When Harry Met Serena:::

by Rakusa

...all hell broke loose. New to the wizarding world, the two find themselves neighbors and housemates and their stories closely intertwine. Respective Canon pairings, promise.

21. Chapter 21

Chapter 16/21

Finals were upon him in almost no time, and he passed every course he took, but barely in some cases like Potions. He found most uneventful, easy even with a few exceptions. DADA being the top of the line and fun while he was at it, having to fight a lot of the creatures they studied over the term. Harry was looking forward to a whole year of having Lupin as his professor rather than just a term. The two had become friends as well as teacher and pupil. The other being divination, that one left him feeling numb and the results unexpected. He was still reeling wondering if what she said could be true, he'd only seen her get that way once before and what she had said had come true in a way. The rest of the time she seemed like a bunch of BS, which was how he'd passed, by saying things that sounded good.

He wanted to run off to tell Ron but he had to wait for Serena to finish. Several of the other students between them came out but there was no Serena yet. He saw Hermione and Ron rushing up the stairs towards him and he held up a hand for them to wait. They explained in hurried breaths and he turned to go with them when Serena came out looking even more dazed than he was. There was no time to explain anything to her, they just pulled her along behind them, throwing the invisibility cloak over them as they went. It wasn't terribly late but they were going somewhere they really weren't suppose to.

"We're going to have to get another one of these." Harry teased as they had to walk bent kneed to get to where they wanted to without being seen.

"Or drop a person or two before our adventures." Ron teased back and got an elbow in his gut. "What was that for Hermione?"

"Wasn't me." She hissed back kind of annoyed by all the talking.

"Serena?" He was brutalized by her every once in a while though she seemed so sweet usually.

"Got me. And that's exactly where I'm staying. Though we could try to figure out a better configuration than four students wide."

"Quiet!" Hermione stressed not wanting to get in trouble during their last week here. There would be no chance at getting the points back if they were found out during this little escapade. Even with winning the Quidditch cup to boost their points.

"Where are we going?" Serena asked after a moment when they got outside. They didn't quite get to that part yet.

"Hagrid lost the appeal and they're going to execute Buckbeak tonight, get it over with quickly." Hermione explained once more, calmer this time.

"Oh no they're not." Serena denied refusing to believe it and willing to fight to keep the hippogriff alive.

"We're at least going to offer him our support." Hermione explained wondering if she would have to restrain Serena in her defense of the animal. Until actionable measures were to be taken, Serena had stayed out of it but this had started last term when Serena was sure that the ministry would do anything that could be used against her and so hadn't spoken up then, thinking the matter resolved between her and Draco. Why was this so different that she was willing to face them head on? Because the hippogriff didn't have a voice to plead its own case and the voices speaking for it had failed?

Hermione had to commend Serena for her willingness to go the distance for what she believed in. Hermione wondered what she was that passionate about other than her books, what things she cared about in terms of helping others and not just herself. She would have to give that some serious thought over the next few weeks while she took some time out of classes and caught up on next years' reading materials.

When Hagrid opened the door to four floating heads he had to laugh and let them in. Hermione was surprised that Hagrid wasn't sobbing uncontrollably like he had in the past whenever one of his precious animals was in serious danger. He was still sad of course but there seemed to be an inner calm about him this time. "I've been fighting it fer months now. It might be easier on him not ter be so stressed befer, you know."

"Why not just let him go?" Ron asked gently, looking out the window at the creature they'd walked by on the way in. He was chained up as if he were going to go on a rampage.

"Would know it were me. Dumbledore's got faith in me ter not sully me name. Would ha've ter let me go otherwise. Won't do no good fer der critters in the forest den, nor fer yous."

"Oh, Hagrid." Serena held his hands. "Don't be so worried about us. We're not completely feckless."

"No I know thats, its just yer still need a push in der right direction sometimes." That was true enough and Serena tightened her hold on his hands.

"It'll be all right, you'll see. I'll be with you the entire time."

"No lass." Hagrid's much bigger hand rested on her cheek, or at least tried to, his palm dwarfed her entire head. She held a hand on the outside of his reassuringly. "You be with yer friends. They'll need you more." He sniffed and rubbed at his nose. "Next year yerll have more magic education than me, even with what I've picked up over ter last fifty odd years."

It always surprised Harry to remember that Hagrid was well into his sixties and Dumbledore was much older than that, and not even just in looks, Dumbledore was well past a hundred. Hagrid knocked his pitcher of milk onto the floor and while Serena and the boys helped to mop it up, Hermione volunteered to fill a new one. "Hey Ron?" She called looking into the deep glass container. "I might be mistaken but this filthy thing looks rather familiar." Sure enough when Ron scooped him out the rat was missing a toe in the same spot, it was Scabbers.

Ron seemed so pleased to see him alive that he gushed over the thing and held him close. "What have you been doing hiding in here? You silly thing- ow!" Scabbers bit Ron's ear as he rubbed his cheek across the rat's face. "You bit me!" He'd never been bitten by it, not really at any rate.

Hagrid made a grunt and then flung the cape over the four of them. "Get going. Now, before you get yourselves into trouble!"

They slipped by the Minister Mr. Fudge, Dumbledore and the department of magical creature removal guy but they got a look from Dumbledore as they passed, as if he knew they were there. They went into Hagrid's hut but then moments later they heard the door open again and an axe slice down through the ground with a mild thud. Serena almost ran back to them to tear them a new one and Harry only managed to hold her there and keep a quieting hand over her mouth. Ron was already causing a problem with keeping the cloak in place and without revealing any body part as he fought with Scabbers who was practically screeching to get away. It left Hermione to try and hold it in place.

In moments they saw what caused Scabber's behavior at least, coming out of the forest Crookshanks was sniffing the ground and making tracks towards them. Shortly behind the cat was the black dog that Harry kept seeing. "The Grim." Ron squeaked, finally seeing it for himself.

Hermione became alarmed just as Serena calmed. "It's going to hurt my cat!" She ripped off the cloak to run and scoop her cat up, leaving herself to be bitten or attacked in the process but the dog now seeing the rest was not interested in either the cat or Hermione. He took off at a run towards Harry and pounced on the dark haired bespectacled boy. Harry was knocked off his feet, not expecting to be attacked by it, up until now the dog had been relatively peaceful.

But the dog didn't stay with him, instead he attacked Ron by knocking him off his feet too and grabbed hold of flesh and cloth to drag the redhead away.

Harry struggled to his feet to run after the dog, yelling at Serena as he went. "Why didn't you do anything?" Leaving Serena to wonder what she could do about a rampant dog. Not to mention that she had only known the dog to be sweet-tempered and had been shocked by it's current actions.

She and Hermione shared a look before chasing after Harry and the other two. Hermione still held Crookshanks in her arms who wiggled out and onto the ground when they found where they were going. The whomping willow crashed down hard onto Ron who howled in pain and then there were no more sounds from the redhead. Serena winced as she realized that was partly her fault.

Serena hoped she would have as good of luck with the tree as she did before. "There's a secret passageway at the base of the tree." She explained when they shouted in alarm at her heading straight to it.

"But you'll get hurt!" Harry protested forgetting instantly his annoyance at her. Ron would probably not be so forgiving.

"Less than it will hurt you." Serena held up her hands to calm the willow and show it that she meant no harm.

"Crookshanks, no!" Hermione called out to the cat darting in between the baums. Serena began going after the cat, trying to avoid the slower limbs when it suddenly stopped.

The three humans went in after him and found him sitting pleased besides the entrance, his paw on a secret knob near the slashed trunk. Serena ran her finger over the grooves saddened at the harm done to it. "Must have been the dog trying to get at the button." Serena decided when the slashes looked consistent with a claw. "Smart dog."

"Yeah well right now it has Ron." Harry pushed her into the tunnel, following shortly after with Hermione on their heels.

"Where do you think this leads?" Hermione asked shining the light from her wand at the tunnel.

