A/N This chapter is dedicated to smartangelashley, who inspired me to get this chapter finished up by leaving a very nice review recently even though this fic hasn't been updated in more months than you can shake a stick at. (hear me! no stick shaking!) This fic isn't dead, it's just stuck in my head and won't come out on paper. Or in bits and bytes.

Chapter 13—Going Marauder

Harry seemed much happier the following week. Ginny was glad for that, except for one thing. Harry and Luna apparently decided that since the whole school knew they were shagging, there was no need to hide public displays of affection. Ginny had to endure them kissing hello, goodbye, or for no reason. And Luna seemed quite fond of grabbing Harry's arse. Luna would probably grab him in front if she thought she could get away with it.

Ginny asked about Potions after Harry's class on Wednesday, but all he said was, "fine." Hermione said that Snape was as vile as ever, but Harry completely ignored all insults aimed at him, Sirius, and his father.

Harry's Double Potions class on Friday was not so quiet. When Harry and Hermione came into the Common Room after class, it was clear something was up. Hermione looked like she couldn't decide between amused and appalled, and Harry looked, well, downright smug.

"Alright, Potter, what did you do?" Ginny asked.

"Me?" Harry put on quite a cute, angelic expression. "Why does everyone try to blame things on me? Potions was interesting, but I have to go meet Luna. We're going looking for Gnawgas in the Rose Garden."

"Harry, mate, d'you know it's November?" Ron asked. "And what's a Gnawga?"

"I know it's a bit chilly, but it'll be a clear evening. And that's what warming charms are for. And the Gnawga is sort of a magical mole that was hunted to near-extinction in the 1970s after the durability of its hide was discovered. Or something like that."

"Oh, honestly, Harry," Hermione said. "Just go spend time with your girlfriend. I'll tell them about Potions."

Ron and Ginny both leaned in to listen, as did a number of others.

"Harry was the first one in the Potions classroom today. I was almost late, looking for him, but Mandy Brocklehurst told me Harry was already in there when she arrived, and she's almost always first. She likes to lay out her ingredients by this system she has, and-"

"Hermione! We don't want to hear about Brocklehurst's ingredients!"

"Don't interrupt, Ron. Anyway, Harry was levitating a feather when I came in, and not too long after, Snape made his usual dramatic entrance. Well, he tried to. As soon as the door opened, Harry cancelled his spell, and when Snape came in, he tripped! He fell pretty hard; he caught himself on his hands, but they got pretty scraped up.

"Harry chuckled, and so did a few of the others, which made Snape really mad. He whirled around to look at the door, and there was a really ingenious system there."

"Hermione..."

"Shush, Ron, this matters. Someone had rigged a wire across the door, connected by a couple pulleys to a weight to pull it taught. The weight must have been levitated when all the students came in, so that the wire would just be along the floor and no one would trip. With the weight released, it pulled the wire taut and tripped up Snape."

"A little elaborate just to trip someone. Why'd Harry do that?"

"We don't know it was Harry. And I think it is rather clever. I don't think the twins ever got a prank on Snape. This was almost all Muggle in its set-up, and canceling a spell is what set it off, no direct magic, which I think Snape would know how to counter.

"Anyway, that's not all. A magical message then appears on the chalkboard. That's minor magic, but it said: 'Tripped up again, Snivellus? We want to thank you for keeping us alive in your memories. It's brought us back to Hogwarts in spirit. We hope you can stay on your toes! Seriously, we don't know how you get into these jams.'

"Well, Snape looked like he'd have a coronary, and he shouted at Harry. Took a hundred points from Gryffindor and gave a month's worth of detentions."

Gasps came from all around. Hermione blushed when she saw how many people were listening, but went on. "The punishment was cancelled; let me explain. Harry said, 'For what, Professor?' in that innocent voice he's been using with Snape, and Snape shouted, 'For this juvenile prank of yours.' Harry smiled and said, 'Sir, there's no evidence I did this.'

