Home for the Holidays:

It didn't take long for Harry, Ariadne, Ron, and Hermione to figure out where Voldermort was staying. They couldn't believe that Sirius and Professor Dumbledore hadn't thought of the place before.

"Why don't you just tell them about the dream?" Hermione asked while they were planning different ways to sneak out of the Black Mansion during Spring Break. Remus and Sirius said Hermione and Ron could come there because Ariadne was grounded to her room, so Harry wouldn't be bored out of his mind.

"Because, I'm almost off of restriction and Remus and Sirius will have me followed around the castle with security Trolls if they think I'm in danger," Harry said getting a giggle out of Ariadne who knew that what he was saying was absolutely true.

"I still think this is a stupid idea," Hermione said.

"Ah come off it Hermione. We're not going to fight Voldermort, we're just going to see if anybody's home," Ron said thinking that this was going to be a great adventure. It would probably top going after the Sorcerer's Stone and into the Chamber of Secrets. Sure his bum was going to pay a big price for this adventure as it did with the others but the reward before had been worth it. And to think if he helped bring down Voldermort, he would be considered one of the greatest wizards of all time.

"So how are we going to spring me? You know Dad and Uncle Remus always use wards on my room when I'm restricted," Ariadne said pouting.

"I know the wards they use and Hermione was nice enough to find a counter spell," Harry said smiling.

"Really?" Ariadne asked excitedly smiling brightly at her brother and friends.

"Yes, but I still think this is a very very bad idea. There a too many things that can go wrong. What if You Know Who or Wormtail gets his hands on Harry? We won't have anybody to back us up," Hermione said.

"Hermione, Harry's gone after him before and he always wins. Harry's as strong as You Know Who and he's a better wizard," Ariadne bragged.

"Ariadne, that's not true," Harry said blushing. He hated when Ariadne did that, but knew she was just proud of him. Ariadne just smiled back at him.

Harry and Ariadne arrived at Black Manor a few days later and were greeted by a smiling Sirius. He loved having his children home from school. To be honest he was a little jealous that Remus got to see them every day. Ariadne knew her Uncle wouldn't be home until tomorrow, so she decided to play the "Dad against Uncle" game. She knew they probably talked about her punishment, but it never hurt to try. Ariadne smiled at her Dad brightly before throwing herself into his arms.

"How's school been? Have you lot stayed out of trouble?" Sirius asked.

"Yes sir," was said by both of his children.

Sirius smiled at his daughter and asked,

"Sure about that?"

"As long as you don't count my last misdeed, I've been an absolute angel. So I really shouldn't have to stay in my room for all of Spring Break."

"I'll talk to Moony about it," Sirius promised.

"Thanks Dad," Ariadne said throwing herself back into her Dad's arms and then looked into his eyes and said with a conspiratorial grin, "Can Tonks come over tonight?"

Sirius just laughed and hugged her harder before saying,

"Until I talk to him you need to get up to your room."

"Yes sir. Can Harry come up?" Ariadne asked smiling brightly.

"Nope, I want some time with my Godson, before Ron and Hermione get here. You get to see him every day," Sirius said.

"So you don't want to see me?" Ariadne whined deciding to use some emotional blackmail against her father, because she wasn't ready to go upstairs yet.

"I'll come and spend some time with you in a little while, I promise," Sirius said knowing she wasn't really upset she just didn't want to head up to her room yet.

Ariadne gave her Dad a smile and ran up the stairs.

"So how's school going?" Sirius asked.

"Good. I'm glad I'm off restriction. Is there any way I can move back up to Gryffindor Tower when we get back?"

"Not yet. There are a lot of things going on that you don't know about. Moony and I just want to keep you safe."

"I know that Sirius, but I miss sleeping in my own bed and being with my friends. Half the fun of going away to school is having independence."

"I get that Harry, I really do, but your safety's more important than your freedom. How are your preparations going for the final task?"

"I'm really trying not to think about it. Every time I look at the Quidditch field I want to scream. It's not fair. Everyone in the school wanted to do this except me and I'm the one who has to do it."

"I'm really sorry about that Harry and I wish I could do something about it."

"Have you figured out who put my name in the cup yet?"

"No but when we do, I promise to let you know."

"Remus will let you?"

Sirius barked out a laugh and said smiling,

"I'll talk him into it."

Harry gave his Godfather a quick smile back and said,

"I don't know about that. Remus loves his secrets."

"That he does. That he does."

A half hour later Ariadne heard a slight tap on her door. She met her father with a big smile and said,

"I owled Tonks and asked her over for supper."

