Marauding Through Time

by CrazyDreamerGirl

[Originally by Ethan Darkcrow]The Marauders and one extra have discovered several books that might explain what the future might hold for them, but who sent the books and why? These questions plague them as they read each book and come closer to an answer

10. Quidditch and James Potter

Disclaimer: This chapter was NOT written by me. Also, this story is based on characters and situations created by J.K. Rowling. No money is being made off this nor is copyright infringement intended.

Chapter Ten - Quidditch and James Potter

Sitting on the couch of the Nook, James silently thought to himself about last night. His head swirl and bobbed with all the information that the book was giving him. Picking up his cup he took a long pull of his mother's tea, specially brewed to wake anyone up.

The day was nice and the leaves in the forest had stated to fall. The wind had been blowing in a steady breeze all day, and James had taken advantage of that by opening up a window or two. Still, he couldn't get that image out of his head.

"James!" cried Sirius from the doorway, "Help me with the baskets, would you?"

Shaking his head of the thought James said, "Coming!" James helped Sirius bring four baskets, that his mom prepared, up the stairs and into the kitchen. Looking at the baskets James smiled while saying, "Geez, you'd think we were having a banquet or something."

Sirius laughed as he said, "Your mum said you were going to say something like that. Nah, she just wants us to have enough food."

"And you weren't about to stop her, were you?" James smirked in Sirius general way.

"I'm a growing..."

"...Ukranian Ironbelly, I know." he snorted while walking into the front room. "Hey, Sirius?"

"Wah?" Sirius replied, sounding like he had something in his mouth.

"Were are the others? I want to get started on the book."

"You know, ever since this morning you've been acting a little strange." Sirius commented as he walked into the front room with a sandwich and drink. James put on his best confused look while Sirius added, "I don't know...it just seems that you've been a bit...too chipper and eager this morning."

Pointing at himself James said in a disbelieving voice, "Me? Strange?"

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but at theat moment he was interrupted by the high shrill greeting of Peter echoing from the bottom of the tree. "James? Sirius? We're here!"

James smiled at Sirius and went to greet them out side, while Sirius said to his back, "I'm going to find out what you're up to!"

'Oh, you'll find out sooner than you think, Padfoot.' James thought as he opened the door in time to see Remus, Lily and Peter walking up the stairs. When everyone got inside James went over to the book and picked it up while saying, "Let's start reading, okay?"

An out of breath Remus huffed out, "Give me some time to rest, mate!" While Lily looked at James, seeming to be searching for something in his face.

"When did you become so energetic about the book?" she asked.

Sirius answered her by saying, "Ever since this morning."

"What?" James said defensively, "Can't a bloke be excited for something!?"

Tilting her head slightly Lily walking into the kitchen as did Remus and Peter , leaving both James and Sirius. "Were are they going?" asked James in an annoyed voice.

"To eat something," explained Sirius, "they haven't had breakfast yet."

Huffing his disapproval over the current situation James pouted and sank into the couch waiting for the return of his friends. When the other started to file into the front room and take their seats, Sirius picked up the book and flipped through the pages saying, "I'll start off."

"Oh that reminds me," Lily said while turning to Sirius, "Are you feeling any better today?"

Taking a moment to figure out what she was on about Sirius then slowly said, "Much better. Thank you for looking after my dog."

Lily smile, "No problem, he was a cutie!"

Sirius visually bristled at being called 'cute' and he responded by saying in even measured tones, "That's nice." He glared at his friends, who were snickering lightly, and then turned to the book which laid open in front of him. Picking it up Sirius began to read.

Chapter Nine - The Midnight Duel

"A duel, huh? Wonder what's all that about?" pondered Peter.

Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.

"Stupid git extraordinare." mumbled James with intense dislike coating his voice.

Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons

James shouted in glee as Sirius looked up in disbelief and said, "You sodding prat! Your read ahead of us, didn't you? That's why you've been so happy."

James smile shown brightly as he said, "I only read this page, but just the prospect of see how my son is going to do in flying is really exciting."

"Don't you mean your supposed son?" Remus shot at James, who promptly ignored him. Lily put her hand to her mouth and coughed lightly while concealing her laugh, as James eyed her suspiciously.

"Moving on!" said Sirius in a loud booming voice, while continuing to read.

Would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted/ To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.

"See there!" James said on the verge of hysteria, "He want's to fly! He's got Quidditch in his veins!"

"And you have Quidditch on the brain!" said Lily, "Now let Sirius read!"

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is a Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams

"I wound who that reminds me of?" said Remus tapping his finger against his temple.

"Shut it!" warned James while trying to keep a straight face.

And told long,, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly.

"And why shouldn't they! It the greatest sport on the..." the next word that came out of James mouth didn't make a sound as Remus had placed a Silencing Charm on James head.

"We don't need advertising for Quidditch while we're reading the book, James." said Remus removing the spell. Sirius continued as James pulled his wand out, reading himself for anyone who would try to stop him from saying his peace.

Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's posted of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

Lily giggled slightly and smiled as she remember when her sister first saw the moving photos that she had brought home with her. After that day, Petunia went through the whole house looking at each picture, and making sure that is wasn't enchanted.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

"Like father..." Sirius said with a goofy grin plastered across his face.

"...like son." James finished as both Remus and Peter chuckled lightly.

"What do you mean? Frank wasn't like Neville." Lily said with confusion and a bit of curiosity.

"Shows you what you know." answered Sirius, "Frank was a walking disaster his first couple of years then, in his later years, he began to calm down and started to take everything in stride. The later Frank, was the one you knew."

"Well then how do you know all about this!" said Lily in huffy tones, as just the thought of all of them knowing so much more than her made her feel a little uneasy.

James looked over to Remus, who then said, "He told us after we became good friends with him." Something was missing from that statement, and Lily could just feel that something was amiss in the room as James sent a sidelong glance at Sirius. Taking his cue Sirius started to read again while clearing his throat.

Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book — not that she hadn't tried.

"Well, I have to give her credit," said Remus snorting lightly in amusement while shaking his head, "she is tenacious."

"Sure, but it will cost her some friends." said Peter, harshly.

"I tried something like that once." interjected Sirius.

"What...studying?" Lily said with her eyebrows raised in shock.

"No," Sirius chuckled, "I thought that if I slept with my head on my book that maybe I would learn something in my sleep."

A twitch in her eye and the shaking of her shoulders was all that Sirius got from Lily, as the other all laughed outloud. "You know it was funny! I could see you wanted to laugh!" Sirius accused Lily.

"The real question is 'did I laugh'. No, I didn't. So it must mean that it wasn't that funny" Lily said snatching the wind out of Sirius' sails.

Pointing a finger into the air Sirius said, "One of these days, I'm going to make you laugh and when I do..."

"The world will end." Lily said with a smile. Sirius glared at her, as he picked the book up and started where he left off.

At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called

"Quidditch Through the Ages." James said along with Sirius.