"Snape demanded Harry's wand and did a Priori on it, but it just showed the floating feather. Snape said something about Wingardium Leviosa, and Harry said it was the best spell there was. I wonder why he said that?"

Ron shifted, but didn't say anything this time. Hermione continued, "Anyway, Snape said he didn't need evidence, and so Harry invoked rule 78, section Q, paragraph IV, part blue."

"Huh?"

"Honestly, Ron, you should read Hogwarts, A History."

"Or," Ginny said, "Listen to the twins. They know that rule blue means teachers aren't allowed to give punishments for no reason. Students can appeal to the Headmaster. It almost never happens, because teachers know the rules."

"And because the Headmaster historically sides with the teachers, and then the guidelines say he or she is supposed to triple the punishment," Hermione added.

"So did Snape summon Dumbledore?"

"Not at first. First he cast Legilimens at Harry. Harry sat there and smiled. He said..." Hermione scrunched up her face, "oooh, I want to get this right.... He said, 'Amazing what some competent instruction can accomplish, isn't it, sir?'

"Well, Snape practically snarled into the floo, but Dumbledore came through soon enough, in his usual cheery way. He never gets any soot on himself in the floo, have you ever noticed?"

Hermione got the hint from their looks and continued, "So Dumbledore asks what the problem is, and Snape motions to the board and says, 'Potter did this! And he tripped me!' He sounded so whiny. Like Malfoy, really.

"Harry said, 'The Professor took a hundred points and gave a month's detention, Headmaster. And he actually said he required no evidence to do so.' So Dumbledore gives Snape that over-the-glasses look, and Snape just goes off again on Harry's lack of respect, arrogance, rule breaking, etcetera, again. When Dumbledore asks if Snape does have any evidence, he has to admit he doesn't."

"Now," Hermione grinned, "this is the good part." Ginny almost laughed aloud at Ron, who was clenching his jaw to prevent himself from shouting at Hermione to get on with it. It was a good show and it kept Ginny from doing the same. Hermione could be completely infuriating, but interrupting her only delayed things more.

"When Dumbledore turned towards Harry, Harry blurted out a question before Dumbledore could ask him about it. He said, 'Headmaster, do you think Professor Snape is a fair and effective teacher?' The looks on Dumbledore's and Snape's faces were priceless. Snape surely would have ranted some more, but Dumbledore said, 'Harry, that's not the issue here. Did you write this message and trip Professor Snape?' Harry still has this innocent, cheerful face, and he says, 'I thought that the issue was whether the Professor could give out punishments for no reason.'

"Dumbledore now gives Harry his disappointed look, and says, 'Harry, I would appreciate a direct answer.' Harry smiles and says, 'Of course you would. We all like that, I think, but I can see why you wouldn't answer my question in front of other students—it would be embarrassing for the Professor.'

"Well, you can imagine Snape's rage, but of course he can't do anything. The rest of the class was totally silent watching Harry and Dumbledore. Dumbledore gave Harry another hard look and said, 'Professor Snape has my complete confidence.' Harry looked right back and said, 'There's no evidence I had anything to do with this.'

"Finally Dumbledore said, 'Yes, Harry I think Professor Snape is a fair and effective teacher.' And Harry looked him right in the eye and said, 'No, Headmaster, I did not write on the board or trip Professor Snape.'

"Well Snape bursts out that Harry is lying, but Dumbledore just tells him to reverse the punishment and that he may not give any excess punishments to Harry in retaliation. Snape splutters some more, and Dumbledore says, 'If you do find evidence Mr. Potter did this, I shall of course reinstate and treble the punishment.' Before Dumbledore leaves the floo, he looks at Harry and Snape and mutters that we all must reap what we sow.

"It was brilliant," Hermione finished.

Ginny said, "I can't believe you approve of a prank!"

"Well, it was really well done, and honestly, they both deserve it. Snape may be on our side, but a miserable human being. I can't believe Harry hasn't hexed him."

"What do you mean, both?" Ron asked.

