I got a review about the name of Petunia's mother. Apparently, I put her name down as both Helen and Grace in two different chapters. I am sorry for the mix up, her name is Helen.
Something I hadn't even noticed I do, but I will use first and last names interchangeably. Mostly, if I use their last name, it is because they are talking about the book version of the person, and the book version is the one they don't like or are unhappy with.
Sadly, I still don't own Harry Potter. I'll let you know if that ever changes, but at the moment it doesn't look like it ever will.
Molly glanced at the time after a moment. "Do we want to eat now, or after the next chapter?" She asked the room at large.
"Now." All of her brood said at once, looking at her like she was growing multiple heads. She rolled her eyes fondly and looked at everybody else in the room.
"Why don't we eat after, and take a bit of a break." Minerva said instead, looking around. She glanced at the next chapter title, and her eyebrows shot up before she glanced at the three children this book was mostly about.
Molly nodded, before she left the room to begin lunch, her boys and Ginny complained, but made do with the snacks on the table.
Chapter Thirteen: Nicholas Flamel
The teachers frowned. They both did and didn't want to know how Harry figured everything out.
(Dumbledore had convinced... of Erised again,)
"Oh, thank goodness." Sirius breathed. "That mirror is..." He shook his head, not finishing his sentence. He'd already made his opinion on that mirror more than clear, anyway.
"I was happy when I didn't wake up and find him gone." Ron said with a shrug.
(and for the rest... bottom of his trunk.)
"As pleased as I am about that in regards to the Mirror, I'm not sure how I feel about it being locked away not to be used at all." Sirius said, tilting his head.
"I didn't want the temptation." Harry said with a shrug.
(Harry wished he... having nightmares.)
Sirius sighed. "That has been recorded to happen to those who manage to escape the compulsions of the Mirror." He said. "Especially those who lost family members, because that is usually what they see." He pulled Harry tighter into his side, while Remus pulled Harry into his own side.
(Over and over... cackled with laughter.)
Sirius and Remus made a soft whine of pain. They didn't want to hear about their pup/cub remembering the night his parents died. Let alone remembering it as it happened.
They didn't want to hear that he had nightmares about it.
Arthur was glad Molly wasn't in the room, she wouldn't have hesitated in trying to mother the boy, when he didn't want or need her mothering.
("You see, Dumbledore... about these dreams.)
"I also said he should see Madam Pomfrey if the nightmares wouldn't go away. Did he ever listen, noooo." Ron complained, dragging out the last word dramatically while he turned to give his friend a dark look.
Harry just blinked at him. "Why would I want to spend more time in the Hospital Wing than I have to?" He asked.
Poppy cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow at him, but she understood. Children didn't want to spend time in a Hospital Wing, they would rather be running around, playing games with their friends. Just, being free in general. That didn't change the fact that she wished he would come to her more often, especially when it he needed her.
(Hermione, who came... three nights in a row)
"Not the Mirror?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He didn't tell me about the Mirror." Hermione glared at Harry.
"No point, it was already moved somewhere else, and I didn't want you to get weird on me." Harry shrugged. The men snickered while Hermione gaped. The book charm kept going, though, before she could start going off on what that meant.
(("If Filch had caught... Nicolas Flamel was.)
Most snorted in laughter. "That would be something to be torn up over." Neville teased. She scowled at him and sent a light stinging hex his way. He dodged and sent one back.
"Ok, you two. Behave." Sirius chuckled while everyone else smiled at seeing the teens acting like teens.
It was good to see after everything they'd been through.
(They had almost... the name somewhere.)
Harry got a couple more dirty looks from Ron and Hermione. They were not happy that they had to search all those books and for so long, when Harry had actually known the answer since back at the very beginning.
(Once term had started... practice had started again.)
The Twins and Harry all made a face and grumbled just thinking about the practices after break.
"Wasn't properly dry for weeks." Fred muttered, disgruntled.
"I thought I would never get warm again." George complained.
"I was glad when he left." Harry said. "But at the same time I wish he stayed. It wasn't the same without him." The Twins blinked at him for a moment in thought before they agreed. As much as they wished he hadn't been so fanatical at times, they had been disappointed when he left.
Minerva eyed the trio in concern.
(Wood was working... dampen his spirits.)
Poppy frowned. "And yet, none of you ever came to see me for the colds I'm sure most of you developed from all that cold, wet weather." She scolded.
"We were fine." The three boys said in unison. And they were, what was a little cold? Honestly. It was just a cold, it wasn't even life threatening.
She scowled at them. Why did they even play Quidditch in a school? That was asking for trouble.
(The Weasleys... becoming a fanatic,)
All the Gryffindor's that went to school while Oliver Wood was Quidditch captain snorted incredulously, looking at the Twins in shock. (Minerva merely frowned.)
"Becoming?" Ron demanded to know. "He was always a fanatic, even I know that, and I never played under him." He corrected his brothers, who had the grace to look sheepish.
"Yeah, well... he wasn't that bad earlier in the year." Fred muttered.
"I think how Harry caught the Snitch in that first game is what got him riled up." George said with another shake of his head.
"Er... sorry?" Harry tried to apologize. He was waved off though, and told not to worry about it.
(but Harry was on Wood's side.)
"Of course, you were." Fred and George groaned. Harry snickered at them, glad that the tense air that had been in the air since he first found the Mirror, was beginning to disappear.
(If they won their... in seven years.)
Harry sighed, and the Twins shot him another warning look. They didn't want to hear him blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault. Again.
Honestly, he really needed to learn to let some stuff go, not everything that happened was his fault. And honestly, it wasn't even really that big of a deal in the long run. They doubted if anyone even remembered anything about it, and yet Harry still beat himself up over it.
Ignoring the teens, Severus shot Minerva a smug look. That record held for another two years, and he'd loved it. Especially winning the bet they made every year on the Quidditch Cup results. She narrowed her eyes in warning.
(Quite apart from... out after training.)
"That's not the best way of handling things, though." Sirius said in worry, and he knew because that was often how he dealt with his own nightmares until James had forced him to sit down and talk.
"You won't always be busy enough to be that exhausted." Remus said in worried agreement. "And the nightmares will only come back worse."
Poppy looked at Harry in concern, and Harry merely looked at her warily, knowing that she tended to think of him as very fragile and therefore tended to take after his health with an almost fanatical mindset.
(Then, during one particularly... of their brooms.)
Poppy clucked disapprovingly while the Twins grinned at each other. Most of the others merely rolled their eyes at the Twins antics.
"I don't know what he was so mad about, you guys did that all the time. He should have been used to it by then." Harry shook his head.
"I know! He really needs to loosen up once in a while." Fred agreed.
"It was probably just the news about Snape, though." George dismissed.
("Will you stop messing... points off Gryffindor!")
Severus smirked while Minerva scowled at him. They didn't say anything though, they'd already had this argument many times. Especially before this particular game.
(George Weasley... at these words.)
George grumbled and rubbed his shoulder where he had landed. "Good thing we were still close to the ground. And the mud was soft." He muttered to his brother, who nodded in agreement.
("Snape's refereeing?"... refereed a Quidditch match?)
"Several times." Severus said, narrowing his eyes at the twin.
"All Hogwarts teachers are required to complete a course and become certified through the International Quidditch League. If we need to referee a match here and there, we can. We can also help Madam Hooch keep an eye on things." Filius explained. "We have all refereed a game or two when needed."
(He's not going... overtake Slytherin.")
"When is he ever fair towards Gryffindor?" Neville asked the Lions in the room, and they all nodded in agreement. He was an absolute jerk to those he tolerated, and an all out nightmare on the best of days towards those he didn't like.
Just ask Harry and Neville, he really couldn't stand those two. Harry they knew why now, but they were probably never going to know what his problem with Neville was. It couldn't have just been his performance in the classroom, everyone could see that Snape's presence only made things worse, after all.
Severus narrowed his eyes at his Gryffindor students, but didn't say anything. He'd already explained himself, and would not do it again.
(The rest of the... excuse to pick on us.")
"He doesn't need an excuse." Fred muttered bitterly.
"I'm pretty sure he penalized Katie simply for flying too close to him." George scowled. It wasn't like it really mattered, because Wood saved it, but still. It was the principle of the thing.
"And was she too close?" Hermione asked. She honestly didn't know, she'd been focused on Harry and therefore completely missed what was happening on the rest of the Pitch.
"No, she was on the other side of the Pitch. You know how he can be, though." George answered. Minerva merely sighed and dropped her head against the couch so she could stare up at the ceiling.
(Which was all very... very good for her.)
"Hey!" Hermione protested, frowning.
"No, it's good to be bad at something. If you were good at everything, then life won't be any fun. Not to mention, your ego would probably get too large." Sirius reassured.
"You would know all about that, wouldn't you?" Remus asked, amused.