"No where good." Harry replied back. "Though I think I know."

They did end up outside of Hogsmeade. They ended up exactly where Harry hoped they wouldn't. It took some debate over who would go up first but in the end it was decided Hermione should. She was quickest on her feet with spells and knew more than the rest of them. Harry went up second in a hope that if Hermione failed then he would be their second line of defense. Hermione had her wand out and poised at the dog sitting calmly next to a Ron who was crying over his broken leg, but at least he was given a chair to sit on. Harry reached down to help Serena out and pulled her out and behind him. His wand coming out seconds later to point at the dog too.

"Why are we here?" Harry finally asked seeing just a dog and his friend and not understanding the connection.

"He's Black!" Ron finally shouted when he emerged from the pain long enough to warn them. "He's an animagus." How Ron had figured that out without Black transforming in front of him remained a mystery for the rest of their days. Especially considering what happened later that night.

"An unregistered one if that's the case." Hermione waved for the dog to move away from the injured boy but the dog didn't. "They would have been on the look out for him in this form otherwise."

The dog did change suddenly to reveal a very crazed looking Sirius Black. "It's been rather useful I have to say. When the matter was brought up by Lily one day I was loathe to register, it had helped quite well on numerous of occasions." Harry growled and made a motion as if to strike Black with a spell but he was too quick and smart for that. "Expelliarmus."

Three wands appeared in his hand and Serena frowned as there were four of them to take the wands from. She didn't say anything as she looked around, Harry and Hermione were disarmed and that much seemed expected, she couldn't see one on Ron at all and with all the scratches and cuts on him and his wardrobe it would be harder to hide. Her hand went back and found it in the place she usually stored it between her jeans and belt. She wondered why he didn't take hers. She didn't pull it out now either. It could wait.

"If you're going to kill me just do it now."

"That's not actually my plan." Black looked expectantly over their heads. "It will all come out in due time." While Hermione glanced backwards looking for what caused Black's attention, Harry bolted forward in pure rage, physically attacking Black and trying to get his wand back. He succeeded and Ron had even helped out. All the wands were taken out of his hands and given back to their rightful owners, Harry handed her the last but it wasn't her wand, she took it anyway.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione called out in shock as the cat darted forward to sit protectively on Black's lap, eying Harry with a dark look. "Get off of him this minute!"

Black reached up to pet the cat, undaunted by the new position he found himself in, he hadn't been out of Azkaban for very long, he was still physically weak. "Crookshanks is it?" He mused. "During all of our silent communication I never did learn his name. He has been very helpful, not least of which was stealing passwords for Gryffindor tower for me." Surprise rocketed through all of the foursome watching him, even Serena. "A very fitting name, isn't it, Serena?"

Serena swallowed hard, she'd had some idea, she did, she just wasn't expecting so much glib from him in the face of Harry's animosity. "What are we going to do now?" She managed to ask, knowing what she was going to do if things got out of hand.

"We're going to bring him back for the authorities to deal with. Aren't we Harry?"

"I'm going to kill him." Harry argued. "The authorities don't get to have him, I'm going to repay all those years I've lived with people who had no interest in raising me much less having me under their roof. For taking away a loving family who had included you in it until you betrayed them!" Harry aimed his wand at Black ready to attack and figure out a good one to use to end Black's life, maybe something slow and painful? But he didn't have it in him to do something so dark, he just wanted justice.

"Going to kill me Harry? Only one has to die tonight." Black was looking not only crazed and unconcerned by Harry's obviously angered state in which he could probably do anything, but gaunt too. His cheeks were hollowed out and he looked almost feable.

"You'll be the one to die tonight." Harry vowed. His wand was taken suddenly and Harry looked to Serena and Hermione thinking they were the only ones who would do such a thing but their hands were free from wands too. "Wha-?" He didn't even get the question out as he found Lupin with not just the three he and the two girls had but also Ron's and another two as well. One of those two he was holding in his spell casting hand, the cause of unarming the others.

Serena knew this time hers was taken as well. "Sorry Miss Riddle but hiding a wand won't stop me from taking it. It's for your own good." Professor Lupin motioned for Harry to get back and Harry followed instructions thinking that Lupin would now do what he had wanted to do himself. "Well well Sirius the flesh finally reflects the madness within."

"You'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus?" Black responded with a hint of a smile as if he was mocking Lupin. Lupin's stern expression suddenly changed as he held out his hand for Black who took it and was pulled into a hug. "It's good to see you again in this form."

Hermione looked on in disbelief, coming forward despite the obvious dangers, her anger quickly overriding her confusion. "I covered for you! I thought it wouldn't matter that you're a werewolf but you've been aiding him all along! You've helped him into the castle, you took on this post all to kill Harry!"

Lupin turned the wand on Hermione for a minute, only to force her back with the others. Now Ron was still sitting though with difficulty and the other three stood around him. "You really are the most clever of young witches. There is no other in your generation that could hold a candle to you. You're just not up to your usual standards, only one out of three correct I'm afraid. I won't deny I'm a werewolf but I haven't been letting Sirius into the castle, he's been doing that all on his own, or with the help of your cat, can't be sure which yet." His eyes darted to Sirius who gave an unconcerned shrug, it didn't really matter. "And I certainly don't want Harry dead..." Here he shivered.

"But you're helping him now! You're on his side and he wants to kill Harry!" Hermione protested even as Lupin gave Black one of the wands.

"Shall we kill him together?" That odd look entered his eyes again. "Kill him for the crime that I've been sentenced for?"

"Now now Sirius it would be better if we kept him alive. However if you want to we can but Harry has a right to know the truth."

"But maybe a little torture, what do you say? Then we'll kill him." Sirius leaned forward with glee, pointing his wand into the center of them. Serena took a step away but the wand remained fixed.

"All right." Lupin's wand came to rest on the same spot.

"Wait!" Serena shouted as she realized what they intended. She took a step back towards the others. "Let me help. I've no love loss for him."

"Serena?" Three faces turned aghast at her announcement and Lupin looked to Black for his opinion, but he was already handing Serena a wand. "How could you?" Hermione demanded as Serena took another step closer.

"Step back Hermione. You too Harry." Serena ordered as she closed in on Ron who had his hands tightly around the rat.

"See I didn't believe it at first either but Harry pointed it out to me and for him to be alive could only mean one thing. Forgive me for thinking you were the spy Sirius."

"If you'll forgive me for wondering that myself, Remus."

"Of course. It's quite understandable."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione took a step back as Serena came towards them but kept in front of Harry, she would have to be gone through first.

"Give me the rat." Serena demanded of Ron in an aside as the others tried to explain. Every time Lupin started to explain they interrupted him and he finally passed back their wands.

"Peter Pettigrew is alive and he's in this room." Lupin finally got out despite all of their accusations that Black had been behind Harry's parents' death, that they shouldn't kill Harry, that James was probably more clever than even Lily in many ways, etc, etc, they got it already, jeez, it was like being told he had his mothers eyes or striking similarity to his father's looks and aptitudes.

Black was doing a little song and dance in the background as he couldn't wait for Peter's death and he was trying to taunt the unseen man. They heard noises underneath the rant and Lupin looked upon the other man sympathetically, knowing how hard it had been and unjust, not hearing or seeing what caused the noise until all the wands from the adults were taken yet again and Snape revealed himself from underneath Harry's cloak. Apparently they'd just left it by the Whomping Willow. Oops.

They'd have to explain all of the other happenstance things like their animagus forms and werewolf turning and yadda yadda later, including the map which allowed Lupin to follow them here. Snape was furious and almost gleeful as he turned his wand onto Sirius. "I have waited many long years for this. A Dementor's kiss is too good for you Black!"

"Ah Snivellous, welcome to the party." Sirius taunted, clearly not at the right end of the stick to be doing so, but did nonetheless. "I wonder how you came to be here."

