Review Replies:

Ashes: I can promise you that the build-up to shipping in this will be astronomical. Sexual tension is my fetish, especially when it's diluted by plot. Hnnnngh. And if you thought last chapter was squeal-worthy MAHOOSIVE, oh my god Ashes you are going to adore this one.

Now, here we go.


The Prisoner of Azkaban

Red was extremely relieved when the rest of the students returned. Black and N had descended into war and both expected Red to take their side. He had spent most of New Year's avoiding them both, and after that muttered remark, he tried to dodge Yellow was well. Red found a safe haven in the library; Black and N were too afraid of finding the other there to spend more than a few minutes in it. Plus, Crys was always appropriately sympathetic.

"Romance makes people stupid," Crys sighed. "Doesn't it, Silver?"

"Yeah," Silver replied, clearly not paying attention.

Crys rolled her eyes with a fond smile.

That was how friends were supposed to hate each other: with utmost affection.

Classes resumed and it became easier to avoid Black and N's battle over who'd get Red. It seemed assumed that Black would get Gold, a fact that offended Gold very much.

"Why don't people fight over me?" Gold whined. "It's because you're the tragic orphan, isn't it? God, they're such a married couple."

"Divorced," Red corrected. He couldn't help recalling the look on Ash's face when he'd punched him. Had it really been six months? Red had noticed the lack of letters from Ash, but perhaps the true meaning hadn't registered due to everything going on with Alder.

Red was even more relieved to have Steven's tutoring to distract him on Fridays when Gold had quidditch practice. Steven seemed to have picked up on this and asked if Red was okay.

"My friends are fighting," Red admitted. "They used to act like a married couple, now they're like a divorced one and they're fighting over who gets me."

"Would that be N and Black?" Steven asked.

Red nodded. "They're fighting because N's zorua ate Black's patrat."

"Patrat?" Steven repeated, stunned.

"Yeah," Red said. "He's had it for about twelve years. I didn't know rat pokémon lived that long, but that Joey kid's had his rattata for the same amount of time."

Steven frowned. "I didn't think they lived that long either, though my speciality is Steel-type pokémon, so I suppose I wouldn't know."

"I guess," Red muttered. "I don't know why they hate each other over what their pokémon did, though."

"It happens." Steven 'hmm'ed thoughtfully. "I don't think you can do much but wait until they sort it out."

"Are you married?" Red asked.

Steven looked surprised. "No, I'm not."

"Seems like a mistake," Red muttered. "Getting married, I mean."

"Not always," Steven said. "Your parents, for example."

"It might've been different if they hadn't died after three years of it," Red dryly remarked.

"I doubt it," Steven said. "I'm not projecting my nostalgia on this, Red. I didn't think your parents' relationship would last, not at first, but they genuinely loved each other and they loved you even more."

Red didn't know what to say to that. It wouldn't be right to voice his scepticism, not when Steven was so insistent. Though, Red had to admit, Steven had known his parents. Red hadn't. How could he know what they were like outside of pictures?

It was hard to remain optimistic when N growled at the very mention of Black, even when someone was referring to the actual colour.

In the last week of January, Brock received a letter from the Ministry about Lizzie's fate. It felt like an age ago that Brock's creation and savaged Green, but Red still thought it was Green's fault. It was particularly easy to think so when he snuck around Bill at the end of Care of Magical Creatures and into Brock's hut to find him absent-mindedly stroking Lizzie's head.

"I can appeal, but it's not gonna do anything," Brock whispered weakly. "I didn't, I didn't really do anything wrong, she was just looking after herself, but it had to be Archer Oak's son… and I don't want to go back to Azkaban."

Red didn't know much about Azkaban. He knew it was an island and that the guards were dementors. In that moment, watching the dejected look on Brock's face, hearing the fearful tremble in his hoarse whisper, Red knew all he had to know; that it was the worst place on earth.

"You should appeal," Red said. "You've got witnesses."

"Thirteen-year-olds don't count," Brock replied. "Thanks, though."

He hugged Red. It was pretty awkward, but Red could tell that he needed it, so he hugged back. He only managed to break the hug when he reminded Brock that he had class soon.

Red sprinted up to the castle, but he wasn't particularly worried. It was Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Steven would cut him some slack. Mutation or not, Lizzie was a pokémon, and Steven had grown up in the muggle world. Everybody there understood that pokémon were friends of equal, often even greater, value as humans.

When Red opened the classroom door, a detached voice called, "Celebrity does not mean you get to turn up when you feel like it, Potter."

Red stared at the teacher behind the desk. It was Volkner, but this was definitely Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Stop gaping and sit down," Volkner sighed, woebegone. "Since Stone is absent and too busy to leave me with a lesson plan to follow, we're learning about werewolves."

Red sat down, fuming. If assholes like Volkner weren't so eager to inflict misery on others, Red never would have had to comfort Brock, and therefore wouldn't've been late in the first place.

"…and so, Mr Know-It-All Harmonia, what did you memorise from the textbook and can tell us about werewolves?"

N didn't look remotely put off. "They transform every night of the full moon, with minor effects taking place during those days. They are only contagious during the period of a full moon, so purebloods are really ridiculous for having the prejudice they have against them."

Volkner studied N with a particularly icy expression. "An original thought. I'm surprised; I didn't know you had the capacity."

N said nothing.

"It's true that werewolves only take on their wolf forms during the nights of the full moon," Volkner said, "but they remain extremely dangerous at all times. There is no cure for the werewolf virus, so it is important that you be able to recognise a werewolf when it is in your midst."

They wasted a perfectly good Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson on looking at star charts and comparing them to the notes on page 394 of their textbook. Red wasn't sure what Volkner was trying to prove, but it was annoying and likely delusional.

"The hell is his problem?" Red muttered as they left.

Gold shrugged. "He's old and probably a virgin."

"Are werewolves really that bad?" Red asked. "It's like he's expecting us to go out and kill them all."

"I wouldn't want to know one," Gold admitted.

Red wasn't sure where N had come from, but he heard the angry huff all the same. "You can't hate someone for getting a disease. That doesn't make sense."

"I don't mean that," Gold insisted. "I just meant I wouldn't want to catch it."

"And you wouldn't unless they bit you during the full moon, so what's the problem?"

Gold sighed heavily and shook his head. He looked out the window. "I don't have quidditch tonight. The pitch is mud, so not really any point. You got your sessions with Steven?"

"No," Red replied. "He's too sick to teach me. Again."

N stopped walking for a moment but quickly caught up with them again.


Two weeks later, Red was called to Oak's office. Thankfully, he was called out of Divination to do so; from Morty's mournful stare after him, Red could tell he'd been saved another rant about his untimely death.

Red approached the door and said, "Super Rod."

The door slid aside to reveal a spiral staircase. Red climbed them wondering if this would be about Alder or the UltraBall. Red was hoping for the latter. He reached the door marked 'HEADMASTER' and knocked.

"Come in, Red."

Red was pleased to see the UltraBall on Oak's desk.

"It's safe," Oak assured him. "And quite a good pokémon — though I'll have to ask you to only let it out in large spaces."

"What is it?" Red eagerly asked.

Oak smiled. "Don't make me spoil the surprise."

Red picked up the UltraBall. "Did you find out who did send it?"

"No," Oak said slowly. "Do you often receive unsigned mail?"

Red shook his head. "I get it from people I don't know. Only here, though."

"It seems your mother's protection protects you from fans as well," Oak said, clearly amused.

Red forced a smile.

"You're holding up well," Oak observed. "Most would be terrified at the idea that a mass murderer was out to get them."

Red shrugged. "Did you say 'my life'?"

Oak smiled appreciatively. "Many are, of course, terrified on your behalf. My grandson's a prime example."

Red nearly dropped the UltraBall. "Huh?"

"Yes, Green's been very worried," Oak continued. "He's here two, three times a week to demand to know how close the Ministry is to catching Alder."

"What?" Red gasped. "He said you were bribing him to spy on me!"

Oak chuckled. "Slytherins. Can't let rivalry die."

"But — the eevee!"

"Green's helping me with some research," Oak explained. "There's a theory I'm testing about eevee and their evolutions. We suspect that umbreon and espeon are actually evolutions of eevee. Eevee being so rare, and so often rushed into evolution by stone, there's not much data about the matter."

Red shook his head in disbelief. "But, but Archer's a Rocket!"

"And Green is not," Oak sternly said. "He's always been very interested in pokémon."

"I meant, and Archer lets him be?" Red clarified.

"Archer always took after his mother," Oak said. "All pureblood pretence aside, Green thankfully takes more after me."

Red felt himself pale. "He's not gonna become Champion, is he?"

"If he realised how upset it would make you, he probably would."

Red shook his head in disbelief as all this registered in his mind. "What is purebloods' problem?"

"Good question," Oak replied. "Very good question."

Though all Red wanted to do was run outside and let the pokémon out, he figured he ought to let N know it was safe first. He tried not to think about Green, but it was difficult not to. Why would Green ridicule Red for training pokémon if he did the same thing in secret?

Red stopped at the scene of the three brothers arguing for a moment before tapping the frame and saying, "Pecha Poffin."

"Your ego is as large as my eldest brother's," one remarked as the portrait swung open.

Inside, he found an almost empty room — not surprising, it was lunchtime. But as he'd expected, N was sitting by the fire, a large book in his lap. Zöllner kept yapping at him but N was just staring at the book.

Red sat down, gently shaking N's shoulder. "Hey," he said.

"What do you want?" N sighed.

Red held out the UltraBall. "It's safe. Oak thinks it was really clever of you, spotting that risk. He'd heard of it happening too."

"What are you implying?" N demanded. "You think I'm involved?"

Red blinked. "No."

"You do!" N cried. "Just, go away Red! I've got so much reading to do, a-and… and just go away!"

Red shook his head.

N punched Red, hard. Red winced but quickly grabbed N's shoulders. N had clearly cracked.

"Go away," N sobbed. "Just, just go away, leave me alone, you're wasting my time, go away…"

"No," Red firmly said. "I'm your friend. I'm not gonna leave."

"I don't need friends," N spat.

"Maybe I need you," Red retorted. "Ever think of that?"

N shoved Red over. "Stop it!"

Red grabbed N's hand, pulled him down to the floor and quickly pinned him. "You stop it. Stop taking so many classes. Stop paying so much attention to Black. Just stop it."

N sobbed loudly before shouting, "I'm King of Team Plasma!"

Red's grip loosened, and that was all it took for N to punch him again. But then N fell back and started crying even louder than before.

"I have to learn everything!" N cried. "I have to read everything, I have to understand it all, I have to, so I can liberate the pokémon! It's my destiny, I can't let stupid things like sleep and human friends get in the way, a-and, and Ghetsis says, says I'm not learning enough fast enough, always asks more questions, but I don't know, I just can't get it all, it's not fact, it's just stupid speculation that makes no sense, it's not, I can't, I can't, I can't!"

