A/N: I don't think you realize how much I love all your reviews. They make my day and I smile whenever I read them. Thanks so much for those of you who reviewed last chapter.

Little notice for those of you who caught it, I did change the summary for the story, I wanted to add a different character in the character list, but the max is four, so I took out the OC part and added Draco. Because I felt that I still needed to let you know that there is an OC in the story I changed the summary. For those that came after the update don't worry about it, I will add the old summary here for those who are curious.

-Emma's got herself a few goals for the next coming months, one get Sirius to his trial and get him free, two find out a good way to tell Sirius and the rest her story without them getting to upset, three confide in Harry, this affects him the most and he deserves to know. Four make sure Harry survives his fourth year. Five learn magic, not necessarily in that order. RL/SB HP/DM.-

Anyways, I am so glad some of you liked the reactions from last chapter and like the development the characters are having. Yes, as one of the reviews pointed out, everyone is starting to develop as they experienced more than they did in canon. Draco and Harry especially are changing and I hope you all like how they change. I have other characters that are going to change from canon just because they finally have a chance to grow. You have all witnessed that with Sirius, he will still act like a goof and lovable godfather. But he is going to grow a spine, you all saw part of that at the world cup. Speaking of growing a spine, can you guys guess which other character might be getting a confidence boost early?

And I am so done with word the last few chapters. So nit-picky on my grammar. Apparently, word hates the use of 'really' in my sentences. It always wants me to remove it when I think the sentence sound just fine with it in. makes editing annoying.

Chapter 35 Back to Hogwarts

The next few days passed in a blur for Harry and before he knew it, it was time to go back to Hogwarts. He woke up that morning with a smile in his face, not only was he going back he would be able to see Sirius, Emma, and Remus before he left because they were meeting him at the station to see him off.

He loved staying with the Weasley's but he was anxious to see his family again and get back to the castle.

"You all hurry up and gather your things and bring them downstairs. Ron get up, why is this still laying out. I told you to pack everything the other night." Mrs. Weasley said bursting into the room trying to wake up Ron and picking up the dress robes she had gotten him.

Harry was really glad he had gone out with Sirius before and done his shopping when he was over on his birthday. He actually liked the robes that Winnie and he had decided on when Sirius had taken them all out shopping on his birthday. They were nothing like Ron's maroon robes that looked like they belonged in the last century. The ruffles on the robes really didn't help either, Harry thought looking at the garment.

Ron just moaned and rolled over waving off his mother. Mrs. Weasley huffed and went to go wake up the rest of the house. Harry grinned when Fred and George crept into the room carrying a bucket of water, Harry could see ice cubes floating on the top.

"Wait." Harry whispered to them. Jumping up he grabbed his stuff and brought it out of the splash zone. He didn't want any of his things or himself for that matter to get wet when Ron ended up being woken. With a nod Harry gave the twins the go ahead.

With twin grins they crept forward and dumped the bucket overtop of Ron who woke with a scream and curse. Laughing Harry and the twins left so Ron could get himself sorted and went down to the kitchen to get breakfast.

"Arthur come down here, Amos is calling!"

Harry was surprised by what he saw when he got downstairs. Amos Diggory was fire-calling and his head was floating in the fireplace. Now Harry had seen Remus fire-call before when he stayed over last time, but it was different seeing the receiving end of the call. It was disconcerting seeing a head without a body.

Apparently, there had been some trouble with someone named Moody. The name sounded familiar, maybe Sirius or Remus had mentioned him. Apparently, he was quite paranoid and said that someone was trying to attack him. Mr. Weasley ended up having to leave to take care of the problem, leaving Mrs. Weasley to drop them off at the station.

Charlie and Bill came into the room and told them that they would come along to help drop the kids at the station. Percy said he couldn't because he was needed at work. Both him and Mr. Weasley had been busy since the world cup taking care of issues that kept popping up.

Soon enough the cabs Mrs. Weasley had called had showed up and they were on their way.

"Harry!"

Harry looked over to see Sirius calling out to him as they passed the barrier. He grinned to see that Emma and Remus were standing next to him.

A lot of people were staring at Sirius. Harry remembered people doing that when they had gone out last time. Seems the novelty of Sirius being free still hadn't worn down. There were even a few glares from some of the parents. Harry wasn't to bothered by it, he'd been stared at plenty over the years. And Sirius was probably used to it to judging by some of the stories he had heard.

