"Look at them!" Somebody hissed the next day as Harry and Lavender walked to class hand in hand.

"What is it?"

"They must be dating!"

"Wow."

"What a cute couple."

"I wanted him though."

"But look how happy they are."

Ginny was furious. She could have sworn that Harry had liked her. She had been sure of it. Oh how she wanted to punch Lavender. She could punch Harry too, as she looked at him kiss her cheek.

"Hermione, I thought you said that you thought that he liked me!" Ginny wailed.

"I guess I was wrong." Hermione said. "Oh Gin, I'm so sorry!"

"You should be." She sniffed.

"I have to go to class, Gin. I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Okay."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"That's the right attitude!" Hermione gave her a friendly hug and ran off after Ron to Care of Magical Creatures.

~* ~* ~* ~*

"Harry we need to talk to you after class." Hermione hissed as they fed their animals. "It's important."

"But- me and Lavender were going to-"

"Okay, lover boy." Ron snapped. "I'm sick of this. You're two best friends have to tell you something that is going to alter you life and all you can think about is your girlfriend!"

"Life altering?" Harry said.

"YES!" Both said quietly.

"Can you just tell me now?"

"It's personal."

"Okay, okay. Fine." Harry said. "I'll hear you guys out."

"Thank you Harry." Hermione said and kissed his cheek.

~* ~* ~* ~*

It was lunch break. Hermione, Ron and Harry were skipping out on lunch.

"Harry." Hermione said. "You know Krikor?"

"What about him?"

"Wait." Hermione said. "Let me rephrase that."

"Harry, you got the Marauder's Map back for Christmas, right?" Ron said.

"Yeah, I did."

"Accio Map!"

"What are you going to do with that thing?" Harry asked with a shaking voice.

"I'm going to show you something." Ron said.

"L-like what?"

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

~* ~* ~* ~*

"Lavender." Ginny said and tapped her on the shoulder. "I need to talk to you outside."

"Oh." Lavender said. "Okay!"

They headed outside.

"What do you want to talk about, Ginny?"

"I just wanted to thank you for being such a good friend." Ginny said sweetly.

"Thank you!" Lavender said. "That is so-"

But Ginny had stopped Lavender's sentence with a punch in the stomach.

~* ~* ~* ~*

"Show me something?" Harry said. "On the marauder's map? I have that thing memorized."

Hermione took a deep breath. "Harry look at the teachers table. Tell me who you see."

Harry bit his lip and grabbed the map. He glanced down at it, thinking about the distinct possibility of being sick. Harry pushed it away into Hermione's hands. As calmly as he could he said, "I know."

Ron and Hermione looked at Harry. "You KNEW?"

Harry nodded.

"How long?"

"A week. Maybe two."

Everybody was silent for a very long time. They just kind of avoided everybody else's eyes. And then suddenly Hermione flung herself on Harry.

"Oh, oh my god Harry." She said. "I can't believe it's true then."

"I know." Harry whispered.

"But how did he survive? Why did he leave you?" Hermione sounded like she was on the brink of tears.

Harry shrugged, afraid to use his voice.

"Oh how horrible you must feel. Of course I understand why you hate him now."

"I'm sorry Harry." Ron said.

"It's okay." Harry said and looked away from his friends. "I think I'm going to go find Lavender."

~* ~* ~* ~*

"You SLUT!"

"Me?"

"You!"

"DON'T TALK! You are such a snot Ginny!"

A scream.

A thump.

"THAT REALLY HURT!"

"That would be the general idea, dip shit."

"Language!"

"There you go again, being stupid!"

"I'm not stupid."

A thump.

A cry of pain.

And then a flash. Ginny and Lavender looked up from their catfight to see what the flash had been from. Three people were taking pictures of them. A reporter was scribbling down notes.

"Girls!" the reporter cried. "Why are you fighting."

"SHE- WANTS- MY- BOYFRIEND!" Lavender yelled, trying to grab Ginny's hair.

