A/N: Okay, well, I tried to get this update out before the big day… but the twins had other plans. Luckily, I had almost completed the chapter before that moment arrived; so you still get a new update despite the madness that is my life at the moment :). Now, this is definitely going to be a long and sappy A/N (I can't help it, really, hormones…), so I've put in an obvious break if you'd rather skip to the story.

On 7 March at 4:17 and 4:27 respectively, James and I welcomed our beautiful twin daughters into the world. I'm so happy and grateful to say that everyone – even James' poor hand – made it through the delivery in relatively one piece. James wins the bet on the date, by the way… I'm half convinced he slipped me something to ensure that would be true. But then, seven has always been our lucky number, so I can't say I'm upset at the occurrence.

Our elder daughter will be called Isobel (Ella) Cecily Parker. Our younger daughter will be called Céline Alexandra Grace.

I've heard countless times that motherhood changes you; that the world shifts on its axis in the moment they place your baby into your arms… but hearing about it and experiencing it really are not the same thing. The idea that you have actually made something so pure, so innocent… and the immediate fear that you could screw her up through your own stupidity: yes, that alters everything. It even alters the way you see your own interactions with the world, in many ways… because there is a new need to leave her with something worth living in. And it changes how you see your husband (or wife, or partner) – completely and eternally. I have never been more in love than the moment I saw my daughters' faces… with them, or with James. I'm hardly sure – experiencing the difference – I had ever truly been in love before.

In any case, luckily for both my readers and my IMMENSE need for sleep, most of this chapter was completed and ready to go before the last – so there wasn't a ton left to write. The babies and my poor husband are all asleep as I type this… and James was kind enough to bring me my laptop and kick our mothers out for the moment… so I finally have a lovely bit of a respite to finish up.

Okay, epic spill of emotions and feels has officially finished. I can already hear Severus sicking up in my head…. so I leave you to enjoy 'The Werewolf's Quandary.'

Please remember to read and review! My responses are at the end, as usual.

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DISCLAIMER: Any and all familiar characters and/or story lines are the property of Joanne Rowling.

Chapter 35: The Werewolf's Quandary

His heart was pounding as at last Sirius reached the edge of the trees. It had been lucky – a miracle, really – that he'd managed to make the escape at all. He had changed mid-flight down the winding staircase, hearing the sounds of Harry's desperate attempts to pursue him from above and the footfalls of other stirring children in the rooms around him as he went. He'd been terrified he might blow his cover… but the risk of remaining in human form had outweighed the fear. After all, he was much slower on two legs, and it was clear the dormitory was awakening.

He'd shifted back in the common room for his dash through the school, thanking the heavens that the long corridors remained in darkness and quiet. He burst through the great oak doors into the frigid grounds, shifting again in the wind as he tore for the forest. Behind him, he could hear the waking castle; see the flickering of lights reflected through the windows of the many turrets. And he knew hunters would be only minutes away, hot on his trail in the darkness.

Even now, he could not stop running.

And once again, he had failed.

Once again, Peter remained at large.

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Harry managed to convince Madam Pomfrey to let him stay in the Tower for the night, once he obediently took the three phials of Blood Replenishing potion and the antibiotic she forced on him before sealing up his arm and the more minor cuts on his torso and face. Harder to dissuade was Minerva, who – after sending the other students back up to bed – spent the remainder of the wait in argument with Harry in the common room. Only Dumbledore's reappearance finally put an end to the debate.

Albus had entered the Gryffindor Tower before even Madam Pomfrey's arrival, flooing through with Percy and Wood just behind. He'd spent just long enough in the room to assure himself that Harry would make a full recovery before sweeping off to oversee the search of the castle once more. When he returned nearly two hours later, he looked quite as weary as Harry felt.

'Albus,' Minerva said in a clipped greeting, 'It is no longer safe for Harry here. He ought to stay in your chambers this evening; at least until we are able to ensure more adequate measures for entrance into the Tower. That mad knight –'

'Has been removed,' the headmaster assured her calmly. 'I managed, in my sweep of the castle, to convince the Fat Lady to resume her post as guardian here. She has requested additional security… not entirely unreasonable, in my opinion. For this evening, I have stationed a rotating guard from the staff. Come tomorrow, I have agreed to place several security trolls outside the Tower. Sir Cadogan has been returned already to his own landing.'

'Brilliant,' said Harry with feeling. Though the knight was mildly entertaining, trying to pass him on a daily basis was almost as noxious as double Divination.

Minerva looked less than satisfied. 'Even so,' she insisted, 'That does not negate the fact that Black has now breached the threshold of this castle twice. I would feel much better if Harry –'

'But there's no real point, is there,' Harry pointed out. 'Even if I spend the night somewhere else, it's not as though Black will come back tonight. And if there're guards at the Tower door and everything…'

'Harry –'

'No, I do believe Harry is correct, Minerva,' Albus said heavily. 'Black is certainly not in the castle any longer. There is little else we can do, at this point, but try to all get some semblance of rest before dawn. We can reassess the situation in the morning.'

Minerva did not look pleased, but she agreed with a reluctant huff. After assuring them one last time that he felt quite recovered, Harry saw them through the portrait hole and went up to join his housemates.

Nobody talked of anything else for the whole of Sunday and well into the following week. Not only Harry, but all the boys in their dormitory were asked dozens of times to recount their adventure – first by the others in Gryffindor Tower, and later by the students of the other Houses in the Great Hall and the corridors. Harry knew the security measures in the castle were once again undergoing high scrutiny. He'd watched Albus and Minerva performing complicated spellwork in the grounds. Professor Flitwick had taught the front doors to recognise Sirius Black. Filch was prowling about the school, boarding up every crack he could find. The surly armed security trolls had arrived, and were to be seen pacing the corridor outside the portrait hole by the time the Gryffindors headed down to breakfast. And Percy – whether on his parents' instruction or his own initiative after Saturday's incident, Harry was unsure – had taken to tailing him nearly everywhere he went.

The one upside to the unfortunate incident, in Harry's opinion, was that he was not the only subject of the rest of the school's curiosity. Though everyone seemed to know Black had injured Harry in the attack, the other boys in his dormitory enjoyed nearly equal notoriety in the wake of Saturday's events. And unlike Harry, who was well used to constant attention by now, the other boys in his form did not seem quite as bothered by the repeated inquiries and exclamations. Indeed, Ron had retold his own version of the tale so many times by Wednesday evening, that Harry thought perhaps his mate had even convinced himself of some of the rather extravagant embellishments.

Heading out for Remus' anti-Dementor lesson at ten minutes to eight, he caught the tail end of one of these recitations.

'Rotting teeth and hair like a banshee,' Ron was whispering to his audience. 'And his face… like a skeleton he was – you could see every bone in his –'

'Course he looks rough,' Dean put in, coming through the portrait hole with Seamus and shaking his head. 'He's spent twelve years on holiday at Her Majesty's pleasure, hasn't he?'

Ron stopped retelling the harrowing adventure for the eleventh time to a group of avid-looking first-years and turned, gobsmacked, to Dean. 'On holiday?' he repeated, looking at Dean like he was mental. 'What are you on about? He's been in Azkaban!'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'It's a saying, Ron,' she explained. 'You know – in the Muggle world. It means someone's been in prison.'

