Part 17
"The chapter is 'The Unbreakable Vow'," he read out. He glanced around him with a bright interest. The students had taken to betting between themselves over the contents of the chapters. Obviously, keeping it hidden from their teachers, especially McGonagall, who they knew wouldn't be too pleased if she caught them at it. And, an angry McGonagall seemed no less dangerous than Voldemort himself.
"Must be something to do with the vow Sevvie took," James announced, stealing a glance at the Greasy haired boy, who had once again directed his glare at James.
"HOW MANY TIMES DID I TELL YOU NOT TO…" Snape started but was cut in by Sirius.
"Those three could also have taken one themselves," Sirius said, indicating the Trio, while Snape turned to glare at him for his interruption. "They look crazy enough to do that."
"HEY!" Ron and Hermione yelled, indignantly.
James frowned at his best friend. "That's my son and your godson you are calling crazy, mate. Though, it wouldn't be a surprise, with what he has for a Godfather," he added with a smirk. Sirius struck out his tongue childishly at him, while Lily cuffed James hard on the head and motioned for Harry to start reading.
Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid had already single-handedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees to the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armor and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors.
"Those can be a right pain," Frank commented, going a little pink. "Full of stupid, giggly girls. Though not all are the same…" he added hastily on seeing Alice's furious expression and noticing the twitching of her fingers towards her wand. The others burst out laughing. Even Snape permitted himself a small smile.
Large groups of girls tended to converge underneath the mistletoe bunches every time Harry went past, which caused blockages in the corridors; fortunately, however, Harry's frequent night time wanderings had given him an unusually good knowledge of the castle's secret passageways, so that he was often able, without too much difficulty, to navigate mistletoe-free routes between classes.
"Poor girls," Sirius snickered. "You would have made their day, had you allowed yourself to be caught under these mistletoes."
Ron rolled his eyes at Sirius. "Well, don't let Ginny hear that…Ever… Or you might just wish you were never born." Sirius looked a little disgruntled at this warning but did not comment further.
Ron, who might once have found the necessity of these detours excuse for jealousy rather than hilarity, simply roared with laughter about it all.
Ron grimaced a little, Hermione squeezed his hand lightly.
Although Harry much preferred this new laughing, joking Ron to the moody, aggressive model he had been enduring for the last few weeks, the improved Ron came at a heavy price. Firstly, Harry had to put up with the frequent presence of Lavender Brown, who seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted;
"That was some sight," Harry murmured under his breath. "Gross…"
"Oi!" Ron said, turning to look daggers at Harry. "Stop exaggerating." The Marauders were already snickering at him, while the girls looked faintly revolted. Molly was staring at her son with a mixture of disbelief and pity. Ron huffed and turned pleadingly towards Hermione.
Hermione shrugged helplessly. "Your technique did need a little working upon…I guess…" Ron threw a hurt look towards her as roars of laughter engulfed the room once again. Harry composed himself a little and started reading again.
and secondly, Harry found himself once more the best friend of two people who seemed unlikely ever to speak to each other again.
"Sorry," both Hermione and Ron murmured simultaneously. Harry waved off their apology.
Ron, whose hands and forearms still bore scratches and cuts from Hermione's bird attack, was taking a defensive and resentful tone.
"She can't complain," he told Harry. "She snogged Krum. So she's found out someone wants to snog me too. Well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong."
"What was it…? A competition…?" Frank questioned, looking at Ron with a bewildered expression. Ron blushed slightly.
"It does sound bad, now that I am reading about it. Didn't think too much at that time," he agreed.
Sirius grinned. "That much is obvious. Imagine choosing someone who thinks that kissing is the best pastime. Totally gross." Ron blushed as red as his hair as Molly glared a little at Sirius for berating her boy, though she couldn't really contradict what he said.
Harry did not answer, but pretended to be absorbed in the book they were supposed to have read before Charms next morning (Quintessence: A Quest). Determined as he was to remain friends with both Ron and Hermione, he was spending a lot of time with his mouth shut tight.
"And here I thought you were just being dim," Rom mumbled throwing a dark look in Harry's direction. Harry smirked back.
"I never promised Hermione anything," Ron mumbled. "I mean, all right, I was going to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with her, but she never said... just as friends... I'm a free agent..."
Harry turned a page of Quintessence, aware that Ron was watching him. Ron's voice trailed away in mutters, barely audible over the loud crackling of the fire, though Harry thought he caught the words "Krum" and "Can't complain" again.
"It seems great to know that all that while I was talking to myself," Ron grumbled, faking a sour face. Harry punched him good naturedly on the arm.
"Not a very big deal," James said. "Those two do that often to me," he added pointing at the other Marauders in the room.
"Not our fault," Remus spoke up in defense. "You drone on and on. There is a limit to everyone's patience, mate. Especially when you started on those long drawn reviews of the Quidditch matches." Sirius nodded in obvious agreement. James huffed and turned his back on the duo. Lily looked a little stricken at this piece of information.
Hermione's schedule was so full that Harry could only talk to her properly in the evenings, when Ron was, in any case, so tightly wrapped around Lavender that he did not notice what Harry was doing. Hermione refused to sit in the common room while Ron was there, So Harry generally joined her in the library, which meant that their conversations were held in whispers.
"So that's where the two of you used to disappear," Ron said. "Did give rise to a few whispers in the common room."
"Like it is any of their business what…whatever I do with Harry," Hermione said fiercely. "Not even yours," she added on noticing Ron's smug look. Ron put up his hands in mock surrender while throwing a wink in Harry's direction who reciprocated in kind.
"And we thought that only the Hufflepuffs loved to spread gossip," Lily whispered to Alice.
"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes," said Hermione, while the librarian, Madam Pince, prowled the shelves behind them. "I really couldn't care less."
"You were never that good at lying, Mione," Harry remarked, glancing up from the book. "Especially if it's anything to do about Ron." Hermione blushed crimson while Ron plastered a goofy smile on his face.
"Much like you, Lily," Alice remarked slyly. "Especially about James," she added despite the fierce glares that Lily was throwing in her direction. Lily threw a couple of pillows in her direction while her face matched and outdid the color of her hair. James was now the one sporting a goofy smile, though his did look a little maniacal.
She raised her quill and dotted an 'i' so ferociously that she punctured a hole in her parchment. Harry said nothing. He thought his voice might soon vanish from the lack of use. He bent a little lower over Advanced Potion-Making and continued to make notes on Everlasting Elixirs, occasionally pausing to decipher the prince's useful additions to Libatius Borage's text.
"You book did help a lot," Harry said, looking at Snape. "More than you did, obviously. No offense," he added.
"None taken," Snape grinned. "You have every right and reason to think the same." Harry grinned back.
"And incidentally," said Hermione, after a few moments, "you need to be careful."
"You really have got a grudge against that book, Ms. Grang…Hermione," Minerva said, sounding a little exasperated.
"It was not about the stupid book," Hermione retorted back. "Sorry. The highly useful, wonderful but stupid book," she added on seeing Snape's somewhat hurt expression. James and Sirius snickered loudly.
"For the last time," said Harry, speaking in a slightly hoarse tone after three-quarters of an hour of silence, "I am not giving back this book. I've learned more from the Half-blood Prince than Snape or Slughorn have taught me in-"
"I'm not talking about your stupid so-called prince," said Hermione, giving his book a nasty look as though it had been rude to her.
"Sorry," Hermione mumbled again, while Snape turned slightly red.
"Stupid surname…" he mumbled. "Or maybe stupid of me to use it."
"Probably the latter," Frank whispered to the now chuckling Marauders, who promptly burst out laughing. Snape glared irately at them, before giving up and joining in the laughter.
"I'm talking about earlier. I went into the girl's bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a love potion.
They're all hoping they're going to get you to take them to Slughorn's party, and they all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions, which I'm afraid to say probably work -"
"Poor Harry," Sirius murmured, for once without the mocking tone.
"Are we missing something?" Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron, seeing the smug looks and muted chuckles of the Gryffindor students, with the exception of Sirius, who was looking rather pale.
"Probably, but doesn't seem very important." Harry whispered back and continued reading.
"Why didn't you confiscate them then?" demanded Harry, it seemed extraordinary that Hermione's mania for upholding the rules could have abandoned her at this crucial juncture.
"I don't have a mania," Hermione replied back in an annoyed voice. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and chuckled not noticing that the Head of their house's eyes had narrowed considerably.
