Harry coughed, he couldn't help it

Harry coughed, he couldn't help it. He sweated in fear. Then it appeared, two medium sized ghosts with faces that looked a lot like Malfoy's when he thought of some way to get Harry in trouble. They stared at him.

"Who are you boy? And why did you sneak up on us?"

The first one glared into his eyes.

"I-I was going to the bathroom." He stuttered.

The two ghosts looked at eachother and smiled.

"We wouldn't go in there if we were you, boy. Someone might just get hurt."

Harry, cold in sweat, looked into their pale eyes.

"As a matter of fact I think you should have a little rest."

Harry was about to scream for help but then blacked out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Darn that boy he's taken 15 minutes! Potter will have one bad day when I'm through with him." Snape sneered. Many of the Gryffindor boys had to sacrifice their bed sheets and fine down quilts for Snape, unsurprisingly; he took Harry's bed.

Harry returned. He didn't even look at Snape.

"Potter! You are in trouble young man! You-"

Harry cut him off.

"Look this is our common room go order your pathetic little Slytherin clicks."

Many people stared in horror; Ron looked like he was going to burst out laughing.

"Potter what did you say to me?" Snape looked deadly.

"Goodness sake! Are you as deaf as you are ugly?"

Ron couldn't help it he burst out in a helpless fit of laughter. Neville looked like he was about to be murdered.

Snape turned bright red in fury.

"This time Potter I'll make sure you are expelled."

"Hold on, let me turn on the part of my brain that actually gives a darn."

"Potter! That's it! You will not humiliate me once more! You will have suspended!"

Everyone gasped. Harry? Suspended? Never! But then again…

"Look just because you're ugly and I told you so doesn't mean you get to suspend me. What are you going to say to Dumbledore? 'Harry Potter hurt my feelings so I have to suspend him'? That's so pathetic just like you."

Snape's jaw dropped. Never had he been so insulted (except when he was in school) in his life!

Harry didn't stop there, in fact it got worst.

"If my father was alive he'd beat you up!"

Snape looked outraged, he grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him out of the small room.

"Look young man, I wouldn't say such lies if I were you. This has gone far enough. I'll make sure Dumbledore hears about this…" Snape dragged Harry's aching arm out of the common room. Harry was mortified (yes Sarah I use mortified a lot so sue me). Snape yanked to the doorstep of a small house, not much bigger than Hagrid's. He banged on the door somewhat politely. Dumbledore opened the door with his nightys.

"Severus! I thought I told you to stay in Gryffindor I-er- hello Harry."

"H-hello." Harry was somewhat embarrassed.

"Harry Potter needs to be spoken to. He has over and over disrespected me and humiliated me in front of people. He has also disobeyed me many times before. He needs to cool off and he must certainly be suspended. Sir, I advise you on this one." Snape gave Dumbledore a serious look.

"Well well, Harry, I think you need to come in." Snape began to walk away. "You too Severus."

"But Headmaster I need to get to the other boys. Surly you don't want them to run lose-"

"McGonagall will do it. Stay."

Snape walked in through the little door and sat in a chair. Harry followed him and then Dumbledore. It was small on the outside but inside was 3 times bigger. It had at least 4 rooms, including a bathroom, and was quite roomy. There wasn't one fireplace but two- probably one for fire and one for floo powder. Dumbledore sat in the tallest chair. Snape muffled grumpily. Harry sat on a big couch that could almost be called a bed.

"Now Harry, can all that Severus say be true?"

Harry got mad. Didn't Dumbledore trust him?

"NO! SNAPE IS A BIG FAT LIAR!"

Snape looked somewhat surprised, it could have been an act.

"Headmaster! Did you hear what he called me!?" Snape put on his most disturbed look.

Dumbledore looked at Harry. "Harry that wasn't nice…"

Nice? NICE!? NICE!?

"You think that's bad Ol' Man? Snape insults us with words like 'Dunderheads' and 'Fool'."

Ol' Man? Where did that come from? Harry thought. He was in big trouble.

"Harry, you may call me 'Headmaster' or 'Sir' but Old man?"

Harry blushed. What was he thinking!?

"See Headmaster? No respect." Snape smiled.

Harry was about to literally die of embarrassment.

"Well, Severus, you do have a point. Leave me for a while to talk to Harry."

Snape smiled secretly (only Harry could see him) and walked out of the room into the small kitchen.

