It was two weeks later when Peter sighed as he prepared to leave his last class of the week. His Ancient Runes class was interesting sometimes, and sometimes the teacher was as boring as the ghost Binns was during his/its History of Magic classes. He made his way to the door and almost ran into McGonagall who seemed to be waiting for him to come out as she nodded to him in greeting. "Mr. Parker, a pleasure to see you." The woman said dryly. "The headmaster would like to have another talk with you after supper. Alone."
"Joy." Peter said, ignoring the scowl McGonagall sent his way. He wasn't going to pretend to be or be intimidated by the woman, those days were over he had decided he would stand tall for who and what he was.
"The Headmaster said that he was in the mood for Slim Jims this time around." McGonagall told him. Peter nodded stiffly at her and walked around her, he heard Kitty get the same speech he had just gotten only she was going to meet after his meeting with the headmaster. The two calmly ate supper and refrained from talking to each other except to inform each other that McGonagall had cornered them both.
"Should be interesting." Kitty commented. "Got anything that you want us to tell the headmaster?" She asked Harry who was sitting beside them angrily stabbing at his food as he listened to them.
"No." Harry growled out at her.
"Hey look on the bright side," Peter said with a smirk. "You'll get to see your favorite S.O.B after today." Harry grinned at the reference to Sirus, he was glad to be able to soon see his godfather, even if they had to stay around the cavern network, a network that Sirus had memorized a large part of during Harry's third and fourth years.
"Harry are you sure that this is something that Sirus should do?" Hermione asked worriedly. "I mean Malfoy will be watching for you to slip up with something like this and it could be extremely dangerous for all of us."
"No I'm not sure," Harry admitted, "a part of me want to tell Sirus to stay at the place while the other part of me just wants to spend as much time as I can with him. Do you know what its like not being able to freely talk with the only adult that you know is on your side and know that as far as he is concerned your first, nobody else?"
Hermione opened and closed her mouth a few times before she turned to glare at Peter with an angry glare. "You've been coaching him for this argument." She accused him. "Do you really have any idea whatsoever the danger Sirus is placing himself in by doing this?"
"Sometimes to gain something you have to risk something." Peter said shrugging as he took a bite of food. "And Harry came up with that argument all by himself as far as I know." He then turned to look at Harry with a hard glint. "You just remember two hours, and then you have to send him on his way, we can't chance more than that with you being out of sight is that understood?"
Harry nodded reluctantly in agreement and Hermione seemed to be slightly more willing to accept what they were doing if there was a time limit on what they were doing. "Just don't forget about that meeting that you promised." She said stiffly, reminding them about Harry finally reluctantly agreeing to teach DADA to a few people who were at least interested in considering in what he had to say. "I think we ought to do that first, and then we can worry about whatever else it is that you want to do that day." She continued, though it was obvious that she still thought it to be too dangerous.
"And on that note I do have to go." Peter said as he saw Dumbledore finally get up from his seat and begin to make his way toward the doors. "I have to go see a man about an eye, or a man wants to see me about an eye. Depends on how you look at it." Peter waved to them jovially. "And don't forget to meet us down by the lake afterwards to see if we can't actually make you walls that are actually worth something." He said to Harry and Hermione, who nodded at the reminder for their weekly meeting where they worked on the mental shielding that they were slowly but surely learning how to create. The two Gryffindors nodded as Peter then took of after Dumbledore, pausing on the way to talk to Neville about a message from his/their gran and to talk about meeting up later that week to talk about a Herbology project that they had to get done before their next class.
Peter walked up to the stone gargoyle and muttered. "Slim Jims." The Gargoyle nodded and opened the wall allowing the teen to walk through not even bothering to knock this time he just strode in nodding to Dumbledore as he leaned against a wall. "So Headmaster, how do you want to play it this time?"
"Play what?" Dumbledore asked him innocently, as if he had no idea what it was that that Peter might mean.
"Hey, you want to live in a world of denial suit yourself, just don't expect for me to make it easy on you though." Peter watched the man carefully, he recognized a master manipulator when he saw one, and knew that if this continued for a long period of time he might accidentally say something that he would regret if he weren't extremely careful. To bad his spider sense was of no use in helping him in this case and he would have to just do his best and hope he didn't sink.
"Mr. Parker, despite what you may think we are on the same side." Albus told him.
"I wish I could believe that professor, but your actions show that you don't mind who gets hurt as long as you get what you want. I've seen people like that, and to be honest I think your teetering on a fine line on what is right and wrong. I think you should watch yourself very carefully."
"Perhaps, yet I am not the one that is using contacts that are unknown to the rest to change things so that people will do things my way." Dumbledore said to him.
"Headmaster you wizards have gotten to feeling slightly superior, and I think part of that is because you don't answer to the world governments like normals do."