Ron turned his bewildered expression to her instead. 'Where's the pleasure in that, then?' he demanded.

She opened her moth to lecture, but Harry jumped in. Ron and Hermione seemed to have finally been putting aside their differences in the wake of Black's newest break-in and Harry's subsequent injury, and he did not want their row heating up again.

'It's a bit of a quip,' he explained patiently. 'The Queen, you know… Her Majesty. People who get sent to prison are sentenced to serve a term at her majesty's pleasure… you get it?'

Ron still looked confused. 'Yeah… but she's not our queen… so wizards can't be –'

'Never mind, mate,' said Dean, his hand at his temple.

Harry laughed and ducked through the portrait hole.

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'Cornelius, I am afraid that is my final answer,' Albus said patiently. 'You may tell the delegations I shall be at the meeting in June, but I will not leave the school tonight.'

'But… but Albus!' the Minister sputtered. 'The entire affair was your idea! How can you duck out now?'

'It is not a question of ducking out of anything, Cornelius,' the headmaster disagreed. 'You know what occurred here only Saturday. The new wards will strengthen faster if I am within the castle as often as possible this next week. I am afraid even a few hours' absence could set us back significantly. Please send my regards.'

Cornelius huffed, pacing the floor in front of the headmaster's fire as he spun his bowler hat round and round his index finger. 'Karkaroff shan't be pleased,' he noted. 'He has been making difficulties since the beginning. And only this past week he sent a missive to Bagman asking that the tournament be moved to Durmstrang.'

'An unusual request,' Albus noted. 'Given that Igor's concerns for the continued secrecy of the institute have been his more vocal opposition to the entire scheme since October.'

'I know, I know,' Cornelius agreed. He ran a hand over his thinning hair. 'But I wonder if he might be right, Albus. I mean,' he paused, turning at the hearth. 'Perhaps he is unwilling to commit himself to eight months in Britain, after his – er – past experiences,' he mused. 'But I'm not sure it matters. If we are unable to recapture Black before autumn… well, it seems irresponsible to bring all this hoopla to Hogwarts, doesn't it? Perhaps we should allow Karkaroff to –'

'No,' said Albus firmly. Cornelius stared. 'If we do not succeed in the recapture of Sirius Black before the start of next term,' the headmaster explained carefully, 'Then our problems, Cornelius, are far greater than we realise. However, as much as I feel this event an important step in renewing ties with the wizarding community throughout Europe and desire to encourage international awareness and cooperation among our students… I cannot agree to leave Hogwarts for an entire school year. And I suspect Igor and Olympe will consider it an offence if I were to send another in my place. It is, after all, tradition for the other Heads of School to pay the host the compliment of their presence throughout the tournament, to say nothing of their role on the panel.'

Cornelius looked nervous. 'But… surely, Dumbledore, Minerva could oversee things here. It is only –'

'My answer is no, Cornelius,' Albus repeated.

'But why?' the Minister pressed.

The headmaster sighed. He could not, of course, explain the circumstances entirely. It would not do to tell Cornelius of what had been foretold by Nurmengard's sole occupant… and though the Minister knew he'd taken charge of Harry the previous summer, Albus did not think it wise to enlighten the man on the extent of his relationship with the boy either. The Minister was not known for his discretion, after all… and information was power in their world.

But neither would he leave Harry or the castle unprotected. Nor would he remove the child from Hogwarts.

'Cornelius,' Albus said seriously, 'Surely, you must have noticed the ominous signs of late. Sirius Black's escape has been the most significant, of course… but it is not the only indication that the Dark side may be gathering strength once more. The events of the past two years here at Hogwarts… the rumours in London… we should not ignore the signs. We must be prepared, should the worst occur.'

Fudge paled slightly. The speed of the bowler hat's spin increased. 'Albus,' he croaked out. 'I… I know you have always believed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was not vanquished for good. But…'

'Lord Voldemort has not gone forever,' Albus confirmed, ignoring the Minister's flinch. 'To delay his return, unfortunately, is all we can hope to accomplish. He remains in a state between life and death, and thus he cannot be killed.'

Cornelius shuddered. 'He isn't back though. Not now.'

'No,' the headmaster agreed. 'But he will be, one day, Cornelius. And I rather think my absence would –'

'Quite right, quite right,' the Minister interrupted, nodding to himself. 'No… I concur. We ought to keep the tournament here. Bagman will approve, I expect. He was crushed at the suggestion a foreign government might take over the task.' He dabbed at his brow, where a light sweat had started to form. 'Well I suppose… ought to be going. They'll be arriving in town by half past. I'll pass on your message, Dumbledore.'

He turned for the fireplace, cramming his hat back into place.

'Cornelius,' Albus called. The portly man spun at the hearth. Albus considered him, blue eyes piercing. 'We are not yet at war,' he said carefully. 'But we shall not be able to afford complacency, when the moment arrives.'

The Minister gulped. His fingers trembled as they fumbled the mantel for the floo powder. 'He's gone, Albus,' he retorted, almost desperate. 'For now… he's gone. We'll… we can tackle the rest of it if the need arises. Good evening.'

And Cornelius Fudge threw himself into the fireplace, as if frantic to escape before the headmaster could continue unwelcome areas of conversation.

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'Good evening, Harry,' Remus said, opening the door a bit wider so Harry could slip past into the study. The boy was grinning ear to ear despite the week-end scare.

'Hi,' he said. He plopped down on his usual seat at the end of the sofa.

'You are unusually chipper this evening,' Remus noted as he took his own seat.

'Yeah, well, I'm excited to try this against the Boggart now,' Harry admitted. 'See if it was just a lucky chance, or if I can really do it.'

Remus smiled. 'You'll be fine,' he assured him. 'I must admit, even I was impressed with your Patronus on Saturday. And I have watched you stand on the precipice of success for months.'

'Albus says it was typical – to do it under pressure,' Harry said with a modest shrug. 'Dunno if that means I can with a Boggart, or the real thing… but it's a start.'

'It was an excellent start,' Remus agreed. 'And I would be willing to bet several packets of Honeydukes finest that you'll manage it again.'

He pulled the chest forward into the centre of the space, waiting while Harry climbed to his feet again. He paused with his hand above the latch. 'Ready?' he asked. The boy nodded, and Remus undid the catch.

'Expecto Patronum!' Harry bellowed, swirling his wand at the tall, black shape as the Boggart-Dementor took form before them.

Just as at the match, the huge silver stag burst from the tip of Harry's wand, nearly blinding them both in the small space. It threw itself at the Boggart, which stumbled back, tripping over the edge of its robes. Remus stepped forward.

'Riddikulus!' he said, coming between the Patronus and the Boggart. The creature shifted into a full moon again, though perhaps less powerful than it might have been before its confrontation with the stag. Remus guided it back into the chest and slammed the lid shut.

'Excellent, Harry!' he said, beaming as he turned back to him. The stag faded slowly into silver dust around them. Remus watched it disappear with a twinge in his chest.

Harry was watching him.

'What is it?' the boy asked. He was frowning despite his achievement. 'You had that same look on Saturday… did I do something wrong?'