Putting up a hand as James started to explain, Sirius said, "I'm not going to even ask."

Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later. But everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's not, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.

"Merlin! It's Lucius allover again!" moaned Remus while placing his hand behind his head and sitting back.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Rememberall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things —

"Definitely Frank's son." the Marauders all said together, then they laughed at each other. Lily sighed lightly and could only smile as the feeling that 'she didn't belong' only got that much stronger.

this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh..." His face fell, because the Rememberall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "...you've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table snatched the Rememberall out of his hand.

Peter stood up, an angry look on his face. Ever since hearing about Neville, Peter found that he could relate with him and because of that fact and one picking on Neville was like they were picking on Peter. "Bloody, Malfoy!" Peter snapped angrily.

"Slow down, Peter. Its just a book," said Remus wisely," besides I doubt that he'll get away with that in front of the Gryffindor table."

Yielding to Remus logic, Peter sat down. However, the angry look on his face didn't leave as he had a hard time letting go of his feelings. That's when Sirius read on, especially when he saw that everything was winding down.

Harry and Ron jumped to the feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy,

"Pop him one in the teeth!" said Peter while jumping on his chair.

James had straightened his back and was currently exchanging surprised looks between Remus, while Remus only shrugged his shoulders.

"You better not, Harry!" Lily said with worry, while clutching at her jumper.

but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Rememberall, professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Rememberall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him

"Now that," said Sirius looking up from the book, "was interesting!"

"No it wasn't." said Lily adamantly, "he could have gotten into trouble!"

James gestured for Lily to calm down as he said, "But they didn't, and I would have stood up for my roommate too!"

"That wasn't standing up for him!" Lily said in a crisp manner, "They were 'hoping' for a fight!"

"Come off it, Lily. They're boys, and Malfoy's a git. Enough said , right?" Sirius said while, of course, taking James' side.

"It's called expulsion, Sirius. And just because you four have been familiarized with it doesn't mean I want Harry to be familiar with it too." said Lily not standing down from this fight.

Sighing, James surprised everyone when he ran a hand through his messy hair and said, "Fine." He then sat down on the love seat and watched as Lily and Sirius did the most remarkable mirroring act that he had ever seen.

First they pointed to James, then they pointer to each other with surprise clearly on their faces. From there, they crossed their arm and both said, "Stop doing that!", and finally they turned their back on each other, walked over to their seats and sat down.

"That was neat! Do it again!" Peter said, only to have equally venomous stares sent his way.

It was then that Sirius picked up the book and began to read without warning anyone.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron and the Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson.

James inched forward on the couch.

It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping laws toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

With his eyes close and a smile from ear to ear, James said happily, "Sounds like a perfect day to go flying."

Sirius huffed loudly, and said with a smirk in his voice, "A day where rain is coming by the gallon full and lightning is common place is a 'good day to fly' for you."

"Is not!" James calmly denied.

"Well, although it pains me to agree with Sirius yet again, I have to say...he has a point." Remus say softly.

"Remus, is it?" James said with a little disbelief, "Or is your real name, Brutus?"

Lily snorted lightly and quickly said, "Will you two stop it! I want to hear what happens next." Giving Sirius a nod she waited and watched as he started to read on. James was grumbling lightly about 'backstabbing' and such, until Sirius began to read.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

"Some of them do." stated Peter with a little fear inching its way into his voice.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, Arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Madam Hooch?" Sirius said with a little surprise, "You mean Fast Eddie isn't teaching basic flying lessons anymore?"

"That's Professor Edward Mach, to you." Lily corrected Sirius, earning her a raspberry from his direction.

"Shhhhhhush!" James yelled while perched on the edge of his seat in anticipation of what was going to happen next. "Come on Sirius! Read on!" Rolling his eyes and taking a deep breath Sirius pushed on with the story.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Wrong broom, son! Wrong broom! Trade with someone else!" James said loudly, seeming to be talking directly at the book.

"James? Mate? Its just a book." Sirius said with a little concern as the glint in James; eye began to shone brighter.

"Uh, yeah sure." James said automatically, not really hearing anything. Sirius shrugged his shoulders and continued on all the while giving Remus and Peter a nod.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," call Madam hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once,

"YES!" said James in excitement as he jumped up out of his seat and moved around the room, "Did you hear that? It jumped into his hand at once!"

"So?" said Lily smiling at James antics.

"So!? So, that shows that he really want's to fly and that he isn't afraid."

"And how do you know that?" asked Remus this time.

"Because brooms won't listen to people who are afraid or don't really want to fly in the first place." James said, annoyed that his friends didn't know this.

"Right." said Sirius as he continued on with the book.

but is was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry;

"Too right, Harry!" James shouted out while gloating at the others.

There was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

"Wow. He noticed that?" James said in a bit of awe.

"Well, he is my son." Lily said smiling brightly, while the other chuckled a bit as James laughed along and nodded his head.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms stead, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

Sirius looked up to stare at James, but found that he was no where to be found, until a breathy dark voice said into his ear, "Why did you stop?"

"Ahhhh!" Sirius yelped as he spun around and saw James' head looming over his shoulder. "James! You sodding git, what are you doing!" Sirius asked in an angry voice.

James shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner and said in a calm voice, "I can't sit down, now can please continue with the book?" Remus was snickering lightly at the whole event as was Peter, and when Sirius started to read again James started to pace around the room again.

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back boy, boy!" she shouted

"That will do the trick, " Peter said with heavy sarcasm coating his words.

But Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw his gasp, slip sideways off the broom and —

"This is going to hurt!" proclaimed Remus wincing in anticipation, while everyone else nodded their head.

WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap His broom stick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidding forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

"I have a feeling that he's going to get to know Madam Pomfrey really well." Lily stated with a grim look, then she said in soft tones, "Poor, Neville. Nothing seems to be going right for him."

"I agree with you on that," said Remus, "he just doesn't seem to be getting a break does he?"

Sirius, watching the two talking, was unaware of James who at the moment was struggling with himself and the situation at hand. 'Why are they talking at a moment like this! Let's get on with the book!' he said to himself while pacing the room at a furious pace. Finally seeing James activity out of the corner of his eye and feeling sorry for him, Sirius opening the book and began to read with a devious smile.

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

Sitting on his chair, tight fisted and white knuckled, Peter said with a kind of loathing that was reserved for excrement, "Fucking wanker..."

"Tell us about it!" James said standing calmly while his eyes flashed in the same anger that Peter had for young Malfoy.

Even Lily's mouth had become a tight line as she spat in disgust, "Coward. He's always picking on Neville."

"I hope he gets his." Sirius said when continuing on with the story.

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Cow." Lily uttered while get up out of her seat and walking over to the window. She was beginning to become very angry with the Slytherins, and because of that she need to move around a bit to 'work off' a little steam.

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Rememberall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

The Nook was silent as well.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to fin — how about — up in a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he couldfly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called. "Come and get it Potter!"