"Hey!" It was Sirius' turn to protest. He narrowed his eyes, and they glinted mischievously. Remus narrowed his eyes suspiciously, although his had a mischevious glint in them, as well.
("Don't talk to me... You look terrible.")
"Gee, thanks." Harry drawled sarcastically.
"You're welcome." Ron said cheerfully. Harry rolled his eyes and shoved his shoulder, Ron shoved back, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
(Speaking quietly so... be a Quidditch referee.)
"There was nothing sinister about it, I was trying to keep your hide safe." Severus said with a scowl.
"Yeah, I know that now. At the time, I thought you were trying to kill me." Harry said with a scowl of his own. Severus just raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.
("Don't play," said Hermione at once.)
The Twins looked at her, scandalized. "Hermione! You did not just suggest he not play!" Fred said, resting a hand over his heart dramatically.
"How could you even think such blasphemy!" George gasped, falling onto his brothers shoulder just as dramatically.
Hermione rolled her eyes and fought off a small grin while everyone else chuckled at the boys antics. Harry coughed while his younger self laughed happily, glad to be here. He couldn't wait to properly meet Ron's older brothers, not these older versions of them.
("Say you're ill," said Ron.)
All the Weasley men looked scandalized, and most of the teasing left Fred and George's actions. "Ron!" They cried.
"How can you go along with that? To seriously suggest that he not play, it- it..." George was honestly speechless. With Hermione, they could joke about it because they knew she didn't really like Quidditch and didn't see what the big deal about it was. But for their little brother to suggest such a thing...
They never would have expected it!
"I think it is perfectly acceptable to be more concerned about Harry's health and well-being, than it is to be more concerned about the game." Percy said with a frown at his brothers. He would have expected this kind of reaction from Oliver first, not his brothers. "Keep in mind, I shared a room with Oliver, he and I had more than one... discussion in the dorms about how he was pushing you lot too hard and was more concerned with the game than his players health, I never expected you two to share that mindset."
The Twins looked at each other, ashamed, while Bill and Charlie decided to stay quiet. They agreed with both sides of this little argument. The fact that Ron was agreeing with Hermione like this was scandalous, but at the same time, Harry's well-being came first.
Poppy nodded in complete agreement with Percy, glad that somebody had sense.
("Pretend to break... Hermione suggested.)
Now it was Poppy's turn to be scandalized. "Excuse me! I think I would know if he was pretending!" She said, frowning at the girl, who looked embarrassed and apologized quickly.
("Really break your leg," said Ron.)
"Wouldn't work either. Unless he broke it the day before or something. Madam Pomfrey would have it fixed good as new in time for the match itself." Percy shook his head. He wasn't sure whether to be happy that they were trying to suggest ways he could get out of the match without angering the House, or disappointed in the suggestions they were making. Honestly, hurting the boy in order to keep him from being hurt, was a little counter-productive. But then, he supposed that they were eleven.
("I can't," said... a reserve Seeker.)
The Twins sighed in frustration. They were going to make sure that didn't happen again. Wood was going to get a reserve Seeker for the younger kids.
Molly chose that moment to come back, after making sure that everything she'd prepared so far was cooking nicely. It was at a point where it didn't need to be watched, and would be ready when they were.
(If I back out, Gryffindor... Leg-Locker Curse.)
The adults reared back in shock. "Oh, my. Were you alright?" Molly asked in concern.
"Yeah, I was fine. Thank you." Neville smiled at the motherly woman.
"How did you get in?" Harry asked in question. He hadn't thought to ask back then, he was a little distracted by finally figuring out who Flamel was.
"I sat down and scooted backwards." He said, shrugging. "Then I turned around and landed on my feet to get out." Honestly, it was getting up all those stairs that was the hard part.
"How did you get up the stairs?" Hermione asked.
Neville made a face. "You honestly don't want to know. It was with much difficulty." He informed the room.
"And who did this, and why did nobody help you before you reached the Tower?" Minerva demanded, incensed. She had never known that this even happened. Severus was the only one to notice Draco sinking back into his seat.
Neville didn't answer her, he merely looked at the book.
(He must have... Gryffindor tower.)
"Why did nobody help you?" Pomona demanded this time.
"Because I was 'the Squib'." He said quietly, and bitterly. "Why should anybody help me? They would have rather stood around and laughed." Things were different now, now he was the leader of the D.A in Harry's absence, but back then...
Three of the four teachers looked outraged, while Severus narrowed his eyes at Draco.
"You most certainly are not a Squib. If you were, you never would have even been accepted into Hogwarts. Honestly, if you had had a wand of your own from the start, then you would have had a much easier time of classes." Minerva said, highly annoyed.
"Not to mention the expectations of your relatives, if Algernon and your grandmother hadn't been so hard and down-grading..." Poppy was angry about it. That could have been so dangerous to Neville.
(Everyone fell over laughing)
"Boys!" Molly reprimanded quickly, staring at her four younger sons in disappointment. She had not raised them to behave in this manner, she was especially disappointed in Percy. It was his job to stop things like this. Sirius and Remus looked equally disappointed with Harry, although they were also thinking that this was very out of character for the boy.
"Excuse me?!" Minerva demanded at the same time. "Not one person tried to help you? And I hope that all of you weren't laughing as well." She scolded the other Gryffindor's who would have been in the Common Room at the time. Neville stared at her in shock while the others cringed away from the angry Lioness, with the Weasley boys looking at their mother warily.
"No, they were the only ones who didn't laugh." Neville hurried to reassure the two witches. He didn't want the Weasley boys getting in trouble for something they didn't do.
"I don't think we were even there. I don't remember this, at any rate." Fred said, looking at George, who shook his head.
"I don't remember this either, or I would have said something to the rest of the House." Percy wanted it made clear that he had no part in any of this.
"It wasn't funny to me, either." Harry muttered quietly to Sirius and Remus, a little hurt that they would think he could do something like this. They already knew how his childhood went, he faced bullying in school, too, just like Neville. His saving grace before Hogwarts, was that the other children didn't know magic. Of course, their fists and rejection still hurt just as much. Sirius and Remus smiled and hugged him in a silent apology for thinking that of him.
"We didn't just leave him there." Hermione defended quietly.
(except Hermione, who... the countercurse.)
"Just how much do you read ahead? I don't think Quirrell taught any kind of countercurse yet." Draco asked her, tilting his head to the side.
"I enjoy reading." Hermione shrugged. "It wasn't that hard to look up the countercurse alongside the curse itself." Honestly, she didn't understand why more people didn't do extra reading.
"Thank you, Miss Granger, for acting instead of laughing like your peers." Minerva said, noting something down on her parchment.
(Neville's legs sprang... with Harry and Ron.)
"You didn't even bother to get up with her?" Minerva asked, suspiciously.
"We got up right behind her, but she reached him pretty quickly, so we stayed where we were. And, she knew the countercurse while we didn't." Harry said, defending himself and Ron.
("Malfoy," said Neville... practice that on.")
"Oh, yeah. I forgot about this." Draco muttered, looking at Severus warily.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Minerva and Filius both barked, incensed. Severus merely sighed and closed his eyes before opening them again and glaring at his older godson while gripping the younger ones knee in warning.
"Sorry." Draco muttered to Neville, who waved it off. He wondered why he was being so affected right now by the deeply disappointed look Dumbledore was giving him.
He was the one who was supposed to have killed him, he was raised hating Dumbledore, why should he care about the old man being disappointed?
("Go to Professor... "Report him!")
"Thank you, Ms Granger. Why is it that I didn't hear about this before?" Minerva asked, and Sirius grimaced.
Honestly, sometimes it was like the teachers completely forgot what it was like to be a teenager. Teens don't like going to adults for things like this. They don't like being known as snitches, that was just asking for trouble. The adults seemed to forget that kids were cruel, and very good at hiding things from the adults around them. Even more so in a castle as big as Hogwarts, where much of the castle was unused.
Neville didn't answer her, merely looked at the book.
(Neville shook his head... he mumbled.)
"How would saying something to a teacher cause more trouble? If anything, it will stop it." Minerva cried in exasperation.
This time, Sirius snorted. "You clearly don't remember what it is like to be a young child, almost teenager. The last thing they want to do is go to a teacher." He said, shaking his head.
"All telling you would have done, was make the attacks on Neville increase, and worsen. None of you would have known a thing about it." Ron said, knowing perfectly well what would have happened.
"It would have been a toss-up if he even bothered to go to the Hospital Wing, but Madam Pomfrey at least doesn't ask questions." Harry said with a shrug.
Minerva threw up her hands while the other teachers looked annoyed. "If you would come to us with these things, then you wouldn't have a problem with things like this. This is why we are here." She argued with the the students.
