Chapter 10: Hogsmeade

'Ah, there is the cat you seek,' said Dumbledore. 'He comes to you.'

Crookshanks walked in and sat in front of Mrs. Figg.

But just before she could say anything, Crookshanks lead her out of the room. She followed.

Harry, Ron and Hermione finally finished their school day. After much thinking about what to do next, Hermione decided to make for the library, while Harry and Ron decided to go for a walk, and even visit Hagrid. On the way out, they noticed two cats in the distance.

'I swear that cat looks like Crookshanks,' said Ron squinting.

The cats were walking slowly together around the edge of the lake, which glimmered with red and orange as the setting sun grazed the tip of the mountain.

They knocked on Hagrid's door.

'Harry! Ron!' boomed Hagrid, opening the door. They walked in.

Inside, the hut looked like it usually did.

'Cup o' tea?' he asked. They said sure, and took a seat.

'So, what's been bothering yeh? What brings yeh over?'

'Nothing, just visiting...' said Harry.

'Have you seen Madame Maxime much, Hagrid?' said Ron.

'Oh, every once in a while...'

Their visit with Hagrid went well. They visited for around twenty minutes, before it was fully dark on the grounds.

'That's strange,' said Hermione, 'look at the western sky... it's still glowing. But how can that be? The sun should be completely gone by now.'

Harry looked and saw that the west sky was glowing a pale reddish color.

'That doesn't look good, I don't think it's the sun,' said Harry. He didn't know what it could be, but he didn't like the timing of it. They moved at a quicker pace after seeing this and made it into the castle in no time.

Inside the castle, there was a small gathering of crowd.

'It's a bit late for this, isn't it?' said Ron.

Dumbledore burst into the entrance hall, rather worried.

'Harry! There you are, you must come with me,' he said. Bewildered, Harry left his friends behind and walked with Dumbledore.

They walked up the spiraling staircase to Dumbledore's office.

'What's wrong Professor?' asked Harry. Then he noticed there was a man in the room, along with two cats, one being Crookshanks.

'Harry, you must be briefed on the current situation. Arabella, to your real form please.'

Mrs. Figg now stood where the once did. Crookshanks stood in the far corner now.

'You are in great danger, Harry,' said the man, Harry now recognized as Remus Lupin.

'Professor Lupin!' yelled Harry with delight.

'Not a Professor anymore, you may call me Remus.'

'Harry,' began Dumbledore, 'Voldemort is near, do you realize that?'

'No, I had no idea... I mean, he was near last year... where is he?'

'He is not but a few hundred miles away, we do not know for sure. We have been attempting to track him ever since the Triwizard mishap.'

'Is this the old crowd you were speaking of?' asked Harry.

'Indeed. Professor Figg, Remus Lupin, myself and Sirius. We are the Order of the Pheonix. We first began back when Voldemort turned to the dark side. We knew that he was bad news, and we formed a sort of non-funded organization, if you will. The ministry of magic chose to allow us to do what we wished, but they would not help us. They will not help us now, especially, with Fudge there...'

'So, this is why Mrs. Figg is here this year?'

'Yes Harry, that is all. She has an expertise in cats among other things.'

'Why is my friend's cat here with you?' asked Harry.

'Because he is no ordinary cat... but it is better not to know all Harry.'

'Is he a wizard, Crookshanks?'

'That is not the reason you are here, Harry. We feel you are in great danger, and wish for you to stay off the grounds, especially at night.'

The days went on after this discussion with the Order of the Pheonix, and nothing happened to Harry. However, whenever Crookshanks was around, he often wondered if it be possible he was an Animagus. He never said anything about the meeting, or his suspicion of Crookshanks to Hermione, neither Ron. He just told them that Dumbledore wished to tell him how his cousin was doing on the test. That, he wondered, as well among things. He had not heard word of Dudley since the train ride, and really he didn't care.

Oliver Wood continued to teach Potions, and wasn't too bad once he got used to it. He also had some problems with the Slytherins, but he took points respectively. He would only be here one more week, for Professor Snape was due to return.

Finally, it was posted that this weekend was a Hogsmeade Weekend, on the 29th of September.

Harry made his note to Sirius as soon as possible to tell him. But then, something began to bother Harry. He wasn't to be alone much when at school, for sure that means he might not be able to go to Hogsmeade. He couldn't stand the thought, so he made for Dumbledore's office.

