I've never dropped out of anything before." Hermione said. "I've always finished everything."

"Hermione, it's okay." Harry said. "Nobody ever gets around to finishing everything. It doesn't mean you're any less of a person than you are now. You're perfect the way you are."

Hermione turned around and looked at Harry for a long moment, then burst out in tears and threw herself in his arms and cried on his shoulder, after a shocked moment Harry put his arms around her and just held her letting her get it all out.

After about five minutes Harry heard footsteps and looked up to see Ron hurrying to them. He had his bag thrown over his shoulder and Hermione's in his hand, he had finished picking up her stuff for her.

"She okay?" Ron asked, Harry nodded as, Hermione pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"She's decided to drop Divinations." Harry said.

"Yeah I kind of figured that out for myself." Ron grinned.

"I'm going to tell Professor Burbage I don't have the time for muggle studies anymore." Hermione said.

"Good idea." Harry said.

"Yeah, maybe I can take your place." Ron said, Hermione and Harry frowned at him.

"Hey, I was thinking of dropping out of Divinations myself." Ron grinned. "And muggle studies seems like a pretty easy grade, I already know most about muggles from dad."

Harry and Hermione laughed, then she reached out and took her bag from Ron. "We still have 40 minutes before we have to be in DADA."

"Let's go hang out in the common room until then." Harry said. "Don't want Snape finding us."

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" Ron said as they started walking. "You should have stuck around to see Snape's face, he looked as if he just swallowed a nasty piece of candy. By the way, he and the three idiots went to Dumbedore without you, untelling what tales they are telling."

"We'll all go see McGonagall after classes are over." Harry said. "Explain what really happened, she can tell Dumbeldore."

"Yeah, good idea." Ron said. "But, damn, wait until the rest of the Gryffindors hear what you did, I wouldn't put it past Fred and George to throw you a party."

The three good friends headed on toward their common room laughing and joking. At the moment neither seemed to have a care in the world, how they didn't know that was all about to change in just a few short months.

AN. I'm ending it there, next chapter will probably skip until Christmas, after that, they won't be too many more chapters for third-year, but the story won't end, I'm doing the rest of the books, but in one long story instead of splitting it up, so each year probably won't be very long, and I kind of want to get to fourth year and Voldemort's return, so this year won't be too much longer.

sorry it much didn't happen in this chapter, it was mostly s fuller chapter, needed to get her hitting Malfoy and walking out of divination out of the way.