"Now Ron, remember to watch out for Ginny! Same with you, Fred and George." Said Mrs. Weasley.
"Don't you worry, Mum; we'll be sure to encourage her to get in to as much trouble as possible!" Said Fred.
"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "Is that any way for the Head Boy to act?"
"You told her?" Fred whispered to George.
"Of course! You think I'd deprive our dear Mum of finding out that her Freddy-poo is going to be the third Head Boy in the family!" Replied George, casually forgetting to whisper.
"Of course I know, Fred! Headmaster Dumbledore sent me a copy of the letter. George is just trying to get credit for humiliating you."
Anyway, you children had better get on the train or you'll miss it!"
Mrs. Weasley gave each of them a hug and, to Ron's disgust, a kiss. It seemed to Harry that his trunk was a lot heavier than before, but that might have been because he wasn't lugging it all over a train when he had last picked it up. He, Ron and Hermione searched all over the train but all they found was a partly empty one. It wouldn't have been so bad if anyone but him was sitting there, but unfortunately none other than Professor Severus Snape occupied this compartment. He apparently had just been resting his eyes, because suddenly he opened them and said,
"Mr. Potter, I suggest that you make sure a compartment is unoccupied before you cause a row. I would prefer if you and your companions would leave so that I may finish my rest before the train arrives."
"We would Professor, but all the other compartments are full." Said Hermione.
"All right, but do not make noise or I will have to make you leave."
"Yes sir," Said Harry, "but before we do I would like to ask you a question."
"You may, but after that I need complete silence."
"Well, um, I've found out something and I would like to know if it is true."
I was told the real reason why you and Sirius hate each other so much, with your sister and about my dad. So, um, is it true?"
"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, please leave so I may talk to Mr. Potter alone."
Ron and Hermione, even though they had nowhere to go only an idiot would defy Snape.
After they were gone Snape spoke up, "Yes Potter, what you were told is true. I expect Padfoot told you." Harry was about to say something but was interrupted, "Before you say anything yes, of course I know about them being Animagi; in fact I was one too." He said with a smile, which would have been scary enough if it was any other time, but was especially scary now. "They even called me Dragonbreath!"
Harry was stunned; he couldn't speak.
"I expect all of this is rather shocking for you; I had hoped that you would not find out for a while but Padfoot has always been an insufferable loudmouth."
After a few minutes Harry finally got up the nerve to ask Snape what animal was he.
"What animal am I? See if you can guess!" Snape said, with a smirk that could rival Malfoy's.
"Um, it couldn't be a dragon, could it?" He didn't even wait for an answer. "No, that couldn't be it, people would have noticed if a dragon was wandering around Hogwarts. Hm…" Then an idea came to him, from the memories of Snape's dungeon, a large grey wolf statue. "You couldn't be a wolf, could you? Even though that doesn't really fit in with the whole Dragonbreath thing."
"Yes, you guessed correct. The nickname was because of the year I forgot my toothpaste."
Even though Harry tried very hard not to he couldn't help it, he started laughing his head off.
"You did not think I would do anything like that, did you? You know, there had to be some reason I was one of the Marauders, didn't there?"
Harry just couldn't believe this. How could this be Snape? He acts more like Sirius!"
"Professor Snape, can Ron and Hermione come back in?"
"Only if you don't make a lot of noise."
"Thank you sir."
Harry stuck his head out of the compartment to tell his friends to come back in. They were very curious about what had happened but didn't want to talk about it in front of Snape.
Even Hermione had fallen asleep, so Harry was left alone with his thoughts. He was absolutely shocked about the conversation that had taken place. Also something that made Harry very happy was that he finally found out what the other Marauders saw in Snape. Before he knew it he felt the train stop and heard the witch who ran the food cart open the door and say the train had arrived. He stepped out of the train with Ron, Hermione, and Snape and looked at the place that he had been anticipating coming to all summer, sighed, then thought to himself, Now I'm home.