The Beast Within

by SSLESeveritus

On October 31, 1981 two pivotal events changed Harry Potter's life forever. NOTE: Some liberties have been taken with the werewolf aspect in the HP universe. I've changed it a bit to better suit the story I want to write. And, yes, I use some werewolf cliches. The sequel Unity in Diversity has begun to be posted.

25. Raise Your Voice

Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth.

-William Faulkner

"Oh, there you two are," Hermione said cheerfully as Harry and Ginny sat across from her, Neville, and Ron. "Get everything sorted?"

"Things are fine, Hermione," Harry said, throwing a glance at Ron that clearly said they'd be talking later, before serving himself some dinner.

Conversation within the group started off stilted with uncertain glances and short answers, but soon enough, everyone relaxed and the discussion flowed more easily. Hermione and Ginny chatted excitedly, their voices squeaking on occasion, about what they planned on wearing that evening, what they wanted to do with their hair, and whether to wear make-up.

While Ginny was distracted, Harry saw his opportunity and took it. He leaned forward, a frown on his face, using the hand tightly gripping his fork to gesture at Ron then himself as he said, "You and I need to talk after dinner."

Ron leaned away from Harry, fixing him with a glare. His face and ear tips flushed and he gulped before speaking, his brows angry slashes over his eyes. "I don't see that we do."

Harry's expression tightened. He ground his teeth in an effort to keep from saying something he'd regret later. How could Ron not understand how wrong he was for saying what he did to Ginny? Harry thought they'd gotten past this overprotective streak. Carefully putting down his fork, Harry drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The blood rushing in his ears made it hard to think, so he took a few deep breaths.

"Yes, Ron, we do," he said very deliberately. When Ginny's brother opened his mouth to retort, Harry snapped at him, "Just humor me, alright?"

"Yeah, fine," Ron grumbled.

For the rest of the meal, Harry and Ron ignored each other, which was noticed by Hermione and Ginny, but neither girl called the boys on it. After everyone had finished, Hermione dragged Ginny up to their dorms to get ready. Harry asked Neville to act as mediator, if it came to that.

So, that's how the three boys came to be on the seventh floor in the magical room. Currently, the room had taken the appearance of the Gryffindor common room. Three armchairs circled the fireplace, a boy in each, one with his arms across his chest, the second looking nervously between the two, tapping his fingers on his thigh, and the third, sitting opposite the first, gazing steadily at the one responsible for his irritation.

Harry, determined to get through to Ginny's brother, said as calmly as he could, "Okay. Once and for all, stay out of Ginny's and my business. You don't get to make her decisions."

Ron leaned forward. "I'm her brother, Harry, it's my job to look out for her. Especially when she's doing things she shouldn't be."

"Look out for her?" Harry asked. His voice grew louder and harder with his next questions. "What is it that you think she's doing? That we're doing?"

"Look, I'm just trying to keep it from going further than it should, okay?" Ron jumped up and began to pace, not looking at either sitting boy. "I'm not stupid, Harry. When Ginny explained about your absence this past weekend, well, it bothered me. Then, to hear what she said to Hermione—I got worried. I mean, with the way you were feeling towards your friends and total strangers, it stood to reason you'd feel something else toward your girlfriend. I know how close the two of you are. She's probably half in love with you already!"

Harry's heart rate ratcheted up at Ron's words, leaving him feeling a little light-headed. He rubbed at his eyes, grimacing, desperately trying to forestall the headache that was building again. If Ron knew how close he was to the thing that worried Harry the most about not taking the Wolfsbane Potion, he'd never let Harry be in the same room with Ginny again. Harry sighed heavily. It didn't really matter. Ron couldn't keep butting in.

"Ron, she's twelve. I'm thirteen. We're not going to do anything we're not ready for, trust me. We're not even thinking like that."

Ron scoffed. "Like I'm going to believe that. I've heard the way Dean and Seamus talk about girls and what they'd like to do. I do have older brothers, remember? I know how they were at our age."

"You make it sound as if we're older than we are." Neville countered. "You're the one so concerned, Ron, are you thinking...like that?"

"We're not talking about me, Neville."

"Maybe we should be," Harry said softly. "This has to have come from somewhere. I mean, it seems a little out of the blue."

Ron stopped pacing and glared at Harry. "What am I supposed to think? I see the way she acts with you, always holding your hand, or kissing you, or just being close to you. She's practically in your lap! People are going to talk!"

Harry gave an incredulous laugh at that. Neville, peacemaker that he was supposed to be, spoke before Harry could. "Now, Ron, you know that's not true. And of course Ginny's going to be holding hands with Harry. They are dating."

"Your parents don't have a problem with Ginny and me dating," Harry pointed out.

"Yeah, well, they haven't seen you two lately, and they don't know about you not taking the Wolfsbane Potion."

Harry ran a hand over his face and through his hair. "Then tell them, Ron, if it'll make you feel better. But since you brought up the Wolfsbane Potion, let me say this. I swear, I don't feel any of that when I take it."

Ron continued pacing, his arms still crossed. "And what about that new potion? Are you still planning on trying it?"

"I am, and you know why I have to."

"But you can't take the Wolfsbane Potion, then."

Harry breathed in, then let it out slowly. "Well, we don't know that for certain. Once the new potion is modified, then maybe I can take both. We just don't know yet, but if it comes to it that I can't take the Wolfsbane Potion, then I'll stay away until after the full moon."

Ron stopped and turned to face Harry, his arms sliding from his chest. "Really? You'd really do that again?"

Harry stood before Ginny's brother, hands sliding into his pockets. "Ginny is my best friend as well as my girlfriend. I care about her a lot. If me staying away from her for those few days before the full moon keeps me sane and her safe, then yes, I would do it again. But listen, all of that is irrelevant to the issue. If you have a problem with us, come to us so we can talk about it, alright? You stood before me at Christmas and promised you weren't going to make any assumptions and here you are making assumptions. You need to understand that Ginny's and my circumstances are different than most people's situations. We may or may not do something you agree with, but it works for us, and that's what matters."

"Now who's making us sound older than we are?" Ron joked lamely.

"Well, Ginny and I have been through things that tend to make a person feel older than they are."

Ron nodded solemnly, head hanging. "You're right. I know you're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Blame it on Mum. She made me promise to look out for Ginny after what happened last year, and you do not want to go against Mum. You think Ginny can be scary?" He shuddered, then searched out Harry's gaze and held it. "Truce?"

"I understand where you were coming from. Can you understand my position?"

"Yeah, I can. I am sorry. I will really try not to act that way again."

"Good. I have a feeling I'm going to need you. Friends?" Harry offered.

"Friends."

"Okay, now that that has been taken care of, what's her name, Ron? Is she anyone I know?"

"Yeah," Neville said, getting in on the fun, "and would her name happen to start with an H?"

While Ron scowled at them, Harry and Neville laughed. Before long, Ron couldn't hold back and joined them. The three boys spent the next little while talking, all anger and awkwardness forgotten. Harry even managed to get Neville to admit to fancying someone, though Neville wouldn't say who it was.

