It was a couple of weeks after the attempted break-in of Sirius Black and the school was slowly stopping its louder gossip of the incident. I preferred none at all as it was starting to get annoying. Completely and utterly annoying.

I sent a letter the next morning to Harry and the family out in Chicago. I was feeling annoyed with the constant whispers around me and Blaise had to keep me from ripping off Seamus' head every time the boy muttered his suspicions about one alleged murderer and I.

Instead I sent Misha to harass the boy the best the cat could do. I kept getting glares in my direction every morning. I ignored and whistled and carried on with what I was doing at the time. Later, Blaise and I would laugh.

It was the week of the full moon when I skidded into the DADA classroom after class started. I paused as I saw Snape glaring at me with complete attention. I leveled a glare in return.

"Sorry, Mr. Snape," I apologized as I went to sit down. "I apologize for being…" I looked down at my watch, "… ten minutes late. I had to pry Misha off a house elf."

He glared at me and raised a lip in disdain, "I expect you to be on time to class, Mr. Dresden. That's ten points from Gryffindor."

"Agreed," I chuckled with mirth and he raised a brow in reply.

"Please turn to page 394," Snape growled and we did as he asked.

Hermione spoke up, "Sir, we're due to start hinkypunks, not werewolves."

"Miss Granger, I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, not you," Snape sneered darkly as he went to the front and displayed a picture of a man that overlapped with a picture of what they called a werewolf. I rolled my eyes skyward and whistled softly, but I caught Snape's attention. "Mr. Dresden, is there something that you'd like to say?"

"That picture is a poor representation of a werewolf," I stated with a dark voice. "I've seen a werewolf before and that's no wolf, sir. Since I've never seen the others, it's more appropriate for a Hexenwolf, Loup-garou, or a Lycanthrope, I would think."

"Those are all the same, Mr. Dresden," Snape sneered with a voice that implied I was a complete and utter idiot.

"Actually, sir, you are wrong," I laughed. "Have you met any Wolfie-types of late?"

"I have," he growled. "He's a bloody monstrous creature who's allergic to silver."

"You've got a Loup-garou," I challenged. "There are differences between the wolves. Not just one kind."

"And we can believe you why?" he sneered.

"I've learned it from a sidhe," I lied and watched as his eyes widened considerably. I had actually learned all from Bob the Skull.

"But those—"

"Are impossibly hard to talk to, you say?" I asked with a quirked grin. "Perhaps… but then, there are several ways to talk to a fairy or elf. I know a few."

His eyes narrowed and he snarled to everyone in the room who was watching us converse with shocked eyes, "Read the chapter, now, and be silent."

Everyone snapped their attention to their books and I leaned back into my chair and scanned the book, which was completely about Loup-garou. I wasn't much impressed with it and closed it after I finished scanning the chapter.

It was not the first time that I again thought that I should've stayed in Chicago. Sometimes it was too simple learning all these wizard things. I could be learning Calculus or Chemistry instead of all this nonsense, but I had to honor the dead and to help save humanity and all that rot. Yep, I should've torn up that first letter, but no.

At the end of class, Snape told us to write an essay that was due next Monday and we shuffled out with mutters of what he would call insolence. Even Blaise growled darkly about his Head of House. Snape watched me follow the last few out and I looked back with a grin.

"Don't let the information bother you, Professor," I called over my shoulder and I heard a snarl follow me out.

-----

It was early in the morning when I woke up and looked out the window. It was heavily raining with hellcats aplenty and I decided to get ready for the game today. It was going to be utterly dismal, but fun.

I pulled on my heavy black sweater and jacket, noticed that I grew an inch, and shuffled into a pair of heavy jeans and warm socks and boots. I then picked up Misha and exited out of the tower and headed down to breakfast.

I noticed the rest of my team sitting and talking worriedly about the rain. I nodded to them as I put jam on my toast and left the Hall with anxiety filling the bottom of my stomach. Misha jumped off my shoulder and raced down a dark hall and left me to stuff the rest of toast into my mouth as I exited out of the castle.

I paused to look around and grin at the rain. Then I shuffled out into the forest, knowing I had three hours before the game and headed to the Shrieking Shack. I ended up outside the front door and knocked casually. I heard startled movement as I slowly opened the door and entered warily out of the freezing rain.