Remus smiled sadly. 'No, Harry. You haven't done anything wrong at all. It's just… your Patronus is very familiar.'

'That's what Dumbledore said,' Harry groused. 'I wish someone would tell me why –'

'It is the spitting image of your father's,' Remus explained patiently. 'James' Patronus was also a stag, precisely the same stag, in fact. Your mother's, incidentally, was the doe.'

Harry smiled back. 'Is that normal?' he asked. 'To have the same Patronus as your parent?'

Remus considered. 'It is… unusual,' he decided after a moment. 'But not unheard of. The Patronus channels our inner self, but it also channels that which protects us, and that which we love. It is not impossible for a Patronus to even change form in the course of a wizard or witch's lifetime. I suspect yours mirrors James' both because of his love for you and because of your similarities, in equal measure. And, of course, Patronuses are among the purest of light sorcery – formed by manifestation of love and protective magics: our guardians, as it were. It is why dark wizards and Death Eaters cannot conjure a Patronus.'

'Really?' Harry asked, looking shocked. 'I didn't know that.'

'Oh yes,' Remus affirmed. 'It is, as you know, a particularly difficult spell for any wizard to perform. But it is entirely impossible to do so if you are not driven by those qualities of essential goodness which a Patronus feeds on.'

He let Harry think on that for a moment, while he summoned a tea service and a selection of biscuits. He gestured to Harry to have a seat on the sofa again, and passed him a cup.

'In any case,' he continued after a moment, 'I'm glad your Patronus shares James' form. Prongs was always a majestic beast.'

'Prongs?' Harry repeated, looking eager.

Remus hesitated. They had been private nicknames – just for them, and the occasional friend. He hadn't meant to slip up just now… but then, Harry was James' son. And he had James' Patronus. If there was anyone who deserved to know…

'Yes,' he said after a moment. 'Prongs was our nickname for your father, when we were young. The antlers, you know.'

'But then… you must be Moony!' Harry said excitedly. 'Like the full moon, I suppose… But what about Padfoot and Wormtail? Who are the other two M–'

But he cut himself off, biting at his lip and flushing as he realised his mistake. Remus eyed him shrewdly. Harry averted his eyes, but he'd said enough for the professor to guess.

'Yes, I am Moony,' he confirmed. 'That was your father and our friends' nickname for me at school. The other two – as I believe you were about to ask – were Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Black was Padfoot. Peter was Wormtail. The four of us, as I have explained to you already, were somewhat of a unit at school. We called ourselves the Marauders.' He paused to consider. 'But I do wonder…' Remus went on, keeping his gaze on Harry, 'How is it that you've come to be so familiar with these nicknames? They were not in common use, outside the four of us. Not by anyone still living, at least. And I am certain I myself have never brought up the terms to you.'

Harry dodged the query, still chewing his lower lip. 'So… Black,' he asked hesitantly. 'He… he would, er, know everything that you lot did? About… the castle?'

Remus frowned. His brow furrowed as he contemplated the odd question. 'I don't…' he began. And then it clicked.

He stopped, his eyes narrowing. 'Where is it, Harry?'

'Where's what?' the boy shot back. His tone and his face screamed innocence, but Remus was sure it was an act.

'You know what,' the professor insisted. 'The Map, Harry. I do not know how you recovered it, nor do I think I want to know, but –'

He cut himself off again, another errant thought clicking into place. His previous half-stern look of scrutiny became a glare. Harry flinched back, as though he could already sense the anger.

'You've used it!' Remus accused. 'That's how you found out about Sirius and your parents, isn't it? It wasn't Ron or Hermione who told you after all… you were in the pub, listening to Minerva. You snuck out of the school and into the village at the end of term. What were you thinking, Harry!'

He stood, crossing his arms. The boy on the couch looked slightly cowed as he watched Remus' temper rise.

'Remus, I –'

'I do not want to hear excuses,' the professor said shortly. 'I am fully aware that Argus confiscated that Map many years ago… Peter was caught out-of-bounds in our seventh year. He managed to wipe the document, but for as miserable and malicious as the caretaker can be, Argus is no fool. He was able to guess enough. He took the map from Peter. Which means either you took it from his office directly, or you received it from someone who did.'

He paused again, a horrible thought occurring to him.

'Harry…. Tell me that map was not sent to you by –'

'No,' Harry said quickly. 'I… I won't tell you who gave it to me, but it was another student. It wasn't Black.'

Remus let out a long breath. 'Even so,' he said, returning to his ire. 'I cannot believe you would be so careless not only not to hand such an item in to Albus or Minerva, but to actually use it… especially when you have been told so many times of the danger Black poses. Look what happened only the other night, when a student left information about this castle lying around! None of us – myself, Albus, Minerva or any of the staff – can force you to take this danger seriously, Harry. But I would remind you that James and Lily gave their lives to ensure yours. You demean their sacrifice by gambling with your safety so carelessly, to say nothing of your express disobedience of the headmaster's orders. And for what? An afternoon out of the castle?'

Harry's flush grew brighter. 'I… I only did it the once,' he said in a small voice. 'Just that day. We weren't talking and everything was… I was angry. I wasn't thinking clearly. And, by the way, I can't be the only one who hasn't told Dumbledore about the map,' he added, a little more defiantly.

Remus' eyes narrowed. 'What are you talking about?'

'The one-eyed witch,' Harry said. 'Just down the corridor. I used the passage through her hump to get to Hogsmeade before Christmas. There was no guard on it then, and there isn't anyone there now, either. And if what you're saying is true, then Black knows the tunnel is there. You know that he knows… and you haven't done anything about it.'

Remus felt his stomach squirm slightly. But he still thought his assumption about the wards was correct.

'Sirius can't be using the passage,' he said aloud. 'The wards that Albus has set will not allow him to –'

'Well, the wards can't be perfect, can they?' Harry challenged. 'After all, he's got past them twice now. So obviously something is not –'

'Whatever the breach in the wards might be,' Remus insisted, 'It is unrelated to any possible use of a passage. The enchantment is on Hogwarts herself – not on her entrances.'

There was a long, tense silence.

'I should have told someone,' Harry finally admitted quietly. 'And I know I shouldn't have used it.' He stopped, shaking his head. 'I should have guessed you lot were the ones behind it,' he noted. 'After you gave me that book…'

Remus sighed. 'Do you have the map with you, Harry?'

The boy shook his head.

'Where is it?'

'In the dormitory,' said Harry. 'In my trunk.' He looked slightly annoyed, but resigned. 'I suppose you want me to bring it down?'

'Fifi,' Remus called. The little House-elf appeared at once. 'Please retrieve the enchanted piece of parchment from Mr Potter's trunk. You should find it in the third form boys' dormitory of Gryffindor Tower.'

The elf nodded, vanishing in a wink. The pair in the study did not speak until she'd returned less than a minute later, the Marauder's Map in hand. Remus thanked her and took the parchment. He clamped down on the emotions it stirred as he grasped it… he had not held this map in more than fifteen years.

'As the transgression was months ago, now,' he said at last, still looking at the map, 'I will not take points this time, Harry. Nor will I inform Albus at this moment.'

Harry looked up from his knees, his expression hopeful for the first time since Remus had brought up the map.