An hour before the concert was to start, Harry mentioned the time. "I should go so I can be ready. Neville, you should, too. Ron, you can go with us if you want."

"Maybe. We'll see."

The three boys left the room, intending on quick showers before dressing.

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Ginny laid her clothes on her bed. It was her favorite outfit. The top reminded her of a jumper her mother had made for her once. Ginny fingered the hem. She loved the top's longer length—reaching a few inches past the tops of her thighs—and its slightly ruffled hem that came to points on the sides. She also loved the jumper because of its colors. The cinnamon, caramel, and dun colors reminded her of baking with her mum—before she discovered the joys of flying. The other thing Ginny liked about it was that it wasn't bulky or stiff, but would definitely keep her warm. Paired with a pair of dark cinnamon jeans, Ginny felt it her best outfit. She was even lucky enough to own a pair of matching ankle lace-up boots.

Ignoring the other girls in her dorm room, Ginny got dressed quickly, tucking her necklace under her top, then brushed her hair until it shined. Remembering Harry's one comment about liking her hair loose, she only pulled the sides up into a clip to keep it out of her face.

"Hey, Ginny," one of the girls called out, "you look really nice." She giggled. "I bet Harry will like it."

"Whether he does or not, it doesn't really matter. They're my best clothes."

"Something tells me," another girl piped up, "that it wouldn't matter what Ginny wore, he fancies her so much."

"I think you're right," the first girl responded to her friend. She turned back to Ginny. "You could wear a house-elf's rags and he wouldn't notice."

Ginny made a noncommittal sound. "See you later. Maybe."

Ginny grabbed her cloak—the castle's corridors were still rather drafty—and left her room, climbed the stairs, and knocked on the door. Hermione opened it and ushered Ginny inside.

"Oh, Ginny, you look so pretty. Those browns really show off your hair and complement your eyes."

Ginny felt the blood rushing into her cheeks, but there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. "Thanks," she said shyly.

Hermione wore a simple long-sleeved navy blue top that had a couple of decorative buttons near the collar and dark blue jeans. When her friend turned to put on a pair of black trainers, Ginny noticed the top's hem was lower in the back.

"I like your top, the way it's lower in the back than the front. That color looks good on you, too."

"Thanks, Ginny. If you ever want to borrow it, just ask. I know I'm a little bigger than you, but a few well-placed charms should work."

"Thanks, Hermione."

Lavender came over and grabbed Ginny's hand. "Come over here. Parvati and I will do your make-up."

"That's okay, Lavender," Ginny said uncomfortably, pulling her hand from the other girl's grasp. "I think I'm alright without it."

"Of course you are, but you can be even better," the oblivious girl gushed. "We won't do much, we promise. Just a little bit to emphasize your eyes. Harry will love it."

"I'll make sure they do just a little, Ginny, if that makes you feel any better," Hermione offered. "They'll be doing some for me, too."

"Well," Ginny thought a moment, then nodded. "Alright, but it has to look natural."

Lavender squealed excitedly and dragged Ginny to Parvati's bed so as to have more natural light. Ginny closed her eyes and let the girls work, confident that Hermione was watched them closely. A few minutes later, she opened her eyes and looked at their handiwork.

"Oh, wow!" Her eyelids had the barest hint of dark brown blended into a pale gold on her upper lid and under her brow, just enough there to be noticed. "Thank you. I'll admit I was a bit worried about how it would turn out, but this looks great."

"Glad you like it, Ginny." Parvati said, smiling. "This is a good look for you. Any time you want us to do it, just let us know. We'd be happy to."

Lavender nodded her agreement. "Yes, any time. Okay, Hermione, your turn."

A few minutes later, Ginny watched, amused, as Hermione inspected her make-up. Subdued violets contrasted nicely with her brown eyes. She wondered if Hermione was trying to impress a certain someone without looking like she was trying to impress anyone.

"I like it. Thank you, both." Hermione pulled a lock of bushy hair. "If this was a real date, I'd ask you to do something with my hair."

Lavender rummaged around in her trunk for a second before bringing over a jar. "Use this. I use it all the time. If I didn't, my hair would be a lot wilder than it normally is. It's a homemade recipe and is much better than Sleekeazy's Hair Potion." She wrinkled her nose. "That stuff is awful."

Seeing that her friend was about to refuse, Ginny jumped up from Hermione's bed and took the jar from Lavender and plopped it in front of her friend, a grin filled with mischief on her face.

"Use it, Hermione. Who knows? He just might notice."

"Oooooh! Who is it, Hermione?" Parvati asked, coming to stand on Hermione's other side.

"No one," Hermione said, shooting Ginny an exasperated glare.

Ginny didn't care. She had the impression that Hermione didn't often feel very pretty and thought that maybe, if the stuff Lavender had was better than Sleekeazy's, Hermione just might decide to use it and end up getting the attention she wanted. Ginny unscrewed the lid and held the jar out for her friend.

"Get started. We haven't got all night."

"You know, you can be really bossy sometimes, Ginny. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Ginny laughed. "On more than one occasion and by every single one of my brothers."

Under Lavender's tutelage, Hermione applied a small amount to her hair. Ginny's mind wandered to what Harry would be wearing and hoping he felt well enough to go. Yes, he had said his headache had mostly gone, but it had only been a day since his transformation. It could easily come back. She worried about him pushing himself beyond his comfort just to please her. She'd just have to watch him closely. Any sign of him being in worse pain than usual and she'd march him straight back here.

Tuning back in to the other girls, Ginny's jaw dropped. "Oh, Merlin, Hermione! I like it!"

Ginny got up from Hermione's bed where she'd sat while Hermione worked on her hair, and gently touched her friend's much less frizzy hair. "It looks so good! You should do this all the time!"

"It didn't completely tame it, but I have to say, I'm impressed. That didn't take long at all." Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I will. I'll think about it. Thanks, Lavender."

"You're welcome. Keep that jar. I have another and can have my mum make up some more. Trust me. The more you use it, the more it works."

"Alright. Thanks, again." Hermione put the jar away. "Ready to go find the boys, Ginny?"

Ginny jumped off the bed, eager to get downstairs and get a look at Harry to gauge how he's doing. "Let's go."

After bidding the other two girls good-bye, Ginny pulled Hermione down the stairs. Halfway down, she stopped and turned to face Hermione.

"Do me a favor, will you? Kind of keep an eye on Harry? You know he wasn't feeling so great earlier. I have a feeling he won't speak up if his headache comes back or if he starts feeling too badly. I mean, he's already told me he didn't want to ruin tonight for me, so yeah, just watch him a little. I will be, too."

"Of course I will, Ginny."

"Thanks. Have fun with Neville. I know you don't fancy him, but he's really pretty sweet."

"I know. Why couldn't he be the one I fancied? Life would be so much easier."

