February had seen The-Group-That-Needed-A-Name beginning the process of becoming Animagi: They were to hold a Mandrake leaf in their mouth for a month.

"Thank Merlin we didn't try this last year, seeing as the Mandrake wouldn't be available to clip leaves from," Dudley had pointed out when the group was gathered in Lupin's office. Ron and Draco had both refused the Mandrake leaf after noticing just how bitter the taste of it was, and also because they lacked the necessary patience for wizards and witches to become Animagi. The process of becoming an Animagus was extremely difficult, with the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong.

The first part of the process to become an Animagus was holding the leaf of a mandrake in their mouth for an entire month; undisturbed or else one would have to start over; and then using the leaf for the creation of the Animagus potion. The next step was to then recite the incantation "Amato Animo Animato Animagus" every day, until the final part could be finished, which involved drinking the Animagus potion during a Thunder and Lightning storm.

To make the potion, the witch or wizard had to spit their leaf into a vial under the light of the full moon at the end of the month (if the night was cloudy, the leaf had to stay put until the next visible full moon). One of their own hairs, a silver teaspoon of dew that hadn't seen sunlight or been touched by human feet for a week, had to be added to the vial, and finally a chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk Moth as well.

"It is often debated, but believed to be possible for one's Animagus form to be a magical creature," Lupin had informed them during one of their earlier conversations.

"Is it possible for an Animagus to be a Dementor?" Ron pressed their instructor, who confessed he did not know.

Most of the group had placed the leaf in their mouth and the month began, choosing February as it was the shortest month.

/*** **-** ***/

Valentine's Day had arrived once more and with it came the second trip to Hogsmeade village. All of the third years and above were allowed to go anywhere within Hogsmeade after breakfast.

Things were going swimmingly until Harry was knocked over by someone running into him from behind.

"Sorry Harry, I thought you would have been further away," came the embarrassed voice of Elias once the two were back on their feet. "I really want to come with you to Hogsmeade, I know I'm not allowed, but can you sneak me down?" He pleaded to Harry, who pulled out his Invisibility Cloak to let Elias borrow it. At this the twins came over with matching grins.

"You won't actually make it down to Hogsmeade like that- it's way too obvious- but we can help…" The twins stopped at this while one of them grabbed a bunch of parchment from their bag and handed it to Harry, who was immediately confused.

"Urm… thanks I guess… I fail to see how plain parchment is helpful but,…" Harry awkwardly responded to the gift.

"Oh Harry- it's only plain- when not in use."

The twins tapped the parchment and muttered

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

and lines of ink began spreading across it, it resembled the diary responding too much for Harry's liking. Once the ink had stopped spreading Harry could see it was a map.

"Wait, this is a map of Hogwarts… is that…?

"Professor Snape- heading this way. Go here- it will get you to Hogsmeade. - We'll leave you with this - just make sure to tap it - and say mischief managed- otherwise anyone can read it." With that the twins vanished and a minute later Professor Snape walked past, reminding them that nobody below third year could come to the village, he glanced at Elias as he said this, before he continued towards the village.

"You guys go ahead, Dudley and I will take Elias through the passageway Fred and George mentioned. We'll meet up with you once we're there." Harry told his friends, before Dudley and Elias followed him back into the castle.

They walked to the third floor, though it was as far away from that section of the floor as possible. They found a statue of a man with a hump, which the map had overlayed with the word "Dissendium". They said the phrase and the statue slid across to reveal a hole in the ground, with a ladder to descend. Without missing a beat, Harry began to climb down, followed by his cousin and brother.

/*** **-** ***/

The tunnel had come out inside the basement of one of the stores; Honeydukes, as they discovered upon exiting the shop, under the cover of the cloak. It was a tight squeeze under the cloak, making both Harry and Dudley wish the latter had gone with the group the normal way.

They found Draco, Ron, Neville, Blaise, Hermione, and Theo; all sat by the Shrieking Shack, well, as close as they dared venture. The trio were informed by Ron that he had been told by the villagers that the ghosts in the Shack were the most active they had been since before the fall of You-Know-Who, a fact that didn't bode well for the future.

"Maybe he's coming back, maybe the ghosts are related to him in some capacity," Harry postulated before the topic was swiftly changed. The group set out buying presents and split up into smaller groups, Elias remaining under Invisibility Charms, to allow greater freedom of movement, and by Harry's side the whole time. Harry told the group that he was paying for whatever people wanted, or as he put it:

"What's the point in being one of the wealthiest wizards in Britain if I can't use it to buy my friends things. Just keep it under 50 Galleons each."

"Are you sure, mate? That's a lot of gold." Ron looked happy to agree, but Molly's beliefs against receiving charity were shining through.

"Honestly mate, don't worry about it, from what I've heard about him, my dad would approve of spending money on friends."

He quietly told Elias he could spend 75 Galleons as his birthday was on the 28th of February. Harry was the only one who could see him through the Invisibility Charms and as they re-entered Honeydukes he looked like a kid in a candy store.

They went to Zonko's Joke Shop next and purchased many useful items for their pranking future, as well as a few thank you gifts for Fred and George, as well as some chocolate for Remus. They had mixed up chocolate from Zonko's and Honeydukes so that he wouldn't know if he was biting into a luxury chocolate or a trick one. Once shopping had finished they ended the day in The Three Broomsticks, before returning to the castle and enjoying dinner in the Great Hall before going to sleep.

/*** **-** ***/

It had been ten days since Valentine's Day and Harry was training, with all of his equipment set to its highest setting for the first time, in the Vipers' Arena. He was combining his Zabrak rage style with his Echani peaceful style and incorporating them into his personal primary style.

While that was going on, on the other side of the room, on a different duelling and training arena, was Elias who was trying to become like his brother. He had been reading the Echani book before sleep every night and he knew most of the steps in theory. He was going through the motions, not yet adding spells to it, just letting himself move.

Dudley and Draco were with Ron in the gym area trying to work on building strength, wanting to test physical health and its effect on magical strength. Blaise was sparring with Hermione and Theo with Neville. They had become the Vipers that Slytherin had hoped for, sure there were members from other houses, but that wasn't forbidden..

They rarely went into the Chamber to hang out, not after what happened last time.

/*** **-** ***/

During the month of January Harry was showing Elias around the Chamber with Draco, Ron and Dudley, the first year was blown away at the size of the place, when the Basilisk slithered up, its eyes covered, and began to talk to Harry. While Harry introduced Elias to the Basilisk he was immediately awed, it was impossible to scare this kid.

Something about the scene triggered a part of Ron's mind and he began freaking out and having a panic attack, which was made worse by hearing Harry talking parseltongue. He suddenly turned to bolt, leaving the rest of them to run after him, but not before Harry bid the Basilisk goodbye.

/*** **-** ***/

They had been training in the Vipers' Arena now at least three times a week, five for Dudley, Draco, Theo, and Blaise and seven for Harry and Elias. As a result of their efforts they were all noticing muscle building, and Dudley had noticed he had lost all of his baby weight.

Still, their work wasn't done.