"I was following Lupin. I told Dumbledore we had a traitor in our midst but he wouldn't believe me when I pointed it out. I feel vindicated, that kind of friendship doesn't just end when one becomes convicted. The two of you were always cut from the same cloth."

"Why thank you Snivellous." Black preened like a peacock. "I couldn't have looked for a better comparison."

"I guessed your role in all of this Lupin but I never imagined that you would drag a student into it as well. Miss Riddle stand down." She was facing Snape with the wand at the ready but she looked less than willing to use it. "This is one of the few chances you'll get to prove to everyone that you are not just like your father."

"Why would it matter to you?" Black asked. "You would prefer it if she went down the Slytherin path, wouldn't you? The only reason you think you hate me is because of your precious feelings for one-"

"Sirius, enough." Lupin hissed. "You know none of that is completely accurate, up until recently I hadn't realized it myself."

"That's not the only reason I have to hate you. I knew you were bad from the first day I met you." Snape sneered. "I was surprised you didn't follow the path the rest of your family took, but then again I suppose it was only to trick everybody into thinking you were one with the order."

Hermione frowned at the weird word choice but none of the others really noted it. Harry stepped around Hermione and his disarming of Snape caused a small explosion which he winced at, not wanting to be in anyway similar to Lockhart. Snape fell back and hit his head against one of the wood beams. He turned to Serena intending to do the same when she held up her hands in peace, letting the wand dangle but her other hand was wrapped firmly around the rat almost squeezing its head off. "Let me explain?"

"Oh there will be explaining all right. Your deception and betrayal will be dealt with momentarily. I want to hear more about Peter Pettigrew."

"Then let me show you." Serena's fingers twitched around the wand in a weird motion they'd never seen except for maybe a few tricks by bored people and the wand was back in her firm grasp and against Scabbers's head.

"No!" Ron called out thinking they were going to kill his rat. Though that would be out of character for Serena. Serena didn't heed that cry and a bright light shown around Scabbers momentarily before a man started growing in its place. Black and Lupin had their wands out and trained on him.

"This is Peter Pettigrew. Sit down Peter." Lupin ordered and the rat-man sat heavily, looking more like a rat than Harry would have expected from what Black looked like, except his shabbiness there was no similarity to the dog he'd seen all term. "You've been a rat for a very long time, it must have taken a great deal of discipline not to turn back into a human, even for a moment."

"You knew, didn't you?" Hermione looked to Serena who winced as she had her wand on the man too but other than turn it into a light and this last trick they hadn't seen her use it much if at all.

"Only for like... a month." She felt as guilty as she probably looked. "I was in the forest and Sirius saved me from- something... Anyway he and I had a conversation."

"That's not how I remember it." Black cut in. "You were injured and had me sit with you while you healed. It was rather strange you'll have to tell me about that at some point. But I never answered any of your questions, I couldn't."

"No and even if you were a regular animal you wouldn't have been able to either." Serena waved him off. "But I do communicate with them and we weren't doing it the way I usually did. I thought about another animal that refused to communicate with me in any capacity and I instantly thought of the rat. He is a rat isn't he, the animal fits. It should have been your first clue." She pushed her hair off of her shoulder. "Crookshanks is different too but in a hard to explain way. He's not one of the animagi but he's smarter and more sensitive than usual magical creatures, much less regular cats. Anyway, that's when I knew, I remembered McGongall's demonstrations with her own transfiguration and I put the pieces together. That and he had sent me a necklace with his image and by then I had already known that his sister was my mother."

"But how could you know to trust him?" Hermione had her wand on Serena, no longer trusting her as much as she had before. "How do we know anything you say anymore can be trusted?"

"I told Harry as much, well maybe not the injured bit, that I told Snape, or the dog in the forest bit, that I kept to myself... I told Harry that Sirius was my uncle, right away. As for trusting him, well that was easy, he saved me then sat with me without a moment's consideration to harming me. Besides I have a way with these things." She shrugged. "I felt nothing but love pouring out of Sirius's animagus where I felt nothing but disdain from Rat-boy."

"It's Wormtail." Sirius said as an aside, giving further provocation for insulting the man, and it was just an off the cuff comment anyway. "But continue." He stroked his hair, glad to hear good things about himself.

Serena rolled her eyes at her uncle. "Anyway I was never out to betray you, I just wanted to get Wormtail by himself so I could bring him here. I was unaware of their stupid plan to grab Ron if need be just to get at him. I'd have sent a Hufflepuff after the rat eventually."

Hermione couldn't help the snicker and turned her wand onto Scabbers or whatever his name was, he only had a million of them. "I suppose I understand Serena."

"I don't. Why is my rat a person?! I've had him for ages and he's never done anything to suggest otherwise-"

"Oh do shut up Ron." Hermione cut him off. "We've got bigger things to worry about other than you losing your pet."

"Like killing him." He gave a chortle of glee and Harry looked at the fat balding man with consideration as Peter started begging for forgiveness and mercy.

"No, we won't." It was one thing to want to kill Black when he'd found out but the unfortunate man had already suffered through fourteen years at Azkaban and he had been his father's almost brother and his godfather. The betrayal that man had done would have been astounding, however Peter had not suffered as such. Harry ignored the protests. "That's too good for him, we'll hand him over to the Dementors, clearing your name in the process. They can administer the kiss on him instead. Besides Dad, if what I've heard from Lupin is true, wouldn't have wanted you guys to become murders just to kill another one."

The others reluctantly agree and Sirius gave in, claiming that Harry was very much like his father and the man would be proud. Harry didn't let Sirius touch him quite yet, there were still a lot of unanswered questions and while he had as much proof as he needed for Sirius's Azkaban commitment to be overthrown, there were still other details he didn't understand. Like how Pettigrew could be the one to betray his parents in the first place with so much love and responsibility placed on Sirius.

"I'll explain it all on the way back to Hogwarts. It'll be nice to get my life back again." Sirius was still a little maniacal but in a different way now.

"What do we do about Snape?" Harry had probably put too much emphasis behind that spell, he'd have to back off of it if he wanted to perfect it.

"Leave him." Sirius replied uncaring that it was so flippant of a response. "He came of his own violation, he can leave that way too."

"You really don't like him, do you?" Harry was amazed anyone could be so similar to his own feelings on the matter.

"No, I don't. He was always getting underfoot at school and causing trouble for the rest of us." Sirius shrugged. "How do we manage the rest of this mess?" He looked to Ron apologetically. "Sorry about the leg. There would have been minimal damage if it wasn't for that Whomping Willow."

Ron rolled his eyes, half passed out with the shock of it. "I'll come up the rear with him." Serena crouched next to his leg looking at it.

"Are you the best person to be-" Lupin cut himself off, of what he'd seen of the foursome they were all mostly capable, Ron being the exception. "All right, but don't strain yourself." Lupin gestured for Peter to stand and march, binding them together. Harry and Sirius took the lead with those two following behind them.

"Get away." Ron tried to push Serena over and away from him, Hermione was standing on the other side. "This is all your fault, you and that father of yours-"

"Ron!" Hermione chided while Serena continued inspecting his leg.

Serena glanced over to Snape. "He's seen too much, he'll expect some damage for you to be left practically alone and in a chair. He'll look for you at the infirmary. I can't remove everything." Her fingers slid along his calf and he groaned in pain as his bones realigned and mended back together, not as if stitched but as if they'd never broken to begin with.

"What are you?" Ron asked half in pain and half in relief.

"I'm not anything special." Serena had been sharing far too much with them recently. Far, far too much that didn't belong in this environment. They were things they couldn't begin to understand. Hermione was looking at her funny. "You won't find your answers in a book." Serena warned and helped Ron stand. He could put pressure on it now at least and having had his bones healed by Serena lent some allowances towards her once more. "None that are in this library at any rate." Her moms' personal library which consisted of two shelves in Harley's walk in closet, a closet she only filled up half way with clothes, so her's got nominated for their secret book collection with some of Seren'a first year books in it too. The rest of the shelves were packed with other items that she was particularly fond of and helped in her hobbies too.

