That morning Harry woke up in a sweat, panting he pulled back his curtains needing air. Ron was pulling on his shoes when he looked over at Harry. Giving Harry a concerned look he asked "nightmare or vision?"

Harry glanced up, taking a large gulp of air he responded "nightmare".

Ron winced sympathetically "That's what nearly every night this month?" Harry nodded (it was really nearly every night since the fourth tournament Harry could probably count on his hands how many nights he had slept through without disturbance. Harry hadn't told that to Ron he didn't want to worry the red head, but thanks to Ron's new found observation hobby it was getting harder to hide the signs of his sleepless nights) getting his breathing under control he tried to smile at Ron. "Maybe you should talk to Madame Pomfrey about it mate, she might be able to give you some dreamless sleep at least?" Ron said clearly not buying it.

Harry shook his head "No, it's addictive, I won't be able to take it all the time, I'm fine. Really, it's not a big deal".

Ron looked unconvinced "I won't bug you about it mate, but I'm here if you want to talk and please think about talking to Madame Pomfrey at least. She might know of something that can help. Anyway I was about to wake you. It's almost time for breakfast". Harry nodded and gathered what he needed for the bathroom. Walking out awake and refreshed twenty minutes later, Harry, Ron and Neville went down to breakfast. Hermione and Ginny were sitting down one end of the table, Ginny throwing looks at Harry that he couldn't decipher. Shrugging inwardly he sat down and started eating. Luna joined them when she walked in.

"Good morning, lovely day today isn't it?" she hummed at them.

"Hey Luna, yeah it is. You still right for this afternoon?" Harry asked

"Oh yes, this morning I'm going to go for a walk in the forest and visit the threstrals. I think one of them is pregnant, it's ever so interesting" she replied.

Trying not to think about what a skeletal horse would look like pregnant Harry continued eating his breakfast. "Well Ron and I have Quidditch practice until lunch, Nev what are you going to do this morning?"

"I was going to do some work in the greenhouses for Professor Sprout, she's been letting me help her this year and she's expecting a new shipment of plants today" Neville answered eagerly.

"Sounds like you'll have fun mate" said Ron around a mouthful of bacon. They talked for a while longer about what they hoped to achieve this afternoon. An owl arrived for Harry, he fed it a piece of sausage and removed the thick letter. It was from Fleur. Smiling he tucked the letter inside his satchel. He would reply to it later when he had time. Finishing breakfast Harry and Ron left to get ready for Quidditch practice. They made their way back up to the dorms to grab their Quidditch gear, when they were there Harry remembered what Blaise had said last night. Noticing Ron was busy untangling the ties on his pads, Harry went into his trunk, selecting the library compartment he started browsing the shelves. Spotting the book he was after (The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer, it was a book he had borrowed from the library in Little Whinging once and forgotten to return) he spelled the book clean and changed the trunk to his study compartment. Making a note to have a replacement book sent to the library (maybe a task for Dobby?) he erased all the marks from the book and wrapped it in some packaging paper he had in a drawer. Taking another piece of parchment he penned a short note.

Climbing back out of the trunk he saw Hedwig waiting for him. Grabbing some owl treats from the bedside table he went over to her. "You're such a clever girl aren't you? This is for Blaise Zabini, he's in Slytherin, find him after breakfast okay?" giving her the treats he tied the package to her leg. She butted her head against his palm and took off to find the recipient.

Ron was watching him "what was that about?" he asked.

Harry turned and starting pulling on his Quidditch armour, "It's Zabini's birthday today, he told me last night. I happened to have an old book I thought he might find interesting, I didn't need it anymore so I thought I'd give it to him. It's no big deal" Harry said moving on to tie his leather gauntlets to his forearms. Ron snorted but accepted it. They set off for the Quidditch Pitch.

Blaise woke that morning to his mother's owl. It bore a large gift and a letter. Filling a glass on his bedside table, the owl took a long drink and Blaise directed it to the owlery where it could sleep off the long journey. Deciding to dress first he made his way to the bathroom for his morning routine. Sitting back on his bed the other boys were waking, he received packages of various sweets and school supplies from his dorm mates. Thanking them he opened the letter from his mother.

