Students poured into the great Hall from all entrances. Some covered their ears against the loud music, but soon everybody got used to the huge speakers blasting and all the yells and hoots of the immature third year boys. A long line of couples wanting to be in the contest stretched fifty feet out of the main doors. Harry and Katherine were among the throng of them all.

"Okay, so after the pretzel thingy we do which move?" Harry asked.

"Normal for three paces and then you pick me up…" She continued going through the rest of the staged swing dance.

"This is going to be hard to remember!" Harry moaned. "And this wig is seriously bugging me."

They reached the front. Professors' Tool and Snape were taking names down for the contest. Snape looked them up and down looked at Tool. She shrugged.

"Who are you?" She said after a few minutes.

"Katherine Stuart and Harry Potter." Harry said in his normal voice. This drew a laugh out of Professor Tool and even Snape looked mildly impressed.

"Well, Severus take them down. I've seen loads of people dressed as Muggles, but nobody cross-dressing as Muggles. Original."

They smiled and took two buttons with the number 79 on both of them and entered the room. Harry's eye's widened. This wasn't anything close to what he remembered at the Yule Ball.

"Now this is what I call a dance!" Harry breathed. Katherine snorted.

"It'll pass." She said. "Come on. It's no fun unless you're close to the speakers." She grabbed his hand and yanked him to where the hired DJ booth was. Harry suddenly remembered something.

"What about my dancing? I'm no good!" Harry said. "Weren't you going to do SOMETHING?"

"Bewitch your feet?" She laughed again. "I don't think so. I have something better…" She grinned mischievously and told him harshly to start dancing.

Something gold caught his eye as he pretended he knew how to dance as well as Katherine. He glanced over and saw Hermione, wearing a black braided wig and Ron in his fake gold Caesar getup. Harry laughed and waved at them. Hermione cocked her head and turned to Ron. He saw her mouth 'who is that?'

"I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" Harry called back to Katherine who was in the middle of a bump and grind fest with at least three other boys and girls who seemed to realize that she to was a girl.

"How do you like this music?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione. "Great, isn't it?"

"Do we know you?" Hermione questioned, looking around to see if he was possibly talking to somebody else. Harry grinned.

"Of course." He dropped the girlie voice and quickly removed his wig. Hermione gaped at him and Ron burst out laughing. Hermione soon caught on and hugged him as she jumped up to the beat.

"You look awesome!"

"So do you!" Harry said. "Hey come up here with us!" He led them to the front. Ron and Hermione began to get in the swing of things and were soon bumping and grinding with the rest of the throng. Harry was getting bored of dancing after a while and decided he needed a change. Making sure nobody was looking he snatched the two balloons out of his shirt and popped them. He heard Katherine giggle and turned. She wasn't flat anymore. Harry shot her a puzzled look and went to join her.

"I bewitched them." She said to him and pulled him into the group of people grinding. There was a little group of people around Dean, who was break dancing.

The song changed and everybody groaned. It was a slow song.

"Hey. Dance with me." Somebody said from behind Harry and he soon found himself dancing with a boy. Harry squirmed. This wasn't exactly who he had been wanting to dance with. It was Draco Malfoy. "Don't think I've seen you around." He said sweetly, obviously trying to charm him.

"I'll bet you have." Harry said flatly, although he found himself imitating Katherine's voice and accent again.

"What's your name?"

"What and spoil all the fun?"

"But-"

Harry shook his head. "No Draco."

"How do you know I'm Draco?" He pouted. "This disguise is number one in its class."

"I have my ways." Harry said mischievously and winked with a fake giggle.

"I've got to know!" Draco's grey eyes were fading into a light green which was most likely reserved for flirting Harry realized in shock. "At least tell me what house-"

Harry shook a finger in his face and made a little baby noise when it went from one side to the other.

"Is this Padma?" Draco asked. "I knew it!" Harry made a valiant effort to escape, but Draco's death grip on his arms wouldn't let him. Harry squirmed as Draco planted his lips on Harry's and then pushed away very quickly.

