disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter

A.N. It may not seem like much happens in this chapter, but the next chapter will be the beginning of the end and this chapter somewhat starts all that.

Chapter 9

The rest of the holiday went by pretty fast and soon Hermione and Harry was waiting at the entrance to welcome Ron back, he, like them was glad to see them. And glad to be back at Hogwarts, he did enjoy seeing Charlie and had a pretty good Christmas, and bragged about what he got, Harry did the same, but Hermione just listened with a smile, not being one for bragging and plus how could she brag to boys about what a girl got, they wouldn't see how great that was, unless they were into girly things or books.

She did laugh out loud at the look on Ron face when Harry showed him the Firebolt, his eyes got big, mouth dropped, and looked like he was going to pass out and of course he had to have a go on it. Ron wasn't the only one to drool over the broom either, Seamus and Dean had to take a turn on it, so did Fred and George, and Oliver Wood looked as if he was going to jump for joy at the thought of his seeker flying around on the fastest broom out so far.

When news got back to the Ravenclaws about Harry's new broom most, not all of them, but most, got scared of losing the cup, and a lot of the Gryffindors had taken to following Harry around to make sure nothing happened to him before the game, he suspected Oliver of arranging that, and even Ron seem to be a bit alert when any Ravenclaw or Slytherin came within so many feet of Harry.

Slytherin because once they found out about Harry's broom they vowed to make sure Gryffindor didn't win, in fact the closer it got to the match, the more it seemed like Slytherin was more concern about Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw than the Ravenclaws. Which to Harry seemed a bit ridiculous. Just showed how much Slytherin wanted Gryffindor to lose and how much they hated each other.

Hermione thought it was ridiculous how a game would cause so much hate and revelry. Which caused Ron and Harry to give her a weird look.

"All I'm saying is it's a shame." Hermione went on, they were in the library supposedly studying for one their exams that was coming up. "What can be a nice friendly game between the House makes everyone dislike each other. It's just Quidditch."

"Just Quidditch?" Ron asked shaking his head. "Where did we go wrong with her, Harry?"

"I have no idea, Ronny, no idea." Harry said. "She must haven been hanging out with the wrong people."

"Don't call me Ronnie." Ron frowned at him. "And, yes she must have."

"Oh, you two." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Are you saying the fact that our house mates, your Quidditch mates, Harry, have been getting attacked is all worth it just to win a game?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Well, no." Harry said. Ron looked down, then shook his head.

"But even if Hogwarts didn't play Quitddict Gryffindor and Slytherin still couldn't be friends." Ron said. "Too much hate, goes all the way back to the beginning of our families."

Hermione looked down and wrote something a piece of parchment. "It's a shame too, must the Slytherins aren't even to blame for the way they act."

"What?" Ron demanded. "Why the bloody hell not, they know what they're doing."

"You misunderstand me Ron." Hermione said. "Yes, they can be to blame, but their parents can too. They are the ones that teach them to act the way they do, from an early age they're taught to hate muggle-born, and that they are better than those that are not of purblood." Hermione took a breath. "Yes, when they are older they should be able to realize right from wrong, but by then they have had their parents views to drilled into their heads, they have a different view of right or wrong."

"She's got a point there." Harry said. Thinking about it.

"It's just a shame, because if the other houses didn't shun Slytheirn so much and tried to make an effort to befriend them, then it might just stop another You-Know-Who." Hermione said. "And we could show them that what they are taught is wrong. They everyone deserves to be treated the same."

"Hermione." Ron said. "I understand now what you are saying, but do you really think they would listen if we tried? Really?"

"Some might." Hermione said, but she didn't sound so sure herself.

"It's a nice thought, Hermione." Harry said. "But I think it's too late, the Slytherins and not just Slytherin purbloods either, but some in the other houses as well, they have this idea of how the wizard world should be drilled into them from an early age, lke you just said, so there is no changing that view."

"You don't know that." Hermione said. Harry reached over and grabbed her hand.

"Hermione, honey, I was taught since I could talk my parents view of what is right and wrong." Harry said. "So was Ron, it just happened that our parents believes...well, I won't say the right way, who knows what's really right or wrong, but our parents just happened to believe to treat everyone fairly, that blood status doesn't really matter."

"That's right." Ron nodded. "And for us believe such we out blood traders of our own kind."

Harry pulled his hand back. "If Ron's parents were more like...say Malfoy's, then he would be Malfoy's best mate not ours."

Ron snorted. "I don't know, Harry if I was in SLytherin, I think I would still hate Malfoy."

"What about You-Know-Who then?" Hermione demanded. Harry frowned.

"What about him?" Harry asked.

"Who would have drilled all that hate into him?" Hermione asked. "You said he said in that memory the dairy took you in, You-Know-Who said he was lived in an orphanage, I've never heard of any wizards orphanages-"

"You mean you never read of any." Ron snorted, Hermione shot him a glare before turning back to Harry.

