The disclaimer hasn't changed so refer back to chapter 1 for the needed words, warnings and spoiler alerts. Just know that I don't own anything.
Next block of chapters and end of book one will be out 1-14-15. Happy reading.
Remus plucked the book out of the pink haired girl's hands. "I believe this is mine now." He teased, smiling when she stuck out her tongue. He read the title before sighing. "Why must you be so much like your father? A duel honestly. "
Harry shrugged as he and Ron exchanged grins. They weren't too worried about getting in trouble this chapter, it was Malfoy's fault after all.
"That had better not mean what I think it means young man." Molly warned, her lips tight.
Sirius sat up to look her in the eye. "And you had better be talking to your son and not my godson." Harry had to duck his head to hide his grin. He and his godfather had exchanged many rants about the way the woman treated the two of them.
Remus started reading, smiling slightly at the first year's reasoning about only having one class with his new rival.
"Always looking at the silver lining." Ginny teased.
"I think you're getting him mixed up with you Gin Gin." Fred informed her in his most serious voice.
"Harry skips the silver lining and heads straight for trouble." George continued. "Point in fact he's jinxing himself with that type of thinking. " He nodded to himself when it was announced minutes later that Slytherin and Gryffindor would have flying class together.
"That's a disaster in the making." Tonks muttered.
"Seems strange doesn't it," Luna observed in her dreamy voice. "The two most dangerous classes, potions and flying, and they stick the two most aggressive houses together. It's almost as if someone wanted an altercation."
Everyone turned to stare at the small blond girl, shocked at the depth of her observation.
"See." Ron burst out. "I knew it was asking for trouble to have class with them." His indignation turned to glee when the younger Harry bemoaned the thought of making a fool of himself in front of the blond.
"More like the other way around." He whispered to Neville grinning. The round faced boy hastily covered his laughter with a cough while between them Harry turned smug as he remembered the look on Malfoy's face.
Sirius smiled when he heard how much his godson had been looking forward to flying. "That's because you're a natural." He stated proudly. "It's in your blood."
Remus nodded. "Both of your parents loved to fly, your mother just didn't shove it in everyone's face like your father did." He remembered with a fond smile.
A shadow passed over the teen's face. "I wish I had known that at the time."
The twins as always were quick to pick up on their younger friend's sadness. As soon as there was a complaint about first years not getting on the house team they sprang into action.
"Unless you're the most awesomest player." Fred yelled out.
"So good that you can't not be on the team." George joined his brother in celebrating. Seeing the confused looks on most of the adults' faces they were careful not to look at their friend. Harry sent a smug look at his confused godfather before rolling his eyes as the book told of Malfoy's brag about helicopters.
"Ha." Hermione scoffed. "Somehow I doubt he got high enough to get in range of a helicopter, if he even knows what that is. There is such a thing as air pressure." She scoffed when Seamus joined in on the bragging having not noticed it at the time.
Ginny burst out laughing. "For all that practice Seamus can't fly worth...er dirt." She amended seeing the look on her mother's face. She looked at her brother sympathetically when the book revealed how he'd taken Charlie's broom for a ride.
"You did what?" Charlie and Molly bellowed.
"When were you on my broom?" The stocky red head demanded. He narrowed his eyes at his younger brother.
"I was seven. It was a long time ago." Ron defended himself. "And I wouldn't have had to sneak it out if you would have taken me flying." He added causing his brother to look mildly ashamed.
"What I want to know," Molly began in a dangerous voice. "Is what you were doing flying unsupervised? Do you know how dangerous that was. You could have fallen. You could have been injured."
"Mum." Charlie gulped as he interrupted the tirade. "He's fine so just let it rest."
"Hmff, don't think I'm forgetting about this young man." She warned before subsiding into silence. "Of course she won't forget. I couldn't get that lucky." He muttered to his friends, subsiding into silence as he listened to his own reaction to Dean's posters.
Harry winced as his thoughts on Neville were read out.
"Thanks Harry." The round faced boy said sarcastically, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.
Remus had his eyes narrowed over the top of the top of the book. "Harry that was very rude and I would have expected better of you." He snapped, surprising most of the room with his harsh words.
Sirius smacked his friend in the arm. "Its not like he said it out loud. It's his thoughts. No one was ever supposed to hear that." He added a warning look that had the werewolf conceding.
"Besides Professor Lupin its true." Neville pointed out. He hadn't meant to get his friend in trouble.
The angry tone softened somewhat. "Its Remus Neville. I'm not your professor anymore." He sent an apologetic glance at Harry as he turned back to the book.