"But where's the fun in that?" Ginny asked in an overly innocent tone.

After a few seconds, both girls began giggling. They joked all the way to the common room. Hermione greeted Harry and Neville, which had Ginny turning in the boys' direction. She stopped on the last step, admiring Harry standing near the fireplace, hands tucked into his pockets. His gaze landed on her and he smiled sheepishly. He looked very cute, there was no denying it.

Over what appeared to be a slightly-darker-than-emerald-green dress shirt, Harry wore a dark pewter gray jumper. He'd pushed the sleeves nearly to his elbows and rolled his shirt cuffs up so that they curled over the bottom of the sweater sleeves. Ginny smiled as she noticed her boyfriend was trying for a casual look by leaving his shirt untucked from the black jeans that completed his outfit. All in all, it was a very nice look, one that made the brilliant green of his eyes stand out even more.

She smiled appreciatively as she walked over to him. "Looking dashing, there, Harry."

Harry's cheeks reddened. "Er, thanks. It's Sirius's doing. He took me to Hogsmeade on Saturday, bought me some clothes. He insisted I get the green shirt. He, er, said that you'd like it."

"I do. The whole look makes your eyes more noticeable, not that they needed any help."

"Good," Harry said, mildly sarcastically. "Maybe I should wear this more often. People will stop staring at my scar, then."

Ginny tilted her head to the side, a sympathetic expression on her face. "Maybe. How's your head? You look tired."

"No more than usual, Ginny. I'll be fine. I promise." He scanned her clothes. "I like those colors on you. They really show off your hair and your eyes." He studied her face a moment. "Did you do something different?"

A little bubble of pleasure burst inside her chest—he'd noticed!—and she smiled, though she really wanted to jump up and down and squeal. "Thank you. Yes, I let Lavender do it. So, it looks okay, then?"

"Yeah," Harry said, nodding. "Really nice."

"Hey, you two! Are you coming with us?"

Ginny turned away from Harry to Hermione and Neville waiting at the portrait hole, a little perturbed at being interrupted. "Yeah, we're coming." Turning back to Harry, she slipped her hand into his. "Shall we?"

"Let's go have some fun."

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As the two couples made their way down to the Great Hall, Harry sneaked glances at Ginny. She really did look pretty. She caught him looking, causing heat to warm his cheeks, and he looked away. That was when he noticed Hermione's less unruly hair.

"Hey, Hermione, you look nice. Sorry I didn't say so before."

Hermione laughed. "It's okay, Harry. You were a bit preoccupied. Thank you, though."

"Harry, are things okay between you and my brother? I know you wanted to talk to him after dinner. I could tell by the way you were looking at him."

"I think we've come to an understanding finally."

Ginny's eyes narrowed as she studied Harry. "You didn't do anything to him, did you? You know I would have loved to have been in on that."

"No, honestly, Ginny. We just talked."

"Yeah," Neville joined in, "that's all it was. Though I have to say, I wasn't sure at first. Ron was pretty angry. Harry, here, was calmer than I would have been."

Ginny's brows rose as she stared at him in surprise. Harry shrugged. "What? Yeah, I was mad at him, but acting on it wasn't going to solve anything. Er, I did tell him to write to your parents if he felt he must."

"Harry!" Ginny shrieked, stopping on her step. "Why didn't you say something? Now, I'm going to need to write to Mum."

Harry shrugged again. "It seemed the quickest way to calm him down. Sorry. Maybe he won't write. We can talk to him tonight. He said he'd meet us down there since he didn't have a date."

"After all that, you invited him to join us?"

"Well, yeah. I told you, we've come to an understanding."

Ginny shook her head, a look of amazement on her face. "You truly are wonderful, you know that?"

Harry tried to deny it, but didn't get far. She shut him up with a kiss, her lips moving lazily against his. It was one of the most wonderful sensations ever. Then, two voices burst his dreamy bubble.

"Dear brother, am I seeing what I think I am?"

"If you're seeing our not-so-lost-little-puppy and our little sister snogging here on the steps for the whole school to see, then yes, I am seeing what you're seeing."

Ginny pulled away and turned to stare down her brothers. Harry was half-afraid to look up. They didn't sound angry, more amused than anything, but one often didn't know what to expect from the twins. After a few seconds, Harry looked up. The two were smiling, at least, normal smiles instead of ones full of mischief.

"We weren't snogging," Ginny declared. "We could, though, if you'd rather..."

"NO!" the two shouted. Fred continued. "That's okay, no. We're just taking the mickey, Gin-Gin."

"That's what I thought. Bye now."

Ginny pulled Harry down the next set of stairs, Hermione and Neville following. Harry eventually snorted, then full out laughed.

"It's hysterical how you scare them."

"Well, they have been hit with my bogey hex on more than one occasion. They fear it."

"They're not the only ones," Harry muttered, remembering the one and only time she'd used it against him.

Ginny heard him, regardless, and smirked at him. "Then you can fully understand how it is that they cower before me." Ginny held the haughty expression for a few seconds before she burst into laughter.

The four friends idly chatted the rest of the way to the Great Hall.

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Cormac was heading down to the Great Hall when someone grabbed his arm and pulled him into a connecting corridor.

"Hey!"

"Shut up! Are you going to do it?"

The Gryffindor fourth year looked uneasy. "I'm not so sure about this. I don't want the others the get hurt and that's a huge possibility. I don't care much for Potter, but I have nothing against anyone else."

Draco stared in disgust. "So, you're backing out, then? Where's that supposed Gryffindor courage?"

"You know what? Count me out, Malfoy. I'll find some other way to accomplish what I want."

Cormac tried to leave when, suddenly, his legs locked together. His eyes widened in panic. He started to speak, but a hand over his mouth stifled any noise he could get out.

A nasty grin slid across the blond's face. "Oh, I don't think so. You're going to do just as we planned." He looked over his shoulder to his companion hidden in the shadows. "Would you like the honor or shall I do it?"

"Imperio," came a soft command.

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The quartet of friends entered the Great Hall and gawked at the changes that had been made. The long house tables had been removed. Some chairs and small tables had been set against the walls for anyone who wanted to sit and relax. Where the staff table normally was located, musical instruments had been set up. Obviously, this was where the band would be performing. A multitude of candles hovered over and around the platform, lighting the area to a higher degree than the rest of the hall. Other students wandered the room, greeting friends while waiting for the show to begin.

"Mr. Potter, someone would like to see you."

Harry turned from admiring the other decorative touches—including posters of the band—to Professor McGonagall. "Me?"

"Yes. You." She pointed toward a door just off to the side of the platform. "They'd like to say hello."

"They?"

"Just go, Harry," Ginny said, chuckling, giving him a little shove.

"Oh, but, Miss Weasley, they'd like to meet you, too."

"Professor? Me?"

McGonagall actually looked amused, in Harry's opinion. He did think it funny that it was Ginny's turn to look surprised, though he did his best to keep from grinning.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom, they won't be long."