"So following rules is that bad?" she questioned fiercely. Harry and Ron glanced her way, looking a little frightened.
"N…NO…Not really…" Ron stuttered while Hermione smiled slyly. "Following rules are quite alright…Really…is safe too…"
"Stop frightening them, Minerva," Dumbledore said gently, as Minerva proceeded to impart a grin in Hermione's direction, who grinned back gratefully. "The things they have been up to most certainly couldn't have been done by following rules." Harry composed himself a little and imparted a glare at the snickering Marauders before reading again.
"They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom," said Hermione scornfully, "They were just discussing tactics. As I doubt the Half-blood Prince," she gave the book another scornful look, "could dream up an antidote for a dozen different love potions at once, I'd just invite someone to go with you, that'll stop all the others thinking they've still got a chance. It's tomorrow night, they're getting desperate."
"So, can you?" Molly questioned Snape. "Make an antidote of a dozen different love potions at once?" She explained seeing his perplexed looks.
"No, I can't," Snape remarked. "Up to two…even three is possible, but if it is more than that it will probably take a while." The others looked at Snape in admiration.
"There isn't anyone I want to invite," mumbled Harry, who was still not trying to think about Ginny any more than he could help, despite the fact that she kept cropping up in his dreams in ways that made him devoutly thankful that Ron could not perform Legilimency.
"I don't really have a problem about you liking Ginny, Harry," Arthur said, in his most paternal tone. "But, do take care not to hurt her. It is rather evident from the way you three are talking that you eventually get together with her. Just don't hurt her. At least intentionally." Harry nodded his head docile, while blushing heavily. Ron snickered at his friend's state for which he was smacked on the head by an annoyed looking Hermione.
James was looking over at Lily in some trepidation, thinking about the time when he would have to go and speak to her parents. Remus patted his arm encouragingly, though Sirius, taking a leaf out of Ron's book, was snickering loudly at his friend's expression of desolation.
"Well, just be careful what you drink, because Romilda Vane looked like she meant business." said Hermione grimly. She hitched up the long roll of parchment on which she was writing her Arithmancy essay and continued to scratch away with her quill. Harry watched her with his mind a long way away.
"It better be," said Ron mock-glaring at his best friend. Hermione swatted him on the arm, her cheeks tingeing red.
"Hang on a moment," he said slowly. "I thought Filch had banned anything bought at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"
"And when has anyone ever paid attention to what Filch has banned?" asked Hermione, still concentrating on her essay.
"But I thought all the owls were being searched. So how come these girls are able to bring love potions into the school?"
"He has got a good point," Alice murmured.
"Well, Filch is a squib," Severus pointed out. "I don't think he is knowledgeable about Potions. And the detectors won't be able to detect Love Potions. They can be easily disguised as ordinary stuff."
"Fred and George send them disguised as perfumes and cough potions," said Hermione. "It's part of their Owl order service."
"You know a lot about it."
"'Wrong thing to say," Lily said, grimacing. "Especially after the whole Felix incident."
"Forgot about that," Harry said, grinning.
Hermione gave him the kind of nasty look she had just given his copy of Advanced Potion-Making. "It was all on the back of the bottles they showed Ginny and me in the summer," she said coldly, "I don't go around putting potions in people's drinks... or pretending too either, which is just as bad..."
"Touched a nerve there," James said in a sing-song voice. "You really had a lot to learn about girls, son."
Lily scowled at her future husband. "At least he is not like you, who keeps asking a girl out even after getting hexed into oblivion each time."
"That just proves how much I love…" James started, but was interrupted by a furiously blushing Lily.
"Continue speaking and you just might be sorry," she said whipping out her wand. She regretted saying that as soon as she finished speaking, which she had done more out of habit than anything else. Harry hurriedly started reading to stop further arguing, while James chose to sit back and sulk while pouting slightly, looking rather let down. Lily turned a slightly apologetic look in his direction, though James pretended not to notice it.
"Yeah, well, never mind that," said Harry quickly. "The point is, Filch is being fooled, isn't he? These girls are getting stuff into the school disguised as something else! So why couldn't Malfoy have brought the necklace into the school -?"
"It would have been detected by the sensor," Sirius said, in a matter of fact tone.
Remus frowned. "DO you always have to state the obvious, Paddy?"
Sirius shrugged. "If my Godson can ask the obvious, I am allowed to state it too." Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather.
"Oh, Harry... not that again..."
"Come on, why not?" demanded Harry.
"Look," sighed Hermione, "Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses, and concealment charms, don't they? They're used to find dark magic and dark objects. They'd have picked up a powerful curse, like the one in the necklace, within seconds. But something that's just been put in the wrong bottle wouldn't register - anyway Love potions aren't dark or dangerous -"
"Easy for you to say," Sirius muttered darkly. "What?" he questioned seeing Harry's surprised look.
"I said the exact thing in response," he answered. Sirius grinned at him, which Lily's face featured a look appropriate of getting a rather nasty shock. She liked Sirius, but to have her son behave like him… Now that was a scary thought. She shuddered lightly. Remus caught the look on her face and grinned.
"Easy for you to say," muttered Harry, thinking of Romilda Vane.
"- so it would be down to Filch to realize it wasn't a cough potion, and he's not a very good wizard, I doubt he can tell one potion from -"
Hermione stopped dead; Harry had heard it too. Somebody had moved close behind them among the dark bookshelves. They waited, and a moment later the vulture like countenance of Madam Pince appeared around the corner, her sunken cheeks, her skin like parchment, and her long hooked nose illuminated unflatteringly by the lamp she was carrying.
"The library is now closed," she said, "Mind you return anything you have borrowed to the correct - what have you been doing to that book, you depraved boy?"
"It isn't the library's, it's mine!" said Harry hastily, snatching his copy of Advanced Potion-Making off the table as she lunged at it with a claw like hand.
"Spoiled!" she hissed. "Desecrated, befouled!"
"It's just a book that's been written on!" said Harry, tugging it out of her grip.
"Gosh! Was she freaked out," Harry mumbled. "Her love for her books is probably unhealthy."
"I rather agree with on that, Harry," Dumbledore remarked. "But then, we all have different tastes. You would probably feel the same for your broom."
Harry nodded, as did James, Sirius, Ron and Frank. They could certainly understand about the brooms.
She looked as though she might have a seizure; Hermione, who had hastily packed her things, grabbed Harry by the arm and frog marched him away. "She'll ban you from the library if you're not careful. Why did you have to bring that stupid book?"
"Why did you hate that book so much, dear?" Molly asked, sounding concerned.
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know, really. If I am honest, obviously I resented the fact that whoever owned the book was better in potions that me." Ron gave her a smug look at this point. "And also I did not really trust this Half Blood Prince. Something about him and his spells made me uneasy. Not that they were all that bad or anything, but somehow it didn't seem very logical to me to use someone's spells and methods without knowing who that someone is."
"I quite agree with you, Hermione," Minerva said. "It is never wise to use anything that one is not sure of. But maybe, at times there is no real choice available. Though it is highly stupid to use any sorts of unknown spells."
"That I learnt the hard way," Harry muttered to himself before pulling himself up to read further.
"It's not my fault she's barking mad, Hermione. Or d'you think she overheard you being rude about Filch? I've always thought there might be something between them..."
"That's something we didn't need to know," Frank cried out looking slightly grossed out. Harry smirked.
"Oh, ha ha..."
Enjoying the fact that they could speak normally again, they made their way along the deserted lamp-lit corridors back to the common room, arguing whether or not Filch and Madam Pince were secretly in love with each other.
"Baubles," said Harry to the Fat Lady, this being the new, festive password.
"Same to you," said the fat lady with a roguish grin, and she swung forward to admit them.
"Hi, Harry!" said Romilda Vane, the moment he had climbed through the portrait hole. "Fancy a gillywater?"
"And the wicked witch strikes!" Sirius exclaimed. "They never lose any time."
"Absolutely," Ron added. "Stupid, idiotic girls! Oh! I only meant the likes of Romilda Vane. Not all girls," he hastened to add seeing the glares that he was being subjected to from the members of the fairer sex. The other boys burst out laughing at this.
Hermione gave him a "what-did-I-tell-you?" look over her shoulder.
"No thanks," said Harry quickly. "I don't like it much."