"Normals? Ah yes your words for describing muggles."
"Amongst other things."
"And how should we act then?"
"How about you have to act under some of the same laws as the rest of your country? I think that is part of your problems, you feel like your elitist, and think you don't have to follow certain rules. If these rules were enforced though, I think you would do better and it would offer more equality for those that are being discriminated against. You also might not have as many problems with things like these blood issues if people were educated correctly, because honestly Professor what is your regular school knowledge?"
Dumbledore chuckled at this. "How does one measure wisdom Mr. Parker?"
"That's not what I asked though, I asked what your school knowledge is. You know like Math, Science, English those sorts of things, not magical education things. Because wisdom and knowledge are two different things I've come to realize time and time again."
"Really, and what were those?" Dumbledore asked eagerly interested in where this insight came from.
"You don't know?" Peter asked with a smirk at the Headmaster. "You mean to tell me you never checked to see what it is exactly that I took pictures of when I was a photographer?"
"I learned that you were some type of a freelancer, much like Rita Skeeter."
Peter snorted at this comparrison with contempt. "Her? Please I have no need to doctor any of my work to sell what I have, I can do all of my work without cheating like her. Of course if you really want to know what I take pictures of I guess you'll just have to keep trying to figure it out."
"Possibly, and it seems that you have managed to once again to change the subject on us before we even really started this time even." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Yeah, well what did you expect?" 'Of course if you knew who and what I'm known for taking pictures of you might just happen to get a clue.' Peter thought to himself, as he mentally ran through his head any of the times that he had taken pictures of Dr. Strange for various reasons.
"Well then, shall we get onto what we need to discuss? I do need to talk with Miss. Pryde as well." Dumbledore asked with a smile as he rested back into his chair.
"Hey this is your show." Peter said as he leaned against a wall, a wall that happened to be the same one that Alastor leaned against so that he could watch the room yet still be in a defendable position. Where he was now Peter could drop and roll in almost anyway that one could think of and come up to a defendable position. The only place that had a more defendable position was behind the Headmasters desk. Albus shook his head; it wasn't going to do him any good to continually compare the two relatives together. It was obvious that they were vastly different in almost everything except for when it came to being vigilant and thinking Harry should have a stronger part in what was going on.
"Peter, the Agomotto relics are a part of the magical world, they belong in the magical world not in the muggle world." Dumbledore tried to reason with the teen.
"No offense and all Headmaster, but what gives you the right to decide where magical items are allowed to be? Besides last I heard you didn't have the power to demand these things from me, in fact last I heard you were on fairly shaky legal ground on a lot of things lost your seat as the head judge and everything making you without any power whatsoever when it comes to these sorts of things." Peter said, trying to side step the man and his requests.
"So you will continue to be difficult then? You will allow Voldemort to continue unchallenged?" Dumbledore said with a look of disappointment.
"Now that's hardly fair Headmaster, particularly when we both know that I'm making people wonder about things through my friends."
"Yes, friends that are endangering the Secrecy Act." Dumbledore said, frowning at the teen. "Do you realize how much damage you could have caused by getting your friends involved in our world?"
"Don't really care right now." Peter said.
"I suppose there are a few things I can do to make things slightly less enjoyable for you then if you will not help us." Dumbledore said his eyes no longer twinkling.
"So lets see what's it going to be? Detentions all of the time whether I did something wrong or not, and the cancellation of these trips to town. Is that your grand plan?" Peter asked with a smirk on his face. "Please, I'm not one of your pureblood rich kids who has to be entertained to be happy."
"True, but it will be a nice start." Dumbledore said. "Of course if you were to cooperate." He trailed off letting Peter understand exactly what he meant.
"You seem to think that you can keep me in this place." Peter said to the old man. "Yet as I recall, the last time that you were so sure of yourself I ended up having to owl you about having already left your safe house." Peter smirked at the embarrassed look Dumbledore had. "Face it Dumbledore, as much as you hate to admit it a majority of your wards can't handle me and I've seen dozens of ways out of here that I could use."
"So are you saying that you will sneak out of the castle if you are not allowed to go through the front gates?" The Headmaster queried the student before him.
"Pretty much."
"I see, I am sorry that you feel that way, but if you do sneak out you will be punished."
"Only if you see me there though." Peter returned at him. "You have to have proof before you do anything like that and you need a reason before you try and revoke the public permission I have."
"I believe I am still in charge here Peter." Dumbledore said renewing the twinkle in his eyes. "It might be best to remember that, you should also remember that I currently hold most of the cards and you don't have that many friends left."