"Being seen as a snitch is practically a death sentence in a building full of teenagers. Especially when you are somebody that everybody already looks down on and makes fun of. Even the Gryffindor's, just stood there and laughed. And he's one of us, but because he was the 'Squib', nobody cared to help. You do not remember what its like to be a kid." Harry said, annoyed.
"Can we just continue reading?" Remus asked, tired of this conversation already. He was well aware of what Harry was saying, James and Sirius were two of those that went after 'snitches' the most. Especially those that snitched on them.
("You've got to... Neville choked out.)
Draco sank back into his seat when Minerva suddenly growled like a lioness protecting her cub.
"The Hat doesn't make mistakes. When it Sorts, it looks at the students strongest personality trait and Sorts them to the House that will suit the student most, and hopefully bring out the best in them." Albus said, smiling gently at the once shy and scared young man. He had clearly come into his own, quite nicely, too.
"What about when it can't decide between two Houses?" Neville asked.
"Then the traits looked for in those two Houses are equally strong in the individual. It will choose the House that the Hat feels will best bring those traits out. In this case; courage, loyalty, and a sense of hard-work." Albus smiled. He was partly relieved that he was at least being spoken to again, and not given such dirty looks.
At least, for now. He was sure that once he did something else the others didn't agree with, they would go back to ignoring and giving him dirty looks.
(Harry felt in the pocket... given him for Christmas.)
"Huh, I was wondering where you had that from, but I thought you owl-ordered some from Honeydukes. I'm surprised you still had chocolate laying around all that time." Ron said, surprised. Harry had a bit of a sweet tooth.
Harry just gave him a strange look. "You know that I couldn't handle eating a lot of sugar and such until roughly third year. I wasn't used to eating it."
"Oh, yeah." Ron blinked while Hermione snickered. The adults gave the Dursleys dark looks, even Poppy. As the school nurse, she may not appreciate getting students in her territory because they over-indulged, but she didn't like the fact that he was that unused to them, that eating some chocolate made him sick. Especially since she knew he turned into a bit of a chocoholic over the years.
She still wasn't sure if Remus was to blame for that or not.
Sirius and Remus grinned with pride at their boy. That was the Harry they knew.
(He gave it to... he might cry.)
Neville flushed red. "That was the nicest thing anybody had done for me all week." He muttered, and Luna looked murderous for a second before she smiled sweetly at Draco, making him shudder.
Harry looked at her proudly.
("You're worth twelve of Malfoy,")
"Oh, that's where that came from." Draco realized. "I was wondering where he got an idea like that." Everyone looked at him curiously, except Ron and Neville. Said boys touched their faces, remembering the fight.
To be honest, Ron was still shocked that Draco had started fighting like a Muggle and hadn't pulled his wand out.
If it was even possible, Sirius' proud grin grew even broader.
(Harry said. "The... In stinking Slytherin.")
"I was eleven, and was trying to make him feel better." Harry shrugged when he noticed that the Slytherins were glaring at him. "Besides, I was a Gryffindor who only heard bad things, and mostly only interacted with Malfoy."
Moody growled, but nodded his acceptance of the explanation. The other three scowled even deeper.
(Neville's lips twitched... them, don't you?")
Sirius grumbled again as he suddenly remembered how Harry found the rarest card in the world on his first day of even knowing they existed.
Harry smirked. "We can go through my collection later on, if you want." He offered. He and his Sirius had gone through it during that summer at Grimmauld, but he'd built it up some more since then, so he wanted to share it with this Sirius. Sirius grinned at him and agreed.
He was pretty sure he left it at Grimmauld Place, actually... oh well. He was sure this room would be able to retrieve it.
(As Neville walked... one I ever-"
He gasped.)
"Did you just remember?" Hermione asked, amused. Harry looked a little abashed, and Ron and Hermione both sighed and shook their heads.
"A lot happened after reading that card! I got much more interesting ones, the Sorting, besides. It's not like it was anything important to really remember when I first read it." Harry muttered, feebly trying to defend himself.
"Ah-uh. You just wanted to make us suffer with the work." Ron teased, and Harry punched his arm with a grin.
(He stared at the... partner, Nicolas Flamel!'")
"Alchemy?" Neville asked. "Huh, if whatever is being guarded really is alchemic, then it's no wonder somebody is after it." He mused. He had to work to keep his eyes from wandering to the Potions Master in the room. He knew what Harry kept saying, that he wasn't really the one trying to steal it, but so far the little facts known in the book pointed to him.
He never had gotten an explanation about what was so important that Hermione had to petrify him to keep him from going after them or getting a teacher.
"Alchemy is a very powerful branch of magic, and little is known about it. It's almost a dead art." Draco agreed. Albus' eyes twinkled at the two boys, happy with their compliments about his favorite magical art.
Hmm, maybe he should try to bring the subject back. He got rid of it from the curriculum years ago because nobody signed up for it, and then by the time a student showed an interest in it again, he couldn't even find anybody willing to tutor them and had to work out the time to do it himself. But, maybe he could try again. Minerva had a short list of classes she was going to try an implement, he might as well add this to the list.
(Hermione jumped to... piece of homework.)
The teachers looked a little approving, but the pranksters of the group looked at her strange. Why on earth would anybody be so excited to get back homework? Yeah, it was always good to see how you did, but was it really something to be that excited over?
("Stay there!" she said... mystified looks)
Ron and Harry sighed. "That reaction from her is something we have become used to over the years." Harry informed the room.
"Yeah, back then we had no idea what just happened." Ron agreed with a laugh. They shared a smile while Hermione huffed.
Hermione looked at them all in wonder, and glanced at Harry and Ron. She wished that they became that close someday. So far, Harry was becoming a friend, Ron was a little more questionable on that part, though. He seemed like a nice enough boy, but every once in a while he would say something...
(before she was dashing... of light reading.")
"Weeks ago, and yet you didn't find it before this?" Neville asked, confused. That wasn't like her, to have a book in her hands for weeks, and not read it.
She blushed. "I got it for reading at home during the winter holidays, and then I forgot to pack it. I hadn't gotten the chance to actually read it yet, but it was about the history of now almost forgotten practices, which includes Alchemy." She explained.
"That's light?" Draco whispered to his godfather, who raised an eyebrow of his own in surprise and nodded his agreement. He knew the girl was a bookworm to rival any Ravenclaw, but... wow.
("Light?" said Ron... muttering to herself.)
"You do that a lot." Neville muttered. It was very annoying the few times he was trying to study, and happened to be sharing a table with the trio. There was a reason why he didn't sit near them to study very often.
He didn't know Ron and Harry did it.
Hermione blinked at him. "I do?" She asked her boys.
"... Yes." They both said after thinking about it for a moment. They sounded surprised, though, like they couldn't quite believe it themselves. "I don't think I ever noticed." Ron said, looking at Harry. Harry just shrugged. It had long since become background noise, much like the noise levels in the Common Room when they didn't feel like going into the Maze to study or practice where it was quiet, and more private.
It was just another quirk of hers that they were long since used to and accepted.
A few of the adults exchanged amused looks. They were so used to her doing that, they didn't even notice anymore.
(At last she found... Hermione ignored him.)
"Rude." Ron muttered, glaring playfully at Hermione, who stuck out her tongue.
Neville snorted. "That happens a lot, too." He muttered.
Pomona frowned. The girl seemed to have a bad habit of tuning everything out when she was working, or had a good book in her hands. That could not be healthy, for her or her relationships. She didn't know if there was anything she could do about it though, not when it was probably a deeply ingrained habit or personality quirk.
("Nicolas Flamel," she... effect she'd expected.)
Hermione merely sighed, long used to it, while her younger self looked offended.
The least they could do was act properly impressed or interested.
("The what?" said... you two read?)
"Occasionally, when I find something interesting." Harry shrugged.
"Sometimes." Ron said carelessly.
Hermione pursed her lips together and looked like she was trying not to say anything. She honestly, even after all these years, didn't know how the two were fine with not knowing everything they could possibly know. How they could just brush off reading. Of course, now she knew that Harry wasn't trying to his fullest potential sort-of on purpose, she was even more confused and thrown. She could never imagine not performing to her fullest academic potential.
Everyone else hid smiles while the Professors scolded the younger ones on what was expected of them academically, and that they better work to their fullest potential. Ron looked at them like they were growing two heads while Harry smiled sheepishly on behalf of his older self.
(Look- read that, there."... hundred and fifty-eight).)
There were some impressed whistles at the description.
"A Stone like that... that would be a prize to get ahold of." Neville murmured.
"I don't know that I would want immortality, though." Harry said with a frown. When everyone shot him surprised looks, he made a face and huffed. "What's the good of living forever, if you're just going to watch those close to you die? Where's the fun of living if you've experienced it all before? Eventually, there would be nothing new to experience, I'm sure that there would always be new things to discover, but that would get boring after a while, too." He explained, trying to make them understand.
