Disclaimer: Same as before.
A/N: Sorry I can't think of good titles. If anyone wants to help me, they're welcome! Well, please read and review. And now onto the story. This is quite an interesting chapter.
CHAPTER 8
"Too bad you didn't make the team, Weasley," he sneered.
"Too bad you had to buy your way onto the team," Ron snarled back. But even the retort didn't cheer him up. He decided to skip breakfast and rest in the Gryffindor common room.
About half an hour later, Harry and Hermione charged into the Gryffindor tower.
"Ron, where have you been?" Hermione asked. " Hurry up, we'll be late to potions."
Ron stared at them, trying hard not to be angry with Harry. "You guys go ahead. I'll meet with you later."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Scared of Snape?"
Ron glared. "No," he snapped. He finally looked at Harry. To his surprise, his friend looked as if he was choking. "Harry, are you alright?"
Harry couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. Ron and Hermione exchanged confused glances. "Um....Harry?"
Harry gulped down the laughter. "Sorry.....It's just....so...funny."
"What's so funny?"
"Ron."
Ron glared and snapped at him. "You think it's funny I didn't make the team. Well damn you all." He spun angrily.
Harry caught his arm. "No," he said, finally stopping his laughter. "That's it. You did make the team."
"Who are you trying to fool?"
"No one. You really think I'd let Creevy as our keeper?"
"Yes."
Harry laughed. "No way. He's our professional photographer. You're the keeper."
Ron stared while Hermione rolled her eyes. "Do you guys realize that we have exactly one mintute to be at Potions."
"Do we care?"
"RON!"
"Fuck potions. We've got better things to do. Like celebrate."
"Fine. I'm leaving." Hermione left the common room in a huff.
"Herm, wait up. I was just joking." Harry and Ron ran and easily caught up with their friend. "Sweet Goddess you have a temper."
"And now we're late to potions. Thank you."
"Let's go talk to Dumbledore. That will give us an excuse."
"Harry!"
"I'm serious. Come on." He grabbed her arm and motioned with his head for Ron to follow.
"Harry, this is absurd!"
"No, it's not. Come on, we'll make up the work later. And it's not as if we learn anything anyway."
"Harry!"
"Hermione, you need to loosen up. Enjoy life. Let's go down and visit Hagrid."
"He's in class."
"Good point. Fine, let's go find Dumbledore. I need to talk to him anyway."
"About what?" She was curious now.
Harry gave her a mysterious look and replied, "you'll see."
Hermione rolled her eyes, yanked her arm out of his grip, and followed him down the hall walking beside Ron.
They arrived at the Gargoyle, and Harry realized he didn't know what the password was. "Damn," he muttered. He looked at his friends. "Time to start guessing. Help me." They shrugged and yelled out random candies.
"Snickers."
"Hershey."
"Lemon meringue."
"3 Musketeers."
"Blood filled frogs."
"RON! That's gross."
"Gooey eyeballs! Fun filled gobstoppers, Canary Creams!" The gargoyle opened.
"Canary Creams? He stole that from Fred and George," Ron said affronted.
"Who cares. Come one." Harry motioned them to follow him. They walked down the hallway into Dumbledore's office.
"But Harry should be told," a well known voice said.
"No, not yet. We have to see it through first."
"But-"
Harry knocked and opened the door without waiting for an answer. "SIRIUS!!!" he yelled and threw himself onto his godfather, who looked bemused. Dumbledore watched them through twinkling eyes.
Hermione and Ron followed Harry into the room. At the Professor's nod, they sat down on the couch. Sirius pushed Harry down next to them.
"So tell me what?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore and Sirius exchanged glances.
"We'll tell you later. I think you owe us an explanation on why you're here instead of Potions."
"Isn't that obvious?" Sirius asked. "Who would want to be in a room with Snape. I see their logic perfectly."
"Sirius-"
"I know, I know. So, Harry. What's convinced you that Snape's a dirty old bastard?"
"Sirius!" Dumbledore snapped.
"Sorry." He turned back to Harry with a serious face that was ruined by his mischievous smile. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Passing time," Harry replied arily.
"Harry." Dumbledore warned.
Harry grinned. "Actually we were late for potions so instead of dealing with Snape we came here."At Dumbledore's look, he quickly continued. "I actually did need to talk to you. I meant to a while back, but we've all been busy."