"Well, it wasn't really a prank on Dumbledore, but he was totally set up and outmaneuvered by Harry—well, I assume by Harry."

"What do you mean? Of course it was Harry!"

"Well, it sure seems that way, Ron, but as it is, no one can prove it. That was the whole point."

"I can't wait to ask him all about it—oy, Ginny! Wait'll the twins hear that Harry got Snape!"

"You'll ask him nothing, Ron!"

"What are you talking about, Hermione?"

"You. Are. A. Prefect. You'd have to turn him in if he told you."

"I'd never!"

"Well, Harry wouldn't want to put you in a position where'd you'd have to lie. And by the way, how's your Occlumency?"

"What? I don't know any Occlumency!"

"Exactly."

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The story spread through all four houses by dinner time. Harry and Luna walked into the Great Hall a little late, holding hands. As soon as they were noticed, the buzzing conversations stopped abruptly, then applause broke out at the Gryffindor table, followed by some at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. The booing from the Slytherins was totally drowned out.

Harry stood still and when the applause died down, he said, "What? I didn't do anything."

While that pronouncement was met with laughter, Ginny took a look up at the Head Table. Snape's impotent fury was a sight to see. Maybe the stress would give the git a heart attack. "Come sit down, Harry," she called. "Someone might try to take points for being late to dinner."

There was more laughter. Harry did as he was told and regular conversation rose in volume again. Luna split off to eat at the Ravenclaw table. Harry sat right next to Ginny. The meal was happy, with lots of teasing and laughter. It wasn't too hard for Ginny to take part, and she found herself happier than she'd been in a long time, bumping Harry's arm to emphasize a joke at his expense. Then the remembrance that Harry loved someone else came back and stabbed through her joy. Harry gave her a look as her demeanor suddenly changed, but was soon distracted by some of Seamus's antics further down the table.

After dinner, Ginny watched with interest as Harry said goodnight to Luna in the Great Hall, instead of walking her to the Ravenclaw common room. She walked with Colin, but noticed that Harry turned off from the route to Gryffindor Tower. When she and Colin reached the Fat Lady, Ginny let Colin go in, then turned around.

She thought it too late and chilly for the Quidditch pitch, so Ginny made her way to the Astronomy tower. It was cold there, too, but Ginny still found the familiar figure she was looking for. Harry was sitting up on the crenellations, turned mostly away from her, looking southeast.

Ginny crept a little closer and heard his voice, "...and I even got a pun on your name in there. Don't worry, Snivellus got it. I bet you'd have done something painful, but you know I'm after some permanent effects. Well... I'm not going to ask again about the other thing—I'm pretty sure my dirty old dogfather would go for both, and I'm sure that wouldn't turn out well. Remus told me the story of the Hufflepuff chasers, you know. Anyway, I've got to go tell Ginny it's rude to sneak up and eavesdrop."

Harry only turned toward Ginny after he was done talking. Ginny just looked at him with wide eyes. After opening and closing her mouth once, she recovered. "Hi, Harry!" she said brightly.

"Hi, Ginny," Harry said. He didn't seem mad. "Are you planning to be my guardian angel this year?"

Well, that was a better title than, say, stalker. She thought fast. "You could do with one," she said.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, I could. But... I still want some time alone every now and then."

Ginny felt her awful Weasley blush light her face. "I'm sorry, Harry." She looked at the bright star in Canus Major where Harry had been looking. "I'll leave you alone."

"It's ok. You don't have to go. I'm done talking to the ol' S.O.B. for now." Harry was stargazing again, but still talking to her. Ginny moved closer. Harry continued, "Sirius loved his initials, you know. Middle name was 'Orion.'" Harry sniffed a short laugh. "After I met his mother's portrait I understand why he thought it was literally true. He said he was grateful to her for his animagus form."

They talked about Sirius a little more. Then about Quidditch. The conversation was light, cheerful, and pleasant. So Ginny had to muck it up. "Harry?"

"Hmm?" Her change in tone caused him to turn towards her.