'However,' Remus qualified, 'If I ever discover that you are using the passages again, or in any way feel that the headmaster must otherwise become aware of this discussion, I will not be covering up for you, do you understand?'

'Yes,' Harry said, nodding solemnly.

'And I cannot let you remain in possession of it, Harry,' Remus added, setting the map on a side table. 'It is too dangerous at this time… and too tempting. I would not be able to live with myself should you use it with terrible consequence. Already you have come far too close to danger this term for my liking.'

Harry nodded again. The professor was pleased he did not protest. He refilled their tea in an attempt to divert the sticky conversation.

'I don't get it though,' Harry said, breaking the tense silence. 'I mean… this is twice, now, Black's been so close to me. First in the forest, then in the dormitory. And he still hasn't killed me.'

Remus felt cold at the thought. 'It was a very near thing both times, Harry,' he said seriously. He sank down into his usual armchair, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at the boy. 'Things might have gone quite differently in the forest, had Severus not arrived when he did. And on Saturday, if Percy Weasley had not surprised him…'

'Percy didn't come for a while though,' Harry said, shaking his head. 'Black had us all there on his own… he was on top of me. He could have killed me.'

'From what Minerva has shared, you were badly injured,' Remus pointed out.

'He didn't cut me though,' Harry disagreed. 'Not deliberately,' he hedged, at Remus' noise of protest. 'I sort of sliced my arm myself, trying to break his hold. That knife was big enough to cut off my whole head, if he'd wanted to. And he didn't kill me with the wand either, before I'd disarmed him. Or Ron, Seamus, Dean or Neville. And he could have… I was the last one to wake. Why not silence the others, and then –'

'I do not know,' Remus cut in. 'But… Harry, the killing curse is not an easy spell to use, even for Dark wizards. It requires a great deal of powerful magic and a true intent to kill –'

'He showed twelve years ago he doesn't have a problem killing innocent people!' Harry spat viciously.

Remus shook his head. 'Black was a talented wizard, in his day. But his powers are likely to have atrophied in Azkaban. The fortress and the Dementors both are well known for their draining effects. Perhaps he felt it would be too difficult to kill five innocent boys in one go.'

'Maybe,' said Harry, though he looked unconvinced. Remus did not press the point.

Harry fingered the rim of his teacup, frowning. 'I had one other question,' he said. 'Seamus mentioned the other day that the Ministry's announced Black will get the Dementor's Kiss, whenever they catch him.'

'Yes,' Remus said heavily. 'It was in the Prophet before the holidays. I'm surprised, actually, that it has not created more of a stir. The Ministry rarely allows the Dementor's Kiss to be performed… even in the days when Voldemort was powerful, it was a sentence only imposed a handful of times. I suppose the Ministry fears they will not be able to keep Sirius Black contained. I doubt Albus supports the decision.'

'Why?' Harry asked, still frowning. 'What is the Dementor's Kiss? What does it do? I mean… do they even have mouths? You can't really tell with those cloaks…'

'I am not in much of a position to answer,' Remus admitted darkly. 'I suppose they must have some form of mouth under their hoods, but almost everyone who might have seen it is no longer in a position to provide details. A Dementor never lowers its hood – except to perform the Kiss. It is their greatest and most terrible weapon, used to destroy its victim utterly.'

'How?' Harry pressed. He looked as though he were caught somewhere between fascination and revulsion.

Remus sighed. 'The Dementor's Kiss removes the victim's soul, entirely. It is an irreversible punishment.'

'They kill –'

'Oh no,' Remus disagreed. 'Not kill. No, death with be kinder. You can live without your soul. The body, the brain, the heart… they remain functional even once the soul is removed. But without it… you lose all sense of self. You are naught but an empty shell, until – one day – you die. And your soul is lost forever. There is no afterlife, for those who suffer this fate. It is a permanent damnation.'

There was a long silence. Harry sipped his tea, not looking up. Remus placed his own cup aside. He no longer felt up to imbibing much of anything.

'He deserves it,' Harry said in a harsh whisper after a moment.

'Do you think so?' Remus asked. He tried to keep his tone light, non-judgmental. But his heartrate kicked up unseen all the same. 'Does anyone deserve such a fate?'

'For what he did to them,' the boy insisted. His eyes were hard and cold, like they had been the day he'd burst into Remus' office from Hogsmeade.

'Some things… some things are unforgivable.'

By the time Remus saw Harry out, it was nearly ten o'clock. Though he was more physically and emotionally exhausted than he could remember being in years, he lay stewing in the bed for hours… watching the candles burn lower and lower as the guilt he had been wrestling with since July warred with his conscience.

He could still remember it – every detail.

It wasn't always that way with grief. More often, when terrible things had happened, Remus' mind protected him from the memories. He had flashes; bits and pieces of the tragedy. Days that blurred together, that were only recollected as if through a fog. He remembered only pain from the night he'd been turned… and only pain for days thereafter. He knew, from his parents, he'd screamed; knew he'd fought back, though he'd been less than five years old. He knew his father had beat the savage beast off him, that the struggle had gone on for more than twenty minutes… but he did not recall a moment.

He remembered sitting on a sofa with his father when they told him his mother was dead, but he could not call to mind a single word the bearer of the news had uttered… nor even who that person had been. When she'd been buried, all Remus could remember was the smell of peonies; she'd wanted only peonies at the funeral.

But 31 October 1981… he recalled every detail from that night. He remembered what he was wearing when Albus arrived. He remembered the very corner of the carpet he'd been sick on. He remembered the Indian take-away he'd been halfway through. He remembered everything.

The Floo ignited in an emerald rush, dumping Albus Dumbledore onto the hearthrug of the little cabin in the Dales. Remus dropped his fork in surprise and instant trepidation: it was most unlike the headmaster to enter unannounced. He jumped up from the sofa immediately, setting his supper aside.

Dumbledore's face, as he lifted his head, confirmed his worst fears about the urgency of the visit.

'You should sit back down, Remus,' Albus said softly.

The words were gentle, but there was a gravity in them that rendered their delivery almost as harsh. Remus remained standing.

'What has happened?' he asked, his own voice nearly a whisper.

The headmaster did not mince the words, though his ice-blue gaze was as mournful as Remus had ever seen.

'James and Lily Potter were killed tonight. Less than half an hour ago.'

His heart, so recently pounding, seemed to clench in his chest. The world grew darker. Before Remus knew what was happening, Albus was there, his hands firm on Remus' arms as he lowered the younger man to the sofa again.

'No,' Remus gasped out, clutching at the headmaster's hand as if it were his only tether to reality. 'No… it is not possible. Sirius would never –'

'I am afraid,' Albus said gently, 'There is no doubt in it. Minerva and Alastor are conferring with Millicent as we speak, and I myself must head back there as soon as possible. Although I realise this is supremely difficult for you, I must ask –'

'What about Harry?' Remus interrupted. 'You didn't say –'

'Harry lives,' Albus said, just the smallest hint of a smile appearing. 'And Remus – Lord Voldemort has gone.'