I shook my hair out and then looked around. It was quiet and the movement had paused noticeably. I frowned darkly and headed up the rickety staircase as I lightly called, "Sasha? Is that you?"

"Harry?" I heard Sirius breathe and he appeared at the top of the stairs with a smile.

"You look good," I commented as I checked him over.

And he did. Harry must have forced Sirius to shave and get a haircut since I last saw him. His hair was short and spiky and he looked years younger without the beard. He wore a pair of Harry's old jeans that were baggy, but not like they were in the beginning. He also wore a heavy sweater that was new.

"Did Harry take you shopping for clothes?" I asked as I stopped a step before him.

He grinned. "Your adoptive dad was very kind to help me out."

"He cares," I stated as I felt myself being pulled into a hug.

"Are you all right?" Sirius asked as he pulled me along into a room nearby. "Have you been eating properly? You've grown!"

I felt a sheepish grin appear on my face as I ran a hand nervously through my wet hair, "Yeah, and surprisingly so. Yes to your first two questions. Blaise makes sure that I eat more than is humanly possible and Mione makes sure I stay healthy."

"They're good friends for doing so," he stated with a caring voice.

"How have you been?" I asked while pushing him down into a wooden chair and started checking his vitals.

He shook me off of him and grinned, "I've been fine, Harry. You don't need to worry about me."

"Apparently, I have to," I growled as I pushed him back into his chair. "Sirius, you can't make a career of breaking into the castle. They've already given the dementors permission to administer their kiss once you're captured."

He paused and looked up with surprise and fear, "Are you sure?"

"Mr. Zabini doesn't lie without good reason," I stated with a growl. "You need to stay put and let me handle things. I've been doing a good job so far, but you're ruining my good work."

He looked down and gulped before looking back up with determined eyes, "I have to catch him, Harry. You don't understand."

"I understand a great deal more than you give me credit for, Sasha," I remarked darkly. "Do not make me tie you to this chair for the rest of the year."

"You wouldn't—"

"Dare?" I interrupted with a wolfish grin. "Dude, I wouldn't go off daring me if I were you. I might just take you up on it."

"Harry—"

"Please, Sirius," I groaned when I realized I couldn't make him stay put without harming him a great deal. "Please, please, don't do anything. I don't want you getting caught." But I saw that he wouldn't promise me this. I could tell he truly wanted to, but he couldn't lie to me. "Just keep out here, okay?"

"I'll try," he muttered as he looked at the ground. He then looked up with a smile, "How are your classes?"

"They're fine," I chuckled. "Besides Snape being an utter prick, it's all right."

"And your animagus training?" he asked with a conspiring voice.

I grinned mischievously, "That is going utterly splendid."

"How far along are you?"

"I've got to get passed where I have been since you've last seen me. I've perfected changing my eyes and teeth though."

"Those aren't much to boast about."

I laughed, "Maybe not, but they're dead useful."

He nodded, "I'll bet."

I looked at my watch and then growled as I rolled my eyes. It was almost time for the game today. I wondered if I would get caught being out here or not. I shrugged.

"I've got to get going," I stated matter-of-factly. "I need to get ready for Qudditch."

"You play?"

"Yeah, seeker," I replied with a smile.

"I would like to see this," he muttered.

I looked at him sternly, "You can go see the game, but if you do anything else, I'll curse you into oblivion."

He grinned sheepishly and replied, "Agreed."

I looked closely at him and narrowed my eyes, "All right. Change into puppers and let's get going. I should be in the locker room with the gents by now."

He nodded and immediately popped into doggie form. He nipped at my sleeve, caught hold, and dragged me downstairs, out of the shack, and out of the forest. I noticed people starting to pile out of the castle and I bid goodbye to Sirius before heading to the locker room to change.

After I changed, I placed a ward around my face to repel the rain that stung as it hit. I nodded to Oliver's threat of dismemberment if I didn't capture the snitch and I then found myself in the air a few minutes later.

The game went on well into the late afternoon and we were all freezing and it was getting harder to concentrate as I flew around searching hastily for the snitch. I shook with constant shivers and I finally caught sight of the golden bugger and went after it.

