A/N: I LOVE YOU ALL… and I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I apologize for the double cliffy. I'm an evil, evil writer. Um, seriously people, I'm feeling neglected in the review department. The more reviews I get, the more initiative I get to write (and the more guilt I have when I DON'T write). You can thank Brucey, Conscience, Caffeine and Sugar for my finally getting this chapter out. I LOVE Y'ALL DANGIT! Oh, and I'm planning and scheming for some fun plot twisting… and that's actually where I got the name for Plost Twits (I capitalize it so it's easier to find and not mistake and whatnot). The whole serenading waterfowl bit… stolen from my sister because she wanted to serenade a duck from the roof (don't ask… she was more hyper than me… scary thought) and the loose electron thing was stolen from my biology teacher… we were learning about photosynthesis and ATP at the time… Anyways, I'll stop distracting you so just freaking READ already!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… wait, wrong fan fiction… I don't own Ichi… dangit! Wrong again! I don't own Shawn Spencer… no, that's not right… I don't own House… no… still not it… I don't own HARRY! Nor do I even own double cliffies… let alone regular ones… there's a lot of things I don't own and I'm broke as heck so rest assured I'm not making any money off this either.

Severus moved silently to the couch.

"Can I cast a drying charm? Do you want something to drink?" James was nervous. He wondered what Snape was doing here.

"Yes to the first and no to the second. Albus wants to keep me sober," he sneered. James could see he was tense. He cast the drying charm nonverbally and he wondered if he should add a cheering charm or if that would violate the sobriety aspect when Snape let out a huge sigh like he was about to say something.

"Look, before you say anything, I just want to tell you that I'm really sorry. It was out of line for me to make such demands. Relationships are about compromise." James stared down at his shoes, hoping beyond hope that Severus would forgive him but afraid to meet his eyes.

"No, I was stupid. I was too busy worrying about you staying alive that I couldn't see how I was losing you anyways." Snape shook his head. "I was too cautious and I was being ridiculous and inexorable." He smiled a small, sad smile that made James just want to bombard him with love. "You know who made me realize I was wrong? Minerva. Of all people, she convinced me of what you were after! Can you believe that?"

"Wait, so if we're both penitent, what does this mean?" James asked.

"It means I want to tell the world that you're mine," Severus said matter-of-factly.

"Well, we need to take safety into consideration," James replied. "You work for certain crowds and we need to maintain that you stay in your position.

"The headmaster and I have agreed on a quite a few things involving that. Neither of us see this as detrimental to me politically." Snape stepped closer to James.

"You're sure?" James asked. It was a loaded question, to be sure. He was asking so many different questions with those two words.

"Of course I am," Severus replied as he bridged the gap between the two. Their lips met and James felt blissful. Better than he had in a long time. He gripped Snape close and vowed never to let go.

One of Draco's hands was at her waist and the other tangled in her hair before Ariana responded to the kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut and she just lost herself in the kiss. When he licked her bottom lip for entrance, she finally realized that she was kissing Draco. Her best friend.

Ariana pulled away to see a hurt looking Draco. "That was stupid. I shouldn't have done that. I just-- Blaise convinced me that you'd feel the same way when confronted with it and--"

"Ferret face, you're babbling," Ariana cut him off. "I just wanted to ask if you meant it."

"Of course I bloody meant it! You think I'd jeopardize my oldest friend for a kiss that meant nothing?!" Draco's voice rose in pitch as he grew hysterical.

"I don't know! You're always kissing some random girl who means nothing and I don't want to be that," Ariana scowled. "I don't want to be just another girl."

"Ari, you've never been just another girl. You're my best friend. Hell, it took me years to realize you ARE a girl." Draco shook his head. "Somehow, I always knew that, in the end, you and me would end up together. We're a perfect match in the pureblood world. We're from influential families, we've got plenty of gold, we're the perfect pureblood match. I think I might've tried rebelling no matter how much I wanted it." He sighed.

"I think I know what you're saying," Ariana replied. "Are you sure you want this? Once it happens, there's no going back."

"Yeah. I love you Ariana. You've no idea how much." Draco rested his forehead on hers.