Truthfully, he had them understanding at the 'watching those close to you die', bit. The Weasley's especially, could understand that.
Albus wiped away a small tear when he thought of his sister, and watching her die. Despite what Abe thought, he truly loved his sister, and to watch her die, not knowing who even cast the killing blow...
("See?" said Hermione... keep it safe for him,)
Albus frowned, but didn't say anything. Truthfully, Nick didn't ask him to keep it, Albus had asked him if he could borrow it for something. It took a lot of persuading to convince him, and even then he'd had to swear an Oath on his magic that he wouldn't use it to make gold, or the Elixir. Nick didn't want Albus to start taking it, because once you took it, you could never stop taking it. Not at the age Albus already was, if he had been a few decades younger, maybe.
Younger people didn't need the Elixir to keep them alive, so they could stop drinking it without too many consequences, as long as they didn't take it too often. The older a person got, the more their body would rely on it once they started.
Although, Albus swore he would never use Nick's Stone, he never swore anything about not studying it and trying to replicate one of his own.
(because they're friends... moved out of Gringotts!")
Albus' frown deepened before he smoothed it out, hoping nobody had noticed. Nick had transferred the Stone to the London branch, just for him. It had been perfectly safe where it was, but Albus felt like it was the perfect bait.
So far, Harry was behaving just like he wanted, seemingly without any aid from him. Now, if only he could decide whether the other two being along for the ride was truly a good thing or not. While he could whole-heartedly agree that having friends to ground and help guide him on his way would be a good thing for young Mr. Potter, he wished that the two of them wouldn't be in danger. Harry was the only one who needed to be shaped by this situation.
Voldemort must be defeated for good, and he hated that Harry was the only one who could do it, hated that expectations like that were being laid on such young shoulders, but there was nothing he could do about it but make sure Harry was ready.
Somehow, he doubted that any of the others would see it like this, which is why they would never know if he could help it. Now, if he could just convince Harry and Sirius to let him retain access to the Potter vaults. Some of the knowledge in there...
("A stone that makes... Anyone would want it.")
"Not anyone." Harry muttered. He certainly didn't want it.
"Something like that would be very dangerous in the wrong hands." Sirius said, frowning.
"It should never have left Flamel's possession." Remus agreed. The man had kept his creation safe from thieves for over five hundred years, surely he could have kept it safe for longer. Something about this didn't sit well with him.
Why would Flamel suddenly decide, after so long, that the Stone wasn't safe where he had it hidden?
("And no wonder we... sixty-five, is he?")
There were a few chuckles at the reminder while Ron and Hermione scowled and Harry sighed.
(The next morning in... treating werewolf bites,)
"Hmm." Remus tilted his head to the side. "That's not a bad lesson, except there are no real ways of treating werewolf bites. All you can do is keep the bite area itself from becoming infected normally. Once a person is bit, they are werewolves." He said bitterly.
Poppy nodded her agreement. A lesson like that would have probably been more useful coming from her, anyway.
(Harry and Ron... own Quidditch team)
A few people chuckled, while Ron turned red. Now that he was older, he realized how childish that desire was, he would rather spend the money on other things now, like his friends and family.
Ron perked up though, he could buy the Chudley Cannons! Maybe under better management, yeah, that was all they needed to reach the top.
(that Harry remembered... faces if we win.")
"If?!" Fred and George cried. Sirius merely raised an eyebrow while Remus sighed and shook his head.
"What did you just say 'if' for?" Charlie demanded. He pointed at the screen that was still on the wall. "If what we saw was any indication, this game is already yours, and that's with Snape being petty." He ignored his mothers stern 'Charlie!' and Severus' glare to stare Harry down.
Harry shrugged. "You guys should know by now, I can be very pessimistic." He said simply. They grumbled, but didn't say anything else, knowing that it was true.
Ron snorted. "That's the only reason I didn't say anything at the time." He muttered.
("Just as long as... said Hermione.)
"Yes, let's not." Sirius said faintly. As proud as he was about his pup being on the team at such a young age, and in such an important position, he did worry that he was so much younger and smaller than the others. Not to mention inexperienced with the wizarding world on a whole.
Everybody else nodded, in complete agreement with Hermione and Sirius. Those that were there, however, simply smirked at Severus and Draco.
(As the match drew... Ron and Hermione.)
"Oh, we knew." Ron told his best friend. When Harry looked at him in question, he shook his head. "You started going off your food again, mate. It was a nightmare to get you to eat." He informed the room. Molly and Poppy both frowned in concern, knowing that Harry needed every bit of food he could get. He was far too skinny. (Especially after what they learned about his childhood).
Maybe it would be good if Harry wasn't on the Quidditch team, it clearly wasn't doing anything for his health if he stopped eating from nerves before a match.
Nobody noticed Harry eyeing the two women warily. Those two in particular were always on about his health, and seemed to think that one little thing was the end of the world for his health.
(The rest of the... such a biased referee?)
Minerva scowled at the memory of this match, as short as it was. It was a good thing for both her and Severus, that Neville spoke up when he did. Their friendship was still too tenuous after the past year, despite the conversations they'd had over the past few days while here.
"Not if Harry had anything to say about it." Neville smirked. Although, he didn't exactly remember the game, he hadn't really seen all of it.
Severus scowled. He'd already been in a bad mood at the start of the game, the game itself had not helped matters. Especially between himself and Minerva, their relationship was fairly strained for a while after this.
(Harry didn't know... Snape wherever he went.)
Severus smirked. "Oh, you weren't imagining it. I was worried about Quirrel trying something again. Or, if I was wrong about it being Quirrel, than whoever it was." His magic had not been happy when Harry was in danger, he had not wanted to feel that again. Especially not so soon.
Harry scowled, Ron and Hermione made a face, but none of them said anything.
Sirius was clearly torn between wanting to bite Severus' head off and forcing him to stay away from his godson, and thanking him for taking care of Harry when he couldn't. All he could feel otherwise, was self-loathing. He hated himself for not being there for his pup.
(At times, he even... was so horrible to Harry.)
All feelings of gratitude that Sirius might have had for Severus watching out for his pup went out the window, once he heard that.
How on earth was this in any way considered teaching? Or acceptable for a teacher to treat their students this way?
The other teachers looked reproachful, Severus just sighed.
(Could Snape possibly... the Sorcerer's Stone?)
Severus growled and muttered under his breath in Latin. How on earth could he miss it? He made it a point of keeping an eye on the brats, and yet he missed something as big as this? And he called himself a spy.
Harry smirked briefly, but didn't really want to think about it anymore.
(Harry didn't see... could read minds.)
Severus, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all scowled heavily at the reminder before Harry's look turned into a Death-Glare that was quickly turned on the Potions Master.
"Oh, he can, all right." He said bitterly, rubbing his temples as if staving off a headache. He didn't actually have one, but...
"Yes, but I would never use it on students." Severus said bitterly when he caught sight of the suspicious looks on some of his current and former students, and some of the adults, faces.
Harry snorted. "Not without permission, anyway." He was still highly bitter about those 'lessons'. He couldn't prove it without learning more about it, or finding somebody else who could actually teach him without letting past bias get in the way.
Severus looked at him and frowned thoughtfully. Maybe he could try to teach the boy again, properly this time. Or, at least the younger one. He ignored the suspicious and angry glare from Sirius and Remus.
(Harry knew, when... him alive again.)
"We were not!" They both protested weakly.
Harry snorted. "I can read you two just as easily as you can read me sometimes." He shook his head.
(This wasn't what... wands to the match.)
"That's an understatement." Neville muttered with a snort. "I don't think I had ever been so confused. Normally people who go to a Quidditch match are having a good time, or at least look like their looking forward to a good game. They looked like somebody had just told them that they failed every subject. Well, Hermione, anyway. While Ron looked like somebody had just told him Scabber's was killed." He explained.
The two looked at him sheepishly.
(Little did Harry... Leg-Locker Curse.)
"Huh. I wondered what the two of you were up to." Harry blinked. He was surprised that they had managed to hide this from him, normally he could tell what they were up to.
Hermione and Ron grinned, glad they had managed to keep something from him, he was really too observant sometimes.
(They'd gotten the... to hurt Harry.)
"What?!" Molly screeched, looking at Ron incredulously. Severus himself looked murderous. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that would have been, he could have fallen and broken his neck!" She couldn't believe her son would suggest doing anything that put somebody else in so much danger, deliberately.
Ron shrugged awkwardly while Hermione turned a dark red, when they put it that way... "It was him or Harry, I chose Harry." He muttered, mulish. He wasn't going to apologize for trying to protect his best friend. Molly pursed her lips, but didn't say anything else when Arthur put a hand on her arm.
The other teachers stared at them in shock, unable to believe that they almost did that. The younger readers in the room snickered lightly.
