"Any clue who the new DADA teacher is?" asked Sirius the next morning. The new professor hadn't shown up yet, and I briefly wondered whether Dumbledore had found one.

"No idea," said Regulus. "I don't have Defence until tomorrow."

"We have it first today," Lily said. "Don't we learn about the Unforgiveables this year, James?"

"Urgh, yeah," I shuddered. "I've had just about enough of those."

"Just about?" Remus asked bemusedly.

"Meh, I haven't dealt with the Imperius yet," I shrugged.

Sirius crinkled his nose. "Well, I've had enough of the Cruciatus to last me a lifetime."

"The professor won't cast that on us," I said. "He might cast the Imperius on us, to see if we can fight it. Shame Williams left."

"He moved to America, didn't he?" Lily asked. "Do you remember who the professor was the first time around."

"Yeah, I think it was some Death Eater who's in Azkaban by now," I replied. "How does Dumbledore not realize this stuff? Didn't we have a Death Eater in first year, too?"

"Don't remind me," Sirius grumbled. "I hated him."

"No, fifth year's was the Death Eater, not fourth," said Lily. "I think- was it the one that got lost in the forest and never came out?"

"Oh, yeah," I chuckled. "He was kind of loony, wasn't he?"

"Who do you think it'll be?" asked Regulus.

"Probably some Auror," I shrugged. "That'd at least be a decent professor."

Peter, who'd been shovelling down food so fast he could speak, suddenly looked up. "Hey! We're going to be late!"

"What?" I asked. "Are we really?"

Peter nodded, and showed me his watch. Sure enough, we were very nearly late.

"You'd better run," Regulus advised. I nodded, and we all (minus Regulus, who had a free period first) shot up and raced out of the Great Hall towards the Defence classroom.

"Sorry we're late!" Sirius exclaimed as we burst in the door. "We weren't watching the time!"

"I think we can let it slide this time," said a very familiar voice. I looked up and gaped.

"Dad!?" I exclaimed.

"James," Dad replied, smiling bemusedly. "Well, sit down, you lot, and we can get started."

"Right," Lily said, and we all took our usual seats.

"This is gonna be great!" Sirius whispered. "Your dad will let us get away with everything!"

"No, actually, I won't," Dad said, obviously having heard Sirius. Sirius turned red. "Alright. Welcome to Defence. Today, we'll be learning about the Unforgiveable Curses. Who can name me one?"

Several hands shot into the air, including mine and Sirius's.

"Alice," Dad said, nodding towards Alice.

"The Imperius Curse," Alice said. "It gives the caster complete control over their victim."

"Right," Dad smiled. "Alright, I've brought these spiders to show you the spells on. If you get uncomfortable, you certainly don't have to watch."

Dad pointed his wand at the first spider. "Imperio."

The spider stiffened, before skittering off the desk and over towards Alice, who strangely patted it, before it ended up tap-dancing around the room. Several students started laughing, and my dad brought the spider back and released the curse.

"You think it's funny?" he asked, no trace of humour in his voice. Sirius, who'd also been laughing, immediately went quiet as Dad's eyes passed over him. "What if I had put the curse on one of you? What if I told one of you to jump off the Astronomy Tower, or murder your best friend."

The entire class had gone pale.

"Not funny, is it?" asked Dad gravely. "The next curse?"

Sirius raised his hand hesitantly. Dad nodded towards him. "Sirius?"

"The- the Cruciatus," Sirius declared. I had to admire his bravery to talk about that specific curse in front of the entire class, considering his personal experience with it. "It causes the victim horrible pain- well, that's an understatement, but it's not very easy to describe, you see."

Dad nodded solemnly. "Yes, you would know. The Cruciatus causes indescribable pain to the victim, as Sirius said. If it causes anyone discomfort, you can look away when I use it on the spider."

A few girls looked away as Dad cast the spell; Sirius and I both flinched, both of us most likely remembering the pain of the curse. Dad lifted the spell after a few seconds.