Harry went forward and gave each of them a hug. "Glad you could come."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world pup." Sirius said fondly.

"He's been waiting to see you off since you were born. Both him and James. Within a few months of you being born they were making elaborate plots on how to send you off. You wouldn't believe how much Lily and I had to talk them down of those ideas." Remus laughed causing Harry to smile.

"And some of those were recent. Be glad it's not your first year. I heard some of the plans they developed. Plain embarrassing." Emma whispered surreptitiously but still loud enough for the others to hear causing Sirius to pout and Remus and Harry to laugh.

The rest of the Weasley's came forward to say hi seeing where Harry had run off to. The twins were excited to see Remus again, they considered him more of the true master mind behind the Marauders since they learned that, while Sirius and James may have come up with the ideas, Remus got them to work. Charlie and Bill went over to see how Emma was doing, leaving the others to talk with Sirius.

"Charlie you prone to blushing or something? Whenever I see you, you your face gets all red." Harry teased causing a bigger blush to break out as Charlie glanced furtively at Emma. Bill and Harry started laughing at his reaction.

"Thank you for having Harry over for the remainder of the summer Mrs. Weasley." Sirius said politely knowing that she didn't care to much for him.

"Yes well I don't appreciate him running off in the middle of his stay there to go see you." She replied tersely.

"Mum, Harry told us he was going. It's not like he didn't have permission." Charlie pointed out from next to Emma. Harry thought it probably wasn't the best idea because it made Mrs. Weasley focus on how close the two were standing.

"And who are you?"

"Emma Lance, a friend of Remus's. He and Sirius are helping me back on my feet here ever since I came over from the states. I only had the bag on my shoulders and they were so kind as to help me out. They've been real family since I got here letting me stay with them."

"Hmm. A young woman like yourself shouldn't be living along with two men." Mrs. Weasley replied giving Emma a stern look.

"Right, because living with two mated gay guys is going to be a problem for my virtue. I'm fine thanks." Emma replied bluntly causing many of their group to flush scarlet.

Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips tightly and turned to the rest of their group, "You'd all best be getting on the train, its almost 11."

"Wait!" Sirius called out to them. "I've got presents." He said with a grin.

Intrigued they stopped to stare at him. Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips tighter at her orders being brushed off.

"First off the twins. We found some of our old journals from back in school." Remus began. "We figured you boys might like them. First and second year, if your good maybe for Christmas you might get the next year." Remus said with a wink handing four bound books to the twins. They beamed in delight at the treasure they had just been given thanking Remus and Sirius profusely.

"Oi Gred, Feorge, same password applies to the books." Sirius added.

"Wicked."

"And for the girls we found some lovely books that belonged to Lily that you might find interesting. Hermione here's one on culture and customs that was hard for Lily to find. Ginny this was Lily's favorite book of hex's, she loved to practice them against James." Sirius said handing out the books.

"Do I get something?" Ron asked curious. He didn't know Sirius all that well and was surprised that his siblings were getting something from Harry's godfather.

"Sure do, found this while I was going through some of my old stuff. Figured you don't care to much for books." Sirius said handing Ron what looked like a quidditch robe. Ron's mouth dropped open when he saw that it was a Cannons robe. "Had a friend who was on the team right out of school. We made a bet that he wouldn't make it, when I won he sent me his spare set of robes." Sirius explained. Ron nodded his thanks and looked like he was about to worship the robes on the spot, they were from his favorite player too making the gift all that more valuable.

"And for Harry," Sirius said with a flourish pulling out two mirrors, one he kept and the other he gave to Harry. "These were your dad's and mine. Enchanted mirrors that we used to communicate. Just say my name and it will let me know, bit like muggle telephones." Sirius explained to a grinning Harry. "That way whenever you want to talk all you got to do is call, faster than an owl for something important."

"This is bril." Harry said giving Sirius another hug.

The whistle sounded and Mrs. Weasley hurried them onto the train. When they were on they all leaned out the window to wave goodbye.

"I wish I was still at Hogwarts this year." Bill said wistfully.

"Yeah, but hey you lot you'll be seeing me soon at least." Charlie said with a grin.

"Why's that?"

"What's going on this year?" George asked.