My Darling Blaise,

Today is your seventeenth birthday and I know you must be nervous. Please remember to relax and have some fun today. You weren't born until 10.30pm after all. I won't lie to you my darling, it will hurt but it won't last long and tomorrow when you wake you will be able to find your mate! I realise this may also be causing you distress but don't worry, I know that whoever your soulmate is, they will be a wonderful person who will love you as deeply as you love them, as much as I loved your father and as much as he loved me.

Happy Birthday darling

Love always

Mother

She had gotten him a new cloak for the coming winter. It was a beautiful black with a soft charcoal fur lining. It had subtle black silk embroidery along the edges of the robe and a deep hood. It was charmed to repel wind, rain and snow. There was a set of matching gloves charmed for warmth. He smiled, his mother had great taste and knew what he liked. He placed the gloves in his pocket and placed the cloak in his magically extended satchel, he would need them later when he and the girls went for their picnic. Stretching he left the boys dorm, Daphne and Tracey met him in the common room Daphne had a basket which she would not let him look in and Tracey had a blanket folded over her arm. Giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek each they handed him their gifts. They had each brought him a book, Daphne's was on obscure Roman Gods and Tracey's was about the indigenous wizarding tribes of Australia. He thanked them both; he had neither of these books in his ever growing collection and knew that their choices were reflections on how well they knew him. Not many people knew Blaise's passion for history, though he had many acquaintances he did not have many good friends. He preferred meaningful relationships over fleeting friendships and Tracey and Daphne were the two people who weren't family that he was closest to. Tucking his gifts into his bag they went to breakfast, he would read them later. After they ate Tracey conjured a basket and they filled it with fruit, toast and pitchers of juice to keep for the picnic. Daphne placed cooling charms whilst Blaise shot a stasis spell at it to keep it fresh until lunchtime.

"You know" Daphne sighed "this would be so much easier if we knew where the kitchens were".

"I'll bet you ten galleons Potter knows where they are" replied Tracey, Blaise started at the mention of Potter.

"Oh Trace, come off it. How would Potter know where the kitchens are?" Daphne exclaimed as they moved off towards the grounds "and is this a part of your whole Potter is a Slytherin theory?" she mocked.

"Hmmm, no I don't think it's a Slytherin thing to know where the kitchens are, after all we don't and our parents don't. I just mean he knew about the nook why not the kitchens?" Tracey teased back.

Daphne gave her an amused look "well I'll take that bet and your money Tracey. Now we just need to figure out how to ask him". They were tossing ideas back and forth while they walked over towards a spot on the grounds near the Quidditch Pitch on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They could lean against the thick trunks of the trees and they had a lovely view of the castle and the grounds. Blaise putting the basket from breakfast on the ground took the blanket from Tracey placing an enlarging spell on the blanket they spread it out so it covered a fair sized area. They would be able to stretch out and move about on the rug quite comfortably.

He spoke up then, interrupting their newest idea to wrest the information from Potter "we could just ask him tomorrow" the girls both stared at him.

Daphne recovered the quickest and asked him tetchily "what do you mean ask him tomorrow?"

"I invited him to study with me tomorrow, I wanted his advice on the potions assignment. He agreed to it, I'm yet to owl him with a time though" Daphne was gaping at him. "You do not have to present if you don't want to be" it was amusing Blaise thought, he had never made her speechless before. Tapping her jaw with his fingers he closed her mouth with a grin.

Tracey had arranged her scattered thoughts and was now pelting him with questions "What do you mean input on the potions assignment? Potter can't be so good at potions you want his help, when did you ask him? How did you meet him to ask him? Was that who you were with last night and the afternoon before?" Blaise was holding up his hands with a pleading look on his face to try and halt her flow of questions when a beautiful white snowy owl swooped gracefully down in front of him. "That's Potter's owl" Tracey said both accusingly and worshipfully "she's so beautiful, I've always wanted to see her up close".