James leaping on top of his couch yelled out while shaking his fist wildly, "Go get him, Harry!"

Lily had her hands over her mouth and as torn by indecision. On one hand she had Harry standing up to a bully for a friend, and himself. Yet, on the other hand he could get expelled for Hogwarts. At the moment all she could say as she face the others from the window was, "Be careful, Harry!"

"Grubby, slimy, no good..." growled Peter, going through a list of adjectives that descibed Malfoy.

Remus' eyes were wide with suspense as he said, "Do it, Harry! Show that git up!" Sirius was to caught up in reading to notice anything around him, and continued on with out warning anyone else.

Harry grabbed his broom.

The tension jumped almost tenfold in the Nook as everyone steadied their breath to see what was going to happen.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up, he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him — and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught —

If anyone would have bothered to listen closely they would have hear James jaw hitting the floor with a resounding thump. However, no one heard, probably not even James himself. The situation at hand was too exciting and daring to even think of anything else.

this was easy, this was wonderful.He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.

He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Blach the little bastard!" screamed Sirius, finally braking the silence of the Nook as her continued on.

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin.

"Serves you right, you oily brat! Get him Harry!" yelled Lily in anger, while Sirius nodded his approval.

Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom stead. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have stuck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball —

Lily screamed out, "No! Harry! No!" The Marauders all stood glued to their spots, almost as if in a trance, while imagining his descent in their minds.

Wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — he stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

"HARRY POTTER!"

His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. He got to his feet trembling.

"Well," Sirius stated with a bit of sadness, "maybe the other books are about how he gets use to being a Muggle."

"Shut up, Sirius!" Lily snapped angrily, as she bit her fingernails in nervous anticipation.

Remus, however, said, "He's right, you know. McGonagall goes by the book, and if this Madam Hooch was taking about expelling a student for riding a broom, then..."

"Shut up." Lily said again, only this time it wasn't as convincing.

Remus tried to explain, but found himself being interrupted by James, who was currently gazing out a window, as he said, "She said 'shut up', Remus." Putting his hands up in surrender Remus sat back down on the chair as Sirius looked at the book with disgust.

"I'm reading on, alright." said Sirius in a flat tone. No one in the Nook responded, except for James who nodded his head slightly while Sirius ran is finger down the page trying to find his spot.

"Never— in all my time at Hogwarts —"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and he glasses flashed furiously, "— how dareyou — might have broken you neck —"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, miss Patil —"

"But Malfoy —"

"That'senough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

"Where is she going to take him?" pondered Lily out loud.

"I was wondering that too?" Remus said in outright confusion.

"May be she's taking him to be punished, the crazy old bat!" Sirius said airing his opinion.

Lily was wondering how James felt about this whole turn of events and was watching him stand at the window. 'I hope he isn't taking this too harshly.' Lily worried, seeing him clench his fists then relax them.

Asking Sirius if he could read on Peter was handed the book and look around and said, "I'm going to start to read!" With that announcement said and done, Peter began to read, "Harry..."

caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left,

"Bloody McGonagall! She's always coming down harder on her own house than anyone else's house! You'd think that she would know about 'house loyalty' by now, wouldn't you?" Sirius said vigorously while wringing a couch pillow.

Surprised that no one retorted against his statement, Sirius watched Lily just stare at the opposite wall. She seemed to be caught up in her own thoughts, and James seemed to be mirroring the same behavior as he gazed out the window while leaning against the window frame.

Walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes.

James flinched visibly while standing in front of the window at the words that flowed out of Peters mouth. His son was giving up, and he hadn't done anything to warrant an expulsion. "Damn it!" James said in frustration while leaning heavily on the window frame.

What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep?

"They better not say a word!" growled Sirius.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to him.

"This is getting to be awfully strange." Lily commented while her brows furrowed deeply.

"Where ever she's going, it's definitely not to Dumbledore's office!" said Peter adding his two cents, then continuing on with the book.

She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant.

"This kid thinks too much," James finally spoke out loud with a little chuckle in his voice, "kinda like his mum?"

"Prat!" Lily said while throwing a pillow at him, "At least he thinks through some things, which is more than I can say for you!"

Not turning around, James snorted and said nothing while looking out the window. 'Maybe his is too much like me.' James thought while watching the trees sway in the wind.

His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

"Wood!?" said everyone in the Nook their imaginations flaring all at once.

Wood? Thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a can she was going to use on him?

"They're going to cane him!?" Peter squeaked in surprise.

"If that's the case, then I'm glad that this is my last year!" Sirius said while pretending to wipe of sweat from his brow.

"They can't cane him! What the hell kind of book is this!?" James said excitedly while turning to face Peter. "Read on damn it! I want to see where this heads!" Peter, trembling a little from the forcefulness of James command, continued to read where he left off.

But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"He's the one that's gonna cane Harry!" Peter said vigorously while caught up in the moment.

"No he isn't! Peter, you spaz! Calm down!" said Remus trying to defuse the situation, as James eyes went wide with anger. Even Lily looked at Peter with shock registered on her face.

"But it makes sense!" Sirius said adding fuel on the fire.

"Just read on," said Lily, the shocked expression still lingering on her face, "and well see if you two are right or wrong."

"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.

"SEE!" yelped Peter, "He's sizing him up!"

"So help me Merlin, Peter. If you interrupt the story once more I'm going to hex you into oblivion!" hissed Lily with such maliciousness that the other Marauders physically moved away from her in fear.

Not speaking a word while under Lily deadly glare, Peter read on saying, "In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Here it comes." whispered Sirius to Remus.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker."

"SEEKER!?" yelled James in surprise while whipping his head around so hard that an audible popping sound could be heard by the others. "Yeouch!" screamed James as he went down in a huddled heap on the ground, while holding his neck and wincing in pain.

"James," Lily said full of worry, "are you alright?" Helping James sit up from the ground, Remus and Sirius were snickering lightly because of his current predicament. His head was stuck in one position and he refused to move it in any other direction.

"I think he pulled something." said Remus using his 'doctor voice' and touching his neck, while invoking several curses from James.

"You think?" James finally spoke in a sarcastic manner. Then completely forgetting about his pain temporarily, he asked Sirius, "Did she really say 'Seeker'?"

"Honestly James, here you are with a hurt neck and all you care about is Quidditch!" Lily said while sitting next to him and holding his hand lightly.

Smiling sheepishly he stated with a little bit of deviousness edging into his voice, "Is there something else I should be doing?" Lily cracked a smile while slapping him playfully on the shoulder and shaking her head in disapproval. Turning his head back to its rightful position, with a little pain and a lot of fuss, James sighed and rested his head back on a pillow.

Peter then said, "Harry's going to be a seeker? But I thought that no one in their first year was able to become a Quidditch member."

"No first year, is able to 'try out' for their house team." James corrected Peter, "but they can be drafted into their team...especially if they are extraordinary." The last words tumbled out of his mouth like molasses pouring out of a jar.