"Harry, what has gotten into you?"

Harry slowly looked into Dumbledore's eyes.

"I dunno…" He said softly.

"Well Harry you need to control yourself. I'm giving you a warning and letting you off easy. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

Harry knew Dumbledore was kind, but he really didn't deserve this.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Harry?"

Harry's heart beated fast. Stupid why are you worried? You have nothing to hide. But then again…

"No!" He finally blurted out.

Dumbledore gave a faint smile.

"Alright. I'll send Severus to his common room. If he's brave enough to come all this way to complain he's brave enough to go back to his dorm."

Harry sighed. Relief. "Severus what are you doing?" Dumbledore's voice echoed in the house.

"Nothing Headmaster, I'm here." Snape stepped out of the kitchen, brown crumbs staining his mouth.

"Ahh, like my brownies? New recipe."

Snape smile weakly. Harry suppressed a laugh.

"Severus, you may return Harry to his dorm and you yours."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron and many other boys waited for Harry to return.

"Wonder if he's going to really get expelled." Ron looked at Dean.

"If he's not it's going to be a miracle."

Ron frowned. Dean looked at Seamus who had hopped in bed so Snape couldn't order him around when he got back.

The picture frame opened. Harry climbed in alone.

"Where's Snape?" Ron whispered cautiously.

"He went back to Slytherin." Harry whispered. "Thanks for asking whether I got expelled or not. Really shows you care, Ron."

Ron backed off. "What's with you all the sudden?"

"Nothing. Right now I want to be alone."

"Gladly." Ron said somewhat negatively.

Harry climbed in his bed. He felt something funny in his covers and pulled the idem out. It was a small-embroidered box.

"Who was in my bed?!?" Harry asked the dorm.

"Snape was. Why?" Ron decided he wasn't up to Harry's attitude.

"Because I found this." Harry held up the small box into the light.

"Hey! Let me see that! I think I recognize that somewhere." Ron got up from his bed and walked to Harry. Dean and Seamus would have followed but they were both sound asleep. Harry wasn't up to being mean and showed the box to Ron.

"Hmmm, my dad had one of these before. He said that they were trick boxes and that you had to open it a certain way for it to work. It's supposed to have a secret lever in it somewhere…" Ron pulled the boxes sides and pushed the corners. "Darn this one is hard…"

McGonagall opened the large frame to the common room. "You two! Bed! It's almost 9:30!"

Ron pushed the box under Harry's pillow. McGonagall eyed Ron suspiciously. "What do you have there, Ron?"

Ron's ears went pink. "Huh? Oh nothing…"

McGonagall smiled. "You know back in my day guys used to put messages under your pillow if they liked you…"

Ron laughed. Harry smiled.

McGonagall snapped out of her trance. "Bed." And walked away into her own dorm.

"That was close!"

"A little too close." Ron looked at Harry. He had got the box open. They looked at the tag and gasped.

*~Property of Harold Margaven~*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remus Lupin was getting used to not seeing. He held up his walking stick.

"No Remus not so high. Don't want to break anything." Nurse Pomfrey gave him directions.

"Can I go outside this Hospital wing? I've been here for a week and I don't think I can stand much longer!"

"Not without me and right now I have paperwork so sit still."

Lupin sighed. "Come on Pomfrey. I'm blind and I haven't talked to anyone but you in days. I want to go. I don't care who sees me or not I want to be with people who haven't been injured or hurt."

Pomfrey sighed. "Fine. I don't know why I haven't been fired already because of some people who get lonely around here…"

Lupin was to happy to care what Pomfrey said. She rambled on and on on how "patients aren't willing to care about their heath why should they even be in a hospital".

Lupin walked out into the noisy cafeteria.

"Remus! So nice to see you again! Come sit down." Remus needed McGonagall to guide him into his chair. Some of the Slytherins were pointing and whispering and the Gryffindors were giving sympathetic looks. Of course, Lupin didn't notice. Snape walked in. Remus knew it was a little hard to eat if you can't see your food, at the time, Pomfrey spoon-fed him which was quite embarrassing but as long as he got to be with other people he thought he was fine.

"Oh, hello Remus." Snape looked quite uncomfortable.

Lupin nodded. He wasn't in the mood to get into a deep conversation with Severus.

"Um…there are lots of good things to eat here Remus, want me to fix a plate for you?" McGonagall said kindly but shakily.