"And," Dumbledore prompted.
Harry bit his lip and glanced at his godfather. "You know I'm in contact with Sirius. Well, on one of the trips back from Sirius, Hedwig's wing was broken. On purpose. I don't know who it is."
Sirius looked angry. "You waited this long to tell us?!"
Dumbledore held up a hand. "There's something more, isn't there."
"Yes, sir. The letter was delayed. I'm not sure how long. And sir-" he hesitated.
"Yes?"
"I used magic to fix her wing. How come I didn't receive a warning."
Dumbledore's blue eyes examined him. Finally he spoke. "The ministry is having a lot of problems. Many of the wizards want to replace Fudge because he won't do anything about the giants or dementors. It's been in chaos for the past few months."
"Doesn't that make it easier for Voldemort to attack."
"Don't say his name." Ron hissed.
Dumbledore shot him a look. "It's a name, Ron. Nothing to be afraid of. Yes, Harry, it does make it easier for Voldemort to slip past our barriers. However, we do have certain protections against that. No, I will not tell you them," he said as Harry began to interrupt. "Do not worry. Voldemort is gaining power, but it's not nearly as bad as it was before."
Harry watched as Sirius paced across the flood. "I still think we should tell him."
Dumbledore shot him a look. Sirius fell into silence, but still continued to pace.
Harry stared at them. "Tell me what?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Now look what you got us into, Sirius."
Sirius grinned and shrugged. "Hah. Now you have to tell him."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"
Sirius nodded quickly. "Yep. Besides, if you don't I will."
"Against my wishes?"
"I'm not 17 anymore."
"No, but you still work for me."
Sirius glared. "Just tell him."
Dumbledore laughed. He moved his gaze to Harry and his expression was serious. "Harry, have you heard about the incantious spell?"
"No."
"I have," Hermione was quick to say. "It brings people back from the dead, but it takes a lot of sacrifice."
Dumbledore nodded. "Well, it's been used recently."
Harry regarded him evenly. "Who's come back to life."
Dumbledore sighed. "It's not that easy."
"Tell me."
The headmaster nodded slowly. "Last school year, when you met Voldemort," Ron flinched but Dumbledore ignored him. "You two fought. We all know what happened." He hesitated. Sirius shot a look at him. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. "Well, you know that Draco Malfoy's father is a death eater, correct?"
Harry nodded. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"It has everything to do with it," Sirius snapped.
"Sirius," Dumbledore reprimanded. "He's right, Harry. Lucius Malfoy is related to Slytherian."
"WHAT!" Harry stood up. "I thought the only one still living today that was related to Slytherian was Volldemort."
Dumbledore frowned. "So did I, but recent news has told me otherwise."
"So, what's happening?" Hermione asked.
Dumbledore sighed. "Voldemort is having Malfoy use the incantious spell."
"How?"
"He's sacrificing his son."
"He's going to kill Draco."
Dumbledore shook his head. "No, Draco is worth too much to him. He's going to sacrifice one of his illegitimate sons."
"What a bastard!" Harry exclaimed.
"What your language, Harry." Dumbledore replied. "Yes, he's using one of his sons."
"But, what does this have to do with me."
"He bringing back Slytherian."
Dead silence and then. "Oh my god."
Dumbledore nodded. "Except, there's one problem."
"What's that?"
"Your mother's cousin was the mother of Malfoy's son."
"WHAT! I"M RELATED TO THAT PIECE OF TRASH!"
Dumbledore regarded him evenly. "Yes. And the problem with Malfoy's plan is that he doesn't know his son is related to you."
"Where's the problem there?"
"His problem, our advantage."
"How?"
Sirius spoke for the first time in a while. "Because we can have Lily brought back to life."
Harry stared. "You're joking."
Dumbledore shook his head. "I wish I was, but I'm not. No, Lily can be brought back to life."
Harry looked at his god father and the headmaster through narrowed eyes. "There's a problem here, isn't there."
Dumbledore and Sirius exchanged looks. "I told you he was quick," Sirius muttered.
Dumbledore grinned slightly. "Yes, Harry. You see there are a few options. One, an innocent boy can be killed and Slytherian brought back to life. Two, an innocent boy can be killed and you mother brought back to life. Or three, no one's killed and no one is brought back to life."