"Oh no!" Remus said in dismay, as he watched James eyes start to light up in thought and a smile that almost everyone knew 'was not a good thing' appeared on his face. "Peter! Quick, read on!" Remus stuttered out as James stood up and began to pace again, while talking to himself and sending glances at Lily.

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crispy. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

"Merlin's beard!" Sirius said in awe, "That's a lot of praise coming from her." After he said that Sirius face contorted into a mask of puzzlement as he asked, "Are we sure this is the same McGonagall?"

"Yes! Now continue on, Peter!" Lily said as Peter had stopped reading and was involved in watching everything around him. Lily had been watching James, and had a sinking feeling that he was about to say something to her.

"Hold on, don't get your knickers in a twist." Peter retorted with a little chuckle, while clearing his throat and reading on.

Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on but he didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive,"

"Fifty-foot catch!?" everyone heard James repeat the words in awe, "Amazing, my son is amazing." After those words were uttered he went back to pacing and grumbling while one hand rubbed the back of his head furiously and the other was busy gesturing as he said word like 'Quidditch', 'Training Camp' and 'More'. Personally, Lily had started to become very wary of James, as she began to notice that he kept looking at her in a very strange way every now and again.

Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

"That's because he's not a Potter!" James said in a triumphant sort of way.

"Mate," Sirius said popping James ego, "I don't think that even you could pull a crazy stunt like that."

"You never know what you can do until you try, right?" said James, with a little resentment in his voice.

"I'll make sure you have a nice tombstone," Remus said with a laugh as James sent him a withering glare, "or at least a good healer."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"A man after my own heart!" said James chuckling slightly.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too,"

"Of course he is," James said all puffed up with pride, "we Potter's are multi-functional!" Standing up, James then said, "I wonder if her would be good as a chaser?"

"Why, because you want him to take over your old position?" Remus asked with raised eye brows, while Peter chuckled a bit and settle back in his chair.

James looked at Lily and smiled a devious smile, only to sit back down and sigh while looking up. Peter, taking this moment to move on with the book began to read on with the next paragraph.

said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light — speedy — we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

"Please let it be the Nimbus Two Thousand!" said James holding his hand together and talking to the ceiling.

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..."

"Bend the first-year rule?" Lily gasped in disbelief, "That can't really be McGonagall!"

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

"It's her." the Marauders said to each other in unison.

While Lily said in a monotone voice and with a little deadpan humor, "And I stand corrected."

The she suddenly smiled.

"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

James stood there stunned at what he had just heard, while Sirius scratched his head in bewilderment and said to his friend, "She's actually smiling while think you? This book is completely barking mad, if you ask me!"

Finally able to speak, James opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it. 'I thought she didn't even care about my performance in Quidditch,' he said to himself in shock. Looking at his friends James finally settled his gaze on Lily, who looked to be nervous. Smirking and sliding closer to her James began to enact his 'plan' and said. "So...Lily?" James asked in a sly manner, "Harry turned out to be a pretty good flyer, right?"

"Yes." Lily said, nodding her head and warily watching James out of the corner of her eye.

"So," James cleared his throat, while Remus put a hand over his eyes — almost knowing before hand were this conversation was going to lead, "I was thinking..."

"Which is never a good thing." Lily quickly interjected.

"Yes...well, I was thinking," James said, slowly running a finger up and down on her forearm, and smirking confidently, "maybe he should have some brothers and sisters to keep him company...oh I'd say six more will do the trick."

He never saw it coming, but when Lily's petite right fist connected with his jaw...he sure as heck 'felt it'! James clutched his jaw and groaned in pain, while Lily nodded once and said, "Serves you right — saying such things to me! Your lucky I didn't haul off and go with my first thought, or I might have damaged Harry chances of being born!"

All the boys in the Nook immediately grabbed themselves and warily stared at Lily, while Sirius asked, "What is it with you, and that certain 'maneuver'!"

James was still rubbing his jaw where she had landed her punch, and had let out a snort of amusement while saying, "You could have said 'no', Lils." Staring at James with an incredulous look on her face, when she realized that she couldhave just told him no but instead decided to whack him one good on the jaw.

Staring into her palms, Lily said in soft embarrassment, "I'm so sorry...I'm not usually like this." Picking her head up and with a smirk she said, "I think you're a bad influence on me."

"Huh?!" Sirius managed to say through his laughter, "If anything, you have corrupted us!"

"We were so innocent once." James joined in smiling.

"Then we met Lily "Rulebreaker" Evans, and everything went down hill from there!" Remus chimed his two cents in.

"Oh the humanity!" moaned Peter, "We'll never be the same!"

Lily, graciously taking her lumps, stuck out her pretty pink tongue out at them while saying, "Ha, ha, ha. Laugh it up now, cause you will all be getting get yours sooner or later!"

As everyone settled down Peter again cleared his throat and began to read, while James sat back in the love seat looking at Lily. Before long, they both quickly uttered together, "Sorry about..." Chuckling lightly at each other, they sat back and listened to Sirius, while their worries and apologies were left unspoken but understood by both.

"You'rejoking."

It was dinnertime.

When Sirius stomach began to grumble everyone moaned, as he got up and followed the pull of his stomach directly into the kitchen.

Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie half way to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.

"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never— you must be the youngest house player in about —"

"— a century,"

James started to cough loudly, while he said, "A century! Good grief!"

"Well," Lily said with some measure of happiness, "he doesn't do things 'half-way', does he?" James could only beam in pride as the thought of his son becoming the first 'first year' in a century to become a house quidditch player made him begin to imagine the possibilities.

said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth.

At that exact moment Sirius walked through the kitchen door with a plate of steaming hot Shepard's pie and was in the process of devouring it in almost the same manner that Harry was using. "Did I hear something about pie?" asked Sirius between mouthfuls. Rolling his eyes, and then running his index finger down the page, Peter found where he left off and read on before Sirius could anything more.

He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.

"That's never a good sign," said Remus with a smile, remembering when James and Sirius would do the same thing. A quick glance over at the pair reveled that the too were thinking along the same line as devious smiles appeared on both their faces.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."

"And here I was thinking that they weren't that big." Sirius commented.

"What do you mean?" asked Lily, a bit confused.

Putting his hand over his face James moaned and then said, "Lils. 'Beaters' usually are pretty big blokes or gals. They have to be strong enough to hit the bludger. If you don't have that strength, you'll be taking a one way trip to the ground!" James said with enthusiasm accompanied his little explanation with the appropriate gestures, and when he got to the end he smacked his fist into his palm while making a squishing noise.

"Thank you, James. Uh...I think?" Lily said while staring at him in a critical way.

"No problem." James said while telling Peter to 'carry on'.

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us.

The Marauders all had a laugh at that while Lily smiled and giggled lightly..

"Anyway, we've got to go. Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

"They found it in their first week?" Remus said with a bit of awe. "What about you two?" he asked Sirius and James, "How long did it take you to find that passageway?"