I went straight up and noticed the other seeker electrified by lightning and I gulped. I kept after the snitch and my hand grazed it and it went horizontally to the left. I followed.

When my hand re-grazed the damned snitch, I felt a cold that was deeper and chilled me all the way to the core of my bones. I looked up and saw the dementors and cursed. I grabbed the snitch finally, tucked it inside my robes, and dodged past one dementor and then another. I noticed that there were at least five surrounding me.

I heard the scream and I saw the knife and I flinched. That was all it took.

I let go of the broom and slid off and fought to keep consciousness as I free fell to the earth. I prayed for forgiveness and felt for my silver pentagram and clasped onto it. I spun in the air, tangled in my robes and soaked to chilling temperatures, heard the screams, and my last thought before I let the darkness take over was: I hope they have a pizzeria in heaven.

-----

I felt something poke at me and I tried to push them away, but I couldn't move. It was warm and comfortable here and I felt myself start to tense. Nothing is this perfect, is it?

"He's lucky the ground was so soft," a familiar voice stated casually.

"I thought he was dead for sure," someone else stated.

"Don't be dramatic," I heard another, what was definitely Blaise, say.

"When do you think his dad's going to be here?" I heard Jenci ask.

My eyes opened instantly as a door was slammed open and I heard Adam's voice ask, "Is he all right?"

"I'm fine," I croaked, startling everyone.

Adam raced over to me and started checking my vitals. Someone was behind him and for the life of me I couldn't tell who. My brother then smacked me on the chest and I immediately sat up and started coughing violently.

"You caught the cold, you idiot!" Adam snarled.

"Leave him alone, Adam," the unrecognizable person growled. "How are you, Cali?" It took me a moment to realize it was Tee-John.

"What the hell is he doing here?" I asked with a snarl to Adam.

"He's been studying with me since school got out and was sleeping over when I got the call I couldn't leave him at home all alone," he replied sheepishly as he ran a hand through his hair. "What are you complaining about? He already knows you're a wizard."

"Yeah, Cali, what you complaining about?" Tee-John followed with a mock angry expression.

"I'll deal with you both later," I yawned. "Gods, what time is it?"

"It's the early evening," Zuri supplied and looked at Ron who cradled something in his arms.

I looked pointedly at it and he finally spoke up, "Harry, something happened that you may not like."

"When you let go of the broom, it flew off," Hermione followed closely. "There was nothing anyone could do."

"And you know the whooping willow," Ron timidly stated. "It never just destroys things."

He opened the cloth and I couldn't take my eyes off the broken bits of what was once my broomstick. I felt myself choke up at the sight of it. I couldn't believe the first broomstick I ever owned was now firewood. Adam and Tee-John understood immediately and placed their hands on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Ron stated and I looked away and bowed my head.

"Cali, don't fret on this," Adam whispered. "We'll figure something out."

"Where's Harry?" I asked with a quick side-glance at my brother. I wanted to change the subject quickly.

"He's been out on a case all day," Adam replied with sad eyes. "I'm worried. Something's wrong about his new case that I have yet to figure out."

"Your dad is fine though," Tee-John supplied. "Murphy and Mouse are with him if that helps."

"It does," I muttered. "How's Sasha?"

"He's fine from what I've last noticed," Adam replied with a smile. "I saw him before we came to see you. He noticed we were worried and started panicking. I got him under control. He's under lock and key till I get back." He and Tee-John gave each other conspiring grins.

I groaned and lay back down, "Tell him I send my love."

"Dude, are you okay?" Tee-John asked worriedly.

"No, he's not okay!" Adam exclaimed abruptly and looked at the other boy. "He fell from a height of fifty feet from what the gossipers were muttering when we got here! He's got to stay in bed for the rest of his existence!"

"Well aren't we just overly-mothering?" Tee-John snickered.

"What are you talking about?" I growled. "He's abusively-mothering."

"You're worse," Adam pointed out.

"If you say so," I chuckled and gave a little tired grin in reply.

"Boys," Hermione growled before Adam tried to reply with a remark.

"Sorry," the three of us apologized sheepishly.

"Why hello Miss Suicide Blonde," Tee-John suddenly greeted and we all looked to where he stared. Luna stood silently next to Ginny who was whispering to Zuri.