"Well, take these anyway," said Romilda, thrusting a box into his hands. "Chocolate Cauldrons, they've got fire whiskey in them. My gran sent them to me, but I don't like them!"
"Oh- right - thanks a lot." said Harry, who could not think what else to say. "Er- I ' m just going over here with ..." He hurried off behind Hermione, his voice tailing away feebly.
"Told you," said Hermione succinctly, " Sooner you ask someone, sooner they'll all leave you alone and you can -" But her face suddenly turned blank; she had just spotted Ron and Lavender, who were intertwined in the same armchair.
"Didn't you guys tire of it?" Remus asked, while Ron turned beet-red. Again. "Even Sirius behaves better than that."
"Ya. I do. HEY!" Sirius exclaimed, realizing what he had just said.
"Lay off, guys!" Ron muttered. "It was stupid. I was stupid. I know that. And you stop snickering." He added harshly turning on Harry, who tried to school his features to seriousness but failed miserably, which gave rise to another bout of laughter in the room. Ron resorted to scowling and pouting at the ones taking the laughing at him.
"Well, good night, Harry" said Hermione, though it was only seven o'clock in the evening, and she left for the girls' dormitory without another word. Harry went to bed comforting himself that there was only one more day of lessons to struggle through, plus Slughorn's party, after which he and Ron would depart together for the Burrow. It now seemed impossible that Ron and Hermione would make up with each other before the holidays began, but perhaps, somehow, the break would give them time to calm down, think better of their behavior...
"You did hold pretty high hopes, son," Lily remarked. "Especially in a case where those two were involved."
"Hey!" both Ron and Hermione exclaimed, while the others chuckled.
But his hopes were not high, and they sank still lower after enduring a Transfiguration lesson with them both next day. They had just embarked upon the immensely difficult topic of human transfiguration; working in front of mirrors, they were supposed to be changing the color of their own eyebrows. Hermione laughed unkindly at Ron's disastrous first attempt, during which he somehow managed to give himself a spectacular handlebar mustache;
"That was rather funny," Hermione defended herself, as Ron glared at her. "I would probably have done that even if we were on friendly terms."
"But not that unkindly… You wouldn't have," Ron retorted.
Hermione glared back. "How do you know that?"
"Obviously I do. Haven't been your friend all these years for nothing."
"But still you manage to get on the wrong side of me, almost every day," Hermione screeched, looking daggers at the red headed boy.
"SHUT UP YOUTWO!" Harry interrupted. "Stop with this stupid, pointless arguing."
Alice let out a tiny giggle. "It seems incredulous that the two of you could actually fight over something that happened so long ago. I rather pity Harry. Poor boy. Having to put up with your fight." She shook her head in mock sadness, while trying her best not to burst out laughing. The others were not so successful and burst out laughing.
"Continue reading, Harry," Hermione mumbled after throwing a sheepish grin in Ron's direction, who grinned back.
Ron retaliated by doing a cruel but accurate impression of Hermione jumping up and down in her seat every time Professor McGonagall asked a question,
"Talk about childish behaviors," Molly remarked, throwing a scolding look at Ron, who had the sense to look ashamed, albeit slightly.
which Lavender and Parvati found deeply amusing and which reduced Hermione to the verge of tears again. She raced out of the classroom on the bell, leaving half her things behind; Harry, deciding that her need was greater than Ron's just now, scooped up her remaining possessions and followed her.
"Sorry, 'Mione," Ron murmured, putting an arm around Hermione, who leaned into the embrace.
"And where's my hug?" Harry asked making puppy dog faces at his female best friend and sister. The boys in the room rolled their eyes.
"Idiot," Hermione said, but proceeded to hug him tightly. Harry grinned and continued with the reading.
He finally tracked her down as she emerged from a girl's bathroom on the floor below. She was accompanied by Luna Lovegood, who was patting her vaguely on the back.
"Oh, hello, Harry, "said Luna. " Did you know one of your eyebrows is bright yellow?"
"Hi, Luna. Hermione, you left your stuff..." He held out her books.
"Oh, yes," said Hermione in a choked voice, taking her things and turning away quickly to hide the fact she was wiping her eyes with her pencil case. "Thank you, Harry. Well, I'd better get going..."
"You didn't try to comfort her?" Lily asked, looking at her son scandalously.
"Couldn't think of anything," Harry confessed, grinning awkwardly.
"Boys!" Lily muttered under her breath, glaring at James for some unknown reason, who quelled under her glare.
And she hurried off, without ever giving Harry any time to offer words of comfort, though admittedly he could not think of any.
"She's a bit upset," said Luna. "I thought at first it was Moaning Myrtle in there, but it turned out to be Hermione. She said something about Ron Weasley..."
"Yeah, they've had a row," said Harry.
"He says funny things sometimes, doesn't he?" said Luna as they set off down the corridor together. "But he can be a bit unkind. I noticed that last year."
"Good 'ol Luna," Ron muttered, grinning widely.
Arthur raised his eyebrows. "You say this about the girl who is calling you unkind? Not that I am telling she is wrong. She is actually right."
Ron shrugged casually. "You can count on Luna to be honest. And that itself is more than what you could expect from some people. I guess, I was just plain lucky to have that in my friends." He smiled at Harry and Hermione, who nodded. Molly looked a little awed at her youngest son's sensibility, obviously not expecting anything like that.
"I s'pose, " said Harry. Luna was demonstrating her usual knack of speaking uncomfortable truths; he had never met anyone quite like her. "So have you had a good term?"
"Oh, it's been all right," said Luna. "A bit lonely without the D.A. Ginny's been nice, though. She stopped two boys in our Transfiguration class calling me 'Loony' the other day -"
"That's sweet of her," Alice cooed. The boys looked slightly sick.
"Her housemates can't be all that good," Snape remarked. "It is really rare that you see someone being made so much fun of, by the students of their own house."
"Luna is…unusual," Harry said. "And I don't think her house mates understand her, at all."
"How would you like to come to Slughorn's party with me tonight?"
"That was nice of you, Harry!" Lily exclaimed.
James raised an eyebrow speculatively.
"Don't. Just don't tell anything before I read further. I asked her, strictly as friends. Nothing more," Harry cut in hastily, before James could put in an embarrassing comment of his. He had to limit himself to smirking at his son.
The words were out of Harry's mouth before he could stop them; he heard himself say them as though it were a stranger speaking.
Luna turned her protuberant eyes to him in surprise. "Slughorn's party? With you?"
"Yeah," said Harry, "We're supposed to bring guests, so I thought you might like... I mean..." He was keen to make his intentions perfectly clear. "I mean, just as friends, you know. But if you don't want to..." He was already half hoping that she didn't want to.
"You are worse than you father," Lily said, looking a little aggrieved. Harry grimaced.
"Thank heavens it was Luna," Hermione said. "Any other girl would have easily taken offense. Maybe even me." She added as an afterthought.
"Like Ron would leave me alive, if I ever asked you to a party; friends or otherwise," Harry remarked, sniggering at the angry faced Ron and quickly started reading before he could do more than punch him on the arm.
"Oh no, I'd love to go with you as friends!" said Luna, beaming as he had never seen her beam before. "Nobody's ever asked me to a party before, as a friend! Is that why you dyed your eyebrow, for the party? Should I dye mine too?"
"That's Luna for you," chuckled Harry, while the others burst out laughing at here comment.
"Is she always like this?" Alice questioned.
"Just wait till you hear her at the party," replied Harry. "She is fantastic."
"No" said Harry firmly, "That was a mistake. I'll get Hermione to put it right for me. So I'll meet you in the entrance hall at eight o'clock then. "
"AHA!" screamed a voice from overhead and both of them jumped; unnoticed by either of them, they had just passed underneath Peeves, who was hanging upside down from a chandelier and grinning maliciously at them. "Potty asked Loony to go to the party ! Potty lurves Loony! Potty luuuuuurves Looooony!"
"I will have a word with Peeves," James said, flaring up a little with anger. "He cannot go around teasing my son…and his friends."
Snape snickered. "And what are you going to tell him? That you found a book from the future, which states that he supposedly, teased his son. And that he should refrain for doing so in the future?" James's face fell considerably.
And he zoomed away cackling and shrieking, "Potty loves Loony!"
"Nice to keep these things private," said Harry. And sure enough, in no time at all the whole school seemed to know that Harry Potter was taking Luna Lovegood to Slughorn's party.
"You could've taken anyone!" said Ron in disbelief over dinner. "Anyone! And you chose Loony Lovegood?"