Sirius looked at James, who looked directly at Lily and said, "Now remember...you not Head Girl yet, Lils. No scolding." Lily only rolled her eyes and sighed while waving them on.

"Two days, was it?" Sirius asked James while gloating that the twins hadn't beaten them.

"Sure was, but we had help remember?"

"Doesn't matter. We would have still found it before they did." Sirius chuckled, while Peter coughed to let everyone know he was moving on with the story.

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly

James snorted in approval while Sirius pumped his fist and said, "Harry's got you number you snobby prick!"

"Hem!" Lily said clearing her throat, "Can we go with our swearing for at least one minute?"

"We are getting a bit out of hand, " Remus agreed while staving off the glare from Sirius.

"Fine." James agreed, "We'll keep it to a minimum, is that satisfactory?" Nodding her head, she sighed while turning her attention towards Peter and the book.

There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel.

"What is he thinking!" said Lily in anger then quickly said, "Please don't accept, Harry!"

James hadn't said anything, but when his friend saw his jaw clenching and un-clenching and his knuckles were white, they sort of suspected what his opinions were on this subject. "Bloody Malfoy," Sirius said softly, "Harry should have knocked him from his broom."

"Something's fishy," Remus replied as he then tapped his fingers on his leg in quiet thought.

"Of course something's fishy!" Peter said in worry, "He's baiting him."

"We don't know that," said Remus, taken aback by peters astute perception.

"Come on! He's a first year Slytherin. He won't put his neck on the line...unless, he knows that it might just trick two gullible kids." Peter said in somber tones, when he realized what he was saying.

"Harry's not gullible." Lily interjected and with an air of finality she said, "And hopefully he won't accept or go through with the duel." Understanding this to be the end of the conversation Peter picked up the book and read on.

Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

'This can't be good,' thought James, 'Harry don't do it! I hate to admit it but Peter's right, he's just baiting you!' Sitting on the couch with his eye focused on a spot on the floor James looked to be another world, at least that's what Lily thought as she looked at him every now and again.

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

"And is always patrolled by Filch!" said Sirius in a growl of dislike, while the others had similar thoughts racing through their minds.

When Malfoy had gone Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Oh, he's going to love this explanation!" said Remus with a shake of his head.

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"You tosser! He want's you to believe that!" said Peter animatedly while hopping up and down on his chair and shaking the book, as if try to shake some sense into it.

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"You throw it away and sock him one in his greasy face!" Sirius said while demonstrating his point.

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested

"I'm beginning to like this kid!" Sirius said with a bark-like laugh.

"I bet you are, " Lily retorted with sarcasm, while James snickered lightly.

"Excuse me."

They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"I'mreally beginning to like this kid!" Sirius chuckled.

" — and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really selfish of you."

"Busy body." James mumbled.

"And it's really none of you business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

Everyone stood shocked for a moment, as they all imagined Harry saying those words. "Woah!" said Remus, still reeling form the shock that he received, "That was a...really cold. Don't you think?"

"Yeah," said James agreeing, but then he added, "but I see where he's coming from."

"And 'where', pray tell, is that from?" asked Lily with narrowed eyes.

"She should be sticking her nose into something that doesn't involve her!" said James getting a bit defensive, "And she's ordering him around by telling him he 'mustn'tgo'."

"She's giving him some friendly advice, James."

"I always thought when someone, who especially doesn't know you, gives you advice it was always accompanied with a 'please'." shot James as he too looked to be building a bit of steam, "Besides, we know that she more worried about points than Harry or Ron."

See that she was going no where fast, Lily sighed and then closed her mouth. She sat back down with disapproval written all over her face and waited for Peter to continue on, while James sat next to her in the same manner.

'He's right you know.' she said to herself, then she thought, 'But he doesn't have to put it in such a harsh way!' Lily sat there mulling over her thoughts while casting a glance or two in James direction to see what he was doing.

Smirking. James was smirking to himself and looked to be chuckling softly. 'I wonder what he's thinking?' thought Lily.

'She's real cute when she gets mad,' thought James while chuckling to himself. 'Look at me, I'm turning into a glutton for punishment!' shaking his head he tuned into Peter's reading of the book while catching a glimpse of Lily staring at him out of the corner of his eye.

All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Harry though, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing). Ron had spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them." There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Miss Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck,

"You are pushing you luck!" Lily said in a 'matter-of-fact' way.

Peter turned to Remus with a worried look and asked, "Do you think he'll go through with it?"

"Come on, Peter!" said Sirius, interjecting his opinion, "This is James and Lily's sone we're talking about."

"Yeah," replied Peter, "I guess your right."

Lily looked confused as she asked in agitated tones, "And what is that suppose to mean?"

"Calm down, Lily." Remus said in a soothing voice, "It just means that we've never seen you back down from a challenge."

"I have!"

"Name one." Sirius said with a triumphant look on his face.

Narrowing her eye Lily said, "I can't think of one at the moment, but..."

"That's because there are none!" said Sirius while propping his feet on the table in front of him.

Becoming very quiet Lily looked at James, he wore a frown and was staring at Sirius. However, through that frown she could also see a glimmer of thoughtfulness in his eyes, as if he was thinking about what Remus had said.

breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was his big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. He couldn't miss it.

"He's being tricked." were the words softly spoken by James, while he thought fervently, 'Don't do it!'

"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go."

No one spoke in the Nook, but they all knew what was on each others minds as similar looks of worry pasted over their faces.

They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when

"It's going to be her," said Remus, jumping the gun and interrupting Peter's storytelling.

Looking at his friend as if he had gone mad James said, "Her who?"

"Just read on. You'll see." Remus said cryptically.

Sirius, turning his head slowly while holding his face in what only could be described as the 'what-the-heck-was-that' face, spoke in even tones saying, "I hate it when he does that!" Peter, clearing his throat and opening the book, continued on from where he left off.

a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.

"Oh," said Peter with a smirk, "we're on a first name basis now, are we?"

"She's beginning to get on my last nerve!" growled out Sirius. However, out of everyone in the Nook, those were the only to complaints spoken out loud. The other three friends were too busy worrying about what Harry might be wading into.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.

James laughed lightly while poking Lily in the ribs and saying in a jesting manner, "Well, you haven't met your mother then!"

Lily made a tickling motion and was aiming for James ribs while saying, "If I'm interfering, then your annoying!" Making contact with his ribs James yelped softly while uttering.

"You're evil!"

"Say what you want." Lily said holding his rib and giving them a light tickle.

James held in his laughter, but looked like another attack might have him laughing up a storm. Calming down, he said in threatening tones, "You forget Ms. Evans, I also know where you are ticklish."

"You wouldn't, " she said in confidence, but as she saw him trail his hand down he back that confidence ebbed away. Letting go if him she replied, "You're the one that's evil!"

