Once more and again.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belongs to JKR I am merely borrowing them without permission.

Summary: It's Harry' s 6th year and he's in DADA practicing some new spells, once goes wrong and he is sent back 3 years ago, what happens when he knows that he shouldn't change the past but then certain circumstances escalate out of his control. . . .

Chapter Five

Harry ran after the limp figure of Ron and the canine version of Sirius into the range of the Whomping Willow. He stopped as one of its branches lashed out at him. Behind him Hermione came skidding up to him, panting. She was clearly out of breath.

"Harry" she started "Where's … … … Ron … … … gone?"

He looked at her over his shoulder and then motioned to the tree.

"You remember on the map that it showed a secret passage leading to Hogsmeade from here?" he asked her, she stood up and nodded. "Well the passage goes from here." He motioned to the tree. "We just need to get to it."

"Er… … … Harry how do we do that?" Hermione asked, clearly confused. As she spoke the small ginger form of Crookshanks sped past them and hit the knot of the tree with his paw.

"That's how." Harry ran forward. "Remember to keep hold of the cloak!" He shouted back to Hermione as he ducked into the passage after the cat.

The tunnel was as long and cramped as he remembered it to be, and just like last time, when he reached the trap door his back was aching and he was covered head to foot in dust.

"Come on Hermione!" he called back to her as he lifted the door. Pulling out his wand he whispered, "Lumos" and blinked as he took in the dusty room. Just as he was climbing out her heard Hermione behind him again.

"Harry be careful!" she hissed as he stood up. He turned and pulled her up.

"Light your wand!" he whispered before making his way to the stairs.

"Harry how do you know where you're going?"

Harry pointed his wand to the ground where a sleek path was cleaned through the dusty floorboards.

"Oh. Okay" Hermione answered, a bit put out that he knew that when she didn't notice it.

"Come on Hermione!" Harry hissed to her again as he climbed the creaking stairs. They reached the top and Harry led the way along the hallway towards the bedroom where he knew his godfather and Ron were waiting.

"This is it" he whispered to himself opening the door with his left hand, his wand still in his right. Ron was lying on the floor again gripping his leg; Hermione saw this and rushed past Harry to his side.

"Get him on the bed." Harry commanded.

"Harry … … … it's a … … … trap!" Ron croaked, wincing as Hermione tried to move him.

"Hermione are you a witch or not?" Harry asked her frowning.

Hermione blushed and said, "Nox, Mobilicorpus." Ron floated onto the bed and Hermione sat at his side.

"Where's the dog Ron?" she asked.

"He's not a dog … … … he's an animagus!" Ron replied weakly.

"What! Who is?" She asked him again, moping his brow with a wet cloth that she had conjured.

"Sirius Black." Ron replied again, looking past Hermione and past Harry to the corner where a group of shadows stood.

Hermione looked around but Harry didn't move. He was lost deep in thought about what to do next. Let the scene play out like it had done three years previous, well it wouldn't go the same seeing as Hermione had kept hold of the cloak but if he said or did anything different he could save Sirius' life and he could have him cleared. But if he did that Voldemort wouldn't return, he would be doing the best thing, wouldn't he. But he wasn't supposed to change the past. He could change things for the worst not for the better.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted to him.

"Huh? What?" He asked her stunned out of his thoughts. His mind made up.

The shadows in the corner moved, and Sirius Black stepped out of them Ron's wand raised.

"Accio Wands" he croaked, but mind made up Harry waved his own.

"Protego." Sirius' spell bounced off his shield and he kept hold of his wand. Hermione's however was swept out of her hand and Sirius caught it in his own.

Everyone in the room was looking at Harry.

"Harry that's a fifth year spell!" Hermione said to him, shocked.

Harry was staring at Sirius, trying to stop himself from running to him and hugging him. Mentally he shook his head.

"Hello Sirius." He said to his godfather calmly.

"Harry! He's a murderer! He killed your parents!" Hermione cried to him. Harry ignored her, still locked eyes with Sirius.

"Children are told bed time stories. But when I was a child I was never told a bedtime story. Tell us a story Sirius. Tell us a story about the time when you were my parent's secret keeper and when you switched to Wormtail." Sirius stared at Harry in shock.

"How do you know that?" he croaked.

"Tell us a story Sirius." Harry said again.

Sirius looked at Harry then he began his tale of that fateful Halloween night. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat through his tale in silence. Not once making a sound.

~S~ End Chapter ~S~