Red had no idea what to say or do.

"I thought I wasn't even human, because of all the things I could do, and Ghetsis let me believe it, then that letter turned up and," N buried his face in his hands. "I don't know what to think any more! Because of Black, because of Gold, because of you, you being a Trainer and so nice, it's not right! I can't think, I think it all wrong."

Red wasn't even sure of what he was hearing.

"Look," Red uncertainly said, "you can't do everything."

"I'm King," N stressed.

Red shrugged.

"Why do you act like it doesn't matter?" N sniffled.

"Does it?" Red asked. "Think about it, you're doing what your dad —"

"Ghetsis is not my dad, I just pretend he is here."

"— creepy not-dad wants. Not what you want."

N stared at the book. "I do want to save the pokémon." His lip quivered. "I don't want to do Ancient Runes or Muggle Studies. They're stupid."

"Drop them," Red said. "And… and forget about Black."

N closed the book. "I will," he said. "And I'll make you see that you're wrong. That Trainers hurt pokémon, even Trainers who get along with pokémon as well as you do. Pokémon get too hurt. They have to be saved, so they can't be with humans." He looked at Pika. "Even if it breaks my heart a little."

N stood up and walked up the stairs to their dorm.

Red still had no idea what had just happened.

The common room was empty. Red had about fifteen minutes before lunch ended. Surely this would be a large enough area?

Red flipped the UltraBall into his hand and pressed the button. It burst open and a giant flash of white light loomed over Red. It formed into a snorlax.

"Yo," he said.

"Hi," Red replied.

The snorlax pulled him into a tight hug. Red decided to call him 'Snor'.

Red didn't tell anybody about what he'd encountered with N, but Gold noticed the bruise and asked a lot of questions.

"It's my new pokémon," Red lied. "He's very affectionate. And really strong, he doesn't realise it."

N said he'd drop Muggle Studies and Ancient Runes next year. He was still reading a lot, but his face was a determined frown whenever he was. He didn't cast Black longing looks, he stopped glaring at Cheren and he went back to trying to correct the teachers about their own subjects.

Red was relieved to find a letter from Steven a few days later recommending that they resume their lessons. Gold was once again becoming busy with quidditch and after an incident in which Gold suddenly stood up on their desk in the library and shouted at Silver, "I LOVE YOU, YOU SLUT!" they weren't so welcome there any more.

"You get sick a lot," Red observed when he met Steven in the classroom that night.

"It's just part of my condition," Steven dismissively said. "How's your new snorlax?"

"Very huggy," Red said. "It's almost like it knows me already."

Steven smiled. "Maybe you're just a talented Trainer."

"…well, yeah."

In that session, Red's patronus didn't take on a real form, but he could see that it had four legs.

All through February and March, their workloads suddenly increased. Every teacher seemed to be giving them homework every lesson, and not just revision sheets or practice: essays, long and painful. Red could hardly keep up, so he had no idea how Gold managed to do so on top of quidditch, especially with the final against Hufflepuff approaching.

"If we can win, we get the Cup," Gold kept repeating through meals. "If I don't hand these damn essays in, I don't get to play, and then we definitely won't get the Cup…"

"I thought Hufflepuffs were bad at everything," Red remarked.

"Normally, they are," Gold said. "But the bitches have a secret weapon."

"What's that?"

Gold in full seriousness replied, "The team is full of hot babes."

Red stared.

"Seriously," Gold said. He pointed at three girls sitting together laughing. "Whitney, Roxanne and Bianca. Chasers." He pointed at a blue-haired, shockingly muscular boy and the lanky pink-haired girl behind him. "Maylene and Brawly, beaters." Gold sighed deeply before pointing at a girl with short orange hair. "And the shockingly hot seeker, Misty Waterflower."

"That's a name?" Red sceptically asked.

"Probably. Don't be deceived," Gold warned. "She's vicious and I hope to God she's cunning enough to try flashing me."

Red didn't want to know what that meant.

"Oh, and then there's Tracey," Gold said, bored, as he pointed at a dark haired sixth-year. "He's keeper, but nobody cares. Who even is he?"

"You'll win," Red declared.

"'Course," Gold said. "You'd better come watch this time."

"I always watch," Red sighed.

Gryffindor thrashed Hufflepuff. They were already forty points ahead when Gold caught the snitch. As the Gryffindors raced onto the pitch cheering, Red looked over at the Hufflepuff team. Most were forcing smiles and congratulating Gryffindors, but that Misty girl with the orange hair had thrown her broom to the ground in frustration and was angrily ranting at Tracey. She looked kind of pretty, in a weird semi-psychotic way, now that Red could see her face.

The celebration party went until Clair burst in and yelled at them to "Go the fuck to sleep."

The next day, they were back to the Gold and N dilemma. Both were so eager to avoid the other that neither had congratulated Gold, and he was sulking.

"This is completely ridiculous," Gold declared. "Black and N belong together."

"They don't seem to think so," Red replied.

"They don't know what they want," Gold irritably sighed. "They just don't get that it's not hate. They love each other so much that they hate each other."

Red stared. "Uh… I don't think that happens."

"It does," Gold insisted. "More often than you'd think." His eyes flickered over to the Ravenclaw table. "And it hurts. It hurts a lot."

Red coughed.

Gold sat up straighter. "We can't let love tear them apart, Red!"

They started by shoving Black and N into a closet together and locking it. They forgot to take their wands, so it didn't last long. They remember to when they tried again two weeks later, but N refused to speak. They ended up letting them go when Volkner walked past and called Red a cruel friend-traitor 'just like your bitch mother'. After that, Red refused whenever Gold suggested locking N and Black in a confined space together. Gold suggested that Red go crying to Black, but Red couldn't make himself cry. Gold insisted that nobody would believe his own tears, so the whole idea was scrapped. They tried forging notes, but were immediately reprimanded for things like 'spelling' and 'syntax'.

"I don't think we can do anything," Red said after January faded into February.

"Don't say that!" Gold cried. "We have to fix this. Love can't die!"

Red eyed Gold sceptically. "Are you sure that this isn't about more than Black and N?"

"No," Gold quickly said. "I just want my little brother to get his girlfriend back."

"Boyfriend," Red corrected. "Look, I don't think Cheren's that bad. He knows how to handle Black. Like when Black got that A- last week. N wouldn't know what to do. He'd probably make it worse."

Gold glared. "You don't get love. You make Cheren sound like Black's keeper. That's not how it works."

"How does it, then?" Red asked.

"…not like that."

Their next attempt was mixing several of N's textbooks with Black's. Black's eyes widened when the copy of 'Muggle Culture: The Magnificent Mediocrity' he opened that night was covered in N's scrawled annotations.

"This is it," Gold whispered as Black hesitantly walked up to N. "Watch the love happen!"

"Hi," Black awkwardly said. "Uh. I must've grabbed this by mistake."

N looked up. Their eyes met.

Gold held his breath.

N grabbed the book without a word and went back to reading.

Gold whined like a starving growlithe.

Black continued to stare at N. He drew in a deep breath before turning and walking back to his spot by the window.

Red felt like there was a lead weight in his chest. There was something very bleak about that image. Red didn't think about the future much, but in that moment he saw a gap so large that no amount of time could close it. He thought he might understand how Steven felt looking at Alder.

"I don't think there's anything we can do," Red said.

"One last try," Gold insisted. "Just give me plotting time."

While Gold plotted, Red decided to actually talk to Black and N in turn and try to discover why they couldn't be friends again.

"I don't need friends," N impatiently sighed. "If people want to be my friend, that's understandable. It doesn't mean that I need them, though."

Red didn't want to talk to N very much after that.

"His zorua ate my patrat," Black deadpanned. "I know Patty was old, but his zorua still ate my patrat."

"That's not N's fault," Red said. "It's not like he told Zöllner to do it."

"It's not like he didn't," Black retorted. "It's not like he's being sympathetic, either."

Black had a surprisingly rational argument.

"Plus, aren't people supposed to exhibit some control over their pokémon?" Black added.

Red blinked. "Uh… not really. They're supposed to work as a team. You know. Equals."

Black looked up from his Charms homework. "Really?"

"Really," Red said. Pieces fell into place in his mind as he spoke. "That's what N hates. The idea that humans control pokémon. That the Trainer is controlling, not guiding. And he doesn't actually know what Trainers do —"

"— you're calling him a close-minded bigot, right?"

Red ignored him and continued. "He thinks pokémon should be equal or not have to put up with Trainers at all."

Black stared for a moment. He wasn't staring at Red, though. He was staring beyond him.

"That doesn't change that he never told his zorua not to do it," Black said.

Red wasn't interested in that anymore. "That's it," he muttered as he stood up. "N thinks pokémon aren't to be told anything at all. He thinks it's slavery."

"Then why did he buy one?" Black asked.

Red frowned. "Liberation?"

Black snorted.

"Maybe he's stopped believing it," Red suggested. "That'd explain the freak out…"

"I don't really care," Black loudly said. "He can do what he wants. He can think what he wants. It's not my problem."

Red studied Black's face. "You look worried."

Black shook his head. "I don't. Just… just make sure he's okay."

Red's lip twitched. "I will."

Red ran and found Gold. He was in the library, towards the back, trying to get Transfiguration notes from Crys and Silver. On the way, Red bumped into Green.

"Watch it, Scar-face," Green said.

Red stared in disbelief for a moment. Oak's words rang through his mind. He found himself asking, "You ever been to Unova?"

Green looked astonished. "What?"

"With your grandpa, or Archer, just, have you been?"

"Of course I have," Green said. "Just because you hang out with poor —"

"Stop acting like you hate me," Red insisted. "Even if it's just for a couple of minutes, quit it."

Green kept glaring. "Of course, Red Potter's immune to hate. Do you think You-Know-Who likes you too, deep down under all that killing your parents?"

Red shook his head impatiently. "Have you ever heard of Team Plasma?"

Green's lip curled. "Of course I have. Only idiots haven't."

"I haven't," Red freely admitted.

"Exactly," Green retorted.

"Stop that," Red scowled. "What does Team Plasma do?"

Green eyed him for a moment.

"This isn't a trick," Red promised. "And I don't hate you."

"They rant on about letting pokémon go free and how everybody should stop Training them," Green hesitantly explained. "They wear stupid robes and are generally annoying."

Red nodded. "Sounds about right."

Green raised his eyebrows. "Why're you asking me this?"

Red could've lied, but he didn't. "My friend's a member. Or, raised into it, something like that. I think it's a cult, and they're up to something big."

Green snorted. "They're idealistic morons. They can't pull anything off."

"Bet people used to say that about Team Rocket," Red retorted.