Hedwig preened as if she understood Tracey, then giving a soft hoot hopped closer to Blaise. He noticed the package tied around her leg. Untying it he spoke to her "would you wait for a moment? I may have a letter to send back to your master" hooting again she fluttered into the tree above them. Tracey was watching her with avid eyes, Daphne's sharp eyes however, were on the parcel Blaise had received. Opening it he felt that it was a book and he read the note on top:

Zabini,

You said you were interested in history, this book is a detailed journalistic account of the muggle dictator and war we were discussing last night. I thought you might like to know more.

Happy Birthday
HP

Arching his eyebrows he turned the book over to read the back cover. He flipped it open to read the inside jacket as well. The book was in remarkable condition and Potter had obviously taken it from his personal collection as he had very little notice about Blaise's birthday. That made the gift even better in Blaise's eyes. One Potter had bothered to get him a gift at all when they had only had a few (albeit long) conversations previously. Two he had given something of his own to Blaise and three it was something he thought Blaise would enjoy, a history book; on a subject Blaise had shown an interest in. Blaise was very surprised. Daphne made an impatient noise and Blaise knew he had some explaining to do. So he told Daphne and Tracey that he had 'run in' to Potter Thursday evening and then again Friday afternoon. He told them Potter had been making potions for the hospital wing (but not about the Wolfsbane) and that he had spent the previous evening with him as well.

"Daphne, I rather think that Tracey will win that bet. Potter showed me an amazing room that you will have to see to believe and also a secret passageway that takes you immediately from the seventh floor to the entrance hall" Blaise smirked, Tracey high fived him with a laugh.

Daphne harrumphed "that doesn't prove anything Blaise and you know it. So what are we going to become friends with Potter now are we? You realise that will destroy our neutrality. I don't think this is a wise idea Blaise".

"You don't have to befriend him, I however would like to get to know him better, he is.. interesting" Blaise said turning the book over in his hands a few times. "The nook is secret, we can meet him there, he already knows about it so we won't be giving anything away, besides Tracey wants to interrogate him" he said looking in the dark haired girls direction.

Tracey was nodding so fast her ponytail was flipping "very true Blaise, I do have a lot of questions for Potter, he is much more interesting as you say than we gave him credit for".

Daphne sighed in a very put upon matter "I'm outnumbered it seems, go on then. Invite him, but make it for the late afternoon I'll not be spending all day in his presence and you know that you won't be up at your usual time tomorrow". Blaise tried to hide a wince at the mention of his upcoming inheritance. Daphne laid a hand on his knee "I'm sorry for reminding you darling, but you know I'm right". He nodded and pulled some parchment and a quill from his bag, penning a short note to Potter to meet them in the nook at four in the afternoon the next day, he called Hedwig down and attached it to her leg. They watched her fly off across the grounds. She winged over the Quidditch Pitch and then headed towards the Owlery. Blaise remembering Potter had talked about Quidditch practice.

Tracey gasped suddenly, pointing she cried "is that a Patronus?"

Harry and Ron were waiting in the Gryffindor locker room for the rest of the team, finally everyone was there except for Ginny. Harry cast a tempus it was nine o'clock, the exact time they were supposed to meet. Ginny had never been late for Quidditch training before. He sent off a Patronus saying "Ginny, you got ten minutes to get down to the pitch for practice or you'll be off the team for the Slytherin game". That was one of the rules he had set with the team at the start of the year. They all knew the rules and consequences and had agreed to them. "Right while we wait for Ginny, Peakes & Coote this is what I want you to be doing" he spoke to them about particular Beater drills and moves he wanted them practicing.

Suddenly an otter Patronus burst through the wall of the locker room. "Harry, Ginny won't be attending Quidditch practice until you apologise and agree to go on at least one date with her" came Hermione's obstinate voice.

