The next day Naruto was able to sneak down to his and Sirius usually meeting spot just along the edge of the forbidden forest near the whomping willow.

"Padfoot, Padfoot you out here?" Naruto called out he was soon greeted by the sight of a large black dog coming through the trees.

"Naruto you're alright," Sirius said after he had turned back into a man. To Naruto's surprise, he had walked over and hugged him for a moment before holding him out at arm's length and looking him over.

"I'm alright Sirius, don't worry," Naruto told him as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"But how. . . . the fall should have…" Sirius began to say but was cut off by Naruto

"Don't worry I'm a quick healer." And they each took it, in turn, to catch the other up in what they had been doing in the last week Naruto had been stuck in the hospital wing.

"Well that's good, you were able to get back to the forest without the Dementors seeing you," Naruto said.

"Speaking of Dementors it's great that Dumbledore was able to get them to leave the Quidditch pitch, but Dumbledore won't always be around. You might want to look into a way of fighting back." Sirius told him.

"Well is there a way to fight them off?" Naruto asked Sirius took a moment to think.

"Well there's the Patronus Charm, but that's a bit of advanced spell work, no you best bet would be a fire spell maybe a stronger form of Protego," Sirius suggested trying to think of something then he paused remembering a spell that might work. "Protego Diabolica."

"What?" Naruto asked not quite sure he heard what Sirius had said.

"Protego Diabolica it's a very powerful spell that will protect you and it's should be easy enough if you got the power behind it." with that in mind, Naruto headed back up to the castle to get ready for his classes while Sirius changed back into a dog and vanished down a small opening in the roots of the willow.

Throughout the day Naruto looked through his books and tried to find some kind of spell that might do the trick. The next week was spent trying to find some kind of information on the spell in the school library with Hermione's help when they have some free time.

"I don't understand we know the name of the spell there should be something in the library," Hermione said frustrated that they had yet to find a book with any mention of Protego Diabolica.

"Why don't you try looking in the restricted section?" Harry suggested as the two sat down at the Gryffindor table for dinner one night in the middle of November.

"The only way it would be in the restricted section is if it was dark magic," Hermione said as she started to serve herself some food, However, she soon paused realizing that this might be the reason why they couldn't find anything. "Naruto is Protego Diabolica a dark spell?" At her question, Naruto stopped eating to think.

"I don't know?" He simply said as he shrugged his shoulders. At his nonchalant response, Harry and Ron tried not to laugh at the look of indignation from Hermione.

"Oh, Naruto you prat," Hermione said very frustratedly and she smacked the blonde and his shoulder. However, Naruto didn't get what the big deal was.

"Why don't we just go to the restrictions section and look?" He asked her.

"Because Naruto the only way a student is allowed to go into the restricted section is to have explicit written permission from a professor."Hermione explained as Naruto gave an 'O' of understanding.

"I get it to give me a second I'll be right back," Naruto soon and they all watched Sledge on as he stood up and walked over to the staff table stopping right in front of Dumbledore. "Albus we need to talk," at the blonde teens sounding very uncharacteristic seriousness, Albus put his knife and fork down and looked across the table at him.

"Yes, Naruto what is the matter?" Dumbledore asked wondering what was going on with the boy.

"I need permission to go into the restricted section of the library." At Naruto's question Professors Lupin, Snape, and McGonagall all looked up from their food.

"What could you possibly need from the restricted section Uzumaki," Snape cut in before Dumbledore could speak. Naruto gave the man a funny look before answering.

"A book," He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. It was clear from the look on Naruto's face he had meant no disrespect but this only seemed to enrage Snape more.

"Obviously you want to book Uzumaki," Snape said through gritted teeth. "What I once know is what could you possibly need it for."

"For reading," McGonagall was amazed and how easily Naruto was able to anger Snape without actually trying to anger the man. Before I could go any further however Dumbledore chose to finally step in.

"Naruto is there a particular reason you need to search the books of the restricted section." Dumbledore was now very curious as to what the blonde was up to.

"I'm trying to learn a spellbook but none of the books in the regular section of the library seems to have anything on it too and Hermione said the last place we could check was the restricted section but we need permission from Professor so that's why I'm asking you," Naruto said as he explained his intentions behind needing permission. Which did make a lot of sense to the professors. If Miss. Granger believed the book he needed a book from the restriction section then it was likely the book would be there.