Hermione slid under Ron's other arm and they walked him towards the door. Serena reached out and brushed her hand over Snape's head on the way, urging him to wake up sooner and with less of a headache. She couldn't do anything for his attitude. He'd ask about this but she'd explain that it wasn't nearly the same thing. She just hoped he came to when they were well away from the whomping willow.

Sirius and Harry walked together up ahead and the silence became kind of awkward in the light of Harry wanting to kill him for the last several months and almost tried to just a half hour ago. "You wouldn't have done it." Sirius finally stated and Harry looked at him in confusion. "You are too much like your father though you don't know it. He had a sense of humor but he never took the joke too far, not like I had a tendency to do. Probably still would, I haven't really gotten to know myself in the real world, haven't since I was in my early twenties."

Harry nodded. "I suppose I can understand where you're coming from. I'm sorry that you ended up in Azkaban when you didn't really do anything wrong. How did that happen?"

"It was when they were rounding up a numerous number of death eaters and everybody tried to plead innocent or coercion, I'm told some even claimed they were physically forced and they had no control over their bodies. I believe that only so far. Anyway I had too much evidence against me and not enough time to plead my case. I was found guilty before I even stood trial. I didn't have anyone in my corner, the ones that would have were dead, debilitated or turned away from me in disgust believing what the public did. I might have been able to reach Moony but I thought Peter was dead and I didn't have enough time to sway him either. I screamed my innocence, I'm sure you've seen the pictures, but nobody listened. I had that and my ability to turn into a dog on my side and so I waited and fought. There hadn't been much desire to leave though, they would only track me down and issue the kiss. At least inside the prison I could stay alive."

"Hermione said there were only 7 registered animagi in the last century."

Sirius nodded. "I don't suppose there were too many more that were unregistered. Not to boast, but maybe a little since we only did it to hang with Moony, but it takes great skill as a wizard and dedication to become one and it can go horribly wrong, as with a lot of things in our world." He glanced back past the two men following to the trio at the end. "She knows something about that, I think."

Harry looked back and wasn't sure if he was talking about Hermione who had got stuck as a cat with polyjuice potion or Serena who didn't seem to hold any magic at all, well not the acknowledged sort at least. "I suppose she might." He covered his bases no matter what Sirius meant.

Sirius nodded and looked unsure at Harry. "You know I'm your Godfather, don't you?"

"I learned about that somewhere along the way. And you're also Serena's uncle."

At Harry's comment Sirius stopped in his spot. "You don't say? I knew Cassi was pregnant but I got too wrapped up with all the intrigue and secrecy that I couldn't keep in contact with her. Not to mention all the owls intercepted and some of which never made it. I thought she had given birth by the time I was put into jail but... Serena? Isn't she? Well I suppose it would make sense since she married Snape." Harry wanted to know what that meant, but he suspected he already knew and it coincided nicely with what he was already feeling towards the man. "How's your mum?" He called back to Serena, obviously not hearing or remembering that his sister was dead. Harry felt bad about that and winced, opening his mouth to say so and explain it to him best he could when Serena made herself heard.

"Which one?"

"She didn't!"

Harry put his hand on Sirius's arm and his eyes snapped round to Harry. "I knew you were born, I was there the day it happened and many times in the six months leading up to Lily and James going into hiding. Every once in awhile I would see James but you were hidden away with your mum. I know this is going to sound soft and maybe daft and you probably won't understand because you didn't know who I was up until well, depending on the version, at the very least a few months back, but I loved you since the day I met you. You were like a nephew to me, hell, James and I didn't need to be blood to have a bond closer than any blood relative. Though I did like my sister too, my brother on the other hand could sit next to our mother the rest of his dead days."

Harry felt like he was reeling. "So you knew your sister married Snape but not that she was carrying Voldemort's child?"

"That's correct. Though I should have known something was fishy, Snape would never have married her otherwise. She was too closely related to me and he was in love with another woman."

"She's, well I hate to tell you this now and like this but, she's dead."

"Do you know what happened?"

Harry shook his head. "Serena would be the better one to tell you, she's spent time combing through all the information surrounding the lot. All I know is she died sometime within a year of marrying Snape."

"Figures he couldn't keep anyone alive. He's so bloody weak." Sirius ran a hand through his hair, his fingers catching. "No wonder she didn't come to see me or stand my trial. She was somewhat simple but had a big heart and was really young in all ways that mattered. She would have come no matter what anyone else said or did, she was like that. She'd show up just to support me and our blood relation. I thought maybe someone had gotten to her somehow, probably threatening her child's life."

They walked further in silence as Harry had no good response to that one. Serena would have probably argued that Snape wasn't weak, just that he had his skills in areas that they couldn't grasp, like Neville but still different. Harry wouldn't dream of saying such a thing though he didn't think Snape weak, he did scare Harry from the first day onward.

Sirius started the conversation again but on a different topic. "I don't know what your life is like outside the castle walls when you return home, but since I'm your godfather and also named as legal guardian in case of their deaths, I wanted to invite you, if you were willing, to come live with me. If you don't want to that, it is alright, I know we don't truly know one another and there might be an adjustment period but I would like and be willing to try it."

Harry didn't say anything for a moment, he was still trying to digest that before he nodded. "I would also be willing to give it a try." Anything was better than living with the Dursleys, even a previously convicted mass murder, even if he was never pardoned or had committed the crimes he was jailed for. He didn't think it appropriate to put too much enthusiasm into his voice, after all he didn't really know the man.

"Unfortunately it might not be right away, I need to clear my name and find us a place to live though I have an idea about the latter. It shouldn't take too long, just the clearing of the name is the only major factor, then the rest shall be resolved within a week or two. I'll make arrangements for you to come." Excitement was filtering through his voice with a large difficulty to hold it at bay. "We'll have a lot of fun you and I."

Harry offered the man his first smile as the idea thrilled him. They would have to talk more, later, for at the moment they had reached the base of the whomping willow. Harry went out first to make sure the path was cleared for Sirius, if a teacher saw him alone they might attack and ask questions later. It was, then Sirius, followed by Lupin and Peter. Eventually they managed to maneuver Ron out with Hermione taking the rear. She praised Crookshanks as she came out who once again was holding the lever for them.

"I'm afraid in my youth I wasn't so kind to myself or the tree, growing so frustrated at times that I took it out on it." Lupin shook his head sliding a finger along one of the scars left. "I am so pleased I can just lie in my office as a wolf now and keep my mind intact. Snape does have one benefit my friend, he makes the best potions. They've helped a great deal over the months.

"Er..." Serena drew everyone's attention. Sirius started to ask her a question when she grew pale. "Professor Lupin, Hermione... did you ever say how many nights he was affected by the full moon cycle?"

"At most five days, depending on the contributing factors why?"

Serena bit her bottom lip as she tried to make a calculation. "What are some of those factors?"

"Well scientifically it is the fact that for only a nano-second is the moon actually 100% round. Since that does not seem to affect Werewolves in practice I suspect it is because they only turn into one when the moon is up in their sky. Werewolves in England will be affected by it when it is overhead but werewolves in Japan are returned to their human state."

"And the reason you do not teach, despite the fact that your classes are during the day in these intervals?"

"Because the Moon can come up during the day and I do not want to risk my students during a change nor do I have the energy until after the cycle has passed with a day or two to help regain it." Lupin explained, also looking at her like she wasn't quite right in the head.

"And this cycle has finished?" She asked, as if his appearance here this evening wasn't in part due to the fact that it must be.

"Should be, its hard to track when it comes up and goes down when I'm in my office but Snape hasn't been by to give me my most recent dose of potion and he does a better job of tracking that than I do."

Serena made a face they hadn't seen on her before, it was partly a grimace and partly like she was about to expound bad news. "You came after us not because Sirius and you had planned this meeting, you had seen us and Peter's name along side Ron's. You came because you wanted to protect Harry."