Harry's eyebrows rose at the demand. Looking around at the rest of the team, Ron looked angry, Katie Bell looked amused and the rest of them were deliberately not looking at Harry either embarrassed or just not wanting to get caught in what was about to happen. "Right" Harry said, swallowing thickly "Right, well if she can't be professional she's off the team completely" casting another Patronus he sent it off. The team looked at him wide eyed. Turning to the chasers and Ron he explained what they would be doing for the day and that practice had just been extended. They walked out onto the pitch as the newest member of the Gryffindor team arrived panting, having just run all the way down from the tower. Harry sent yet another Patronus to Neville and Luna letting them know they would need to push the Marauder meeting back a few hours.

Up in Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione was sitting next to Ginny reassuring her it was all going to work out, just she wait and see. There was no way Harry would kick her off the team, he liked her too much. Plus she was Ron's sister and he wouldn't risk making Ron angry. Hermione was sure the plan would work. They waited anxiously for the next Patronus message to appear. When it did they both frowned as it made its way over to Dean Thomas. "Dean, mate, it's Harry, a spot has just opened up for a Chaser on the team. You have ten minutes to get to the pitch and claim it as yours see you soon". Dean looked stunned, Seamus clapped him on the back.

"Well hurry up mate, I'll pack this up for you" he said in his thick Irish brogue. "Better get a move on or the next message will be for me" he joked tightly. Dean knew how much Seamus wanted to play.

"Thanks mate, I better go" racing into the dorm he put on his Quidditch gear and was back in the Common Room within a minute. Not bothering to look at Ginny he flew out of the portrait hole. He got to the pitch just as everyone was walking out of the Gryffindor team room.

"Dean! You made it, well done mate, you're on the team".

Meanwhile back in the dorm Ginny was yelling at Hermione "I lost my spot on the team! I TOLD you this would happen! That those were the rules! I can't BELIEVE I listened to you!"

"Yes, well it was a risk. We'll just have to think of another way for you to get with Harry" Hermione said insensitively.

Ginny gaped at her "you don't get it do you? I LOVE Quidditch, more than I like Harry and now I have neither and it's YOUR fault! I'll never get to play for Holyhead Harpies now!" Ginny was in tears by this stage "I'll be lucky if Harry even lets me play as a reserve!" She ran up the stairs and flung herself onto her bed, sobbing and thinking about how everything had gone horribly wrong. She wasn't going to listen to Hermione's advice anymore. She was just going to follow her own intuition.

"How was Quidditch training?" Luna asked sweetly as they all settled into comfortable positions on the cushioned floor of the Room of Requirement.

"Bloody brutal" Ron was wincing as he sat down gingerly, positioning as many cushions as he could around himself before laying back.

"Oh come on Ron, it wasn't that bad" Harry replied his own muscles protesting as well as he assumed a tailor seat on the floor between Neville and Luna.

Ron lifted his head to glare at him "you made us practise those drills over and over again, then there was the broom flips, the sloth roll grips, the upside down flying and passing AND practice was two whole bloody hours longer than normal!"

"Well we had to get Dean up to speed somehow! I'm booking the pitch for an extra mid-week practice as well, we still have to practise the Porskoff Ploy some more and I want you practicing the Double Eight Loop while the chasers have their aim improvement time and I want Peakes and Coote to work some more on the Dopplebeater Defence, they need to improve on their timing. Coote nearly has the Backbeat move down though which is good. Did you see him today? Wasn't even looking and he got nine of ten targets!" Harry said the pride in his voice evident "If we can get a few more practices in like today Slytherin won't stand a chance! Cheating or not!" grinning madly at Ron.

"You do know Katie said you're worse than Wood right?" Ron muttered darkly.

Harry just smirked "suck it up, now sit up or you're going to fall asleep. How was your morning Neville? Luna?"

"It was great Harry, the new plants arrived from Assyria so we were busy repotting and repositioning the greenhouses" Neville informed them.

Luna hummed "My morning was very good as well, many of the threstrals are pregnant and one of them is having twins!" She said in an excited tone.