Harry stared. "I would have to have the boy killed for my mother to be alive again," he whispered.
Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "And there's another problem. Your mother would be the same age she was when she died."
"So she'd only be-"
"23. Yes, only seven years older than you."
Harry shook his head. He glanced sideways at Hermione and Ron. Ron looked shocked. Hermione looked....calculating. "Hermione?"
She turned to look at him. "Yes?"
"You have a plan. What is it."
She was silent for a moment and then turned to Dumbledore. "How much blood is needed for this spell?"
He frowned. "An amount that insures he will not survive."
Hermione smiled slightly. "Blood can be transferred."
Sirius stared at her. "Hermione, you're a genius!"
Hermione basked in the complement, but Dumbledore was frowning.
"I don't know if that would work."
"Why not?" Harry demanded.
"I need to check on the spell. It might only work if the kid is dead."
"But, how would we pull this off anyway. Doesn't Malfoy have the kid in possession?" Ron wondered outloud.
Dumbledore nodded. "That's a problem we'll deal with later. I think we'll send someone onto Malfoy's property. How we'll pull this off, I'm not sure yet. But we have a few months yet. These spells take time."
Harry nodded. "I'm going."
Sirius glared. "No, you're not. I am."
"If Harry's going, I am too," Ron put in.
"Same here," Hermione added.
Sirius looked digusted. Dumbledore smiled slightly. "See, Sirius. That's why you wait to tell them."
Sirius glared. "Don't start the I told you so."
"I wasn't going to." Dumbldore replied, humor evident in his voice. "Now, as for you three. What should I do to you for skipping classes."
"Aw, Professor!"
"You can't do that!"
"Please, Professor!"
Sirius laughed. "They sound like James, Remus, and I." Everyone noted the absence of Peter's name although no one said anything.
Dumbledore shook his head. "The trouble you Marauders caused."
Sirius looked proud. "Yep." Then suddenly turned to Harry. "Where's the map?"
Harry looked puzzeled. "In my room."
"Can I borrow it?"
Harry shrugged. "Sure. Accio map," he muttered. They all waited until the map had arrived. Sirius took it from Harry.
"I haven't used this in a while. In fact, I'd forgotten about this." He taped the map. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The map appeared, along with the hundreds of dots with people's names.
"Sirius, what are you going to do?"
"It's something James set up for himself. He didn't know I was spying on him that night." Sirius frowned and studied his wand. "What were the words. Ah yes, I've got them now." He muttered a bunch of nonsense words that Harry and the rest did not understand. Slowly, a feral smile spread across Sirius' face.
"What is it, Sirius?" Hermione asked.
"I know exactly where the kid is right now."
"What?!" chorused four voices.
Sirius grinned at them. "It's a spell James made. You can track anyone related to Lupin, Potter, Black, the rat (Sirius snarled that), or Lily Evan's family. The kid's related to Lily."
"You never told me about that," Harry accused.
Sirius glanced at him. "I forgot about it. I hadn't used that particular spell before tonight. It was Jamesie boy's secret."
Harry grinned slightly. "That you knew, of course."
"Of course." Sirius grinned. He glanced back down at the map. "You were right, though. The boys is at Malfoy's house. In the dungeons."
Ron frowned. "Are you guys sure the boy is innocent. He isn't in you-know-who's ranks?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No, because the boy lived with with some of his mother's husband's friends. He attended the Chinese magical school. He was in a tower that's equivalent to Gryffindor. They have a slightly different system in China, but it's basically the same as Hogwarts. But no, he's not equivalent to a Slytherian."
Sirius frowned. "The rat was in Gryffindor, but he turned out evil."
"He turned against the good side after Hogwarts, not before. He was always trustworthy when he was here," Dumbledore said gently.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "That's what you think."
"No, Sirius. That's what I know."
Sirius shrugged and tried to wipe a bitter look of his face.He sighed and then tapped the map. "Mischief managed," he muttered. He handed the map back to Harry, who shoved it into his pocket.
"Well," Dumbledore said. "I think that you guys should go to your classes."
Harry stared at him. "But Professor Snape will kill us."
Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled. "Not if you have signed passes from me."
"Thank you, sir," Hermione said as Dumbledore handed the passes to her. The others echoed her statement.
As they opened the door to leave, Harry turned around again. "Sirius," he said.