"And you other three also; well four, sorry Sirius it's taking some getting used to." Sirius raised his brows but he didn't say anything. "All of your lives are important. It's not only my responsibility as a teacher but I also feel an underline of friendship with each and everyone one of you, in different ways and degrees, but it's there."

Serena nodded not responding overtly to that. "Unfortunately there's not much time." She closed her eyes. "I feel it getting closer. Do you have any of that potion on you? An extra vial or something?" She knew that each had to be finished the day he took it or it wouldn't work, that's why so many of Snape's personal caldrons had been filled or in the process of being cleaned when she was so ill. She knew this but she still hoped that even a day old potion would give him some kind of help or a boost in tranquility or something!

"No. Why-ay-ye? He suddenly realized what she meant and Sirius seemed to as well. He instantly grabbed Lupin trying to talk some sense into him, telling him the man was more powerful than the beast and he didn't need to have the potion to retain himself and his goodness.

"My old friend, please fight, this isn't you, you are good."

Lupin though wasn't hearing as he started to feel the change, Serena's moment's notice was enough of a heads up for Lupin to try and take steps away, to keep them from being hurt in the change and possibly ignored by the wolf.

Snape chose that amazing moment to pull himself out of the tunnel and he rounded on Serena and Harry. Hermione and Ron were too far back to get the full brunt of his ire. "What do you think the two of you are bloody doing? That was irresponsible and dangerous and-" He noticed that they weren't paying him any heed as they were staring behind him at the change going on, a bit petrified and awed at the same time.

Snape turned and once he realized what was happening tried to shield Serena and Harry with his body as he had no wand to try and scare the wolf off.

As this was all happening, Peter managed to wriggle his way out of the bonds holding him. He stole Lupin's wand and sent an attack at the group of kids and single adult. Lupin backhanded Snape by accident in his transformation and the man went flying. Peter's attack managed to hit Ron of all people, the only one who couldn't have chased after him and seeing his folly turned once more into his rat form and took off. Black no longer able to deal with Lupin saw this and went after Peter, he was the only thing that could clear his name. He erroneously thought that Snape was able to deal with the transforming werewolf.

All of this was a mere matter of moments and Serena stepped forward once the wolf took complete control and tried talking to him. She held up her hands beseechingly and the wolf stopped and came closer curiously. He took a big sniff of Serena's hair and reared up in outrage and took a swipe at Serena. Black came back as a dog and rammed into Lupin in an echo of earlier events but with several main items seriously changed.

Lupin still managed to break skin but it wasn't as deep as it would be and knocked Serena backwards as he went flying to the side. Black and Lupin chased each other away from the Whomping Willow and towards the lake. Serena landed at Hermione's feet in a daze while she bent to check on the blond. "Are you all right?" Hermione asked looking at the bleeding slashes. "Can't you heal yourself-?" But the question was pointless because she already knew that answer, had been told it before.

"He didn't respond to me."

"He did, until he smelled you." Harry was looking Ron over to make sure he was still alive, he was. "Something about the combination didn't work."

"You were right." She said to Hermione feeling faint.

"I wish I wasn't." Hermione dragged Serena over to Snape and laid her head on his stomach before she and Harry dragged Ron over as well his head rested on Snape's knees. "Keep pressure on the gashes." Hermione directed Serena and then she turned to Harry. "We should really get the teachers involved or at least Madame Pomfrey, Ron's all right and will wake up soon enough and Serena had taken away the major issues with his leg but I'm worried about Serena's wounds and running out of blood before we can get real help."

"We have other people to worry about too and I'm surprised all this commotion hasn't grabbed someone's attention." As an aside in the middle of that."Sorry Serena." And she had not taken offense to his, correct, priorities as he continued talking to Hermione like he hadn't said anything to Serena at all. "Do you want to do the smart and sensible thing by going off to find Pomfrey?"

A yowl from a dog took the words straight from Hermione. "Let's go help them!" They ran the direction they had last seen Black and Lupin. Dementors swarmed the entire area from where they left Serena, Ron and Snape to where they found Black, cowering as they got closer and closer to him.

Harry kept trying to blast the Dementors away but he had little affect on them. None of his patroni were strong enough or maybe it was his memories that were faulty? Hermione slumped to the ground next to him and he kept moving, trying to get closer to Sirius, but he was weakening and darkness was starting to close in. Depression and exhaustion were heady mixtures and the patroni were getting smaller and less effective too. The Dementors figured he was just as guilty as Sirius as he was trying to fight them off and he was right there. Hoods lowered on two of the Dementors to reveal gray skin and empty eye sockets and mouths. That mouth- it was a gapping hole with sucking power and it was trying to suck out Harry's soul. Another one had almost completed its task on Sirius. Harry reached out, wanting to touch him, shove his soul back in, keep his godfather intact-

White light caught his attention, back where he had left everyone, there was a flash but then it was gone and it seemed to have lit up the sky like lightning that didn't strike. His eyes started to close when another bright light appeared. It raced around all of the Dementors pushing them off and away. Harry tried to find the source of this magnificent patronus but the man was too far away to see properly, though he did look familiar. It couldn't be, could it? Was it- could it really be his dad?

–

Harry woke to Snape talking and he never took that as a good sign. He just couldn't recall what it was that went wrong. If only Snape would say something useful or stop talking altogether, the latter of which was preferential.

"I saved all four of them from a werewolf and Black." Snape boasted suddenly answering Harry's demands and it all filtered back in. Fudge responded to that but Harry was no longer listening, he was remembering and he bolted up in his bed to go find... his father? No, that couldn't be right, there was someone else that needed his help, his father could wait.

He turned his head to make sure his friends were still all right. Ron was laying in his bed looking morose and staring at his raised leg. Hermione was sitting up too, looking to see who was also awake. They both turned to look at Serena at the same time. The curtains were pulled once more and Harry almost pushed off to go investigate, it couldn't be a repeat of months ago, they would take care of it now if it was the case! But Madame Pomfrey pushed wide the curtains and Serena was sitting in her bed as well, tying her last string on her gown shut.

She looked up and smiled at Harry. "Oh good you're awake."

"What's wrong with you?" Her skin was paler than usual and there were dark circles around her eyes as if she'd gotten punched in both or on the bridge of her nose but the rest of her looked fine.

"Madame Pomfrey, the wonderful doctor that she is was just making sure that my scratches were healing properly and that I hadn't been bitten in tandem. I haven't, so no turning into a werewolf for me. Would have been disappointed a week ago, I thought it would be cool, but now, now I'm quite relieved after seeing what it does to the person who turns." She gave a small shudder. "I'm glad this wasn't layered on. Last time I thought something would be cool, I was given it and now I'd give anything for it to be taken away again." She changed gears quickly and turned it back on him but she seemed mildly more upbeat. "How are you?"

Harry wanted to ask more questions because she had never had darkened eyes before but he did a self-check instead. "I'm feeling a lot better."

Serena nodded and there wasn't anything more said between them, which allowed for Snape and Fudge's conversation to filter back in and remind Harry and Hermione that there was something serious still underfoot. "Black will be receiving the Dementor's kiss when the sun rises. It won't get interrupted this time." Fudge was heard saying and Hermione was just a split second behind Harry in pushing the covers to the side and jumping out of bed to find the two men.

"You've got it wrong!" Harry started in and Hermione started talking behind him, they were explaining about how Sirius wasn't the one that killed all those people, he hadn't even killed Pettigrew or betrayed his parents.

Snape didn't even turn towards them while he waved them off. "You're suffering a bewilder charm. Ron hit his head on top of it."

Ron wasn't even there arguing but he had been hit by a confound charm, that they couldn't deny, yet it was Snape that hit his head, not Ron. Perhaps he couldn't recall that Peter Pettigrew was standing there with them or knew who he was. Or maybe it was because Snape hated Sirius so much that he didn't care if the man was innocent or not, he wanted his death.