Harry rolled his eyes. "It never happened, so don't worry so much about it." He muttered.
("Now, don't forget... wand up his sleeve.)
"Sorry, I was nervous." She whispered to him, and he smiled slightly.
"I know."
("I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag.")
"Ronald!" Molly snapped, finally going back to her normal self after everything that happened at the end of the last chapter, with the Mirror. Ron sighed and apologized sheepishly, which Hermione waved away only to watch in amusement as Ron rolled his eyes once his mother wasn't looking anymore. She knew his apology had been genuine.
While everyone chuckled or shook their heads at the two, the screen turned back on and Filius hurried to end the books narration.
(Back in the... taken Harry aside.)
"What left was there to say at this point?" Hermione asked quietly. The speech had already been made.
("Don't want to... Hufflepuff too much.")
Harry and the Twins smirked while Severus and Draco scowled at the wall. Minerva and the other teachers chuckled at the Slytherin pair while everyone else who was at that game looked amused. Minerva would say something about his favoritism, but... given what happened during this game, she was willing to let it go.
This time.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I take it, that it was a fast catch?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Harry only smirked while the Twins cheered, but nobody said anything.
("The whole school's... that silver beard.)
Albus smiled when he saw the students gathered for a nice game of Quidditch, and was slightly pleased that he was so noticeable. Hopefully, it would keep anybody from trying anything again.
Molly and a few others breathed a sigh of relief that he was there.
"Huh. Quirrell wasn't even at that match." Hermione frowned as she scanned the stands. Ron and Harry looked at her, startled, before they scanned the crowd for him too, and failed to find him. Severus overheard and his scowl deepened. Of course he hadn't even shown up. First Dumbledore comes to the match and makes his efforts and the criticism he'd received pointless, but then the one he was trying to protect the boy from didn't show up, either.
If Hooch hadn't taken the chance to go to her nieces birthday party that weekend, he would have thrown down his broom and let her referee right then and there.
(Harry could have... was looking so angry)
"Oh, you look angry." Remus pointed out quietly with a wince. He'd been very familiar with that look over the years.
"Of course I was angry. Do you have any idea what I had to put up with from Minerva when I volunteered myself? Only for Albus to be there, which made all of the criticism I put up with, useless. Nobody was going to be stupid enough to try something with him there. Besides, I hate flying." Severus ranted. Both Draco's looked at him, startled. They'd never seen him in a mood like this before.
Minerva blinked at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know why you were doing it, all I saw was that you were referring a match, right when Gryffindor showed such promise. To make matters even better, the star of the team was the son of James Potter, who you had already shown an irrational dislike for." She explained to him quietly, trying to explain herself.
He glanced at her. "It's fine." She frowned. He said that far too often for her liking. He could have been standing there shaking from Cruciatus exposure, and he would still say he was fine. Over the past year, she wouldn't have cared, but now that she knew better...
(as the teams marched... he told Hermione.)
"I stand corrected. I have seen him meaner since then." Ron shook his head, trying not to remember it. That had been a bad day all around, especially for those who planned and executed the prank in general.
Honestly, it wasn't Harry's fault that one of the House-elves had been a little over-zealous in cleaning the Common Rooms and apparently hadn't gotten the message that they weren't supposed to clean them that night. Or that he apparently ran out of time before he could get to the Slytherin common room.
A few of the adults frowned when they noticed Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle sitting behind Ron, Hermione, and Neville in the stands. Why were those three all the way over there? They weren't anywhere near the Slytherin section.
("Look- they're off... It was Malfoy.)
Draco suddenly stiffened and went pale. "Oh, no." He glanced around at the Gryffindors in the room nervously.
Severus looked at him and groaned. "How much did you say?" He asked.
"A lot." Severus sighed and covered his eyes with his hand.
"Did you guys fail to tell me something?" Harry asked, looking around at Ron, Hermione, and Neville.
"Remember how I mentioned a fight with Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle?" Was all Ron said. Harry just lifted an eyebrow in surprise while the teachers and Molly looked highly disapproving.
("Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there.")
Ron and several others snorted while the Twins looked at Draco suspiciously. "Yeah, right. And I'm a Hippogryph." Ron muttered. Draco shot him a dark look at the comment.
He was still sore about the thing escaping like it did. The thing attacked him, and yeah, he milked that whole situation for what it was worth, but that thing could have killed him!
(Malfoy grinned broadly... broom this time?)
"This time?" Most of the redheads parroted, incredulous.
"He never fell off his broom last time! He rode it out and stayed on!" Charlie stared at Draco with some disgust in his eyes. Honestly, making fun and light of such amazing flying skills was nothing short of blasphemy in the other Seekers eyes.
Draco turned red. "I get it, I can be a piece of dragon dung sometimes, alright?" He asked sullenly. For his part, Harry merely eyed him for a moment before turning back to the screen.
Honestly, it was no different than the time Malfoy opened up a betting pool on how long he would stay alive in the tournament. If he got made at every little thing Draco had said over the years, he would have no anger left for the important things.
Severus frowned. This encounter, like all the rest, was already not turning out the way Draco had told him when he asked later. From the way Draco told it, he'd been minding his own business when Ronald started the fight and wouldn't leave him alone.
(Anyone want a bet?)
Molly gasped. "What a horrible thing to place a bet on. Harry could get seriously injured or killed if he fell off." She berated Draco, Draco sank back into his seat and stared at her apprehensively. Honestly, she knew he was a Malfoy, and she had heard nothing good about him from Ronald over the years, but this...
If she didn't know it would get her killed, she was tempted to go hunt down his father right now and give him a piece of her mind about his parenting style. If the boy thinks that speaking like this was alright... Hmm, maybe after the war is over she will go visit him in Azkaban.
Everyone else grumbled just as much and shot Draco disgusted looks while Severus merely sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He completely blamed Lucius.
(What about you... hit a Bludger at him.)
"George!" Charlie yelled, looking at the Twin after a second of studying his form on the screen to see which one it was. "Why would you give him more of a reason to penalize you? Are you an idiot?" He berated. Harry snickered.
George turned red while the other adults looked disapproving and Severus smirked (he'd briefly scowled when that was all that was said about the Weasley hitting it at a non-player). "It's not like they could have made the shot, we have Oliver." He muttered, unrepentant.
"Not the point, George. And, Oliver stopping it is not a guarantee, no matter how good the boy is." Bill warned.
(Hermione, who had... the Gryffindor team?")
"By who has the most talent, the most potential, and who can actually work with the rest of the team and take criticism?" Harry and the Twins asked him blankly. Cormac would never have been on the team, even if he had been the best Keeper at try-outs, for reasons made painfully obvious during the game where he had to substitute because Ron had been poisoned.
Draco turned a brilliant shade of red before leaning closer to Severus (without realizing he was doing it) in hopes that the man would protect him from angry Lions. No matter how much he disapproved of what was said. Severus felt Draco move closer to him and looked down in concern and exasperation. Just what on earth had the boy said? How much more had he lied about?
(said Malfoy loudly... no reason at all.)
"Wait, I didn't see anything happen." Bill said in confusion, watching as the Hufflepuff team quickly decided who would take a penalty shot.
"That's because nothing did. He called a foul because he felt like it." Fred said, staring straight ahead, remembering how much restraint he had to apply in order to not send a bludger straight at Snape's crooked nose.
Severus got a few dirty looks, but nobody said anything, more interested in watching the game, although it wasn't showing much of the game, the coming fight between Draco and Ron seemed more important. Besides, they were sure Minerva would have already dealt with it.
("It's people they... you've got no brains.")
"You know how they choose for the Slytherin team?" Fred asked scathingly, glaring at Draco with the rest of his siblings. They were especially angry about the embarrassment on their mothers face after their lack of money was mentioned. The adults looked at him in shock and disappointment. Severus sighed and pinched his nose, resigned to Draco opening his mouth and sticking his foot in it a lot throughout these books, and wondering just how much Draco lied to him over the years.
"By who's biggest and stupidest, with no regard for talent." George glared, somewhat parroting what Hermione had said in her second year.
Draco glared. "Our players are just as talented as anybody else, if not more so!" He shot back.
"So, your dad buying the team seven expensive brooms at the same time as you joined the team was just a coincidence, was it?" Ron asked with a snort.
Draco narrowed his eyes, because, yes. Actually that had been a coincidence. However, Severus finally decided to intervene. "Yes, that was a coincidence, actually. We should continue with the game, or we may be arguing this all day." He placed a hand on the back of Draco's neck and squeezed gently in warning, and he sat back sulkily. The Weasley's and Neville glared some more, but sat back and let the screen continue showing the game.
(Neville went bright... he stammered.)
"Yeah, you tell him, Neville!" The Twins cheered, Harry smiled slightly, and Bill and Charlie even smiled in approval and pride at the boy. It was clear that he had flourished over the years and really come out of his shell.