"Oh yes please!" Lupin smiled, trying to act natural.

How does the little wanker do it? Snape thought.

Dumbledore approached Lupin. "Remus? I think we need to talk."

Lupin frowned. "Sure. Excuse me everyone." Dumbledore helped Lupin out of his chair and guided him out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm glad school's over for the weekend." Ron sighed as he jumped on to his bed.

"Same. Anyone see Professor Lupin at lunch? He looked a little troubled." Harry looked at the box he found the night before. Just then, George and Fred Weasly entered the room.

"Ron, Percy said that he hid our prefect badges! Have you seen them?" Fred said in a superior tone.

Ron looked at Harry.

"No, I haven't. Hey have any of you heard of Harold Margaven?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Hasn't everyone? Jeez, Ron you really should pay more attention in school." George straitened his tie importantly.

"Well, what do you know about him!?" Harry yelled impatiently. Harry was very moody lately.

"You really should have more respect for prefects, young one." Fred smiled at George.

Ron hit his head against the wall sobbing. Harry sighed.

"We don't have time for you boys. Be sure to tell Percy if you see him that he's not funny." With that, George and Fred walked out of the common room.

"They were help." Ron muffled.

"Oh, my gosh, the box closed. But how? I didn't even touch it!" Harry explored the box once more.

Percy walked into the common room. Ron quickly hid the box behind his back.

"Hey Ron! Did you see George and Fred?"

"Uh, yeah."

"What did they say?" Percy smiled.

"Um, that you're not funny." Ron spat out.

"That's because they have no sense of humor, afraid they might actually have fun at something other then school work."

Ron and Harry smiled.

"Percy, go away." Harry said surprisingly pleasantly.

Percy frowned. Ron jumped.

"Hey Percy! Do you know anything about Harold Margaven?"

Percy smiled. "Sure do bro. What about him?"

"Uh, do you know anything about his Dream Hunters?"

"Them? Oh yeah. I want to get one when I'm old enough to get a license. What about them?"

Ron lit up. "Do you know how to catch one?" Ron was very excited. Percy laughed.

Ron waited. "Well?"

" I just told you. You never listen."

"But all you did was laugh!" Harry cut in.

"Precisely." Harry and Ron looked at eachother. The box that suddenly closed 5 minutes before opened in the sound of laughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lupin sighed. "How much time? I need to tell my students."

Dumbledore nodded. "You have a week. I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault Headmaster."

"It might have been. We really just don't know."

Lupin smiled weakly. "So have you arranged…?"

"One of the best."

"Thank-you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry looked at the box.

"So let me get this straight Percy-When you laugh, the box opens, but when you cry, the box closes. Correct?"

Percy smiled. "That's the ticket. But the only thing is, is that you have to get the dream hunters to laugh to catch one, and that's hard. Why do you have that box anyway? Where did you get it? Can I see it?"

"Uh…" Harry looked at Ron. If Percy saw the name in the box there might be real trouble. But then again why shouldn't they? They didn't release the stupid dream hunters. But then again it might take some explaining on why they didn't hand the box over sooner…

"Well? Are you going to day dream or hand it over?" Percy liked to give a hand to troublesome situations.

"We…uh…" Harry looked at Ron for help.

"It's old! Yeah it's real old. And dirty. Knowing your strength Percy you might break it."

Percy smiled. "Well I do have a pack of abs and-"

"Percy why don't you ask when the next trip to Hogsmade is, ok?" Ron shoved Percy out of the common room.

"I was- HEY! Don't be so violent! I-"

With that Ron pushed him out the door.

"That was a close call." Harry looked at Ron.

"How hard could it be to make a dream hunter laugh?"

"Well if you would like to make the darned things laugh be my guest."

Harry snarled.

"Thought so."

Hermione entered the room.

"What was it that you found?"

"We found out how to catch dream hunters!" Ron exclaimed excitedly.

Ron and Harry told her their entire tale about the box and Percy. Maybe the fact why she didn't interrupt was because she was to busy crying of happiness, I dunno.

Just then they heard a voice they all recognized outside.

"Please, I'll be real quick. I just want to tell them something."

They heard the Fat Lady speak. "Well unless you know the new password I can't let you in."

"I was in the hospital! I couldn't have heard the new password!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron cried in unison "Professor Lupin!"

