Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The betrayal.

Another knock on the door interrupted their talk about quidditch. Before anyone had the chance to answer, Ron opened the door and motioned for Harry. "Dragon, Phoenix says it's time to open the presents, so come on."

Harry nodded, smiling at his friend and stood up. "Ok, coming." He turned to the three adults. "Are you coming?"

The marauders smiled at him, a little relieved that he wanted them there and stood up, ready to follow him. Harry and Ron walked in silence to the Gryffindor tower. When they entered, everyone was already there, a lot of packages were littered on the floor. Harry smiled and went up to his room to retrieve the presents he had bought. When he came down, everyone had settled down around the fire and were talking excitedly. Dragon joined his best friends in a corner of the room, a little apart from the rest and put the presents down next to him. Seeing everyone was there, the twins gave the start out signal and began to wildly unpack the pile of presents laying in front of them. Ron, Harry and Hermione looked at everyone for a while, hearing their gasps of surprise and then finally Phoenix turned to them. "Well, guys, here you go." She handed both her friends a box and smiled when they also gave her their presents. Harry opened Phoenix's present first and was not that surprised when it turned out to be a book, a book he had been searching for a long time. Happily he embraced the girl and turned to Ron's present. The red-haired boy looked up from the games Harry had bought him and smiled at his friend. "Be careful with it."

Harry looked at him curiously before noticing the box had some holes. Narrowing his eyes he looked at his friend. "It's not going to bite, or something like that, right?"

Ron laughed brightly but shook his head. "Don't worry, I don't think so."

Harry frowned but nevertheless opened the box. With a delighted shout he put a hand in it and took out a small snake. "Oh, Griffin, it's beautiful." The small snake looked up to him and began to hiss. Harry hissed back, introducing himself.

The hissing attracted everyone's attention, the Weasleys, Sirius and Remus looked somewhat surprised, but all had known for a long time about Harry being a parselmouth, making the surprise turn into curiosity almost immediately. On the other hand James and Lily where starring horrified at their supposed son. That was the last straw, after all the shocks of that day they couldn't accept this anymore, this couldn't be their son, it was impossible. Sirius turned to them and frowned at their expression. "Lily, James, is something wrong?"

Both stood up shakily and started to walk backwards towards the door, their eyes never leaving Harry. When they reached the door, James opened it and Lily talked in a cold voice, hatred dripping from every word. "I don't know who you are, but let me tell you that you are sick. How can you impersonate our death son?!" Then without another word she turned away and left with her husband. The room stayed deadly silent. Ron's and Hermione's mouths were hanging open in shock, they couldn't believe what just had happened. Sirius's expression began to turn from shock to rage. After all the things James had said and done he went and did something nearly as stupid as he had done. The rest of the room didn't know what to do, so they stayed silent, waiting for Harry's response. The dark-haired boy turned to his friends, they could see the deep hurt inside his eyes even if his expression had turned blank. With a soft voice he said. "I'm not feeling well, I'm going to my room." And without a last glance he walked up the stairs. Griffin sat there for a few more moments before shaking his head and starting to go up the stairs, closely followed by Phoenix. On the other hand, Sirius stood up and stormed out of the common room, followed closely by Remus who was afraid Sirius was about to do something stupid.

When Ron and Hermione entered the room they saw Harry laying on his bed, his head buried in the pillow. They quickly joined him on the bed, hugging him from either side, encircling him between them. It had been one of their favourite ways of comforting themselves back when they had got back from the hospital, it gave them a feeling of safety.

Ron was the first to break the silence. "I'm sorry, Dragon. I shouldn't have given you that snake."

The raven-haired boy shook his head slightly. "It's not your fault, I really liked it. I never expected them to react that way." He snorted disdainfully. "And they were accusing Sirius for leaving me alone, really."

His friends shifted a little uncomfortable, neither knowing what to say. They stayed in the same position for several hours, never really starting a conversation.

Ron once again started the conversation. "Guys, lets go back."

They both looked at him confused, Hermione spoke from Harry's other side. "What do you mean?"

The redhead sat up and looked at them. "Lets go back to the muggle world, lets go back home."

Harry stayed laying. "Why Griffin? I thought you were getting along with your family?"

Ron shook his head. "I am, more or less, but to stay here? I don't feel comfortable here anymore, it isn't home anymore." He stayed quiet for a while and then looked at them again. "Besides, it wouldn't make much of a difference to go school there then here, I wouldn't see my parents either way except on holidays. We have been catching up and studying in the muggle world for a year, we skipped a year and we only have a few months to end our schooling there. We could come back to Hogwarts after we have done the exams, I don't want to let all I've learned go to waste. What do you think about it?"

Hermione shrugged. "I can see my parents anyway, even better if we are in the muggle world. I will go with you guys, whatever you decide."

"Dragon?"

Harry looked silently out of the window, he didn't particularly care to stay here, but he had one big concern. Sirius. Could he really do it, could he really leave his godfather behind now he was so emotionally unstable?

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews.