Part 6 The Werewolves' Magic Institute
By Admiral Albia

In which certain Gryffindors are *very* nosy indeed; and a snake and a cat doom their owners...

Disclaimer; I own nothing except the plot and any characters you don't recognize from the books. It's very simple. Jiggy McCue (and the other Musketeers) belong to the great god Michael Lawrence, the rest belongs to the great goddess J.K. Rowling.

My heartfelt gratitude to Caitlin Black. A better beta-reader I could not ask for.

Chapter 6; Padfoot's Diary
By the end of the first week, Harry had settled in enough to have uncovered both Sirius' old diary (which he'd brought with him) and the Revealer that he'd bought in Diagon Alley. On the Saturday, he got Ron and Hermione alone and showed it to them ; he was wondering whether it'd be safe. He didn't want to end up like Ginny nearly had done.
"Should be fine," Ron said, looking at the empty pages critically. "I mean, You-Know-Who put his essence in his, that's why it was evil... but Sirius isn't evil, so I don't think he'd try anything. Besides, he can't have been that old in 1976, can he?"
"Why did you steal it in the first place?" Hermione asked.
"It was going to be thrown out," Harry said defensively.
"So maybe it is evil! We don't have a clue what happened to Sirius before your parents `died`, do we?"
"We do now," Ron said, waving at the diary.
"There's only one way to find out," Harry said, and rubbed on January 1. Slowly, in large, jerky, cursive handwriting, words began to appear.
"There!" Ron said with some satisfaction in his voice, "it can't be that bad!"
"I dunno," Harry and Hermione said at the same time, reading the words.
"What?" Ron peered over their shoulders at the words, which read;

January 1 - Sunday
New year, new `home`. I don't even know what the name is, it looks like `Poodle`. Tkaa says stop whingeing. Bria's still unhappy because for the first time she's not been allowed to sit up to the table, but I told you about that last week.
"Too bad we don't have last week's entry," Ron said.
I'm a nine-year old boy who's been in 17 foster-homes, soon to be 18. After the encounter yesterday I'm quite glad to move on, but still...
"Sad," Ron said impatiently. "Can we move on?" Hiding his annoyance, Harry rubbed on January 2. Nothing appeared except a tiny little video scene.
"What's that?" Hermione asked, and she would have touched it if Harry hadn't grabbed her hand while he explained about the memories he'd been in before.
"Shall we all go together, then?" Ron asked. "On three. One - two - threeeeeeeeee...." and they all fell forward into the little video screen.
/\/\/\
"Hey! That's my house!" Harry said in surprise.
"And that's Sirius," Hermione added, pointing to where a boy was getting out of a car in front of the house. "Well, I think it is, anyway. It could be your dad, Harry..." at this point a foot-long red creature jumped out of the car and landed on the boy's shoulder.
"It's Sirius," Harry and Ron said in unison.
"But that isn't his mum," Ron added as a brown-haired woman got out of the car behind Sirius.
"How do you know?" Hermione asked. "Harry, do you have any idea who lived in that house before you?"
"Yeah, my dad. And his parents..."
"See, Ron? It could be his mum..."
"It isn't," Harry said. To Ron he added, "Remus told me."
"Remus told you what?" Hermione asked, looking from Harry to Ron and back again. "What do you two know that I don't?"
"Sssh, I want to hear this," Ron said as the lady who wasn't Sirius' mother rang the doorbell and Sirius tried to hide behind her.
"Stop it. It's not like this is all new to you, is it, Sirius?" The lady said.
"That's the point," Sirius murmured. The door opened.
"Ah, Mrs. Potter." Sirius brought a folded piece of paper out of his pocket, opened it and stared. "this is Sirius Black, your new charge. And... ah... this is Bria and this is Tkaa..."
"He's not poisonous," Sirius said quickly, putting the piece of paper away.
"That's your grandmother, Harry," Hermione murmured as Mrs. Potter smiled. Harry blinked. Hermione was right, but he hadn't thought of it like that, really... he switched his attention back to the scene in front of them.
"I'm sure he's not. Won't you come in? Kids!" It was at this point that Harry, Ron and Hermione got yanked out of the scene.
"What the..." Ron began, then looked up and said, "Oh." Harry and Hermione looked up too, and saw Remus standing there.
"Uh... hi, Remus," Harry said. Remus sighed.