"Then that means we're a good match, Lils!" said James flashing a innocent smile at her. She mumbled something and sat back down. It was just then that the both of then realized that they had been doing this in front of the others.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," said Sirius with a straight face, while Remus smiled and shook his head in amusement.

Peter, however, was ping ponging his head between the two of them and asked, "Did I miss something?" When Lily chuckled lightly and James smiled at him, but said nothing, Peter just shrugged his shoulders and read on.

"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hold, hissing at them like an angry goose.

"Now who does that remind me of?" Sirius said with a bit of gusto.

"Whoever they are they must be extremely more intelligent than you!" Lily countered.

James chuckled out of place and earned himself a vicious glare from his best friend, while Peter read on with the book.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you onlycare about yourselves,

Lily raised her eyebrows and looked at Sirius, but didn't say anything. Sirius grumbled and began to talk under his breath while listening to the story.

I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"

"Pig headed, stubborn, egotistical," Lily began to tick off her fingers as she supplied everyone with words that she had used to describe the Marauders.

"Lils?" James asked suspiciously, "Who exactly are you talking about?

Lily looked at the Marauders and feeling like she was in the lions den she replied, "Ron, of course!"

"Right..." said Sirius in a sarcastic whisper, "and I'm Dumbledore's love child."

But what they were they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly

"Just wait there and she'll come back," said Peter as if everyone knew this.

"Yeah," retorted Remus while looking at Peter, "Wait there so you'll make Filch's job that much easier."

"Forgot about that," said Peter who slapped his palm against his forehead.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"You are not."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wit for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"She's got a pair on her!" Sirius said in outrage, while James, Remus, and Peter only nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well, Ron's not giving her any assurance that he wouldn't do the same, with the way he's been talking to her." Lily thought out loud.

You've got some nerve —" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, the both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling.

"Filch?" worried Peter.

'Mrs. Norris.' thought Remus while speaking the name in a low whisper, while James Lily and Sirius all held their breath.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

James laughed with the other Marauders, as a story that Frank once told them about came to mind. "He's just like his dad!" exclaimed James laughing again.

"What are you all laughing about?" asked Lily.

"Frank," answered Remus, "he told us that he would normally forget the password and once had to sleep in the hall until Filch found him and gave him a detention for being out of bed."

Lily smiled at Remus explanation, however her smile didn't stay as she began to think about how alike she and her son were. Peter continued on with the story and not even that broke her from her thoughts. 'He's more like James than he is like me," she thought.

'He has some of my traits, but not much.'

'He's more like you than you think,' Lily reassured herself.

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" said Harry.

With that one question Lily saw a glimmer of what could be a little bit of her in her son. Smiling she sat back and leaned against James while smiling up at him. James felt the shift in weight as saw Lily give him a smile that had him grinning like a fool.

'How does she do that?' wondered James, 'With just a smile she makes me feel great.'

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good — well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later —"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Peter shivered slightly while saying, "He gives me the creeps!"

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quite and beckoned them all forward.

"They grow so fast!" Sirius said sobbing into his sleeve.

"I know, he's already broken about fourteen school rules about now." James said with suppressed excitement as Lily's gaze bored it way into his skull. Remus and Peter snickered at James while he tried to tell Lily that "he, in no way, condoned such actions".

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moon light from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

"Or maybe you're incredibly dense, Ron!" yelled James as a foreboding feeling entered his stomach.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

"Filch!" every one exclaimed, while each having their own negative reaction to the understand that Harry was in immediate danger.

James began to bite is finger nails and curse softly under his breath. While Lily wrung her hands and looked at Peter. Sirius was staring at the floor and just kept repeating, "That little bastard!"

Remus however, said in a strong and confident voice, "Run, Harry!"

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-stuck, Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Flich enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightned squeak and broke into a run — he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist and the pair of the toppled right into a suit of armor.

"Well," Sirius said in a somber voice, "it was a nice run while it lasted, hope they aren't too hard on the kid."

"What are you talking about!" spat James angrily.

"Mate," Sirius said looking at the ground, but couldn't continue as his throat locked up momentarily.

"Give me that book!" James demanded while holding out his hand, as Peter gave it to him. Flustered, James opened the book and found where they had left off. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and then continued reading from where Peter ended.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" yelled all the Marauders, while Lily squeaked in worry for the students and her son.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following — they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going — they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a secret passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted,

"They lost Filch?" Peter asked with a stunned look on his face.

"Must have," said Remus while a smile began to poke out from behind his serious face.

"No, no first year just 'loses' Filch!" Sirius said in utter disbelief, but didn't get to finish as a giant squish pillow slapped the side of his head and hung there for a moment, while the others snickered playfully.

"Worry wart!" Lily said trying to hide her worry behind a silly grin.

leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.

"I — told — you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I — told — you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry.

Peter took on a pained look as he said, "Merlin I hate saying this but...she is pretty smart for her age." James continued on with the book, not hearing the comment and not looking up at all.

"You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you — Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Just like his father," Lily commented with a roll of her eyes.

"Below the belt!" James said in mock anger, "Where's that bloody ref, Sirius?"

"Sorry, mate. I think is tea time for him." Sirius said while lifting up a cushion on the couch and looking under it. Shaking his head, James opened the book and moved on with the story.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple.

"When is it ever?" asked Peter as he held his head in his hands and groaned.

They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattle and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves.

"Great," James groaned.

"Well that's done it!" Peter said in a tired voice.

"Run!" shouted Sirius.

"What he said!" said Remus while pointing to Sirius.

"Oh no!" Lily gasped.

He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves — please — you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves please."

"Is...," asked Remus in a lost sort of way, "...is Harry trying to actually talk Peeves down?"

"S'not going to happen!" Peter said while tilting his head back and resting it on the head rest of the chair, "poltergeists thrive off of chaos and mayhem. Telling not to do something is like giving him the 'go ahead' to do it."

"Yes, but Harry doesn't know that," Remus stated in a defensive way.

"Shhhhh!" Sirius hissed and then followed up by saying, "I want to hear what happens!"

"Should tell filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eye glittered wickedly. "It's for you own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves — this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BEQD DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran from their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door — and it was locked.

"This is it! They're done for!" Sirius said covering his eye, while being pummeled with all manner of seat cushions.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as the pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end...

"Ahhhhhh!" James screamed at all manner of pillows and cushions came flying at him. "I just reading from the book!" James yelled furiously, and looked around to see Sirius laughing on the ground his wand clutched in his hand. "Mark my words Black. You'll get yours!" James said before continuing on with the book.

They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could towards Peeve's shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock and whispered, "Alohomora!"

Lily eyebrow jumped up to her hair line as she stated, "She knows the Unlocking Charm?"

"Very advanced, this girl is," commented Remus with a bit of awe.

Peter just sat there arms crossed with anger plastered across his face. However, James was the one who said, "Wonderful. Can I continue on, or would you like to sing her praises?"

The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please'."

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right — please."