"Never knew you were a switch hitter Malfoy." Harry said with an evil grin and disappeared into the crowd. He decided he would announce the fact to the world in potions on Monday.

The evening went uphill from there. Katherine and Harry made their way around the dance floor. Harry couldn't remember when he had ever had this much fun.

An hour later after the 'Draco' incident Dumbledore approached the stage. "Is everybody having a good time?" He asked with sparkles in his eyes.

"YES!!!!" The entire school chorused. Dumbledore waited for silence.

"Well then here comes what you've all been waiting for- the contests!" People cheered. "Now if everybody would listen, I'll call out the names. 3rd runner up- Sam Golden and Jessica Orbwell!" There was scattered applause and cheering as Jessica and Sam walked slowly up to the platform. They were dressed as Barbie and Ken, only their hair was actually plastic and their knees were also very plastic looking. "I award you both ten Galleons."

Everybody screamed congratulations as they bowed and moved back into the 3rd place slot.

"2nd runner up- Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson!" Many people booed. Draco was dressed as a ghoul and was even slightly transparent and Pansy was dressed up as Moaning Myrtle. "I award you both a week of no homework and five Galleons."

More cheers and hisses.

"First runner up- Harry Potter and Katherine Stuart- Black!" There were many cheers as Harry and Katherine ran up to the stage, confused. Harry personally thought that there were quite a few costumes that were better. Katherine squeezed Harry's hand and hissed 'good job.' "I award you both twenty free homework passes, five Galleons and a special trip to Hogsmeade- whenever you would like to go!"

Harry grinned. What a great prize! They bowed and stepped back into their place. "And now for the grand prize of twenty Galleons a month of no homework and a special trip to Hogsmeade-" Dumbledore paused dramatically and he restless students began hooting and hollering- "Mr. Ron Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger!"

Everybody screamed and applauded even if they had no idea who Hermione and Ron were. They made their way to the stage and bowed majestically.

"I name you two the King and Queen of Halloween!" Everybody applauded. Harry whistled loudly. Katherine swatted his hands out of his mouth and hissed something about public humiliation. Possibly the only person who wasn't cheering was Malfoy, but that was to be expected so nobody really cared.

"Now for the dance contest." Dumbledore continued and the hubbub subsided. The whole room made strange noises of confusion. "Yes…we didn't tell you there was going to be a dance contest. You see we didn't want anybody preparing. This will be judged on raw talent." Harry and Katherine exchanged glances.

~* She knew about this the whole time! *~ Harry thought fervently as they locked eyes.

~* Of course I knew. ~* Her voice echoed around Harry's brain but her lips weren't moving. Harry's eyes bulged. ~* It's telepathy. Didn't I tell you that we were connected? I meant that literally. *~

~* What? I don't want you to be able to read my mind! ~* Harry thought angrily. She laughed out loud and inside her head. ~* That's almost like the Imperious Curse! ~*

~* I only hear what you want me to hear and vice versa. *~ Her voice was mocking.

~* How'd you figure all this out? *~

~* You made eye contact with me that one day when we had the same dream and I told you not to talk about it. Remember? *~

~* Yeah. What do we do about the dance? *~

~* Exactly what we're doing now. ~ She thought plainly. ~* I told you we're connected. I feel what you feel and you feel what I feel. Now if my calculations are correct, I should be making your left pinky twitch madly by now. *~

Harry and Katherine looked down at Harry's pinky, which was going, crazy and grinned.

"Dancers take your places, royalty of Halloween in the center please…" Dumbledore had finished the rules of the dance contest.

"Katherine, I don't think this is smart." Harry said. "I mean- people saw me dance a couple of years ago- they're going to wonder."

"You said that out loud dip shit." Katherine hissed as they found their spots on the floor.

"I know." Harry retorted, getting a twinge red.

"We'll start with some old favorites." Dumbledore announced. Harry and Katherine started dancing as the oldie song "She Bewitched My Heart" blasted.

Snape quickly eliminated Barbie and Ken because they had to move so slowly with their plastic limbs. Professor Sprout who was rolling her eyes also pulled another couple close to them (dressed as fish) off the dance floor. Many of the couples (and solos) were tugged off because they were in awkward clothing they weren't used to moving in.