"Of course, Professor," Hermione replied. "Harry, we'll look for Ron, alright?"

"Yeah, sure. I guess."

As his Head of House began walking back in the direction of the door she'd pointed to earlier, Harry took Ginny's hand, shrugged helplessly, and motioned with his head that they should go. Who could it be? Harry pondered this on the short trek to the door. He certainly hoped it wasn't some Ministry official. Just the thought filled him with dread. Within a few steps of the door, a barking laughter rang out, instantly relaxing Harry. If Sirius was laughing, then it wouldn't likely be any officials. Turning the knob, Harry opened the door.

"Harry! Ginny! Great! You're here! Come say hello!"

Four men dressed in very casual clothing sat on a sofa opposite Sirius. They looked to be in their thirties. Two of their number had hair that reached their collars, while the other two wore their hair short. Sirius stood as Harry approached, as did the other men.

"Harry, Ginny, meet tonight's guests."

Stunned speechless, Harry could only stare. Apparently, Ginny had been similarly stunned as he heard nothing from her. One man stepped forward and held out his hand.

"So, you're Harry. Nice to finally meet you. Stubby, here—or I should say Sirius, I suppose—has been telling us some interesting stories. My name is Adam, by the way. I'm the front man for our little group."

Harry stumbled over his greeting as he shook the man's hand. "You're American," he said, surprised.

"Yes and no. All of us were born in the UK, but we spent a good portion of our childhoods across the pond," Adam said, indicating the others with him. He turned to Ginny. "And you're the one, I hear, who has been keeping him thinking positively."

Ginny blushed, even as her chin notched upward. "I try. It's not always easy."

Adam smiled sympathetically. "No, it never is, so, I thank you. If it weren't for people like you, people like myself, these guys, and Harry would be lost."

Once again, Harry was at a loss for words. Sirius laughed and shoved him—and by extension Ginny—into chairs. A handful of seconds passed before Harry remembered the note he'd received from them with the CD. His gaze jumped from man to man.

"So, it's true, then? I mean, I know what you said, but I guess I still didn't believe you."

The man beside Adam nodded. "Believe me, it's very true. Hello, Harry, I'm Bill, the drummer. We wanted to be here for the full moon, but couldn't arrange it."

"Wow. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Hi, I'm Jason, guitarist, and this guy beside me is Terry, our bassist. We want to help you any way we can."

"Right," Terry agreed. "And we're going to start by making a little announcement tonight."

"What would that be?" asked Ginny, finally finding her voice.

It was Adam who answered. "The guys and I have talked about this and have decided that it's time to stop hiding, to stop pretending we're normal, because we aren't normal and never will be."

"But that could kill your career!"

"That doesn't matter, Ginny. We believe that together, Harry and the four of us, can help change society's views of werewolves. You and your friends, Ginny, can also play a huge role."

"Don't get us wrong," Bill cautioned. "We're not here on any kind of agenda or anything. We just feel that there has to be other werewolves out there who, like Harry, could use all the support they could get. Show the world that we're people, too."

"And show the others that there is hope," Jason added. "One of the best quotes I've ever heard is by author Maya Angelou. She's a wonderful person. Anyway, she once said 'You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.'"

"Smart woman," Sirius commented. "Wish I knew her."

"Oh, she'd love you, Stu—uh, Sirius," Bill shook his head, laughing. "That's going to take some getting used to."

Sirius merely shrugged. The small group continued to chat for a few minutes. Then, Sirius shooed Harry and Ginny out the door, claiming it was close to showtime. Harry grinned at Ginny. It was going to be an interesting evening, indeed. Spying their friends through the crowd of students now filling the Great Hall, standing by the main doors, the couple headed in that direction.

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"What was that all about?" Neville asked once Harry and Ginny joined them.

"Oh, nothing," Harry said nonchalantly, "Sirius just took us back to meet the band members."

"What?"

"Hermione, don't look so surprised," Ginny lightly scolded her friend. "After all, they helped Harry when he needed it. It makes sense for Harry to meet them." Her smile morphed into one the Cheshire Cat would have been proud to display. "I just happened to tag along."

Hermione snorted and said teasingly, "Oh, yeah, because your hand was so conveniently attached to his."

"Naturally," George said from behind them. "After all—,"

Fred came up on his twin's other side to finish the sentence. "—it's their default position."

"Freddie, I think I have the perfect birthday gift for Harry."

"What would that be, dear brother?"

"Why, an impression of Ginny's hand, of course! He's likes her hand so much, you know. If he had a copy of her hand, maybe he'd let go of our Gin-Gin's real hand from time to time. What do you think?"

"Splendid idea, Georgie! What do you think, Harry?"

Harry, face burning—he really shouldn't still be doing this—at their joking, stepped behind Ginny, then said, "I have a loaded weapon and I'm not afraid to use her. Are you sure you two want to be here for the concert?"

Inwardly, he grinned when Ginny played along, shifting her weight to one leg and raising her wand to roll it between her fingertips. He could only guess her expression, but imagined it was pretty fierce, her brown eyes flashing. He almost wished he could see it. She was really pretty when her temper flared or when she was feeling mischievous—as long as it wasn't turned on him, anyway. He had to force himself not to laugh when the twins paled and backed up a few steps, holding their hands out in supplication.

"Never mind. Bad idea. I get that now."

"Yes, I agree with George. That was a terrible idea, just terrible. We'll, er, just go now and not bother you again. Good evening!"

As the two practically tripped over each other to leave, Harry did laugh. "That was brilliant, Ginny!"

Ginny spun around, her eyes narrowed, wand still twirling in her fingers. "So, I'm a weapon to be used, am I?"

Harry gulped, suddenly fearful of having her temper turned on him. The last time that had happened, he hadn't fared so well. "Er, well, I, I mean, you—"

Ginny's wand rose and he cringed inside. This was not going to be fun. In actuality, it was much better than simple fun for Ginny suddenly grinned before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. Harry let out the breath he'd been holding and slipped his own arms around her waist. After a brief moment, she stepped back, her head shaking as she smiled.

"Harry, sometimes it's just too easy with you."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you're downright scary," Harry said, chuckling now that he was at ease again.

Ginny's eyes grew big and her bottom lip stuck out. "I thought you liked my temper," she pouted.

"I do! Just not when it's directed at me!" He laughed when her pouting face instantly brightened. "Better?"

"Much." She punctuated her statement with a quick peck on his lips.

"You two are silly, you know that, right?" Hermione asked, grinning despite her words.

Ginny shrugged, not bothered in the least. As she stepped to Harry's other side and took his hand again, the Headmaster called for silence from the make-shift stage.

"Thank you all for waiting so patiently. I have been informed that it is now time to proceed. I advise you to be on your best behavior for the penalty otherwise will be severe." His blue gaze zeroed in on the Weasley twins a moment before moving around the Hall. "Now. Please join me in welcoming our guests."