Snape shook his head at his godson's gloating behavior and made a mental note to have a talk with the boy. Draco was displaying many of the qualities that he often accused Potter of having, which was completely unacceptable. He dreaded reading what other things he would find out about the boy he had helped raise. His eyes closed in irritation as the little blonde menace snatched Longbottom's remembrall out of the boys hand.
"Really if there's a kid that needs a little parental attention its that one." Emmeline murmured angrily.
Sirius barked out a laugh. "He's the only child and heir of Narcissa and Lucius. Not going to happen." He cocked an eyebrow at his former head of house stopping the pending fight.
"I have learned over the years, Mr. Potter, to keep a close eye on my lions. You can thank your godfather for that." The amused professor added.
"Thanks." Harry threw the word at the dark haired man in his most sarcastic voice.
Said man raised an eyebrow. "You're awful mouthy right now kid." He warned, his tone just strict enough to cause Harry to blush slightly and give the man an apologetic look.
Tonks scowled at Malfoy's excuse to Mcgonagall. "Even if he was 'just looking' he didn't have to be so rude about it."
"He's a Malfoy dear, he's not taught any better." Molly told her, missing the dark scowl sent to her by the potions master. He most certainly had taught the little bugger better and would soon be reinforcing that lesson.
Remus nodded in agreement with the motherly women as he continued reading, describing the scene of the first flying lesson.
Charlie smiled. "Perfect flying conditions." He said wistfully before his expression turned into a frown. He hadn't realized it before but they were bound to spend at least a couple weeks stuck in the house, unable to fly, not even a chance to go outside for a few minutes. For someone who spent the majority of his time in the fresh air that was a very disturbing thought. He grimaced as the condition of the school brooms were described.
"They do fly to the left." The twins insisted. Fred raised his left arm. "This muscle is bigger just from trying to keep it in a straight line."
"What muscle?" Bill teased.
"They're horrible. I had one that did nothing but zig zag." George added laughing at his twin.
"That sounds extremely dangerous." Molly fretted while Emmeline looked put out.
"I know for a fact that the department of Magical Transportation has regulations on the conditions of brooms that are allowed to be flown. Is Hogwarts except from these?" She asked with a glare at the Headmaster.
"Of course not." He replied pleasantly. "All the brooms on school property are examined yearly and any not meeting the requirements are removed. I assure you the equipment, while not being as fast or as pretty as the students might want, have been deemed safe."
"Barely." McGonagall snorted quietly to herself.
'And yet I still managed to fly perfectly.' Harry thought to himself. He was waiting anxiously for his godfather's reaction to his flying ability. Surely the man, the closest thing he had to a father, would be proud of him.
There were several smiles when Harry's broom jumped into his hand immediately.
"Nice Harry." Charlie congratulated him, a wide smile on his face.
Ron crossed his arms over his chest, a disgruntled look on his face. "Mine did too. He just didn't bother putting that in the book."
"It did." Harry confirmed before turning to his friend. "And I didn't write the book or I would have." He promised, the words shaming his friend slightly.
The red head perked up at the reminder of Hooch correcting Malfoy.
"Much as I hate to defend the little terror, grips aren't uniform. That one might have felt better for him." Sirius informed the grouping causing Snape to look at him in surprise.
"Don't ruin our fun." Harry pouted.
Kingsley chuckled happy to see the kid having a bit of fun despite the circumstances. He frowned in concern when Neville lost control of his broom.
Beside him Emmeline had gasped and was sitting forward white faced, her eyes searching the boy frantically when Remus told of the first year falling.
"Oh dear you poor thing." Molly fretted.
Neville looked alarmed at the motherly concern. "I was fine Mrs. Weasley. It worked out okay."
"Well that's good. You ever need anything you just come to me." The red headed mother crooned.
"Don't worry Neville. Mum adopts everyone." Ron was laughing quietly at this friend's expression.
McGonagall's already stern expression deepened as Hooch escorted Neville to the hospital wing.
"Honestly she left a group of first years alone with brooms? Did she really think they would behave?" She huffed sending a pointed look at Harry.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Arthur mumbled as he too sent a look at the two snickering boys.
Neville's downcast expression brightened when his year mates stood up to Malfoy for him. "Did Parvati really defend me?" He asked in astonishment.
"Of course she did Neville." Hermione reassured him. "She thinks you're really sweet." She added making the quiet boy blush.
There were several grumbles of complaints as Malfoy once again claimed possession of the remenbrall.
