Here's the next chapter you guys! I wanted to apologize to the people who I told that I would be introducing the other school's this chapter because I forgot about this part and it gave me an opening to introduce the will concept (which one of you awesome viewers pointed out could be a way to free Sirius and will give me the opportunity to do some other things later that I wasn't sure how to tie in previously). I hope you like it but (as always) review even if you don't, I love hearing any feedback you've got for me. :o)

Love,

Adrien

P.S. I posted a new HP story earlier today! It's called A Marauder's Daughter and will eventually be a Fremione fic. Here's the summary for those of you interested: At age seven Hermione was told to run by her mother, to run and not look back. Being who she is, she followed those directions to a T... Only she got lost...in the woods...on the night of a full moon. What happens when Remus finds her and doesn't kill her? What would her life be like if she were raised by a Marauder? How would it change her years at Hogwarts?

Disclaimer: I still don't own this sandbox in which I love to play. The amazing J. K. Rowling is the only one with that right. She also has complete creative right to the lines underlined like this because they came straight from Goblet of Fire.

Chpt. 10: Who Do You Trust?

"But you said that's illegal," Hermione speaks out as Proffessor Moody clears the desks away so that they can practice throwing off the Imperius Curse.

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, his magical eye swiveling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way — when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely — fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."

Hermione's eyes narrow at the professor, her back tensing in the same way it had when she'd punched Draco in the face last year. She was so sick of people treating her as though she were some invalid just because she liked to follow the rule, because she liked to be in control when she could. Professor Snape gave her enough hell in school, she didn't need it from Professor Moody as well. "I'd actually like to volunteer to go first, sir." Her voice is cold even to her own ears and she can feel everyone's attention on her now as they stare at her in shock. She had never been so rude to a teacher before.

Professor Moody's eyes narrow right back at Hermione but she doesn't flinch away which seems to surprise him. "Come on then." His voice is gruffer than usual as he jerks his head to the right, directing her to take the spot across from his.

Hermione makes her way to the spot, head held high as her magic thrums around her.

"Imperio!" It was the most wonderful feeling. [Hermione] felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in [her] head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. [She] stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching [her]. And then [she] heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of [her] empty brain: Slap Longbottom… Slap Longbottom… Hermione began to raise her foot to make her way toward Neville before setting it back down. Why? Neville had always been good to her… Slap Longbottom… Hermione struggled against the voice, her body completely frozen. She wouldn't lose control to this jackass, she just had to figure out how... Slap Longbottom… This was a dark spell meant to take away your choices, your happiness. HAPPINESS… SLAP LONGBOTTOM!

Hermione pulls on her Patronus memory. Harry's emerald gaze sparkling with laughter as he smiles brightly down at her, holding out his hand to help her up from where she had slipped and fell when Ginny had convinced their group to ice-skating on Black Lake instead of going to Hogsmeade. The only issue was Hermione didn't know how to skate and had fallen on her ass the second she had stepped onto the ice. Ginny had doubled over with laughter almost immediately and Neville was clearly fighting a losing battle against his own laughter. Ron hadn't been there to make fun of her because he had had detention that day for she couldn't even remember what. It was the first time she was alright with not being in control and trusted those around her.

Hermione blinked and her eyes cleared as she turned her head toward Professor Moody, "No."

His eyes widen in surprise then narrow in anger for a moment before he plasters a smile across his face. "Very good, Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor. Now, who's next."

No one stepped forward so Professor Moody began to beckon students forward in turn and put the Imperius Curse upon them. [Hermione] watched as, one by one, [her] classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been capable of in his normal state. Not one of them seemed to be able to fight off the curse, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it.

"Potter," Moody growled, "you next."

Harry moved forward into the middle of the classroom, into the space that Moody had cleared of desks. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and said, "Imperio!"

Hermione bit her bottom lip as she watched her friend bend slightly at his knees and then freeze for a few moments. She knew he could do it, he was more than strong enough. Another moment passes and he does a weird sort of jump that has him smashing into the table, a pained look flaring across his face as he comes out of his trance.

"Now, that's more like it! ...Look at that, you lot . . . Potter fought! He fought it, and he damn near beat it! We'll try that again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention — watch his eyes, that's where you see it — very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!"

Hermione glares at the older man as Professor Moody has Harry try four more times, getting more beat up each time, before finally letting out their class.

She waves Ron off to their next class as she waits for Harry, both of their bags slung across her shoulder. Harry limps his way over to her and she immediately wraps her free arm around his waist to help him walk. The two teens are silent as they exit the classroom and Hermione leads them down the hall.

"How did you break the curse so easily?" Harry finally breaks the silence.

"I thought about the memory I use to call on my Patronus," Hermione replies then continues when Harry shoots her a questioning look. "The Imperius Curse is a dark spell that is meant to take away your choices. By taking away your choices, it takes away your happiness much like how dementors are dark creatures whose only purpose is to drain you of every happy memory you have. Happiness drives dementors away through use of your Patronus so I thought that maybe happiness could ground me enough to throw off the Imperius Curse. Darkness can't be fought with dark emotions like anger or irritation or reluctance at what the caster wants you to do. To fight darkness, you need light. Happiness is what gives people drive, it is what keeps us fighting even when we feel like we can't fight anymore… Next time, and there will be a next time if I know Professor Moody the way I think I do, pull on your Patronus memory and you'll be able to throw it off."