Green met his eyes. "Bet they didn't. Who wants a world without mudbloods?"

Red blinked in surprised. "Idiots." He looked over to see Gold staring at him in horror. "Thanks. Gotta go."

Red ran over to Gold.

"Have I walked into a mirror world or something?" Gold asked. "Everything's topsy-turvy, what is even going on, why were you talking to Green motherfucking Oak?"

"Why can't you shut up," Silver muttered.

Gold looked at Silver. "Baby, don't be like that."

Red grabbed Gold by the wrist. "Come on," he said. "I've got a plan."

Red smiled at Green on the way out of the library.

They found N lying on the floor of the common room. Black was sitting at the table by the window with Cheren, continually looking up from his homework and over at N. Cheren did not look happy.

"Why's everybody fighting over Black anyway?" Gold grumbled. "At least once, I want somebody to duel for me. You know, duel for the right to have me."

Red stared at him, not knowing what to make of that.

"What's the plan?" Gold asked, ears slightly pink.

"We have to prove that Zöllner didn't just have it in for Patty," Red muttered. "And we have to prove that N won't give a pokémon a command, no matter what."

"Okay," Gold said. "How the hell do we do that?"

Red pulled Pika from his head. "Ready for a battle?"

"Finally!" Pika cried.

"You're not gonna just attack N's zorua, are you?" Gold nervously asked.

Red shook his head. "That's not how Trainer battles work." He glanced around the room. "There."

"…Joey?"

"Joey," Red agreed.

"If you're sure," Gold muttered.

Red marched over to Joey.

"Hi Red!" Joey gurgled.

"Wanna battle?" Red asked.

Joey shrieked. "YES! YES I WANT TO BATTLE!"

N growled loudly.

Red was amazed to find that Joey's rattata was pretty good. Its attacks were weak, but it was very evasive. Once or twice, Red swore that he saw it jumping around and walking on its hind legs like a human. Just as Red was getting into the battle, Pika scrambled across N's open book to dodge a bite.

That was the final straw.

"Stop that!" N shouted. "Stop battling, you… you… barbarian!"

Gold pulled a face. "Have you been hanging around Ruby?"

"We're just having some fun!" Joey cried. "I don't think you're very cool after all — Red, why do you hang out with him? He's not cool after all!"

Zöllner stepped forward, licked his chops and tried to bite down on Rattata.

"HEY!" Joey shouted. "Your pokémon's trying to eat mine!"

Black looked up.

N scowled. "That's what happens."

Joey started to wail.

"Pika," Red calmly said, "thunderbolt."

Pika shocked Zöllner until he scurried off.

N huffed and turned back to his book.

Red studied Black's face. He looked surprised, but nobody said anything.

"Damn," Red muttered. He patted Joey on the arm. "Um… there, there. It's okay. Your rattata's fine."

"Goooood," Joey wailed. "I-it's, it's in the top per-per-perceeeent!"

Later, Gold said, "That was your last try. Now it's time for my last try."

"Okay," Red sighed. "What now?"

Gold thought for a moment. "We could remove a bed from the room so they have to sleep together."

"N just wouldn't sleep."

"…lock them in the shower together?"

Red shook his head.

"Make them share a plate of spaghetti?"

"Do they even serve spaghetti here?"

Gold sighed in frustration. "Killjoy. Gimme more time to think about it."

That turned out to mean that Gold woke up the next morning and started whispering suggestions to Red.

"Send them both flowers and say they're from each other," Gold whispered at breakfast.

"Flowers from where?"

Gold shrugged.

In Charms, Gold had the gall to lean over Black to whisper to Red, "Make one of them believe the other has been seriously harmed."

"Quit it," Black hissed.

Halfway through lunch, Gold snapped his fingers and cried, "Make them listen to 'I Don't Know How To Love Him' until they do know!"

Black and N slammed their chopsticks down on the tale in sync and shouted, "Stop trying to force me to be his friend!" They then stared at each other in awe.

"I'm sorry Zöllner ate Patty," N suddenly said.

"He… he was gonna die soon anyway," Black slowly said.

"I know," N said. "I'm still sorry."

Black bit his lip. "I'm sorry I blamed you. It's not your fault. I didn't, I didn't understand your… beliefs."

"Ideals," N corrected.

They then sat down and kept eating.

"…that was totally my plan," Gold said.

Red rolled his eyes.


It was as though the fight had never happened. Though Black continued to treat Zöllner with great resentment, he was back to treating N almost like usual. There was less touching and less pointless fighting, and when they did have fights, N would walk off. He never walked off for long, usually a minute or two, before coming back with some retort that Black couldn't counter.

When the last Hogsmeade visit of the school year was announced, Chili looked over at Red and grinned.

"I can't go," Red muttered. "Alder's been sighted near Hogsmeade."

"The dementors search the village every night," Chili whispered back. "They haven't found him yet. He's not hiding there."

Red frowned. "Still…"

"Live a little," Chili urged.

Red decided that, seeing as all of his friends were talking again, he might as well take advantage of this fact and consult them.

"You have a map that shows what everybody in the castle is up to?" Gold gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"It just shows where they are," Red clarified.

"Still!" Gold cried. "Gimme that!" He snatched the Champions' Map. "Search… now… Silvanus Marionere." He yelped. "Slytherin dorm?!"

Red exchanged weary looks with Black.

Gold looked at the Map again and muttered under his breath. He hit a button. "Damn. It does work."

Black snatched the Map and handed it back to Red.

"I think you should go to Hogsmeade," N declared.

"Really?" Red asked.

N nodded. "For someone who's trying to kill you, Alder's not doing a very good job. He's clearly too stupid to actually kill you."

Red blinked. "Uh, okay…"

"He did break out of Azkaban," Black pointed out. "Nobody's ever done that before."

"Yeah…" Red said.

"You should do it, though," Black said.

"Why?" Red asked.

"Because you clearly want to," Black replied. "If I don't tell you to go, you'll just justify it in your head until it seems like a good idea and you do it anyway under the impression that being 'The Boy Who Lived' makes you invincible. Better to keep your ego in check."

Red huffed. "I wouldn't do that."

"…you totally would, bro," Gold sheepishly said.

Red scowled.

It was shockingly easy to sneak out of the castle now that Red knew how. He mentioned to Chili that he was going to Hogsmeade, got thumped on the back, congratulated and told to go find a statue of a one-eyed witch with a massive hump on the third floor corridor, tap it with his wand, and say Dissendium.

"Just keep following the tunnel," Chili had said. "It'll come up in the cellar of Honeyduke's. You know, the sweets shop."

"The people who made this castle planned that, didn't they?" Red muttered.

Chili grinned. "Dunno. Agatha was pregnant when she stole it from the Scots, so they say. Maybe she changed it."

Red told Gold, Black and N to wait for him in Honeyduke's. He watched them leave at the entrance hall as usual before dashing back to Gryffindor Tower, grabbing the Champions' Map and his Invisibility Cloak. It took him a few minutes to coax Pika into staying behind, carefully assuring him that he had Snor and Aero, that it was cold and Pika would only stand out too much, but Pika eventually relented and curled up in Red's sheets. Red scratched his ears before walking off to find the statue of the one-eyed witch. Just as Chili had said, it opened. Red climbed inside. The statue closed behind him.

It took almost half an hour of walking to reach the Honeyduke's cellar. Red waited below the trapdoor, listening carefully for noise, before climbing through. He wondered if the owners knew of the passage. By all appearance, the answer was no. Crates were piled high around him, and Red had to squeeze through a gap between them to get to the door. He slipped into the store and looked around.

There were Hogwarts students everywhere. If Red pulled off his Cloak, he doubted anybody would spare him a second glance. Still, he kept it on and carefully weaved his way between students, past the colour displays of sweets and towards Gold, Black and N, who were trying so hard to look casual that it was blatant they were up to something.

Red tapped Black on the shoulder. Black didn't jump or gasp, which was a relief. He simply muttered to Gold and N, "He's here."

Gold flashed a grin three feet to Red's left and turned to walk out of the store.

Hogsmeade was a small and incredibly kitsch village. The buildings were all wooden and would look identical if not for the various bright signs declaring shops. The lawns were all neat and the window boxes had the same assortment of white and pink daisies. It was like somebody had decided to create a model village rather than a real town.

"It's the only all-wizard settlement left in Europe," N said.

"Right," Red muttered. He stowed the Cloak in his bag and carefully brushed his fringe to hide his scar better.

Gold was pretty much desperate to show Red the joke shop, which turned out to be as loud and filled with explosions as Red had expected. N kept clutching at Red, which was kind of weird, but Red assumed he just wanted to show off how much he knew about Hogsmeade as he kept muttering facts in Red's ear. They eventually snuck into a pub that apparently served some kind of beer to minors, called butterbeer. It was a foaming golden liquid that warmed Red's insides and tasted like spiced butterscotch.

N wanted to go check out the Shrieking Shack, which was some kind of haunted house that hadn't actually shown signs of being haunted in sixteen years, but Black dryly asked, "Do you want to get Red killed or something?" and the idea had been systematically rejected.

"It's not like it sounds particularly interesting," Red said.

N huffed.

It wasn't long until the sun was setting. Red pulled his Cloak back on to sneak back into the castle. Red was starting to wonder yet again why everybody felt it so necessary to protect him from somebody as useless as Alder. It was almost as though Alder wasn't really trying. The day had been so good that the dementors had hardly any effect on Red when they walked past them to reach the castle. But it did not last. Standing in the entrance hall with a slight scowl on his face was Steven.

It took Red a moment to remember that he was invisible, so Steven wouldn't be able to see him. The moment of relief passed very quickly when Steven hissed, "Red. Take off your father's Cloak and come with me."

Red pulled the Invisibility Cloak off and obeyed.

"Is he a ninja?" he heard Gold whispering to the others.

"Heightened sense of smell," N whispered back.

"…what?"

Steven led Red to his office. Red kept his head down as he followed Steven inside. They sat on their respective sides of Steven's desk (Red was there so often he figured he might as well claim it as his own). Steven didn't look angry, which made Red's insides squirm.

"Why did you do that?" Steven asked.

Red shrugged.

"So you risked your life without even knowing why?"

Red frowned. "I was bored."

"That's not a reason," Steven sighed. "You shouldn't risk your life out of boredom. That's a sign of madness."

Red huffed. "Nothing bad happened."

"It could have," Steven said. "What if Alder had found you? Your friends would have been in danger too."

"They wanted me to go," Red muttered. "Even Black."

Steven rolled his eyes and asked, "And if they all, even Black, wanted you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?"

"…uh… maybe…?"

That was clearly the wrong answer.

"How did you find the tunnel out of the school?" Steven asked.

Red shrugged.

"Red."

"I found a map," Red reluctantly admitted. "In an old PokéNav."