"You're being sappy!" she crinkled her nose. "But I return the sentiments, Draco Malfoy."

"Dear Moony and Padfoot," Sirius read the note aloud goofily the next morning at breakfast. He and Remus had come home to an empty house the night before but hadn't thought anything of it as they tumbled into bed, dead tired. "I have run off and gotten married in Vegas to a transvestite named Roberta. I call him/her (I'm not really sure anymore) Bob. Code Green and a Half. This is not a drill. Repeat. This is not a drill (it's a hammer). Love, Prongsie."

"Did he really write that?" Remus raised an eyebrow.

"All but the Prongsie part. I added that for effect.

"What was Green and a Half again?" Remus asked. His eyes were faraway, traversing, most likely, in their youth.

"I believe that's the one where he marries a hooker and moves to Canada," Sirius replied conversationally. "I guess Bob just wasn't who he thought they were."

"That is why I'm going to do extensive background checks of the person I marry," Remus replied.

"Dude, you've known me for 25 years; what background is there to check?" Sirius looked affronted.

"Well, maybe we'll get in a fight someday and, in a spur of the moment decision, I'll marry my internet sweetheart." Remus gave Sirius a small smile.

"But background checks aren't conducive to spontaneity," Sirius pointed out.

"Hmmm, I suppose you're right," Remus mused.

"So, are we going to go and find Prongsie after breakfast?"

"That would imply that we don't know where he is," Remus replied as he read the Daily Prophet. It reported even more deaths.

"Well we don't," Sirius replied thoughtfully. "Because, unless he's got an illicit Time Turner, he can't be in Las Vegas and Canada all at once."

"I'm shocked you know that particular geographical fact," Remus replied.

"Well all the partiers know where Vegas is, darling." Sirius smirked as he drawled the word darling.

"Good morning my lovely Gryffindorks!" Ariana greeted and gave all the Gryffindors sitting around her a hug. She had, once again, decided to sit with the Gryffindors for breakfast.

"How come you never eat at the Slytherin table?" a particularly snooty Gryffindor third year asked.

"Because they don't know what the phrase 'idle chit-chat' means," Ariana rolled her eyes. "They also don't understand that eavesdropping is a bad thing."

"Hogsmeade this weekend," Ginny pointed out.

"Dude, it's Halloween already?" Ariana raised an eyebrow.

"Not quite. But this weekend, yes," Hermione replied.

"Ron's probably going with Seamus," Harry said.

"And me and Dean are going together," Ginny added.

"I'm probably going with Dork-o," Ariana mused. "That leaves Blaise free, Harry," she added as she nudged the Boy Who Lived in question.

"But then who will Hermione go with?" Harry asked defensively.

"Oh, Viktor's visiting for the weekend," Hermione replied off-handedly. "Didn't I mention that to you?"

"You're leaving me all alone?!" Harry cried in distress.

"Yay! Blaise will be eternally grateful!" Ariana smiled broadly.

"Great," Harry muttered.

"Your enthusiasm is duly noted, Potter," Draco sneered. All the Gryffindors turned simultaneously to see the Slytherin standing directly behind Ariana. She, however, didn't turn around. She instead leaned back so that she was looking at him upside down.

"You're being protective of our little Blaise," Ariana smiled at him.

"Well you're not so I feel that I have to." Draco rolled his eyes.

"Dude, I'm the setterer-upper… setter-upper? I'm CONFUSED!" Ariana scrunched up her face as she tried to think.

"What are we talking about?" Blaise must have gotten lonely at the Slytherin table all by himself so he had come over to where his friends were.

"How I'm setting you up," Ariana replied. Draco nudged her pointedly. "Um, dude, the best way to convince someone you're lying is by telling them the truth," she said in reply.

"Wait, you're seriously setting me up?" Blaise looked concerned.

"Naw, I'm too busy being psychic," Ariana replied.

"Draco, is she there any truth to anything she's currently saying?" Blaise turned to him.

"Honestly, I'm not even trying to keep up," Draco admitted. "However, very rarely does Ariana flat out lie."

"Good point. The only problem is finding out which bit is the truth." Blaise mused a bit.