"If we'd known he was doing stuff like this at the time we could have taught him a lesson." Fred spoke up.
"Of course Harry was able to teach him much better then we ever could have." George added with a smug smile.
"All I did was tell him to give it back." Harry protested laughing. " What happened after that was his fault."
"Good for you Harry. Stick up for your friend." Bill nodded approvingly.
The dark haired teen turned to his godfather. "I think I should get some marauder points for this."
Sirius barked out a laugh. "Well loyalty is a big factor in being a marauder but you have to do it with style."
"And," Remus interjected. "From the way Mcgonagall is looking at you, you're about to be in big trouble which would detract from the points."
Harry shrugged elbowing Ron as he was overcome with laughter. "It was probably lacking on the style." He said agreeably. The two adults shared a suspicious glance before Remus dived back into the book.
Snape narrowed his eyes, keeping his own tally of points. By his count Draco had incited every interaction between the two rivals. This was bad enough but also contrasted directly with what his snake had told him.
Molly sighed as Harry flew after the Slytherin. "Thank you Hermione for at least trying to stop him."
The young witch shrugged. "Its not like either of them ever listen." She grumbled though even she couldn't help but smile at her friend for his feelings of flying.
Sirius sighed half sad, half elated. He was glad the kid had found something that made him happy but he would have given anything to have been there to see the look on his face. He narrowed his eyes at the potions professor knowing the man would open his big mouth when Harry threatened to knock the Snape's godson off his broom.
"Mr. Potter." Snape began in a stern voice. "Do you realize how dangerous that could have been?"
Harry resisted rolling his eyes. "Been there, done that so yes. Besides it was just empty words. I wouldn't actually knock him off. Not even during Quidditch." He pointed out calmly earning a smile of approval for his godfather.
"Not that he hasn't tried with you." Hermione was quick to point out, raising an eyebrow at their professor.
Snape's face whitened in anger when Draco threw the small glass ball to the ground.
There were outraged gasps around the room. "That is deliberate destruction of property." Kingsley gritted out. "Mr. Longbottom, despite the amount of time that has passed you can file a complaint and press for damages. If nothing else it will be a blow to his pride."
Neville shrugged. "The remembrall didn't actually get destroyed and I got it back the next day." He enjoyed the confused looks for a moment before everyone's gaze snapped to Harry.
"You didn't." Remus groaned as he quickly turned back to the book in his hands, dropping it a moment later after reading out Harry's dive.
"Merlin Harry I heard you were good but to do that on a school broom." Charlie trailed off, his mouth hanging open in awe.
Molly was growling forcefully. "He could have broken his neck." She began ranting.
"He couldn't resist showing off." Snape pointed out determined to regain his earlier convictions.
Sirius had a broad grin on his face. "It wasn't showing off, it was instinctive. Flying's in his blood. That was bloody brilliant Harry. I would have given anything to see that." He smiled as the kid's eyes glowed from the praise.
"Really Mr. Black, I think if you had seen it in person your heart would have stopped. I don't think you realize just how close he came to hitting the ground." McGonagall pointed out.
Sirius thought about it for a minute. "I probably would have still praised him and went out and bought him a new broom. Flying like that deserves some kind of reward." He held up his hand when the two older women opened their mouth. "After I had torn a strip off him for giving me a bloody heart attack." He didn't notice Harry sharing a grin with his head of house as she appeared on scene in the book.
"Busted." the twins yelled.
"Aww come on McGonagall." Charlie whined. "That was completely amazing. You can't punish him now." He shook his head at Harry's thoughts about being expelled. "They wouldn't kick you out for just flying on a broom. Ban you from quidditch maybe which is possibly worse." He added earning an elbow from his older brother.
Harry made a face at his pessimistic thoughts. "I would have rather had detention with Snape every night for the rest of the year than return to the Dursleys."
The potions professor smirked. "That can still be arranged Potter."
Harry grimaced before laughing at himself for thinking he could be Hagrid's assistant.
"Really Harry." Hermione and Ron shook their heads at their friend.
Ginny laughed. "Hagrid would have been ecstatic." Beside her Luna was humming quietly to herself, coming to an abrupt stop when it was revealed the younger version of Harry was worried about being caned.
McGonagall gasped, horrified. "I would never use a cane on a student."
"Indeed Mr. potter. I may have been tempted on several occasions to give you a good smack but even I would not use a cane on you." For once the stoic man had dropped his indifferent mask as he stared at the boy.
