Life is so much better when you have time to write. Well anyway chapter fourteen is here. You can all cheer now! Does anyone have any idea what is up with Lupin? I'm so excited to get to the part where I reveal my wonderful plan for that! But all of you will have to wait a little bit longer for that. So anyway here is chapter fourteen read and enjoy! REVIEW!

A Conversation and an Intruder

On Halloween morning, Harmony awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing her best to act normally.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for both Harry and Harmony.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of the twins' difficulties.

"Don't worry about us," said Harry, in what he hoped was an offhand voice.

"We'll see you at the feast. Have a good time." Harmony finished.

Harry and Harmony accompanied Hermione and Ron to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here then?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the dementors?"

Harry and Harmony ignored him and made their way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.

"Fortuna Major," said Harry listlessly.

The portrait swung open and they climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first and second years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.

"Harry! Harmony! Hi!"

It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of the twins and never missed an opportunity to speak to them.

"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade? Why not? Hey"—Colin looked eagerly around at his friends—"you can come and sit with us, if you like!"

"Er—no, thanks, Colin," said Harmony kindly, she could tell her brother wasn't in the mood to have people staring at him, and truth be told she wasn't to thrilled by that either. "We—We've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."

After that, they had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.

"What was the point waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after them as they walked away

Harmony and Harry wandered dispiritedly toward the library not talking much, but halfway there they changed their minds; neither of them felt like working. They turned around and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.

"Nothing," said Harmony truthfully.

"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own—why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty friends?"

Harry and Harmony shrugged.

"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until the twins had passed out of sight.

"I don't want to go back to the common room." Harmony whined to Harry.

"Me neither." Harry said.

"Well, where do we go then?" Harmony asked as they climbed a staircase.

"We could always go see Hedwig in the Owlery . . ." Harry said.

"Anything's better than the common room." Harmony replied.

They turned and began walking along another corridor.

"I wish we were down in Hogsmeade." Harmony said because she didn't want things to go silent again.

"You and I both." Harry said.

Suddenly a voice from inside on of the room said, "Harry? Harmony?"

The twins doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade," said Harmony, in a would-be casual voice.

"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry and Harmony for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" said Harry.

"It's a water demon." Harmony told her brother.

"I should have known you'd already know." Lupin said smiling at Harmony. "Well come on and we'll have a look at it."

They followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one.

"All right," The twins said together, their voices awkward sounding.

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid—but I daresay you've had enough of tealeaves?"

Harmony looked at him, out of the corner of her eye she saw her brother do the same. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry and Harmony each a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," Harmony said and she looked at her brother for his answer.

"No," Harry said.

Harmony knew they were both thinking of the dog Harry had seen back at the Dursleys'. She thought about making Harry tell Lupin, but decided not too. She didn't want Lupin to get the wrong idea, especially since Lupin already seemed to think they couldn't cope with a boggart.

Something of Harry's thoughts or her's must have shown on both or one of their faces, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you?"

"No," They both lied, then they looked at each other.

"Yes," Harmony said suddenly, putting her tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the boggart?"

"Yes," said Lupin slowly.

"Why didn't you let us fight it? I mean you must have seen that it was going at both of us at once—everyone we've talked to said it would have been cool to see . . ." Harmony stopped there waiting for an answer.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, I did see that it was going for both of you at once and that's what worried me. I would have thought that was obvious why I didn't let you fight it." He said sounding surprised.

Harmony and Harry, who had both expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, were taken aback.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Well," said Lupin frowning slightly, "I assumed that since the boggart was taking shape for both of you at once it had to be one thing and the only thing I thought you both would share a fear of was Lord Voldemort."

Harmony and Harry stared. Not only was this last answer they expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry and Harmony had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from them) was Professor Dumbledore.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at them. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"We didn't think of Voldemort," began Harmony.

"We—We remembered those dementors." Harry finished.

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well . . I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on the twin's faces. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is—fear. Very wise."

Harmony didn't know what to say to that and apparently neither did her brother because they both drank some more tea.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.

"Well . . . yeah," said Harmony. She was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the dementors—"

She was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of the twins, his black eyes narrowing.

"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry, Harmony, and Lupin.

"I was just showing these two my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "you should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will," said Lupin.

"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harmony didn't like. He back out of the room unsmiling and watchful.

Harmony and Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Why-?" Harmony began. Lupin looked at her and answered the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

Professor Lupin took another sip and Harmony had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," Harry blurted out and Harmony knew he was thinking the same thing as her.

"Really?" said Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of the potion.

"Some people reckon—" Harmony hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you at the feast later."

"Right," said Harry, putting down his empty teacup. Harmony did the same.

They got up to leave. Harmony was watching the goblet, it was still smoking. Harry headed toward the door and Harmony followed after.

"Harmony," Professor Lupin called.

"Yeah?" Harmony said turning back to see what he wanted.

There was a look on Lupin's face that Harmony couldn't explain in only a word. It looked as if he were calculating something, trying to figure out how to say something, feeling extremely bad about something, and wanting her to go away and forget about this all at the same time. Then his expression changed, he'd made up his mind.

"Could you shut the door on your way out?" He asked.

"Sure, Professor." Harmony said, but she knew that's not what he'd wanted to say.

When she shut the door and looked down the hall it looked as if Harry had just noticed she wasn't walking behind him anymore.

"What took you?" He asked.

"Lupin—wanted me to shut his door." Harmony said.

"You have a hunch that wasn't really it, right?" Harry asked.

"Yes, his look was to complex for just the simple decision of whether to shut a door or not. He had something else to say, but backed out at the last second and made an excuse." Harmony replied.

"What do you think he wanted to say?" Harry said turning up the stairs toward the common room.

"I honestly don't know, but I do know one thing that potion Snape brought up—that was some weird looking stuff." Harmony said.

"Do you think he's trying to poison Lupin?" Harry said.

"I don't know, but it was a little too weird for me." Harmony replied.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

A shower of brilliantly colored sweats fell into Harry and Harmony's laps. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.

"Thanks," said Harry and Harmony, picking out their choice of candy.

"What's Hogsmeade like?" Harmony asked.

"Where did you go?" Harry asked right after.

By the sound of it—everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.

"The post office! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look—"

"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks—"

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up—"

"What did you two do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harmony. "Lupin made us tea in his office—"

"And then Snape came in . . . "Harry finished.

Then Harry and Harmony found themselves telling Ron and Hermione all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.

"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

Hermione checked her watch.

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes . . ." They hurried through the portrait hold and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.

"But if he—you know"—Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around—"if he was trying to—to poison Lupin—he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry and Harmony."

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry and Harmony kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harmony moved her eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was she imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

It had been such a pleasant evening that Harmony's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The dementors send their love, Potter!"

Harry, Harmony, Ron and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

Harmony tried to peer over the heads in front of her, but she was too short to see much.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password—excuse me, I'm Head Boy—"

And then a silence fell over the crowd from the front first, so that a chill seamed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Harmony, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my—" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been town away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for 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 through 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, that Sirius Black."