"Hey, Harry," Ariana nudged the raven haired boy. "Ask him."

"Ask him what?" Harry looked more than a little confused.

"You know, about this weekend." She was trying to whisper but, as Ariana had a normally loud voice, her whisper was fairly loud.

"What?!" Harry gave her a shocked look. He had no idea that he would actually have to ask Blaise to Hogsmeade.

"Oh for Pete's sake," Ariana muttered. "Blaise, you're going to Hogsmeade with Harry."

"What, I don't get a say in this?" Blaise raised an eyebrow. He was fairly used to Ariana's controlling ways.

"Nope. Not an ounce. Now have fun, my duckies. I think I'm going to go sit with the Ravenclaws and see how long it takes for one to curse me out." With that, Ariana got up and flounced over to the Ravenclaw table.

"Four minutes twenty-five seconds." Ariana sat down next to Harry in Potions and declared he was her lab partner for the day.

"What?"

"That was the longest the Ravenclaws went without using a word that would be bleeped out on muggle TV." Ariana smiled. "I didn't count damn or hell or… shoot, I forgot what other words you can use on TV."

"Why aren't you making me sit with Zabini? I thought you were setting us up." Harry shot Ariana a bored look.

"You don't know the first thing about relationships, do you?" Ariana gave Harry a knowing look. "You have to take it slow in the beginning so as not to scare them off. Plus, you've gotta play hard to get sometimes."

"Do I want to know how you know all this?" Harry asked her.

"No," Ariana replied. "It involves serenading waterfowl… from high elevations…" She wore her trademark crazy smirk.

"I knew that I didn't want to know. I shouldn't have brought it up…" Harry shook his head. He noticed, for the first time, that Professor Snape seemed to be in a good mood. And by good mood he meant relatively speaking. Compared to others with more cheery dispositions, Severus Snape was just in a quiet mood.

"Oooh, Professor, you haven't yelled at Harry yet even though class started twelve minutes and fifty-two seconds ago," Ariana bugged out her eyes as much as she could.

"I'm giving you all a study period as we're about a month ahead of where we would need to be to cover all the information that will be on your exams." Snape surveyed the classroom.

"Since when has that stopped you before?" Ariana asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"Shut up! If you talk like that, maybe he'll change his mind!" some Hufflepuff yelled at her.

"Dude, he obviously just made up with his significant other and is thus too blissful to cause severe emotional trauma to teenagers today." Ariana rolled her eyes at the kid.

"What does trauma mean?" the kid whispered to his partner, another Hufflepuff, who snickered.

"Harry," Collin came up to Harry as he was studying in the common room. He had a Transfiguration test the next day and he hadn't exactly inherited his father's innate ability for the subject.

"What is it Collin?" Harry snapped, slightly irritated. He had been reading the same paragraph for the last fifteen minutes and it just wouldn't sink in.

"I was wondering if you knew what kind of sweets Cho likes considering you dated her and all." Collin looked sheepish.

"How should I know?" Harry snapped again. He slammed the book shut and then let his head fall painfully onto the thick, hardcover tome.

"Well, you and her were together for a couple months…" Collin started. "I figured you would know…" Collin shot Harry an apologetic look.

"Why don't you go ask Michael Corner. He's her ex too, you know," Harry glared in Collin's direction. He wasn't angry with the boy. Collin didn't know he was being a pest. Harry was just in a foul mood.

"Oh, Harry, is it okay that I go out with her? I mean, I know we're sort of friends and all and I know she's your ex and I know I should have asked. I guess I just really like her. I forget stuff when I really like people." Collin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yes Collin, it's fine that you go out with her. It's not like I still have feelings for her. Hell, I don't even care about her at all. I wouldn't wish her death but it's not like I'd wish her well either." Harry realized he was being a prat to Collin. He figured he should probably make an effort to be nicer to the kid. What had Collin ever (intentionally) done to him?

"You're the best, Harry," Collin beamed. "But you honestly don't know what kind of sweets she likes?"

"No Collin, I don't," Harry replied through gritted teeth.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll stop now, I promise!" Collin insisted and ran off. He came back a moment later. "Is Michael Corner a Ravenclaw?"