Students and staff, alike, began to clap. As the band entered from the little room they'd been in, Dumbledore lifted a hand and lowered the flames of candles floating around the Great Hall until it was cozier, leaving the candle flames on the "stage" as they were.

The four guys began introducing themselves, giving everyone a little background information, making it a point to mention the Muggle group and how the two bands were connected. From beside him, Harry heard Hermione say something before slapping her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide, cheeks and ears turning pink.

"I can't believe I just said that," she fretted.

Harry figured he'd get in a little teasing since he rarely could with Hermione. "Do you think so, Hermione? I could introduce you to him, if you'd like. Mind you, he is married, so—ow!"

Harry rubbed his stomach where he'd just been smacked, and winced. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have hurt nearly so much, but just yesterday he'd undergone his monthly transformation. He'd actually managed to ignore how much he hurt until now. It took a few seconds before he could breathe normally.

"Oh, my goodness, Harry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have hit you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Hermione. Don't worry. Being able to finally tease you about something was worth it. Besides, Ginny said the same thing."

Hermione's wide-eyed gaze jumped to Ginny. "You did? Really?"

Ginny, who had been watching Harry, turned her attention to her friend. "I did." She grinned and shrugged.

"Oh, well, good then, I suppose."

The first bars of the opening song played drawing Hermione's attention. Ginny took the opportunity to lean close to Harry's ear and whisper, "I didn't say any such thing and you know it."

The little hairs at the back of Harry's neck stood up as her breath puffed against his skin. Gooseflesh momentarily dotted his arms. He fervently hoped she didn't notice. "It made her feel better, though, didn't it?"

Ginny glanced at Hermione, saw she was much more relaxed, her foot tapping out the rhythm of the song. Turning back to her boyfriend, she kissed him softly on the cheek. "You're so sweet, Harry." Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the center section of the Great Hall where most of the student body was already dancing. "Come on, let's go dance."

"Er, I don't really dance. I don't know how."

"There's nothing to it. Just feel the rhythm and move accordingly. Come on."

Harry sighed. With great reluctance, he let her drag him into the crowd. Ruefully, he shook his head at his capitulation. Apparently, she knew he'd do anything for her just because she wanted to do it. He had the thought that maybe that wasn't a good thing, but he shoved it away.

Determined not to ruin the night for Ginny, he awkwardly copied her movements, swinging his arms, his hips, and moving his feet. Near the end of the song, he'd relaxed enough to actually enjoy himself, despite his aching muscles. A quick glance around the room showed Hermione and Neville were also dancing not too far from himself and Ginny, and Ron was loitering near the main doors, leg bouncing with the beat.

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The intermission came after a set of five songs. Students—including Harry and Ginny—took advantage of it to rush the refreshments table that had appeared in a far corner of the Great Hall or to dash off to the loo. Dumbledore passed refreshments up to the band while staff monitored the corridor and Entrance Hall for any improper activities. Fifteen minutes later, the four guys moved back into position, signaling the beginning of the next set.

"These next two songs are very personal for us. The four of us wrote them years ago as a release to the turmoil we were feeling. Until now, we were too scared, yes, scared to put them out, but have decided now was a good time to do so. We hope they resonate with you."

As soon as Adam began the introduction, Harry tensed. He knew what was coming. He really should have known they would play them, but in all honesty, it hadn't entered his mind. A part of him hoped his fellow students did actually understand the message in the songs. Another part of him hoped they didn't get it, and that shamed him.

"Come on, Harry," Ginny said softly, pulling him toward some chairs. "We don't have to dance to these if you'd rather not."

Harry watched over his shoulder as Jason and Terry picked up an acoustic guitar and bass, respectively, sat down on a pair of stools and began lightly playing as Adam spoke. Bill sat quietly behind his drums and waited. It looked like they were planning an acoustic version this time. Harry turned back to Ginny and the chairs she was tugging him toward. His gaze jumped around the room. Everyone seemed to be paying close attention to Adam. If they all picked up on the message in those songs, they could very well start staring and that was the last thing Harry wanted, but...

Planting his feet, he pulled Ginny to a stop. "Wait. The whole meaning of tonight was to stop hiding what we are, to stop feeling ashamed of it. I can't exactly hide myself away. Let's dance, Ginny."

"Are you sure, Harry?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Harry looked away, his eyes landing on Adam, who seemed to have been watching him. Harry saw him nod the slightest bit and it bolstered Harry's confidence. "Yes, but I have one thing to ask. When they all start staring at me—you and I both know they will—please distract me."

"Of course I will, Harry. I would have done that anyway."

Harry shrugged and led Ginny back the way they had come just as the lyrics started. Resting his hands at her waist, he swayed to the rhythm, smiling gently when her hands came up to his shoulders, a smile on her face, her beautiful eyes not wavering from him.

Harry gulped. Any moment now, he knew the stares would be coming. The second verse came, and sure enough, from the corner of his eyes Harry could see heads turning his way. Harry all but stopped moving, now too much on edge to pretend, which was just as well since, as he told Ginny, tonight was all about not pretending.

Then, Ginny eased his discomfort. Her hands slid up to cup his face and gently pulled until his head rested against the top of hers. Then, she wound her arms around his waist. "It's okay, Harry," she whispered. "You can do this and I'm here to help you."

Harry closed his eyes, breathing in the flowery scent he'd always associated with her. It always managed to soothe him and tonight was no different. They remained that way until the last notes of the second song faded away into silence. Murmurs and whispers met his ears. Before he could even begin to gather the courage to raise his head, Adam made his announcement. Harry swore he could have heard a feather hit the floor—even without his sensitive hearing—it was that quiet. Dropping a quick kiss on Ginny's forehead, he raised his head to gauge the reactions of his classmates.

Everyone was looking at everyone else, expressions of confusion and astonishment being the most prevalent. There were, of course, a select few who appeared angry or disgusted. Harry would have even gone so far as to say they wore expressions of pure loathing. Then, someone yelled. Harry spun around and came nearly face to face with Cormac McLaggen. To Harry, he looked a bit dazed and was sweating heavily.

"Potter!" To Harry's ears, his voice sounded strained. "I've never really liked you."

He raised his wand and began to cast a spell. Suddenly, his wand jerked out of his hand and went spinning through the air and into Sirius's outstretched hand. Professor McGonagall marched over took control of the situation, took the fourth year by the arm and led him out of the Great Hall, scolding him for his conduct as she did so.

Sirius turned to Harry, his expression grim. "Well, that was a bit too close for comfort. He must have been the one who's attacked you those times, Harry."

Harry wasn't so sure and started to say so when every nerve in his body began an intensely familiar burning. Dropping to his knees, arms around his middle, he cried out in pain.

"Harry!" Ginny and Sirius called to him, both kneeling before him.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

"Get me out of here, Sirius," Harry panted. "Now."

"Oh, no. Not again." Ginny looked up at Sirius. "He's going to change again! Someone hit him with that spell! We've got to get him out of here!"

Sirius's expression hardened. "My quarters. They're closest."