"I'm not here to tell you off, I'm here to come with you. I'm as interested as the next werewolf in some aspects of it. Not all of them, but some. And I wouldn't go back into 1976 if I were you. From what I've heard, that was when his depression started. And it hasn't finished yet."
"Sirius is depressed?" Ron asked, sounding surprised.
"Yep. He won't admit it, of course. And he won't go into therapy. But he is pretty much chronically depressed."
"And... you want to come with us?" Hermione asked.
"Basically, yes. First of September, 1978, that's should be the first really interesting one. Not that I'm forcing you or anything."
"That would have been when you all got Sorted?" Harry guessed.
"Yep."
"OK..." Harry turned to September 1, 1978 and rubbed hard. The writing that appeared now was smaller, neater, and more readable than before. Unfortunately, it wasn't too helpful.
Please not Slytherin, please not Slytherin, anything but Slytherin... ah, who am I kidding? Of course I'll be in Slytherin. It'll be automatic, the thing won't even think about it. Uh-oh, better go.
There was a pause of a few lines, then the writing started again.
OK, change of plan. I don't care what house I go in... well, maybe I do. But as long as that idiot girl isn't in it, I shouldn't think I'll mind too much...
There was a little video scene there, so they all touched it...
/\/\/\
"You take care now, boys... have fun wherever you're going next, Sirius... James, why do you have a Dungbomb in your pocket?" The accused jumped.
"I like the smell of them."
"Yeah, compared to you it's Eau de Cologne," Sirius teased. James glared at him.
"Honestly, I thought we were past this... empty your pockets, both of you. Now." With much grumbling, both boys did so, revealing a large assortment of Dungbombs, Filibuster's fireworks and various other things which even Ron hadn't seen before. Remus, however, was expert, and he pointed out each and every one.
"Other pocket, Sirius."
"Are you sure, Mrs. Potter?"
"Now." Sirius sighed, and turned out the ther pocket, scattering Owl Treats, frozen rat, dried fruit slices, a box full of hazelnuts and a dormouse onto the pavement. The dormouse took one look at the two owls glaring down at it and ran up his sleeve. Several people on Platform 9 3/4 recoiled at the sight of the rats, and Sirius hastily scooped them up and put them back in his pocket, somehow managing to collect a few Dungbombs and fireworks along the way. Remus sniggered.
"He's gorranother smellbomb up his trouser," A small girl with black plaits which were rapidly coming out said.
"James!"
"Alyssa!"
"S'true," Alyssa said, and retreated behind her mother while James glared daggers at her. Then, just to add to the sibling rivalry, she said, "Bye, Sirius."
"Bye, Alyssa. I'll see you some time, I promise." James rolled his eyes.
/\/\/\
After a lot more of this, the boys finally boarded the train and James stole the window seat. "I don't know why you can't see that she's just an anoying little brat, I really can't."
"Who, Alyssa? She's nice."
"Why the hell did you make friends with her anyway?" Sirius shrugged.
"Well, you wouldn't talk to me, you told me not to talk to you, and Alyssa kind of... came and sat down when I was playing with Bria. From there, we just became friends. S'your fault really. If you'd accepted me in the first place..."
"I know, I know... Did you bring the emergency supplies?"
"Yep. They're in your trunk, wrapped up in the other thing that you weren't meant to bring."
"Ah! That'd explain why I thought you had them." James reached up - a long way up, Harry noticed, his father was even shorter than he'd been - and felt around in his trunk until he withdrew something with obvious glee. "This it?"
"How am I supposed to know? It's invisible."
"Very true." James felt around on whatever he was holding until his fingers disappeared, then he gently unwrapped it. As Remus had murmured a few moments earlier, it was a wonderful collection of tricks and jokes, neatly wrapped up in the Invisibility Cloak. He turned round to find that Sirius was sitting in his seat, and groaned. Sirius stared out of the window with a `perfectly innocent` expression on his face.
Way to go, Sirrikins, Tkaa said. Hermione, Remus and Ron all jumped.
"Hey - I can understand him!" Ron said, puzzled.
"Probably because we're in Sirius' memory," Remus said thoughtfully. "I mean, Sirius can understand Tkaa, so it makes sense..."
"Stop calling me Sirrikins!" Sirius said, glaring at the snake.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star...
"And stop singing that bloody song! Oh, just shut up, Tkaa."
How I wonder what you are...
"Has he shut up?" James inquired, re-wrapping the package as he spoke.
"No."
Hufflepuff is probable...
"Right. That does it." Sirius clamped his hand over the snake's mouth, bring careful to leave his nostrils free. "Sorry, James, you were saying?"