Harry opened the Fat Lady's frame. "Come on in Professor. Here let me help you." Harry grabbed Lupin's arm and helped him to a recliner chair.

"What brings you here, Professor? Nurse Pomfrey finally let you out of the hospital."

Lupin frowned. "I have something quite disturbing to tell you all. Now I expect you to be mature about Dumbledore's decision."

All three of the children were extremely quiet and worried.

"I'm going to have to leave Hogwarts because I am blind. Snape will take over my classes for the rest of the year. I leave in six days."

"WHAT!?!?!? YOU CAN'T!" Harry dropped the dream hunter box, unnoticing.

Lupin sighed. "Dumbledore has set me up with the best program for blind people he could find. Please don't be upset, it will only make it harder."

Ron turned angry. "And you're just going to walk out? Not finish the school year?"

"Ron, please." It was all Hermione could say without bursting into tears.

McGonagall entered the room, not knowing what was going on at the time. She was one of those people who could ruin a dramatic moment. (A.N.: Reminds me of someone...)

McGonagall stared at the box. She gulped hard. "Where did you find this?" She picked it up. Harry and Ron were as pale as ghosts were. Hermione just stared and Lupin looked clueless.

"I said where did you find this box." McGonagall never looked so much like Snape. Harry soon wished that he were blind.

"No matter. I will just have to take it. This will be on all three of your records. Lupin, come with me. We are leaving."

"Wait I-" McGonagall grabbed his arm cruelly and literally shoved him out of the common room.

By this time they knew all hope was lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry woke up 4 days later in the middle of the night sweaty and hot. Ron tossed and turned. It would be two days until Lupin (no longer Professor) would leave. In the meantime, Snape was enjoying giving (or throwing) dark creatures that sting, bite, or stink in their hands.

A dark figure entered the room. Harry was about to scream but the figure put its hand over his mouth.

"Hush. Wake your friend and come quickly. This is serious. We have no time to explain. Don't scream or you will surely be sorry."

Harry nodded. The dark figure removed its hands and stood back. Harry got up from the bed and shook Ron awake.

"What? Huh? Harry what are you doing?" Ron said rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Listen I don't have time to tell you this once. Someone wants us to come with them. It sounds important. Get up and quietly, this thing sounds eager."

Ron got up and put on a robe.

"Come with me outside." The dark figure jumped out of the room. Harry and Ron followed giving eachother worried glances. The moon shown brightly, but it wasn't full. They soon saw that the mysterious dark figure was a woman. It was McGonagall. She held out the box. "Tell me how you got this. Don't worry, I won't scold you."

Harry told of how he and Ron discovered it in his sheets. He didn't tell her about anything more.

"How did you open it?"

"You laugh. If you want to close it you cry."

"…And you are looking for them too?"

Harry and Ron looked at eachother. Should they tell?

"It's my fault all this is happening." McGonagall started. "I was down at the D.A.D.A. classroom when I found this box. I assume you know about the dream hunters?"

They both nodded.

"I was stupid enough to let my curiosity to get the best of me. Just like I did many years ago. This was supposed to be buried but Professor Quirrell must have found it and used it for his pleasure. Only an evil man can control them unless it's their master. I was cleaning Professor Lupin's DADA classroom when I found it in its cabinet. I opened it forgetting what it caused so now it's hectic around the school. Enough explaining I need to find Lupin. I spotted the dream hunters dwelling place."

Ron spoke up. "Hermione did all the research. She knows more about them us. We should wake her."

McGonagall nodded understandingly. "Be quick. Harry and I will get Lupin. Meet us at Snape's classroom."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Which one?"

McGonagall smiled remembering. "Potion's. Now hurry."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron jumped quietly into the girl's dorm. This would be so embarrassing if someone woke up. Ron thought to himself.

He crawled to Hermione's bed. "Pssst! Hermione wake up!"

Hermione was so shocked that she started to hit Ron with her stuffed bear. "Go away you stupid stupid stupid man!" she screamed.

"Ow-it's-ow-Ron!"

"Huh? Ron! What are you doing here in the middle of the night!?!?!"

A few girls stirred in their bed as Ron shifted nervously.

"No time. Come with me. Harry and McGonagall are waiting for us at the potion's class. We're going to catch the dream hunters."