"Don't call her that, Ron!" Molly snapped at her son. "She seemed so excited that Harry was taking her." Ron turned a frightened look at her.
"Didn't I tell you Ginny reminds me too much of her?" Ron said, rounding on Harry. "Didn't I? Now she is even saying the same things that Ginny did." Molly blushed crimson at this.
"Don't call her that, Ron!" snapped Ginny, pausing behind Harry on her way to join friends. "I'm really glad you're taking her Harry, she's so excited."
"That was a…little…unnatural," Frank said, apparently searching for proper words, while chuckles broke out in the room.
Dumbledore smiled gently at the blushing Molly. "That is nothing unusual. It is natural for a daughter to resemble her mother and also think likewise." Molly smile gratefully at the aging Headmaster, as the others stopped laughing at her expense, though the Trio still sported wide grins on their faces.
And she moved on down the table to sit with Dean. Harry tried to feel pleased that Ginny was glad he was taking Luna to the party but could not quite manage it. A long way along the table Hermione was sitting alone, playing with her stew. Harry noticed Ron looking at her furtively.
"You could say sorry," suggested Harry bluntly.
"What, and get attacked by another flock of canaries?" muttered Ron.
"Ron knows me better than you, Harry," Hermione said, grinning at the somewhat scared expression on Ron's face, who was, no doubt contemplating the future and his fate after any quarrels with Hermione, which were bound to take place.
"What did you have to imitate her for?"
"She laughed at my mustache!"
"So did I, it was the stupidest thing I've ever seen." But Ron did not seem to have heard; Lavender had just arrived with Parvati. Squeezing herself in between Harry and Ron, Lavender flung her arms around Ron's neck.
"I have got a question," Arthur remarked, looking at Harry. "I agree that Ron is being stupid. But why in Merlin's name didn't you whack him hard on the head whenever he was up to his stupid antics?" Ron glared daggers at his teenage father. The others who knew Arthur's nature were looking on in surprised amusement.
Harry made a funny face at Ron and said, "I didn't actually think about it, I think. I should have though." Ron retaliated by smacking Harry hard on the head.
"Hi, Harry," said Parvati who, like Harry, looked faintly embarrassed and bored by the behavior of their two friends.
"Hi," said Harry, "How're you? You're staying at Hogwarts, then? I heard your parents wanted you to leave."
"I managed to talk them out of it for the time being," said Parvati. "That Katie thing really freaked them out, but as there hasn't been anything since... Oh, hi, Hermione!"
Parvati positively beamed. Harry could tell that she was feeling guilty for having laughed at Hermione in Transfiguration. He looked around and saw that Hermione was beaming back, if possible even more brightly. Girls were very strange sometimes.
"Strange are not girls," Hermione said. "But my luck. That I should be friends with guys, one with the emotional range of a teaspoon and the other with the range of a tablespoon."
"But you gotta admit that we are the best around," Ron said, grinning. "You wouldn't have survived without arguing with me, and you got to admit that life without Harry Potter around would have been mighty boring…and not to mention very safe." The trio burst out laughing though the smiles of the people from the past became quite strained. They could not imagine their children actually finding the idea of encountering dangerous things as fun. Or more precisely, being so used to the idea of dangers.
"Hi, Parvati!" said Hermione, ignoring Ron and Lavender completely. "Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?"
"No invite," said Parvati gloomily. "I'd love to go, though; it sounds like it's going to be really good... You're going, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm meeting Cormac at eight, and we're -"
"That was a low blow, Hermione," Ron muttered. Hermione reached out and ruffled his hair a bit.
"What's with girls and revenge?" James murmured to his fellow Marauders throwing a significant look at Hermione and Lily. They shrugged helplessly. Minerva heard them, but instead of the glare they were expecting, they got an amused smile in return. And this, if possible, made them all the more wary of the situation.
There was a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink, and Ron surfaced.
"Told you, he needed to work on his techniques," Hermione said, as several "Ewws…" could be heard from around the room, especially from the female part of it. The boys had slightly sick expressions on their faces, though in Sirius's case it was one of pity and incredulity. Ron's face looked fit to resemble a tomato. Harry started reading, to save his friend from further embarrassment.
Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard anything. "-we're going up to the party together."
"Cormac?" said Parvati. "Cormac McLaggen, you mean?"
"That's right," said Hermione sweetly. "The one who *almost*" - she put a great deal of emphasis on the word - "became Gryffindor Keeper."
"You can be sarcastic, if you choose to be," Arthur said, surprised and amused. Hermione blushed and grinned.
"Even my own father supports her," Ron moaned dramatically. Hermione stuck out her tongue at him childishly.
"Are you going out with him, then?" asked Parvati, wide-eyed.
"Oh - yes - didn't you know?" said Hermione, with a most unHermione-ish giggle.
"No!" said Parvati, looking positively agog at this piece of gossip. "Wow, you like your Quidditch players, don't you? First Krum, then McLaggen."
"I like *really good* Quidditch players," Hermione corrected her, still smiling. "Well, see you... Got to go and get ready for the party..."
"That's why you fell in love with me," Ron said, grinning goofily at the bushy haired girl. Sirius mimicked retching at this.
Hermione punched him lightly on the arm. "No, you dolt! That was just to wind you up. If I wanted to fall in love with 'good' Quidditch players, I would have chosen Harry." Ron's face fell by a few degrees, and he sent a death glare in Harry's direction, who laughing his head off at Hermione's statement. A pillow flew from Ron's side and hit Harry directly on the head.
She left. At once Lavender and Parvati put their heads together to discuss this new development, with everything they had ever heard about McLaggen, and all they had ever guessed about Hermione. Ron looked strangely blank and said nothing. Harry was left to ponder in silence the depths to which girls would sink to get revenge.
"We agree, totally," Sirius said, while most of the males in the room nodded.
To their extreme surprise, this also included Dumbledore.
When he arrived in the entrance hall at eight o'clock that night, he found an unusually large number of girls lurking there, all of whom seemed to be staring at him resentfully as he approached Luna. She was wearing a set of spangled silver robes that were attracting a certain amount of giggles from the onlookers, but otherwise she looked quite nice. Harry was glad, in any case, that she had left off her radish earrings, her butterbeer cork necklace, and her Spectrespecs.
"Talk about weird," Sirius said, shuddering a little at the mental image this gave rise to. "Though I guess, the fact that she is brave makes up for her weird appearance."
"Her appearance doesn't matter at all," Alice snapped. "Stop judging girls from how they look, Sirius." Sirius rolled his eyes at her direction.
"Hi," he said. "Shall we get going then?"
"Oh yes," she said happily. "Where is the party?"
"Slughorn's office," said Harry, leading her up the marble staircase away from all the staring and muttering. "Did you hear, there's supposed to be a vampire coming?"
"Is it safe?" Molly murmured, worriedly.
"Of course, Ms. Prewett," Minerva said. "There will be teachers around and not to mention, many students. And the fear of Vampires is also part of prejudices, rather like those about Werewolves." She nodded at Remus.
"I guess…" Molly trailed off.
"Rufus Scrimgeour?" asked Luna.
"I - what?" said Harry, disconcerted. "You mean the Minister of Magic?"
"Another of her…or her dad's weird ideas," Harry explained, noticing the shocked looks of the students around.
"Whatever Scrimgeour was, he was Not a Vampire," Hermione said, agreeing.
"Yes, he's a vampire," said Luna matter-of-factly. "Father wrote a very long article about it when Scrimgeour first took over from Cornelius Fudge, but he was forced not to publish by somebody from the Ministry. Obviously, they didn't want the truth to get out!"
Harry, who thought it most unlikely that Rufus Scrimgeour was a vampire, but who was used to Luna repeating her father's bizarre views as though they were fact, did not reply; they were already approaching Slughorn's office and the sounds of laughter, music, and loud conversation were growing louder with every step they took.
Whether it had been built that way, or because he had used magical trickery to make it so, Slughorn's office was much larger than the usual teacher's study. The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson, and gold hangings, so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent.
"Crimson and gold…with Green?" Sirius muttered. "Wow! Slughorn's all for unity of Gryffindor and Slytherin. But still, he is the nicest Slytherin I met."
James nudged him. "One of the nicest, you must mean…" he said with a pointed glance at Snape. Sirius nodded his head hastily. Snape rolled his eyes at the pair of the Marauders.