Hermione and Harry continued arguing their point, kept protesting the events and that the man was innocent of all charges. Dumbledore walked in minutes later hearing the tail-end of their tale, which they had echoed now twice and were continued being ignored. Nobody listened to children, even when they spoke of what no one else knew.

"I'd like to speak to these two alone, if you would." Dumbledore dismissed the professor and minister. Once they were gone he ushered them back into the room with Serena and Ron. Ron had fallen asleep once more but she was kicking her heels over the side of the bed, looking at the ground as if it were some sort of enemy she had to conquer and was deciding if she could or not. "I do not recommend it, you are not yet strong enough Miss Riddle. Madame Pomfrey has strongly suggested that you stay in bed."

"But I feel stronger and what she gave me is working well. It's not my legs that were injured." She argued, looking up longingly at Harry and Hermione.

"Best not to involve yourself this time around." Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "You've used up a lot of energy already."

"I suppose you're right." She sighed and scooted back so she could rest against the wall. "I wasn't there last time either."

Dumbledore nodded. "See, it all works out. You won't even notice the time." He turned to Hermione. "I have gone to see Black and heard his story."

"It's the truth, we saw Peter Pettigrew ourselves!" Harry cut in.

He lifted a hand to calm the boy down. "I believe you and I believed him. Unfortunately there is no proof and not everyone will accept the word of a handful of fifteen year olds and a convict. If there were more time we could have saved two lives tonight." He touched his nose and there was a twinkle in his eyes and he left with no more prompting.

Harry turned to Hermione wondering if she could possible understand what he was talking about but she was grinning ear to ear. "That's a perfect solution!" She wrapped something around his neck so it was around both of theirs and flipped the hour glass backwards three times. Serena waved them goodbye but Harry didn't think they were leaving any time soon.

Hermione let go of the hourglass and it spun quickly. The room began to spin as well and Harry had to close his eyes, something he noticed Hermione didn't do. When he opened them again a second later the scenery was the same and still but there was nobody in the room with them, no Serena nor Ron. He opened his mouth to ask her a question when she grabbed his hand and pulled him from the infirmary. "Come on, we have no time to waste. Where were we at 7 o'clock?"

Harry thought about it and ventured a guess. "Hagrid's?"

"Of course, two lives!" Hermione ran in the direction of Hagrid's hut and hunkered down in the forbidden forest just out of sight.

"Hermione, what are we doing here?" Harry looked around and noticed that there was still some daylight. "Did we miss a day?"

"No, we've gone back in time." Hermione whispered as their past selves left the hut and Dumbledore and two other men entered with Hagrid. Harry stared as his past self had left thinking he'd gone crazy but he remembered taking those steps. "We have to hurry." She snuck closer to Buckbeak and it was as if she was channeling Serena as she talked to the animal, but she couldn't get it to budge without finding another way around his stubbornness. She spotted his favorite food and used it to lure him into the forest.

They got further and further away from the scene and heard a familiar thud and a different sort of howl, one of joy. They led the hippogriff around the cabin and towards the whomping willow staying well out of sight.

Harry saw their past selves go down and he tried to take after them but Hermione held him back. "That's not how things unfolded before. You can't let anyone see your future-self, especially your past-self. It's a sure-fire way to go insane. I've had to mark out where I was going and when every morning so I wouldn't cross my own path with a quick decision change. I got the time-turner to take more than one class at a time. Something I won't be doing in the future, but I'm not the first." She rubbed the back of her neck as she thought of all that work and how close it had gotten to unraveling her at the seams, something that was pretty hard to do but with little sleep, especially over the last month it had almost succeeded. "You can't go into the future either. Sure it has the capability to do so but you never know that where you stand there won't be someone there in the future or if it still exists. A lot of witches and wizards have died that way. You have to plan very carefully when and where you go back and make sure you end where you started after you've left."

"Sounds complicated." Harry breathed. "I'll leave time-travel to you."

"As you should." Hermione responded promptly and they settled in to wait, watching first Lupin then Snape enter through the whomping willow's base. Lupin had a much easier time of it than Snape, but then he should, shouldn't he? Snape only really had need to go in there once, maybe with all the years he taught here he'd gone again but it was a place filled with bad memories. He winced as he thought of Sirius in those days taunting Snape to do something incredibly dangerous and he could have died if not turned as well. Thankfully his father had saved him. Harry couldn't imagine doing the same, even to Snape but then he had yet to get the drop on Malfoy in such a fashion and if he did, would he respond the same way as his father? Harry would like to think he'd have taken his father's path if given a chance, or even rise above it all and never play a joke like that on Malfoy at all, as it was crossing a line. Before being told the story of Snape and the werewolf, he probably would have been a regurgitation of Sirius. He would never know for sure though how he would have reacted before the story if he'd had been given a chance and he still wasn't sure how he'll react in the future if given a similar chance. He hoped he'd think twice now.

Regardless, without there being a resident werewolf other than Lupin in the vicinity, this particular history would never repeat. Besides, Malfoy wouldn't go near the forbidden forest unless ordered.

Another part of history Harry would rather not see repeated was just about to go down and this time, he promised himself he would change it.

He watched with his fingers itching to blast Peter where he stood as they came out and Serena started to put pieces together, as Lupin turned into a werewolf and knocked Snape down while Peter ran. Black took off after Peter but returned almost instantly in a bid to protect the children as Snape had belatedly done and failed to do. Past-Harry and Past-Hermione took off after the two wolf-like-cousins. Future-Harry and Future-Hermione watched as the Dementors came over head, most continued on but some stopped above Serena and the two unconscious figures on the ground. Future-Harry and Future-Hermione darted forward to try and help Serena as she was descended upon.

"Great." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she noticed it herself. "Couldn't come five minutes ago, could you?" She pushed herself to her feet and Harry wanted to stop her, to help her save her strength, blood was still spouting but she ignored it. "Leave us alone." She commanded and took a fighting stance. The Dementors paid her no attention and continued advancing. "Well I did warn you." She pulled something out of nowhere, it kind of looked like a wand but it was a lot thicker than theirs and there was a weird crescent moon on top of it. It almost looked like a child's toy and Hermione pushed off the ground to stop her but suddenly a white beam shot out of it and into the mass of Dementors around her. Most were pushed back, really far back and of those most left in fear. The ones that were closer and kept coming despite the light were disintegrated.

Harry's mouth drops open as he witnessed this, his patronus, if he could conjure one, would only shove them all away and possibly get them to leave, it was like a deterrent but her spell actually destroyed them. The sky lit up around them like lightning that didn't strike and now he knew what he saw earlier was Serena's magic, a magic from a source he had no bounds to understand.

Hermione stopped to check on Serena while Harry ran to find his father, he wanted to see him in action. "Hermione." Serena smiled as she dropped to her knees, out of energy but still managing to hang on a little. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure you're all right. You look-"

"You have to help Harry. He can't do it without you." She looked around. "Shame, even now I don't get to come with you." Hermione's mouth gaped like a fish. "I've known all along, you knew I knew, or at least I thought you did." Hermione knew that Serena was aware that not everything was so cut and dry like the boys thought but she hadn't a clue that Serena knew there was time travel involved. "Don't let my mom know about it, she'd have a heart attack. She thinks she's the only one who should travel time." Serena's eyes closed and she fell the rest of the way to the ground and landed on her back.

Hermione rushed to where Harry stood gawking at a spot near him, under his breath he kept chanting for his dad to come. Hermione pushed him onto it. "Don't you see? You were the one who did it. You have to do it now before you both die!"

Harry pulled out his wand and it took him a moment but he finally dug deep enough to conjure a patronus and boy it was a beautiful one. It pranced through and around the dementors forcing them back, forcing them to leave and it came to a stop near him. It was a stag, just like his father's animagi. He understood now that what he was seeing wasn't his father but himself and his homage to his father, a magnificent stag patronus. It disappeared quickly and Harry turned to Hermione. "What now?"