"What spell are you looking for exactly Mr. Uzumaki," McGonagall asked wondering what the boy could be trying to learn.

"Protego Diabolica," Naruto told them. At this, he received several different responses from the professors. Dumbledore remained silent deep in thought, Snape and Lupin were looking at Naruto strangely.

"Good heaven's why would you possibly need to learn such a thing," McGonagall asked sounding mortified.

"I want to be able to keep myself and my friends safe," Naruto said with determination remembering that not only he but Harry too was affected the day of the Quidditch match.

"Very well, I trust that you truly have the best intentions for this Naruto, come by the library before the holiday break once you are done with the day's lessons and the book you need will be waiting for you," Dumbledore said much to the shock of the other professor's.

"Thanks, old man," Naruto said happily as he walked away from the staff table.

"Headmaster was it wise to tell him that?" asked Lupin who had watched the whole conversation.

"Oh yes, I believe Naruto will be more than able to master that particular piece of spell work," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes as he watched Naruto head back to the Gryffindors table. Once back at the table Naruto told them what Dumbledore had said.

"He's just going to give you the book?" Ron said shocked at how the blonde just walked up to the Headmaster and asked for permission like it was nothing.

"Well look at it this way maybe Professor Dumbledore didn't want you looking through every book in the restricted section so he's just giving you the one you need." Hermione tried to explain.

"Yeah Naruto did say he didn't know much about the spell," Harry added. "Must not be that bad if Dumbledore's okay with you having the book."

"Yeah just got to wait for the break," Naruto said excitedly. Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. To Naruto's joy Harry, Ron, and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts.

Luckily to his and everyone's delight, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term. Even with the holiday break drawing close, that didn't stop Naruto from being busy as ever. with his lessons with Hermione, trying to find a way For Sir Cadogan to keep the password the same for more than a day. At the moment Naruto was standing in the forest with Sirius after having brought him some dinner and a thick winter cloak he had been able to grab out of the teacher's lounge.

"Naruto, has Harry replaced his old broomstick yet?" Sirius asked as he put on his new cloak.

"No, I don't think so Padfoot, why?" Naruto answered back.

"Good that's good, listen, kid, I need a favor," Sirius told him as he pulled out a slip of paper and taking it Naruto looked down and saw that it was just a bunch of numbers.

"That is my account number at Gringotts, I need you to use it so that I can get Harry a new broom," Sirius told him. Once everything was said and done Naruto headed up to the castle. Right before he made it back inside Gryffindor Tower he was stopped by a rather bulky fifth-year girl.

"Your Naruto Uzumaki right," she said as standing much taller than him and blocking the portrait hole entrance.

"Yeah," Naruto said looking up at the taller girl a bit unsure of what was going on. "Why?."

"Will you go to Hogsmeade village with me." She told him sounding a bit nervous.

"What!? You want to go out with me?" Naruto was completely caught by surprise by this. It wasn't that the girl wasn't pretty but he didn't even know her. "I'm sorry but I can't go with you."

"Oh. . . right. . .sorry, I guess. . . I guess you're really with that Granger girl." The girl said sounding very dejected as she started to turn around and head back into Gryffindor Tower. This all happened so quickly that Naruto was still standing in front of Sir Cadogan's portrait for a few minutes before finally snapping out of it. He headed into the common room but he stopped when he stepped through the portrait hole. Everyone in the common room stopped what they were doing to look at him before quickly going back to what they were doing.

"What was all that about?" Naruto asked as he quickly took a seat at a table next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione who were doing some classwork.

"Some fifth-year girl just came rushing through the portrait whole crying," Hermione told him.

"What she was crying," Naruto said sounding very guilty and a bit panicked. "I didn't mean to make her cry."

"Wait you did that?" Ron asked looking up from his work.

"Well no I didn't mean to, I just told her I wouldn't go to Hogsmeade village with her." And quickly Naruto explained what had just happened a few minutes ago.

"What she just asked you out of the blue?" Harry asked never before remembering seeing that girl before.

"I guess Fred and George were right," Naruto said as he remembered what the twins had told him a few weeks ago. "Should I go with her I feel bad for making her cry," Naruto said

"No!" Hermione said quickly causing all three boys to look at her oddly. "I... I mean if you don't like her. . . .you shouldn't go with her she'll just think your interested and that will only hurt her feelings." She quickly explained, giving a sigh of relief when they didn't question her on its feather. However, this raised the question of who did Naruto like enough to ask out to Hogsmeade village.

