Disclaimer-- I'm sure you know that Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling!
A/N: Half-way done! I'm planning for ten chapters, and the final should be out by next week.
Chapter Five--In the Shrieking Shack
October had settled onto the castle, bringing the rain with it. Even in the harshest wind, Quiddich practice continued. Harry was as strict as Oliver had been when it came to practice, and it had paid off in the first match. Hufflepuff had been smashed by Gryffindor. Not a single point could be scored against Ron, and the Brynna, Ginny had each scored thirty points, plus ten more from Lavender. Of course, Harry caught the Snitch. Their tremendous win put them in the lead for the house cup. To say the Gryffindors were in high spirits would be an understatement... with the exception of Harry. His housemates had taken to calling him "Captain Harry", but he took no part of the partying.
"Really, Harry, you've got to cheer up," said Ginny at breakfast one morning, a couple weeks after the match. Her voice was full of concern. She and Harry still hadn't told anyone of their relationship, and she was a little worried he was having doubts.
"Yeah," said Hermione. "You've been moping around practically forever."
"What's wrong?" chimed in Brynna.
"Aw, he's just upset because he hasn't got a girl, right Harry?" Ron looked satisfied at his explanation, while his sister became noticeably paler.
"It's nothing, really--" Harry was saved from further explanation by a soft fluttering of wings. Mail had arrived. A snowy owl came swooping down. Hedwig landed at Harry's side and waited patiently for him to take the letter off her leg before snatching the piece of toast he offered her and flying back to the owlrey.
Harry unrolled the parchment. "It's the reply from Remus!" he said excitedly.
"Remus?" asked Hermione. "What did you write him about?"
"He wanted to know some stuff about his parents," supplied Ron.
Harry looked up from the parchment. "He says that he's got some of my parent's things in his attic I can have. He said to just drop by on the next Hogsmeade visit."
"That's next Saturday, a week from today," said Hermione.
"Oooh!" exclaimed Brynna. "Can I come, too? I have been dying to meet Remus! You guys talk about him so much."
"Sure," said Harry.
"I can hardly wait!" she said, and the other four strongly agreed they were looking forward to next weekend.
After breakfast on Saturday, Ron and Harry went up to the common room to play a game of chess while they waited for the rest of the students to leave. Hermione, Brynna, and Ginny would go separately, the normal way, and then sneak into the back door of the Shrieking Shack using Harry's Invisibility Cloak, while Ron and Harry took the more direct route of the Whomping Willow path. They had decided that being seen approaching the fearsome Shrieking Shack would be a bit suspicious. Brynna and Ginny left from the Great Hall with a group of fifth year Gryffindors, but Hermione went to the Gryffindor Tower with Harry and Ron to get the Cloak.
She quickly walked along the nearly empty corridors after folding the shimmery material carefully under her robes. Most of the students, except first and second years, of course, had already left. Not many wanted to stay behind on the first trip Hogsmeade of the year.
She wasn't far from the main doors when she noticed a figure ahead of her, walking away. "Draco!" she called.
He stopped and turned to face her, but didn't approach her. "Hey," he said softly.
"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade?" she asked, finally reaching him.
"Nah. I have, er... studying to do."
"You have been studying since school started. You're already one of the best students in the school, and it's unhealthy to be alone so much," she chastised.
"Well, most of my class is gone, and I didn't have that many friends to start with."
"Then come have a butterbeer with me in Hogsmeade. Better then spending the day alone, n'est-ce pas?" Hermione was surprised at herself for blurting out the invitation, not only because she doubted that he would accept, but because she was supposed to meet Ginny and Brynna in Honeydukes at one o'clock. I guess I've got time, she thought. At least I didn't ask them to meet me in the Three Broomsticks. She could just picture the look on their faces if they were to see her having a drink with Draco.
Draco. She called her attention back to the young man standing in front of her. He was looking at her strangely.
"You don't have to, I was just wondering--"
"It would be fun," he interrupted. "Better than practicing Transfiguration." He paused, looking sideways at her again. "I didn't know you speak French." He began walking toward the entrance, following her.
"What? Oh. Yes. I've spent most of my summer holidays there since I was little. My mum's mum lives in Paris." She smiled apologetically. "Sometimes it slips out."
"Ca n'est pas une probleme, ma chere Hermione," he replied smoothly, opening the door for her.