"Can't say, you'll find out at dinner though." Emma called out as the train began to move.

Shaking their heads the group moved on and went to find a compartment. Fred and George left to find Lee, and Ginny went off to find some of her friends. Harry found them an empty compartment and Ron and Hermione followed him sitting down.

"You know my father wanted to send me to Durmstang, but mother thought it was too far away." A voice drifted over from their open door. Seemed that Malfoy was in the compartment next to theirs and hadn't shut his door either.

Harry got up and shut the door that way nothing got started by Ron who looked upset that Draco was next to them. He was complaining how he wished Malfoy's mother had sent him that way he could push the git off a glacier or something.

Later on they were joined by some of the other Gryffindor boys and they began talking about the match. Neville was really grateful that his Gran had let him go, he thanked Harry because without him suggesting it over the summer in a letter it probably never would have happened.

They talked for a while before Dean and Seamus left to go meet with some other students.

"see ya Harry." Dean said as they left.

"Why the hell didn't any of you mention that Potter was in the next compartment!"

Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione looked up as Malfoy pushed open the door and strode into their compartment. Bewildered they stared at the other boy not knowing what to say.

"Potter."

"Malfoy." Harry greeted unsure what was going on. Sure they had been somewhat friendly the other day, but neither one had really thought on how they were going to act in school. Their entire dynamic had changed.

"What do you want Malfoy." Ron sneered.

"None of your business Weasley… what the fuck is that?" Malfoy trailed off a horrified expression crossing his face. Harry looked towards where he was looking and saw the sleeve of Ron's dress robes hanging over Pig's cage. They had put it there when the small owl began to get to excited.

Ron flushed in embarrassment. 'None of your business Malfoy."

"Those…those aren't your dress robes, are they?" He asked horrified. "My god Weasley those belong in the last century. Don't tell me you actually plan on wearing those?"

"Malfoy why are you here?" Harry asked trying to divert the boy's attention before Ron got mad, err madder.

Shaking his head Draco focused his gaze on Harry remembering what it was that brought him to see the other boy.

"You, we need to talk." Malfoy demanded. Harry looked up at Malfoy warily unsure of what the other boy wanted to say. "Is what she said true? Emma? I know my mother believes her but is—"

Harry surged forward in panic and slammed his hand over Malfoy's mouth.

"MMPPHH!" Malfoy struggled against Harry's hold trying to get him to let go.

"Would you shut up." Harry hissed. "Be right back." Harry said to Ron and Hermione, pushing Malfoy out of the compartment. "We will talk someplace else." He said darkly dragging the other boy down the hall.

Finding an empty compartment Harry opened the door and pushed the struggling Slytherin inside before following him and closing the door. He turned and put up a few privacy spells so no one could hear them.

"What the hell is your problem?" Harry demanded turning to face the blond.

Malfoy gave him an odd look. "Why did you bring me out of the room?" He asked confused.

"Because you idiot Ron and Hermione don't know anything and I don't need Neville to know either." Harry told him glaring as he settle on a seat.

"Granger and Weasel don't know? Wait Longbottom was in there?" Malfoy said surprised, for one that Harry hadn't even told his friends or that Longbottom was in the room. He hadn't even noticed the other boy.

"Yes he was and No, they don't know. And thanks to you now they are going to start questioning me." Harry said groaning into his hands.

"Why?"

"Why what you prat?" Harry responded, not wanting to deal with Malfoy at the moment.

"Why haven't you told them?"

"It's none of their business." Harry mumbled.

"Problems with the golden trio?" Malfoy asked jokingly.

"Hardly, but it's none of their concern wither they know or not. I don't want to tell them and Emma also has he reasons for not wanting them to know anything." Harry told Malfoy.

"I thought you shared everything with them." Malfoy said. Harry could see that he wasn't quite sure why he was asking these questions. The other boy had an uncomfortable look on his face as though he had swallowed something sour, although that could just be his expression.

"Do you share everything with your friends?" Harry hedged.

"Hardly, but that's the difference between snakes and lions isn't it, you lot are entirely too trusting. There are very few that I trust that much." Malfoy responded haughtily.