On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip Naruto, Ron, and Hermione bid goodbye to Harry at the Entrance Hall, as all three of them were wrapped in cloaks and scarves due to the cold air and falling snow.

"So what are you guys planning to get?" Naruto asked as they moved down the school lawn heading towards the front gates.

"Mum and Dad would love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!" Hermione said Happily

"I was thinking of getting something different from Honeydukes for Harry." Said Ron as they started to pass the Dementors that kept guard around the castle's perimeter wall. Once they had finally reached the village Hermione let out a gasp of amazement and she was right to do so. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.

Walking up the main street looking around at all the shops they each took it, in turn, to ask the other two to wait outside as they went in to buy a Christmas gift. Naruto ended up stopping at Gladrags Wizardwear and got some scarfs a chestnut brown for Hermione, deep maroon for Dumbledore, an indigo blue for Snape, and pale lavender for McGonagall. At Zonko's Joke Shop he got a large assortment of items for Ron and Harry. And at the post office to deliver Sirius's order for Harry.

At the moment all three of them were inside Honeydukes looking around at the unusual tastes section of the shop. Ron, Naruto, and Hermione were looking at a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.

"Not," said Harry. Ron nearly dropped the jar, but luckily Naruto was able to grab it right before is smashed on the ground.

"Harry!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How — how did you — ?"

"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"

" 'Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it into Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" said Harry.

"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!" Harry was about to say something but was cut off by Naruto

"If Sirius is smart enough to break out of Azkaban, and he's not hiding in Hogsmeade where the Dementors are always on guard. He could be hiding inside the school grounds maybe even the castle. That's the one place the Dementors couldn't reach you thanks to Dumbledore." Naruto said in a very serious voice, no one had really thought of this, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione were suddenly filled with a feeling of dread.

"Come on Harry let's look around." Said Ron trying to lighten the mood and they went around Honeydukes and show Harry everything. After they had finished in the sweet shop they moved outside and showed Harry all the shops on the Highstreet.

"That's the post office —"

"Zonko's is up there —"

"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack —"

"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?" Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce, and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red. Naruto, Harry, and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying four foaming tankards of hot butterbeer

"Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard. They all drank deeply. a sudden breeze rushed over them. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Naruto looked over the rim of his tankard and choked. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak.

"Who's the guy in the hat?" Naruto asked as he saw the growing look of panic in Harry's eyes

"Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic," Harry whispered, in an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Naruto, Ron, and Hermione all watched the teachers and Fudge move toward the bar. They were placing their orders with Madam Rosmerta. Pulling out his wand Naruto whispered,

"Mobiliarbus" The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, moving his wand he drifted it sideways, and dropped it with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the branches, they could see all four adults take their seats at the table right beside theirs with grunts and sighs, not long after Madam Rosmerta walked over with a tray of drinks.

"A small gilly water —"

"Mine," said Professor McGonagall

"Four pints of mulled mead —"

"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.

"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"

"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.

"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."

"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us. . . ."

"Well, thank you very much, Minister so, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" asked Madam Rosmerta, Naruto saw the Minister look around for a moment before he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta. "I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away. . . . It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution . . . unfortunate, but there you are. . . . I've just met some of them. They're in fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick,

"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse. . . . We all know what Black's capable of. . . ."

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought . . . I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," said Fudge.

"I can't believe that. What could be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!" Naruto heard Harry drop his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him.

"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run for their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"

"Of course, they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was the best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Worse even than that, m'dear. . . ." Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had several useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. "An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself . . . and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"

"He did," said Fudge heavily.

"And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed "Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.

"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I have musta been the last to see him before he killed all the people! It was me who rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they were killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead . . . an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used to ride. Never occurred to me what he was doin' there. I didn't know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Though he'd just heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come to see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

By this point, Naruto had heard enough his ears were starting to ring as he sat there in his silent rage. He wanted to get up and tell them the truth to tell Harry the truth about his Godfather, how everyone was wrong about Sirius. He knows he couldn't however, without the rat he didn't have any proof unless he had the stupid rat. Naruto was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of chinking glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall. One by one they all got up and throwing on their cloaks they left the pub.

"Harry?" Ron and Hermione looked under the table at a loss for words.

"We need to get back to the castle," Naruto said looking around at all of them.