Peter stiffened at that, he knew a subtle threat when he heard them and this one definitely counted as one he realized he was going to have to tell the wizard something that would appease him and soon, or he might force a confrontation with the two of them and while Spiderman wasn't bad in a fight he'd rather keep Peter Parker out of most of that for the moment though. Peter looked at the Headmaster coolly before he threw his caution to the wind and made his move. He leapt forward he grabbed the edge and pushed Dumbledore's desk against the wall pinning the Headmaster against the wall much to the surprise of Dumbledore the portraits and his Phoenix. "Careful with who and what you mess with Headmaster." Peter said to the man in a dark voice that a number of super villains knew from when they had finally pushed Spiderman to far. "I don't want to play games with you so keep your threats to yourself." Peter then headed for the door and slipped out growling to himself. He had come close to loosing his temper again, he really couldn't afford to do something like that either, as soon as the door he also felt guilt over what he had just done.
Peter grinned weakly at Kitty who looked at him critically before she slipped upstairs. "We are talking after this webs, you may need a real workout before you explode." Peter grunted in response as he headed down the hallway while Kitty continued heading up the stairs. The girl didn't even bother knocking as she slammed the door open startling some of the portraits.
"I say." One of them spluttered. "Don't you know how to open a door properly?"
"Shut up." The mutant said as she strode up to the desk and leaned her hands on the desk and stared at the Headmaster who merely raised a solemn eyebrow at her.
"I take it you saw Mr. Parker on his way out?"
"Darn right I saw him, and I want to know what you nearly made him do that he was on the verge of exploding." Kitty growled at him. "I'll beat the answer out of him later, right now I want your version of it though."
"I merely told him things would be more difficult without contacts or friends."
"Right," Kitty drawled at the man. "No friends, but we managed to get an article on Black put out in your trash of a paper. Tell me how many people actually transfigure it into toilet paper?"
Dumbledore smiled at this. "I think I shall have to tell that one to Sirus he might enjoy it quiet a bit."
"Stop the garbage Headmaster, it takes more than that to get Peter riled up like that, what else did you do to him?"
"Nothing really." Dumbledore admitted to her. "We talked and countered each other with a number of moves, I'm not sure really what set him off and had I thought it would have been productive I would have kept him up here for a few more minutes."
"Your lucky he left when he did, he's on the verge of blowing up as it is. I don't know what it is that you said or did but you really screwed up what little respect you had Headmaster. Peter and I have been in the trenches and we'll do things the way that we feel that we need to, at the moment though your need to be in control of the situation is more annoying than anything else and it's not making you any friends. I don't know what it is that you think your gaining by throwing weight you really don't have right now but you either back off Peter or I'll be calling in some friends who will make even you wet yourself. I'm sure I could convince a number of people to come here and show you real power." Kitty growled at the man. "Maybe Orroro would be interested in throwing a lighting bolt up your butt."
"So your friend is another witch or an elemental?" Dumbledore asked with interest as he leaned forward.
Kitty inwardly cursed herself for letting her anger get the better of her and allowing her to make a slip up like she had just done. "Very good Headmaster." She complemented, as she allowed her infamous temper to get back under control with the ninja training that had been imposed onto her mind by Ogun's possession. "Let me rage at you till I slip up."
"A necessary move." Dumbledore returned apologetically, "Shall we get to the subject at hand now?
And what might be?
"The matter of your withholding information from the Order."
"You haven't changed your policy on trust yet so no."
"Despite what you may think I do have my reasons."
"Dumbledore, we told you earlier that trust is a two way street. Tell me why should we tell you this stuff? You don't have anything your willing to offer in return. It would also be interesting to know what would happen if Sirus didn't report to you all the time as well." She mused aloud. "After all, if that were to happen you would loose access to all the secret personal information that you get about Harry and by extension the thoughts of your three Gryffindors about things."
"Harry is aware of Sirus passing on information to me." Dumbledore told her calmly.
"Is he, or was it just mentioned as an oh by the way while you were talking about something that was a bit more important at the time?" She questioned him with a smile while Dumbledore's confident smile faltered slightly. "I'm a lot better at this game than Peter is Headmaster. I was taught by some of the best while Peter had to learn as he went along. Trust me, you don't want to try your games with me. When I play chess I play pretty brutally, and I've played people who can seemingly read your mind and still managed to win, do you really want to go head to head with me? You're the one that's forcing all of the others to hold back, do you really think that is really the wisest course of action?"
"We are trying to do things with a bit more subtlety than you have Katherine."
"Uh huh. In other words you have no idea what your trying to do, and are only focused on the whole matter of whatever it is that you are guarding and getting a bit of information gathered. In short you're playing the waiting game with the guy."
"Among other things, I am also researching things that are vital to this war."
"And who helps the mere students that come here? You're so wrapped up in your little personal war that you can't even focus on the real matters anymore."
"I'd hardly say someone threatening the world is a personal vendetta against the man."
"No, but the way your running this war is." Kitty said. "Do you have any other threats or points that you wish to make or are we done?"