"Yes, Collin," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

"Thanks Harry!"

"He'd be better off asking Cedric," Ron said sitting next to Harry. "I'm surprised you didn't suggest that. Of course, Roger Davies would be a better ex to ask. He's into that sappy stuff."

"He just wants to bed with girls," Harry replied. "He doesn't do sappy for any other reason."

"You're probably right," Ron replied.

"Something major is going on, I know it," Severus paced his living room. James sat on the couch trying to be supportive.

"Maybe he's only telling people involved. You know, keep it a secret until it happens so that word can't get out even to bumbling ministry officials." James looked hopefully at his boyfriend. And yes, he did a dance in his head every time he even thought the word now.

"If he's doing something big he'd want everyone to know," Severus stopped to give James a look. "He's not very humble."

"Well, maybe he's waiting until no one can do anything to stop him. Then he'll tell everybody he's pregnant with Lucius' baby." James was trying and failing to lighten the mood.

"I'm sure Narcissa would love that one. Draco would have an aneurism," Snape replied dryly. "No, I think he senses dissent in his ranks. He's trying to skunk out the rats by not telling any of us anything and making us all do ridiculous tasks in secret. I'm making vast amounts of cheering potions for him."

"Well, he could have some use for cheering potions," James pointed out. "Maybe he's just trying to get stoned out of his mind."

"I highly doubt that. He's not the type to use such things for recreational use," Severus drawled.

"Right, he's a sadist and, most probably, a masochist." James shook his head.

"Actually, the Dark Lord has a surprisingly low pain tolerance. I once needed a drop of his blood for a potion and he whined like a baby about the cut for the next week, insisting it was infected and also insisting that the one and only medi-wizard he staffs is far too incompetent to heal such terrible wounds." Severus wore a smirk.

"Maybe he should hire a muggle doctor," James replied, returning the smirk.

"And go against all his morals? Fat chance that'll ever happen." Severus sunk onto the couch next to James and leaned his head on James' shoulder. "I wish I knew what he was planning."

"I know Sev. Just relax. Don't get defensive around him or he'll know something's up." James kissed the top of Severus' head and Severus just nodded.

"'Arry! Ron! 'Ermione!" Hagrid called as the three were conversing quietly on the grounds. They had been taking a walk and speculating why Voldemort hadn't tried something yet that year. "I got a beautiful creature to show yeh." He beamed at them. The three followed him, knowing it would be no use to protest.

Hagrid led them to his garden where there were a four little dog-like creatures running around. Each was a different color but all four had long, corkscrew-esque tails. One was purple, another a midnight blue. A third was a pumpkin orange and the last was a bright, indigo color.

"What are they?" Ron asked as he watched them chase each other around the pumpkin patch.

"They're Plost Twits. A very rare creature. And even more rare is findin' one that's a warm color. That orange one's worth a vault full of gold at Gringotts." Hagrid stared at them lovingly.

"They look like toy dogs," Harry muttered. He'd been chased by heel biters often enough to know what they looked like. The suburbs were full of dogs.

"Toy dogs? You mean like teddy bears only with dogs?" Ron asked.

"No, dogs come in certain classes, Ronald," Hermione explained. "Toy is the smallest. Miniature is just larger than that."

"Why would they call them toys if they're not?" Ron looked perplexed.

"Because they look so small that they're like a child's plaything." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Why are they so rare, Hagrid?" Harry turned the conversation back to the plost twits.

"Hermione looks like she wants to take this one," Hagrid replied.

"Plost Twits are very rare creatures because they've been placed in captivity to near extinction. Plost twits come in many different colors but most are ones you'd hardly see on a regular dog. They live near bodies of water because they love to eat aquatic plants. They use their tails to propel them when they're swimming, which is why they're tails are so formed. Other than being captivated, they're very hardy and are resistant to most attack, magical or otherwise. Because of this naturally high resistance and the fact that they look so friendly, wizards are always trying to catch them."

"They sound cool," Harry remarked. Ron nodded.

"Oooh! Are those Plost Twits?" James came up and asked Hagrid.

