A/N: Look! I have it up in less than six weeks! Joy! I can't remember who guessed that Nemo was Hagrid, but if they keep guessing like that, they'll get it right. ::hint hint::

We ALL know whom the characters belong to. I own Heather Thistlewool, Ramona Whippet, and Dilnavaz Patil.


Harry had alot to think about for the next few months. Firstly, to his anger, Dumbledore had explained everything about Sirius to Parvati.

"It's all for the best. You're smart, Harry, you can figure out why," Dumbledore explained the next day in his office.

Harry worried more about Parvati telling someone, she and Lavender were known for being gossips, but Dumbledore insisted that she wouldn't say a word about it.

Also, Sirius had sent him the oddest letter.

Dear Harry,

Do not show this letter to anyone, not Ron or Hermione, not even Dumbledore.

I'm still at Moony's, and still waiting for a response to my last letter. I'm worried that you didn't get it.

I'm going out on a limb to think that this letter won't be intercepted. If you got the last letter you'd know Dumbledore has got Moony, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, and I on some business.

I've got a lot to explain. In your father's and my sixth year, just before we learned to be Animagi, Romulus Lupin disappeared. Moony, Wormtail, Prongs, a few other sixth years and I went looking for him. Actually very foolish of us.

It was a few nights after the full moon. We were on the grounds, just poking around, trying to find him.

Moony saw him standing on the edge of the forest, holding something silvery white. We ran after him and grabbed him. He was holding something like a Muggle shepherd's horn.

I'm leaving a big part out here, because you don't need to know it.

He blew the horn, and all these magical creatures stampeded out from the forest. Trampled some of our group, killed two girls, Heather Thistlewool and Ramona Whippet.

I know this is confusing. Harry, I need a favour done by you. I know I can trust you.

Tell Romulus Lupin that the old crowd needs him again. If he asks why, tell him he has to use the horn again. He'll understand.


Sirius

To say this was confusing was an understatement. Harry wasn't sure to believe Sirius.

And to ask Lupin that? What was he supposed to say if Lupin asked how he knew about the horn, or the old crowd? Why couldn't Sirius or Remus ask him themselves? He couldn't ask Ron or Hermione for advice, either.

These thoughts were constantly on his mind.

They didn't have time to be answered, of course. This was the year of his OWLs, and the teachers were piling on the homework. All the fifth-years in Gryffindor would sit down each evening to a pile of assignments, glaring with jealousy at the first and second years, who were enjoying their relatively homework-free days.

It wasn't until a few weeks before Halloween that the trio was able to visit Hagrid in private, not just in Care of Magical Creatures.

Harry always felt a bit less anxious inside Hagrid's cabin, unless, of course, Hagrid had cooked a new dish.

"Yeh al'right, Harry?" Hagrid said with polite interest,"Yeh look awful tired. All three of yeh do."

"Homework. Loads of it," muttered Ron.

"It's all very boring," Hermione agreed,"After all my practice OWLs, I know the stuff down pat!"

Ron gave her an odd look, then returned to his treacle fudge. Harry remained silent.

Hagrid turned to him,"Sure yeh're al'right?"

"Got alot on my mind," Harry replied, fingering the handle of his tea cup.

Hagrid nodded, and began to talk about his plans for his classes. He had decided that since the Flobberworms and Blast-Ended Skrewts hadn't been very successful, and in all, none of the students had learned a thing about Magical Creatures, he would put a bit more variety in what specimens he brought to class. Lately, all they had been doing was reading chapters out of their textbooks.

Harry tuned out from the chatter. He had been planning on talking to Lupin for much of the past weeks, but hadn't quite gotten up the courage. Whenever he went to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, he could hardly concentrate. What had Sirius been talking about? What did he mean, about a horn and creatures from the forest? He trusted Sirius, and Sirius obviously trusted him.

'Why not?' said a voice in the back of his mind, 'Sirius wouldn't joke about this. He expects you to do it.'

Harry silently agreed with it.

* * *

Hogwarts castle loomed ahead. McNair felt a sudden twinge of foreboding. Dumbledore was in there, the Muggle loving fool. But he was still the enemy, and a feared one at that.

Nemo's face reflected that of one that was about to do something exciting and drastic. The same emotion had often been seen crossing the face of Lord Voldemort as he was about to kill a Muggle, or Mudblood.

McNair waited while Nemo slipped through the iron gates, and shifted along the outer stone wall of the grounds.

"Shame we can't Apparate," hissed McNair, sidling up beside him,"Make everything twice as easy, that would."

Nemo gave a hoarse laugh,"Nay. We've got the Invisibility charm on both o' us. Besides, I like a bit o' challenge. Makes the journey seem more interesting than the destination."

McNair laughed good-heartedly along with him, but puzzled over the comment.

McNair felt movement from where Nemo was, and saw the grass in front of him flatten. They both ran up to the castle.

"Can't even tell where you bloody are."

"Shut up, Walter. It's the fifth door on the righ', second floor, left hand corridor." The oaken front doors opened, and McNair, muttering, slipped in.

* * *

"Come in," Harry heard the familiar voice call. He stepped into Lupin's office. It really hadn't changed from when it had last been occupied.

"Er, I'm supposed to give you a message," Harry said quietly.

Romulus stared at him,"Go on."

"The old crowd needs you again."

Harry would rather him bombard him with questions and accusations then just sit there and stare a him, with that annoyingly thoughtful expression.

"You knew my brother well, Harry?" Romulus said finally.

"Yes."

"Did you know about Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs?"

"Yeah, my dad was Prongs."

"Yes, of course. Do you know about Sirius Black? How he was connected to the group?"

Harry was thrown off for a moment. He had originally planned his words, but had not expected him to ask about Sirius,"I know he was Padfoot. I know he's my Godfather."

"That's all you need to know. Do you know about me?"

"No."

"Do you know why the 'old crowd' needs me again?"

Harry shifted his feet,"You have to use the horn, they said. I don't know anything about it."

Romulus gave a start, "Oh."

"I'll just, er, go now," Harry said carefully, and left the office.

* * *

Romulus stared at the closed door, chewing over what the boy had just said. How had he known?

Take every problem step by step. Who knew he had the horn? Remus, Sirius Black, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, Dilnavaz Jaharan, no, Dilnavaz was married now, her last name was Patil, and, of course, Dumbledore. James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Heather Thistlewool, and Ramona Whippet knew, but they were dead.

Who would tell him then? Someone from the old crowd. Remus, Arabella, and Mundungus. Not Sirius; he was on the run.

Romulus clenched his fists. Was Harry lying, saying he didn't know anything more? If they had told Harry to send him the message about the horn, he must know more.

He had trusted them with his secret. They had promised, no matter how many years ago it had been.

Would he go help them, then, despite the fact they had broken their promise?

Another knock at the door. Maybe it was Harry again.

It opened before he could reach the door. Two men were in the threshold, one with the hood of his cloak over his face and the other tall and broad shouldered.

"I'm sorry," said Romulus calmly,"I don't know you."

"I know ye," said the man in the hood. Romulus knew that voice.

"What are you doing here?" Romulus hissed.

"Your friends betrayed ye," the man continued,"I heard the boy. There are two sides to the story. Now, do you want to go along with the traitors, or help us, and join with the giants?"

"The giants?" Romulus echoed.

"You know they gave the horn to ye. Ye're the Bearer, and ye know what troubles that tends to bring o'round. Come with us, and ye can give it back to the giants. Go with yer so called friends, an' be tricked again. Which do ye decide?"

Romulus shook his head,"There's no choice, you..."

"Times up," said the other man,"Imperio."