"The matter is your dragon Miss Pryde, I fear that Professor Umbridge will make her move against your pet soon."
"She's welcome to try, Lockheed's a lot more resourceful though than either you or she may believe though. So since I refuse to tell you where the items are do I have detention?"
"No," Dumbledore said. "Mr. Parker explained to me that leaving the grounds would pose no problems for either of you, just be forewarned though that if you are not loyal to the cause then there is even less that I can tell you than if you were loyal."
"Considering you haven't told your hero what's going on I don't think that I'll lose any sleep at night over the fact that you don't want to play information sharing with us and are supposedly cutting us out."
"Your kind of combat magic is not what will win this war in the end you know." Dumbledore said to her solemnly. "In the end it will be a special kind of magic that you may not even be able to fully understand when the time finally comes for the end to finally appear."
"Maybe, or maybe it'll just take the right kind of spirit and willingness to do what needs to be done. I mean its true that the killing or final blow in these sorts of things is often just some unexpected thing that you don't really expect, but there also the fact that you have to be willing to stand and fight for what is right and right now your acting like a part of the problem not part of the answer."
Dumbledore winced at this. "Is that how you really feel? Do you really think that I enjoy having my students terrorized by Professor Umbridge?"
"Until you start making moves to reign her in, your as good as condoning her for what it is that she is doing to everyone here. Tell me what happens when she starts going up against people like Hagrid for what it is that he is? Will you fight for those that don't fit the acceptable social order of things according to Umbridge, or will you stop the problem before it becomes something that you can't deal with?"
"Umbridge is a necessary evil that we must deal with for right now."
"In other words you won't challenge her even with all of these 'Educational Decrees' that she's making." Kitty said shaking her head in disgust. "People talk about what a great person you are Headmaster, but I'm beginning to wonder if they know the real you." The girl got up and headed to the door and Dumbledore was lost in thought over what it was that she meant by that. "Tell Moody that if he wants to spend some time actually getting to know Peter he can meet us in the village around lunchtime at the Three Broomsticks. I'll drag him there myself if I have to. If Moody wants to be a part of Peter's life then he's going to have to do something about it, and being your parrot in public is not something that's going to endear him to Moody right now, and if you want our help in something in other than awakening the heroes that lie in your trio your going to have to be prepared for a bit of give and take. One of the things we won't tell though is where the relics are."
Dumbledore watched her leave, wondering just what it was that gave these two Americans their fire about injustice and such things as doing the right thing. She had also said many truths that he would have to consider and he might need to check where the line was once again if he was teetering on it so badly that a teenager could see it. Perhaps that is what this war truly needed, fresh blood and different perspective to find the answers that he could not.
Kitty entered the common room and found a brooding Peter staring deeply into the fire ignoring a number of the others. She wondered what it was that had set Peter off this time, she almost wished that Peter had been in a depressed stage in his grief, instead he was in an angry stage, a stage that allowed him to channel his fury a lot more often than she had thought possible. The fact that so many people were offering themselves as targets only made things more difficult for him to stay in control. "Come on, lets go find Harry and Hermione." She said tiredly, "Maybe we can help them build their mental walls up a bit more than what they are at now."
"Sounds like a plan." Peter said, the two found Harry and Hermione and after warning the twins where they were going they headed out to sit by the lake since it seemed to have a calming effect on the two teens.
"Now remember try not to over do yourselves this time." Peter said with a smirk aimed at the two of them. "Having the entire Gryffindor team on my back because one of their star players wore himself out is something I can live without going through again."
Harry and Hermione blushed a bit at this as they closed their eyes and concentrated on remaking the castle in their minds. They focused on the walls of the castle and slowly but surely the library and castle came alive in each of their minds. While Hermione's mind had mapped the entire library out and all its nooks and corners Harry had the larger scale castle and had places like the Chamber of Secrets in his mind.
"Okay I've got that part." Harry said, breathing hard from the concentration that this was taking. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"All right then," Kitty said, "now imagine the wards that surround the castle Harry, and slowly place them around the grounds. Take as Long as you need there's no time limit that will stop you.
"Same for you Hermione," Peter said, "after all the Library is a part of Hogwarts right?" Hermione nodded her head in agreement, and repelling wards and anti apparation wards and the castle defenses that she had read about slowly but surely wove their way into her minds version of the library. Harry's movements copied her own as far as the wards and defenses that he knew of came he even added the giant squid and whomping willow into the defenses.
"And after that I want you to come out of the trance." Kitty said to the two of them. The two tiredly opened their eyes and gasped when they saw how dark it was.
"How long were we in that trance anyways?" Hermione asked as she felt the exhaustion creep into her and also the stiffness of her body for having sat still for so long.
"Three hours," Peter answered her. "Don't look so surprised, this is a hard trick to learn but its more than worth it in the end, and Harry here gets at least one night a week without insane dreams and such that don't make any sense."