James opened his mouth, presumably to say whatever he'd been about to say before, when they were interrupted yet again, this time by a boy of average height with brown hair, whose nose was in a book and who walked into both sides of the compartment door before finally going through the gap, at which point he simply sat down on the nearest seat and continued reading. Unfortunately, the nearest seat contained Bria, who shrieked. The boy jumped up, dropped his book, swore, then finally realised that there were other people in the carriage and they were staring at him - in Tkaa's case unblinkingly since snakes don't have eyelids. He blushed.
"Sorry."
"You still do that, don't you?" Harry asked Remus as James hid the `emergency supplies` behind his back. "You sat on the cat over the holidays." Remus nodded.
"That's you?" Ron asked, sounding surprised.
"Yep. My radar hadn't built up yet then, though. Nowadays I can get through the door on the first attempt. Well, usually."
It's a human, Tkaa said - Sirius had absent-mindedly let go of his mouth. And an animal. Sirius looked at him.
"Well, duh. Humans are animals."
"Uhm?" Young Remus said, looking from Sirius to Tkaa and back again.
"He's a Cargen," James said. "That's why he's got a snake on his shoulder and a dragon on the seat and an owl..."
"Oh, right." The young Remus looked at Sirius. "Major or minor?"
"Major. Long story."
"So you were born..."
"...in a forest..." James supplied.
"...under a tree..." Sirius said.
"...without any medical or magical intervention..."
"...at dawn," They all said in unison.
"Yep. That's me."
"Just my luck," Remus muttered. "What are your names, by the way?"
Introductions were made and Remus had just picked up his book when a second face appeared in the door, also brown-haired. Remus looked up. "Hi, Cani. Come in, siddown, meet the first years..."
"Actually, I just came to say you'd better get changed and don't get mad. You know what happens when you get mad..."
"I know what happens when you get mad, too. OK, I'll get changed. Are you sure you don't want to come in?"
"Nah, I'm going back up front. Frank Longbottom smiled at me as I left... oh, and one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Be. In. GRYFFINDOR! Ahem." The compartment door slid shut.
"What was all that about?" James asked.
"That's my sister, Canina. Now, where did I put those robes...?"
"We can't be that close already," James said. "The lunch cart hasn't come..." Remus shrugged.
"I'm getting changed anyway. If I don't, I'll only start reading again and forget. What have you got behind your back?"
"What back?" James said innocently. "Oh, you mean my back? Nothing! Why should I have anything behind my back? Sirius, is there any reason for me to have something behind my back?" Sirius shook his head and Remus sighed.
"Pull one of the other ones, it's got bells on. A/n; That phrase belongs to Terry Pratchett> What's really behind your back?"
"Nothing!" Sirius moved behind James and discreetly removed the parcel so his friend could produce his hands for inspection. "See? Not a dicky-bird."
"Yeah; `cos he's got it now." Remus nodded to Sirius, who put on his own innocent expression. "Come on, let me see everyone's hands at once." Sirius dumped the package on the seat behind him and produced his hands. "Now sit down..." James sat. Sirius looked at the seat with an agonized expression on his face, then shooed Bria out of her seat and sat there.
"Hah! Gotcha. No, seriously, what have you got?" Sirius sighed, reached down and began to unwrap their package once more.
"These," he said, pulling out a bag of Dungbombs, "And these," - Filibuster's Fireworks - "And these," - Zonko's Amazing Transfiguration Badges - "And, er, this." He brandished the Cloak until James grabbed it and glared at him.
"Do you mind? What'd you do if it ripped?"
"I wouldn't have time to do anything, you'd've killed me. It's OK, Remus, we don't mind if you start hating us now..."
"Why should I start hating you," Remus asked, staring at the contents of the Cloak, "when I could help you instead? Here... I modified the charms for a Nose-Biting Teacup and now I've got Nose-Biting Goblets..." As he spoke, he reached into his robe pocket and produced one; and now it was Sirius and James' turn to stare.
/\/\/\
By the time they all got into Hogwarts, it looked like the three had become firm friends; Harry, Ron and Hermione weren't too sure because Remus had found out how to fast-forward a video-memory. At the other end of the line the first-years were forming, Harry could see his mother and what looked suspiciously like Peter Pettigrew. He mentioned this to Remus, who shrugged.