"Sucker!" Sirius said with a grin, after having seen Peeves pull this stunt with other people several times.

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay — get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"

Harry turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure that he'd walked into a nightmare —

"I wonder wha..." Sirius began to say when every one shouted.

"SHUT UP!"

this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.

They weren't in a room as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor.

"Same one Dumbledore said to stay away from or you'll die a painful death?" asked Remus.

"Same one," Lily answered.

"Just checking," Remus said and then whispered to himself, "this really can't be good."

And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; and three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

James and Sirius were of the same mind as they began to curse, but Lily beat them to the punch as she said very softly, "Shit!"

Staring at Lily with an incredulous look on their faces, and at a loss for words the Marauders all said in unison, "What she said!"

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

"Oh please!" Lily cried out in fear, "Don't get hurt!"

"Get away from there!" James added, while seeming to be just as worried for Harry and his friends as she was.

Harry groped for the doorknob — between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

"Good choice!" Remus said with a shake of his head.

They fell backward — Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared — all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

Lily felt herself go limp as well. It seemed that she had tensed every muscle in her body for that short paragraph and was only now starting to relax

It was awhile before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"Probably in shock. I know I would be too, if I had gone through that!" said Peter with a little embarrassment.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione had got bother breath and her bad temper back again.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Did you see what it was standing on?"

"Standing..." James said in puzzlement.

"...on?" Sirius finished for him.

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at it feet, I was too busy with its heads."

James snorted at the witty remark his son made, while Lily just shook her head.

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleases with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

"Getting expelled is worse than getting killed?" said Peter looking at James who only shrugged his shoulders in confusion.

"Yeah I can see where that...," Sirius said calmly before exploding with a crazed look in his eye, "...that makes no bloody sense!"

"Someone needs to get their priorities straightened out," said Lily in a calm tone of voice.

Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something... What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide — except perhaps Hogwarts.

It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.

Closing the book and setting it on the table James said, "That's definitely one of Lils' traits coming through in Harry right there."

Smiling sheepishly Lily stayed quiet while thinking, 'Can I help it if I love solving puzzles?" Gathering herself, Lily then turned to James and said with a smile, "If I have ever seen a person who can't resist a mystery it would have to be you, Potter."

James was about to retort when Remus and Sirius both nodded and mumbled in agreement with Lily's statement. Looking surprised, James sent a murderous glare at the pair and said in low threatening tones, "I'm surrounded by traitors."

Sitting up Sirius then yawned while looking out at the sunset colored sky. "Well, it been a slice, but I think me and James need to get back home. Right, James?" Sirius said lightly nudging his head in the direction of his house.

Seeming to remember something James became very serious and said, "Oh, right. Yeah, we have to be going, so if you don't mind." After saying this Remus and Peter looked at their friends with confusion on their face. 'They must not know what going on either.' thought Lily as she stretched and stood up while saying, "Alright, same place tomorrow?"

"Nah," said James, "we'll meet in the study, okay?"

"Sure thing." Lily said serenely while thinking, 'I wonder what's really going on?'

Remus gathered himself up while giving James and Sirius a suspicious look and said, "Well...if you need me, I'll be at my house." And with that he went into the next room where the fireplace stood.

After the sound of flooing had diminished Peter was the next to stand up. Not wanting to seem any less that Remus he just said, "See you later." After which he dashed into the next room and flooed to his house.

Lily didn't say anything, but when she started for the next room James stopped her before she could floo and he said, "My turn!"

"What?" asked Lily in confusion.

"Would you...bloody hell I didn't think this would be so hard," James said discreetly under his breath. "Would you like to have dinner with me?" James asked in a mechanical voice while trying not to break his concentration.

Smiling at him Lily nodded her head and said, "I would be delighted."

"Really?" James said excitedly, then he coughed and took on a more suave manner while trying to save face, "Uh...I mean...that's great. We'll talk about it later, okay?"

"Sure, James," Lily laughed lightly before disappearing.

After she had gone James turned to his friend and said, "Well, now that they're gone. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"No choice." Sirius said slumping his shoulders, "Even your dad said that I couldn't avoid this."

James face twisted downward in anger as he said, "But why now? What do they have to gain from this?"

"Who knows? Maybe they just want a chance to humiliate me even more." Sirius answered while going to the closet and pulling out two pairs of dress robes.

"Bastards!" James growled furiously.

"Let's just get this over with," Sirius replied with a sigh and left to change into his dress robes, while leaving James standing in the middle of the Nook gripping his robes in anger.

---

It had only taken then a short while to get dressed and make it back to the Potters house. From there they flooed to the Ministry of Magic and took an elevator to the courtroom that everything was going to take place in. Walking down the long stone corridor Sirius face seemed to get longer and longer.

"Courtroom thirteen." said Mr. Potter as they all stood before a large and ornate ivory door. Seeing Sirius distress Mr. Potter asked in concern, "Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you?"

"I'm alright with just James coming in, Mr. Potter." said Sirius as his friend slapped him on the shoulder and smiled.

"Alright," Mr. Potter said slowly while taking a seat in a nearby bench, "I'll be here if you need me, okay?"

"Okay." said Sirius while turning to James and muttering out, "let's get this over with shall we?" Pushing on the door it began to open and as it did a cornucopia of sound assaulted both James and Sirius. Before them stretched a long marble corridor and from the end of that corridor it sounded as if court was in session.

Finally making it to the end of the corridor Sirius was petrified at what he saw, nearly every relative that was connected to the Blacks were either stand around or sitting in benches that must have been provided by the Ministry.

Sweeping the room Sirius saw several people that he knew and others that were complete strangers. Sitting on a bench was Lucius Malfoy talking up Narcissa Black while her sister Bellatrix was busy play cruel tricks on one of their younger cousins.

Unaware of what was happening and completely overwhelmed by this circus Sirius didn't even see, until it was too late, the raven haired beauty that flopped into his arm while squealing, "Sirius!"

"Andromeda?" questioned Sirius, thinking this was some sort of dream.

The young woman in front of the two began laughing a silvery laughter as she said, "Well, at least you remember my name."

James chuckled as Sirius smirked and said with bravado, "Well it was either that or Nymphandora. A fifty-fifty split, I just got lucky."

"Oh, do hush up!" Andromeda said with a light punch to Sirius' arm, "You know I love the name Nymphandora."

"You love the name and your kid is gonna hate it!" Sirius joked around, "So how is my older cousin doing these days? And why perchance aren't you with your sisters?"

Shrugging her shoulders and speaking in a nonchalant manner, Andromeda said, "Disowned."

Shocked at the casual manner in which she spoke of it Sirius blurted out, "What? You too? Why?"

"See this is what happens when you don't keep in touch!" she said pouting her lips, "I would have like you to be my husbands best man."

Sirius jaw, if was any harder, would have dropped through the floor had it not been for a dainty hand grabbing his chin and closing his mouth for him while saying in silvery cold tones, "Honestly! How unbecoming of a soon to be ex-Black."