Sirius just walked over and started tickling his daughter.

"I didn't tell you if I was sold on your not being grounded."

"Come on Dad, I really didn't mean for all of that to happen. It was supposed to be funny. Haven't you ever played a prank that went totally wrong?"

Sirius sat there silent for a few minutes and decided that he would tell her the story about the meanest prank he ever played in his life in fact he decided he would tell both Harry and Ariadne the story.

"Harry, come up here for a few minutes."

Harry walked into the room and Sirius pointed to the bed.

"Have you ever wondered why Professor Snape and I don't get along?" Sirius started.

"Didn't it have something to do with my Dad and Mum?" Harry asked.

"Yes and no. Snape had a crush on your Mum, but she liked James, well most of the time. Like me James could be a prat. Anyway, Snape had gotten me into a huge amount trouble."

"How?" Ariadne interrupted.

"That really…"

"Come on it couldn't have been that bad," Harry said.

"Snape turned me in for stealing potions ingredients so I could make a hangover potion," Sirius said turning bright red, "Now before you complain about your punishment for drinking Harry, you should know that your Grandfather was contacted and he took the liberty of turning my bum a bright shinny red with a slipper no less."

"Dad, why didn't Professor Dumbledore call your parents when you were in trouble?" Ariadne asked. She knew her grandparents were bigots, but couldn't understand why they didn't care about their son.

"My father decided to take my punishments to the extreme more than once while I attended Hogwarts. James worried about me when I came back after being sent home because of one of our pranks covered in bruises. He contacted his father and Mr. Potter talked to Professor Dumbledore."

"So your father abused you?" Ariadne asked sadly.

"He didn't like my choices," Sirius said trying to shrug it off.

"And your Mum didn't stop him?" Harry asked.

"My Mum was worse. She blasted me off the Black Family Tree the second I was sorted into Gryffindor."

"That's horrible," Ariadne said angrily.

"It's over now baby and I promise I'm fine with all of it, in fact the Potters were the best thing that ever happened to me and they loved me like a son. Even after what I did to Snape."

"Ok, Dad quit stalling, what did you do to Snape?" Ariadne asked.

"Now mind you I didn't think anything bad would really happen when I did it and if I really would have thought about it, I wouldn't have done it. If I would have told James or Remus what I was thinking, they would have talked me out of it. Actually James would have tied me to the bed. What I was planning really wasn't fair to do to Remus either," Sirius said still stalling but knew Harry and Ariadne wouldn't let him get away with it for too much longer. Sirius sighed when he heard the aggravated 'Dad, Sirius,' from both Harry and Ariadne. At that second he wasn't sure if this was the best idea.

"I'm sure Remus told you that the Whomping Willow was planted the year he started Hogwarts."

"Yeah, so Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore could sneak him out of the castle and up to the Shrieking Shack during the full moon," Ariadne said.

"Well, when we found out the truth about what Moony really was, he told us how to get to the Shrieking Shack. He liked having the company of our animagi while he was transformed."

"Wasn't that dangerous?" Harry asked.

"Yes and no. Werewolves tend to bite humans not animals and we were animals."

"It was still dangerous. If Harry or I ever did something like that you'd make sitting a thing of the past."

"True, but we were young and stupid and luckily for us, our parents and Dumbledore didn't know how stupid we were being. Anyway, James and I had a row about something the night before the full moon, so he said he wasn't going out with us that night. Letting me put my plan into action."

"What was the plan?" Ariadne asked.

"To scare the pants off of Snape."

"You didn't," Ariadne accused angrily thinking she already knew what her father did and couldn't believe anyone could be that mean.

"Yes, I did. I used a special quill that made my writing look like Lily's and told Snape to meet me at Shrieking Shack using the passage under the Whomping Willow. Snape totally bought the lie because he wanted Lily so bad."

"You were just going to let him walk into a room with a fully transformed werewolf?" Harry asked in shock.

"Yes, I was. Remus was always in chains so I didn't think anything would happen. Luckily James found out what I was doing and stopped Snape just in time, but Snape found out at that moment what Remus really was."

"I can't believe you would do that to Uncle Remus," Ariadne said angrily.

"Trust me, Ariadne it wasn't the greatest moment in my life."

"So what happened?" Harry asked.

"James dragged me and Snape to Professor Dumbleore's office and he made me tell him what I did."

"What did Professor Dumbledore do? I mean he's been pretty mad at Fred, George, and me but we would never intentionally put someone's life at risk," Ariadne said.