"They are!" Hagrid beamed. "How've you been, James?"

"Good, good. Severus let me have coffee with breakfast," James beamed at them all.

"Oh dear," Harry muttered.

"Ah, he did, did he?" Hagrid asked awkwardly. He was obviously unaware of James' and Severus' relationship.

"Yep!" James was still beaming. "Oh, didn't I tell you that he and I are together, Hagrid?" James finally noticed Hagrid's face.

"Together as in datin' and kissin' and stuff?" Hagrid asked incredulously.

"And that's just the innocent stuff," James grinned impishly. It was a habit he'd picked up from Sirius. Hermione giggled.

"You know, some muggles think that homosexuality is hereditary. Others think that you're just born with it. Narrow minded people think it's a choice." Hermione recited all these things as if they were statistics out of a textbook.

"Personally, I don't know what it is." James smiled. "All I know is that Sev let me have cooooooooffeeeeeeeeeee and I have lots of energy." James was bouncing around like a four-year-old on a sugar high.

"Remind me to tell him to never let you again," Harry replied with a sigh.

"Sometimes I wonder which one of us is the father and which is the son, young man," James mock-scolded his son.

"Me too," Harry sighed again.

"Those Plost Twists are so CUTE!" James said, distracted yet again.

"I know a ministry approved breeder," Hagrid replied. "If you want one I can get you a deal. They're still mighty expensive but more manageable. They make excellent pets."

"They seem a little tame for your liking, Hagrid," Ron pointed out.

"Ah… well, Professor Dumbledore thought that I should maybe get some friendlier creatures to show the youngins," Hagrid replied delicately.

"His exact words at that staff meeting were that you're a Ministry liability and with the state of things he can't afford the Ministry snooping around, unfortunately," a dry voice said behind them.

"SEVY!" James shouted and hugged the Potions Master.

"Professor Snape," Harry said through clenched teeth, "I suggest you never let my father have caffeine ever again."

"I quite agree, Mr. Potter," Snape said as he slightly reluctantly peeled James off of him.

"But Sev…" James pouted.

"We'll talk about this later, James," he replied sternly. And then, he mumbled to himself, "I feel like I'm dealing with a five-year-old."

"Silly Sev, I'm ADD like a loose electron!" James replied. "Which is to say that, in my current condition, I can act no older than four-years-old. You're very bad at estimates." James continued to babble on as Snape excused them and dragged him off.

"It's odd to see those two getting along but odder still to see Snape and you, Harry, to speak civilly to each other," Hagrid said, awestruck, after the two lovebirds were out of earshot.

"It's even odder to be a part of," Harry replied.

"WELCOME TO HOGSMEADE MY DUCKIES!" Ariana cried. She was leading a very paired off group. Ron and Seamus were holding hands muttering sweet nothings/obscene and very un-innocent things to each other; Hermione had just spotted Krum and was hugging him in her vice-like hug; Harry and Blaise had their arms crossed and were scowling at her in tandem, and Severus and James had followed the kids for the fun of it.

"We've all been here before, Rini," Blaise said in a distinctly mad voice. Ariana knew that only acquaintances and people who knew her by face and reputation called her Rini. All her closest friends called her either by her full name or, when they were lazy, Ari.

"Stop being a spoil-sport Zabini," she replied in a cold tone, smile still gracing her face.

"We're going to Zonko's!" Ron called as he and Seamus wandered off. Hermione called a goodbye too, before taking Viktor to the stationary shop because she absolutely needed new quills. Severus and James muttered something about needing sweets before telling the kids to behave and heading off. That left Draco, Ariana, Blaise and Harry.

"Doooorko!" Ariana cried. "I need books. Now." She said before shooting Harry and Blaise and impish grin and dragging him off.

"So," Harry said awkwardly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"So," Blaise replied. He was forcing himself to seem uninterested. Ariana, of all people, should know not to exploit his weaknesses. He hated that. Damn her and her female intuition. If it weren't due to that particular endowment, she wouldn't be aware that Blaise had a major crush on Harry and she wouldn't try to set them up because she was a meddling little girl.