(They honestly looked forward to reading about him coming into his own.)
Draco flushed slightly.
(Malfoy, Crabbe, and... tell him, Neville.")
Bill snorted while Draco turned red. He hadn't even noticed that the youngest Weasley boy was barely even paying him any kind of attention while he was trying to mock him. He wasn't sure if he felt insulted or not. A little while ago, sure.
Harry grinned. "Thanks, mate." If only he could have gotten Ron to ignore the comments like that all the time. Life would have been easier, and quieter. Ron merely turned red.
("Longbottom, if brains... saying something.")
Neville looked down while the Weasley children all shouted in outrage. Luna shot Draco a dirty look while putting an arm around Neville's shoulder. Draco merely sank back at the looks and words from the others in the room.
"Neville is the furthest thing from stupid. It's not his fault his uncle and grandmother are idiots who are stuck in the past." Harry snarled quietly, knowing that Neville's grandmother had only said anything about being proud of him, after the Ministry fiasco. After he did something like what his father might have done.
(Ron's nerves were... one more word-")
The adults sighed.
They had a feeling that this wasn't going to be pretty.
("Ron!" said Hermione... a spectacular dive,)
"Oh, dear." Molly gasped as Harry suddenly dived on the screen. She didn't like watching this, this was so dangerous! Why did Minerva put him on the team as a first year?
"Go Harry!" The others cheered, and the teachers merely shook their heads. Honestly, the boy looked like he was made to be in the sky. Harry grinned while his face turned red. He watched the dive proudly. Honestly, most of the time he felt that his skills in the air were the only thing he could truly be proud of, that they were the only things that people praised him for, that were truly his own doing.
Draco merely scowled at the screen, before he glanced at Severus in worry. He wasn't worried about what he might have said, he knew that he'd already said the worst of it. No, he might have lied about why it was Ron attacked him. For his part, Severus glared at Harry for this dive, remembering how close the Potter had gotten to him.
Sirius reached out and gave Harry a small, proud shake while he silently cheered his godson on.
Charlie was the only one who had seen the Snitch, and he was grinning widely while shooting Severus small glances, knowing exactly where Harry was aiming in his dive.
(which drew gasps... the ground like a bullet.)
"That was terrifying to watch." Neville confessed to Luna, quietly. She smiled slightly and patted his arm.
"I honestly thought he was going to crash." Hermione said, glancing at Harry apologetically. He frowned at her, but didn't say anything. This time.
("You're in luck... ground!" said Malfoy.)
Those who played on the Gryffindor team against Malfoy looked at him in disbelief. He was supposed to be a Seeker, yet he didn't see the Snitch that Harry was obviously hunting?
Draco flushed red. Now that he'd been playing for a while, and knew it was there, he could plainly see the Snitch hovering just behind his godfather. He hadn't been paying any attention during this game, too focused on mocking Ron and Neville.
(Ron snapped. Before... him to the ground.)
"Ronald!" Molly screeched after a moment, shocked. Arthur merely winced. Oh, the famous Weasley Temper. Ron would have been better off not inheriting that.
"Go, Ron!" The Twins cheered while Bill and Charlie looked torn between joining them and disapproval. Ginny laughed while Percy pursed his lips in full disapproval, but didn't say anything.
"Boys!" Molly scolded her twins.
"Oh, come on, mom. You heard everything he was saying about us. Besides, this was years ago." Fred protested. She said nothing, and merely glared him into submission. Arthur sighed and muttered something under his breath about boys being boys.
(Neville hesitated... of his seat to help.)
The adults groaned, Minerva remembered Augusta Longbottom coming through her Floo and demanding to see her grandson, and then escorting her to the Hospital Wing. The woman had not been happy, not at all. She was pretty sure Lucius Malfoy had been given a lecture of his own about his son's conduct.
Not that it seemed to curb the boys behavior in any way.
"Thanks again, Nev." Ron said, grinning at the normally very shy Gryffindor.
"Don't worry about it." Neville waved him off.
("Come on, Harry!"... straight at Snape-)
"Oh, I forgot about this part." Fred muttered to his twin when they noticed where Harry was going to come out of his dive.
"I think we were busy with a Bludger at the time." George said with a tilt of his head.
(she didn't even... Crabbe, and Goyle.)
"I'm surprised you're not trying to stop them right now." Ginny said in surprise.
Hermione blushed fiercely. "I didn't even notice, I was too focused on watching Harry. He was getting a little close to the person we thought was trying to kill him." She explained quietly. Now that she saw it happening, she was wondering how she missed it.
Everybody else laughed. Harry grinned at her, happy and touched.
(Up in the air, Snape... clasped in his hand.)
Everyone laughed at the look on Snape's face, and then Charlie started trying to think back to what the record was. "How long was this match?" He demanded to know.
"Roughly five minutes." Minerva answered, glancing smugly at Severus, who's glare deepened. If he could set things on fire with his glare alone, the wall would have been burning a long time ago.
Bill and Charlie whistled appreciatively while Sirius and Remus gaped briefly before hugging their pup/cub in pride. "That beats the old record by at least thirty minutes." Bill informed the room. Everyone cheered some more and the Twins started a small cheer about how Harry was the best.
"A record set by James Potter the one time he substituted as the Seeker in our fifth year." Sirius boasted once everybody calmed down a little, his pride could be heard loudly by everybody in the room. If it was possible, Harry turned even more red. He also smiled happily. He knew what the old record was, but he hadn't known it was made by his father, or that he ever substituted, he thought his dad only played Chaser. But then, how else would he have gotten that Snitch he played with during that memory of Snape's that he 'accidentally' watched?
(The stands erupted... down in her seat)
"Wow, Hermione. I never knew you to be so excited over something Quidditch related." Neville said in surprise. He winced when he watched Crabbe break his nose while Goyle pulled his arm into an awkward angle. Poppy was watching the fight with a scowl, seeing it happening and healing the aftermath were two very different things, after all.
Hermione blushed. "I was excited for Harry, I knew how much he'd been looking forward to this game. Besides, with it being over there was less risk to Harry." She tried to explain. Honestly, she thought that some of her reaction to the end of the game was adrenaline, and relief that it was over.
Ron merely snorted. "And she still hasn't noticed that I'm not right beside her." He sounded amused, so Hermione knew he wasn't too angry over it. Their younger selves looked at them curiously.
(and hugging Parvati... He couldn't believe it.)
Sirius snorted at the sight of Harry's face. He looked relieved, elated, and a little puzzled all at the same time. "What's with the look, pup?" He asked.
Harry thought back to what he was thinking after this game. "I was relieved it was over and nothing happened, happy that I broke a record and we shut Hufflepuff out like that, and I think I was a little confused that it was over so soon, too. A part of me was wanting to know what I was doing on the ground, I had a game to play." He grinned sheepishly. Sirius barked a laugh while everyone else either looked at him fondly, or scowled at the wall (the Slytherins).
"He wasn't the only one wondering what just happened." Fred cut in.
"The rest of us were wondering what just happened, too." George agreed.
(He'd done it... and tight-lipped-)
"I didn't even know he was there until I turned around and there was a red blur. I almost had a heart attack thinking he was about to crash into me." Severus said, just as tight-lipped as he was back then. Harry looked like he wasn't sure whether he should be apologetic for scaring the man that much, or if he should be offended at the almost slight on his flying skills.
As if he would ever crash like that, he was a much better flyer than that.
(then Harry felt a... busy... excellent...")
"Yes, it is. That Mirror is not something that you should ever dwell on." Sirius said, glancing at Harry in worry. Especially now that he knew that Mirror gave Harry nightmares, or at least jogged his memory some more of that night. He knew that Harry was too young to really remember it, but he had always been very bright, so Sirius was not surprised in the least that he remembered as much as he did about that night. It was a very traumatic night after all.
The little he did remember, though, was bound to be traumatic enough.
Harry tried to send Sirius a reassuring smile, but was worried it came out as more of a grimace. Harry looked worried, he didn't want the nightmares to get worse. He was quite happy with how they were now, thank you.
Minerva sent Albus a small smile, now that was the Albus she knew. Throughout the earlier chapters, she had not really recognized her old friend. Some of the things he said and did or didn't do in regards to Harry... and some of the things Harry and the other two said had sown some doubts about some of the Headmasters actions over the years. However, checking on his student right then reminded looked more like her old friend.
(Snape spat bitterly on the ground.)
"Oo, somebody is not happy." Fred and George said under their breaths.
"No, I was not. First I opened myself to all kinds of ridicule and comments from my colleagues for nothing, because Albus showed up to the match anyway, but then the boy almost gives me a heart attack with his dare-devil flying and makes me think that he's going to crash right into me! Not to mention the money I lost in the teachers bet on who would win the game!"