Lucky was he though, that Dumbledore just opened the door and was on his way out.

'Harry, what can I do for you?'

'I was wondering, if... I could still go to Hogsmeade this weekend.'

'Yes you may Harry,' said Dumbledore with a smile, 'because you will be meeting Snuffles, eh Harry?'

'How did you know?'

'Well, Snuffles told Remus... Remus is going to accompany you to Hogsmeade... well, he will meet you in Hogsmeade more like it. We feel pretty safe that the journey to the village will be completely safe. Run along now!'

The weekend came, thankfully to Harry. It was a beautiful sunny clear morning, when Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped off the carriage and into Hogsmeade.

Sure enough, there was a cloaked man with his hood drawn over his face, waiting. Harry recognized the torn up fashion of it.

'Moony?' said Harry. He shook his head yes, and the three of them followed. Ron and Hermione were tipped off a couple days before as to who was meeting them.

When out of site, Lupin removed his hood.

'I just didn't want to be recognized, students would ask too many questions. So, how are you all!'

Lupin was leading them toward the shrieking shack, when at last they saw a large black dog making its way to them.

'I will wait here, while Padfoot takes you to a hidden place to speak with you.'

Ron and Hermione, figuring that they would like some alone time to speak, waited and spoke with Lupin.

The black dog him deep into the woods, deeper than he would have expected, until finally he stopped in front of a large tree. There, he turned into himself.

He gave Harry a hug, and said, 'I am so glad to see you.'

After a brief discussion of how they were and what's they have been doing, Sirius said, 'has there been anything unusual happening around you, or to you?'

'No...' then the thought of the strange sunset for some reason... it just popped into his head.

'Well... a couple of weeks ago, when the sun was setting... it seemed to set longer than usual. But I don't think it was the sun... there was a pale reddish light out to the west. That's all I can think of now.'

'Hmm, that does sound odd. That is where Voldemort dwells, out west. Do not worry though Harry, you are safe in that castle, and you are safe with Dumbledore.'

'I know about the Order, what is it that you do?'

'Well, I try to stay undetected while I go on various missions. I have been on the look out as well for Wormtail. For personal, and non personal reasons.'

'I have another question... I noticed Crookshanks' has been strange... and I wonder if he is not a Wizard in hiding, an Animgus... you know.'

'Crookshanks... who?' said Sirius.

'Hermione's cat.'

'Oh! Right... I forgot that is what he is called. Well, do not worry about Crookshanks. He is important to us. He is very intelligent, and very helpful. I will say he is sort of an Animagus, but that is all I must say. Try to treat him as a normal cat however.'

Harry wished he could learn more, but he didn't ask anymore of Crookshanks.

'Best we'd be going now, Harry. I want you to write to me if anything strange is going on. I will see you on Halloween.'

'What is that all about? What do you have planned?' asked Harry. This is something he has been wanting to know for a while.

'I can't tell you know. It would spoil it. I will say that it is not a surprise that is to be enjoyed for fun, Harry. It is something you have to see, something you must do.'

Harry could almost see a tear in Sirius' eye. That was strange, but perhaps his eyes were deceiving him. Saying their good-bye's, Sirius turned back into Snuffles and they walked back to the Shrieking Shake.

They each walked to the three broomsticks, with Lupin clad in his face- hiding cloak.

Harry was surprised to see the Minister of Magic walk in. Fudge took a seat in ear shot to Harry's.

He looked distraught. He looked horrible to say the least. He never muttered a word, just drank a drink and walked out.

Harry looked at Lupin, and saw that Lupin was eyeing Fudge with a most hated glare.

'He ought to look like that, the fool,' he muttered.

The carriage waited to take them back to the school, and it was there they said goodbye to Lupin.

It was an uneventful ride back to the castle, aside from a few glares from Malfoy.

In the darkness, in a forrest, ran a rat with a silver paw. He ran with eagerness in his snout.

Into a hidden dark cave he went as fast as his feet could take him.

In there, he turned into Wormtail.

'Master, I saw him!'

'Where?' came a hiss like voice out of the darkness.

'In Hogsmeade...'

'And what about the man?'

'I got to him alright, he's on our side now...'

There was an evil chuckle in the darkness.

'Than now, we move.'