"And it is Professor Slughorn, Mr. Black," Minerva said, raising her eyebrows slightly. Sirius nodded again.
"Slughorn's quite alright," Harry agreed with his godfather. "Though he does like and love his comforts."
The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the center of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light. Loud singing accompanied by what sounded like mandolins issued from a distant corner; a haze of pipe smoke hung over several elderly warlocks deep in conversation, and a number of house-elves were negotiating their way squeakily through the forest of knees, obscured by the heavy silver platters of food they were bearing, so that they looked like little roving tables.
"Professor Slughorn does throw the best of parties…though at times, there are too many famous people around," Lily remarked. "You tend to become uncomfortable soon."
"Come to the party with me, the next time…" James said, his eyes shining with expectations.
"You are asking me out…again?" Lily sounded exasperated. The others fought hard to stifle their laughter. Even the professors.
James was looking puzzled. "I think so… I mean, now we know that we are going to be married. Hell, we even have a child. I…I mean we will. So what is…"
"The problem?" Lily finished the question for him. James nodded. "It is true that we have a child, but I would like to get a confirmation that you have finally managed to be an adult yourself. Sadly till now, I have failed to get a proof of that." James blushed crimson while the others doubled up with laughter at this. James huffed and got up from Lily's side and went to sit with his son, purposely ignoring Lily's smiles.
Composing himself a bit, Harry started reading.
"Harry, m'boy!" boomed Slughorn, almost as soon as Harry and Luna had squeezed in through the door. "Come in; come in, so many people I'd like you to meet!"
Slughorn was wearing a tasseled velvet hat to match his smoking jacket. Gripping Harry's arm so tightly he might have been hoping to Disapparate with him, Slughorn led him purposefully into the party; Harry seized Luna's hand and dragged her along with him.
"Things just cannot get boring with Luna around," Hermione said, chuckling.
"Harry, I'd like you to meet Eldred Worple, an old student of mine, author of ' Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires' - and, of course, his friend Sanguini." Worple, who was a small, stout, bespectacled man, grabbed Harry's hand and shook it enthusiastically; the vampire Sanguini, who was tall and emaciated with dark shadows under his eyes, merely nodded. He looked rather bored. A gaggle of girls was standing close to him, looking curious and excited.
"Curious is okay, but on earth are they looking excited?" Remus asked, perplexed. "Anyways he is not something to be gawked at."
"We totally agree, Moony," Sirius said, putting an arm around the distressed Werewolf. "But, I don't think such people ought to be taken into consideration."
"Tell me something guys," Frank said, looking at James and Sirius. "Didn't the fact that Remus is a Werewolf bother you two at all...Hear me out before you start screaming at me, or hexing me." He added, noticing that both the said Marauders had matching looks of rage on their faces. The Trio were looking over at Frank in slight confusion. The look of intense concentration on his face, reminded them abruptly of Neville. They shared a smile amongst themselves.
Frank spoke again, "I don't have a problem with Remus being a Werewolf…None at all. But, you guys have known this for a long time, you all share the same Dormitory…Aren't you ever afraid of Remus…or more precisely, of the wolf? No offense, Remus, but I am rather curious. Obviously, you aren't the violent type, but according to my knowledge, the wolf has a mind of its own, especially when you transform..." Remus smile understandingly at him and turned to glance at his fellow marauders, especially at Sirius, or so it seemed to the others.
"But, Mr. Longbottom, they do not remain anywhere near Remus when he transforms, so why would they fear him? I mean, the wolf," Minerva said indignantly, frowning at Frank, who looked a little ashamed for not thinking about the obvious.
"Oh! I didn't think," he stuttered. "Then please start reading Harry…"
"No wait!" Sirius cut in, just as Harry was about to continue reading. Harry looked at him, puzzled. "I have an answer to your question, Frank." He seemed to be bracing himself to confess something. "James was always ok with the idea of Remus being a Werewolf, but I loath to say that I was not." He turned an apologetic glance at Remus. "I never had a problem with Remus, but the wolf terrified me. I might as well admit that I had nightmares about him. And I am still afraid…But that doesn't mean that I care for Remus any less. He is as much a brother to me, as James is… I don't really know how to justify or explain myself." Most of the students were taken aback at the sight of utter vulnerability in Sirius's eyes, Snape more than anyone else.
"And you don't have to," Remus turned to glare at Frank, while putting an arm around his friend's shoulders. "It takes a lot of guts to befriend someone who is a Werewolf. Even more to stand by them. Hell, even I am afraid of the wolf, even though he is a part of me. It is absolutely natural and even prudent to be wary of the wolf."
Dumbledore's eyebrows were furrowed up in thought. "All that is very good, but you all have never ever even seen Remus in his wolf form. And obviously, he is not dangerous the rest of the month."
Remus shared a worried look with his friends. Something told him that their secret would be out in one of the books, though for the world to it, he could not fathom what their Professor's reactions would be. But nevertheless, he gave a tiny nod in response to the silent question that James seemed to be asking Padfoot and him.
"We have seen Remus transformed, Sir," James confessed, looking resolutely at his teachers. "We have been with him every Full Moon night, ever since our fifth year."
"Wha…?"
"We are animagi," Sirius said, interrupting Minerva's obvious question. "We are unregistered animagi. WE successfully completed out animagus transformations last year, so that we can keep Moony company during the Full Moon nights."
The room seemed to have been shocked into silence. "That's impossible!" Snape cried out, finally breaking the pin-drop silence. "Animagi transformation is one of the toughest branches of Transfiguration. And to do it by one's fifth year of magical training, without any help is impossible. Even for talented students like you."
"But it's true," Sirius murmured. To prove his words, he suddenly turned into a Grim like Dog and took a couple of laps around the room, before flopping down beside Remus, who patted the dog's head absent-mindedly. The others, except for the Trio and James had mingled looks of shock and veneration on their faces.
Dumbledore had laid a hand on Minerva's shoulder, most probably in an attempt to calm her down. Sirius (actually, Padfoot) whimpered at the look on her face, which did not look at all promising for the young teenagers.
This seemed to bring back Minerva from her shocked condition. "What's yours?" she asked shakily, looking at James.
"Wh…What?" James stuttered, confused.
"Your form. What's your form? What do you change to?"
"It must be a Stag," Lily spoke up, before James could reply. "His nickname is Prongs. That represents a Stag. Sirius's is Padfoot, a Dog." The mentioned dog barked from his corner and wagged his tail a bit. Finally a smile cracked the corners of Minerva's lips.
"Then…What are you waiting for? Transform," she all but ordered. Instantly at the place of James Potter stood a huge Stag, almost white in color and with James's Hazel colored eyes. Lily raised a hand tentatively and touched the Stag's head, startling on feeling the soft fur. Harry looked at the Animagus form in awe. He had seen Prongs materialize any number of times as his Patronus, but this was the first time that he was seeing the real Prongs. To his dismay, he felt tears prickling his eyes. Hermione slid an arm around him and squeezed his arm comfortingly.
"I must say, I am impressed. Mightily impressed." Dumbledore commented. "And not just because you managed to do it. More so because of the reason you did it." He looked at them out of the top of his half-moon glasses, his eyes twinkling; with an expression of pride on his face.
"So, we are not getting expelled…or being chucked into Azkaban?" Sirius transformed back and questioned.
Minerva chuckled. "Not this time, I am afraid. We can keep that in store for the next time."
"It must be great to have friends like that," Snape whispered to Lily with look of envy on his features. Lily nodded as did the other Gryffindors who had heard him. Frank caught Harry's eye and motioned him to continue reading. After clearing his thought a bit, he read on.
"Harry Potter, I am simply delighted!" said Worple, peering shortsightedly up into Harry's face. "I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day, 'Where is the biography of Harry Potter for which we have all been waiting?'"
"Er," said Harry, "were you?"
"Just as modest as Horace described!" said Worple. "But seriously"
— his manner changed; it became suddenly businesslike — "I would be delighted to write it myself— people are craving to know more about you, dear boy, craving! If you were prepared to grant me a few interviews, say in four- or five-hour sessions, why, we could have the book finished within months.
"I don't think Harry would be interested," Remus said, smirking at the boy.
Harry grinned back.
"I should hope so," Lily said, glaring at the still transformed James, but could not control the smile that flirted on her face.