Harry barely felt himself being scooped into a pair of arms and lifted. The extreme pain only allowed that much awareness, and even that was rapidly dwindling. His pained screams echoed off the walls, taking on an inhuman quality. He couldn't help it. The pressure inside compounded as the bones, muscles, and tendons in his hands began to shift. Then, all he knew was white-hot pain.

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Harry groaned when someone lifted his head. Oh, Merlin, he hurt!

"I know, Harry," came a soft voice above him, "but this will help. I promise."

The cold rim of a goblet touched his lips. Parting them automatically, he drank down the potion as best he could, his body's shuddering causing some to dribble from the corner of his mouth. Once he'd finished, the goblet was taken away, his face was cleaned, and he was lowered back to his pillow.

"Sirius?" he rasped. His throat felt as if it had been scoured. Harry felt a hand run gently through his damp hair.

"Yes, it's me, Harry."

"Why does this keep happening?"

"I don't know, but we're going to find out. We caught him, remember?"

"I don't think so. His eyes. It was like he was in a daze or something."

"You think he was Imperiused?"

Harry yawned, tried to shrug, and winced. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Well, don't worry about it now. You need to get some sleep. I'll be sure to tell Dumbledore what you said. He'll look into it."

"I wonder if that's tru..." Harry fell asleep before he could finish his thought. He never heard his godfather admit to being doubtful about it as well.

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When next he opened his eyes, a blurred form topped with red hair leaned forward, and just like that, his vision cleared. Her normally bright eyes, now dull with her distress, were watching him closely. Moisture welled up in them and spilled down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Harry."

It took a great deal of effort, but Harry managed to lift his hand enough to wipe away her tears. "Whatever for? You didn't do anything."

"I insisted on going to the concert. I knew you weren't feeling all that great, but I wanted to go so badly that I didn't try very hard to convince you to stay in the common room. It seems I have a habit of doing that."

Thoroughly confused, Harry stared at her a few moments hoping for enlightenment. It didn't come. "What are you on about?"

"Well, the last time was when I insisted we go down to the Chamber, remember? As I recall, you ended up sick for a week. Now, here we are again. I insist we go to the concert, and you get attacked. Just like then, I should have tried harder to get you to not go."

Harry struggled to scoot over on the bed, but he eventually did it. Patting the spot he had vacated, he said, "Come here." He reached for her hand as she sat next to him after rearranging the duvet. "Slide down here so I can see you better. I want you to look at me as I say what it is I'm about to tell you." He waited while she lay down, again readjusting the duvet underneath her, until she was on her side facing him, one hand under her cheek for a pillow. "Now. As I recall, I wanted to go down to the Chamber with you, just like I wanted to go to the concert. You're not to blame, alright?"

"Yeah, okay. I just don't like seeing you like this."

"I'm fine, Ginny. Yeah, I hurt, but you being the first person I saw when I woke up helps more than you know. Besides, I think I should be the one to apologize. You were having fun until things happened. At least, I think you were."

Ginny's expression turned fierce. "Listen to yourself, Harry. Things happened. You didn't do anything. Sometimes, things just happen. You're no more at fault than I am."

Harry opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again, realizing she'd neatly maneuvered him right into a corner. He couldn't blame himself without putting blame on her, as well. He grinned tiredly.

"I see what you did there. Sneaky, Miss Weasley."

"With Fred and George as my brothers, is it any wonder? Now, sleep, Harry. I know you need it."

Harry yawned, took off his glasses and set them on the bedside table, then rolled to face Ginny. "Good idea."

Nestling into the bed and pulling the duvet around him, he closed his eyes with a sigh. Just as he was drifting off, he vaguely registered a caress through his hair.

"Thanks, Ginn..." Sleep claimed him before he could finish her name.

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"Well, I don't think you needn't have worried, Molly," Sirius said, sounding very amused. "I think he's in the best hands possible."

Ginny awoke and nearly panicked. Her mum was here? Well, at least Sirius was the one to catch her sleeping beside Harry. He'd only do a little mickey taking. Her mum on the other hand... Then, she heard a gasp and fought to keep feigning sleep. Her mum wouldn't dare disturb Harry's sleep on a normal day, and since this wasn't by any means a normal day, Ginny thought she was pretty safe—for the moment.

"Don't, Molly." His tone was cordial, but Ginny could hear an undertone of warning in it. "Don't wake Harry up. They're fine."

"She should not be sleeping on his bed," Molly hissed, sounding just like an angry cat. "It's not proper."

"Molly, take a good look and tell me what you see."

"Sirius, I can see that they're separated by the duvet, but that doesn't matter."

"That's all you see?" The question piqued Ginny's curiosity and she hoped she got an answer to Sirius's meaning. "Really? You don't see anything else?"

"What are you getting at, Sirius?"

"Alright, I'll tell you what I see. I see a young man, who had to endure hideous pain again after already going through it this month, taking comfort in the fact that his best friend—regardless of what else they may be—is close by. You can see it in the easy way he's lying there, the way his shoulders aren't stiffly held. It's a more natural pose. Usually after a full moon, even in sleep, he can't relax because of the pain, so he sleeps poorly. It was the same for Remus, and I imagine, for all werewolves. Look at him, Molly. Right now, he's sleeping the best I've ever seen after a transformation. Do you really want to take that from him because of some perceived impropriety?"

Ginny listened hard for any nuance of emotion from her mother. Silently, she begged her mother to let her stay with Harry. Sirius's statements intrigued her, and she really wanted to see for herself how Harry looked. Then, there was an exhalation, and her mother spoke the words Ginny wanted to hear.

"You're right. I don't want to disturb Harry, the poor child. He deals with so much. It's eight o'clock, though. Ginny doesn't need to sleep all morning."

Ginny felt like smiling. Her mum had a soft spot for Harry, and seemed to from the first response to Ginny's letter home about him. Footsteps padded across the room and Ginny carefully made her face blank, concentrating on breathing deeply and slowly. She nearly jumped when she felt a light kiss pressed to her head. She did startle a bit when her mum whispered in her ear.

"I know you aren't asleep, Ginny. I'm giving you one hour. Merlin knows, Harry needs all the rest he can get and you appear to be helping him. One hour. I just can't give you more than that."

Ginny looked up at her mum and smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Mum," she whispered. Ginny received a smile in return. Her smile widened when her mum placed a light kiss on Harry's head.

"I just don't know how he does it," Molly whispered, shaking her head.

"He's strong, that's how."

"He is, indeed."

With that, her mum walked back across the room and through the door. Ginny's gaze found Sirius and he winked at her, his mouth twisting into a grin, before closing the door. Nearly laughing, Ginny turned her gaze to the sleeping form beside her, taking in Harry's appearance. Despite his pallor and the shadows underneath his eyes, Sirius was right. Harry did seem to be sleeping more peacefully. It felt good to know she had helped in some way, since she'd felt so helpless before. Letting her head drop back to the bed, she watched over Harry while he slept.