"The last curse, then?" Dad asked.

I rose my hand. "The Killing Curse, Avada Kadavra. It does exactly what its name implies. In a flash of green, someone's life could be over."

I avoided looking at Sirius. I had been so close to losing him this summer...

"Right," said Dad sombrely. "I don't much want to cast this curse, but I am supposed to show you."

I closed my eyes as Dad whispered the curse, but I could still see the green through my eyelids. That could have been Sirius this summer. That almost had been Sirius.

"Okay," Dad said, and I opened my eyes. "No homework tonight. Class dismissed- er, James and Sirius, stay a moment."

The rest of the class filed out, and Sirius and I walked up to the front of the room.

"How are you?" Dad asked.

"I'm fine," Sirius said. "How 'bout you, Jamie?"

"That could have been you," I whispered. Sirius raised an eyebrow, and Dad nodded in understanding. "This summer. You could've died. If it hadn't of been for Dad's spell, you would've."

"I'll try to keep myself safer this year," Sirius chuckled.

"Carol was the one who insisted that I teach," Dad said. "Because you two and Regulus always seem to get into trouble."

I blushed. "Trouble usually finds us."

"Believe me, I know," Dad snickered, before turning serious again. "Listen, if he doesn't by now, Voldemort will know soon that you, Sirius, are alive. You must be extra careful."

"He won't come after us at Hogwarts," Sirius said unworriedly.

I frowned. "But he might at Hogsmeade."

Sirius frowned as well. "Well... we'll just be on our guard, then."

"I'd suggest not leaving the grounds," Dad said.

"But-" Sirius said. "Moony!"

Dad gave him a weird look.

"I, er, don't know if I've told you yet," I said anxiously. "But, er... Sirius, Peter, and I- and probably Regulus too, soon- are Animagi. Well, Pete's not completely able to transform yet, and Sirius mastered it this summer."

Dad chuckled. "Figures. And what does this have to do with Remus?"

"We... kind of go with him on the full moon?" Sirius said. "Well, James does. I'll be starting this year."

Dad was silent for a moment, and at first, I thought he was going to scold us and forbid us from going. Finally, he spoke, "Alright. Just don't tell your mother."

Sirius and I grinned widely and high-fived.

"Thanks, Dad!" I exclaimed.

"Well, who did you think you got your mischievous side from?" Dad asked, eyes sparkling. "Just be careful. It'll be on my head if you get hurt."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Sirius said.

"Yeah, as long as Sirius keeps his wits about him," I added. Sirius stuck his tongue out at me.

Dad laughed. "Just keep safe, boys."

The first week or so of school passed quickly and uneventfully. Dad was putting off putting students under the Imperius for as long as he could, so we were studying the other two curses at the moment. Tonight, however, was the full moon.

"You're sure you want to come?" Remus asked anxiously.

Sirius snorted. "Course we do."

"When do I get to come?" Regulus whined.

"When you become an Animagus," I said. "Won't be long now; Dad's getting the potion for you to know your form."

"I can't wait!" Regulus grinned.

"I'm almost ready," Peter said. "I should be able to come next time or the time after that."

"Don't rush," Remus replied. "I don't want you to mess up."

"I've got James helping out," Peter smiled.

"Oi!" Sirius exclaimed. "What about me?"

"Sirius, you're a walking disaster magnet," Regulus snickered. "If something doesn't go wrong tonight, I'll be amazed."

Sirius just stuck out his tongue at his little brother.

After a few minutes, Madam Pomfrey collected Remus. We waited a minute, before putting on the invisibility cloak and slipping outside towards the shack. Thankfully, we got there just before Remus transformed.

Moony greeted us enthusiastically. 'Prongs! Padfoot! Hi!'

'Hullo, Moony,' I replied. 'Do you want to go out today?'

'Oh, can we really?' asked Padfoot eagerly.

'We can keep Moony in line,' I said. 'What do you say, Moony?'