"A lot of it has to do with what Emma's shared with me, one I don't want to put them under any pressure. Two I know my friends, Hermione would question the whole thing stating how impossible it all was, before doing a shit tone of research. She would insist on going to the headmaster also no matter what I tell her. There are many reasons why I don't want any of this information to get back to Dumbledore. And Ron, I know how he views his relationship with me, he gets jealous so easy and Emma didn't think it would be a good idea to tell him, I am not making it worse by having this situation affecting the school year." Harry explained to Malfoy.

"Glad to see you getting out from under the old man's thumb." Malfoy said. "I see your points though, Granger is too dependent on the teacher's and her view of the answers being in the books. I am also not surprised by that bit about Weasel being jealous." Malfoy told Harry looking at him passively.

"Watch it Malfoy, just because I am not telling them anything doesn't mean that they aren't still my friends." Harry warned him.

"Why me?" The other boy asked suddenly throwing Harry completely off guard. "If you aren't planning on telling your friends, why did you come to me and my mother?" Malfoy asked quietly.

"I thought they explained why?" Harry asked him, it was strange Malfoy looked oddly vulnerable right now.

"Their reasons, yeah and I can respect those. But what about you, we have never gotten along, now all of a sudden you are just okay with getting along and working together." Malfoy asked him sharply.

"Hey I did not have an easy time accepting any of this, I have had two months to adjust to idea of at least trying to get along with you." Harry argued pleased at the surprised look on Malfoy's face. "I have just barely accepted the fact, and you know what the weird thing is I don't mind it." Harry said surprising himself when he said that. He had never actually gotten around to admitting it to himself yet. Instead, putting off thinking about Malfoy as much as possible.

Malfoy blinked at Harry's confession and they both sat there staring at each other for a moment.

"Um…"

"…"

"What was the original question you asked me?" Harry said dumbly.

Malfoy shock his head clearing his thoughts for a moment. "Ah, it was about Emma. The stuff about You-Know-Who coming back and the bits about his soul, is all that true?"

"Yeah unfortunately. What didn't you believe her the other day?" Harry asked.

"My mother seemed to believe her and so did Black and Lupin. But I guess I wanted to see what you thought, you left before we really heard all that much from you." Malfoy admitted.

"As much as I wish it weren't true seems it is." Harry told him.

"And the dreams? Are you really connected to him somehow with your scar? How does that work?"

"Yeah as much as it sucks it is. I think Emma knows but she hasn't told me yet and I don't want to ask questions when I won't be ready for the answer." Harry answered the other boy with a shrug. "And as for you and your mother, I want to believe that if given the chance you can do the right thing and not go over to a crazy manic. You may be a prat but you're not evil." Harry said with a grin.

The other boy nodded, "Hey I may not act like it but I don't want the psychotic Dark Lord to come back either. It's unbecoming for a Malfoy to subjugate oneself like that. If I can get my mother and myself out from that position I will." Malfoy affirmed.

"Good." Harry said. "I have to say I was surprised that you and your mother accepted what we asked. I mean we've never really gotten along."

"You probably weren't as surprised as I was, you hate me, I have never been particularly nice to you or your friends. I couldn't believe that you would ask for my help in any way." Malfoy admitted with a slight slump of his shoulders.

"I don't hate you, a strong dislike for you yes. But even now that's being tempered. The only people I really hate is Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew, my Uncle, and maybe Lockhart." Harry admitted.

Malfoy couldn't help himself he burst out laughing at the last one. "Merlin that git was annoying. Whatever did he do to make you hate him? It wasn't because of the Valentine's day stuff he did, was it? Because all his faults aside that was hilarious." Malfoy said smirking.

"Hardly," Harry huffed. "He tried to run away when everything came to head with the Chamber of Secrets nonsense and when Ron and I got him into the chamber he tried to obliviate us and leave us there for the basilisk to kill."

"The Hell!" Malfoy exclaimed. Sure, the man was an idiot, but he was still a teacher. And hang on basilisk? He would have to ask Harry about that another time.

"Only problem with his plan was we had taken his wand and he tried to obliviate us with Ron's wand." Harry smirked.

"Weasley's wand second year was complete shit though." Malfoy said remembering the slug incident. "What happened when he tried to use it?"

"Completely backfired on him, ended up wiping his whole memory, didn't have a clue who he was, still doesn't."

"That's brilliant." Malfoy said glad that idiot was taken care of. He had heard of some rumors where the git had taken credit for acts and then wiping the memory of those who really did it. They hadn't learned anything in defense that year except what the git's favorite color was.