Ginny yelled as she lost a dime size lock of hair.

Harry opened the two great front doors and stared at the scene before him.

"Lavender?" He said. "Ginny?"

A recorder was shoved in Harry's face. "What do you have to say about this, Harry?"

"What do I have to say about what?" Harry said.

"You're girlfriend and your secret admirer are having a fight."

"Girlfriend?" Harry said quickly. "I don't have a girlfriend."

Lavender stopped in mid punch. "WHAT?"

Ginny opened her eyes. "You're single?"

"I am now." Harry said. He caught Lavender's eye and winked. She looked quite relived. "I'm leaving."

~* ~* ~* ~*


"Hermione, what's going to happen know?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione said.

"Well if Harry's dad is alive." Ron said. "What is going to happen. Do you think Harry will live with him?"

"Harry would kill himself first." Hermione said. "You know that."

"I suppose." Ron said. "But you'd think that Harry and his father would want to be together. They haven't seen each other for like 14 years. James has a lot of catching up to do."

"I don't think Harry wants to catch him up."

"Why do you think he's been aloof all these years?"

"Why do you think he left Harry?"

"How did he survive Avada Kedavra?"

And the two kept walking down the hall. They didn't notice the rat that had been following them for some time now.

But they noticed him when it ran away in front of them.

"Was that rat mutated?" Hermione said. "Did you see its paw? It was silver."
~* ~* ~* ~*













"Master." Peter breathed. "Master! You'll never believe what I have found."

"What is it?" Voldemort said. "You know I don't like to be kept waiting."

"Of course." Wormtail said. He kneeled before Voldemort. "I was spying on Potter's friends today and they had the most interesting conversation. It seems that James Potter is alive."

"Impossible!" Voldemort said. "I saw the man die."

"But they seemed quite sure. They even confirmed their answer when they asked Potter."

"The boy or his father?"

"The boy."

"He's keeping his identity a secret?"

"Yes." Wormtail said. "He is pretending to be one Gregory Krikor."

"A teacher?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, sir."

"Well, you know what to do." Voldemort said.

"I do?"

"You do."

"What do I do?"

"KIDNAP HIM!" Voldemort bellowed. "I don't care how you do it, just get him."

"Where do I take him once he's kidnapped though?"

"The Mansion." Voldemort said. "My father's old Mansion will suit us just fine."

"A-are you going to kill him?"

"Eventually." Voldemort said, looking at his wand. "But we'll lure his son there first. James can watch him die."

"But the Potter boy hates-"

"What are you waiting for?" Voldemort said. "Go get James. And if you can, bring Snape along with you. In fact, make him help you take James. Tell him his life is on the line."

"Yes sir."

Harry woke up with a start. What an odd dream. James…kidnapped.

'Well that was obviously not a true dream.' Harry thought. 'Because Hermione and Ron wouldn't talk about that in the corridors where anybody could overhear…' But just to make sure, he shook Ron awake.

"What is it? What time is it?"

"Ron, you and Hermione didn't- uh…" Harry groped in his mind for a good way to put this. "You didn't happen to see a rat with a silver paw did you?"

"Yeah, we did." Ron said sleepily. "How did you know that?"

All the color drained out of Harry's face. "I'm fucked. I am so fucked."

"What? What are you talking about? It's just a mutated rat."

"You could call him that I suppose." Harry said.

"What?" Ron asked again.

"Just- just go back to sleep Ron."

"Okay then."

~* ~* ~* ~*

Harry was walking too first period early today. There was a group of teachers in front of him and one by one they parted off into their own classrooms until only James was left.

Harry was in his own little world. He didn't notice James in front of him. Well, he saw him of course, but it didn't register in his mind "traitor, evil, father" when he did see him.

So when James tripped on an uneven stone on the floor and took a nosedive Harry went with his instincts. He jogged up next to him and offered a hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, thanks…" James got up, dusted himself off and then they both looked at each other. "Uh…see you in class then."

