What Could Have Been
By: Sailoranime
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Disclaimer: Sailoranime - doesn't own Harry Potter. JK- owns Harry Potter. Happy?
AN: Ack! I took two months, didn't I? I'm so sorry, really I am. I didn't mean to, but TFtWH is like absorbing all my energy, and even chapters for that are every 2-3 weeks, even if they are longer. Okay, I'm not going to quit this story. I'm going to start writing it more often, and I PROMISE to have the next chapter out by the end of this month (July). Okay, here we go.
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Harry woke up the next morning in a very good mood. He'd had some odd dreams, but he knew they meant nothing. He looked around, trying to figure out what had awoken him. The dormitory was empty, and the only living thing there was Crookshanks. Harry sat up and looked around. Exams were over, and it was a Saturday, so all Harry was going to do was finish the work he was behind on, lay around, and possibly go out and play Quidditch. Maybe he'd be able to see Sirius.
He wasn't quite sure he wanted to see Sirius, though. He would probably insist that Harry forgive Lupin, but it wasn't like Harry had anything to forgive. He wasn't the one that was dead. Harry's mind went to Pettigrew, lying on the dusty floor of the Shrieking Shack.
He looked at Crookshanks. "I guess you were right about Wormtail all along, weren't you?"
Crookshanks purred as Harry rubbed his stomach. Making sure every body part was in its proper item of clothing, Harry got up and opened the door, only to see Hermione standing there.
"About time you woke up! I sent Crookshanks in there almost half and hour ago."
Harry looked at her oddly as they walked down the stairs. "Why didn't you just come in?"
Hermione shrugged. "I talked to Professor McGonagall, and she thinks we might be able to go see Ron today. Except there were other students around when I asked her, so I didn't get a chance to ask if we would be able to see Sirius, too."
Harry shrugged, "Ron was hurt pretty bad, but I think Madam Pomfrey might have him in better shape now. Do you think he'll be out in time for lessons on Monday?"
"He probably hopes not to be." Hermione answered as they walked out of the Common Room and toward the Great Hall. "What do you think will happen now that Professor Lupin resigned?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, are we going to have a replacement? When Professor Lupin was ill, Professor Snape taught his classes-"
"Oh, not Snape!"
"Well, maybe if you would let me finish…! Professor Snape has his own classes to teach, and for him to teach both Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts wouldn't make sense, and it would probably be too stressful on him." Hermione reasoned.
"Besides," Harry added, "he'll probably need someone to teach his classes for him. He was pretty badly hurt, wasn't he? Last night they said he practically broke out of the Hospital wing, and I remember yesterday Seamus said something about seeing him limping to the dungeons."
"He'll be better by Monday, I'm sure-"
"Thanks for dashing my hopes, then, Hermione." Harry answered sarcastically, but Hermione saw him grin. "It's too late for us to get a new teacher, and they have a hard time finding someone to take that job, as it is. Maybe they'll give us the class period off."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"It wouldn't be too bad."
"No, I suppose not. To be perfectly honest, I almost fell behind on my work with all the classes I'm taking."
"Well, we can catch up tomorrow. I think I want to play Quidditch."
"Well, I suppose we can go outside for a bit, I'll finish up my class work while you fly around."
"What do you mean? You never like coming outside with us when Ron and I go flying."
"I know, but Ron can't come with you this time."
"So you'll keep me company?"
"Of course."
"This is about the Dementors, isn't it? I thought they were gone."
"Don't be silly, of course it's not about the dementors." Hermione snapped. Harry raised an eyebrow. "Well, they're supposed to be gone, but you never know..." she added.
"I'll be fine, Hermione."
"Well, I could use some fresh air, anyways."
Realizing he was not going to win that battle, Harry shrugged. They took a seat at the near-empty Gryffindor table. It wasn't until he saw how empty the Great Hall was, that he realized how late it was. "I really overslept, didn't I?"
Hermione nodded. "Are you still mad at Professor Lupin?"
Harry took a bite out of his sausage and shook his head. "I'm not mad."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, you certainly do a good impression of it. If you're not mad at him, then what's bothering you? It's not about Pettigrew, so are you just upset that he never told you who he was?"
Harry took a biscuit from the basket but said nothing. It was a few minutes before he finally spoke. "I just think he should have told the truth. Even if Dumbledore told him not to, he could have hinted at it. I like Lupin, I just don't understand him. And, he did kill Wormtail. Even if Wormtail deserved it.... I know I almost killed Sirius myself, but I didn't. "
"Well, I don't know, Harry. I'm confused too, really," Hermione admitted, "But when I think of everything that could have gone wrong. If he'd escaped, you wouldn't be able to see Sirius anymore, he might have been caught. Professor Lupin's transformation really was unexpected. Besides, Harry, even if we'd managed to get Pettigrew up here, you know he would have been given the kiss. The Dementor's Kiss is the worst punishment they have, it's even worse than death, so Pettigrew is better off now than he would have been."
"I hadn't thought about it that way." Harry admitted.
Hermione was saved the trouble of answering when she saw McGonagall heading towards them. "I see you got him up, Miss Granger," she commented with something that might have been a smile. "I've talked to Madam Pomfrey, and she has kindly agreed to let you two see your friends." She put a delicate emphasis on the last word.