And all with very little effort on your part, I assure you — ask Sanguini here if it isn't quite — Sanguini, stay here!" added Worple, suddenly stern, for the vampire had been edging toward the nearby group of girls, a rather hungry look in his eye. "Here, have a pasty," said Worple, seizing one from a passing elf and stuffing it into Sanguini's hand before turning his attention back to Harry. "My dear boy, the gold you could make, you have no idea —"
"I'm definitely not interested," said Harry firmly, "and I've just seen a friend of mine, sorry." He pulled Luna after him into the crowd; he had indeed just seen a long mane of brown hair disappear between what looked like two members of the Weird Sisters.
"Thank god for that," Alice muttered. "They would have bored him to death."
Ron sniggered. "That would have freed Voldemort from his task…Sorry…" he added seeing the sudden worried looks on Lily's face. Hermione threw a dirty look at him.
"Hermione! Hermione !"
"Harry! There you are, thank goodness! Hi, Luna!"
"What's happened to you?" asked Harry, for Hermione looked distinctly disheveled, rather as though she had just fought her way out of a thicket of Devil's Snare.
"Oh, I've just escaped — I mean, I've just left Cormac," she said. "Under the mistletoe," she added in explanation, as Harry continued to look questioningly at her.
"You kissed him?" Ron said, whipping around to look at her. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No idiot. I left him under the mistletoe and ran away." The Marauders roared with laughter, though the girls looked a little disapproving.
"Serves you right for coming with him," he told her severely.
"I thought he'd annoy Ron most," said Hermione dispassionately. "I debated for a while about Zacharias Smith, but I thought, on the whole —"
"You considered Smith?" said Harry, revoked.
"And you blame me," Ron murmured, glaring at the brunette. "But honestly, he might have been better than Cormac!" Hermione grimaced.
"Don't remind me," she groaned. "That party was bad enough."
"I know what you mean," Ron said, remembering the whole Lavender incident and shuddering.
"Yes, I did, and I'm starting to wish I'd chosen him, McLaggen makes Grawp look a gentleman. Let's go this way, we'll be able to see him coming, he's so tall. . . ." The three of them made their way over to the other side of the room, scooping up goblets of mead on the way, realizing too late that Professor Trelawney was standing there alone.
"Hello," said Luna politely to Professor Trelawney.
"Good evening, my dear," said Professor Trelawney, focusing upon Luna with some difficulty. Harry could smell cooking sherry again. "I haven't seen you in my classes lately..."
"No, I've got Firenze this year," said Luna.
"Oh, of course," said Professor Trelawney with an angry, drunken titter. "Or Dobbin, as I prefer to think of him. You would have thought, would you not, that now I am returned to the school Professor Dumbledore might have got rid of the horse? But no ... we share classes. . . . It's an insult, frankly, an insult. Do you know. . ." Professor Trelawney seemed too tipsy to have recognized Harry.
"One can be thankful for small benefits," Harry murmured. "Though she somehow grew on me."
Under cover of her furious criticisms of Firenze, Harry drew closer to Hermione and said, "Let's get something straight. Are you planning to tell Ron that you interfered at Keeper tryouts?"
"She wouldn't have," Ron said, sounding confident. Hermione bestowed a smile on him before glaring at Harry.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Do you really think I'd stoop that low?"
Harry looked at her shrewdly. "Hermione, if you can ask McLaggen — "
"There's a difference," said Hermione with dignity. "I've got no plans to tell Ron anything about what might, or might not, have happened at Keeper tryouts."
"Good," said Harry fervently. "Because he'll just fall apart again, and we'll lose the next match —"
"Quidditch!" Molly snapped. "That's all you guys think about. Even some girls…" She directed a look in Alice's direction, who grinned.
"Oh Quidditch is the best," Sirius declared. "Nothing can beat it…except maybe defeating Voldemort." There were collective chuckles around, though a few people flinched at Voldemort's name.
"Quidditch!" said Hermione angrily. "Is that all boys care about? Cormac hasn't asked me one single question about myself, no, I've just been treated to 'A Hundred Great Saves Made by Cormac McLaggen' nonstop ever since — oh no, here he comes!" She moved so fast it was as though she had Disapparated; one moment she was there, the next, she had squeezed between two guffawing witches and vanished.
"Seen Hermione?" asked McLaggen, forcing his way through the throng a minute later.
"No, sorry," said Harry, and he turned quickly to join in Luna's conversation, forgetting for a split second to whom she was talking.
"Harry Potter!" said Professor Trelawney in deep, vibrant tones, noticing him for the first time.
"Oh, hello," said Harry unenthusiastically.
"My dear boy!" she said in a very carrying whisper. "The rumors! The stories! 'The Chosen One'! Of course, I have known for a very long time. . . . The omens were never good, Harry. . . But why have you not returned to Divination? For you, of all people, the subject is of the utmost importance!"
"Ah, Sybill, we all think our subject's most important!" said a loud voice, and Slughorn appeared at Professor Trelawney's other side, his face very red, his velvet hat a little askew, a glass of mead in one hand and an enormous mince pie in the other. "But I don't think I've ever known such a natural at Potions!" said Slughorn, regarding Harry with a fond, if bloodshot, eye. "Instinctive, you know — like his mother! I've only ever taught a few with this kind of ability, I can tell you that, Sybill — why even Severus —" And to Harry's horror, Slughorn threw out an arm and seemed to scoop Snape out of thin air toward them. "Stop skulking and come and join us, Severus!" hiccupped Slughorn happily. "I was just talking about Harry's exceptional potion-making! Some credit must go to you, of course, you taught him for five years!"
"Oh Hell!" Sirius cursed. "Bad luck for Harry, I guess."
'No kidding," Harry said darkly. "I didn't really want you to start investigating my newly found Potion skills." He added looking at Snape.
"From what I have read, you always seemed to have a talent for potions. You seem to be good, even if not brilliant," he said. "But I guess, I put you off it." Harry nodded, grinning.
Trapped, with Slughorn's arm around his shoulders, Snape looked down his hooked nose at Harry, his black eyes narrowed. "Funny, I never had the impression that I managed to teach Potter anything at all."
"Well, then, it's natural ability!" shouted Slughorn. "You should have seen what he gave me, first lesson, Draught of Living Death — never had a student produce finer on a first attempt, I don't think even you, Severus —"
"Really?" said Snape quietly, his eyes still boring into Harry, who felt a certain disquiet. The last thing he wanted was for Snape to start investigating the source of his newfound brilliance at Potions.
"Remind me what other subjects you're taking, Harry?" asked Slughorn.
"Defense against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology..."
"Subjects required to be an Auror," James said proudly. He had transformed back, undoubtedly getting bored with remaining silent. "Same as me."
"And me," Sirius put in.
"Merlin save the Auror department," Molly said, smirking.
"'Especially Alastor Moody," Minerva added. "He is already paranoid enough." The Trio's faces fell considerably at the mention of Mad Eye Moody.
"All the subjects required, in short, for an Auror," said Snape with the faintest sneer.
"Yeah, well, that's what I'd like to do," said Harry defiantly.
"And a great one you'll make too!" boomed Slughorn.
"That's nice of him to say," Lily mussed.
"He almost hero-worshipped Harry, Lily," Ron said. "You can't expect anything else from him."
"Stop exaggerating, mate," Harry murmured, smacking Ron hard on the head. Ron rubbed his head and glared at the messy haired boy.
"I don't think you should be an Auror, Harry," said Luna unexpectedly. Everybody looked at her. "The Aurors are part of the Rotfang Conspiracy, I thought everyone knew that. They're planning to bring down the Ministry of Magic from within using a combination of Dark Magic and gum disease."
Everybody broke out into peals of laughter at this.
"I t…totally agree," Sirius said still laughing hard. "Luna i…is totally f…fantastic." After he had managed to control his laughter, Harry started reading.
Harry inhaled half his mead up his nose as he started to laugh. Really, it had been worth bringing Luna just for this. Emerging, from his goblet, coughing, sopping wet but still grinning, he saw something calculated to raise his spirits even higher: Draco Malfoy being dragged by the ear toward them by Argus Filch.
"At last, a satisfying mental image," James mused, and was promptly smacked on the arm by Lily. "I should have stayed as a stag. She seemed to like me better in that form," he mumbled, speaking under his breath as he massaged his afflicted arm. Lily did not look it, but had a strong arm. This could be certified by James, who had been at the receiving end of her slaps more than once. Though mostly due to his faults.