"Did we just have a normal conversation?" Harry asked leaning back.

"Hard to believe but I think we did. First time for everything." Malfoy commented.

"Second time, our first ever conversation when we met in Madame Malkin's was alright. We weren't at each other's throats then, even though you were kind of a prat then too." Harry said with a smile looking at the other boy.

Malfoy blinked in surprise. "I forgot about that. I'm surprised you remembered that." He admitted.

"Not really, you were the first person I met that was my age in the wizarding world, and the only other person I had really talked to besides Hagrid, I don't find the fact that I remembered all that surprising at all." Harry told the other boy who paused to think.

"What made you reject my hand later?" Malfoy asked.

"You mean besides the fact that you acted like an arrogant spoiled brat?" Harry asked, chuckling slightly when Malfoy grimaced. "It was mostly because of the fact that, while I had met you first, Ron was my first friend and you insulted him, not to mention all the negative connotations I had received over Slytherin by that point. Nothing I had heard about the house had been good, and you didn't seem that much better from what I observed. And you reminded me of my bully of a cousin."

"I never made it any better by the way I acted and the rest of my house." Malfoy noted.

"Precisely." Harry responded.

"Thank you."

"What?" Harry asked startled, did Malfoy just thank him?

"For giving me a chance. You didn't have to, I am sure if you wanted and asked Emma for a different way they could have just as well not included my mother and I. Or just my mother. I know she mentioned other options, but you were willing to go along with her." Malfoy admitted.

"I've had the summer to think, and unlike in first year I can see some of the merits of having you as a friend." Harry confessed.

"Are we friends now?" Malfoy asked hesitantly.

"If you want."

"You do know that if we do have a friendship, that it has to be kept secret. Especially with the Dark Lord coming back, if he hears about me changing sides—"

"Malfoy I know. No one else but us has to know. I am not going to risk you or your mother's life."

"Granger and Weasley can't know. They would never accept it." Malfoy said mollified when Harry told him he understood and that he wasn't planning on telling them.

They were interrupted by a banging on the compartment door they were in. With the privacy spells they had put up beforehand the only reason they knew was because the glass was shaking so violently.

"Weasley?"

"Probably." Harry said with a sigh. "Ron—Not Ron."

"Pansy?!" Malfoy said shock when they saw who was actually at the door. Harry was stunned and slowly backed away from the fuming witch. Blaise Zabini followed shortly behind her.

"I tried to stop her but she was instant. Complaining about how she could sense you were in danger or something. We've been looking of you for ages." Zabini explained, nodding to Harry.

"Oh Draco, I was so worried about you, you went off after Potter and never came back, it's been hours since." Pansy wailed clinging onto Malfoy. Harry couldn't understand how he could stand the girl. Must be for ego purposes because she was right annoying, then again they might be friends.

"Have a nice trust with Potter." Blaise asked with a drawl leaning up against the wall. Pansy screeched remembering that Harry was there.

"What are you doing here Potter!"

"Chill Parkinson, I just had to discuss some family matters with him and I doubt it's been hours." Harry told the girl shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Family?! What the hell are you talking about?"

"His godfather is head of the Black family and mother's cousin." Malfoy said dryly looking sharply at Pansy daring her to question him.

Harry walked off away from the arguing Slytherin's not wanting to get into conflict so early in the year with them.

"Oi Potter!" Harry turned around to see Zabini looking at him. Harry raised a brow and stopped. "Tell Longbottom I said hi."

Harry snorted and raised a hand. He turned and headed back to his compartment. The Slytherin's following a short ways behind him to return to their own room.

"Harry your finally back! Hurry up and change we'll be stopping any minute." Hermione said when he entered.

"What did the git want Harry?" Ron asked.

"Some family stuff. Wanted to ask about the other day when he and his mother visited Sirius." Harry answered truthfully and sticking with what he and Draco had said. He looked over and saw Neville was still with them. "Hey Neville, Zabini wanted me to tell you he says hi."

Neville looked up horrified and slightly embarrassed when Harry said that. The train stopped and Neville got up shakily.

"Let's just go." He said quickly before exiting. They followed after him and Neville ended up squeaking when he caught sight of the Slytherin's coming out of their compartment. Zabini smirked at him and waved ignoring the questions Parkinson was asking him as they left.