"So, er, you and Luna have... uh..."

Harry scrunched up his face, made a noise, and looked down. "Yeah, we have." After a pause, he asked, "You don't think badly of me?"

"No!" Ginny blurted. "But... er, weren't you worried about babies?"

"Yeah, I was. But Luna told me she knew just what to do. Said she'd take care of everything. She read it in a book."

"A book!"

"I know! She is a Ravenclaw, though. Oh! It's almost curfew. We'd best head back."

Ginny was surprised that Harry could be convinced that Luna would take of everything like that, but leaving the tower seemed to signal the end of their conversation.

They walked to Gryffindor tower in silence, but before they went through the portrait, Ginny said, "Well, I'm sorry I interrupted you, but it was nice to talk to you for a bit."

Harry gave her a brilliant smile. "Yeah it was."

Ginny stood still, stunned by his smile, until the portrait swung shut and she realized that he'd headed through while she was still standing still. "Bugger."

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Everyone seemed tense the following week. Everyone except Harry. And Luna, of course. Ginny hurt herself trying not to think about what they were doing for relaxation.

Snape was on edge. The Slytherins were angry on his behalf, the Gryffindors were wary of payback coming from the Snakes, and members of the other two houses looked like they either wanted to join one side or the other, or just make sure they weren't in the crossfire.

The fact that the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match was coming up only added fuel to the fire. Harry told the whole team not to wander off alone between classes and asked everyone in the whole house to watch each other's backs. There were a few spells tossed in the hallways, and Snape took a lot of points from Gryffindor. McGonagall took almost as many from Slytherin, Ginny was glad to see.

Everyone gossiped about what Harry was going to do to Snape in his Double Potions class on Friday. Ginny and Ron practically pounced on Hermione when she came in afterwards. Harry, it seemed, was off for another 'walk' with Luna.

Hermione quickly disappointed them. "Nothing happened," she said. "Nothing except brewing and glaring. Malfoy tried and failed to sabotage Harry's potion right after he added the skink tongue. It was the perfect shade of blue when he turned it in, much to Snape's chagrin."

People asked Harry about it, but of course, since he was denying the previous prank, he acted confused when people asked him what was next. His act didn't slip at all. If Ginny didn't know any better, she'd believe he was totally innocent. There were a few first years who were getting mad at people for "falsely accusing" him. Harry seemed to find the whole thing funny. Which it really was, of course.

After expecting something on Friday, and getting nothing, events on Saturday morning were a surprise. The Great Hall at breakfast was filled with the buzz usual for a game day. Ginny had managed to join her dorm-mates in a non-Quidditch conversation to take her mind off her nerves, when Colin nudged her. "Look at Snape."

She glanced up at Snape, who seemed focused on scowling into his breakfast, and noticed that one lock of greasy hair on the side of his head was now pointing straight out away from his scalp. And was gold. He seemed completely oblivious as a lock on the other side of his head slowly straightened out to mirror the first odd lock. This one, though, became scarlet as it stiffened.

It didn't take long for conversation to die and giggles to start as word spread. It rapidly seemed like everyone in the hall was staring at Snape as his head accelerated its transformation into a red-and-gold starburst. Snape soon noticed the stares and glared at the hall as the last five locks quickly popped up in the middle. These last to go shot rand gold sparks from the tips that arranged into sparkling words over his head: "GO LIONS."

Seeing the looks now focused farther over his head, Snape looked up. He snarled as he drew his wand and jabbed them at the words. The sparkling words disappeared, but then quickly reappeared accompanied by a deafening roar. Over Snape's head was now a glittering scene of a lion messily devouring a snake.

Snape shot to his feet and shouted, "Potter!" The menace radiating from the man was rather diluted by the fact that his head was surrounded by the glowing motes that made the picture. And his hair was still in spikes of Gryffindor colors.

Harry stood up and said, "Yes, Professor?" He then quickly added, "The team thanks you for your support," with a smile.