"Now we find the tower and figure out a way to save Sirius once he's brought there and had had a chance to talk to Dumbledore." Hermione pulled Harry along behind her where Buckbeak was still waiting.

"Wait, what happened with Serena?"

"She fainted. I don't know what she used or how she did it but it took her remaining energy and she collapsed. We can grill her later." Hermoine stopped as they near Buckbeak and looked at him unsure. "Do you think we have to ride him now?"

"Probably." Harry helped her on before he got on his back as well. Buckbeak landed outside of the tower, near the back where nobody would come looking. It shouldn't take too long for people to realize that what they saw was a fight of some sort and to go look for any injured persons. Then they would drag Sirius off to the tower and bring the rest to the infirmary. He just wasn't sure how long it had taken for them to be found to when they woke up, but Hermione didn't seem all too concerned. "I knew what time it was when we left. As long as we don't exceed that time limit we should be fine. We've got about a half hour before you woke up." So they waited again, and Hermione explained they couldn't go back and forth with the time-turner unless they changed positions every time but that would get tedious too and it was better to just wait time out. They would arrive at the same point eventually and as long as it wasn't weeks, months or years that would be easy to accomplish and make-sure they landed in the right spot at the right time. Some would forget where they were meant to be and would then stumble across themselves. They also couldn't keep going back to the same time or even a bit before and keep going back again and again nor could they go back and then go back again. It was all very complicated, he'd thought it before and she just compounded that thought once more.

He shied away from thinking too hard on whether or not she'd told him this in the past or future. They watched as Sirius was carried into the tower, it was a castle after all and like all castles it had either a tower to hold people in or a dungeon and this one seemed to have two since the latter was filled with students periodically. The guards left and Harry tried to make a move to bust him out when Hermione pulled him back down again.

"We have to wait until after he talks to Dumbledore or we'd never be here to do this." Harry opened and then closed his mouth, too much more of this and his brain would implode. He settled down next to her and waited out Dumbledore's subsequent arrival and then leaving and he looked to her as if asking if they could finally, finally finish their plans. She gave a short nod and they worked their way to him. It was relatively easy to break him out, Hermione only had to cast one spell and he was free.

He pulled Harry into a hug and Harry while blushing tried not to pull away first, he just wasn't used to affection. "I meant what I said." Sirius told him as they flew to a safer location to split up. They didn't have much time now. "Once things settle down I want to have you move in with me. We could be a real family."

"I would like that a lot." Harry had gone to save him several times in the last few hours and in Harry's book that as good as made him family. He'd also had time to process things during the waits and ignoring the theories in time-travel laws. He realized how much he wants to live with this man and all that it could mean.

Sirius helped Harry and Hermione off of the hippogriff and smiled at the girl. "Thank you so much for all of your help. I don't think any of this would have been possible without you." Sirius glanced at Harry to include him in it. "No one can succeed alone."

"I was wondering-" Harry began. "Well seeing as you're related to Serena as well and-"

Sirius laughed. "Oh she's my niece all right. Now that I know, I can see my family resemblance in her stubbornness and a few other traits I'd seen watching the two of you. I found myself encountering her quite a lot in the forest although I don't think she saw me. Not like you did on several occasions. I just had to see you, I couldn't help myself and I got caught. As for Serena, I had to make sure that Riddle's daughter wasn't going to cause you any harm. It seems I didn't have to worry about a dual pull with her, at least not in that sense. Her real calling has overcome any darkness he might have left in her. I don't think even with his influence, had he lived, would she have ever harmed anyone."

"You think she might come live with us as well?"

The man took a moment to think about his answer. "I would love to have her on as well but it is up to Serena to decide what she wants to do." Hermione started fidgeting as she looked at the time-turner. "This is where I'll have to leave you for now. I will keep in touch, in the meantime, go spend some time with your friends." Sirius pulled Harry into one more hug before getting on Buckbeak again and taking off, leaving Harry and Hermione to run to meet up with Dumbledore outside of the infirmary.

They started telling Dumbledore about their success but he shushed them kindly. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He opened the door for them and they go in, Serena turned her head to look at their new location. "It was a success Miss Riddle."

Then the door closed and Dumbledore left. They didn't know that Snape came barreling through in a rage all set to accuse the children of misdeeds but Dumbledore intercepted him first. He told him he had been with them the entire time and they had never left his sight. All of which was mostly true. "One day when you're calmer I will explain all."

Snape grumbled and stormed off. His award had been rescinded.

–

It was days before they were to pack up and go home. It was calm and the four friends sat with a few other housemates on a grassy knoll. Serena stretched out like a cat who was satisfied, next to the others. "It's a beautifully warm day. Not a dark cloud in sight."

"It's strange how much warmer it got without the Dementors lurking about in the distance." Harry agreed as he leaned back against a tree trunk.

Hermione was reading one of her books but her head perked up at the conversation and she gave an exuberant nod. "They've been gone only two days but already I feel so much less stressed."

"I thought that was the lack of taking three classes at a time doing that for you." Ron teased at her feet.

She gave him a little nudge with her shoe in playfulness. "It could be that too."

A dark shadow fell on the group and some of the ones who had heard but hadn't been in on the conversation were startled at it. They thought maybe Dementors had returned. Instead it was just Hagrid. "There you guys are! I've got good news and bad news. First Buckbeak managed to survive the execution and somehow escaped." They all knew that but they managed to put on a convincing job that they hadn't and were pleased by it, which wasn't that hard to pretend because it was true. "Bad news, and this affects all of you. Professor Lupin is packing up to leave. He's not coming back next year."

"No!" Hermione gasped and jumped to her feet. "Why?"

"Something got parents in a twitch. He's being forced out." Hagrid didn't sound pleased by it in the least and they apologized as they rushed off to go see him. Hagrid waved them away anticipating their reaction to such news, which is why he gave them the good first.

Lupin was packing up his last case when they came bursting through the door. "Ah if it isn't the replacements." Lupin teased in a lot better humor than they'd known him by, though he was always kind and tried to always be in good spirits.

"You're not upset?" Hermione ventured in curiosity.

"Oh heavens no, it's the nature of the beast really. If I hadn't been bombarded by mail then I would have left on my own accord. After that night I realized that no matter how much potion I've taken I can never really be guaranteed not to hurt anyone. I know I haven't had as bad of a night since I was a child and first bit but I shudder to think what I could have done to Miss Riddle."

"Please, call me Serena now that you're no longer our teacher."

"Of course, Serena. A person is only the name they go by. Seems to be a theme in our society. If you've chosen to be known as Serena then who am I to say any different? Ah, I almost forgot but you'd reminded me of it." He produced the map with a flourish and handed it to Harry. "I don't feel bad giving this back now." He grinned at Harry. "It was after-all partly your father's creation when we went to school here."

Harry took it and just stared at Lupin in wonder. "But you shouldn't have to leave just because of one night. It could have happened to anyone but everyone knows better now."

"I stayed away until I was sure the moon was reduced from 100% to almost 90. I didn't want to risk it. I came here to do what I wanted and that was protect you from a man only I knew well enough to stop. Even then I wasn't clever enough, that could have only been passed down to you from both parents. I am glad that things have been cleared up. I was missing one of my dearest friends and I hate to admit it but to me Pettigrew was no big loss in the end, I wrote him off as dead a long time ago. It was Sirius I couldn't ever get over. Now that the truth is known, to us at least, I am glad that I was here to accept it once and for all, and possibly get a friend back. Your parents are another loss I'll never truly get over."

"But I have so many questions!"

"And eventually they'll all get answered. Where are you lot going?" The other three were slowly making their way out of the room trying not to be noticed.

Serena put a hand to the back of her head sheepishly. "We figured it was Harry and the major-man-in-his-life-at-the-moment talk."