Harry smiled at her "that's great you guys! Okay so what I've been able to find out is that we need to meditate on what we can feel about our animal. We may not know exactly what it is, but we have to think about how it feels. Like do we have fur, scales or feathers? What does the environment feel like? Is it hot cold, wet or dry? These will start to give us clues and we can start to narrow down our lists of animals. I'm going to make lists of every known species of animal for all of us and as we start to feel things we can start to narrow it down. For instance if we can feel claws we can cross off everything that doesn't have claws. We can use it as a process of elimination".

"That sounds great Harry" Neville said as he shifted in his seat "that will be really helpful to be able to see what we could be, it should help us narrow it down even further".

"That's exactly what I was thinking, I mean take the claw thing, it would leave you with most predators and birds. From there you could concentrate on trying to feel if you had fur or wings or both 'cause you might end up a hippogriff!" He said with excitement.

"It would be wonderful to be a magical creature" Luna said with a sigh "But it's very unheard of no-one knows why it only happens to some wizards and witches and not others".

"Well then, we know it'll definitely happen to Harry won't it? Everything happens to Harry" Ron said with a large grin on his face and a teasing tone in his voice.

Harry shoved Ron in response "okay let's settle down and meditate, one of the books mentioned a potion that could help us to focus on our animal but I haven't been able to find it anywhere yet, maybe we will need to break into McGonagall's office after all" Ron fist pumped the air still grinning and they settled themselves into a steady pattern of breathing and started to meditate.

Later that night at dinner, Harry sat at the very end of the table to avoid Ginny and Hermione, though the two girls weren't sitting with each other. Hermione was on her own reading a book and Ginny was with the other fifth year girls. Neville sat across from him, Luna beside him and Ron next to Harry. Dean and Seamus had sat beside the foursome to talk Quidditch.

"Hey Harry mate, I'm not sure I should be thanking you for letting me join the team, I feel like I got run over by a herd of erumpents" They all laughed at that "But can you tell me what happened? Why I'm on the team and not Ginny?" He said glancing down the table nervously at the girl in question.

Harry swallowed the bite of food in his mouth "Ginny was late for practice, when I reminded her of it, she refused to come unless I went on a date with her. She's off the team because she can't be professional. Your spot's safe mate. She won't play for Gryffindor unless we have a lot of injuries" Dean gaped at what Ginny had done and nodded. The conversation turned to other things and Harry thoughts went back to that afternoon, Ron & Neville hadn't been able to feel anything definable, Luna said she was sure she felt the sun on her body. Harry himself had felt like he was high up in the trees. He needed to make the lists soon so that they could start narrowing things down. Unexpectedly there was a throat being cleared next to him. He looked up and a third year Ravenclaw was holding a note out to him. Thanking them he took the note and read it. It was a missive from Dumbledore asking him to meet in the headmasters office at seven thirty that night. Harry passed the note to his fellow Marauders and quickly cast a tempus. It was seven twenty now, groaning he quickly shoved another bite into his mouth. Just then the table reset for dessert and right in front of Harry was a treacle tart. Narrowing his eyes he stood up and pulled his bag onto his shoulder. "Great, just great! They haven't served treacle tart in four nights and then they have to serve tonight! When I can't eat it!" He complained to his friends. They gave him sympathetic looks in return, waving him goodbye. Muttering under his breath about uncaring headmasters he stormed out of the Great Hall.

Entering the empty headmasters office Harry sat down in a chair in front of the desk. Fawkes flew over to him and Harry stroked the feathers on his chest as he waited. A moment later Dumbledore walked in. "Ah Harry, my boy, you made it" he said with his grandfatherly smile.

Harry nodded "Yes sir, what was it you wanted to see me about Professor?"

"I wanted to see how you were coping with your workload my boy, make sure you're not spreading yourself to thin" Dumbledore replied eyes twinkling, in anticipation Harry bet.

"I'm fine sir, I've been doing very well in my studies and with Poppy, she's very pleased with my work" replied Harry neutrally. Dumbledore nodded slowly.

"That's good Harry, and Quidditch?"