Steven held out his hand. "Give me it."

Red tried the stare. It didn't work. He sighed, pulled out the Champions' Map and handed it over.

Steven studied it for a moment before putting it in his top drawer. "I have trouble believing you'd throw away everything your parents sacrificed just to go to Hogsmeade of all places."

Red felt appropriately terrible.

"You may go."

Red very quickly left.

Back in Gryffindor Tower, Chili congratulated Red on his success. It didn't feel like success at all. He went to bed early simply to avoid the questioning looks and to try and sleep through the recollections of his mother's screams.

Red dreamt that he was an ekans. He was slithering through a forest, Viridian Forest… but why would an ekans be doing in Viridian Forest? He was looking for something, slithering up trees. The pokémon would take one look at him and run. They were stupid anyway. Bug pokémon were pathetically weak, and weak pokémon were especially worthless. Red felt a twinge in his body. It wouldn't be long until the ekans died. He had to be fast…

A scream sounded. Red sat up. He was tangled in his sheets. He quickly threw open the curtains and jumped to his feet, Aero's Ball in one hand and Snor's in the other. Crouched over Black's bed, holding a long hunting knife, was a wild-haired broad shouldered man. He was extremely tall, clearly covered in muscles, and even in the dark Red could see the bright orange of his hair.

It was Alder.

"Oh, sorry," Alder said, taking a step back from Black. "Wrong bed."

Black screamed again.

"Rude," Alder huffed as he turned away. His eyes fell on Red. Red willed himself to move, to throw a PokéBall, to give Pika a command, but all he could do was stare at Alder's face and the string of PokéBalls around his neck… and all Alder was doing was staring back. Alder took a step forward. He lowered the knife. His face split into a goofy smile.

"RED!" someone shouted. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE!"

Alder tore his eyes from Red and ran from the room.

Red collapsed back on his bed. Gold and Wally both rushed to his side, but N threw himself on Black's bed and hugged him tightly, sobbing.

"You idiot," Gold hissed, punching Red around the head. "Why did you freeze up?!"

"I…" Red shrugged. He stood up. His legs were shaking. Pika scampered up his arm and licked his cheek, but Red hardly noticed. Alder had smiled. It wasn't like when Giovanni smiled at Red. It was more like when Gold did when they met up after months apart.

"I'm gonna go get Clair," Wally announced, walking from the room. He probably would've run if it weren't for his asthma.

"I-I'm fine," Black assured N awkwardly. N kept sobbing into his neck.

Gold elbowed Red and grinned.

"Damn," Red heard a voice muttered.

Red looked over and noticed Zöllner sitting on N's pillow, looking very displeased. He met Red's eyes. "Damn you, too," he said.

Zöllner ran off before Red could question him. Red went to follow, but he walked into somebody entering the room. It wasn't Clair like Red expected though. It was Cheren. He shoved past Red and strode over to Black's bed. Black tensed slightly, an arm still awkwardly around N. N looked up, and to Red's amazement, peeled himself away from Black. Cheren took his place. Black wrapped his arms tightly around Cheren, just as Cheren did to him. Cheren kissed Black on the forehead.

N didn't scowl as he watched. He looked resigned.

Clair interviewed them frantically. It was hard to uncover much, though. Nobody had noticed Alder sneak in, or anything suspicious. He had apologised when Black screamed and then ran off. Nobody could make sense of it.

Red thought he ought to tell the others about the smile, but he couldn't. It didn't make sense. If it weren't too strange for his mind to think up, Red would've sworn he'd imagined it.

Everybody was wondering, though. Why had Alder run? Why hadn't he killed Red then run?

"He'd've had to kill the entire house to get out," N tried to explain. "Somebody probably would've gotten the better of him, and if he wants to stay free…" He frowned at Red's horrified face. "That's a good thing. It means he won't just kill you. He'll have to plan it so he can get away."

"You think he'll lure Red out?" Black asked.

"Definitely," N said. "Stay away from the forest."

All Red could think about was the way Alder smiled at him.

To Red's relief, Steven didn't seem that angry at him the next day. He received a letter at breakfast requesting that they have a class that night. Everything went almost back to normal, and with exams approaching, Red didn't have the time to even think about sneaking off to the forest. They had hours of revision every night, and Clair would burst into the common room at all hours to make sure that they were studying.

"Don't think exams'll be cancelled this year," she continually warned.

Red still hoped.

In his final session with Steven, Red's patronus almost took on a full form; he could see it was fairly small, four-legged and that it had a long tail.

"I still didn't get it right," Red frowned. "We've been doing this for months."

"It is the kind of things taught at the Auror academy," Steven said yet again. "It's very advanced magic."

"Still…"

Steven handed Red the usual slab of chocolate. "I learnt this Charm when I was eighteen. It took me over a year to learn it properly, and I had Oak teaching me."

Red looked up. "What do people do after Hogwarts?"

"Most careers require more training," Steven explained, "so most graduates take a year off. I, like most muggle-born and half-bloods, spent a year as a Pokémon Trainer." He paused. "Your parents did that, too."

Red unashamedly asked, "I heard Alder used to be Champion of Unova."

"Yes," Steven sighed. "Actually, most of us became Champion — I became Champion of Hoenn briefly, until Wallace… our, uh, other friend, took over. Your mother became the first female Champion of Sinnoh."

Red's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

Steven smiled and nodded.

"What about my dad?"

Steven 'hmm'ed. "Crimson was more interested in raising pokémon than battling them."

"Oh," Red said. "Wait, who's Wallace? Where's he now?"

The look on Steven's face said it all. "Dead. He went after Alder after he betrayed your parents, and Alder killed him. The largest part of him they found was his finger."

"Oh. Sorry," Red muttered.

Steven shook his head. "You have the right to know."

"What about after that?" Red asked. "Um… the Trainer stuff you guys did, I mean."

"We all joined the rebellion Oak formed to fight Giovanni — The Order of the Moltres. That's where we learnt the Patronus Charm."

"What does your Patronus look like?" Red asked.

"A mightyena," Steven said.

"Huh…" Red shrugged. "I wouldn't've guessed that. Something else like… a bedlum."

"I'm sure most would expect yours to be a pikachu, but it's not, is it?" Steven said with a smile. "We're not always what we expect of ourselves."

Red shrugged again. "So, um… Alder was in the rebellion against Giovanni?"

"Yes," Steven sighed. "We knew there had been a spy for some time, but none of us suspected Alder…"

Red couldn't stop himself. He had to say it. "He smiled at me. When he broke in two weeks ago. He saw me and he stopped and he smiled. Only, it wasn't like when Giovanni smiles at me. It was… really happy."

Steven frowned. "How odd."

"Yeah," Red agreed.

Steven was still frowning thoughtfully when Red returned to Gryffindor Tower.

The closer exams came, the less N spoke and the more Black did. While N calmly revised everything they'd studied in the past three school years, Black stressed about how he'd definitely fail everything and get kicked out of school and end up a creepy janitor or whatever like Brock. To Red's surprise, Cheren would always sternly tell Black to shut up.

"The lowest grade you've ever gotten is a B+," he said. "You're worrying about nothing. Again."

It always calmed Black down — for an hour or two. Gold would always click his tongue in disapproval.

"They like studying," Red muttered after the fifth time that Saturday.

"Duh, they're nerds," Gold sighed. "Not that. Cheren. Black." He looked over at N. "Are you going to stand for this?"

N seemed to understand what Gold was talking about, as he simply said, "Yes."

Gold groaned. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," N repeated. He looked up at Black and Cheren for a split second, then back to his notes. "If it makes him happy, I'll allow it."

Gold gestured exaggeratedly at N as he looked at Red. "You see that?"

"…yes…?"

"That's how it's done."

Red nodded slowly. He really had no idea what Gold was talking about.

Their exams turned out to be surprisingly easy. Granted, Red had spent the week before his Potions exam dreaming of Volkner shoving him into his cauldron and recite Shakespearian sonnets, but he found that the exam wasn't so difficult once he got over Volkner leering over his shoulder and started ignoring him. Transfiguration wasn't nearly as difficult as Clair had been warning them, Charms involved making each other laugh with Cheering Charms and then a three page multiple-choice test. It wasn't before long that it was Friday and they had their final two exams: Defence Against the Dark Arts and then Divination.

For Defence Against the Dark Arts, Steven had rigged up an obstacle course. They had to get past various magical creatures, like kappas who'd reach out as they ran past and try to drag them into their swamps, Øyenstikker who'd try to lure them over to a pit of thirteen foot long magical creatures called adders that spat venom and blended frighteningly well into the landscape, and most worryingly of all, boggarts at the end.

Red looked over at N when they learnt this and muttered, "What're you gonna do now?"

"Nothing," N said. "It doesn't matter if other people don't see it."

Red had hoped N would have no idea what he was scared of, not be so sure of it that he'd even assessed its social impact.

Red had no trouble getting past the magical creatures and traps — he'd done essentially the same thing, only worse, back in first year. When he entered the underground room where the boggart awaited, he did so with his head held high despite being so worried that his stomach was squirming like the pit of adders. Waiting for him inside were two people: a woman with long blonde hair dressed in all black, and a man with black hair and vibrant red eyes.

It was his parents.

Red stared in bewilderment. They stared back, eyes cold, and Red felt like his blood was turning to ice.

"It's your fault," they said as one.

Red took a step back. He drew a deep breath, raised his wand and said, "Riddikulus."

It didn't do anything. Red didn't know how to make his dead parents hating him funny.

"Riddikulus!"

Nothing again.

But it was ridiculous. Why would Red's parents hate him? They chose to fight battles they knew they'd lose to protect him. Cynthia chose to give her life in exchange for Red's. Everybody made it very clear to him that this had been the case… And Red had heard it himself now.

"Riddikulus!" Red shouted.

There was a loud crack and the boggart shifted. Suddenly it was tall, cloaked, and the room chilled. A dementor looked over Red.

"That's easy," Red snorted. "Expecto Patronum."

A burst of silver erupted from the end of Red's wand. It chased the boggart-dementor down to a corner. Red turned and walked from the room.

Fear was stupid.

"Full marks," Steven said with a proud smile as Red emerged.

Unfortunately, N didn't do so well. He visibly hesitated before walking into the boggart's chamber. Five minutes later, N emerged sobbing hysterically and fell to the muddy ground. Red looked over to Black, saw that he wasn't going to do it, and ran forward to help N away from the course. N flung his arms around Red's neck and clung. If it hadn't been for Gold running forward to help, Red was sure that he would've been strangled to death.

"We'll take him up to the castle," Gold informed Steven. "If that's all right, I mean."

"I think it'd be for the best," Steven said, frowning.

N kept clinging to Red.

"What did you see that was this bad?" Gold asked. He gasped. "Oh god, was it Black marrying Cheren?"