"I rather thought it was the wrap-up the year talk." Ron countered also looking anywhere but at the two still in the center of the room. "Or at least end of the DADA teacher explanation. I'm rather used to getting a recap after the fact."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You two."

"Then why were you leaving?" Ron turned to her and the two of them started squabbling.

Harry smiled at Serena, waving her forward once more. "You can stay, this affects you too."

"I'm not entirely sure that's true Harry, but I can sit in on this for a change." She found a desk and sat upon it leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees listening attentively.

He explained about his troubled past and all the major events that lead up to now and why Harry's patronus was a stag, how it mimicked James' animagus and reiterated something about a curse or was it something else, more like a destiny? How there had been two boys that could lead to the end of Voldemort and thus that's why Voldemort was after Harry. He'd heard all of it before but at the same time there were small details he hadn't picked up on. He still didn't understand what they were talking about but Serena was frowning harder and harder with each word he spoke on it.

"So it's a self-fulling prophecy?" She finally asked at the end when Lupin was out of words on the matter.

"I don't know if I would go so far as to say that." Lupin shook his head to clear his thoughts. "If it were then it is all the better for us."

Harry was looking at Serena with a thousand questions in his head. What did she mean, what did she know, what wasn't Lupin saying? Would he ever know what all these secrets entailed?

Serena sighed and looked down at her hands, she knew all about self-fulling prophecies and they were really hard to break the cycle. A lot of times no matter what you did you couldn't break it. She also knew about vendettas all too well. How they could turn a person's life upside down for no reason except to satisfy the person making the moves against you. They were nothing but big bullies who weren't loved or given what they wanted on any given moment and reacted badly to it and thus set into motion another pattern or cycle but this time with reactions rather than repeated events.

Harry was about to question Serena further on it but Ron and Hermione's fight grew in volume and the mood was broken. She shook her head, jumped to her feet and with a giant grin left their side and went to go tackle the two into a bear-hug. They had little choice but to acknowledge the change and hug her back or she'd never get off of them.

He ended up turning back to Lupin. "I really wish you wouldn't leave. Dumbledore would back you up and keep you on no matter what the parents have to say."

"I think it's for the best Harry. Dumbledore has already done far more than enough for me. I've got a friend in need and this commitment wasn't supposed to last long. It has given me a little more vigor than I've had in years and I owe it all to you and those three there. Never lose that friendship Harry. It's what keeps you going and you never really realize the truth behind that until you lose them."

Harry impulsively gave his professor a hug and the man returned it a bit stiffly as if he was as foreign to physical touch as Harry had been before he met his friends here. Even now he was still a little awkward in returning hugs or even starting them but it was getting less so every minute he spent time with them and their families. He pulled back slightly. "I know that its not official like Sirius or anything but I would have looked upon you as an uncle if my parents had lived and I would like to do so still if that's all right with you?"

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure Harry." The man pulled him in close once more before setting him back and dusting him off. "Now you really must be getting on and I've got to finish packing. I'll be seeing you soon." Lupin rubbed beneath one eye and he cleared his throat as if it had grown difficult to talk. Harry knew that he was sensitive to others viewing his emotions, it was something Harry knew all too well.

Harry wiped at his nose and slowly backed away, nodding his agreement. "See you around."

The three behind him scooted out before he walked into them and as soon as he was out the door and it shut behind him, they enclosed him into the center of their little circle. It was a sad time for them all though it probably could have been worse, much worse. They were still upset to see their favorite professor go. "We'll never have as good of a DADA teacher." Ron commented ruining the mood and Serena pushed him playfully.

He started back for her intending to return the favor but she started backing away. He got faster and she kept up the speed and soon they were running down the hallway, laughter echoing in the halls where they went. Hermione and Harry looked at each other for a moment, shrugged and then ran after them.

There would be plenty of time for introspection, for now they were going to have some last minute fun on campus, go to the last feast of the year and cheer for whoever won house cup as long as it wasn't Slytherin. All in all it would be good, despite some lower keys that would undoubtedly be struck at times.

–

Harry was on the train and it felt weird being on it again. So much had happened since he boarded it last year to go home. He hadn't gotten to ride it to Hogwarts in the first term and he didn't during break. He looked to Serena and she took his hand in hers and squeezed reassuringly. The world out there might have changed and they might have changed but they'd be able to face anything together.

He was going to go stay with the Dursleys' for one week and that was only to get his stuff in order to move it into Serena's house. He would remain with her and her family for one more week before Ron and his dad came to pick Harry up for most of the remainder of the summer. The last week he was gone from Hogwarts he would go back and stay with Serena once more and from there they would disembark to the train station. It meant moving his wizarding stuff around a lot but the rest of it could stay with Serena and the three women in her life but he wanted to stay with her on the bookends and make sure that they didn't feel like he was using them for storage.

Serena said they'd offered and she'd accepted on his behalf without even asking him. He wouldn't argue but things would still be difficult, having to see Dudley on the street but hopefully it would be less often.

All of a sudden something hit their window causing Serena to jump and grab at her chest but she relaxed her hand and settled back into the seat even as Ron let the culprit in. It was a small fluffy owl carrying a note addressed to Harry.

Hermione snatched it and read it out loud for all of them. "Dearest Harry and Serena, I apologize for not getting to speak with you properly before. I was too excited to get the chance. It is a matter I would love to address in the future. Perhaps the two of you can come stay with me next Christmas break when I finally get settled in. I am well and my friend has had to leave me for better property, what I found for the time being didn't suit him. I can't say I blame him, it barely suits me and I have little cause to be so picky of my surroundings.

I would like to clarify some things while I have you all together. Firstly, yes, I did send the Firebolt. I am sorry to have caused your old broomstick to break, I was just too curious about you to let the opportunity pass me by. I wish I could give you something of your heritage, Serena, but unfortunately I cannot go to the old home as it is being watched by dementors and the ministry. Anything that remains there is full of dark magic or destroyed and this is not something I would like to pass onto you. I apologize for neglecting you since the truth came out, but there hasn't been much time. I don't come from terribly good stock but I have seen some people choose the better path. I don't have anything to give you but myself and some familial connections you might find beneficiary and who will be interested in you as well. I worried about the two of you living and being so close together. I see now that I needn't have worried, you have a good and strong heart. I hope you take good care of it and that the two of you can look upon each other as more like siblings than friends now that you are both under my guardianship.

Hermione sadly I have nothing for you – 'figures' – but I hope you continue on as you have, you are on the right path. Anything you need in the future and which I can provide, please do not hesitate to ask. I owe you more than my life. Now Ron, to accurately apologize for the leg and the loss of your pet, I have bought and sent you this bird. It may not be much now but it will continue to grow and will belong to you for a long time and will only, have to, get better.

Sincerely, Padfoot

P.S. I have also attached two Hogsmeade passes for you to use next year." Hermione finished the letter and handed it back to Harry. "Can't be too careful, Peter Pettigrew is still out and about and he's bound to not be as happy with us as he used to."

"We're just lucky that letter was for us all." Ron sat back into his spot next to Harry and looked his owl over, stroking its feathers and turning it to get a better look at the patterns. He was going to start talking about their plans for the summer but now he was adequately distracted from that vein of thought. "I'm just sorry you can't come stay with me earlier, no offense Serena, I just mean skip staying at your aunt's and push the timeline up a week and keep it until the week agreed upon."

Harry flipped through the pages once more, handing Serena her pass and she pocketed it. She slipped the note out from Harry's hand and perused it once more on her own, her eyebrows funneling as she read and Harry talked. "Think of it this way, it's good practice for terrorizing them. Any time they raise a finger at me or start saying one mean word, I can always drop the fact that my godfather who loves me very much is a wanted killer."

Serena giggled at Harry's words, giving the letter back without saying what was wrong, though Hermione looked on disapprovingly at the joke but even she found the humor in it and had a small chuckle. Neither were as great as Ron's rip-roaring but that was to be expected. His humor at the joke only expanded their own.

The summer looked promising.