"Dreams? He's still having dreams?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Yeah, but we think this might help block some of them out." Peter explained to the girl. "And look on the bright side of this, you both created a different kind of wall neither of you passed out this time." Hermione smiled proudly at this small bit of information.
All right you guys might want to head in now before someone catches you out side Kitty said.
What about you two?
"Peter needs to let off some steam, so I figured we can chance a detention. Or would you rather someone in the Common Room says something wrong and ends up inside a fireplace without the benefit of floo powder?"
"All right just try not to get hurt or caught." The girl said as she dragged Harry away from them and toward the front doors.
Kitty then turned to Peter who was staring darkly at the Lake. "I know where there's a couple of empty hallways where you can cut loose in." She told him as she pulled him back toward the castle. Neither of them seemed to notice as the other two followed after them beneath the invisibility cloak.
They found a seldom-used hallway, Kitty smiled as she pushed a door open and Peter had to suppress a whistle of surprise as he saw the weapons that lined the wall. What is this?
"Far as I can tell its some type of armory." Kitty said to him. "I er slipped one day and found this place and thought it would be a good training area. The interesting part is that while some of these swords are just your regular everyday swords some of the others are actually goblin blades though, which are supposed to be better than anything that normal humans or wizards can make."
"Wow." Peter said as he looked at the types of blades in the room. "There must be a blade from nearly every old culture here, nothing modern I'd say the youngest sword in here is a few hundred years old."
"493 actually." A portrait said, as it made itself known from its place on the wall.
"What is this place?"
"An Armory, much like you thought lad. Of course the place hasn't seen a wizard here in some five hundred years though. None of the wizard wars and such not require these sorts of things anymore." The portrait said sadly as it remembered warriors of old. "Here is where the small pocket of Castle defenders came to re-supply themselves during battles. Since then though the wards have made the need for soldiers obsolete though, and this part of the castle was hidden away by a headmaster some time ago and eventually forgotten through the very memories of time."
"Interesting, so how did Kitty find it?
"She slipped through the wards somehow, we're not sure how, but it has been nice to meet you."
"Likewise, you say this is a supply area any chance we can get a couple of swords and do some training? I'm afraid I need to blow off some steam."
"I don't think you should use blades, perhaps staffs or something that way you are not harmed while you train."
"All right." Peter said, as he retrieved his wand and extended it allowing the ironwood wand to become a staff, Kitty copied his movements and stood opposite of him. "Let's do this then." Peter said as he ran at his partner, running alongside the wall as he moved before releasing his hold and pushing off so that he landed behind her and did a sweeping maneuver. Kitty blocked the attack by slamming her staff down at an angle and sending the staff rebounding off her own. Kitty grinned and the two went at it with a fury while Harry, Hermione and the portrait watched them silently.
"So, what did Dumbledore say anyways that set you off this time?" Kitty asked him as she used her staff like a pole stuck in the ground and swung on it nearly catching Peter.
"Guy thought that he could just throw it in my face that I have next to no one left." Peter said as he blocked three quick thrusts. "He's lucky all I did was pin him to the wall with that oversized desk of his."
"Yeah? So can I hurt him?"
"No, they've had three chances though, the next time someone pulls that stunt they're going to be pulling their teeth out of their throat. Anyways I'll need you to pull me off of them if I can't control yourself."
"Maybe you actually need to loose some control." Kitty shot back at him, as her staff tripped him up.
"Really?" Peter asked with a smirk, as he ducked under her next attack and came up under her guard. "And how should I do that?" He asked as he pinned her against the wall. Peter held both of her arms over her head and chuckled at her look of surprise. "I think I win this one." Kitty nodded and shook her head in disbelief at how easily he had managed to pin her, the fact that he was now right up in her face didn't help matters though.
"I think you have quiet a bit of tension lad, just remember this isn't exactly a training area, and the floor will hurt if you connect with it." The portrait said to them after it had finished clapping. "You need to find as better training place than this, though I would gladly hold your weapons if you ever wish me to. Keep your eyes open though, sometimes the right place will simply appear when you most need it."
"Right." Peter said. Come on Kitty we have to go. Nothing against you and all, but so far the only portraits in this castle we've met have been bound to the headmaster." The portrait nodded in understanding as the two backtracked their earlier steps and left.
"You know," the portrait said, "spying isn't considered very polite by some people." The portrait pointed out. Harry and Hermione removed the cloak guiltily. "Greetings young ones, I see that the infamous Potter and Granger team have finally decided to join us here. Where is the Weasley lad though?"
"Actually we were just following those two." Harry admitted with a blush.
"Hmm I see, and did you learn any great secrets from following them?" The portrait asked them.