"Professor Dumbledore used his headmaster's rights and lit me up like a Christmas tree in front of James and Snape no less. I was restricted to the dorms for the rest of the term plus Mr. Potter collected me the next weekend and used a paddle on my bare bum."

"What did Uncle Remus say?"

"I begged James not to tell him. I thought he would hate me. You know how careful Remus is during the full moon and I almost allowed him to bite someone. I thought Remus would never forgive me."

"My Dad made you tell him?"

"James was all about honestly especially when it came to the Marauders. I think that's why Wormtail's betrayal was so hard to take."

"How did James find out what you were doing and where you and Snape were going?" Ariadne asked.

"How does Remus find you at school?"

"He used the map against you?" Harry asked.

"Yep. James knew me pretty well and knew how angry I was at Snape, so he was worried that I was going to do something stupid and he was right. In fact the row was about Snape and that I should just let it go. Of course I was a little hard headed back then…"

"Back then?" Remus interrupted walking into Ariadne's room smiling.

"Hey Moony," Sirius said looking sheepishly at his best friend.

"Take it your telling them the tale of Snape and the Werewolf?"

"All about my stupidity and why you have to really think about how pranks might affect other people."

"I can't believe he did that to you and you forgave him," Ariadne said angrily.

"Forgiveness has no bounds, Ariadne. Sirius forgave me for believing he killed James in a matter of seconds and to be honest, it took a long time for me to forgive him after he did that," Remus admitted.

"I deserved it. I destroyed your secret and trust in a matter of minutes, along with James'."

Ariadne and Harry both knew Sirius lost Peter's trust as well, but there was a unspoken understanding that his name was never mentioned in their house or when discussing the Marauders. It was like Peter never existed unless they were talking about Voldermort.

"So how did you get it back?" Harry asked.

"Groveling, lots and lots of groveling," Sirius said with a smile, "Plus I have very understanding friends and to make things even easier, Snape messed up about a week later by calling Lily a mudblood that sort of sealed his fate and got me out of the dog house."

"Well that and Mr. Potter…" Remus started and realized that Sirius hadn't told him the whole story especially when he saw Sirius' look of horror.

"What did Mr. Potter do?" Ariadne asked smiling. Her Dad was so busted.

"You want to tell them or should I?" Remus asked smiling.

"Come on Moony, it's too embarrassing."

"Dad, Sirius…" Harry and Ariadne complained again.

"Alright, after taking me to his house and turning my bum five shades of red the man came through the fireplace in Gryffindor Tower dragged me up to our room and gave me five with the slipper after making me stand in the corner for a half an hour every night for two weeks. Everyone in the tower knew what was going on, it was totally embarrassing, but I deserved it," Sirius said seriously.

"Did you get punished over the holiday as well?" Ariadne asked.

Sirius looked at Remus, who said,

"No."

"So, can I get paroled?" Ariadne begged.

"We'll discuss it," Sirius said.

The two men walked out of the room leaving Harry and Ariadne.

"So do you think I'm getting out of here?" Ariadne asked.

"I don't know, but I hope so. It'll make our plan so much easier," Harry said smiling.

Sirius looked guiltily at Remus the minute they were in the study.

"So what made you decide to share tonight?"

"I'm hoping my little girl would learn from my mistakes."

"And you want to let her off of restriction," Remus said.

"Come on Moony, she deserves a break. She…"

"She doesn't think things through."

"Do you honestly think she would have done that if she even thought someone was going to get hurt?"

"No, but she has to learn…"

"Ariadne is always going to pull pranks and the guilt alone from the last one will make her think twice about what she's going to do."

"I want her in that room for at least two more days and then I'll spring her," Remus said smiling.

"Oh, by the way, Tonks is coming over for supper," Sirius teased before walking out of the study leaving a red faced Remus.

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Hermione and Ron showed up at the Manor a few days later and were pleasantly surprised to see Ariadne was no long on restriction. Like Harry said it was going to make things a lot easier.

"So how are we going to do this?" Hermione asked.

"We're going to need a sleeping potion," Ariadne said.

"Do you have the ingredients?" Hermione asked.

"Yep, I borrowed them from Snape's private stores, but it takes two days to brew and we have to make sure Dad and Uncle Remus have no idea what we're doing or this is over before it begins," Ariadne warned.

"I have the perfect spot for us to brew it," Harry said leading them out to a storage shed.

"Think we can do it?" Hermione asked.

"Your brains and my knack for potion making should make it pretty easy," Ariadne said.

"How many hours are you going to have to work on it each day?" Ron asked.

"Five or six," Ariadne said with a shrug.

"So how are we going to do that?" Ron asked.

"Very carefully," Harry said with a smile.