Part 14

Harry hated this. It was their first trip to Hogsmeade and he wasn't allowed to go! His parents had forbid it until Peter had been found. Ron and Hermione had promised to bring him things from there and tell him all about it, but it still sucked. What was even worse was that Malfoy kept teasing him about it. Blaming the dementors for Harry hiding in the castle. Now Harry was walking around the castle angrily, ignoring the ghosts or paintings trying to talk to him.

"Harry?" a voice asked and he realized he'd reached Remus' classroom. "You okay Prongslet?"

"No", Harry muttered.

"Want to come in and talk about it?"

"Yes", Harry mumbled and entered the room. He noticed Dorian run in behind him looking upset.

"Told you", Remus told the dog as the dog jumped onto the desk. "Now enough playing around we got a guest. Oh Harry can you shut the door please?" Harry nodded and turned around and closed the door. When he turned back his eyes widened. There was no longer a dog sitting on Remus' desk. Now instead a man with honey coloured hair was sitting there. He was dressed in red and black chequered pants, black shoes, black vest, black gloves without fingers and he wore a bowler hat. He had a metal chain around his neck. He had mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow on. All of it was black. His eyes had a strange amber colour and he was smiling at them in a playful way.

"Hiya Harry", he said and jumped off the desk and walked up to Harry and stuck his hand out. Harry reached his own out and shook his. "You're right he does look like James a lot Remy."

"That he does", Remus said and smiled.

"Um… who are you?" Harry asked. "Wait… are you… Dorian?"

"That's me", Dorian replied and smiled warmly. "We suspected old Dumbledore didn't want two werewolves running around the school so I'm a pet for the moment! Usually that's Remy."

"Only because we never asked if it was okay for you to come along", Remus said and blushed a little. Harry grinned. "How are you Harry?"

"Fine", Harry said and sat down. "Except…"

"You wanted to go to Hogsmeade", Remus said and Harry nodded. "Harry I promise next time we will go. Well you can go and Dorian and I will keep an eye on you from a distance."

"Yeah you won't even notice us", Dorian said and grinned.

"Hush you", Remus said gently and bopped him on the head with a book so the hat went down over his eyes. "Now Harry there is something else bothering you… isn't there?"

"Yeah", Harry mumbled. "Uncle Moony… why didn't you let me face the boggart all those weeks ago in class?"

"Well I thought that was obvious Prongslet", Remus said and sat down beside him and put an arm around his shoulders, Harry snuggled closer almost on instinct. "I thought that if you faced the boggart that we would all suddenly stand face to face with Voldemort. But by your reaction I guess I was wrong?"

"Yes", Harry said and bit his lip. "Truth is I did think of Voldemort first… but then I remembered the dementors."

"I see", Remus said and rubbed Harry's arm when he noticed the young boy move a little closer to him. The dementors had that bad an influence on him? "Actually Prongslet that quite impresses me."

"Why?" Harry asked and looked at him.

"It means what you fear most is fear itself. Very wise. You know that was actually your father's boggart for many years… until your mother finally agreed to go out with him. Then it turned to Lily hurt or dead or kissing Severus or something."

"Really? Dad feared the dementors?"

"Well who wouldn't", Dorian said and shrugged. "Nasty buggers those."

"Um Uncle Moony", Harry said. "Could you-"

The door was flung open and Snape swooped into the room. He stopped and nearly took a step back when he saw Harry and Dorian in the classroom. In his hand was a goblet and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Severus", he said. "But I told Dumbledore that I won't be needing that."

"It's not up for discussion Lupin", Snape spat. "Wolfsbane or no job."

"It's Taylor-Lupin and no it isn't", Dorian replied and Snape turned to him with narrowed eyes. "He does not need it from you."

"And you are?"

Dorian flung his legs back and then forward and made a nice little vault off the table he was sitting on. He took off his hat and made a flamboyant bow.

"Mister Dorian Ethan Alexander Taylor-Lupin the third!" he said and stood up and spread his arms. "Potions master extraordinaire and animal tamer in all shapes and sizes." He winked at Remus.

"Potions master?" Snape drawled and then looked him up and down. "Oh… you are one of the circus freaks?"

"Where?" Dorian asked and looked around. He even bent forward so he was standing on his hands to look behind him. "Oh there you are!" he walked on his hands over to Remus' desk and tipped forward onto his feet. He lifted the bag and dug through it. He took out a phial with a potion in it. The potion was shifting in many shades of blue. He looked at it with a grin and threw the phial to Snape. Snape dropped the cup he was holding and it hit the floor with a clank. But he caught the phial coming his way. He looked at it with big eyes and then he looked at his feet, prepared to see a mess there. Instead he saw a floating orb bopping up and down in the air. Harry grinned and looked at his uncle. Remus had his wand out and was levitating the potion in the air. Dorian hurried up and grabbed the cup and put it under the bubble. Remus carefully put the potion back in the cup. Dorian put it on the table with a face of disgust.

"What is this", Snape asked and looked at the potion.

"Raincloud potion", Dorian answered happily. "By the state of your hair you need it."

"Dorian!" Remus said and gaped at him. "That's it you are never to talk to Padfoot or Prongs ever again."

"But Remy", Dorian whined and draped himself on Remus' lap. "I like 'em."

"You've met them twice!"

"I still like them… oh Severus you can go now."