N managed to glare. It wasn't very intimidating.

"Just leave him alone," Red sighed. He wanted to know just as much, but not asking N questions had gotten him answers before.

"What?" Gold asked. "I find that terrifying."

Unfortunately, N didn't say anything. They led him up to the dorm, he grabbed Zöllner and hugged him tightly until it was time to go to their Divination exam. Red sat with him in silence, but Gold got bored and started pacing and ranting about how terrible Cheren was.

The Divination exam was strange. They had to stare into a crystal ball and talk about what they saw. Red had never been able to see anything but fog in the crystal ball, so he made up seeing Lizzie flying free. Morty looked surprised, somewhat disappointed and dismissed him.

Red stood up to leave, but Morty's hand lashed out and grabbed his wrist. Alarmed, Red tried to pull his arm free, but Morty just tightened his grip. His eyes were unfocused and he rasped, "It will happen tonight."

Red gasped. "What?"

"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight… the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight… before midnight… the servant… will set out… to rejoin… his master…"

Red stared. "Seriously, what?"

Morty blinked. "Sorry," he said, releasing Red's arm. "Please send in the next student."

Red shook his head as he climbed down the ladder.

Gold pulled Red into a hug. "We're free."

"Yep," Red said, far less enthusiastic.

They headed back to the dorm. Pika dashed over and climbed up to Red's shoulder. Red smiled weakly as Pika pressed a note against Red's cheek. Red accepted it with a murmur of thanks.

Red,

Lizzie's execution is tonight. Thought you should know.

Don't come down.

Brock

Red dropped the note.

"What?" Gold asked. He picked the note up. "Oh. Damn." He quickly explained to Black and N.

"That's terrible," Black sympathetically said.

"Is it even a pokémon?" N asked.

They glared at him.

"Oh, what?" N sighed.

"They're killing a living being because Green was an idiot," Red said.

N huffed and walked out of the room. He came back a second later, hair slightly more ruffled and said, "This is terrible and we have to go liberate Lizzie."

"…you didn't care five seconds ago," Black said.

"I did," N insisted. "You're stupid."

Black approached N, eyes on his neck. "Where'd you get that necklace?"

N shoved it under his jumper. "Present from my dead mother."

"You told me your mother buys you your clothes," Gold said sceptically.

N bristled. "You're ignoring the important point, that a pokémon is about to be killed! And we can save her!"

"Yeah," Red said. "Or we can go talk to them. I mean, what's the use of me being me if I can't get my friends off crimes?"

"What about Alder?" Black asked.

The smile immediately came to Red's mind. He couldn't believe that Alder would kill him any more. "We'll use the Invisibility Cloak."

They waited until after dinner before sneaking down. Red knocked on the door. Brock threw it open, looked around and nervously asked, "Red?"

Red whispered, "It's all of us. We've got to get Lizzie free."

"You can't," Brock whispered back. "They'll just think I set her free, then I'll have to go back to Azkaban…"

"You have to try!" N cried.

Brock seemed surprised. "Look, come inside."

They pulled the Cloak off as Brock closed the door behind them. He studied them and shook his head. "You four."

"You have to save her," N insisted. "For the greater good."

"Where is she?" Red asked.

"Outside," Brock replied. "I thought it'd be best, for her to have some fresh air before."

Red looked out the window. Lizzie was chained to a post, wings outstretched, looking quite resigned. He turned back to Brock to find him shaking.

"You know what you need?" Gold asked. "Tea."

Red wasn't the only one who stared.

"Tea makes everybody feel braver," Gold insisted. He went to the cupboard and pulled out four mugs. He went to pick up the fifth, but gasped and dropped it. "Holy shit there's a rat in this cup!"

Red ran over. It was a rattata, and it looked very familiar. He quickly picked it up. "This is Joey's."

"That's odd," Brock said.

N took the rattata. "Aww, what're you doing here? Did your mean Trainer hurt you too much?" He scowled. "Look at his paw, he's missing a toe. Stupid Trainers…"

"Joey said he was like that when he found him," Red said.

"Rats," Gold muttered, shuddering in disgust.

N continued to coo at Joey's rattata. "We'll save the pokémon. They don't deserve to be killed due to the stupidity of humans like Green Oak who are terrible anyway."

"Hey…" Red said, frowning.

Brock raised his head. "They're coming. You lot have to go."

"But…"

"Go," Brock insisted. "There's nothing you can do, and I don't want you getting in trouble too."

Gold had to drag Red back under the Cloak. They snuck out. On their approach to the castle, they passed a scowling Professor Oak, a smirking Archer, a nervous looking Minister for Magic Elm and a hooded man carrying an axe.

"Urgh," N muttered. "Sick human bastards…"

Red tore his eyes away. "Oak won't let them do it."

"Green's his grandson," N hissed.

"Green wouldn't want Lizzie killed," Red insisted.

"Shh, we're near the forest, what if something hears?" Black whispered.

Red looked over at the forest. He froze. There, lurking in the shadows, was a pair of glowing red eyes.

"Ow!" N cried. "The oppressed pokémon bit me!"

"Keep moving," Black moaned.

But Rattata was squirming in N's grip. N gasped and fell to the ground, clutching it to his chest. In a flash, the absol bounded forward. With a sickening crunch, its teeth clamped down on N's leg.

"N!" Black screamed.

Red ripped the Invisibility Cloak off and shoved it in his pocket. He and Pika ran forward, but the absol was too fast for even Pika. N was being tugged away towards an enormous tree, and he disappeared behind it. Red kept running, until the damn tree suddenly moved and attacked him.

"What, the, hell," Red gasped.

"Whomping Willow," Black panted. "Shit, what're we gonna do?"

They tried to dash forward but the willow kept smacking them back. Pika tried shocking it, but nothing happened. Then, through the twilight, Red saw Zöllner darting forward to the tree. He pressed his paw against something on the base of the tree's trunk and it froze. Zöllner yapped for their attention, and disappeared under the tree's roots.

"A tunnel," Gold wheezed. "Great."

The tunnel sloped upwards and was smeared with fresh blood.

"He's gonna be okay," Black kept muttering as they walked. "He's going to be okay. He's going to be fine. Absols aren't actually evil. That's stupid. He's gonna be okay."

"Don't you wish you'd said you love him now?" Gold muttered.

"Gold, I swear, I'll —"

"Really not the time," Red sighed. "Both of you, shut up, get out your wands."

They reached a door. Red pushed it open a crack. Pika peered in.

"Freak boy's there," Pika said.

Red opened the door the rest of the way.

It was an extremely shabby room. The walls, floorboards and hangings were all ripped and shredded. There was an old, musty-looking bed, and lying on top of it, still clutching Rattata, was N. Zöllner yapped again and jumped up onto the bed, licking gently at N's torn and bloody leg.

"Red, go," N gasped. "It's, it's… he's a pokémagus!"

The door creaked shut behind them. Red spun around. Standing there, smiling like he was meeting an old friend again, was Alder Fuery.

"Hi Red," Alder pleasantly said. "Sorry about your friend. And this." He raised his wand. "Expelliarmus."

Their wands flew into Alder's outstretched, massive hand.

Pika growled, sparks flying from his cheeks.

"You're not killing Red!" Gold shouted.

"Of course not," Alder replied. He gestured over his shoulder at N. "I'm killing him."

"What?" Red growled.

Alder laughed. "Not the girl."

"Boy."

"Boy. The rat."

Red grabbed Snor's UltraBall. Alder's face lit up.

"You got my present."

Red stared.

"I told you so," N managed to groan.

"It's safe though," Red said. "It's not killing me."

"I don't want to kill you," Alder gasped. "Just the rat."

Red looked over at Gold. Gold made the crazy sign.

"You betrayed my parents," Red growled. "You're the reason they're dead."

Alder shook his head. "The rat is."

Red didn't know what to make of that.

There were footsteps approaching.

"UP HERE!" Black shouted.

The door flung open. Standing there, out of breath and eyes alert, was Steven.

"Alder," Steven said. "Where is he?"

Alder gestured at Rattata.

"I see," Steven murmured. "You swapped."

Steven embraced Alder.

"Oh my god," Gold groaned.

"You bastard!" N cried. "I covered for you, and you were helping him?"

"No, N, I —"

Red took a step forward.

"Stay away from him, Red!" N shouted. "He's a werewolf!"

Silence.

"Now, little boy, that's not very nice," Alder said.

"It's fine," Steven said. He didn't look like it was fine. "You're right about that, N. I am a werewolf. But I have not been helping Alder."

"You're a werewolf?" Gold gasped. Red stepped on his foot. "Ow, shit man!"

"Yes," Steven sighed. "I was bitten before we even found out that I'm a wizard. Very bad for business, my father would say." He turned to Alder. "Give me their wands."

Alder hesitated before doing so. Steven tossed them back their respective wands.

"Feel better now?" Steven asked. "Will you listen?"

Red looked at Alder. "He's innocent, isn't he?"

"It appears so," Steven said. "Alder, we'll have to explain."

"Can't I kill the rat first?" he growled.

"No, Alder," Steven sighed. "After."

Alder huffed.

"Where to begin…" Steven pondered. "Well, I suppose the source of all this is my becoming a werewolf. If I had never been bitten, my best friends at school, Alder, Wallace and Cynthia, never would have become pokémagi. You see, a werewolf's bite doesn't affect animals. It was a very stupid idea in hindsight —"

"So wasn't," Alder said.

"— and it scares me to recall how many times I led my friends into danger. That's why I never told Oak; he allowed me to come to Hogwarts when no-one else would have and I repaid him by leading my best friends into constant danger and law breaking."

"That can't be true," N said. "You're, none of you're on the list. Of pokémagi."

"Why would we register?" Alder asked with a laugh.

"To, avoid, this," N replied.

"That's a fair point," Steven said. "I assume that Wallace faked his death and pinned the blame on you?"

"That's right," Alder said, scowling. "I figured that you were the spy. Giovanni likes werewolves, doesn't he? And it's not like he actually wanted to kill any of us then." He frowned. "Sorry about that."

"I understand," Steven said. "And I assumed it was you too."

"We used a Secret Keeper to hide Cynthia, Crimson and Red," Alder explained.

"That's the only person who is able to reveal a secret," Steven explained, noticing Red's blank face. "It's a Charm that seals a secret within a living being. While they live, nobody can speak of that secret — nobody except for the Secret Keeper."

"So Wallace was the Secret Keeper," Red said.

"Yeah," Alder said. "It was going to be me. I thought that was too obvious. Of course Giovanni would go after me. So I suggested that they switch to Wallace, and then the bastard went and betrayed them. I was furious, so I went to find Wallace, but when I did he blasted half the street apart with a wand behind his back while shouting about how I'd betrayed Cynthia and Crimson. Then he transformed into his pokémagus form, a rattata, and ran off down the sewer."