'G-gone?!' Remus repeated, trying to make sense of the monumental barrage of terror, grief and elation. 'But how –'

'Harry,' Albus said simply. 'Or Lily, perhaps, is the more accurate explanation. She gave her life to protect him, and in doing so made it impossible for Lord Voldemort to succeed in murdering the child. There is not time at the moment to get into the details… but Voldemort has gone. For now.'

'And… James… Lily,' Remus choked out. 'My god, I cannot believe he would –'

'Remus,' the headmaster cut in again. The hand clenched around his, and Remus forced his eyes to Dumbledore's face. 'This is a terrible, terrible time,' Dumbledore said heavily. 'I do realise that. But it is also a critical time. There is much that we must do – and securing Harry's safety is paramount. You know what will happen next. They will come for him: everyone who remains. Our only chance to protect him fully, to offer him his greatest shield, lies in Lily's sacrifice.'

'I don't –'

'We must ensure that Lily's sister takes Harry into her home,' Albus explained. 'The protection Lily gave her life to establish must be utilised. It can give him a permanent sanctuary, if I place the proper charms on Harry and the Dursley residence. But doing so… there are things which must be seen to, first. Black is still at large, and I will need some time to –'

'He can't go to Petunia!' Remus shouted, startled out of his misery. 'You do not understand, Albus, that woman hated Lily. She hated James! And her husband? He's worse. They can't be allowed to raise their son. Lily and James would never have –'

'Lily and James are gone, Remus,' Albus said. 'And the only thing we can do for them, now, is protect their only son. This is not what I want for Harry either… but it is his best chance.'

He sighed, taking a pocket watch from the folds of his robes and giving it a glance while Remus tried to marshal his thoughts.

'I must hurry,' the headmaster muttered as he replaced the watch. He pulled out a smooth, rounded stone in its place, pressing it into Remus' hands. As appalled as he currently felt with the man's pronouncement, Remus felt a pang of childlike terror as the cold of the stone replaced the headmaster's grip.

'This cabin is already well warded,' Albus said, taking his feet. 'But bury the stone beneath the threshold as soon as I depart. Hagrid should not be long now.'

'H-Hagrid?' Remus repeated numbly.

The headmaster nodded. 'As I said, there are several arrangements which need to be made before Harry can be safely delivered to his guardians. In the meantime, we need to keep him both protected and out of the public eye. I sent Hagrid to retrieve Harry as soon as we received the news.'

'You – you're bringing him here?' Remus asked, shocked. 'Albus… I don't know if that's wise. I don't know if I will be able…'

He trailed off, unsure how to put his feelings into words. He wanted to see the child more than anything; wanted to be there for him, to comfort him; to hold him and assure himself that Harry was unharmed.

But he was a mess.

The comforting hand returned, squeezing his shoulder once. 'You will be fine,' the headmaster assured him. 'I cannot bring him to the castle – not with both myself and Minerva running about the country. And Harry knows you; he will be comforted in your presence. The wards will allow none but myself, Hagrid and Harry to pass through. And it will not be longer than twenty-four hours… the blood protection will fade if we do not enforce it expediently. I shall return just as soon as I've seen to the Minister. Tell Hagrid that I shall arrange for a thestral to provide travel tomorrow evening to Surrey – the portkey will not be wise if we are arriving in a Muggle street.'

'But what about Sirius?' Remus asked. He hauled himself to his feet as the headmaster made for the hearth again. Dumbledore turned at the flames, his eyes both understanding and grim.

'The Ministry has already sent a task force,' he said. 'And I have assigned several Order members as well. I doubt he will be able to outrun us all for long.'

Remus swallowed heavily. The headmaster frowned.

'I do apologise,' he said, glancing at the pocket watch again. 'But I really must –'

'Go,' Remus nodded curtly in understanding. 'I… I'll see you, sir. In a bit.'

The headmaster inclined his head, spinning for the fire. In a moment, he had gone.

Remus vomited all over the carpet as soon as he'd returned from burying the Rune stone outside his doorstep. He cleaned the mess with a shaky wave of his wand, staining the pattern with the faulty magic. He sank to the sofa again and put his head between his knees, trying to find his breath. Lily and James, gone. Voldemort gone. Sirius in the wind – the worst sort of traitor. Sirius… who had loved James. Who adored Lily. Who was godfather to Harry. Who was family.

Family… had anyone bothered to tell Peter? Remus felt enormously guilty for not asking Dumbledore. Peter deserved to know too – he would be as devastated as Remus. Remus should have asked the headmaster to include Wormtail in the wards. He should have been able to Floo him now. They should have comforted each other; shared their grief. Instead, Remus was alone on his island. And he'd left Peter alone on his.

Hagrid was much longer than an hour.

Remus did not realise just how much time had passed – as he sat in unmoving misery on his sofa, waiting and thinking and grieving. He did not even hear the crash of his door banging off the wall as Hagrid sidled into the room. Only the change in the light as a gust of wind disturbed the embers jolted him out of his lethargy.

'Hagrid,' he said hoarsely, turning for the door at the flickering and noticing the giant there for the first time. The cool light framing him suggested it was coming on dawn. 'Goodness, Albus said you'd be here hours ago.'

He climbed to his feet, ignoring the ache in his bones as he stood. He felt he had aged ten years this night.

'Had ter get him outta the house,' Hagrid explained, looking down at Harry's sleeping face. His voice was hushed as not to wake the child, but thick with suppressed tears. 'Took longer than I'd've thought, all the mess an' rubble. Then I was afraid ter take the portkey… he's so lit'le…'

'Right,' Remus said, not truly listening. He approached the pair. For the first time, he noticed the jagged cut across Harry's tiny forehead. 'What's happened to him?' he demanded, pulling his wand at once. 'How did he get –'

'You Know Who,' said Hagrid darkly. 'S'not deep, far as I can tell. And he weren't injured nowhere else.'

Remus ran a diagnostic anyway. Hagrid was right: other than the lightning bolt cut, Harry appeared to be unharmed. And the wound was not deep… but its existence offended Remus mortally. He felt angry blood boil beneath his skin.

'Episkey!' he snarled, directing his spell at the child's forehead. The jet of light illuminated Harry's face, but the cut remained. Remus stared, surprised.

'EPISKEY!' he said more firmly. The light was brighter this time, but the cut did not close. Remus frowned. A cut this shallow should not require anything stronger…

'Vulnera Sanentur,' he tried anyway, running the tip of his wand over the edges of the wound.

Again, the spell did nothing.

Hagrid shifted Harry to free one massive hand, patting Remus hard on the shoulder. 'Grief does odd things to magic,' he said sympathetically. 'Yeh need sleep, Remus. In the morning, yeh might be able ter – what're yeh doing?'

Remus had broken away from the comfort, striding for the table. He pulled the knife he'd taken out for supper off the surface and muttered a quick cleaning spell at the blade. Then he ran the edge swiftly over his left palm.

'Remus!' Hagrid hissed, so loudly Harry began to stir. He started forward, but Remus held his other hand palm up to stop him, placing the knife back on the table. He pointed his wand at his bleeding hand.

'Episkey,' he muttered. There was a small burst of light, and the cut sealed entirely. Remus flexed his fingers and looked up to catch Hagrid's eye. Hagrid was staring at the newly healed hand, bewildered.