"Who made this", Snape asked and looked at the phial.

"I did", Dorian said.

"You?" Snape asked in disbelief. "This is a potion the best potions masters have a challenging time making."

"I told you", Dorian whined. "Dorian Ethan Alexander Taylor-Lupin the third, potions master extraordinaire! Remy he is being mean."

"Play nicely children or I will ground you both", Remus said with a grin and Harry had to hide his snort. Snape narrowed his eyes at Dorian.

"Oh Sev!" Dorian said happily. "If you ever feel under the weather after too much garlic I am more than willing to take over your potions classes for the day."

"How kind", Snape drawled and then smirked. "Actually why don't you handle my third years tomorrow? I am a bit tired of cleaning up after Longbottom, Potter and Weasley."

"Why thank you what a marvellous idea!" Dorian said happily. "Bye bye now!" Snape turned on his heel and left while Harry stared at his uncle and Dorian. Remus just smiled and shook his head. Now this would be fun indeed.

But the fun had to wait because tonight was the Halloween party and Harry went with his friends like always. They ate lots of tasty food and deserts. Harry kept glancing at his uncle to see if the full moon approaching was going to affect him. But Remus looked really happy and lively. He was talking to professor Flitwick and they seemed to have fun. Snape kept glancing at Remus though and Harry wondered why. Harry also decided to see where Dorian was. The dog was trotting around amongst the tables and ate things the students gave him in what they thought was secret. But by Remus' amused smile Harry knew that Remus knew exactly what was going on. Dorian made a stop next to Ron and Neville but both boys ignored him so he whined a little. Harry smiled and gave him some chicken. Dorian nuzzled him. Harry smiled and leaned down to hug the dog… no werewolf. Dorian wagged his tail and barked before hurrying over to the Slytherin table. He stopped at Zabini's seat and Harry wondered why, why was Dorian so interested in Zabini? Dorian always followed him around. Harry looked at Remus and noticed Remus smile softly at his husband's antics. Something else was going on here. Were they spying on Zabini? If that was the case Harry would keep an eye on him as well. Maybe there was something else at play here other than Pettigrew's apparent escape from Azkaban.

The feast ended with some entertainment from the ghosts of Hogwarts. They appeared out of the walls or through tables. They also performed some kind of air ballet. Nearly Headless Nick performed his own failed execution to much joy and laughter. Harry was enjoying everything so much that he didn't even notice Malfoy calling to him about dementors. When the ghosts finished their performance Dumbledore called for a toast and everyone raised their goblets and drank. Too late Harry realized that Remus had not drunk anything but had instead let his dog drink some of his pumpkin juice. Harry swore in his head and then things started happening. All the students' hair started changing colour as did the teacher's. Remus stared in "shock" at Dorian who was now brightly red. Dorian did not seem to mind. He just barked happily and jumped around.

"Look at Dumbledore!" Ron laughed, his own hair was now brightly yellow. Dumbledore's long hair and beard was now pink.

"Look at Snape!" Neville giggled with his blue hair. Snape's hair was Gryffindor red and gold. McGonagall's hair was Ravenclaw blue and bronze, Flitwick's hair was Hufflepuff yellow and black and Sprout's hair was Slytherin green and silver. The students were laughing like crazy except for two. Fred and George were gaping. They were not responsible for this so who was!? McGonagall gave them a glare, suspecting them but when she saw the shock on their faces she realized it was not them. She had to fight it, she really had but when Snape's face turned the same colour as his hair she could no longer hold it in. She started laughing. She had not realized how much she had missed the Marauders and their pranks until Remus pulled one tonight. Everyone stared at her as she laughed. Then Sprout started giggling and Flitwick laughed really loudly. Remus joined into the laughter and soon everyone at the head table except for Snape laughed. Remus winked at Harry and Harry noticed Remus' hair changing colour to purple. But he had transfigured it. Dumbledore called an end to the feast and the students started heading back towards their dorms. Harry and his friends headed for Gryffindor tower, but when they got there they saw that their house mates were standing around the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Why aren't they going inside?" Ron asked. Harry tried to look above the heads in front of him, but could only see that the portrait was closed.

"Please let me through", Harry heard Percy say as Ron's older brother made his way through the crowd. "Why are you all just standing here blocking the path? All of you can't have forgotten the password… move aside I'm Head Boy…" Suddenly it got really quiet. Percy tensed up before turning around.

"Fetch Dumbledore", he called sharply. "At once!"

"What's happening", Ginny asked. However, before anyone could run and fetch the principal Dumbledore appeared. He hurried up and the students parted so that he could reach the painting. Hermione, Ron, Neville and Harry now got a good look at the painting of the Fat Lady. The Lady herself was gone and her portrait had been cut so viciously there were parts of it strewn over the floor. Some big parts of the fabric had been torn off as well. Dumbledore turned around with a grave look on his face as McGonagall, Snape and Remus and Dorian appeared.

"We need to find her", Dumbledore said. "Minerva please ask Filch to search through every painting in the castle. We need to find the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice. It was Peeves the poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running though the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful", he said happily. "Poor thing", he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh, yes, Professorhead", said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over, and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got. Never really knew he could have one that Peter Pettigrew."

TBC Yes yes I know Dorian can't be Dorian Ethan Alexander Lupin-Taylor the third, that's just his thing.