"Wanna go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" Harry asked. "At least there it'll just feel like hanging out."

"You know, for a Gryffindor, you just made a really good point," Blaise smirked.

"We're notoriously good at surprising people," Harry replied. "We like to pretend we're dumber than we are."

"Well, most of you are just as dumb as you seem," Blaise replied. "But you, you're actually kind of annoyingly smart once someone gets to know you."

"Well, I do have my own brand of logic that seems to get everything about half-right until the very end," Harry muttered darkly as the entered the Three Broomsticks. They grabbed butterbeers and headed over to a table.

"What are you talking about?" Blaise furrowed his brow.

"You know the annual trouble I get in every June?" Harry asked. Blaise nodded. "Well, I spend the whole year each year building up to that. Working out theories, plotting ways to save the world, that sort of thing. The problem is I don't sense trouble is afoot yet," Harry scowled darkly. "I'd prefer to have something to talk to Ron and Hermione about secretively like always."

"Are you serious?" Blaise asked. "I thought you guys just didn't like to hang out with other people. You're always plotting?"

"Yeah. If I didn't, I would be half as prepared for my annual encounter with Voldemort," Blaise winced a little here, "and a lot more people would be dead now."

"I understand," Blaise replied. "Although, I must admit that even we Slytherins don't spend our whole year figuring out plots and all that." Blaise smiled a little.

"You winced when I said Voldemort… are you unused to the name?" Harry's brow furrowed.

"Even Death Eaters' kids would wince at it," Blaise replied. "He's the Dark Lord in those circles. My mum tries to stay out of it though. She's more of a society lady, to be honest. All she cares about are the oldest families with the most money. She calls him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"That actually makes sense," Harry replied. "What about Ariana's family? What are they like?"

"Well, her father's originally from around here. He went to Hogwarts with Lucius Malfoy and they were friends during their school days. Then, he moved to America because he liked the politics of their magical government. He also wanted to avoid the war because he was being pressured into choosing a side. There, he met a French witch, Ariana's mother. They married and had two kids: Ariana's older brother Christopher, who lives in California, is set to inherit the family's possessions and Ariana, who they're prepared to marry into the Malfoy family." Blaise had ended his explanation.

"Are either of her parents Death Eaters?" Harry asked. He really only remembered Death Eaters who he knew outside of their helping the Dark Lord capacity.

"Nope. Mr. Morrow doesn't like being told what to do and Mrs. Morrow is a spirited French woman who cares more about cheese and wine than politics." Blaise smiled. "Lucius Malfoy has been trying to get them to join for ages. Mrs. Morrow usually just laughs and says something in French."

"What is a family supposed to be like?" Harry asked. He figured if Blaise laughed at him, he could run away. He'd never ask Ron or Hermione because they wouldn't answer him honestly.

"Family are the people who will be utterly honest to you and you can hardly stand them sometimes but you can't live without them and you'd do anything for them." Blaise just smiled.

"Mmm," Harry mused, taking a sip of his butterbeer as he thought. "I suppose Hermione and the Weasleys are that for me. And Sirius and Remus I suppose. And I'm starting to feel that for Dad…" Harry trailed off, lost in thought.

"They say you can't choose your family," Blaise said philosophically. "And they're right, to an extent. You can't choose the people you're related to by blood. You can, however, choose your family as in the people around you who you'd go to the ends of the Earth for. I like that."

"You'd like to be able to choose your own fate, right?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yep. I believe that nothing's set in stone and you can change anything you want." Blaise had a determined look in his eye.

"What's that look for?" Harry was curious and fascinated by the boy in front of him.

"I'm going to ignore my mother's teachings about relationships and I'm going to really truly fall in love. I decided that just now," he replied. His dark, mesmerizing eyes were filled with a passionate determination.

"Well… I don't want to screw with fate," Harry replied quietly. "People are counting on me and if I don't help, more people will die."

"Silly Gryffindor trying to save every life," Blaise's eyes danced with amusement. "That's what I like about you Gryffindors. You don't write anyone off and would probably save even your enemies from death."

"There's only one person who I could kill," Harry replied. "And he's hardly human anymore."