~* See? ~* Harry thought to Katherine. ~* It does pay off to live with muggles sometimes. *~

She laughed inwardly. ~* You know, I think you're getting a hand at the dancing thing. You really had your mac on back there when we were by the speakers. *~

~* Oh it wasn't to hard, ~* Harry admitted ~* I mean it's all in the hips. ~*

"And now a very classic song." Dumbledore said as the music changed into a waltz.

"I know how to do this one." Harry said flatly as Katherine began moving his limbs for him.

"I know." She said in a strained voice and a tense smile when McGonagall walked by them, staring at them oddly. ~* That was close! ~*

~* Sorry. These bangs are clouding my vision ~*

~* Yeah…sure they are…~* "Good job you guys!" Katherine said loudly as Hermione and Ron were tapped on the shoulder to leave by Professor Trelawney who was glaring at Hermione.

"Yeah!" Harry echoed. "Good job."

"Good luck!" Hermione winked just before she was tugged out of view.

"Not that we'll need it." Katherine said with teeth barred into a smile. "Dumbledore's going to announce our song now…"

"And now for a Muggle classic!" Dumbledore said. Harry looked at her.

"If you're open to hear people's thoughts, they'll come into your brain." Katherine said. "McGonagall's came into mine a while ago when you were still unconscious and it let me know about the contest."

"Oh." The music switched into swing and Harry's mind floated a little while Katherine began subconsciously telling his body where to go and when to dip.

Professor McGonagall led Draco and Pansy off the stage. (Pansy had stepped through Draco in attempt to be lifted through the air by him. Harry, Katherine, Dean and Parvati were the only ones left on the stage now.

The Slytherins booing at the Gryffindors dancing almost blocked the music and then again when the rest of the school cheered as Dean flipped Parvati in the air.

~* Two can play that game! ~* Katherine thought madly. Harry had a feeling she hadnt directed that at him. Harry lost his train of though when he suddenly found himself throwing Katherine in a triple axle spin.

~* You're going to be the death of me. ~* Harry hissed to her.

"Aren't you having fun?" Katherine asked. Harry nodded. "So don't complain!" The song ended. And everybody applauded.

"So now that we're all decently worn out," Dumbledore said. "How about we get some sleep?"

Somebody started a chant of, "Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner!" and the whole school began to follow the example until at last Dumbledore smiles and nodded.

"Yes, well I suppose something could be arranged…" He clapped his hands and tables appeared on the dance floor empty except of Harry Kat, Dean and Parvati. The students sat down at whatever table they felt like and pigged out on the delicious food. Hermione and Ron joined them, but they were wrapped up in their own conversation.

Harry looked at Kat. Kat looked back at him. They stared at each other for a while not knowing what to say.

Katherine though of something that caught Harry off his guard.

~* Harry do you hate Sirius Black? ~* She wondered. Harry's jaw dropped open, exposing mashed potatoes. She grimaced and pushed it back to its original position. "Well? Do you?"

"Katherine!" Harry hissed. ~* Now is not the time for this conversation. ~*

"What do you mean?" She asked. ~* What's the big deal? ~*

~* The walls have ears. ~* Harry snapped at her.

"Okay again in English this time." Katherine said. ~* Spill it. ~*

"I said not here." Harry hissed. ~* Somebody might here us! ~*

"Why do you care?" She asked and waved her fork in the air out of annoyance. ~* He's not here. Who gives? ~*

"I cant go…" ~* blabbing my secrets in the great hall okay? ~*

~* Tell me. Nobody can hear this conversation. ~*

~* Do I hate Sirius? NO! ~*

Her jaw dropped. Harry replaced it for her this time. ~* How can you not hate him? Wasn't he the cause of your- of your- um- well that is to say…~*

~* My parents deaths? ~* Harry chortled out loud. He didn't notice Hermione and Ron staring at them. ~* He's innocent Katherine, you should know that. ~*

"HE IS?" Katherine said loudly, her tone something of joy. Harry clapped a hand to her mouth.