"And you think it's this rattata?" N sceptically asked. "No way!"

Red stared at the squirming creature. "It's never spoken to me."

"And look at its paw," Alder said. "It's missing a toe."

"The biggest part of Wallace they found was his finger," Steven breathed.

Red turned to Alder. "But how did you know?"

Alder reached into his robes and pulled out a newspaper. On the front cover was the picture of the Weasleys in Kyushu. He opened it to a small picture near the back of Joey holding up Rattata and a trophy under a caption declaring 'HOGWARTS RATTATA FOUND TO BE IN TOP PER CENT'.

"No way," Gold gasped.

"I thought it didn't battle properly," Red said.

N huffed loudly. "No pokémon —"

"No, seriously," Red said. "It kept jumping on its hind legs and things."

"Wait," Black said. "If he's innocent, then how did he break out of Azkaban?"

"Pokémagus form," Alder replied. "Dementors have a lesser effect on pokémon. They noticed that I was there, when I changed form to get away from them sometimes, but it was hard for them to process. They don't have eyes, so they only sense… and I managed to slip between the bars of my cell and swim to shore. After I found out that Wallace was at Hogwarts, near Red, I knew I had to."

Black frowned. "I guess that makes sense."

"Except this is a pokémon," N insisted. "I can tell."

"We can prove it," Steven said. "If you'll let us, N."

N hugged Rattata tightly. It squeaked frantically, wordlessly. "Will it hurt?"

"No, it's just a spell to make pokémagi reveal their true forms," Steven gently assured him. "If he isn't, then it will be harmless."

N hesitated, but handed Rattata over. He looked at Red and said, "Only for you. Because I owe you. Got it?"

"Got it," Red said. He had no idea why N owed him.

Steven held the struggling rattata tightly and tapped it with his wand. It was consumed with blue light and rose into the air. For a moment, Red thought it was evolving, but then it started growing too much and too fast. Its legs and arms became too long, too humanoid. The light faded and crouching before them was a man. Blue haired, tattered and filthy, he stared up at Steven with wide eyes.

"H-hi…" he said.

Steven punched him.

"I was hugging a human," N wailed.

"Dude," Gold gasped. "That thing slept in Joey's bed."

Steven had grabbed Wallace by the shoulders to keep him in place. Alder took a step forward. Wallace started to shake convulsively.

"So, I killed them, did I?" Alder snarled.

"I didn't have a choice!" Wallace sobbed. "You don't understand, he had Winona, I had to!"

"So you're saying Winona was a Rocket too?" Alder snapped. "Don't lie. You were their spy for years!"

"I wasn't," Wallace choked. "I promise, I wasn't."

"Did Giovanni promise to let you live?" Alder sneered. "All you had to do was kill your best friends and their son and he'd let you live in luxury."

"No!"

"You betrayed them, you betrayed all of us!" Alder shouted. "You were our friend!"

"You should have realised that this would happen," Steven said, his voice an eerie calm. "You killed them, so now we'll kill you."

"No!" Red shouted.

They all turned to stare at him.

"Red, this bastard's the reason you don't have parents," Alder said.

"I know," Red sighed. "I'm sick of people dying because of me."

Alder looked surprised.

"Give him to the dementors," Red said. "He can go to prison. Then you can go free, right?"

"Yeah," Alder said. He lowered his wand, scowling. "I guess it's your choice."

Ropes shot out of Steven's wand, binding Wallace. He dragged Wallace to his feet, and as he did, Red heard him murmur, "Thank you Red… it's more than I deserve…"

Wallace didn't look at him, though.

"The dementors won't try to kiss Alder on the way, will they?" Black asked.

"We can drive them off if they do," Steven said. "Can't we, Red?"

"Yeah," Red said. "…um, why would they try to kiss him?"

"That's how they suck souls out," Black said, rolling his eyes.

That was pretty terrifying.

Steven created a splint for N's leg. N clung to Red for support. They created a formation; Steven walked towards the front with Black and Gold, clutching Wallace's ropes. Alder walked close to Red, hovering nervously, as N clung to Red.

"So… uh… I'm your godfather," Alder suddenly said once they entered the tunnel.

"Really?" Red asked.

Alder nodded. "I don't really have a house or anything, but you know… if you wanted to hang with me when I'm free… that'd be cool. If you wanted to."

"That sounds cool," Red replied. "Just one thing — how'd you get the passwords? And break into Gryffindor Tower?"

"That zorua," Alder said. "They can see through illusions, and that's what an pokémagus form is, in a way."

"I told you Zöllner's special," N murmured.

They mercifully reached the end of the tunnel. N was getting heavy. They climbed out to find the full moon hanging high in the sky above them.

"…oh shit," Alder said.

"What?" Red asked.

"Full moon," Alder grimly said.

"Black!" N shouted. "Get back here!"

Steven had gone rigid in the moonlight. Black and Gold edged away. Wallace's binds had slipped from Steven's hand. In a flash, he grabbed Steven's wand and was pointing it at Black and Gold.

"Stay back," he said. "The dementors aren't getting my soul."

There was a loud bang. Black and Gold flew back. N tried to run to Black's side but crumpled from the pain of his leg. Red turned to Alder to find the absol in his place, eyes glowing. He leapt forward and pinned the transforming Steven to the ground.

Gold groaned as he sat up. "Red, the fucking rat-man…!"

Red looked over. There was no sign of Wallace. He must have transformed and run. He tore his eyes back over to Steven. There, biting at Alder's throat, was what looked like a giant mightyena. It was enormous, over twice the usual size, and its fur was silver like moonlight. It gave an almighty howl as Alder forced it off with his head-scythe and bounded over to Red's side.

"Okay, yeah, we have to go," Red guessed.

Alder barked in response.

Black stood up and helped N, holding him close.

"Head to the castle," Red told them. "Just go straight there. Get N safe, he'll be useless if we have to fight."

N glared. "Useless?"

"You will," Red insisted.

Alder ran forward, claws slashing at the approaching werewolf. Red started to run backwards, keeping his eyes on their approach. Perhaps if he sent Aero out, got him to fly N to safety so they could run… But N wouldn't allow that under even the pain of death.

They retreated to a clump of trees by the lake, listening to the sounds of Alder and Steven's fight. N was breathing heavily.

"Out of bed again, Potter?" a voice called.

Red looked over at the approaching figure. Great. Volkner.

"I saw you on a charming map of Professor Stone's," Volkner said. "I saw you in the company of Alder Fuery."

"He's innocent," Red immediately insisted.

"Doubtful," Volkner said. "You're likely Confounded." He looked around. "So, where is he? I'd like the honour of catching him myself."

"He's innocent," Red repeated. "And Steven's transformed, he —"

They heard another almighty howl.

"Forgot to drink his potion to prevent it," Volkner said. "I know. Get back to the castle while you still can, Potter. Leave this to me."

"No!" Red shouted. "You don't understand!"

"Stupefy."

Volkner fell to the ground in a faint.

Red stared at N, stunned.

N glared. "I'm never useless. Don't ever say that again."

Red swallowed heavily.

"…does anybody else feel cold?" Black softly asked.

Red groaned. That was the last thing they needed. He peered around the trees and felt his blood immediately turn to ice. There, gliding towards them, was a flock of dementors. There had to be almost a hundred. And their target was already collapsed on the ground in human form. Even Alder's hair seemed to droop under the weight of the dementors' assault.

"Alder," Red gasped. Without pausing to think of the consequences, Red murmured to Pika, "Look after this lot" and ran straight to Alder's side.

"No, Red…" Alder groaned.

Red raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum."

The wisp of silver was so weak that the dementors batted it aside.

"You're a fucking moron," Gold hissed, joining Red. "What's the spell?"

"Expecto Patronum," Red repeated. There was a larger wisp this time, but it was so hard to concentrate with so many dementors so close. "Think… think of a happy memory…"

"All I'm thinking about is how terrified I am that you're gonna get yourself killed," Gold snapped.

"Just do it!"

They stood back to back, repeating the spell over and over. Red couldn't form more than the silvery mist, and Gold was doing worse. He saw the dementors approaching the hiding place, where Black and N were by the lake…

"Expecto Patronum!" Red shouted.

Gold fainted beside him. There were too many. One was turning Alder over, lowering its head towards Alder's lips.

"No," Red gasped. "Not… not gonna happen… Expecto Patronum!"

Red's vision was failing. The fog was closing in, and his mother's screams were starting. Red had failed her. He hadn't even managed to get the man who good as murdered her sentenced, and now her best friend was going to be killed, killed after over a decade in prison over a crime he didn't commit.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing happened. Red felt his legs give way beneath him. It was over. It was all over.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Light pierced through Red's vision. He heard strange shriek-like sounds. He opened his eyes, not sure when they'd closed, and watched as a shining, pure silver espeon charged the dementors down. They retreated. Red groaned in relief, feeling for Alder's pulse as he watched the espeon run back across the lake. It stopped in front of a figure, with a face that looked painfully familiar…

"Mum," Red whispered.

He felt all his strength fade and collapsed in relief.

When Red opened his eyes, he was lying on a soft feather bed. Pika was snorting softly on his pillow. Red lifted his head, frowning, and stared around the room. It was the hospital wing. N was lying in the bed beside him, leg properly bandaged. He looked across to see Gold and Black. Both were clearly awake, and both immediately pressed their fingers to their lips to shush Red. There were loud footsteps approaching.

"— Potter insisted that Fuery is innocent, he has clearly been Confounded," Volkner's voice said.

"Innocent?" Elm's voice said. "Ridiculous!"

Red scowled.

"Excuse me," he heard Oak's voice say. The door opened. "I'll ask you to wait in my office, Minister."

Oak shut the door behind him. He surveyed the room with a grim look. Seeing no point in faking sleep, Red sat up.

"It's true," he said. "Alder's innocent."

"They're not going to get the dementors to kiss him, are they?" Gold asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Oak said. "Now, listen to me quickly. I believe you. But they are not going to believe the opinions of three thirteen-year-old wizards, and even if Steven were not currently rampaging the forest in werewolf form, the magical community does not have a great deal of trust in the words of werewolves."

"That's ridiculous," N said, scowling.

"Yes," Oak agreed. "In approximately half an hour, the Minister will have a dementor come and kiss Alder."

"No!" Red cried.

"No," Oak agreed. "There's nothing I can do to stop them. He's locked securely in the fourth floor Charms classroom." He looked directly at N. "What we need, is more time."

N frowned. "But…"

Oak didn't listen. "Three turns should do it. I'll be locking you in at midnight. Be back by then. If all goes well, you may well save two innocent lives." He nodded his head and walked from the room.

"…it's midnight now," Red said. "What?"