Hermione's eyes went wide. She quickly flicked on a robe and soon Ron and Hermione were on their way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

McGonagall peered into the hospital wing. Ever since Lupin's tragedy, he was sleeping in the hospital where Nurse Pomfrey could keep an eye on things. Unfortunately, Nurse Pomfrey also had ears like a bat; she could hear every breath of the living. Harry, whom was much smaller, signaled that Nurse Pomfrey was asleep. Harry crept up quietly and touched Lupin shoulders. Lupin sat up shocked and muffled barley above a whisper 'who's there?'

"It's ok its just Harry. McGonagall needs you. We have to be very quiet now. Come on we don't have time. Lean on me for support."

Lupin quietly got up and walked with Harry very quietly to the door where McGonagall was waiting. Piece of cake.

They all walked down the hall. Then they heard footsteps. The trio froze. So did the footsteps. Lupin whimpered. Harry could tell he wasn't very thrilled with the idea of getting up at 1:00 a.m. to be caught by Filch. McGonagall was very brave.

"Who's there?"

No one spoke. Slowly the two shapes came to view.

"Goodness you two! You scared us to bits!"

Hermione and Ron blushed. They all walked closer down into the deep, dark, cold dungeon of a classroom. Lupin had trouble with his footing but no one dare say a word to him about it. Just then they heard a voice.

"Stupid children! They can't get anything right! Really I've never seen such dunderheads to such bad work."

Snape was in the room.

"Oh no! He'll ruin everything." McGonagall moaned.

Snape raised his head. He knew his classroom like he knew how to be mean.

"I know you're here. What will I ruin?" Snape was amazingly brave.

McGonagall and the gang looked at eachother. "Might as well. He was there when we caught them in school years ago. I've forgotten how to do it." All of them came out of the shadows. Snape was surprised.

"What is all of this?"

"Severus I have the box."

"No you don't! I have the box! I have in my uh…where is the darn thing?" Snape searched his pocket.

"It fell out of your pocket when you were in my bed sir." Harry said. This was no time to be moody. Snape, realizing, raised his eyebrow.

"No time. I know where they are. They're-"

They heard a horrible laugh. It came from the unused furnace.

McGonagall moaned. "They're in the dungeon."

Two ghosts appeared.

"So you've got us figured out. I'll take that box thank you very much." The pasty-white hand reached for McGonagall's prize. Everyone was to shocked to move. They all felt completely paralyzed. They were all half-asleep. Except Lupin who was fresh with fear and anger.

"No you wont you-you-you whatever you are!" Lupin seized the air only grabbing a small lamp and punched it.

"Lupin you clumsy idiot that's my best lamp!" Said Snape, in his screaming girly tone.

The dream hunters chuckled. Lupin realizing that wasn't them lets go of the furniture.

"Where are they?!" Lupin screamed feeling around. He ran into the desk. The dream hunters burst out laughing.

"YOU COULD GIVE ME DIRECTION YA KNOW!"

McGonagall finally spoke up lazily. You could tell she was fighting not to go to sleep. Snape was already snoozing.

"Little to the right! No! To right! LUPIN WATCH OUT!"

To late, Lupin tripped over a box of cauldrons and landed smack onto a potion brewer, which knocked him out. The dream hunters were laughing hysterically. Harry, out of his trance, pointed to the small box.

"Look at it! It's glowing!"

True enough it glowed. It also sucked out the dream hunters into it. The laughing ghosts, with their last words, spoke: "Thank you for a good time." That was the last of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lupin woke up in the hospital. Snape was leaning over him.

" He's awake."

Lupin blinked. He could see!

"I'M NOT BLIND!!!!" He cried.

Snape snarled. "Good riddance I'd hope not with all the trouble we did to-"

"Where's Harry and Hermione and McGonagall?"

Snape turned around. "They went to do something useful for once." He mumbled.

Pomfrey came into the room humming happily.

"Severus is your guest Remus. I sagest you thank him."

Remus smiled at the slightly blushing Potion's Master.

"Thank you Severus. You were really brave."

"You were the one that made them laugh."

Remus Lupin hugged Snape. Snape looked surprised. "Uh Remus?" Lupin held on tighter knowing he was embarrassed.

"Remus I must go. I have class." Snape was very hasty with his words. Pomfrey was wiping her eyes with a hanky.

Snape opened the door and paused.

"I'm glad you forgive me Lupin." He walked out the door, no other words said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End.