"Not so loud." Harry laughed nervously as the heads of the people at their table went back to their own conversations. ~* I couldn't hate him. I don't hate him. He didn't do anything. ~*

~* I'm glad you agree. ~*

~* You agree? You think he's innocent? ~*

~* Of course, I do Harry. I've known it all along. ~*

~* But how- ~* Harry wondered.

~* It's simple enough…~*

~* You did know he's my godfather, right? ~*

"WHAT?"

"Hush Kat." Harry said out loud. ~* Yeah, he's my godfather. He was my dad's best friend. WAIT A SECOND. When we got our prize- ~*

~* Yes, you heard right. She said Katherine Stuart- ~*

~* Black ~* They thought at the same time.

"You're his-"

"Daughter." She finished. Harry choked on a bean. Hermione, who was next to him, thumped him hard on the back.

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"What Harry?"

"Catch me." And he fell into her arms in a faint.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

Somebody smacked Harry's cheek. He woke up.

"What-" He asked.

"Sit up before the whole table sees you!" Hermione hissed. Harry noticed he was being supported by her arms and jumped.

"Sorry." He said gruffly and dusted his skirt off.

Thankfully only the three people around Harry had seen him faint.

~* Never give me that kind of news when I'm eating. ~* Harry thought viciously over to Katherine. She grinned sheepishly.

~* Well, you had to hear it sometime. ~* She thought back. ~* No time like the present. ~*

"You suck." He said.

"And so do you." She retorted.

"You two are starting to really scare me." Ron said. "Did I miss something here?"

"Yes-" Katherine started to say. Harry shook his head.

~* Later. ~*

~* Sure. ~*


~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*


Weeks passed. Hermione went giddy when she heard exactly what Harry and Kat's conversation had been about, even though Harry * forgot * to mention that it had been a telepathic message conversation. Ron had tripped over his feet and done a face plant in the middle of the hall.

"Harry?" Katherine peered over Harry's new edition of Quidditch Magazine so she could see his eyes.

"Yeah?" Harry asked.

"How's my dad?"

"Good." Harry said absently, more concerned with the article on the Chudley Cannons.

"He's written you then?"

"Not lately."

"So how do you know he's fine?"

"If he was doing badly, he would write."

"You are so insensitive. Send him a letter, will you?"

"And ask him if he's got a kid?" Harry looked up at her.

"God no!" She cried. "Just ask him how he's doing."

"Um okay. Yeah I will."

"Thank you!" She kissed him on his cheek. Parvati glared at her from the other side of the room. Katherine waved at her cheerfully and hurried up to the girl's dorms.

That night Harry stayed up late, waiting until everybody was asleep. He sat up in bed when the last head hit the pillows and glanced over at his night table. Somehow he made them float silently over to him and he began composing a letter to Sirius:


Snuffles,

Hi. I'm sorry I haven't written you in a while…I've been busy. School's going pretty well. I love having my own car. I get away in it every once in a while. Of course Parvati and Padma wont stop asking me for rides, but anyways…! I was just wondering how you were doing…



Harry decided he hated this letter. He made it hover up away from the bed and he dissolved it into flames. It crumpled into ashes which Harry dusted off the bed sheets before if burned a hole strait through it. He started again:

Sirius,
Hey, haven't heard from you in a while. Everything okay? Are you starving to death? I mean to say you ate rats once. No person should experience that joy more than once. You know I have no problems sending food. The house elves love giving me stuff. Seem to think I'm special for some reason…
Hogwarts has recovered from my death finally and they are even letting me (gasp) play Quidditch. Somebody may think I was accident prone if that keeps happening. Speaking of Quidditch, I won my match yesterday. (It was against Hufflepuff.) Ginny and Lavender replaced Katie and Alicia this year. They're really good.
There's a new girl this year at Hogwarts. I think you'd like her, Sirius. She's really - crazy. No, don't even ask me if we're dating. I'm not getting into that with you…
Send me your news, okay?

Harry Potter


Harry, satisfied with the letter stuffed it into an envelope and put some sealing wax on. He would give it to Hedwig tomorrow morning at mail call.