Disclaimer In chapter 1

A/N Too short. . . way too short. . . . And it took me too long to get it out. I'm sooooooo sorry. School was more than I expected, and the teachers handed out homework like crazy. I want to update more than once a week, but I don't know how possible that is. So bear with me as I scurry around trying to find time. Where's a time-turner when you need it?

-

Leaving

It was still raining the next morning when Harry woke up, but he didn't get out of bed like he normally did. He found that he had a throbbing headache, and instead remained in bed, staring absently at the wood ceiling.

Hermione came knocking not too much later, obviously concerned that he hadn't appeared yet. She left him some porridge, which he didn't eat and instead left on the bedside table. He drifted back to sleep a bit later, and when he awoke the rain had stopped. Finally, he clambered out of bed.

"Hey, Harry," Neville said. He was sitting on the couch when Harry entered the den.

"Neville," Harry responded, his voice low and hoarse. He gave Neville a rough, one-armed hug. "Thanks for the help with the dementors."

Neville blushed slightly. "I had a good teacher," he mumbled.

Harry turned to the other people in the room, and gave them a small wave.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Ginny asked. She was sitting on the couch in between Dean and Neville.

Harry shrugged, scratching his head. "Like I got hit with a freight train." He looked around. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They went back to Dumbledore's hide-out. They want to move us from here because of the dementors," Ginny said.

Harry nodded and stood with his hands in his pockets for a minute.

"Well don't just stand there!" Seamus said cheerfully. "Come and sit down! Budge up there, Dean."

Harry yawned and fell onto the soft cushions between Seamus and Dean.

"Did you eat?" Parvati asked from her seat by the fire.

"No." Harry shook his head. "Not too hungry."

He saw Parvati exchange a look with Lavender.

"What?" Harry asked.

Lavender spoke, with an encouraging glance from Parvati. "We were wondering, Harry. . ." she said slowly.

"Yes?" Harry prompted.

"We were wondering what you. . . what you hear when the dementors get near you. . . . I mean, it affects you like nobody else. . . ."

Harry stared at her. He was dimly aware that everyone in the room was watching him eagerly. He lowered his head into his hands and rubbed his face vigorously.

"Sorry," Lavender said immediately. "You don't have to answer. It was a stupid question. . . ."

"No," Harry said, looking at her again, "it's okay." He looked slowly around the room, taking in everyone's wary appearance. "When the dementor came on the Hogwarts Express in third year. . . I heard my Mum and Dad dying," he said shakily. "I've heard that ever since then. But last night it changed. . . . I heard Sirius dying. I—relived the night he was killed."

"He was your godfather, huh? Sirius Black?" Parvati asked.

Harry nodded. He pulled a picture of Sirius out of his pocket; he had been carrying it around for days. "This was him when my parent's got married. He was the best man."

Parvati took the photograph and held it so that Lavender could see it. Harry saw them both raise their eyebrows.

"He wasn't bad looking," Lavender said.

Harry smiled softly. "That doesn't matter now. He's gone." He took back the picture and put it in his pocket. "When will Ron and Hermione be back?"

"Now," a voice said from the hallway. Harry turned to see Ron and Hermione walking in.

"Well?" Ginny asked. "What's going to happen?"

"Pack up your things, everyone," Hermione announced. "Dumbledore's moving us."

"Great," Seamus said sarcastically. They all stood up and left the room, leaving Harry there with Hermione and Ron.

"Aren't you going to go pack, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't have much to pack," he shrugged. "Where are we going now?"

"Scotland," Ron said promptly. "A Muggle town on the other side of the mountains from Hogwarts."

Upon hearing the name of the castle, both Hermione and Ron saw Harry flinch. Ron immediately tried to correct his mistake.

"Sorry, mate, I forgot. . . ."

"No," Harry said. He turned to look out the window. "I guess I'll have to go back there sometime, huh?"

"Not until you're ready," Hermione said.

Harry didn't respond. He looked out to the trees still covered with snow. He remembered Padfoot's Pasture and turned back to his friends.

"When are we leaving?"

"As soon as possible."

"Wait for me." Harry jogged lightly from the room, and out the front door. He sped up when he reached the forest, and ran through it, crashing through low branches, and hopping over icy logs on the way. When he finally reached the clearing, he was wet with the snow that had fallen from the branches, and was breathing hard. He immediately turned to the thick tree that he had burned that message on. The words still scarred the bark.

Harry jammed his hands in his pockets and looked out across the snow. Most of it had melted with the recent rain, and a few leaves of green grass poked out through the white. He walked out to the log that he had sat on with Ron and Hermione, and sat down on it. He had his hands clasped in front of him as he looked around.

Somehow this place had become somewhat of a mourning ground for Harry, and now that he was going to leave it behind, it was like losing whatever he had to hold onto of Sirius. He tried to remember every detail he could of the clearing, even though Sirius had never actually been here.

He dug in the snow by his feet and uncovered a small stone that had swirls of silver in it, and glittered in the sun. He slipped it into his pocket, and got up to leave. As he was passing by the engraved tree, he took out his wand again and added a new inscription to it.

Marauder Forever

He reached out his hand and gently dragged his finger along all of the letters. He stepped back and looked at the engraving.

"Goodbye, Sirius," he muttered under his breath, and made his way back to the house.

-

When they arrived at their new sanctuary, Dumbledore was there to greet them. Harry chose to avoid conversation by taking a look around their new house. No one objected to him leaving.