"Well?" She raised her eyebrows.

"I guess...some people are just born evil." Harry shrugged.

"And some people can be born good." Hermione said. "Just think about it, if more people took an effort to show them good, then just maybe-" Hermione let that thought trail as she went back to her work and Ron and Harry just looked at each other, raised eyebrows and all. "You've heard of the saying, the black sheep in the family right. Well, just maybe there is one in Slytherin."

"I don't know, Hermione." Ron said. "If that was so, then they would have been sorted into a different house, wouldn't they?"

Hermione looked up at Ron. "Not all Slytherins or bad, they couldn't be, just like not all Gryffindors are good." She closed her book and got up to take it back to a self and find a different one. Not finding what she needed in that one. And she left Ron and Harry to set there and think about what she said.

"Harry, I just found out who the Ravenclaw seeker is." A couple of days later Oliver Wood came rushing into the common room and over to where Harry and his friends sat by the fireplace; Hermione in one armchair, Harry another, Ron on the sofa.

"Who is it?" Harry asked.

"Cho Chang." Wood said. "She's a fourth year...pretty good, actaully...well, I was hoping she wouldn't get to play, she's had problems with injuries, but I just heard from a fourth year Hufflpuff that Cho mentioned in Potions this morning that she has been cleared to play by Madam Pomfrey."

"Don't worry, Oliver, I'm sure I can beat her." Harry said. Oliver frowned.

"There is one more thing." He looked around then lowered his voice. "Cho is known to distract the other seekers by trying to flirt with him, so...well don't fall for it."

Hermione made a noise in her throat and all three, Ron, Harry and Oliver turned and looked at her.

"Harry wouldn't fall for some...girl, flirting with him." Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's not...like that."

"Good." Oliver nodded. "And about your dementor problem..."

"I pretty much got that taken care of too, Oliver." Harry said. "Don't worry so much, mate, this game is pretty much already won."

"Good." Oliver nodded. "I'll leave you to whatever you were doing, I need to find Fred and George." He walked away calling. "Go to bed early night before the game." As he went.

"Bloody metal, that one is." Ron said, nodded toward Oliver Wood.

The rumors about Cho seemed to be somewhat right, the day of the match came quickly, it was a nice sunny day, just a bit chilly. And as Harry stood with his team ready to be told to go in the air, across from him, Cho Chang stood, she kept playing with her long silky black hair, and winking at him, Harry just gave her a nod of the head and turned away.

Cho was a pretty girl Harry could admit that, but the flirty, girly, who use her looks to get what she wants type wasn't he's. Though he did also have to admit he didn't know his type or if he had a type, but Cho didn't seem to be it. And for a split second Hermione flashed in his mind, but quickly vanished has the wrestle blew andthey took to the air.

The game was a good one, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were neck to neck pretty much through the whole thing, Ravenclaw would score only to have Gryffindor score one right after, nether stayed ahead of the other for pretty long, both trying all they could to win this match.

All through the game Harry searched for the snitch, but the little golden ball was doing a good job staying out of sight. And another one doing a good job was Cho, a good job of following after Harry and watch his every move which was really annoying him, and whenever Harry would try to give her a glare she would smile and try flirt to get Harry's mind off the game. Harry was beginning to wonder if that was the only reason she was on the Gryffindor team.

Finally, two hours into the game, Harry spotted the sntich, flouting not too far away from him, he took off, Cho right behind him, and has Harry reached for the ball, Cho grabbed hold of his leg, jerking him a bit, the snitch got away and took off out of sight, Harry spun around and gave Cho his best glare, she just shrugged.

"You have to catch the snitch to win too you know." Harry snapped, Cho winked at him and flew off. Harry mumbled a string of cuss words and called Cho names that would make his Mum wash his mouth out.

And it would be yet another hour before Harry would spot the snitch, not long before that Cho appeared at his side again. He couldn't help but think how she better be glad that his mother always taught him not to hit girls, he was damn near close to knocking her a good one, and Wood yelling, not to be a gentleman and knock her off her broom wasn't helping any either.

Once Harry caught the snitch he took off after it, Cho right behind him, and as he reached for it, once again, she grabbed his leg, he was ready this time and jerked his broom forward, jerking Cho, and almost making her fall from her broom, as his hand closed around the golden sntich.

Harry hardly heard the wrestle blow over the crowd cheering and Wood yelling.

"Gryffindor wins."

Harry's feet landed on the ground, his team mates landed around him and gave him pats on the back, and Katie, Angelina, and Alicia kissed his cheeks, Wood actually hugged him, lifting him, making his feet lifted off the ground.

Hermione and Ron pushed their way through Harry's team mates to reach Harry, Hermione hugged him tightly, and Ron slapped him hard on the back.