Bright red Harry shrugged. "You'll understand more in the third book."
Sirius tamped down his anger at the thought of the Dursleys caning his godson. Reaching for his ever present humor he turned to his childhood rival. "Did you say you thought about smacking him? As in spanking? That's very...parental of you Snape. Fatherly even." He smirked at the horrified look on the other man's face.
"Sirius." The teenager groaned covering his face with a pillow.
Remus just shook his head at his friend as he resumed reading, though he did have to admit to himself that the man seemed to have a knack for diffusing a difficult situation. He was relieved when 'wood' was actually a student.
Tonks was looking at the professor in confusion. "Why would you...?"
"Oliver Wood was a keeper my last year playing," Charlie said slowly as he sat forward eagerly. "You're not going to do what I think you're going to do?"
SirIus waved the words away. "Let him keep reading." He said, urging his friend on while beaming at his former head of house. He whooped at the announcement of seeker. "Minnie you're the absolute best."
"Oi, I'm the one that did all the work." Harry laughed.
"I can't believe stern Professor McGonagall actually rewarded a student for breaking the rules." Bill teased with a warm grin.
Snape snorted. "Indeed, the brat should have faced a week's worth of detention at least."
"Maybe this is one of those times you would have liked to smack him huh Snape?" Moody said slyly.
The dour man resisted rolling his eyes. "If it would have kept him from risking his neck on fool stunts then yes."
Harry was staring at his godfather eagerly. "Yes, yes," the man laughed. "Definite marauder points."
Remus nodded. "You not only accomplished something that would have made your father ecstatic but you have McGonagall rewarding you. Impressive."
Harry's face lit up at the praise and he sat back content sending a smug look at Charlie when Mcgonagall compared the two.
"Oi." The stocky redhead yelled before shrugging. "Okay I admit it. I couldn't have done that on a school broom." He was eyeing the dark haired teen. "We need to play sometime."
Harry shrugged. "If you're ready to lose." He challenged.
"You're on." Charlie promised turning back to the story as his former head of house told her young lion about his father playing quidditch. "James was a legend at Hogwarts." He confirmed. "But from the sounds of it he wouldn't hold a candle to you Harry."
"Do you think he would have been proud?" The teen asked as he looked over at his godfather.
"He would have taken out an ad in the prophet declaring it to the whole Wizarding world." The man assured him.
Remus nodded in agreement as he found his place in the book to continue reading. He snorted at the thought of keeping the news a secret.
Emmeline and Kingsley were both shaking their heads. "Nothing stays a secret at Hogwarts." He informed the room.
"Actually." Hermione began in a superior voice. "We seem to hold the most secrets while also finding out some of the most well kept."
McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Would you care to elaborate on that Miss Granger?" The crispness of her voice caused the teen to gulp.
Harry took pity on his friend. "I'm sure everything will come out at the right time." He shot his friend a reproving look before grinning at the twins when they were announced as beaters.
"The best damn beaters Hogwarts has ever seen." They yelled.
"Says you." Sirius smirked causing Harry to look over in surprise.
"You played?"
"As if James would let me sit on the sidelines." he scoffed. "Don't get me wrong, I love quidditch. But your father was obsessed."
Remus snorted. "That's an understatement."
"Did you play too?" Fred asked excitedly.
"Thankfully I was able to use my furry little problem to get out of it." He shrugged off the consoling looks and continued reading, telling everyone about the secret passage the Twins had found.
"Duly noted." Snape smirked at the twins.
They shrugged. "Its no good anymore. Filch knows about it."
Molly was glaring at her sons. "You shouldn't know about any of them." She admonished.
"But mum." Fred whined. "Its part of our magical education to learn everything we can about the castle."
Beside him George was nodding earnestly. "It is one of the most magical places we'll ever visit."
Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling. "I myself have never learned all of the secrets of the castle."
Mcgonagall nodded in agreement, sighing as Malfoy and his two cronies showed up at the Gryffindor table for the second time that day. "Really Severus. Can't your snakes leave Harry alone?"
"Apparently not." the Slytherin was equally disgruntled. "I assure you he'll be hearing from me." His displeasure was abated somewhat when his godson suggested a wizard duel. A much more acceptable way of settling problems. Provided of course that adequate supervision was at hand.
Harry rolled his eyes at the blonde's taunts. "Where in the world would I have heard about duels? I was trapped at the Dursleys." He pointed out. He winced at the expression on Mrs. Weasley's face when Ron answered for him.