"Professor Slughorn," wheezed Filch, his jowls aquiver and the maniacal light of mischief-detection in his bulging eyes, "I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"
Malfoy pulled himself free of Filche's grip, looking furious. "All right, I wasn't invited!" he said angrily. "I was trying to gate crash, happy?"
"No, I'm not!" said Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say that nighttime prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"
"That's all right, Argus, that's all right," said Slughorn, waving it around. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment; you may stay, Draco.
"That's generous of him," Molly said, smiling a bit. "After all, it is Christmas."
Frank smirked, "Don't forget, it is Slughorn. He is not that strict or anything. Rather less than some of our other Professors." He grinned at a glaring McGonagall.
"I should hope so," she snapped. "Especially in a school that resides the 'Marauders'." The mentioned party grinned proudly.
Filich's expression of outraged disappointment was perfectly predictable; but why, Harry wondered, watching him, did Malfoy look almost equally unhappy? And why was Snape looking at Malfoy as though both angry and . . . was it possible? ... a little afraid? But almost before Harry had registered what he had seen, Filch had turned and shuffled away, muttering under his breath; Malfoy had composed his face into a smile and was thanking Slughorn for his generosity, and Snape's face was smoothly inscrutable again.
"No mystery there," James mumbled. "After all you made an Unbreakable Vow." He looked at Snape, who looked deep in thought and a whole lot baffled.
"I think I have definitely gone over to the dark side," he murmured. He was looking so devastated that Lily rubbed his back soothingly, hoping to comfort him. With a worried glance at his ex- (Or is it to-be?) professor, Harry resumed reading.
"It's nothing, nothing," said Slughorn, waving away Malfoy's thanks. "I did know your grandfather, after all..."
"He always spoke very highly of you, sir," said Malfoy quickly. "Said you were the best potion-maker he'd ever known. ..."
Harry stared at Malfoy. It was not the sucking-up that intrigued him; he had watched Malfoy do that to Snape for a long time. It was the fact that Malfoy did, after all, look a little ill. This was the first time he had seen Malfoy close up for ages; he now saw that Malfoy had dark shadows under his eyes and a distinctly grayish tinge to his skin.
"I'd like a word with you, Draco," said Snape suddenly.
"Now, Severus," said Slughorn, hiccupping again, "it's Christmas, don't be too hard —"
"Professor Snape being hard on Malfoy?" Ron scoffed. "Now that would be a first." Hermione glared at her boyfriend and motioned towards Snape, who looked noticeably more depressed by this particular snippet of information. "I meant the future you," Ron said, in what he clearly thought to be a comforting tone. "Though I swear, you had a good enough reason." This didn't seem to help much as Snape continued to look desolate.
"Snap out of it, Sevvie," Sirius exclaimed slapping a hand on Snape's back. "It is going to be alright. And anyways, we are told to refrain from constructing a theory before finishing the books, both of them. And even if you turn out to be the bad guy, we can try and change the future this time around. Hopefully for the better." Lily looked shocked, to say the least, that Sirius Black had actually managed to lift Snape up from his depressive mood, at least a little.
"I am his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be," said Snape curtly. "Follow me, Draco."
They left, Snape leading the way, Malfoy looking resentful. Harry stood there for a moment, irresolute, then said, "I'll be back in a bit, Luna — er — bathroom."
"All right," she said cheerfully, and he thought he heard her, as he hurried off into the crowd, resume the subject of the Rotfang Conspiracy with Professor Trelawney, who seemed sincerely interested. It was easy, once out of the party, to pull his Invisibility Cloak out of his pocket and throw it over himself, for the corridor was quite deserted.
"Told you I don't learn," Harry remarked, seeing the exasperated looks on his parent's faces. "Though I certainly didn't get caught."
"Too much like his father," Lily mumbled under her breath while rolling her eyes at the 'father', who was grinning proudly at his son.
What was more difficult was finding Snape and Malfoy. Harry ran down the corridor, the noise of his feet masked by the music and loud talks still issuing from Slughorn's office behind him. Perhaps Snape had taken Malfoy to his office in the dungeons ... or perhaps he was escorting him back to the Slytherin common room. . . . Harry pressed his ear against door after door as he dashed down the corridor until, with a great jolt of excitement, he crouched down to the keyhole of the last classroom in the corridor and heard voices.
". . . cannot afford mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled —"
"Don't start again," Harry warned, as Snape looked extremely likely to fall back into the gloomy state.
"I didn't have anything to do with it, all right?"
"I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy and foolish. Already you are suspected of having a hand in it."
"Who suspects me?" said Malfoy angrily. "For the last time, I didn't do it, okay? That Bell girl must've had an enemy no one knows about — don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work — I can stop you!"
"Learned Occlumency," Snape mumbled. "That is one handy tool."
"Which, unfortunately, Harry never managed to master," Hermione said, grinning at her flushed friend, who ignored her and read on determinedly, trying to ignore the sniggers that his red haired friend (he should think about making it an ex-friend) was sending his way.
There was a pause and then Snape said quietly, "Ah . . . Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"
"I'm not trying to conceal anything from him; I just don't want you butting in!" Harry pressed his ear still more closely against the keyhole. . . . What had happened to make Malfoy speak to Snape like this — Snape, toward whom he had always shown respect, even liking?
"So that is why you have been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realize that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco —"
"So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!" jeered Malfoy.
"The student population of Hogwarts would have had a heart attack, had he done that," Harry commenting, chuckling at the flummoxed expression on Snape's face.
"Even if I am a bloody, idiotic Death Eater," Snape cried out, "why on earth am I supporting Malfoy's son so vehemently, and why the dickens did I take the stupid Unbreakable idiotic Vow?"
"Later," Hermione said, smirking at the impatient look on the boy's face.
There was another pause. Then Snape said, "You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things."
"You'd better stop telling me to come to your office then!"
"Listen to me," said Snape, his voice so low now that Harry had to push his ear very hard against the keyhole to hear. "I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco —"
"Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, he gave it to me and I'm doing it, I've got a plan and it's going to work, it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!"
"Idiotic boy!" Minerva exclaimed. "Does he even know what happens if you break an Unbreakable Vow?"
"I don't think so," Lily murmured. "At least, I hope not. I might just cause him some personal injury, if he is try to cause Severus's death on purpose." Sirius looked uncomfortable at this proclamation, remembering a certain third year incident. Though it was certainly, not on purpose.
"What is your plan?"
"It's none of your business!"
"If you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you ..."
"I have all the assistance I need, thanks, I'm not alone!"
"You were certainly alone tonight, which was foolish in the extreme, wandering the corridors without lookouts or backup, these are elementary mistakes —"
"I would've had Crabbe and Goyle with me if you hadn't put them in detention!"
"Keep your voice down!" spat Snape, for Malfoy's voice had risen excitedly. "If your friends Crabbe and Goyle intend to pass their Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL this time around, they will need to work a little harder than they are doing at pres —"
"What does it matter?" said Malfoy. "Defense Against the Dark Arts
— its all just a joke, isn't it, an act? Like any of us need protecting against the Dark Arts —"
"With Voldemort backing them, they would think not," Alice remarked.
Dumbledore's eyes had lost their customary twinkle once again. "It is sad to know that Tom has stooped to the extreme of recruiting kids," he said in a low voice. "He never learned from his mistakes, just kept on making more."
"He is a Psycho," Alice said in a matter-of-fact tone. Dumbledore smiled at her placidly.
"It is an act that is crucial to success, Draco!" said Snape. "Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, getting yourself caught, and if you are placing your reliance in assistants like Crabbe and Goyle —"
"They're not the only ones; I've got other people on my side, better people!"
"Like Fenrir Greyback," Remus snarled, his eyes darkening. Sirius placed a calming arm around his shoulders. Any mention or hinting of his attacker infuriated Remus up like no other.
"Then why not confide in me, and I can —"
"I know what you're up to! You want to steal my glory!"
There was another pause, then Snape said coldly, "You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your fathers capture and imprisonment has upset you, but —"
Harry had barely a second's warning; he heard Malfoy's footsteps on the other side of the door and flung himself out of the way just as it burst open . Malfoy was striding away down the corridor, past the open door of Slughorn's office, around the distant corner, and out of sight. Hardly daring to breathe, Harry remained crouched down as Snape emerged slowly from the classroom. His expression unfathomable, he returned to the party. Harry remained on the floor, hidden beneath the cloak, his mind racing.