"Well, he's eleven. Voldemort's nothing more than a minor annoyance at this stage. It's when we get to 1982 that he starts to get dangerous, and it's 1987 before Peter does anything... uhm... well, I can't really think of a way to describe it without swearing. I'm sure you get the picture." They all nodded, then followed the line of first-years into the Great Hall. Tkaa had taken up his usual place inside Sirius' hood, and several people behind him were sniggering. He turned round and shushed them, a look of hurt righteousness on his face. Unfortunately, they only giggled harder, until Professor McGonagall turned round and glared at them.
Hey, Tkaa said suddenly, You're first. Sirius glared at the snake. No, really, you are. Or you should b-mmmmph! Once more, Sirius had stuck his hand over Tkaa's mouth.
"Black, Sirius!"
Told you so, Tkaa said smugly as Sirius made his way slowly up to the Hat.
"Well well well," The Hat said, sounding surprised. "A Black! I haven't had one of you in years! Well, Slytherin would be the obvious choice, but... no, you're too brave. And... my my, you are an odd one, aren't you? What hapened to `purity of blood`?"
`It got left with my parents,` They heard Sirius think, `so why not just sort me?`
"Ah, you've got the family temper. And... yes, the loyalty, too..."
`So stick me in Hufflepuff already!`
"Can't... you're too intelligent. Hmm... I think it'll have to be GRYFFINDOR!"
/\/\/\
Back in the dormitory, there was a long silence. Then Hermione said, "Why would Slytherin be the obvious choice?"
"It's a long story," Remus said, "and I think Sirius'd prefer it if you found out from him. Now, where to next?"
/\/\/\
"So let me get this straight. Winchcombe on, stage left, `there's no money in the kitty`, then Handrin, who's already on, `of course not, we keep it in the piggy`. Right?"
"Right." Sirius A/n; the real Sirius. This isn't in the diary. My apologies> sighed.
"That is the oldest joke in the book. Well, apart from the one with the chicken crossing the road."
"It's a start, though," Mike said. "And remember, the rest of the scene should work pretty well. As soon as props finish the rock..."
"Which rock? Rocky or Harry Potter?"
"Harry Potter. Rocky's just a rock."
"I still say we should cut that joke," Sirius said, looking at his script once more. "We'll only get a groan."
"I agree with him," Emilily said suddenly. "Pete, this just doesn't work."
"And that's another thing," Sirius added, more to himself than to anyone else, "Why does the stage manager have to be called Peter?"
Get over it, Sirrikins, Tkaa said crossly. He's not the Peter...
"I know, but... what're you laughing at?" This last comment was addressed to Emilily, who was, indeed, laughing.
"Sirrikins! Heeheehee...oh, dear... SIRRIKINS!" Emilily collapsed into helpless laughter once more.
Breathe, her Siamese cat, Felix, ordered. Sirius stared at her.
"What the... you can understand him?" He motioned to Tkaa. Emilily, who had finally got over her hysterics, nodded.
"Oh, yes... I'm not a Parselmouth, though. Stop looking at me like that, everyone!"
"So... you're a Cargen?"
"Yep." She came over and stood face to face with him; the rest of the cast, who were after all actors and knew Atmosphere when it happened, went to the wings and watched.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Didn't think you'd be interested. Besides, I didn't even know myself until Flitwick saw me talking to Felix in sixth year and guessed."
"Major or minor?"
"Minor."
"Which means your birthday's the first of April..."
"...at dawn. I thought you knew when my birthday was!"
"Yes, but not the time. And I never even imagined... Cargens are so rare..."
"Not really. Apparently there's a minor Cargen born somewhere in the world every day or so, but they don't get registered, or they're not discovered..."
"Majors are rare. I was only born a major because my parents were on the run..."
"Exactly. There you go, you see."
Sheesh, Felix said. Humans! You talk so much about so little. By the way, Sirrikins -
Hey! Only I have the right to call him Sirrikins! Tkaa interjected.
Whatever. She's in love with you.
"Felix!"
He's in love with Emilily, too.
"Tkaa!"
Oh, admit it. And propose to her! Go on!
"Tkaa!"
OK then, I'll do it. Felix. Will she marry him?
Yes.
"Tkaa!"
"Felix!"
"Why do I get the feeling my fate's just been sealed by my pet snake?" Sirius sighed.
"Your fate's been sealed?!?"
/\/\/
A/n; Oh dear. Methinks Sirius and Emilily just got henpecked...
They're a nosy lot, these Gryffindors, aren't they? Speaking as a Ravenclaw myself, of course.
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