Luna looked up with her unfocused gaze and smiled with aloofness, "Hello, Little John."

"How did you know my name?" Tee-John asked with surprise.

"The snittles told me," she replied softly and then gazed past him and out the window. "You don't look little. Harry is the shortest, one would think."

"What's a snittle?" Tee-John asked as Hermione huffed out an annoyed sound.

"It's a little creature that has the features of a cat, but the tail of a horntail dragon," she replied without looking at him.

"I'd like to see that," he stated with wonder. "What's your name?"

"Luna Lovegood," she answered, now focusing her eyes on him. "Snittles are hard to see because they move really fast. You barely catch a glimpse of them unless you're keen of sight."

"I'd like to be keen of sight," he replied as he moved closer to her, but Adam caught him by his collar and pulled the boy back.

"Oh, no you don't," Adam growled. "Stay away from her, dude."

"Oh, come on—"Tee-John growled with annoyance.

"NO!" Adam snarled and smacked the boy behind the head. "She's younger than we are, dude!"

"Oh, well that's your problem not mine," he muttered with annoyance.

"Has he been a ladies man?" I asked with a grin.

Adam returned the look, "Like you'd never believe."

"Any catches?" I asked Tee-John.

"Always," he replied and gave me a conspiring wink.

"It's time we left," Adam announced.

"What? Why?" Tee-John asked with surprise.

"Dad's got to be back by now and you know Uncle Thomas was going to be by later," Adam growled.

"Oh, yeah," Tee-John replied sheepishly. He then looked at me, "Get well, man. We can't afford to lose the only good guitarist in Chicago. T'would be tragic for our morale."

"Stop being dramatic," I growled playfully and winked at John. "Bye, man. Tell the gents I said we're practicing as soon as I get home."

"The hell we are," he laughed. "We're throwing a party and getting Chloe to snuggle with you the entire night."

"Don't you dare," I growled.

"Oh, shut up, dude," he chuckled. "She's been dying to see you again." He winked and went to the opened door and waited for Adam.

"I'll make sure we exclude her for the date," he snickered. "We all know how much you dislike her constant crush on you."

"Yeah, well, you guys don't help," I muttered.

"Should we?"

"You should."

"I'll tell dad what's going on once I see him. Get well."

"Get effed."

"Likewise."

We both grinned and gave each other a quick hug and bid farewell. He disappeared with Tee-John and I focused my attention on everyone else. Zuri was the first to speak.

"Who's Chloe?"

"You don't want to know," I groaned.

"Sounds promising," Blaise snickered. "I have got to visit so I could meet this bird of yours."

"She's not mine," I growled.

"It sounds like she wants to be," Jenci snickered.

The girls rolled their eyes and bid farewell as the nurse appeared. The boys gathered together and I realized who was missing.

"Where's Neville?"

Blaise grinned. "He punched Malfoy when the git said he hoped you died. Neville went bright red and then knocked him out before Jenci or I could. Ron and the rest of the clan cheered until McGonagall appeared. She gave the poor heroic boy a detention with Filch."

"It was bloody brilliant," Ron laughed. "Never knew the gent had it in him."

"It's Harry's fault," Jenci chuckled.

"Don't blame this on me," I growled as the nurse fed me a potion. I gulped it down then followed, "I was unconscious."

"You taught him how to do a great right hook," Blaise stated and the nurse looked down at me with disappointment.

"Well, that I did," I laughed and then yawned as the nurse began to shoo them out of the hospital wing.

"Be gone with you," she growled and they disappeared. "My patient needs rest."

I murmured an agreement as I fell back to sleep.

Notes

I hope you guys enjoyed a quick time with Sirius and the Quidditch game and the hospital scene. I wrote a quick chapter because I just had to get this one out of the way. Thank you for the comments and thanks for the help. I hope everyone's well. I must go now and clean the kitchen thoroughly. Adios.

Ps. Snittles are a figment of my mind's corrupt humor. Don't ask. But that's not what I actually call the creature. Snittles is actually from a phrase that a friend and I made up. She liked snickers. I like skittles. We were going to hang out together and we needed to know what to buy. Here came snittles. It's a bad story, to tell the truth, but that's what snittles stands for. I hope you liked the chapter, albeit as strange as it was.