'It's not my magic,' Remus explained, pocketing the wand again. 'It is the magic that caused the wound. Harry must have been hit by a dark spell. Dark magic wounds cannot always be sealed. It's likely, I think, that he will bear the scar forever.'

Hagrid, apparently still too stunned for comment, did not say a word. Remus reached out toward Harry.

'Let me take him, for a while,' he said softly. 'You should rest if you are to travel to Surrey in a few hours, and Harry will need watching in the night. Dark magic can have side effects.'

Hagrid hesitated a moment, but then he placed Harry in Remus' arms. The baby shifted slightly as he was handed over, nuzzling his tiny face into Remus' chest. The man's heart gave a painful throb again.

Hagrid slept until almost ten o'clock the following morning. Remus could have conjured a cot for Harry. He could have placed him aside. After an hour or two with no evident fever or concerning sign, he knew the child was not in imminent danger… yet he could not bear to put him down. Instead, Remus sat up against his own headboard with the baby in his arms. He wasn't sure if he slept at all… perhaps he had faded, for a time, into that odd state between sleep and waking. He was conscious, always, of the tiny breaths against his chest; the warm weight in his arms. He held the child and he waited… for Albus' return; for someone to tell him the worst was naught but a nightmare; for Sirius to come busting through the door with his doglike laugh… for James to pull his invisibility cloak from over his head, and send Harry into a squeal of giggles as he tossed him into the air. He knew, on some level, it was over. That his world had altered forever. But he sat in his tiny bedroom until the sun rose high in the Yorkshire sky… holding the baby, and hoping.

Hagrid and Harry stirred around the same time. Remus went through the motions automatically. He set breakfast to cook itself on the hob, changed Harry's nappy. He paid the post owl and let Hagrid peruse the Prophet as they ate. He dug out a few toys he'd kept about, and put Harry on the hearthrug to amuse himself while he and Hagrid talked quietly. He cooed when the child padded up with a stuffed lion he'd made roar, and indulged him with a soft ball when he wanted a partner in his play.

Dumbledore arrived at half past two. He spent a half hour or so with Harry and the others. He brought no news of the outside world; nor could he heal the cut that marred the child's forehead. He left precisely at three o'clock, with a word to Hagrid on the need to be at Privet Drive at midnight.

Harry and Hagrid left at half six. Remus saw them into the garden, heart wrenching again as he handed the child to the gamekeeper. The thestral stood sentry in a corner, but Hagrid did not move to mount it.

'Where are you going?' Remus asked in surprise, as Hagrid patted the thestral and moved past it toward the opposite wall of the cabin.

'Gonna take the bike,' Hagrid said gruffly. As he spoke, Remus saw the giant pull a very familiar, gleaming motorbike from the shadows. He stared, a swell of panic and longing warring within him.

'You saw him?' he asked, stunned. 'He gave you this bike?'

Hagrid gave him an odd look. 'Told yeh last night, didn't I? Sirius gave it to me – to get Harry sorted. Think it might be better for Harry than the thestral, all things equal. Right mess he was, seein' the house and James and Lily…'

Remus barely heard him. He made for the motorbike at once, drawing his wand and casting every detection spell he could think of at the contraption. It glowed brightly beneath his charms, but no sign of danger made itself known.

Hagrid stared, bewildered. 'What're yeh on about, Remus?' he asked in confusion, as Remus at last pocketed the wand and began to run his hands along the metal in its place. 'Everythin' alright?'

Remus hesitated. He hadn't spoken Sirius' name aloud since Albus had imparted his terrible truths the night before. He hadn't wanted to think about it; let alone face its realities. Yet… it did seem the bike was perfectly sound. And Hagrid had brought Harry here the night before on it. Perhaps… perhaps Sirius had felt guilty. Perhaps he'd wanted to right his mistakes.

'Nothing,' Remus said softly, stepping back from the bike. 'I'm fine, Hagrid. Safe travels.'

Hagrid threw a leg over the motorbike. Remus stooped to kiss Harry goodbye, and he watched them out of sight.

Albus reappeared at quarter past nine, stepping out of the fireplace and looking as though he hadn't slept since last they'd spoken.

'Albus,' Remus acknowledged. 'Hagrid and Harry have already left, I'm afraid.'

'I expected as much,' Dumbledore replied. He swirled his wand through the air, conjuring a steaming pot of tea and two cups. The two men sat on the sofa together. Remus accepted the tea with a word of thanks.

'Any news?' he asked as he breathed in the steam.

The headmaster sighed heavily. 'Yes.' He placed his own cup aside for a moment, turning to face Remus more fully. His eyes bore the same weight of grief they had the previous night, and Remus felt his stomach squirm in response.

'Worse?' he choked out. 'How can it possibly be worse, Albus? Has Voldemort –'

'No,' Dumbledore assured him quickly. 'Voldemort remains vanquished, for now. It is my personal belief that he may have fled the country… I doubt he would be foolish enough to seek refuge in Britain, with his position so compromised.'

'Then what –'

'Black has been captured,' Albus said before Remus could finish the query. 'He was tracked by Ministry officials and detained just after sundown, in Ulster.'

'Ulster…' Remus repeated. The churning in his stomach doubled.

'Yes,' the headmaster confirmed. 'Peter Pettigrew was first to find him, though whether Black was headed for Peter or whether Peter had tracked Black to his hometown, I do not know. Either way, I am immensely grateful we placed additional protections around this cabin. Black enacted a ward about the street, in a Muggle neighbourhood. The Ministry was eventually able to break through… but they were not in time. Black blasted the street. A dozen Muggles were killed… as was Peter Pettigrew.'

Remus' mind went wheeling again. As he had last night, the headmaster put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. With his other, Remus saw him tip a phial of some potion into Remus' teacup, which he pressed back into the other man's grip.

'Drink it,' the headmaster said solicitously. 'It will help.'

Remus obeyed the command without thinking. He supposed it had been a calming draught the headmaster had added to the brew, for his heartrate slowed slightly in response. He suddenly felt extremely tired.

'This has been a great shock,' the headmaster said, reclaiming his own teacup. 'I am so sorry to have been the bringer of such devastating news, my dear boy. I hope it will be some comfort that Black has been taken to Azkaban, where I suspect he will spend the rest of his days for these crimes. I will start on the arrangements for James and Lily in the morning; they left some instruction before they died. Peter's service will be handled by his mother primarily, but I am sure she would be grateful for input from his friends as well.'

Remus could not speak, and Albus did not press him. For several minutes, they simply sat in silence, draining the remainder of the tea as the darkness settled around the windows. Remus knew that Dumbledore did not have much time; that he had things to see to – for Harry and for the Wizarding World. But the headmaster did not comment on his need to depart for nearly half an hour. When at last the old man had finished his cup and made to stand, Remus had found his voice again.

'I'll help with the funerals,' Remus agreed quietly, setting his own tea aside as Dumbledore stood, 'For James and Lily, and for Peter. But then I am out, Albus.'

The headmaster paused in retrieving his travelling cloak, turning to stare hard at Remus. The blue eyes were not unkind as they surveyed his face.

'Out,' Albus repeated. 'What do you mean, Remus?'