"We had a five hour practice today and will be having two mid-week. I had to replace a player today so we needed to integrate the new team member. We'll have an extra practice along with the regular one during the week to make sure he is up to scratch. So all in all I'm doing well with the balance, I'm sure we will beat Slytherin in the next game" Harry said with a grin.

Dumbledore smiled kindly "very good my boy"

They sat in silence for a while longer "Is there anything else Professor? Despite my success in balancing my schedule I do need to get back to it" Harry said rising from his chair hopefully.

"No Harry, I do have some more memories to share with you" Dumbledore said rising himself to retrieve the pensieve. Harry sat back down with a sigh. Dumbledore rose a questioning brow to Harry as he sat back down with the pensieve "something the matter my boy?"

Harry sighed again "I was hoping Professor that you would have maybe considered my previous request regarding this? It took us hours last time, are you sure you can't just tell me what these memories contain?" Harry waved a hand at the vials "it would be a lot quicker than viewing these".

Dumbledore frowned "I rather think that this is the best method Harry, now come along" he said pouring in the first vial. Harry sighed again but complied. As Harry predicted it was after ten when he got back into the common room. Flopping down onto the couch next to Neville who was playing Ron at chess, he pulled out his sketch book and started to draw Ron, this was the only time Ron stayed still enough for Harry to draw his friend. Casting a muffilito he filled them in on what had happened in Dumbledore's office and the latest memories of Riddle.

"That's disgusting mate, splitting your soul. No wonder he's so evil" Neville shuddered.

Ron looked green "yeah" swallowing he shuddered again. Harry nodded in commiseration, his pencil flying across the page as he sketched the chess pieces. "So what are you going to do about Slughorn?"

Harry shrugged "I'll just ask him, I'll say it's a condition of my being his apprenticeship that he gives me the proper memory".

Neville looked at him approvingly "smart Harry" Ron made a noise of agreement and shifted his knight to the left, taking one of Neville's bishops. "Damn I was hoping you wouldn't see that" complained Neville. Harry grinned and settled more comfortably into the couch, he finished his sketch just as Ron declared checkmate and they went to bed.

Blaise was reclining on a couch in the Slytherin common room. Daphne was curled in an armchair next to him and Tracey was lying on the same couch with her feet propped on Blaise's lap. Blaise was engrossed in the book Harry had given him. He was shocked at the charismatic speeches by the Fuehrer and by the abominable acts that were committed in his name.

"So Blaise, when are we meeting.. the previous owner of that book?" Daphne asked turning a page in her own book. Blaise looked up at her.

"Four in the afternoon" he replied. She nodded and continued reading silently.

Tracey piped up still holding her own novel above her head. "I am looking forward to it. I think it will be an interesting meeting". Daphne rolled her eyes but didn't say anything further, she had already made her points against the meeting and it was happening despite that. At least it was secret and she would be sure to press upon Potter tomorrow that it needed to remain so.

Blaise cast a tempus and seeing it was just after ten he picked up Tracey's feet and rose from the couch resettling her comfortably. "I need to go to bed" Stretching and faking a yawn for anyone who cared to be watching them, he kissed both girls cheeks good night as usual and made his way upstairs. Both girls had already shared their comforting words with him that afternoon and could say nothing more in front of everyone in the common room. Blaise quickly showered and then climbed into bed. Drawing the curtains closed and flicking his wand to cast the strongest privacy, silencing and locking charms he knew he settled in to wait.

It wasn't long before he felt the pain begin. The white hot flames of agony started in his chest and wove out to his extremities. He ground his teeth together in an effort not to make any noise. He could feel his magic fluctuating and growing, his already trim physique; harden further. He clenched his hands into fists and rolled over to bury his face into the pillow, the pain had increased. His breathing was short, shallow breaths that offered no relief to the burning in his lungs. It seemed to last for hours, when finally the pain lessened Blaise fell gratefully in to a deep sleep.

Please review! I'd love to know what you all think! Plus it gives me inspiration! xx