"Ronald Weasley, you did not just accept a duel, and for Harry no less." Molly screeched standing up. Ron shrank back on the couch, his eyes opened wide. He hastily swallowed his retort. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? What were you thinking?"
"Mum." Bill interjected, the only Weasley son brave enough to stand up to his mother. "He was just defending his friend. Harry wouldn't have known what they were on about and Ron didn't want him looking like a fool in front of Malfoy."
"He's right Mrs. Weasley. Ron was just being a good friend." Harry spoke up.
"It's still not acceptable to fight, for either one of you." She included Harry in her glare as she settled back down.
Sirius sent a disgruntled look towards the older woman for admonishing his godson. "They didn't start it in the first place." He pointed out, completely fed up with the overbearing women.
Remus quickly began reading before the fight could escalate, chuckling at Ron's description of what a second was in regards of a duel.
Ginny glared at her brother. "I'm sure that made him feel a whole lot better." The red headed boy was too worried about his mother's wrath to reply. He did perk up enough to return a faint grin when Moody complemented him on his back up plan.
"Don't bother waving the wand." Bill suggested under his breath. "Just go ahead and punch him on the nose." He shook his head at Hermione's lecturing speech, not blaming Harry a bit for telling her to mind her own business.
Remus shot an irritated look at his best friend's son. He couldn't believe the kind hearted, good kid he knew could have ever acted like this. He cast a look at Hermione who was curled up on the end of their couch with down cast eyes.
"I know, I know. I admit that it was very rude and I am very sorry for saying that to someone who has become one of my best friends." He turned puppy dog eyes to the girl and was rewarded with a small smile.
"Though you really did deserve it." Rom mumbled ruining the moment.
Tonks grinned at Harry's inner monologue on pushing his luck by breaking another rule. "Why do I get the feeling that that's not going to stop you." Harry sent her an impish smile.
Remus was giving her a reproving look over the top of the book. "Read handsome." She instructed laughing. "I want to know who wins."
"Are you doubting my godson?" Sirius asked in mock shock. He reached over his friend to tug on her hair. "Besides he's facing a Malfoy. I'm betting the kid doesn't even show." He frowned in concentration when Hermione confronted the two boys as they were sneaking out of the tower. "How in the world did you three become friends?" He asked in wonder.
"We should be getting to that soon." Harry mumbled, biting his lip as he wondered what the man's reaction to the troll would be.
Emmeline raised her eyebrows at the news that the Gryffindor guardian had gone visiting, leaving the kids locked out. "This is why its so much better not to rely on portraits. They're so temperamental."
Sirius snorted. "Because its so much better to have to answer a riddle every time you want to get into your common room."
"Well at least I wouldn't have to worry about you ever getting in." She returned sweetly. She turned to look worriedly at Neville when it was announced he'd been sleeping in the corridor.
The embarrassed teen slid down in his seat. "I can never remember the password." He mumbled.
Remus smiled at him. "Your mother had trouble with her memory when she was younger. She was always getting stuck outside the common room too."
Neville narrowed his eyes in confusion. "But she became an auror."
"She had all these exercises she did to work her mind. I can show you if you like." Emmeline offered, realizing perhaps for the first time that the boy was the son of one of her other best friends. Both Lily and Alice gone, both their sons mistreated and she had never given either a thought. She looked away from Neville's bright eyes, ashamed at herself.
The room quieted down, most of the group leaning forward eagerly as they listened for the results of the duel. Remus described how Neville joined the group as they traipsed through the castle to the trophy room where they waited in vain for Malfoy. Contemptuous sounds were made from the older of the Weasley siblings.
"I do believe he's employed his slytherin tendencies and set you up." Snape was somewhat mollified with the younger Malfoy's behavior. Sirius rolled his eyes at the man, grimacing as Filch arrived on scene.
"Hmph, you deserve whatever punishment he's fixing to give you." Molly muttered.
Fred and George sent disgusted looks at the group at their failed attempts to be stealthy. "Remind us never to take you guys with us on our pranks." They scoffed. They made faces at Hermione for her told you so attitude.
"Probably not the best time for that." Luna offered. "They won't listen to you right now."
Ginny snorted. "They're boys. They will never listen." She shook her head when the Hogwarts Poltergeist came upon the group.
"Ahh come on peeves," Fred moaned.
George had his head in his hands "Now's not the time." He groaned when his little brother took the wrong approach to gain his cooperation.
"Never never try to hit him. It'll just piss him off." Bill added. He was staring at the four Gryffindors apprehensively.