"Good game, Harry."

"Alright, son." Harry heard a familiar voice and looked to his left to see his Dad hurrying to him, along with Lupin.

"DAD!" Harry cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too." James laughed and gave Harry a one arm hug. "A friend wanted to see your match." He pointed down and Harry didn't notice before but his dog Buddy was with him.

"Buddy." Harry ran forward and petted the dog, who braked and jumped up, licking his face. "Buddy, that's gross, stop."

Buddy looked a lot better than the last time Harry saw him, he wasn't as skinny, and his fur had been trimmed and combed.

"You look at lot better, Buddy." Harry grinned. "Mum give you a bath?"

For some reason that made Lupin burst out laughing and James to glare at him. Hermione frowned and looked from Lupin to James, then to the dog, if anyone was paying attention to her, they could see the wheels turning in her head.

"I didn't know you were going to be here, dad." Harry said, standing Buddy barked and wagged his tail wanting more attention.

"I happen to be staying in Hogsmeade for a while." James said. "I've been there for a few days now."

Harry frowned. "Why? What about Mum?"

"Nothing for you to worry about." James said. "Your mother is fine, we haven't had a fight or anything, just...business I have around here so..."

"What business?" Harry demanded.

"Never you mind what business, Harry." James said. Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Lupin patted his shoulder.

"If I'm not mistaken, your follow Gryffindors are probably in the common room right now wanting to celebrate you victory."

"Of course they are." James grinned. "They always did when I won the cup every year." Buddy barked at James, making him laugh.

Harry wanted to argue and try to get out of his dad what he was doing in Hogsmead he had a feeling it was something to do with what he and Sirius Black was after before, but Hermione had grabbed his and Ron's hands and dragged them up the castle all the way to Gryffindor tower, and right through the portrait hole, they had paused a moment while people cheered and shook Harry's hand, patted his back, and in the case of Gryfffindor girls hugged him, and kissed his cheeks.

Fred and George had already taken a trip to the kitchens and the room was loaded with food and drinks. Once they made it through the crowd, grabbed plates and drinks and sat in there favorite stops and begin to eat Hermione said.

"I think Buddy is Sirius Black."

Harry and Ron paused both sticking chips in their mouth and frowned at her.

"What?"

"It makes sense." Hermione said. "Buddy appeared the time Sirius Black escaped, he was all gross looking, nappy hair, dirty, extremely thin. Plus never around when your parents were."

"That doesn't mean he's an Azkaban escapee." Ron said. "He could just be a dog."

"Harry, you've thought you' ve seen a dog that looks like him around your dad's animagus form." Hermione said. "He's with your dad now. You told us a long time ago, that your dog had become animagus while in school, your Mum made him register after he left and taught her how to do it."

"Yes."

"Well, his friends probably did too." Hermione said. "They got into everything else together."

"I guess, but that would mean Lupin and Pettigrew was one too." Harry said.

"That's true." Hermione frowned and leaned back thinking.

"While you two debate on rather or not Sirius Black is a dog." Ron stood. "I'm going to go give Scabbers some chips, he loves them." Ron made it up the stairs carrying his plate of chips, Harry on the other hand sat his aside.

"I guess it could be possible." Harry said. "Then Pettigrew would have been one too."

Hermione suddenly gasped, but whatever she was going to say, she didn't get to finish Ron suddenly yelled out, then came running down the stairs holding up a sheet with a bit of a blood stain on it.

"Look what your cat did!" He yelled. "He killed Scabbers, poor Scabbers."

"How do you-"

"Look at the blood Hermione of course he's dead!" Ron cried. "And there is a cat hair a ginger cat hair on my bed."

Hermione looked from Ron who was shouting in her face, to the bit of blood on the sheet, after a moment she tossed her plate down and went running up the stairs, crying.

"That was real low, Ron." Harry said, shaking his head.

"What? Her cat?"

"That's right her cat?" Harry said. "Not her, Hermione didn't do it, and it may not be her cat, there is all kinds of cats at Hogwarts a lot here in Gryffindor and one of the sixth years has an orange stripped cat."

"It was Crookshanks." Ron said. "He's the one who was always after Schabbers. He turned then went stumping up the dorm stairs.

Harry blew his bangs out of his eyes and leaned back, the good mood of winning the cup gone, he had a feeling, that freaking cat and rat would lead to something like this, now on top of worrying about what his dad was up, and rather or not Sirius Black was really innocent or really after him, now he had to worry about rather or not his two best friends would ever talk to each other again.

"I knew this year had been too quiet, something was bound to happen." Harry said to himself out loud. Nothing is never normal for him.

A.N. Hope you like this chapter, hopefully is won't take too long to get the next one up. Sorry this one was a bit short, net will be longer, I promise and will strt on it once I get to feeling better.