'Okay!' Moony said, wagging his tail. Padfoot nudged the trapdoor open and exited first, quickly followed by Moony, then me. We made our way into the Forbidden Forest, Padfoot and I flanking Moony, who was eagerly taking in his new environment, before he suddenly stopped. 'Human.'

'What?' I said sharply, as Padfoot stopped and sniffed the air.

'He's right,' Padfoot confirmed. 'Several humans- and... urgh, a really repugnant one.'

'Hunt?' asked Moony hopefully.

'Let's get back to the Shack,' I said nervously.

'Wait-' Padfoot said. 'I recognize some of those scents- smells like family- no wonder it was so gross!'

'It's not Regulus, is it?' I asked worriedly.

'No, female,' Padfoot replied shortly. I shuffled uneasily. Unless Andromeda Tonks had decided to take a random walk in the Forbidden Forest, it wasn't someone we wanted to run into.

'Hunt?' Moony repeated, trying to push past us. Padfoot stood in front of him, and I worried Moony would attack him.

'No,' I said forcefully. 'Let's go back.'

'Yeah,' said Padfoot finally. Moony was getting anxious, and I didn't want to take any risks. Padfoot walked towards Moony, nudging him back towards the Shack. Moony growled, and lashed out at Sirius, leaving a long cut glistening in blood down the dog's side. Padfoot yelped in pain, and I walked forward and brandished my antlers towards Moony, herding him back towards the Shack. Moony lashed out again, catching me across the face. I blinked blood out of my eyes, before hearing voices approaching.

"Oh. It's just a bunch of animals," noted one voice. Padfoot was growling, and I was too busy containing Moony to turn and look.

"You dolt!" exclaimed an all too familiar feminine voice. "That's a werewolf!"

'That's Bellatrix,' Padfoot growled.

"Well, stun it, then!" said the male voice.

"You do it!"

"Fine," replied the voice. "Stupefy!"

There was a flash of red, and Moony crumpled to the ground unconscious. I whipped around, and narrowed my eyes. Padfoot was snarling at the two Death Eaters. I stepped up beside him.

'Don't attack,' I warned. 'Let's just get out of here.'

'They cursed Moony,' Padfoot barked angrily.

'It was just a Stunner,' I said. 'Let's get out of here.'

"Should I get the other too?" asked the male Death Eater.

'Let's go,' I insisted.

Padfoot was still growling at the Death Eaters. 'No, let's take them down.'

'Sirius, you can't do anything!' I exclaimed. 'You're a dog!'

Padfoot ignored me, and tackled Bellatrix to the ground. I shuffled my feet exasperatedly, and walked forward to pull the madly barking Padfoot off of his cousin, who was screaming, before he was hexed.

'Padfoot, you idiot,' I said. 'You're gonna get hurt.'

The other Death Eater shouted a spell that hit Padfoot and sent him flying into a tree. I rushed towards him, nudging him with my nose. He was out. Great.

"Leave the deer," said Bellatrix. "It tried to get the wretched mutt off me. Leave it."

The other Death Eater nodded, and he and Bellatrix fled into the woods.

There was no way I would be able to carry both of them, so I laid down, figuring I might as well wait till morning and whichever woke up first could help me carry the other back.

What was Bellatrix doing in the Forbidden Forest? And there was another Death Eater... and probably more. Could Voldemort be planning something? It would be just our luck, of course... I'd have to tell Dad. What was in the Forest that Voldemort would want? Or was he planning an attack on Hogwarts? Either way, I knew that this year wasn't going to be quiet like I'd hoped.

A/N: Update! Voldie is planning something, go figure. Oh! I posted an original story on Fictionpress called What is Real Magic, if you want to check it out. Okay, back on subject, big thanks to jeremiah123, Red Moon Lollipop, sk8boards4ever, N.E. Person, and Lady Loophole for reviewing! Prongs plushies for you! Hope you enjoyed.

I don't own Harry Potter!