"I promise to see you soon, Harry. After some work for Dumbledore is done."
Harry smiled and nodded. With a final wave of goodbye to his godfather, he followed his best friends down the hall.
"You guys, wait up," Harry said.
Ron shook his head at him. "You're getting slow with age, buddy old pal."
Harry put up his fists. "You want to bet on that?"
Ron laughed and soon Harry and Hermione joined him. They walked down the corridors to Snape's dungeons.
The trio arrived at the door in good time. "After you, Hermione," Ron said.
Hermione gave him the evil eye. "I thought all Gryffindors are supposed to be brave," she said.
"Not when there's someone else to do the work. Being brave takes energy," Ron replied.
Hermione rolled her eyes and knocked. At Snape's quiet command, she opened the door and entered, Ron and Harry following right after her.
"So, Potter and his sidekicks decided to show up 45 minutes late to class," Snape said maliciously.
"Sorry, Professor. Professor Dumbledore needed to talk to us." Hermione handed the notes to Snape, who grabbed them and scanned them quickly.
"You will have to make up the work the rest of your classmates have been working on. Come this evening."
Harry glared. Snape was basically giving them a detention. Well, at least he wasn't taking away any points.
To their disgust, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had to sit in the front as all the other seats were taken. Harry glanced at Draco. He hadn't spoken to the boy since the night they were supposed to duel. Draco had spoken to Ron, but Harry hadn't said anything during those encounters. Now he stared at Draco. He noticed the dark circles around Malfoy's eyes. The lost weight. And the silver eyes that were beginning to dull. Harry wondered what the matter was with the boy. Do you really care? A voice inside his head asked. No, he replied. Malfoy can do whatever the hell he wants to himself, as long as it doesn't affect my life. Very cold hearted, aren't you Potter. Shut up, Harry replied. Why? Because I said so. The voice laughed. You really think you can tell part of you to shurt up? Yes. You can't. I can. Can't. Can. Can't. Can. Can't. Can.
"Potter." Harry looked up. He noticed everyone was staring at him. "Are you purposefully ignoring me, Potter? 10 points from Gryffindor."
"Sorry, Professor," Harry muttered. He looked around, and noticed a new girl sitting on the Slytherian side, next to Draco. The two were conversing in quiet voices. Harry was rather surprised that the girl looked like a feminine version of Draco. Long blonde-silvery hair. Silver eyes. Thin. He raised his eyebrow. Draco had a sister? Interesting. Harry wondered when she arrived. Probably last night. She was probably sorted in Dumbledore's office. He shrugged. It was really none of his business.
Ron, on the other hand, was staring at the girl. "Who is she?" he asked Harry. "She's beautiful."
Harry glanced at him. "Careful, Ron. She's a Slytherian. And unless I'm much mistaken, she's Malfoy's sister."
"Damn. I hate it when girls are off limits," he muttered. Harry stifled his laughter. He glanced over at Hermione, who was watching Draco through narrowed eyes.
"Hermione?" he asked.
"Yes?" She said, not moving her gaze from Draco.
"Why are you staring at Malfoy?"
She shook his head. "Not Draco Malfoy, stupid. His sister. She looks familiar."
"So she is his sister."
Hermione finally moved her gaze to him and nodded. "Yes, twin sister. I think her name is Cygna Malfoy."
Ron rolled his eyes. "What's with Lucius naming his children after constellations and animals?"
Hermione shrugged. "Cygna is a pretty name though. She fits the Swan. Although the real name of the constellation is Cygnus." She paused. "Actually the name is more catching then anything else. Like Draco. It's a catchy name."
"Yeah, right," Ron muttered as he began to measure out the ingredients. "Come on , you two. We might as well start doing this."
"What's the point. We're stuck here later anyway," Harry muttered.
"Yeah, well. The faster we get this done, the quicker we're out of here tonight. And Snape might make us work individually if we don't start working."
"Too true," Harry said forlornly. He and Hermione began to help Ron measure out the ingredients and add them into their potion.
Most of the class soon finished their potion. Harry and his friends were told to store their potion in the corner. Ron and Harry dragged the cauldron over while Hermione put away the ingredients in the student cupboard. They were the last to exit the room.
The trio closed Snape's door behind them. "Thank god that's over," Harry muttered. Hermione nodded while Ron's eyes turned big.
"Harry! Watch out!"