The house was larger than their previous one, and had two stories. He immediately claimed his room which was at the top of the stairs at the end of the hall, and was isolated from the rest of the rooms. It had a bed, bookshelf, and a desk all the same color mahogany. The volumes of books on the shelves where thick and dusty, and reminded Harry eerily of the Restricted Section in the Hogwarts Library. The bed had red sheets with a gold bedspread, and was covered in pillows. The desk was well polished, and on top of it lay a quill, thick sheet of parchment, and an unopened bottle of ink. Harry put his one bag down on the bed and opened the shades on the windows. Brilliant light poured into the room, and Harry noticed the red carpet below him had gold swirls in it that glittered in the sunlight.

He looked out the window and noticed that the snow was still very thick on the ground. There was no forest nearby, instead there were more houses. He rested his elbows on the window sill and stared out to the blue sky.

Someone knocked on his door. "Harry?"

"Come in."

The door opened and Ginny poked her head in. "Hermione wanted me to tell you that Dumbledore's leaving."

"Okay."

"Aren't you going to say 'goodbye' to him?"

"I didn't say 'hi' in the first place," Harry said bitterly.

There was a pause, and then Ginny walked into the room, closing the door behind her. "You used to love talking to Dumbledore," she said.

"People change," Harry said, turning to face her and leaning against the sill.

"Why don't you talk to him anymore?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't have anything to say to him."

"But he might have something to say to you!"

"Well he can write an owl!" Harry said, his voice raised. "Just mind your own business!" Ginny stared at him. Harry turned to look out the window again, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'll. . . I'll tell him you said 'bye,' then," she said, opening the door and leaving.

Harry groaned. "Ginny, wait." He ran to the door and flung it open. "Ginny, I'm sorry!"

Ginny was already at the end of the hall, but she turned back to him, the color rising in her face. "What?" she snarled.

"I didn't mean to lose my temper like that," Harry explained. Then he lowered his voice. "I just don't feel comfortable talking to Dumbledore yet. Give it time."

Ginny nodded and looked away.

"D'you. . . d'you know if he had anything to say?"

"He's going to take some people to Hogsmeade with him, to see if there's somebody they can help there. I think he wanted to ask if you wanted to go."

Harry sighed. "Okay."

"Will you go?"

"I might."

"Go tell him."

Harry glanced back towards his room, mainly to avoid Ginny's strict stare. "I guess I can." He looked back at Ginny who gave him a weak smile which he returned.

Dumbledore was enjoying a mug of hot chocolate when Harry and Ginny entered. Ginny stood off to the side next to Ron as everyone watched Harry.

"Ah, Harry, getting situated in your new bedroom?"

"I guess," Harry shrugged.

"I was just discussing with Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger a trip to Hogsmeade I'm going to make tomorrow. I've invited them, so it's only fair that you receive the same invitation."

Harry nodded. "Ginny told me. I'd like to go, I want to feel like I'm doing something."

Dumbledore smiled. "We all do."

"What time are we leaving?"

"Noon."

"But won't we be seen?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "No, we won't." He reached down to a bag he had at his feet and pulled out several masses of black cloth. "I have gained possession of several Death Eater robes that I believe will fit you all perfectly."

Harry shook his head, a faint smile curving his lips. "Snape does have his uses."

"Professor Snape, Harry."

-

It turned out that the robes did fit Harry perfectly, and when he pulled the mask on and looked in the mirror, he gave himself a fright; he looked exactly like a Death Eater. He tucked his wand into his robes and went downstairs where Dumbledore was waiting for them. Harry met another Death Eater out in the hall.

"Harry?"

"Ron?"

"I feel like I'm bloody trick-or-treating," Ron mumbled.

"I have a feeling we won't be getting candy, though," Harry replied. A third masked figure emerged from a door right by the stairs.

"It's rather ironic that I'm wearing this," Hermione's voice said, her hand fingering the flowing robes, "when I'm one of their main targets."

"Just keep your head down," Ron advised.

Harry was sure that had he seen Hermione's face, he would have seen her roll her eyes.

"Who else is coming?" Harry asked as they started to go down the stairs.

"Dumbledore," Hermione said.

"Ginny," Ron said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I wish she'd stay here. . . ."

"Neville's coming too," Hermione added. "Everyone else decided to stay behind."

Harry nodded, but he wasn't sure if Ron or Hermione could see it; the masks limited their peripheral vision. They entered the kitchen to see a tall, powerful looking Death Eater offering Ginny a lemon drop. Ginny took one and popped it in her mouth. She looked as the three of them entered.

"Lift up your masks so I can tell who's who," she said. "I know the middle one's Ron. . . he's the tallest."

Harry lifted his mask, but was still watching Dumbledore. Even though his headmaster was hooded and masked, he still gave off an extraordinary feeling of power that seemed to come off him in waves.

"Everyone, gather here in the middle and hold out your left forearms," Dumbledore said.

Harry pulled up his sleeve and exposed his skin as he walked over to Dumbledore who pulled out his wand. A muttered spell later, a black skull with a snake protruding from it's mouth was imprinted on Harry's skin. It burned slightly, but then the pain subsided. Harry watched as all of his companions received the Dark Mark as well.

"They're not permanent; they'll disappear in 24 hours," Dumbledore explained, giving himself the mark as well. "If Voldemort calls the Death Eaters, however, your mark will burn. Okay. Everybody ready?"

Harry nodded and pulled his mask back down.

"We might pass a check point, so just be prepared to show them your arm," Dumbledore said. And then he disappeared silently with a swish of his robes.

"See you on the other side," Ron mumbled. Harry nodded and looked quickly around the kitchen, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time he saw it.

-

A/N In response to those of you wondering if there's going to be a H/Hr romance here, I'm not sure yet. At the moment I think Harry's too emotionally drained for a relationship, but tell me what you think. I'm open to all suggestions.

peace

felony melanie

ps - I can't really tell if my muse is back yet. . . lol. I'll let you know.