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Some time later, Harry finally roused from his slumber, thanks in part to two things that needed attention. Forcing himself out of bed, donning his glasses as he did so, he quietly opened the door and nearly shouted in joy when he saw the loo was unoccupied. Hurrying as fast as he could, he crossed the hallway and shut the door.

The most pressing need taken care of, Harry wandered out into the sitting room, stopping short at seeing it so full. Sirius, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Ron, Mrs. Weasley—why was she there?—and the band were all present. Sirius stood and walked over, looking a little concerned.

"How are you feeling, kiddo? Hungry?"

"Starved." Harry tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock. I'll have one of the house-elves bring in something."

Harry dropped his hand from his face and stared at his godfather. "Really? I slept that long? You let me sleep that long?"

Sirius grinned and wagged his eyebrows. "You seem to be sleeping so well, for once, I didn't want to wake you. Hmmm. I wonder why that was?"

Harry rolled his eyes, even as he felt the heat blossom in his cheeks. "Shut it, you."

Sirius laughed. "Go sit down before you fall down. I'll contact the kitchens."

As his godfather strolled over to the fireplace, Harry glanced around the room. A few of the room's occupants played musical chairs until there was a free space next to Ginny, who merely patted the spot next to her. Halfway there, Mrs Weasley jumped up and hovered next to him, he supposed in case he couldn't make it on his own.

"I'm alright, Mrs. Weasley," he reassured her.

She looked so fretful, he felt he needed to say something. Unfortunately, that seemed to make things worse. Her eyes, nearly identical to Ginny's, filled with tears, but to her credit, they didn't fall. Finally, he reached his place and gingerly sat, fidgeting a tiny bit. He hated being the center of attention and their staring made him uncomfortable.

Ginny wrapped his hand in hers, and he gave her a grateful smile. Once again, she understood what he was thinking and feeling. The urge to kiss her hit him, but he refrained. This definitely was not the place, especially with Mrs. Weasley sitting on the other side of Ginny and watching them.

He cleared his throat and glanced around the room. "Do we know who did it this time?"

"This time?" Adam asked, perplexed. "It's happened before?" He looked around at the others for confirmation.

"A few times, yes," Harry admitted, "but Dumbledore hasn't been able to catch the person. Whoever it is knows how to hide."

"That's insanity!" Jason burst out. "If that happened in the States, he'd have been canned. They wouldn't put up with that."

Feeling Dumbledore was being unjustly condemned, Harry quickly defended the Headmaster. "It's not his fault. Whoever it is has learned how to conceal his identity and his activities. What's Dumbledore supposed to do? Use Veritaserum on everyone? That's highly illegal, you know."

Jason held out his hands in a placating manner. "I'm not saying he should do something illegal, Harry. I just think that there should be more ways to find out who's behind the attacks. Think about it. Prior Incantato only shows the last spell performed by the wand, right?"

"That's true," Sirius said, coming back into the room.

"Right. So, all it would take to hide any evidence would be to simply perform a harmless spell. Maybe even perform a few of them just to be safe."

"I guess that makes sense," Harry allowed. He turned to his godfather. "Did that even occur to Dumbledore? It should have if it didn't. Everyone calls him the greatest wizard alive."

"That doesn't make him infallible, Harry. He's human and makes mistakes. I don't know what's occurred to him and what hasn't, but we'll get the chance to ask because he's coming to see you. I talked to him after I talked to the elves."

Harry nodded. "Good." He stared at the floor, contemplating exactly how difficult or how simple it would be to remain anonymous in this situation. "I guess it's fairly easy to hide yourself, too. I know there are spells that can do it."

"But, Harry," Hermione finally spoke up. "those spells are advanced. Why would an older student attack you?"

"Why would anyone?" Ginny shot back.

Harry groaned and rubbed his forehead with his free hand, a futile attempt to alleviate his headache, he knew. "Well, I can guess, Hermione, and I'm sure everyone else here can, as well."

"Don't be so quick to judge your fellow classmates, Harry," Adam warned. "You didn't see them after you were taken out of the Great Hall."

"That's right," Terry said, nodded. "I heard one boy ranting to a girl about how cowardly it was to attack someone in that way, and that the person who did it should be banned from the school permanently. The girl agreed and said the person responsible should be officially charged with a crime and sent away. They were older students, too, Harry."

"You're already changing society's views, Harry." Sirius's voice held pride, but there was also a note of sadness. "Remus would be delighted to hear that."

Before Harry could become too emotional over that statement, several house-elves came spitting from the fireplace, arms loaded with platters of food or dishes and utensils. Sirius went over to direct the activity. Once that was done, he invited everyone to help themselves. Stomach growling and mouth watering, Harry stiffly walked as fast as he could—and really, a rushed turtle could move faster—to the table to load a plate.

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"I have to say I'm a little surprised you're still here," Harry said after having eaten his fill.

Adam merely looked at him, brows raised. Similar expressions met Harry as he looked to the others for some explanation. "What?"

"We couldn't just leave after what happened, Harry," the band's leader replied. "We wouldn't be very nice people if we did that, and I'd like to think that we're pretty nice, but mainly, we wanted to know how you were doing."

"I just thought maybe you had somewhere else you needed to go, another concert or something."

"Nope," Jason said, jumping into the conversation. "We're actually working on another album, so this was a special occasion."

"As a matter of fact," Terry added, "since the concert was interrupted, we're doing an encore performance tonight, make it a proper show. What do you say? Feel like coming?"

Harry, for the moment, was at a loss for words. He simply had a hard time believing they had stayed to check up on him. Then, to find out they wanted to give everyone a better concert experience—it just floored him.

"It's okay if you don't think you're feeling up to it. Believe me when I say that we all understand." Jason, Terry, and Bill all nodded their agreement to Adam's statement.

"No, it's not that. I'm just, it's just a surprise, I suppose, to hear that you want to do another show. Of course I'll go. I may be sitting the whole time, but I'll be there."

Ginny squeezed his hand, so he turned to her. She was eying him critically. "Honestly, Ginny. I'll take one of Madam Pomfrey's pain potions just before the show. I'll be fine." She continued to study him, and he began to get nervous. A little quick thinking had him blurting out, "I promise to leave if I'm not."

Apparently, that had been what she was after, for she graced him with a huge smile, one that lit her eyes so they appeared to glow. He loved that smile, and he would say or do whatever it took to keep it on her face, even admitting when he was feeling awful.

A knock on the door drew everyone's attention. Sirius opened it and greeted the Headmaster. It looked to Harry, if the expression on Dumbledore's face was anything to go by, that the attacker's identity had been discovered and answers were going to be forthcoming. Well, it was about time.

Those gathered waited for Dumbledore to get comfortable in his conjured squishy armchair. Harry swallowed with difficulty when the Headmaster's normally jovial blue eyes zeroed in on him. He was further surprised when Dumbledore spoke so forthrightly.