At that, the screen froze and turned off. Filius got up good naturedly and renewed the charm to make the book start reading itself again.
(Harry left the locker... back to the broomshed.)
Remus snorted. "I'm surprised you didn't keep it in your dorm." He glanced at Sirius out of the corner of his eye, who had the grace to turn slightly red.
"Hey, I actually had people to guard it against." Sirius defended himself, not in the least bit ashamed of how protective he was over his broom. He was a Black. A Black in Gryffindor at that.
"True." Remus grimaced. "Bellatrix, at least."
"And Lucius, a few other Slytherins, and later on even Narcissa and Regulus." Sirius didn't even list half the people who would take any chance at all of destroying his things or hurting him in some way. No matter how petty it could have been. There was a reason why he tried not to go anywhere alone. Severus didn't look in the bit ashamed or uncomfortable, since he wouldn't have gone after the broom. He would have, and did, go after Sirius himself.
Harry looked between the two of them and blinked. "Well, I didn't have to worry about that, I was more at risk for anybody taking it and keeping it for as long as they could just to say they touched it." Harry was genuinely disturbed by the thought.
(He couldn't ever... famous name anymore.)
Harry looked down while Remus looked at him in concern. He'd overheard several conversations between Sirius and Harry that were something along these lines.
Everyone else in the room glanced at Harry, surprised. They all knew how he hated his fame, but they didn't know that he felt this way about it. "I assure you, Mr. Potter, you are much more than a famous name." Minerva said, frowning at the book.
Harry frowned. "Try telling that to the public of Britain." He said bitterly.
(The evening air had... a heavy nosebleed.)
Harry snorted, but didn't say anything. Poppy merely clucked her tongue disapprovingly.
(Harry had reached... in the setting sun.)
"It was beautiful." He murmured, taking his drawing book back out and starting to draw it.
"I imagine that it was." Sirius said softly, almost wistfully. It had been such a long time since he'd seen his old home... he missed it, but at least now he would have a chance to see it again. If somebody had told him three days ago that he would ever be free from that cell, he would have knocked them out and called for the closest Healer.
Remus smiled slightly and reached out to nudge his shoulder reassuringly. Sirius could only grin widely back.
(Gryffindor in the... speaking of Snape...)
"Oh, no." Severus groaned, remembering what happened after the game. "You did not follow us." He said. He wasn't really asking anything, either.
"Sorry. You looked suspicious." Harry didn't sound very sorry at all. All the adults groaned or looked disapproving while Sirius and Remus merely looked concerned.
(A hooded figure... steps of the castle.)
Most of the teachers sat up in alarm, wondering who that could be, and if they were supposed to even be there. Of course, it also wasn't unusual for teachers to walk across the school grounds with cloaks on, or the hoods up, but this was Harry they were reading about. They could be sure that nothing good was going to happen right now.
Severus shot him a piercing look, wondering how the boy knew it was him.
(Clearly not wanting... what was going on?)
"I could have been going for potions ingredients. That was a perfect night for harvesting." Severus growled. In fact, he had gone harvesting as soon as he was done threatening Quirrell.
Harry flushed. "This was before I really knew the Forest was full of ingredients. I already thought you were up to something, this seemed to fit with that."
Remus shot him an odd look. "Are you sure you didn't meet Mad-Eye until after your fourth year?" He asked. That sounded like something the old Auror would have said, out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Moody looked like he wasn't sure whether to be proud or offended by that statement.
Harry cracked a grin. "I'm sure."
(Harry jumped back... a run. He followed.)
"Well, at least you're in the air, and not trying to follow on foot." Sirius said with a frown. The teachers shot him a disapproving look, but reluctantly admitted that he should be safe enough in the air. The only things in there that should bother him while in the air were the Acromantula, and that was only if he was too close to their nest and got too close to a tree with one of them in it.
"There's also less chance of him losing Snape and getting lost." Remus speculated. None of the adults were at all happy Harry was following and spying on one of his teachers, and made sure to voice these objections, but they were glad that he at least seemed to be safe enough while following his teacher.
Harry merely shrugged off their rebukes. "I wanted to know what was going on."
"That was not your job. Your job was to go to classes, do your homework, and enjoy time with your friends. Your job, was to let the adults deal with anything out of the ordinary that might have been happening." Minerva suddenly burst out, not liking that answer at all.
"From our point of view, somebody was trying to steal something very valuable, and the adults had no clue." Harry answered evenly, looking up from his latest drawing. He glanced at Albus, pretty sure that he had a different idea of what his job was than his Transfiguration Professor had.
"Then you should have told an adult." Minerva snapped back.
"I did. You dismissed everything we said, because we were children." Minerva visibly flinched back at the reminder, and the other teachers looked at her in question, but she didn't answer them.
(The trees were so... Snape had gone.)
"Good, so you should go back to the school." Remus muttered, although he knew that Harry wasn't going anywhere until he figured out why Snape was out there.
Harry only glanced at him. Remus should know him better than that.
(He flew in circles... a towering beech tree.)
Harry grumbled something, and Harry hissed back. After all, they never had good experiences with being in a tree.
Dudley glanced at his cousin. He didn't think he ever saw the younger boy in a tree unless Ripper chased him up it.
(He climbed carefully... Quirrell was there, too.)
"Quirrell? What is he doing there?" Remus asked the room, knowing the only ones who knew wouldn't say a word. This seemed to confirm something for both Moody and Albus.
(Harry couldn't make...worse than ever.)
"That's possible?" The Twins demanded. Harry nodded.
"Ugh, that stutter was so annoying." Neville muttered, and Draco nodded his agreement.
"I think the only reason I did well that year in Defense, was because Uncle Severus was tutoring me on the weekends." He informed the room. "And in second year. And in fifth." He muttered to himself. Third and fourth year, they actually had good teachers, even if the teacher fourth year was an imposter. And of course, sixth year was Severus himself, not that he really cared, he was a little occupied with his mission.
"We had some older years tutoring us out of another teachers syllabus." Hermione said with a shrug. Honestly, it wasn't like Quirrell was really all that bad. It was just the fact that nobody could understand him, because of that stupid stutter.
Ginny and Luna looked around at all the older years, and glanced at each other before shrugging. They weren't there, what did they care?
Severus ignored everyone discussing the stuttering teacher and ran this conversation through his head again. Now that he had more information, he could tell that the man had been poorly overcompensating to convince Severus of his act.
(Harry strained to catch... Snape, his voice icy.)
A few people snorted while Severus glared at Harry. If he wanted students nearby listening in, he would've had this conversation in a random corridor in the castle.
Neville and Harry, though, flinched almost reflexively when the book managed to get the tone Snape used perfect. How many times over the years did they have that same icy tone aimed at them for one reason or other? How many times did that usually result in some kind of harsh punishment?
("Students aren't supposed... Stone, after all.")
Minerva snorted and glanced towards Hagrid before she started grumbling. She didn't necessarily blame Hagrid, it wasn't his fault the boy happened to inherit both his mother's natural curiosity and his father's penchant for finding trouble. Not to mention, they were both more stubborn than an offended Hippogryph.
Hagrid may have been dropping hints, but it wasn't his fault the boy was definitely his parents child.
(Harry leaned forward... beast of Hagrid's yet?")
"Oh, wrong thing for Harry to hear." Somebody muttered. The only reason the others had stopped throwing Severus suspicious looks by now, was because Harry kept insisting that it wasn't him. However, to hear a conversation like this, and not know Severus was innocent...
"Good instincts, Potter. This is an interesting conversation." Moody said, frowning. "However, you are assuming based on partial information and bias." That was the number one thing that you never did. After all, personal and public bias said that all Black's were dark and evil, and yet here Sirius was.
("B-b-but Severus... a step toward him.)
Severus had to raise his Occlumency barriers as high as he physically could in order to keep from panicking at the thought that he said that to the Dark Lord.
If he had known the Dark Lord was riding along inside Quirrell's body, he never would have threatened the other man, and especially not by implying that he and Quirrell were on separate sides!
He was lucky the Dark Lord didn't strike him down then and there! Once again he wondered how he got out of that first meeting after the Dark Lord's return alive.
("I- I don't know... fell out of the tree.)
There was some snickering from the immature ones, and disapproving (and worried) glares or glances from the more 'mature' members of the group. Harry merely turned red while Harry made a face.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody suddenly barked. Honestly, not even noticing an owl in the tree next to him, what was the boy thinking? Everybody jumped while Harry blinked at him, amused.
(He steadied himself... I'm waiting.")
"I see why you were so suspicious now, especially after this." Minerva told Harry, glancing towards Severus apologetically. For his part, his scowl merely deepened.
"I agree, this partly heard conversation does make you seem highly suspicious. Especially to young ears who don't know the whole story." Filius said, tilting his head to the side.