He sighed. 'I can't do it, Albus,' Remus said more quietly. 'Not anymore. We've won, anyway – at least for now,' he amended as Albus opened his mouth to speak again. 'Voldemort has gone. Already half his followers that remained have been imprisoned or killed… it will be only weeks until the rest are rounded up. Except, perhaps, those who manage to talk their way out of punishment. And even they are unlikely to make trouble; not until Voldemort returns to strength. But… what have we won, really?'

'The chance to make a peaceful world again, my dear boy,' Albus answered softly. 'The chance at a new age; a time to rebuild, renew and heal. The knowledge that evil will not reign in Britain – slaughter will not become the norm, and children like Harry will be the exception instead of the rule. If that is not a worthy battle –'

'It is,' Remus agreed hurriedly. 'It is, headmaster. I have always believed that, and I believe it still. It is why I fought with you; why I will fight again, should the time come. But Albus… we have won this war at a terrible cost. So many deaths… Marley, Sean, Edgar, the Prewetts… James, Lily, Peter… this war has taken everything from me. Everyone I love.'

Dumbledore looked sad. He rested an aged hand on Remus' arm. 'I know precisely how you are feeling, Remus,' he assured him. 'And I wish I could tell you that it becomes easier, in time, to accept. But it does not. You will learn to live with the pain of it, however. And helping to rebuild the country will –'

'No,' Remus cut in. He backed out of range, withdrawing his arm. 'No, Albus. I can't. I'm done. I can't be in Britain, not when there is nothing left for me here. I'll… I'll go to the Continent. To Germany, perhaps, or Denmark. Somewhere where it's easier for people like me. I'll help,' he added quickly. 'If you need me, if you need assistance there that I can provide, I'll help. But I… I need to get out of here, sir. I need to be away from death and betrayal. Please – don't make me stay.'

The headmaster considered him for a long moment. Remus held the gaze. At last, Albus sighed.

'Very well,' Dumbledore agreed. 'It is your life, Remus. And I wish you the best with it.' He turned for the fireplace again. 'I shall return in a day or so, to discuss arrangements for the burials. I will see to the details; you need not trouble yourself.'

He stopped at the hearth again, giving Remus one last glance. Remus nodded.

'Is there anything else you wish to tell me, Remus?' the headmaster asked quietly. 'Anything at all?'

He swallowed hard. There were a million things he wished to say, and a million he could not bear to discuss. Their secrets… But it was only he who was left to bear them.

'No, headmaster,' he whispered back. 'There is nothing.'

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The knock was at his bedchamber door – soft, but persistent.

Albus started awake, instantly alert. Beside him, Minerva stirred sleepily. The knock came again and she too sat up, looking in fear at the closed door.

'Is it Harry?' she asked in a whisper. 'In the middle of the night… Who else would –'

Albus shook his head, uncertain. 'One moment,' he called to the visitor.

He stood, wrapping a dressing gown around his waist. Minerva climbed out the other side of the great bed and hurried for the bathroom to stow herself out of sight. Albus waited until she'd closed the door before opening his.

It was not Harry.

'Remus,' he said in surprise. 'Goodness, it is half three. Is everything alright?'

Behind him, he heard the click of the bathroom door as Minerva re-entered the chamber. Her hair was thrown over her shoulder in a long plait, one hand clutching closed her tartan dressing gown. She looked in concern at the professor on the threshold.

Remus was pale, his eyes darting between the two before him with pain in his expression.

'Remus,' Albus repeated. 'What is it?'

The professor swallowed hard. 'Albus,' he said at last in a rasp. 'Albus… I must beg your forgiveness. I have not… I was not honest with you, not for years now. I told myself… I've been telling myself it is not possible; that there was another means – another way. That my silence meant nothing. But now… Harry has started to remember. And all these break-ins, the wards… I am no longer sure –'

'Remus,' the headmaster said for a third time, interrupting. Remus raised his eyes from their dart around the bedchamber, holding his gaze.

'Headmaster… Sirius Black is an animagus.'

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Review Responses, Chapter 34

AlsoKnownAsMatt: Thanks for reviewing! Very happy to hear you enjoyed it so much, particularly the Snape lecture, as it was my personal favourite scene this chapter. Thank you for the well wishes as well – the twins' arrival was smooth as I suppose it could be, all things considered. I'll try to keep the updates quick despite the new hurdles!

Enjoy Chapter 35!

Mwinter1: Thank you for your review! Glad you're liking the story, and hope the fast update is enjoyable!

SpringRoll: Thank you for reviewing! Haha, first off, thank you for all your well wishes, and all my best to your cousin as well – such exciting news! I promise not to go anywhere, even with the little ones around.

Luna… she's amazing. Love her utterly. I had been scheming to bring her round for Part III, but then this little scene popped into my mind and I thought well, why not? And you're quite right: people dismiss her for her oddity and quirks, but she is often the most observant of the lot. The bit about her ability to sneak out without raising suspicion… yes, here I suppose she's quite Harry's opposite. Where everyone is always tailing his every move, poor Luna is entirely unnoticed. She's such a fascinating character – I'm excited to begin her part in this story. And Sirius got a bit of human company… always a lovely change from solitary musings. BIG moment for him at the end there, of course… what Harry does with it remains to be seen…

Ron and Hermione – haha yes, it's funny how when things and people we love are put in danger, it rather washes away the pettiness. Their conflict is definitely drawing to a close (we'll see it wrap this chapter). I'm glad you liked it; this was one driving catalyst behind the idea to change the second Black break-in scene, as I no longer have the Buckbeak dilemma to thaw the ice.

Quidditch match… oh yes, there is much to unpack here. A lot of small reactions, slips and throw-away details which will have great significance later. I will say, this series of scenes took me by far the longest to craft; in part because we have a lot of changing POVs and in part because there were so many small things that needed inclusion. I hope it turned out alright.

Mmm pairings. I just knew this would come up after this chapter, haha. Felt a bit of trepidation starting down this road… but alas, the moment has come. Harry/Ginny, Harry/Hermione, Harry/Cho, Harry/Luna, Harry/Daphne, Harry/OC, Harry/Tonks… I can barely keep up with all the different shippers out there! XD But for now, I think we're a long way off from a lifetime partnership. But yes, he's definitely got a bit of a crush going, and I don't think Ginny is too happy (though of course, her bit in this chapter was really just her saving Harry humiliation).

Omg Snape's hairy heart – I love it! Great story :). As to my own favourite… I'll keep mum for the moment, as I suspect you'll be able to guess that before the end of our story. Haha but you are correct, it can be difficult to keep him so taciturn… especially because writing him really does warm me even more to his character. I suppose, on the upside, it makes me relish his bits of compassion and joy all that much more. And you are right – he is, slowly but surely, beginning to change as he grows to know Harry on a different level. It's subtle and quite slow… but I think reading Part V or VI and then comparing to Part I, the differences will be stark. Glad you enjoyed the new Head of House moment! As to your question – oh yes, I definitely think he sees the danger and thinks a great deal about it. He is proud of students like Gemma, who show strength of character. And he is harsh on students like Malfoy in a manner that – in some ways – mirrors his situation with Harry. He cannot reveal his true motives, and on the surface his advice could be taken entirely differently… but he is trying to guide Malfoy all the same. An interesting dichotomy, and one we'll definitely see explored more fully – particularly once Voldemort returns.