"We learned that Dumbledore has probably pushed Peter one step to far after today." Hermione said reluctantly. "Because Peter refused to do things the headmaster's way he's being targeted by both sides."
"Precisely, now a good battle is won through more than just strength of arms and prowess with your wand or weapon."
"Really, what else is there?"
"Information my boy, I would think one such as you would understand this seeing as how you rely so much on your Lion's Sage there."
"Lion's sage?" Harry asked with confusion.
"He means me." Hermione said going pink. "A sage was usually a wise person of some type in ancient times."
"Oh. Well then yeah I do." Harry shot her a confused look as she turned an even brighter pink.
"Anyways I think we'll retire for now as well." Hermione said hurriedly.
"So be it, but be careful of the path you choose though young Lions. There are paths that you make on your own and those that others place you on. Decide or react, those are your only choices in what I believe is coming." The two nodded and left. The portrait said nothing as it considered the two groups that it had just met with. In each the female was providing a strength that the male seemed to be oblivious to. It couldn't help but wonder how everything would play out and who would be left standing when things came to a head.
The group walked into the small wizarding town, the boys talking about how Filch had been sniffing at Harry for supposedly going to have to place an order for dungbombs earlier that week.
"Did he say where he got his information?" Peter said as he listened in on the two.
"No, I thought he was just crazy." Harry returned.
"More like you were trying to think of something impressive to say to Cho." Peter shot back at him, causing the boy to turn bright red and for Hermione to glower at her friend.
"Honestly Harry, do you have to act like you don't have any more brains than a flobberworm? Or the hormonal control of." She was cut off though as Harry placed his hand over her mouth.
"Please don't compare me to anything." Harry said to her. "I'm not sure I really want to hear what you might compare me to."
"Aw come on Harry. She might have only compared you to a rabbit or maybe a lion."
"A lion?"
"Sure." Kitty said with a smirk. "After all, you think the head of Lion prides keep the number of other males down for a reason." The trio all blushed, and they could all hear Ron swallow nervously in fear as he caught on to what they were saying.
"Anyways back to the reason that Filch was smelling you."
"Oh yeah that. It was probably Malfoy trying to get me in trouble again, he's got a habit of doing that."
"More like someone wanted a way to see what it was that you were writing, and used the janitor as a plausible deniability."
"Probably." Hermione said in agreement, as they all entered the wizard town. Kitty and Peter who had traveled to places such as Asguard where some of the things here were disturbingly similar didn't think anything of it as they strolled along the cobbled streets that were there. Hermione sent a couple of curious looks at the two, sharing some knowing looks with Harry as he also watched them and their lack of reaction to the small town that was like right out of a story book. Hermione led the group into a bar known as the Hogshead. The trio looked nervous as they entered while Peter and Kitty merely raised the hoods on their cloaks and took opposite ends of the table that Hermione picked out.
"What are we doing here Hermione?" Harry hissed at his friend. This place doesn't exactly seem safe."
"Your overreacting Harry, the place is perfectly safe and we do need someplace to have a meeting without anyone over hearing us. The Hogs Head is just a bit dodgy is all." She said, shrugging at him.
Peter looked up at her in disbelief. "You come to places like this when you want privacy?" He asked her as if he was asking her if she was stupid.
"Well yes, is there a problem with coming here? We're not technically breaking any rules and we need someplace Umbridge won't be watching."
"Hopefully you'll learn, sides its to late to leave now without making a scene." Peter said as the bartender came up to Peter ignoring the trio completely. "Five Butterbeers.," he said, "and don't try and use any of those watered down bottles either." The bartender nodded and walked away coming back a few moments later with the requested bottles. Kitty placed the required coins on the table so that he could take the money they owed him. "There a problem?" Peter asked coolly as the bartenders eyes roved over Harry and his scar for a moment. The man grunted and leant down to gather his money.
Kitty held her hand up to Ron as the redhead was about to start talking, she nodded after the bartender had left. "What the bloody hell was that about?" Ron asked her.
"Yes, and why were you so rude to the bartender?" Hermione hissed at him.
"You three don't fit in is what." Peter told them, "you may cause more problems for yourself by meeting here than elsewhere."
"Nonsense you're just as paranoid as your uncle." Hermione said.
The two Americans shrugged at this. "We warned you." Kitty said as the two of them sunk back into their seats one hand hidden beneath the table while the other held their butterbeers loosely. The trio talked quietly for a few moments while the two Americans stayed silent as they watched for people around them. All of them except Hermione were surprised when they saw the large group led by the Weasley twins enter the pub. The bartender ignored the group till one of the twins stepped up ordered butterbeers for everyone to pay for. Peter and Kitty stayed quiet as Hermione and Harry made their opening speeches. Hermione working on teamwork while Harry gave them the cold hard truths that fighting was when he was pressed by one of the students. The two made a good mix in this case of balancing each other.