They spent most of the long walk to Hogsmeade talking. Their conversation veered from France to other topics. Draco's family had owned a house in Marseilles, but the long and complicated legal process of sorting out Lucius Malfoy's enormous estate was ongoing, and Draco had spent all of his time out of Hogwarts at his aunt's house. Draco was the only heir, but the Ministy had decided his aunt would be his guardian until his eighteenth birthday, and he would not have access to any of the Malfoy fortune. This was a slight inconvenience to the young Mr. Malfoy, especially since his aunt (his mother's sister-in-law, really) lived in a tiny apartment building with a bunch of Muggles. Hermione had burst out laughing when Draco explained all about his "strange" neighbors, and about learning to use ordinary kitchen appliances.
They reached the Three Broomsticks without meeting many people on the path, and chose a booth in a secluded corner before ordering. Most of the awkwardness from the other night had disappeared, and a steady stream of conversation was maintained as they sipped their steaming mugs.
"So tell me," began Hermione hesitantly, not sure how to phrase her question. "What is it like in Slytherin nowadays, you know, with everything that's happened...?"
Draco sighed. "Well, everything is quiet. Partly because we've been reduced by about half, but mostly because everyone's afraid. The other houses don't like us. We don't deny it. We have a bad reputation to begin with, but it's our fault, too. It's hard to explain. We act how we do because of how we've been raised, and what's expected of us, and because we don't know any other way. Now we don't even have our bad reputation to protect us. The Slytherins become the butt of all of the jokes. So we keep to ourselves, and study. Snape is really strict. He comes down hard on anyone with less than perfect marks. He knows that we need to redeem ourselves."
"I think you took off about ten years of the Slyth rep last year by yourself," said Hermione, recalling how he had defied his father, saving Harry's life and ending Voldemort's, inadvertently sending his own dad into the Dementor's waiting embrace. "You risked your life for a Gryffindor. Harry Potter, no less," she said with a chuckle.
"You mistake my selfishness for selflessness, Granger."
"What do you mean?"
"My goal wasn't so much to save Potter as it was to put an end to my father's reign as Voldemort's right-hand man."
Hermione gasped. "What do you mean?"
"I hated him," Draco said. "Well, maybe not. I feared him. He was very violent. Had a terrible personality. I'm glad he is gone."
Hermione sat silently for a moment, not really knowing what to say. After finding nothing, she took another gulp of butterbeer, finishing off her mug. Draco noticed, and looked around for Madam Rosemerta. "Want another?" he asked.
Hermione glanced at her watch. "Sorry, but I'd better not. I promised to meet Harry and the others in a few minutes."
"Ok," said Draco slowly. "I guess I'll go back to the castle, then."
"Unless you wanted to come along," teased Hermione, knowing the answer would be no.
"Right. And get into another fight with Potter. No thanks, I'm still recovering from the last body bind," he said dryly, giving a small laugh.
"Ok. I'll see you later. Bye."
"Good-bye," Draco replied.
About half an hour after Hermione had left the common room, Ron and Harry put away the chess set. They hadn't managed to complete a game, but it was clear who had been about to win. Harry was improving, but Ron was still the superior of the two, by far.
They exited the castle and headed across the lawn, past the pond, to the Whomping Willow. Ron had found a long stick on the way down, but after five tries, still hadn't succeeded in pushing the knot to prevent injury from the willow. After a quick "wingardium levosia," however, they got the stick under the branches far enough to hit it up against the trunk. They ran to the opening of the tunnel, and didn't slow down until they were both out of breath. They were both anxious to see Sirius and Lupin, but Harry especially couldn't wait to find out more information about his parents.
The path rose, then there was the last turn, and then they were in the Shrieking Shack. Harry could remember the last time he had seen this room. It had been a broken mess. Now, the furniture had been repaired and there were smiling pictures of the Marauders and their friends on the walls. The dust on the floor had been replaced by a thick, furry rug. They walked slowly into the hallway.
"Remus? Are you home?" called Harry.
"Oh, hi Harry," said Sirius, popping his head out of the kitchen doorway. "I didn't hear the door close."
"Sirius!" shouted Harry. "How are you? Why are you here? What are you doing?"
Sirius laughed at the barrage of questions. "I'm fine, thanks; Dumbledore suggested I live here for a while; and what else? I'm hiding out!"
"It's so good to see you!" Harry said, hugging his godfather.
"It's good to see you, too. Hi, Ron. So how did you two get in?"
"Er..." said Ron.
"We took the tunnel from Hogwarts," explained Harry. "Where's Remus?"
"Oh. He's up in the attic looking for something of James's."
"Right, thanks. C'mon, Ron." Harry pulled his friend toward the staircase, then turned back toward the kitchen door and walked to his godfather, pulling him into a tight hug. "It's good to see you again," he said.
"Yes, Harry. I'm glad you could come."
Then, Harry rejoined Ron on the stairs and dashed up to the landing. In the center was the ladder to the attic, left down by Remus, who had been expecting Harry.