"You're amazing, Hermione. I don't think I tell you that enough," Harry tells her after a moment, leaning over a bit so that he can drop a kiss on the top of her head.

Sirius's attention was pulled from the tome he was reading on wizarding law when two knocks sounded on Remus's door. "Professor Lupin?" His pup's voice sounded from the other side moments later and he immediately closed his book, his eyebrows pulled together in concern. She's supposed to be in class right now.

Remus was halfway to the door, his open book abandoned on the coffee table, before Sirius had even registered that Remus was no longer leaning against him on the couch. "What happened?" Remus asks as he ushers Sirius's clearly injured godson and his pup in before shutting and locking the door.

Sirius springs from his seat as Hermione helps Harry sit in the middle of the couch, both of them moving out of the way as Remus bustles over to Harry and begins waving his wand in intricate patterns above the younger man's body.

"We were practicing throwing off the Imperius Curse in DADA and Harry managed to fight it for a little bit on his first attempt so Professor Moody continued making him try, even though he got hurt every time he attempted to fight it, until he could completely throw it off. It took him four more tries after his first," Hermione tells them, her concerned gaze never leaving Harry.

Remus finishes healing Harry and Hermione visibly relaxes, dropping two bags that Sirius hadn't realized she was carrying onto the ground before sitting on the couch next to Harry and resting her head on his shoulder as she tosses her legs over his. Remus takes the seat of the other side of Harry and Sirius collapses into the rickety armchair closest to the two kids.

"Why are you reading up on wizarding law?" His pup's question breaks the silence the four of them had fallen into, her curious chocolate eye connecting with Sirius's eyes.

"I was trying to see if there was anything in here that could get me exonerated without having Pettigrew in hand. Specifically, if there was any law against imprisonment without trial."

Sirius watches his pup's gaze dull a bit as she pull her bottom lip in between her teeth, clearly running through everything she knew on wizarding law. Why she knew anything about wizarding law, he didn't know. But she wasn't the smartest with of her age for nothing. Her gaze sharpens suddenly and her attention turns toward Harry as she bite her lip a bit harder, like she wants to ask him something but isn't sure if she should. Which is odd for her.

His godson raises his eyebrows at her as though he's surprised she won't just ask him whatever it is going through her head. "What is it, Mione?"

"I just think it's strange… In every story I've heard and every description people give when they talk about your Mum, her brilliant mind is brought up in some way. Lilly was at the top of her graduating class and one hell of a practical fighter as well according to anyone who came in contact with her during the war. People praise her for her practicality… I find it hard to believe that she didn't have a backup plan. She wouldn't have let the fact the Pettigrew was their Secret Keeper die with her and James in case something happen and, if she was anything like me, she would have wanted all of her bases covered."

"What about their will?" Remus's question brought three surprised gazes onto his.

"What will?" Harry voices Sirius's thoughts. He had never heard about any will, why would James and Lilly even need a will if all of their earthly belongings went to their only child no matter what should they have died.

"Your parents wrote a will shortly before they went into hiding. Dumbledore had it sealed the day after they died but it was supposed to have been read to you no matter what after your eleventh birthday..." A growl rumbles through Remus's chest as he takes in Harry's still confused expression. "Harry… How have you been getting your money out of Gringotts?"

Fury boils in Sirius's stomach as he waits for his godson, his pup, to answer the question. He can physically feel his magic humming around him and, from where's he's watching Harry, he can see Hermione's unruly curls begin to spark as her own magic flares.

"Someone always takes me. First it was Hagrid but it's been Mrs. Weasley for the past three years. They told me I wasn't allowed to keep my key until I came of age…" Harry trails off, his gaze flickering from one person to the next as though looking for someone to give him a straight answer.

"Harry." Sirius's voice his gruff as he speaks through almost clenched teeth in an attempt to control his anger. "At the very least, you should have been given your key when you reentered the magical world. No one has a right to keep that key except yourself or some you trust completely. That coming of age excuse they gave you is shit and the fact that they've been keeping you from hearing the will means that they have something to hide."

"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight? I couldn't sleep with Lavender and Pavarti prattling on about the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students." Hermione asks as she removes then disillusionment charm she had used to get into Harry's dorm undetected. The excuse is complete bullshit and they both know it but neither of them comments on that fact.

"Sure," Harry replies, wrapping his arm around her tightly as slides under the blankets beside him.

The two teens fall into a comfortable silence but neither of them fall asleep as they stare at the canopy above their heads, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

"How do we know who to trust?" Harry's breath brushes against Hermione's cheek and his gaze captures hers when she turns her head to look at him.

"I don't know." She can't lie to him.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Her voice is barely a whisper.