Peter didn't say anything till Hermione and Luna began arguing over whether something actually existed. "Actually your fire spirits might exist." Peter informed them. "But last I checked we weren't here to talk about fire creatures which actually sound kind of like some creatures that I've faced before."
"You know how to fight?" Zacharias Smith asked disbelievingly.
"Did he say that?" Kitty asked the other teen.
"The question you need to ask are you in or out?" Ron said giving into his impatience.
"Nicely said." Kitty complimented causing the redhead to blush. Slowly but surely everyone finally signed Hermione's parchment.
"All right, clear out a few at a time please." Kitty said to them all. "If we all just appear on the streets we're going to be rather noticeable."
"Right." The twins chorused before moving up to the bar to have a discussion with the bartender who seemed to be on grudging talking standards with the two while some of the others began to trickle out.
"Another contact." Peter said, not really watching the two, as he was more interested in the veiled witch and the ragman something about them set him on edge.
"You do realize that's not a real witch right?" Kitty asked him.
"How can you tell?" Harry asked with interest, as his eyes turned back to the witch till Peter stomped on his foot making him turn to glare at the American.
"His body language, and there's the fact that most women that size have a fairly decent sized chest which that witch doesn't have. Come on, we have to get out of here we have a crazy dog to go and check on." The three got up and left the pub and made their way out of town. They turned as they saw a familiar black dog standing on an outcropping of rock above them. The dog led the group to a cave that had several photo albums sitting inside it.
"Nice setup." Kitty said as she looked deep into the cave.
"Thanks." Sirus said after he had changed back and engulfed Harry in a hug. "We'll be outside." Peter said as he grabbed Ron and Kitty grabbed Hermione leading the other two outside.
"Oi! Why did you do that?" Ron growled after they were outside and he had finally shrugged the other boy's grip off. "I wouldn't mind talking with Sirus either you know."
"Give them some time to themselves Ron they didn't get any time to themselves at the house." Peter told the redhead. "The last time they had to themselves was probably right before Sirus took off, and even then they had Hermione there not more than five feet away. No offense meant of course." He added to the bushy haired witch hastily.
Hermione nodded in understanding and agreement. "Good," Kitty said. "Peter head to the top to watch for anyone, you two stand guard in the entrance and I'll watch the path." Kitty pulled her robe off to show black shirt and jeans beneath before she slipped into the shadows and disappeared. Peter climbed up the side of the cave till he was on the top and disappeared in the air almost as quickly as Kitty had into the shadows.
"How do they do that?" Ron asked Hermione as they watched the places where the two had vanished.
"No idea," Hermione admitted, "but I don't think it was a spell unless they do wordless and wandless spells." Ron shook his head and sat down shuffling a pack of exploding snap cards while Hermione read a book.
It was getting close to lunch when Peter dropped to the ground in front of them scaring Ron so badly that his cards exploded as they scattered. Peter did a couple of back flips away from the cards before he realized what was going on. "Easy there Ron, your not exactly Gambit."
"Who?"
"Rajun Cajun that I know." Peter explained. "Someone needs to tell them its time for Sirus to head back, and I have a lunch meeting with Moody." Peter rolled his eyes at this as if it was not what he wanted to do.
"Right the two headed inside and paused as they saw the peaceful look the two had as they were talking softly occasionally Sirus said something that would make Harry grin as the two looked through the photo albums that were sitting in their laps.
"Harry, Sirus?" Hermione said quietly, looking guilty as she intruded on the two. "Its time to head back before we're missed to much." The two nodded sadly exchanging backbreaking hugs that would have done Mrs. Weasley proud before the trio headed out. Hermione noticed that Harry had a lighter spring in his step and a sparkle in his eyes as he exited the cave. The group headed out unaware of the proud looking dog that watched them all head back into the village before it loped off in another direction.
"So what do you want to do for lunch?" Ron asked them all.
"I don't have a choice but to go to the Three Broomsticks, seems that Kitty arranged a meeting with my uncle." Peter said giving Kitty a dirty look that she ignored. The others nodded and split off from them when they entered the pub, which was already starting to gather a number of people for the lunch crowd. Peter headed for the back table that was in the corner and had a good view of everyone. Peter nodded to the man who scowled as he watched Kitty take a seat on the corner of the bar where she could watch the table and the door and Peter sat down where he could watch both Kitty's back and the back door and Auror.
"You two know your stuff." the former Auror said grudgingly.
"And hello to you to." Peter snarked at the man as he skimmed the menu with one eye. He nodded to the dolled up waitress and ordered a sandwich and water. "So, what do you want to talk about?"
"How about you lad, what are you?"
"Human."
"Most trainees don't have the amount of alertness that you do lad, there's something off about you." Moody accused him.
"Tell me Moody, when you were my age how much of your family was dead?"