"Uh, Professor?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Stay away from rats for a while."

"What?" James said and looked at him like he was smoking something.

"They're just bad news, alright?" Harry said. "I'm serious. Kill any rat you see."

"Right then."

They walked off in different directions.

~* ~* ~* ~*

That night Harry, Hermione and Ron went to see Hagrid. They hadn't talked to him for a while so they thought it fitting.

Hagrid bid them inside and served them tea. It wasn't long until they were all caught up with everybody else's news. Hagrid and Madame Maxime were still seeing each other during the holidays and they had spent the whole summer together. Hagrid was blushing the entire time he talked about her.

"And Harry, I heard you have a girlfriend." Hagrid said. "Lavender, is it?"

"Yes, but do be quiet about it." Harry said. "I've gotten no less than 5 owls from magazines and papers wanting to know things about it. I'm trying to keep it down."

"Probably smart." Hagrid said, stroking his beard.

The conversation ranged all over. They talked about Hufflepuff's victory to Ravenclaw. Hagrid asked Harry how practices were going.

"They're going well." Harry said, lying slightly. Fred had been made captain and George was jealous. Practice was weekly torture.

They left Hagrid's hut much later than they had planned. It was night now and the castle's windows were lit up with golden light from candles. They walked to the castle at their leisure talking as they made their way up the drive.

And then Harry noticed something.

A line of animals was leading away from the forest. He nudged Ron and pointed.

"Cor!" Ron breathed. "Where do you think they're all going?"

Harry shrugged.

"Well ask one or something Harry!" Hermione said.

Harry looked at her oddly. "I'm not Dr. Dolittle. I can't talk to animals."

"Snakes." Hermione said mechanically. "You go ask."

"I don't want to."

"Are you afraid of snakes?" Ron said.

"No." Harry said. "But I'm really not in the mood."

"Harry, just do it."

Harry glared at Hermione and Ron and walked over to the line. He looked at a little green snake and then back at his friends. Hermione waved him on. He sighed.

"Um- excuse me?" Harry said as quietly as he could. The little snake stopped.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you why you are all leaving?"

"The centaurs. They said something bad was written in the stars for tomorrow night and that we should all leave." The snake said. "And they are always right."

"Is that all they said?"

"Yes."

"Would you mind it so much if you came with me to the castle?"

"No, I've always wanted to go in there really."

Harry held his arm to the little snake. He coiled around it like a bracelet. Harry stood up and went back over to Hermione and Ron.

"What do you have that thing for?" Hermione said, backing away from Harry.

"Hey, Dumbledore probably wants to hear this too, wouldn't you think?" Harry said. But something was wrong about the way he said that.

"Um Harry." Ron said. "Switch languages…"

Harry coughed.

"Right. Sorry." He repeated what he said and Ron and Hermione agreed with them.

"Well let's go and tell him." Hermione said.

~* ~* ~* ~*

At the entrance to the castle they stopped to figure out what they would say to Dumbledore, if he hadnt already seen what was happening. They were deep in discussion when suddenly the snake said "DINNER!" and detached himself from Harry's arm and slid to the ground.

"Look Ron, it's that rat!" Hermione squealed. "It's gonna eat the mutated rat!"

Harry whipped around and ran to the snake. "STOP!" The snake stopped dead but Pettigrew kept scurrying away.

Harry drew out his wand and mumbled something. The rat froze. He walked to the rat and picked him up.

"Harry that thing probably has fleas with the bubonic plague on it!" Hermione said. "Put it down."

"Ron." Harry said with the air or somebody who knows when he is right. "Can you remember Scabbers?"

"Yes."

"Say hello to him." Harry shook the frozen rat in Ron's face.

Ron opened and shut his mouth a few times.

"And I rest my case."

~* ~* ~* ~*


A/N: The next chapter WILL BE INTERESTING! I promise. I know it's sucked recently. Oh and don't mind my crappy fight scene. I can't write. But we all knew that so, it's all good!