N was removing the fine gold chain from around his neck. "Black," he called. "Come here. You're the only one I trust with this."

Black walked over to N's bed. He accepted the necklace. "This… holy crap. They gave you a time-turner?"

"To get to all my classes," N explained. "Nobody else knows. Just me, Oak and Clair. I didn't even tell Ghetsis."

Black pulled the necklace, the time-turner, on. "So… I turn it three times?"

N nodded. "Should be able to take you all… except Gold."

"Wait, why?" Gold asked. "I want to time-travel."

"You'll fuck it up," N said. "You won't follow orders."

Gold couldn't deny that.

"Come here," Black said to Red. He looped the necklace over Red's neck as well. Up close, it was a tiny hourglass set in a pendant. Black held it up and turned the hourglass over three times.

The room blurred around them. The dark colours became lighter, and the room emptied. Red felt his stomach lurch. It was like watching a video on rewind. Then suddenly, it stopped. Red peered out the window. It was sunset.

Black pulled the necklace off. "Come on." He grabbed Red's hand and they started to run down to the fourth floor.

"We time-travelled," Red gasped.

"Yeah," Black said. "I can't believe N's been doing this all year." He scowled. "I can believe he was using it to win arguments."

Red remembered all those times N stormed off, then stormed right back with a completely new point of view. "Oh… yeah…"

Black checked his watch. "Six o'clock. So we're at Brock's."

"We're here," Red said.

Black rolled his eyes. "Keep moving. And make sure we're not seen. And don't run out trying to change the past, you'll do it wrong."

"You sound like N," Red scowled.

They ran out across the lawn and ducked behind a cluster of trees near Brock's hut.

"Okay," Black said, panting. "What should we do?"

"…if I suggest anything you'll just call me stupid," Red said.

"I won't," Black insisted.

He did.

"We're in the hut," Black murmured. "We'll come out in about ten minutes. Then the executions will come, and…" His eyes flickered over to Lizzie. "We can save her."

"We heard her being killed," Red said.

"We think we did," Black said. "Things aren't always what they seem. We're gonna try."

"Good," Red said. "So let's go get her."

"No, wait until the executioner sees her," Black said. "Otherwise Brock'll get in trouble. Like he said."

Red shrugged. "Okay. I still want to run in and grab Wallace."

"You'll kill yourself," Black sighed. "You'll think you're going crazy and kill yourself."

Red scowled.

They watched themselves open the door and disappear under the Invisibility Cloak. Red pulled it from his pocket. "Uh, this isn't any use, is it?"

"Unless it fits Lizzie, not really," Black said.

Red shoved it away again.

They watched as Oak, Elm, Archer and the burly executioner approached Brock's hut. They studied Lizzie, Elm with a look of fascination, the executioner with a glint of hunger in his eyes under the hood.

"Brock bred it on his own?" Elm asked.

"Yes," Oak said.

"Fascinating," Elm said. "Shame about its death."

"Yes," Oak once again said.

"I think it is a fair justice for my son's physical trauma," Archer sniffed.

They entered Brock's hut.

Red dashed out. Lizzie immediately brightened at the sight of him.

"Come on," Red whispered. "We're getting you out of here."

"About time," Lizzie said.

Red tapped the chain's lock with his wand. "Alohomora."

The chain dropped off.

"Come on," Red said again. He led Lizzie to the forest. "We have to wait here."

"I'm so glad you can talk to pokémon," Black sighed. "That would've been so much more difficult if you couldn't."

Voices continued to murmur inside Brock's hut. Lizzie huffed in irritation.

"Shh," Red said.

The door opened. The executioner emerged first. He looked around. "Oi, where's the beast?"

Archer emerged. "…it's gone." He turned back to the hut. "Brock! You set it free!"

"How could he have done that?" Oak asked. "He was here the whole time. We saw it before."

Archer growled.

"Remarkable," Elm said. "It must have set itself free. Is it a Fire-Type?"

"Yeah," Brock said, sounding overwhelmed.

"It must have melted the chains," Elm said.

"We have to find it," Archer said. "Check the forest."

"Check the skies," Oak corrected. "She flies, and would likely to be miles away by now."

Brock peeked out of the hut, grinning widely. "Wow… I knew she was strong."

Archer once again growled in frustration.

"Come, Minister," Oak said. "Come back to my office, I have some research you may be interested in viewing."

One by one, the wizards dispersed. Archer, however, turned to Brock and hissed, "This isn't over!" before storming off.

Brock scanned the skies, grinning.

Lizzie moved to approach him.

"Wait," Red said. "We still need your help. There's a human, he's going to be executed tonight, and he's innocent too."

"What do you expect me to do?" Lizzie asked. "Fly away with him?"

"…yeah, that'd be nice," Red admitted.

Lizzie huffed.

"His hair kind of looks like fire?" Red said, hoping that help.

Lizzie huffed again. "Fine."

"Let's move around towards the Willow," Black said. "That way we'll be better able to tell what's happening."

They did, and they waited. It was extremely bizarre to watch himself getting beat up by a tree, so Red adverted his eyes as often as he could. Black, however, seemed fascinated and kept commenting.

"Wow, I'm amazed you don't have broken ribs. Ouch, no wonder Gold's forehead got cut up. It's amazing that Alder managed to get N through that without getting hit… and actually we should probably hate him for breaking N's leg."

"He's my godfather," Red said. "He wants me to go travelling with him, when he's free."

Black looked over at Red, concerned.

"I know that's not gonna be any time soon," Red hastily added. "It just… it'd be cool to travel with a former Champion." He frowned. "Maybe if Ash came too, he'd forgive me."

"Forgive you?" Black asked.

Red shrugged. "He still thinks it's my fault his parents broke up. Maybe it is. I dunno. Aunt Delia seems happier, though."

Black stared out at the Willow again. "It's not like he'd never see his dad again, is it? I still see my dad, sometimes, even though he's a muggle."

"Yeah," Red sighed. "Ash is stupid."

"Yep." Black paused for a moment. "Well, we're in the Willow. Or… wherever it ended up… the Shrieking Shack?"

Red blinked. "Oh. Yeah, it probably is there."

"Steven'd know," Black said.

"…okay, seriously, how are you not freaking out?" Red irritably asked. "We're time-travelling, and that's fine, but you can't handle exams without losing your mind?"

Black rolled his eyes.

Hearing singing, Red looked alarmed towards the lake. Brock emerged from his hut and was singing a song about perfect girls, carrying a bottle of something that looked very alcoholic. He walked up towards the castle and disappeared.

Lizzie gave a sad coo.

They watched themselves emerge again, the adults with them. Red glared at Wallace.

"I almost thought he regretted it," Red muttered. "Then he ran away."

"I'd probably run away if somebody was trying to suck my soul out," Black said. "Wouldn't you?"

Red scowled and shrugged. "If he runs by here, can I grab him?"

"Of course," Black said.

It didn't seem very likely.

Lizzie fussed when Steven started to transform. Red frowned at her, but she kept doing so.

"Steven should be running off," Black murmured. "Why isn't he?"

Red looked over. Steven's teeth were closing around Alder's throat. He looked over at himself, turned away from them. Hadn't he heard a howl…?

Stepping forward, Red cupped his hands over his mouth and mimicked the werewolf's howl. Steven raised his head and immediately ran into the forest… towards them.

"Brock's hut," Red hissed. "Quick, run!"

They sprinted the whole way there. Glad to find it still empty, Red led Lizzie inside. Black closed the door behind them, panting heavily.

"We can't see from in here," Black wheezed.

"I'll go out," Red said. "No, I won't change anything, it's just that the dementors will come past and I know the spell to ward them off."

And if Red sat in Brock's pumpkin patch, he'd be in the prime position to see if it really had been his mother who saved them.

The dementors were closing in. Perhaps they had sensed Red actually being happy about something and had rushed to stop that. They were encircling Alder, whose pokémagus form failed. Red watched himself running over and Gold following. He watched Gold faint, and himself crumpling… any second now…

Nobody was coming.

Red bit his lip. He was sure of who he'd seen, and yet, he'd been sure it had been Steven who howled the second time. But it had been him.

Red pulled out his wand. He stepped forward and shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM."

The espeon erupted from the end of Red's wand. It dashed across the lake and charged the dementors down, rounding them up, chasing them back towards their posts. The dementors fled. The espeon turned around, running to Red's side. Red reached out and stroked it. It looked up at him before fading away.

The door flew open.

"What did you do?" Black cried.

"Saved our lives," Red said. He shoved Black down and crouched in the pumpkin patch. "Volkner'll be coming to soon," he whispered. "I don't think N's stunners are very good."

"You could've been seen," Black hissed.

"I was," Red said. "I saw myself doing it before, only I thought I was my mum —"

"…your mum."

Red pulled a face. "I was about to pass out, shut up."

"Wasn't your mum's hair like… taller than she was?" Black asked.

"Probably, that's not the point," Red irritably said. "I saw myself casting the Patronus before, and when I realised I did it, I knew I could do it… so I did? Is that how it works?"

"Yes," Black said. He peeked around a ten-foot pumpkin. "There's Volkner. He's conjuring stretchers. I'm surprised he's bothering with the pokémon… he doesn't seem like the type."

Red checked his watch. "So Alder'll be in the Charms classroom soon."

They led Lizzie out of Brock's hut. Red climbed onto her back, and reached down to help Black up.

"…do I have to?" he asked.

Red pulled him up. "You okay, Lizzie?"

"Fine," she said. She spread her wings and started to run, flapping them frantically. They rose smoothly into the air.

"Oh god oh god oh god oh god," Black whined, burying his face in Red's back.

"Fourth floor," Red called to Lizzie. "Along a bit… three more windows. There." Red tapped the window with his wand. "Alohomora." It sprung open.

"…what…" Alder said, stunned.

Red climbed onto the windowsill, pulling Black with him. "Get on!"

"…what is that?" Alder asked, staring at Lizzie.

"A charidash," Red said. "Or a rapizard. Her name's Lizzie, she's gonna get you to safety."

"Red…" Alder offered a weak smile. "How can I thank you enough?"

"By going!"

Alder climbed onto Lizzie's back. Lizzie nudged her head against Red's chest before turning and flying, over towards the mountains. Red watched as they escaped.

"H-how are we going to get down?" Black asked. "If we open the door here…"

Red stared down at the ground. "Wait here for one sec." He pulled out Aero's PokéBall and released him. Aero roared happily until he was shushed. "Can you fly me down?" Red asked.

Black stared at Red like he was crazy.

Aero roared again. His clawed feet gripped Red's shoulders, and he started to soar down towards the ground. About halfway, Red sent out Snor. "Drop me," he called to Aero, "then go get Black. Only don't drop him, he'd probably cry or something."

Aero roared again. He released Red. Snor reached up and caught Red, before hugging him tightly.