Thank you again for the review, and I hope you like Chapter 35!

Anyeshabaner: Thanks for your review! Yes, it was close… but I'm not sure Harry's really to blame. Certainly he's coming to some realisations, but then there's no real reason for him to possibly suspect anyone but Black could have been the traitor… after all, nobody else does. We'll see if he puts anything together after this latest interlude. Glad you liked the Dumbledore bit… angry Dumbledore is rather fun. No worries – I will never abandon this series (and yes, I know people often say that and then do… but I've put too many hours into this and mapped out far too much to duck out now). The twins' official due date was actually today, 15 March, though they got here eight days early. So happy to have pregnancy over with! Enjoy the next chapter!

MoonshineMadame: Thanks for your review! And thank you for the heads up on the typo – it has been corrected. Interesting thought on Crookshanks having captured Scabbers… it would change the game, wouldn't it? I do feel bad for Harry caught in the middle – but luckily that argument is reaching resolution now. Haha that's excellent about your friend… one of my personal favourite 'wizarding' phrases.

Glad you liked the match perspectives. You are correct: Remus and Sirius saw Prongs as in James (not just his patronus), while Albus obviously does not know about the animagi yet. We'll see Harry follow up on this in the next chapter. As to Minerva, I too wanted to see punishment, haha. Although I find it a debatable point (Severus and Draco are both correct, at least in part, that chances of actual harm to Harry were probably slim), I do think the Slytherins' intentions were malicious in this moment. Which is why Minerva elects to lecture them in Albus' study – far more imposing, I suspect. We had a headmistress and a deputy headmaster, and though I wasn't much of a mischief maker either…. I did get summoned just once to the headmistress's study. And I was terrified. Mmm… Severus' second warning. Not a man who likes repeating himself, to be sure; and there was rather a lot in the warning itself. I suspect Draco will not enjoy the consequences should he stray again.

Luna! Happy you liked the conversation. She's such a fun character to explore. And great guess on why he vaguely recognises her… it is entirely related to her mother. I won't give more details just yet, but I think you'll enjoy how that particular connection unfolds.

Haha, there have been two reviewers to this segment now that remarked they wished Sirius had been able to say his piece in full here. But though I totally understand the sentiment, you are correct, I think: it would be unrealistic at this stage. We'll get there though, I promise! And yes, he definitely feels awful for hurting Harry… and equally unhappy that Pettigrew was not there. On the potential pairing for Sirius… all good points on Bones and generally. I won't say too much more now on this, but if/when we get there I'll definitely keep our discussions in mind!

Oh, Minerva is not going to be happy. Not with the portrait, not with Sirius, and not with Harry for chasing after him. We'll see a bit of how this affects all our characters at the start of this next chapter. As to Harry's deductions… definitely can't spill on that, but it won't all go down precisely how it does in canon. On Luna… well, she certainly knows the dog is a person. Whether she realises that person is Sirius Black – it's rather ambiguous. I wanted readers to be able to take it either way, for now. But she has a further part to play before our tale concludes.

I hope you enjoy Chapter 35!

Jasper's Mom: Thank you for reviewing! Haha Ron… well, I'm rather in two minds. I quite understand his upset, to be honest, and he is only thirteen… but there are more important things in a friendship. Luckily, I think he rather realises this by the end of Chapter 34 following Sirius Black's attack. Though George would certainly have been an option.

Poor Snape – it's a tough position with Draco. We'll see how he reacts to this second warning… but Snape is not a particularly tolerant man. Disobedience for a third time would not be a wise decision. But then, Draco is not a particularly wise character.

Glad you liked Luna and Sirius! Can't say, of course, on Sirius' fate… I know a lot of people are rooting that he'll be cleared. I just remind everyone that it's a long project (this story will be told in at least six part, perhaps up to eight), and Sirius' part in the tale will stretch far beyond the conclusion of Part II. He's one of my favourite characters as well, and I have exciting things planned for him before the end of Part II. And Harry… yes, there's something stirring in his mind. Is it Sirius' innocence, exactly? Perhaps… perhaps not. It will be explored further in the next few instalments.

Enjoy the next chapter!

BlueWater5: Thanks for your review! Hmm… I'm not sure on Dumbledore's reaction. I talked a bit about it above, but to me all three – Albus, Severus and even Draco – had legitimate points. It was quite unlikely Harry could have been hurt, given that there were so many members of staff in attendance and the fact that Draco and his cronies could not have mimicked the Dementors' magic. However, I do not think Draco et al actually thought about the effect of Dementors at all – they were hoping Harry would fall regardless, from fear (although I think they varied on hoping he'd actually be injured). And so Albus is not wrong in his assessment either. I think his anger and lecture is less about what harm really could have happened than it is about malicious intention, because as he is so often telling Harry, almost any magical act can be used for either good or evil, and intent is what makes the difference. Incidentally, the Stag (and the patronus), is actually our second example of 'truly light' magic that Dumbledore referenced in the discussion of Merlin's theory. The idea of intent will become very, very important later on in this series. Mens rea, after all, is a necessary component of nearly every crime.

Glad you liked Remus' reaction! He'll have a discussion on the point with Harry this next chapter. And of course, Albus certainly realised he isn't being told the full truth… so we may see the resulting fallout from that as well.

Enjoy Chapter 35!

Valkryie-Sythe: Thanks for reviewing! Very glad to oblige with an update, and happy to hear you're still loving the story! We've a lot of ground to cover in these final ten chapters or so – I hope you like the continuation!

Baelkaz: Thank you for your review! Happy to hear you enjoyed the chapter overall. I know there are a lot of people rooting for Sirius' happy ending… and I know it's frustrating sometimes to see him thwarted. Unfortunately, the moment just hasn't arrived quite yet. Hang in there – he'll have his moment to speak soon. Nobody wants to reach the end of Part II more than me, I promise you. Part III has been bursting my laptop for months now. To that end, I can absolutely guarantee I will not be going anywhere, even though the babies have arrived. Hope you enjoy chapter 35!

Leonore: Thanks for the review! Lovely to hear you're still liking the story so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and the introduction of Luna… there's more to come from her before the end of the book! And as to Harry's revelations – we'll get follow-up from those thoughts in this next instalment. Enjoy the continuation!

Halfblooddemiwizard: Thank you for your reviews! I am glad you've caught up and are loving the story. I apologise for the couple of gut-wrenching moments… we'll get a bit of lightness in the next chapter, I think. And yes, the events of Saturday definitely serve to heal Ron and Hermione's friendship, at least.

Hope you like Chapter 35!

Estel Ashlee Snape: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I promise they'll be some good things for Sirius before the end of this book. He's had a tough go of it – in past and in present. Enjoy Chapter 35!

AECM: Thanks for you review! Glad you're still loving the story and I hope you like our continuation!

Deep (Review to chapter one): Thanks for reviewing! Happy to hear you are enjoying the stories and thank you for the compliments. Yes, the 'sMuggled' was probably a search and replace mistake. At some point I'll re-read for typos, but probably not until the end of Part II.

Hope you enjoy the next instalment!