"Harry, I must beg your forgiveness. I refused to acknowledge what was before me. I knew there was tension between you and Mr. Malfoy, but I chose to see it as merely a rivalry between students. I am sad to say that my inaction has caused you immeasurable pain."

"So, I was right, then? It wasn't McLaggen who had attacked me before."

Harry waited while Dumbledore took in the expressions of the others before returning his attention back to him. "Perhaps it would be best to discuss this at another time."

"Everyone here is a friend, Professor. It's not as if they don't know what's been going on."

"Very well. Yes, Harry, you were correct. Mr. McLaggen had been put under the Imperius Curse. He admitted to having planned an attack on you with Mr. Malfoy, but when he decided not to go through with it, he was forced into it by an unknown party."

Sirius cursed under his breath. "Let me get this right. You're telling us there's someone else, someone whose identity is completely unknown, running around the castle who has it in for Harry?"

"That looks to be case, yes."

"What happened to all the security you said you were putting into place?" Sirius demanded, pacing. "I distinctly remember something being said at Christmas about adding some protections. Why hasn't that been done yet?"

"How did this mystery person even get into the castle?" Harry asked, his own anger seeping into his voice.

"It is possible this person is an Animagus. It is also possible this person has discovered the tunnel under the Whomping Willow."

"There's a tunnel under that tree?" Hermione asked, amazed.

"A person would have to be mental to use that tunnel, though," Ron said, looking as if someone had suggested he use the passageway. "That tree is evil."

"That tree, Mr. Weasley, is there to prevent students from discovering the secret tunnel and using it to get into Hogsmeade. It protected Remus's secret when he first came to school."

The mention of his honorary uncle brought tightness to Harry's chest, though this time it was a bearable pressure instead of the one that accompanied absolute despair. Ginny's free hand gently caressed his arm, warmth spreading from her fingertips, dispelling the chill that had suddenly taken him over. He squeezed her hand in thanks and received an answering squeeze in reply.

"Could someone have stumbled across the entrance in Hogsmeade?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Not unless they were wandering around inside the Shrieking Shack," Ginny answered, after tuning back in to the conversation.

"And since that's known as the most haunted house in Britain, that's not likely," Hermione replied.

Harry sighed and leaned back, mindful of his overtaxed muscles. His head pounded at his temples like little drums. Boom! Boom! Boom! Resisting the urge to attempt to massage away the pain, Harry sat, struggling to make sense of what he'd heard. It sounded to him as if McLaggen had been as much a victim as he was.

"Why?" he asked softly. "Why did McLaggen want to attack me? Did he say?"

"Indeed he did. When he was three, he lived on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow. When the werewolves attacked that Halloween night, he lost a baby sister and a few other members of his extended family. His parents never truly recovered from their loss and their prejudice affected Mr. McLaggen."

"Oh." Harry thought about that a moment. How would he have felt if it had been him instead? Would he have done the same? "I suppose I can understand, then."

"Harry!" Hermione cried. "You can't possibly be saying—"

"I know what's it's like to lose someone, Hermione. I'm just saying that his attitude towards me makes more sense now."

"Mr. McLaggen has agreed to leave you alone, Harry, in exchange for spending detention with Mr. Filch for the next month, rather than being expelled. Young Mr. Malfoy will be expelled for the remainder of the school year. His wand proved he'd used the transformative spell on you, and that, with Mr. McLaggen's testimony, is sufficient evidence for his expulsion."

"What about Lucius?" Sirius asked, still standing, arms crossed. "He's currently on the Board of Governors. Do you really think he'll let his own son be expelled?"

For the first time since their conversation started, Harry saw Dumbledore's customary twinkle in his eyes. "That, Sirius, is being remedied as we speak. There are enough honest Governors on the Board who dislike Lucius's privileged demeanor, and once they heard what his son had attempted to do, they had what they needed—a legitimate reason—to vote him off the Board."

Sirius nodded, his feelings about that obvious. "At least something good has come from all this."

"Mr. Bill Weasley will be here tomorrow to set up some very complicated protective wards around the castle and grounds."

"How will that help if this other guy is already in the castle?" Harry asked, skeptically.

"I do not believe whomever it is has remained in the castle once it was known Mr. Malfoy had been caught. The two were working together, and he was likely afraid of being discovered."

"And what of the other Slytherins?" Sirius still didn't look all that convinced Dumbledore's plan was sufficient, and really, Harry wasn't, either. "There's a few who despise Harry. Mostly cronies of Draco's, but a few others as well. What's to keep them from taking up where Draco left off? Harry will be safe here or I'll do what Remus threatened to do and pull Harry from the school."

Alarmed to hear that, Harry watched his godfather closely. He wouldn't, would he? Where would he, Harry, go then? What about Ginny? He wouldn't leave her behind. He started to say as much, but a quick glance from his godfather silenced him. Harry wasn't sure what he'd seen in that gray gaze, but it was enough for Harry to keep silent for the moment. He felt Ginny's grip on his hand tighten. Switching hands with her, he draped his left arm across her shoulders, and whispered in her ear.

"I'm not leaving you. If I go, you're going with me, one way or another." She relaxed a bit at his words. Harry tuned back into the showdown between one revered wizard and one determined to do what he felt was right, even if that meant going against the wizard everyone believed to be the greatest since Merlin.

"Sirius, really, there is no need to make any hasty decisions."

"I'm not, I assure you. Remus and I discussed, at length, this very topic." Sirius started out calmly, but as he continued speaking, his voice rose with his anger. "This school is supposed to be a safe haven for its students, but tell me, Albus, how safe is a huge, three-headed dog? Three first years confronted Voldemort here. How safe is a huge basilisk? Several students were Petrified and could have been killed! Another student was heavily influenced by Voldemort, almost to the point of losing her life! Oh, yes, I know all about those instances. So far this year, another of your students has been attacked on multiple occasions. You haven't exactly inspired much confidence in your ability to take care of things."

"I understand your concern, Sirius. However, I must ask that you give these wards a chance to show you how effective they can be. As for any others who wish ill will toward Harry, they will be taken into Ministry custody and will be officially charged and will receive punishments befitting their crimes."

"I have a few people I need to discuss this with before I can give you any sort of decision. Though if this second person has left as you surmise, then I'm not sure what 'proof of the ward's effectiveness' I'll receive."

In Harry's opinion, Dumbledore looked dejected at not having won the argument outright. Maybe dejected was too strong of a word. Perhaps he looked resigned to having to concede. Yes, that was it. Although, Harry did see that there was a determined look in the Headmaster's eyes still. He obviously hadn't given up on convincing Sirius of everything.

After a moment, the Headmaster nodded. "Very well. I shall await your decision."

With that, Dumbledore stood, vanished his squishy armchair, then, after a quick glance around the room, exited, shoulders slumped. For the first time, Harry thought the professor looked every bit his advanced age and wondered if his age had affected his capacity for thinking clearly.

"Harry," Sirius said with a long sigh, "you and I have a lot to discuss."