Harry and Ron glanced at each other before starting up. Harry went first, pulling himself up over the old, creaking wood, wondering how strong it was, and if it could hold the two of them. He grasped the attic floor and pulled himself into the room. It was just one large space, mostly empty. There were a few boxes near the trapdoor, a pile of clothes, and a chair and dresser that looked beyond repair. Remus was bent over a trunk behind the boxes. He looked up when he heard the footsteps.
"Hello, Harry. And Ron," he addressed the second head to appear through the floor. Remus closed the trunk and walked toward them, pulling it behind him. "Let's go downstairs with this, shall we?" He sneezed. "The attic is the only room we haven't gotten around to dusting yet."
Ron went down first, then Harry, supporting some of the weight of the trunk, but mostly guiding it down the ladder while Remus directed his wand at it, floating it gently through the door in the floor and down to the landing. Remus was the last to come down, and he waved his wand at the ladder, which quickly retracted, closing with a resounding "thud".
Then, the procession continued down the staircase. It was a little easier this time, having more room to maneuver the heavy trunk. Finally, they reached the living room, where Sirius joined them.
"Well, Remus, what have you got for us?" asked Sirius cheerfully.
"You should recognize this, my dear friend," replied Remus mockingly.
"Ah, yes, but our young Harry might not."
"Cut it out, you two. What is it?" demanded Harry and Ron.
"This trunk, Harry, belonged to your father. He left it in my care before moving to their...er-- secret place."
Harry looked at it. It wasn't impressive. Rather dusty, in fact. It was small, too. About half the size of Harry's. He ran his hand along the lid, brushing off the years of dust and grime. Underneath, it was a rich green. He tried to lift it, but it was locked.
"The password is 'Golden Snitch', I believe," said Sirius. "Couldn't ever leave the bloody sport on the field." He grinned.
Harry took out his wand, tapped the lock, and whispered the password. There was an internal click, and the lid opened. Harry kneeled in front of the chest, and Ron leaned over his shoulder to see inside.
It was larger inside than out. Much larger. The inside of James's trunk dwarfed Harry's. One side of the trunk was piled with robes. Several were black Hogwarts standard issue. There was also a pair of emerald green dress robes. Harry pulled them out, breathing in the scent of his father. Underneath were more black robes, smaller.
"Some of your mother's things are in there, too. I believe those are her robes," said Remus. "Their school books are on the bottom, with their other school supplies. Your dad's broomstick is in there, too. It's mostly odds and ends from their school days. Everything else was destroyed with the house. I'm sorry I can't offer much more..."
"No, this is great," he said, tears welling in his eyes as he found a picture of his father and Sirius, both waving energetically. "Really. Thanks."
They were interrupted by a knock at the back door. "Who is that?" wondered Remus.
"Sirius, you have to transform!" said Harry, remembering the extra visitors. He knew that Hermione would be ok with Sirius, but Ginny and Brynna didn't quite know the extent of Harry's relationship with the wanted convict.
Ron jumped up. "That'll be Hermione, Brynna, and Ginny. They wanted to come see you, Remus. Ginny and Brynna don't know about you, though, Sirius."
Where Sirius had been sitting on the couch was now a large black dog. He jumped down and led Ron to the back door. Remus followed.
Harry looked back into the trunk. He found a small leather bound book, separate from the rest. It had no title on its front or binding. He tried to open it, but had no luck. He set it back down, and picked up a long, skinny package. After removing the dragonhide case, he found what he had suspected to be inside, his father's broomstick. It was a Nimbus, one of the original models. Harry skimmed his fingers over the handle. It was smooth and polished, keeping its well-cared-for sheen even after years of storage. Harry looked up as his friends reentered the room. "Check it out, Ron!" he said, offering him the broomstick.
"Wow," said Ron. "Is it...?"
"I think so."
"Nimbus's first model," confirmed Remus. "Prongs was so proud of his broomstick."
The girls squealed when they saw the robes on the chair. Ginny rushed over and held up one of Lily's dress robes.
"Isn't this gorgeous?" she asked, carefully examining the tiny beads lining the neckline.
"Oh, Harry," sighed Brynna. "I bet your mom was so beautiful."
Harry reached inside the trunk, pulling out a box of pictures. "Want to look at these?"
Ron, Remus, and Brynna seated themselves on the couch. Hermione, Ginny, and Harry sat in front of them on the floor with 'Snuffles'. They passed around most of the photographs from the box, with Remus telling a small story about each one before Hermione glanced at her watch. It was nearly dinner time. Everything was carefully put back into the trunk, and they all said their good-byes before hurrying down the secret path to Hogwarts with Harry bringing up the rear, carefully levitating the trunk in front of him.