"Speak of the devil," Andromeda said with a smirk while looking her sister in the eye. "We'll talk again Sirius. I, for some reason, feel very filthy right now."

"The Blacks, just getting blacker by the day," Sirius joked while waving off his favorite cousin.

"Well, Sirius? Are you not going to introduce us to your friend? I mean he is quite handsome," said Narcissa walking over to James with hand extended in greeting, while Bellatrix rolled her eyes to the ceiling and huffed in annoyance.

"Who him? That's James Potter." Sirius said while jerking his thumb at James.

As soon as the name came out of his mouth her hand recoiled as if burnt by a fire, and James eyes narrowed suspiciously as her face became an unreadable slate. "Potter? Is it? Well, nice to meet you. Maybe we could get together some time and have lunch," came her monotone reply, that clearly said she dislike him.

James, however, was in no mood to be talked down to and he answered her by saying, "Anyone who cavorts with the Malfoy's is certainly no friend of mine." And with that James bushed pass her with out so much as a second look.

Sirius was laughing as James asked him quietly, "How does she look?"

"Like a fish out of water!" Sirius chuckled madly, "Oooo, and mad too! By the look of it.

Making their way to the center of the domed room the young men were reminded of ancient courtrooms of old. The benches had been split into two half circles that surrounded the center. Each side representing support for the two who were in the middle. Finally making it to the center of the room Sirius heard a commotion coming from the table to his right.

"And I say that's bloody horse dung! Call yourself a Black! If anyone should be disowned it should be you and these cretins!" said an old man whose chest rose and fell with anger and whose beard seemed to bristle with fury. "Useless! The lot of you! You dishonor the noble Black name by doing this, I tell you!" the man strode forward causing the person he was accosting to stand in anger.

"That's enough Alphard! I will not be talk to like that!" screeched a bony woman with black hair, that had grey streaks flaring out from the temples. The dress that she wore looked expensive, as did the jewelry around her neck.

"Ah...stuff it, Apalacia!" said Alphard, throwing his arms across his belly and withstanding his sister tirade. "I'll talk to you any bloody way that I want to! This is blood we are talking about! You cannot disown a blood relative! For Merlin's sake woman, he's your son!" said Alphard trying to reach for some sort of sensibility in his sister.

However, Mrs. Black was not having it, and instead she sat back down with calculated patients. That was when a regal look man whose fine facial features and perfectly sculpted goatee step forward and began to say, "Sir, if you do not step away from my client I will be forced to bring you up on charges of harassment and undue mental trauma."

"Tyrus, you poofy wanker! Get out of the way! I'm in no mood to deal with you!" said Alphard as he pushed the senior Malfoy to the side and said, loud enough so the whole crowd of on lookers could hear, "Do this, and I will make him my only benefactor to all of my wealth...which, happens to be half of the family fortune. If you remember, that is."

This proclamation seemed to stir a reaction from Apalacia cold emotionless face. Slowly her eyes narrowed and her face became drawn as she stared down her brother with hate filled eyes. "Do what you please," she said in clipped tones while gritting her teeth.

Turning away from his sister in exasperation, Alphard face brightened when he saw his nephew. Walking over to them with a slight limp he greeted Sirius with a hug while saying, "How you lived with that woman for fifteen years is beyond my comprehension!"

"Sheer will power Uncle Alphard...and a lot of luck!" said Sirius in a dead laugh.

"Look lad, come see me after this farce has played itself out and we'll talk about an inheritance," Alphard said while glaring at his sister. After one last pat on the shoulder, Uncle Alphard hobbled his way to the stands where only a handful of Blacks were sitting.

"Please be seated," said a voice from the vicinity of the main podium, "court is now in session!"

"Well, here goes nothing," said Sirius while James gripped his should in support.

---

Harry had been conscious now for about a hour, but he had kept his eyes closed ever since he had regained consciousness. 'Snape,' Harry screamed inside his mind, 'worried about me!? Please, oh please, let this world just fade away like some bad nightmare.'

Situated where he was, Harry had been use to hearing the occasional comment or encouragement directed his way. It was also a perfect way of listening in on the adults while they discussed 'what was going on'.

"What's happened? Why did Harry have that look of horror when he saw my face?" asked a concerned Snape.

"We do not know why, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly

"Although," McGonagall said in afterthought, "in the morning he was acting very strange." Harry strained to hear her next words, "He even said that Sirius Black was his godfather."

"What!" growled Snape menacingly.

"Now, now, Severus. I'm sure there something completely logical behind this and we will find what it is, alright?" Dumbledore said in soothing tones.

Harry was straining so hard to listen in on the conversation while keep his eyes shut, that when he head the sound of a throat being cleared nearby him he snapped back into his original position so fast that it made the bed underneath groan and shake.

"Pitiful," said a male voice that he could recognize anywhere, "Come on! Get up! We know your not unconscious."

Harry opened his eyes to see both Draco, Romulus and Hermione standing before him, each with their own emotion plastered across their faces. Romulus looked wary and glanced between Hermione and Draco every now and again.

However, Draco was absolutely livid and as he walked over to the stand where they had put his robes he said, "I thought we were friends, Harry. But I guess that you don't trust us enough. And for Merlin's sake, Granger!? You chose to talk to Granger before us?"

Harry looked at Hermione with wide eyes but she beat him to the punch by saying, "I didn't tell them everything."

"Everything? Everything what? There's more?" Draco fumed, his blonde hair dropping out of place and into his face as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Look," Romulus finally said while staring at the door to the room in the Hospital Ward, "we don't have time to bicker right now. So let's just put that to the side and get the heck out of here, shall we?" Malfoy, still smoldering with anger, handed Harry a cloak that look some what familiar but older and quite frayed.

The others, Harry noticed, grabbed their own cloaks and soon became just as invisible as he was. "I knew you three had something like that!" Hermione said with gasp as Harry pulled her under his invisibility cloak and followed the footsteps of his classmates, as they opened a secret passage that took them to just out side the Herbology green houses.

"Come on!" cried Romulus voice as he removed the invisibility cloak, "Let's go to our secret spot!"

Harry looked confused and Hermione balked a bit as Draco said, "She can't come! I won't allow it!"

"Why?" Harry asked softly, "Is it because she's Muggle born?"

"No, you prat! It because she'll be breaking rule two, no girls allowed!" he said while sending a critical gaze his way, as Harry looked surprised. Huffing loudly, Draco added, "You should know, it was your rule."

"She's coming. And that's that!" Harry stated while standing his ground and refusing to move. Hermione looked away and dried her eyes before looking at the boys again. Never in her life had anyone stood up for her in same manner that Harry was doing at this moment.

"Alright," Draco said through clenched teeth as he lead the way. Romulus only shook his head and followed Draco closely.

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said softly.

"No problem, Hermione," Harry smiled back, as they both began to jog to catch up to the others.