Shadow – Chapter Five

The four of them stepped confidently out of the train and walked regally down the platform, having decided that they were through with being victims of the world with a superiority complex.  They were going to fight for what they wanted.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger and Ms. Smythe," said a cold voice from one side, "this way, please."

The four of them turned and raised an eyebrow at the man, "of course, Professor Snape," they said in symphony, and followed after him, exactly one pace behind as he led them over to a black, horse-less carriage, that was waiting for them.

Once everyone was comfortably seated the carriage began to move and the four began to talk amongst themselves quietly, "Oy Ron," Sandrilene said, "you know that Chem paper we had?  The Paper 3?"

"Yeah," Ron shrugged, "What about it?"

"Did you get the answer to question four?"

Harry lifted his head, "it was Terylene.  You had to draw the structure though.  That was the hard part."

She grimaced, "oops.  I think I failed that exam."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "well, that's alright.  I'm sure you'll do better in your English exam next week."

"You have exams next week?" Snape asked surprised, "but-"

"We're doing our GCSE's," Ron said, "It's the middle of our exam leave, we almost couldn't come today.  I have to leave again on Sunday if I'm to sit my exams."

"Why did you do muggle exams?"

"Professor," Harry said with exaggerated kindness, "we may be innocent, but it took Sirius fifteen years to get his aqquital and to be frank, I may have money left over from my parents but I can't afford to live off it for fifteen years without getting a job of some description eventually.  I therefore need qualifications, and to get those I, unfortunately, need to go to a school of some kind."

"How have you been holding up?"

"Just peachy, professor," Hermione said cheerily, "we're so happy that we're back at Hogwarts again!  It's just wonderful to see the old place!"

The other three could easily detect the subtle sarcasm, but the Potions professor seemed oblivious to it and just stepped out of the carriage when they arrived, and walked up the stairs,  Harry had his arm around Sandrilene's waist, and Ron and Hermione were holding hands.

Snape led them around the castle through to the Headmasters office and said the password, "innocence," before pushing the four of them through in front of him.

They knocked and waited to be allowed in, the niceties must be observed, and then took four chairs in the back corner of the room, shrouded in shadows, "you wanted to see us?" Sandrilene said quietly to all the people in the room.

"We owe you an-" Dumbledore started.

"Apology," Harry finished his sentence, "yes.  We know, but you see it holds no meaning to us.  Somewhere in the last year, you lost all faith in three of us and we still continue to fight for you, despite your various attempts to have the Kiss administered to us.  When Ron and Hermione turned up on my doorstep, I took them in because they had nowhere else to go, and I didn't want them to end up where I had been only two weeks before, but it took me until recently to trust them again, and I don't know what it will take to make us trust you all again, but you won't know until you understand just how much we hurt."

"Show us," Dumbledore commanded.

"We're not students you can command anymore," Hermione said, and this had an enormous effect.  Hermione Granger, book-worm top student was speaking back to a teacher, the Headmaster no less, "you lost your right to command us when you expelled us, and trust me when I say that you couldn't handle Ron's or my story and if you can't handle that, then there is no way in hell that I'm going to let you see Harry's or Sandrilene's because it's far more depressing than ours.  We had a guide to help us.  They didn't."

Sirius blanched, "Harry, you didn't-"

"do drugs?" Harry smirked, "well, that's really none of your business, Black."

"sell yourself?"

At those words all action in the room ceased and people turned to look even closer at Harry Potter, the boy who lived.  His eyes had flashed and Sandrilene had moved her arms protectively around him as his eyes faded to deep pits of pain, "again," he said in a deep baritone, "none of your business, Black."

Sandrilene loosened her grip and threw her eyes to all of them, "I never actually had a chance to meet you before Harry left, and I only met Ron and Herm when they came to live with us, but you should know that not once has Harry spoken ill of you, even though there is obviously a lot that he could have said.  Harry is a good man, a wonderful wizard and one more firmly on the side of the Light you couldn't find, so what gives you the right to hurt him every damn time you see him?"

There was a pause and then Dumbledore frowned, "so, should we apologize, then?" he asked.

Hermione turned her eyes to him and they flashed a brilliant white and slipped into black nothingness, "look back upon your actions and look back upon ours, reach your own decision.  I am sure that through understanding of each persons actions a compromise can be reached," she said, as though quoting from a text book.  Then she frowned, shook her head and stared at him harshly, "now that I've given you the textbook reason, I'm going to ask you a really significant question, WHY THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK?"

She walked to her parents who were staring at her in shock and positively flinched when she offered her hand.  She caught the flinch and something flickered in her eyes, "Guys," she said to her friends, "I'm going back to our room.  I'll see you there later."

"Wait a minute, Herm," Harry said, standing, "I'm coming with you, Sandri?  Ron?"

Ron nodded and Sandri was already at the door.

"Excuse me," Dumbledore said, "but where do you think you're going?"

"I didn't think you cared," Harry said tightly, "but if Death Eaters attack tonight, then Shadow will look forward to seeing you on the field."

The four of them walked out without a backward glance and Sirius started as the door shut with a soft click, "I think somewhere in that conversation we made a fatal mistake, and I still can't work out what it was."

"It's going to take time, Sirius," Remus said softly, "they have nobody who believed them except themselves, me, Moody and Snape.  Perhaps you want to reconsider how you act around them."

Sirius just stared, "you mean you knew they were innocent the whole time?  And you knew that Harry was Shadow?"

"Yes," Remus agreed, "and I felt he was doing the right thing.  You haven't really seen him on the field yet, but he's unbelievable.  I don't know what you know of skilled fighting, but Harry has it all.  If he had been in danger then I would have told you sooner but as it was, he was expelled and his wand was taken and he disappeared and you hardly had a chance."

"But he's been out on the field since then; he's something of a legend!" Sirius growled, "and it's fairly obvious that his life has been in danger,"

"And it's not like you cared, a week ago, is it?" Remus said reproachfully.