"What an ending!" James said in an exasperated voice. "Simply managed to thicken the mystery even more and no way to find out the answers from these three." He pointed at the Trio harshly.
"We are not supposed to," Hermione pointed out in a slightly hurt voice. "But you will certainly get to know the answers that much we promise."
"Any guarantee that we are going to like it?" Snape questioned, sounding a trifle insecure.
Harry smiled. "I hope so, I really do." Both Ron and Hermione gave fervent nods.
"So, do we proceed to the next chapter or do you want us to tell about our third year?" Ron questioned, as an uncomfortable and gloomy silence had fallen in the room.
"Third year!" almost everybody cried out, Sirius's voice surmounting others. "I guess I come in now?" he asked. Harry nodded grinning at his over excited godfather, though his eyes held a glimmer of sadness.
"The Dursleys were worse than ever," Harry started. "Though this is nothing new. I got my Hogsmeade permission letter with my Hogwarts letter."
"Which the Dursleys obviously refused to sign?" Lily predicted glumly. Harry nodded.
"But Uncle Vernon said that he would sign, if I behaved nicely and docilely with Aunt Marge who was coming for a visit."
"Vernon's sister," Lily answered as questioning glances were aimed at Harry.
"Needless to say, she said some very nasty things, which caused Harry to lose his temper and he blew her up," Ron said snickering.
"You did not?" Minerva shrieked. At Harry's tentative nod, she sighed. "He might be like his father, but he has his mother's temper alright." Lily blushed.
"I had heard about Sirius in the muggle news," Harry continued. "Even they were alerted. It was, after all, the first time anyone had escaped from Azkaban."
"How…?" Remus started but Harry interrupted.
"You will get to know later," he said. "I left the Dursleys at night. I didn't know about the Knight Bus, but due to being toppled over by a stupid dog, I unknowingly summoned the Knight Bus. Needless to say, that the dog was Padfoot, who had come to meet me, but I came to know that only later."
Sirius smirked. "At least, I ended up helping you."
"You did," Hermione agreed. "Well, he came to the Leaky Cauldron. The then Minister of Magic – Fudge, met him. To check that he was safe. After all, the whole wizarding population thought that Sirius was after Harry."
"As if…" Sirius glowered.
"WE know that. Don't interrupt. Ron and I met up with him at Diagon Alley. That day, at night Harry overheard Arthur telling Molly that Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban to kill him, Harry Potter. During our train journey, we met Remus J. Lupin who was to be our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. "
"Congratulations," almost everybody in the room cried out. Remus blushed slightly; glad to know that he finally gets to fulfill his ambition of becoming a teacher.
Harry grinned at the blushing boy and continued. "The train was stopped mid-way as the Dementors wanted to search the train. And I…well…I fainted. The Dementors caused me to remember the night, my parents were killed." James put an arm around Lily and squeezed her shoulders comfortingly. "TO be precise, I heard my mum screaming. Remus had used a Patronus to drive away the Dementors and fed me some chocolate before bundling me to the school." James directed a thankful look at his friend.
"At school, we gotta know that Dementors were stationed all around. And that Hagrid was to be our Care of Magical Creatures teacher," Ron continued. "Oh! I forgot! Hermione had bought Crookshanks from the pet store at Diagon Alley. I had a pet rat, Scabbers. So, obviously I wasn't very happy. During Hagrid's first class, Malfoy didn't pay attention and got injured by a Hippogriff, Buckbeak."
"Hagrid must have got into so much trouble," Molly exclaimed. "Especially as the injured student was Malfoy."
"Obviously," Harry said. "Headmaster managed to get him out of it, but Buckbeak had to go for a trial. At Halloween, Sirius tried to enter the Gryffindor common room, when everybody was down at the feast. But, as he didn't have the password, he was denied entry by the fat lady. In his rage, he slashed opened her portrait."
"Sirius!" Minerva admonished. "What were you thinking of?" Sirius looked highly confused, and a little ashamed. After all, he was quite fond of the fat lady.
"Not really his fault," Harry continued. "She didn't want to guard the common room anymore, so the portrait of Sir Cadogan was brought. He was the only one who volunteered." James threw a sympathetic look at the Trio. "After that, was our first Quidditch match of the season. And my first defeat."
Gasps were heard around the room. Ron continued as Harry paused to take a breath, "Harry fell off his broom as the Dementors gatecrashed in the game. It was only due to Professor Dumbledore that he was not injured too much. And then he asked Remus to teach him the Patronus charm."
"But that's a N.E.W.T level charm," Lily gasped. "How was he supposed to pull it off? And how did you practice? You didn't have a personal Dementor, did you?"
Harry grinned at his mother's sarcastic tone. "Obviously not. But my boggart always took the shape of a Dementor, as they were my worst fear. That Christmas, I got one of my most treasured presents, from Fred and George Weasley." He paused a little for effect. "I got, The Marauders' Map."
"WHAT?" all the Marauders present, had cried out. "But, how did they have it?"
"You guys got it confiscated in your seventh year and they nicked it in their first week from Filch's cupboard in their first week," Ron explained.
"What's this map?" Minerva asked suspiciously. "It's a map of Hogwarts?"
"It's an enchanted map of Hogwarts," James corrected. "It shows all the passageways, hidden or otherwise and also shows everybody."
"Wherever they are and whatever they are doing," Sirius added. "That map's our secret tool of success in all the pranks."
"Show us," Lily demanded, her eyes lit with excitement. The Marauders were far cleverer than what she had given them credit for.
"We don't have it with us," Remus said. "We have left it in our Dorms."
"But we do," Harry said taking out the yellowish looking parchment from his pocket. He took out his wand and placed it on the paper. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Words began to blossom in curly, green letters.
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
"Wow!" Frank murmured. "There's Filch, in the Third floor, Professor Slughorn, in his office. But we aren't there." He looked up from the map.
"That means that this room is unplottable," Dumbledore remarked. "That must be the magic of this room. But, I have to complement the Marauders." He smiled at them. "This map is fantastic and absolutely full credit goes to them."
"That is an impressive bit of magic," Snape commented. "No wonder, you guys seldom got caught while executing pranks." The Marauders grinned at the greasy haired boy.
"I guess you all deserve more credit, than I give you," Lily murmured grudgingly. James grinned and drew her into an embrace.
"Mischief managed!" Harry murmured and placed the parchment back in his pocket. "That very day, I sneaked out to Hogsmeade," he glanced apologetically at his professors. "And I overheard Professor McGonagall, Madam Rosmerta, Fudge, Professor Flitwick and Hagrid talking about Sirius. That day I got the entire story. Soon after the prophecy was made, Headmaster had suggested Mum and Dad to go into hiding under the Fidelius Charm. Dad wanted Sirius to be the Secret Keeper and that's what everybody knew."
"I get it," Remus said, in a somewhat tired sounding voice. "Sirius must have told him to change the Secret Keeper to Peter Pettigrew at the last minute, didn't he? And when the Potters got killed, everybody obviously suspected Sirius and dragged him off to Azkaban."
"Absolutely," Hermione confirmed. "When Sirius chased Pettigrew he blew apart the street, killing many muggles, after yelling for everyone to hear that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily. Then he transformed, but just before that he cut off his finger. The Ministry thought that Black has killed Pettigrew and all that was left of him, was one finger." Sirius's face looked alarmingly white. Molly was sobbing silently into her handkerchief. Snape opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again as Remus spoke up.
"What I don't get is, didn't I know about this entire plan? I could have tried to get Sirius out of Azkaban. Or at least, told Harry the truth." He seemed to be speaking more to himself than anyone else. The Trio looked at each other in some trepidation. Remus noticed the look that they were giving each other.
"I get it," his voice had diminished considerably. "My friends suspected me of being a death eater. They didn't trust me." The other two Marauders looked at the Harry, who nodded.
"I can't believe this, "James seemed to have found his voice at last, as Lily put an arm both around Remus and Sirius. "We didn't trust Moony? And why?"
The corner of Remus's lip turned up in a small, albeit sad smile. "I am a Werewolf." As Sirius opened his mouth to protest, he cut in. "I am the supposedly Dark creature here. So…"
"Don't call yourself that," both James and Sirius snarled. "I don't know what we do in the future, but just don't call yourself that." James added. The silence in the room stretched to the point of being disturbing, as it was only punctuated by Molly's soft sobs.