Snape was shaking, and stared to raise his wand. A cough from the staff table made him turn and see the concerned faces of Dumbledore and McGonagall, among others. He lowered his wand, glared at Harry and the rest of the Hall, then stormed out.

Laughter began, then quieted as the Headmaster stood. Dumbledore swished his wand and dispelled the scene of sparks (which had just reset to the lion tearing the head off a restored snake). "Mr. Potter," he said rather seriously, "Do you have any information to share regarding the display we just witnessed?"

"Yes, Professor," Harry said with a smile.

Hermione hissed, "Harry!" while hushed exclamations were heard all around.

Even the Headmaster seemed surprised. "You do? Did you do this?"

"Oh, no, sir," Harry said. "I haven't any idea who could have switched the grease on Professor Snape's head with a potion. I just know that a similar potion is now available at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, that's all. That's what was probably used. Looks like it, anyway. Thought you should know."

"I see," was all Dumbledore said before resuming his breakfast with a twinkle in his eye. Harry did the same. His twinkle was much more attractive, though.

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"Alright, men."

Harry paused looking expectantly at Katie. "And women," she added with a grin.

"Seriously, though, even though we have Snape rooting for us..." that brought chuckles. "...we can expect Slytherin to play hard. I don't care if they bump you, I don't care what they say about your Mum, you stay on your game. You all have been outstanding in practice. Don't worry about them. Playing well is the best revenge. Ready? Let's get out there, have fun, and kick some Slytherin arse!"

Ginny was nervous and excited. Harry's projected exterior of calm and collected helped her settle down. When the Quaffle went up, she left her worries on the ground and flew. She shot for the ball, while Katie moved back and Reggie flew ahead. Her smaller size lent for quicker acceleration and she got the Quaffle and sent it ahead to Reg, and the game was on.

It was a great game. Great for the Gryffindors. Slytherin had a couple of good beater plays and a couple of good Chaser runs, but Gryffindor was dominating. Slytherin's frustrations came out in rougher play. Ginny was glad that they'd practiced that. Gryffindor had almost as many points from penalty shots as from Chaser runs.

The score was 90-20 when Ginny heard Harry shout 'Gold!' She shouldn't have stopped to watch, but she was in a defensive position at the moment, and she could look at Harry while taking glances at the Quaffle action. Some Slytherin was distracted, because Katie had a steal and was taking the action away from her again. She decided that she couldn't move up to help an offensive play in time, so she'd stay in a defensive mode (and watch Harry).

After Harry shouted, he took off at a random angle, and Malfoy turned to follow. Malfoy kept on Harry's tail when he took a sharp turn towards Bubba. Harry broke off again, just in time to miss the bludger that was screaming towards him. Malfoy took it right in the gut.

The game went on. They weren't using many of their newer plays. Harry and Ron wanted to save some surprises for the other teams. They were just out-flying the Slytherins, and it felt really good. It was 160-30 when Harry shouted, 'Red!' Ginny had the Quaffle, and did a spin away from a Slytherin chaser to see Harry shoot towards Bubba again. Malfoy held back, but then shot forwards when he saw Harry veer off at an angle towards the snitch near the turf. Malfoy never had a chance to catch up, and Harry doggedly followed the snitch through a couple tight turns, but caught it with no problem.

They team cheered and piled onto Harry when he dismounted. Everyone hugged him, Katie kissed his cheek, so Ginny threw caution to the wind and kissed his other one. Harry blushed, and everyone laughed, and it was wonderful.

Ginny grinned as Hermione came onto the field and congratulated them all, then kissed Ron soundly. Luna seemed to float through the throng and did the same. Ginny looked away and soon enough the crowd had brought them by the locker rooms.

Harry was rather late to the party, after. Everyone teased him about what he needed time for with Luna, but Harry wasn't really phased. Ginny tried hard not to think about why he was so relaxed. She hoped no one noticed how forced her smile was.

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Next chapter: Strike three, Snape's out. And there's more danger in Hoggy warts.

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