"Thanks," Red gasped. Snor set him down on the ground. Red watched as Aero soared down, dropping Black about a foot from the ground.

"I hate this," Black grumbled. "Can we just not do this sort of thing next year?"

"No promises," Red said.

Red recalled his pokémon. They sprinted into the castle, up the staircases, darted down the corridor and towards the hospital wing. They could see Oak starting to emerge from the room. Red skidded to a halt as Oak emerged. Oak looked at them expectantly.

"Well?" he said.

"Did it," Red panted. "Alder's left on Lizzie."

Oak smiled. "Very good." He pushed the door open. "Go in, I'll lock you in."

They walked in. N and Gold looked over, just as expectant as Oak had been.

"It's all fine," Red said. He walked over to his bed and collapsed. "It's all fine. Except for Wallace. He got away. But so did Alder, and Lizzie."

Gold chucked a block of chocolate at Red.

Black pulled the time-turner from around his neck, studied it for a moment, before handing it back to N. "Thanks for that."

N shrugged. "I saved a pokémon by letting you use it."

Black rolled his eyes and nodded.

N pulled the chain back around his neck.

"…by the way," Black said. "You know that's not sand in it, right?"

N looked up. "What?"

"In the hourglass," Black clarified. "It's ground up celebi wings."

N shrieked, throwing the time-turner against the stonewall. It shattered.

Red couldn't know for sure, but he had a feeling that Black was smirking at the idea of being able to win arguments with N again.


The Daily Prophet newspaper the next day was filled with rants about the overall incompetence of the Ministry and chilled awe at the extent of Alder's assumed Dark magic. Red was pleased to find it lacking in details of his tragic close escape.

Despite having explained it multiple times to Gold and N, Red couldn't quite wrap his head around the time-travel. Black had tried to explain it with a page of neatly dot-pointed notes, a flow chart and had finally given up and written, 'JUST DON'T THINK ABOUT IT'.

After breakfast, Red ran to Steven's office. He wanted to make sure that Steven knew Alder was safe, but he immediately forgot what he wanted to say when he threw open Steven's office door. Steven was packing.

"You're leaving?" Red gasped.

"I have to," Steven said. "Word somehow managed to get out that I'm a werewolf."

"It was Volkner, wasn't it?" Red said. "Because he hates you."

"…yes, I think so," Steven sighed. "Anyway, if I stay, the complaints will never stop coming. Nobody would want a werewolf teaching their children."

"Then they're all stupid," Red stubbornly said.

"I could have bitten any one of you last night," Steven said. "I can't allow that to happen again. There have been too many close calls."

Red's scowl grew.

Steven smiled. He dropped a hand to Red's shoulder.

"I did it," Red muttered. "My patronus is an espeon."

Steven's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

Red nodded.

"Your mother's pokémagus was an umbreon," Steven said. "It seems fitting."

"Because I'm just like my mum?" Red asked dryly.

Steven studied Red's face for a moment. Then, to Red's amazement, he calmly said, "No. It seems fitting because when I think about it, you are remarkably like an espeon. You may not always communicate well, but you are always in touch with how other people feel and you are very fiercely loyal and protective. Though you are the obvious proof of how much Cynthia would give to save those she cared about, I highly doubt she would bother to the extent that you do to make sure everybody is contently getting through their petty dramas."

Red blinked, surprised. "Um… but… isn't it good for me to be like them?"

"Red, you are stunningly similar to your parents," Steven forcefully said. "You are brave, you are strong, and above all else, you try to do what is right. But that doesn't mean you're identical to them. You're not defined by who your parents were, Red. Not to the people who count."

Red frowned. "But, everybody always says —"

"That you look just like Cynthia? That you have Crimson's eyes?"

"Yeah."

"It's true, you do look like them," Steven said. "And sometimes, in the things you do — the way you stare when you're irritated is a very Potter trademark — but no, Red. You're different than them, too. For one thing, you're not always turning to books to find the solution to everything."

Red blinked in surprise. "They did that?"

Steven nodded. "Cynthia was fixated on reading the entire Hogwarts Library before she graduated, and Crimson cited so many sources it usually equalled the length of the essay."

Red frowned. "Oh…"

Steven's hand fell on his shoulder. "You're not what you think you are. And you will prevail."

"Over what?" Red asked.

"Whatever," Steven said. He snapped his bag shut. "Keep in touch, Red."

"I will," Red said. "And… and don't worry about… you know, that guy."

Steven smiled.

There was a knock at the door. Oak peered in. "Steven, if you're ready, the carriage is waiting."

"Thank you," Steven said. "Thank you for the opportunity, Professor."

"I'm only sad that you can't stay longer," Oak replied. "Farewell."

Red continued to frown as Steven left.

"You don't seem very pleased," Oak observed.

"Wallace still got away," Red said. "And I really don't get what the big deal about werewolves is. Steven's cool. It doesn't seem like much changed."

"You saved Alder and you saved Lizzie," Oak simply said. "And nobody died. Nobody was seriously wounded for long. That's definitely something."

Red nodded slowly. "Sir… there was something weird that Professor Morty said yesterday. About a servant breaking free and reuniting with the Dark Lord, and… and him coming back."

Oak looked out the window. "I see. So he made another real prophecy."

"Erm, yeah," Red said. He had no idea. "Does that mean Giovanni's gonna come back again?"

"Prophecies are not set in stone," Oak said. "They can be changed. The future is in flux; it can be changed."

"I hope so," Red said. "I like that nobody died this year."

"Me too," Oak grimly said. "Me too."

When Red reported back to the others, they were equally as outraged but far less surprised.

"You're not good at noticing the injustice," N said. "It's everywhere."

"Speaking of," Gold said. "What about poor Joey? He doesn't have a top per cent Rattata any more. His life'll have no meaning."

Red pondered this. "I'll fix it," he said. "First, I've got to check on Brock."

Brock was still ecstatic. He hugged Red so tightly that Red's spine cracked, and spun him around as he cheered about Lizzie's escape.

"I bred her so clever!" Brock giggled. "So clever!"

Red took the long way back, through the forest. It didn't seem like anything could harm him, not now that the dementors had been sent back to Azkaban and Alder was his godfather rather than his murderous stalker. It took him a while, but Red managed to find and capture a raticate. It had all its toes, but Red had a plan of what to tell Joey.

"A lot of pokémon freak out when they evolve," Red said. "They run away and things because their Trainer might think of them differently."

Joey gasped in horror. "No! I'd never!"

"They change a lot," Red said. "And they often do things like regrow toes. It works like that."

Joey hugged the raticate tightly. "Oh, Raticate, I'll always love you!"

Red sincerely hoped that Joey never found out that he'd been sleeping in the same bed as a thirty-something-year-old man.


The train ride back to Platform 9 ¾ was surprisingly pleasant. Black and N didn't bicker. Black didn't even glare at Zöllner. Red was glad for the peace. He wasn't sure what he'd find back at Pallet Town. It was definitely reassuring to know that Oak, and maybe Green, would be just across the street all summer.

"We'll try to get you away from the muggles as quickly as possible," Gold promised. "It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer, and you pretty much have to go. It's not optional." He looked at N. "That applies to you too."

"I doubt I can leave my duties at home," was N's regal reply.

"You can," Gold insisted.

They were halfway across the bridge when a rufflet squeezed in through the open window. It landed on Red's shoulder, pecked him in the face until he removed the letter from its leg, before flying around the compartment. Zöllner eyed it hungrily until N placed a firm hand on his head.

Red uncurled the letter.

Hi Red,

Thanks for your help. We're safe.

I'm heading south. I'll be sighted a few times, but don't be worried. I'm doing it to get rid of the dementors at Hogwarts.

You might want to keep the rufflet. They can be rare.

Keep in touch.

Aldie

"Alder's fine," Red reported to the others. He watched the rufflet zooming around. "He says if anybody wants that, they can have it. I don't think I'd be able to take care of it."

Black's eyes locked on it. "I will. I like it."

N's fingers curled in Zöllner's tuff of hair.

They arrived at the station sooner than Red had hoped. He stepped off the train with his stomach lurching. Pika kept patting his cheek reassuringly, but it didn't really help. N seemed to be similarly nervous, judging from how he was clutching Zöllner to his chest. As soon as they stepped across the barrier, the reason for N's nerves became apparent. Waiting for him, and standing out as bizarre even amongst a flock of magical students, was a man with long hair, the almost same shade of green as N's. Unlike N's, however, his hair was styled with deliberate caution, but the resemblance remained uncanny. His clothes included a bizarre purple cloak covered in ominous eyes and a monocle. Red was pretty sure that this guy was evil.

N swallowed heavily, said nothing to his friends, and approached the man. "Hello, Gh— Father."

So it was Ghetsis.

Ghetsis stared at Zöllner. "What is that?"

"An abused pokémon I found and healed," N said. "It wouldn't leave me alone."

Ghetsis opened his mouth to say something, but cut himself off when he noticed Red watching. "We will discuss this later," Ghetsis hissed. "Hurry up. I have come personally for a reason."

N didn't look back at them. He just followed Ghetsis from the station, arms tightening around Zöllner.

"Oi, Red. Stop staring up Plasma freaks," a voice called.

Red glanced over his shoulder. Green was sneering at him, Eevee perched on his shoulder.

"I'll stare at what I want," Red retorted.

Black grabbed Red by the arm. "Ignore him."

Gold made a noise of protest.

"Smell ya later, Scar-face!" Green shouted after them.

Red peered around the reuniting families. Near the entrance, he spotted Delia and with her, Ash.

"I'll see you later," Red said to Gold and Black. "Invite me over soon, okay?"

"You got it bro," Gold said.

Red walked over to Delia and Ash. "Hi," he awkwardly said.

"Hi cousin," Ash said, smiling widely.

It seemed like Ash had forgotten anything had happened.

"What's that?" Delia asked, gesturing to Alder's letter. Red hadn't realised that he was still clutching it.

"A letter," Red said. "From my godfather."

"Your godfather?" Delia repeated. "You don't have a godfather."

"I do. He was Mum's best friend, but now he's just an escaped convict," Red replied. "Don't worry, he didn't do it. He's still on the run, though. For now."

"For now," Delia repeated weakly.

Red couldn't help smirking as he said, "Yep. For now."


One more arc down! I can sleep easy now.

From the next arc, I will be splitting the arcs into larger parts. To avoid more forty-five page chapters. I will also start introducing narration by other characters. Hope nobody minds.

Thanks for reading! Please share with me any thoughts, feelings and questions you have. Even just saying things that you liked, or things that you didn't, helps me improve as a writer. And if you wanna be kept up to date on my progress, I rant a lot on tumblr and the tag I use can be found at: .com (slash) tagged (slash) red+potter

Until next time, stay excellent.