McGonagall gasped as she realized where her group of lions were running to. Snape's eyes had widened and they shared a shocked look.
"Well it does answer one question." He murmured to her.
"No." The Head of Gryffindor moaned when Hermione unlocked the door, for once not celebrating her top pupil's success.
By now the Weasley parents, Kingsley, Emmeline, and the marauders were looking at her fearfully. "What's going on?" Sirius demanded.
"Umm you wanted to know what was in the forbidden corridor." Harry started quietly, biting his lip as he looked at the man. "We didn't mean it, we just didn't realize where we were."
"I'm not blaming you Pup. I heard the circumstances." He quickly assured the kid though he sent an extremely dark look at the professors. He noticed none of the other adults had heard their conversation and quickly urged Remus to keep reading. The werewolf did so, his voice becoming more brittle with every sentence.
"Are they where I think they are?" Emmeline asked fearfully.
"If you're thinking the forbidden third floor corridor you'd be right." Moody grumbled.
"But didn't they use a simple first year spell to open the door?" Bill asked confused.
"Merlin Harry" Tonks breathed as she stared at the boy. "Can't you even get into normal kid trouble without risking your life."
Harry grinned faintly back at her. "Apparently not."
Remus who'd been reading ahead let out a gasp. "What in the name of Godric Gryffindor is that thing doing there?" He demanded.
"What?" Sirius and Molly yelled fearfully.
"I can't believe you would keep something like that in a school." The usually calm man continued to yell, his amber eyes pinning the headmaster to his seat. "Around little children."
"What is it?" Molly demanded, her color going from white to red as she grew furious.
Sirius , tired of being ignored, snatched the book from his friend and read the description out loud, dropping the book in shock as he stared fearfully at his godson.
"I'm fine." Harry promised him softly. "We're all fine. No bites." He concentrated on staying in his seat thinking it might seem a little childish if he got up to give the older man a hug.
"Not a good time for jokes Harry." Bill groaned as he rubbed a hand over his face. Beside him Charlie gave the teens a harsh glare before giving over to the excitement of reading about an actual cerberus.
Remus breathed a small sigh of relief as his logical mind overrode his own fear. He clapped a reassuring hand on his friend's back as he picked up the book, breathing a sigh of relief when all the children reached their common room with no more incidents.
"Thank merlin." Tonks and Emmeline gasped.
"That had better be the last time you see that monster. " Sirius threatened, his voice harsh from lingering fear. "Any of you." His glare included all four teens.
"Yes sir." Neville answered gulping. Ron and Hermione were careful to avoid everyone's gaze.
"Aww come on Padfoot. It's just a dog." Harry teased back hoping to reassure the older man with humor.. "I thought you liked dogs." He quipped, though everyone could see his eyes were apprehensive as he stared at the older man.
"You're mental." Ron decided. He didn't know if he said it because that thing was more than just a dog or because Harry was picking now to tease his godfather.
"Foolish boy." Snape snapped. "That dog could have done any one of you serious injury." He glared, remembering his own injury.
Sirius however understood his godson's fear and dredged up a mock glare. "I'm the only dog allowed near you." He growled back.
Emmeline gave the man a considering look having noticed how in tune he was to his godson's needs. She was distracted from her thoughts when the lone female of the story pointed the trap door out to the boys.
"To be honest I was too scared to look up at the heads. Its the only reason I noticed." Hermione confessed. She nodded in agreement with Harry's explanation for the reason of the trapdoor.
"You're really smart and quick to put things together." Kingsley noted impressed the kid had immediately jumped to the Gringotts break in and vault 713.
Remus shut the book. "Now can we talk about what that thing was doing there?" He asked in a strained voice.
"As the children thought, he was being used to guard the object." Dumbledore stated quietly.
"But why there? Its so accessible to the children." Molly pointed out tearfully, speaking up for the first time since the dog had been introduced.
"Surely there were more less used corridors or rooms , away from the student population that would have been better." Arthur asked, his own anger evident.
"It was the most opportune place for it." Dumbledore answered, the finality of his voice alerting everyone that he was done discussing it.
Sirius and Remus exchanged meaningful looks, the canines growling their frustration with the old coot.
"I'm sure you'll understand better once you have more information." McGonagall tried to pacify the worried parents.
"Were you comfortable with that thing being there professor? With Dumbledore using the school to hide something that someone would be willing to break into Gringotts to steal?" Emmeline asked shrewdly.
The transfiguration professor looked uncomfortable. "Mr. Black I think we should continue to read."