The Trio in question glanced at each other sheepishly. Their small professor was right, they hadn't known the full story, they hadn't even known the full conversation. They just took what little they did know, and ran with it. Although, the little Harry heard, had seemed highly suspicious.
"That owl had really bad timing." Fred said decisively, nodding his head once to emphasize. Now Harry had missed even more of the conversation, Snape probably said something while Harry was distracted by the owl that would have cast doubts on his guilt, or at least proven his innocence in the matter.
("B-but I d-d-don't-"... your loyalties lie.")
Severus shuddered again, and his godsons looked at him concern. They both felt that they were missing something here.
(He threw his cloak... he was petrified.)
Severus managed to briefly smirk, even if he couldn't be sure whether Quirrell was petrified because of him, or if the Dark Lord was saying or doing something.
Those not in the know, or haven't already guessed, laughed. "Is there anybody you can't scare, Professor?" Ginny asked, joking. He merely quirked an eyebrow at her. He could name several, one of them was in this room.
("Harry, where have... Hermione squeaked.)
"Squeaked?" Draco asked.
"I did not squeak!" Hermione protested at the same time.
"Yes, you did." Harry and Ron said in unison. Ron continued. "The Twins had set off fireworks in the common room, we almost got caught by one when we were leaving to find Harry. She was still a little... flustered." He explained why Hermione squeaked. The Twins grinned at each other and high-fived even while their mother started ranting about their antics. They merely ignored her as they had taken to doing lately.
Honestly, it was the same spiel they'd heard a hundred times.
Albus merely chuckled at hearing about the Twins latest antics, while Minerva sighed and slumped in her chair. She didn't know how they did it, she really didn't. She herself searched their things every other week for contraband, only to find nothing. She stopped in their fourth year, after forcing a promise out of them that nobody would get hurt because of their antics, at least not on purpose, and since they only ever targeted a specific person as retribution, she mostly let them be. As long as she didn't catch them, of course. Neville rolled his eyes while the rest of the Hogwarts staff look at the Twins in surprise.
"None of you seem at all surprised to hear they set off fireworks in the common room." Draco said, looking around at the older Gryffindors.
Percy looked aggravated when he answered. "That's because they are always setting something off. There is usually a firework or something loose in the Maze, and it is not unusual for a firework or two to be let off in the common room, although they usually reserve that for parties."
"Which we have a lot of." Harry tilted his head to the side. The Gryffindor's cheered while those from other Houses stared at them with wide eyes. Minerva sighed again, but most of them could see the fondness in her eyes.
"If you think what they did in fifth year was spontaneous, then you should have come up to the Tower sometime." Ron snorted.
"Huh, now that I think about it, not a single Gryffindor ever got caught by one of those things, in fact..." Draco trailed off thoughtfully. "I saw one Gryffindor leaving the library one time, searching through his bag, and he ducked a firework without even looking at it. When he looked up he went on his way like it wasn't even there."
"We learn early on how to duck. It's instinct by now." Ginny said dryly.
"The Lions were very good at those lessons during DA meetings." Luna murmured. The Twins smirk widened.
("We won! You... Harry on the back.)
A few people snorted, and Ron turned red. "It was a short, and still exciting match." He muttered.
"You didn't even watch half of it." Hermione was amused. The red on Ron's face turned darker.
("And I gave Malfoy... he'll be all right-)
In answer, Poppy clucked her tongue while the others either looked at Neville in shocked awe or disapproving concern.
"You were alright, weren't you? Those two aren't exactly small." Molly asked in concern.
"Yeah, I was fine. Madam Pomfrey fixed me up. I was only out for a few hours." Neville waved her off.
(talk about showing... we're having a party,)
Sirius and Remus grinned suddenly, thinking about past Gryffindor post-match parties that they were part of.
"When aren't we having a party?" Ginny muttered to Neville, who nodded his agreement.
(Fred and George... from the kitchens.")
"You guys know where the kitchens are?" Draco asked in surprise. Bill, Charlie, Percy, and their parents were the only Gryffindors who didn't nod with a 'Duh, why wouldn't we?' look. Molly looked disapproving, but didn't say anything. After all, 'raiding' the kitchens for a Gryffindor party was practically tradition. There can't be a party without food.
"Of course we do. Why, you never found them?" Harry asked in surprise. He figured that that would be somewhat general knowledge once you explored enough. And didn't everyone explore? Besides, wouldn't he have visited the kitchens at some point during one of his visits with his godfather growing up?
Draco shrugged minutely. "I've never gone looking. Besides, technically, students aren't supposed to be in there."
"We aren't?" All the Gryffindor's asked in surprise. The teachers snorted and shook their heads. Technically, they weren't. But, as long as they didn't abuse the 'privilege' or cause problems with the House-elves, they looked the other way.
("Never mind that... 'til you hear this...")
"Wow. You don't wait." Neville blinked. "Did you even hear the part where I was in the Hospital Wing?" The smile on his face let Harry know he wasn't mad or anything.
For his part, Harry merely turned red. "Sorry, I was worried about what was going on with the Stone." He really hadn't heard what Ron said about Neville. Sirius and Remus glanced at each other and snorted in amusement, thinking of all the times they tried to talk to James, only to be ignored in favor of him talking about or watching Lily across the room.
(Sirius tried not to think about the part right here where Harry wasn't focused on a girl or anything a normal eleven year old should be distracted by.)
(He made sure... door behind them,)
Sirius snorted. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything with a poltergeist that can turn himself invisible." He smirked, amused. The Trio collectively turned a bright red.
"We didn't really think about that then." Harry grumbled.
"There's a lot that we didn't think about back then. Now that we know better, it is amazing that we managed to sneak around as effectively as we did back then." Hermione tilted her head as she thought about it.
(then he told them... help him get it.)
Severus couldn't wait until this book was over, then he wouldn't have to hear these accusations anymore.
(He asked if... get past Fluffy-)
"That part is actually true, but not for the reasons you thought it was." Severus muttered. When he caught everyone looking at him, he sighed again. "I wanted to know how far he was in getting past the protections. Just because Albus refused to listen to me or do anything about my suspicions, did not mean I was just going to sit back and watch it happen." He informed the room, dryly. Honestly, what did they all take him for?
"It wasn't that hard to get past." Fred said. Seriously, didn't they already say that they had made their way through the hallways underneath the trapdoor already? They went down there to explore the second night there, the first night they saw the Cerberus, then they looked it up and the second night they got past it. It wasn't that hard.
"All it took was a trip to the library, and finding the right book. Or even asking Professor Kettleburn about them." George finished. Albus frowned, and the rest of the teachers looked ready to explode.
He'd wanted it to be easy enough for a first year Muggle-raised student to get through, but had he made it too easy?
(and he said something... to break through-")
Remus snorted softly. "Anti-Dark Arts?" He questioned to himself. He'd never heard it put that way before.
("So you mean... Hermione in alarm.)
The Twins snorted. "That won't take long." Fred said, and leaned back against Bill's legs, shaking his head. George had long since laid down on the floor next to him and was resting his head in his brothers lap. With Bill and Charlie on the couch above them and Percy sitting with Ginny on either side of them, it was a regular Weasley pile-up.
Severus blinked at them.
("It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.)
Severus blinked while the Twins beamed at their brother, unnerving several of the rooms occupants. "Thanks. I think." He said sarcastically. He honestly wasn't sure if he should take that as a compliment or not, he took great pride in his intimidating stature sometimes. But right now, they thought he was the enemy.
"You're welcome." Ron said, standing up and stretching. "I think that was the end of the chapter." He checked the book. As one, all of the Weasley's looked at their mother, who sighed.
"Yes, lunch should be ready by now. We can continue whenever we are all ready." She said, shaking her head fondly as her brood all cheered and rushed to the dining area of the kitchen. There were a few grumbles as hands or feet were stepped on as they got up, but they seemed to be more intent on reaching the food.
Sirius chuckled and got up slowly, stretching carefully as he did. Honestly, one would think that after so long in a small cell, that he would be used to inactivity. It would certainly be a while before Padfoot was able to romp around and play with Mooney, though. Since being in this room, he'd moved around and already been more active, despite his best efforts, in the last few days than he had been in the past ten years.
"Alright, pup. Up we get." He took Harry's outstretched hand and pulled him to his feet, while Remus did the same with Harry. "Let's go eat before the Weasley kids eat it all." He said with a grin in Molly's direction, who merely groaned fondly.
Harry laughed. "Oh, I'm sure Mrs. Weasley is an expert by now in making a lot of food." He grinned in her direction fondly, knowing that it was true.
Sirius barked out a laugh, and led him and his younger self to the kitchen while the other adults followed behind. This chapter was fairly mild.
He only hoped the rest of the book would be just as easy to listen to.