Moody was a bit surprised by the question and thought back to when he and Augustus had both been fifth and sixth years. Back then he had been dating Minerva of all people as he rememberd. "When I was your age I had lost my grandfather and a few odd relatives here and there." The man said.
"When I was a baby I lost my parents due to sabotage to their plane, after that I moved in with my only family left that I knew of the Parkers. In the last couple of years though I have buried two girlfriends, one of those girlfriends remaining family, a handful of friends, my uncle, and my aunt. The thing is most of those deaths I actually had to watch, it was only the last two that I didn't witness. My Uncle Ben, Captain Stacey, and a few others actually died in my arms. Others have died while I was trying to get to them I had to learn to be cautious Moody."
Moody grunted in acceptance of this. "Fine lad, so tell me a bit about yourself."
"What do you want to know then Moody? Just remember talk about the eye is off limits."
"As if I would want to discuss that here, there's still a chance that someone might hear us." The old man growled at his nephew.
"So talk, what do you want to know? Just so you know though I reserve the right to ignore a question, and I think for every question you ask I get to ask one about you as long as it doesn't interfere with the things your doing currently."
"I suppose." Moody grumbled a bit as he nodded, realizing that he would have to ask his questions carefully and couldn't just intimidate the answers that he really wanted out of the boy. He would just have to hope that he slipped up somewhere along the line and take advantage of what he might say without meaning to. "So what interest you lad?"
"Chemistry and photography mainly." Peter said truthfully.
"And where did you learn how to fight boy? I remember that you managed to take on all of those muggles like they were nothing. Didn't exactly impress Augusta when you did that I might add." Moody said with a smirk.
"And she would rather that we just let them hurt and rob us or was she hoping that the police were just going to suddenly appear?" Peter asked skeptically. "That graveyard we buried Aunt May and M.J in was on the borders of Hell's Kitchen Moody. Have you ever heard of it?" The man shook his head in the negative. "The only time you see a cop there is after all of the real work is done, and even then the bad guys usually walk away before they can get there in time."
"Your right there lad, most times you have to be willing to do what it is that needs to be done. What is this Hell's Kitchen though, it sounds dangerous?"
"Name of a part of the neighborhood that we were nearby, consider it the New York muggle version of your Knockturn alley, only it's a lot scarier and that's without any type of magic." Peter explained to him. "Only instead of being just one street it's a number of blocks that have some of the worst dregs of New York in there its not a place you walk around at night unless you want to chance getting killed for something as simple as your shoes."
"Sounds like a rough place, maybe it should be taken care of."
"Don't start there Moody, there are some great people that come from Hell's Kitchen. Take Matt for example, he actually grew up in Hell's Kitchen. He's considered as one of the best lawyers around in New York and could easily make a living working on high profile cases with lots of money, instead he works in the Kitchen on pro bono cases that most people wouldn't ever touch simply because the people he works for are from Hell's Kitchen."
"Sounds like a good person to have at your back." Moody said understanding that there was some odd sort of bond of friendship between the boy in front of him and his lawyer friend. "Where did you learn to fight like that anyways? It looked something one would have seen in the second war or something with all of the hand to hand you did, and the fact that not a one of them managed to lay a hand on you."
"Some of its from good genetics, and the other is from just being around enough to get the experience I need. Hogwarts should consider getting some physical programs added to its curriculum, cause quiet frankly sitting on a broom doesn't exactly count as a lot of activity in my book. The only thing it does is work your magic really, unless you're a beater who needs the upper body strength to knock those bludgers around.
"True." Moody growled in agreement. The two continue to talk about various items, and were soon joined by Neville at Peter's insistence when he had seen his cousin enter the building on his own. The three of them talked about various items that interested them or that the two pure bloods felt that the squib raised member of the group needed to know. Peter and Moody were even able to forget for the moment that they were on the edge of war for the most part, and just spent the time getting to know each other. They only paused to fish for information on each other every once in a while, in a battle of wits that the two of them were equals at. The way they were taking turns in their questions made it into a bit of competition that Neville watched with interest unsure how the game was being played exactly but years of watching his grandmother play similar games he understood the basics and was keeping score.
"Its getting late, and I have to make a report on any relevant information I might have gotten from our conversation and you two need to head back to the castle." Moody told the two of them .
Peter nodded in understanding while Neville just looked at the two of them curiously. "So, is this a one time thing, or will you be talking to us again?"
"Who knows boy, we'll just have to wait and see." Moody said dropping enough coins to pay for all of their meals as he got up and headed out, nodding to Kitty as he passed by her.
"Come on, we might as well get to the castle. Peter said after they had waited a few minutes at the table. Neville nodded, wondering what it was about his cousin that had his uncle so curious. There was more going on than what was obvious, and he wondered what it could be.