Harry and Hermione thanked her and quickly finished their breakfast. Neither said anything on the way to the Hospital wing, and when they arrived they were met by a disapproving Madam Pomfrey who kept eyeing them suspiciously as if to see if they had healed properly while not under her care.
Ron was sitting up on his bed, a slight grin on his face. Harry headed towards him, but Hermione stayed where she was. Harry gave her a questioning look at she moved towards him.
"I'm going to go talk to Sirius first," she whispered in his ear, motioning towards the bed that was hidden by a curtain at the end of the hospital wing, "but I don't think it's a good idea for Madam Pomfrey to overhear, so can you keep her busy? Ask about Ron."
Harry nodded, well aware that Hermione and Sirius were going to talk about him.
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Okay, next chapter, we get to see the conversation. Like I said, I promise to have the next chapter out before the end of July. Meanwhile, check my LiveJournal for teasers or updates. And if you want to add me as a friend on LJ, feel free to do so. You can get to my live journal through my profile page, or you can just look for slightlypsycho. I'm rather in the middle of a quiz war, do don't be freaked out by any weird posts you may see... 0o
'Til next time!
By: Sailoranime
.................................................................................................................................
Disclaimer: Sailoranime - doesn't own Harry Potter. JK- owns Harry Potter. Happy?
AN: Ack! I took two months, didn't I? I'm so sorry, really I am. I didn't mean to, but TFtWH is like absorbing all my energy, and even chapters for that are every 2-3 weeks, even if they are longer. Okay, I'm not going to quit this story. I'm going to start writing it more often, and I PROMISE to have the next chapter out by the end of this month (July). Okay, here we go.
.................................................................................................................................
Harry woke up the next morning in a very good mood. He'd had some odd dreams, but he knew they meant nothing. He looked around, trying to figure out what had awoken him. The dormitory was empty, and the only living thing there was Crookshanks. Harry sat up and looked around. Exams were over, and it was a Saturday, so all Harry was going to do was finish the work he was behind on, lay around, and possibly go out and play Quidditch. Maybe he'd be able to see Sirius.
He wasn't quite sure he wanted to see Sirius, though. He would probably insist that Harry forgive Lupin, but it wasn't like Harry had anything to forgive. He wasn't the one that was dead. Harry's mind went to Pettigrew, lying on the dusty floor of the Shrieking Shack.
He looked at Crookshanks. "I guess you were right about Wormtail all along, weren't you?"
Crookshanks purred as Harry rubbed his stomach. Making sure every body part was in its proper item of clothing, Harry got up and opened the door, only to see Hermione standing there.
"About time you woke up! I sent Crookshanks in there almost half and hour ago."
Harry looked at her oddly as they walked down the stairs. "Why didn't you just come in?"
Hermione shrugged. "I talked to Professor McGonagall, and she thinks we might be able to go see Ron today. Except there were other students around when I asked her, so I didn't get a chance to ask if we would be able to see Sirius, too."
Harry shrugged, "Ron was hurt pretty bad, but I think Madam Pomfrey might have him in better shape now. Do you think he'll be out in time for lessons on Monday?"
"He probably hopes not to be." Hermione answered as they walked out of the Common Room and toward the Great Hall. "What do you think will happen now that Professor Lupin resigned?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, are we going to have a replacement? When Professor Lupin was ill, Professor Snape taught his classes-"
"Oh, not Snape!"
"Well, maybe if you would let me finish…! Professor Snape has his own classes to teach, and for him to teach both Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts wouldn't make sense, and it would probably be too stressful on him." Hermione reasoned.
"Besides," Harry added, "he'll probably need someone to teach his classes for him. He was pretty badly hurt, wasn't he? Last night they said he practically broke out of the Hospital wing, and I remember yesterday Seamus said something about seeing him limping to the dungeons."
"He'll be better by Monday, I'm sure-"
"Thanks for dashing my hopes, then, Hermione." Harry answered sarcastically, but Hermione saw him grin. "It's too late for us to get a new teacher, and they have a hard time finding someone to take that job, as it is. Maybe they'll give us the class period off."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"It wouldn't be too bad."
"No, I suppose not. To be perfectly honest, I almost fell behind on my work with all the classes I'm taking."
"Well, we can catch up tomorrow. I think I want to play Quidditch."
"Well, I suppose we can go outside for a bit, I'll finish up my class work while you fly around."
"What do you mean? You never like coming outside with us when Ron and I go flying."
"I know, but Ron can't come with you this time."
"So you'll keep me company?"
"Of course."
"This is about the Dementors, isn't it? I thought they were gone."
"Don't be silly, of course it's not about the dementors." Hermione snapped. Harry raised an eyebrow. "Well, they're supposed to be gone, but you never know..." she added.
"I'll be fine, Hermione."
"Well, I could use some fresh air, anyways."
Realizing he was not going to win that battle, Harry shrugged. They took a seat at the near-empty Gryffindor table. It wasn't until he saw how empty the Great Hall was, that he realized how late it was. "I really overslept, didn't I?"
Hermione nodded. "Are you still mad at Professor Lupin?"
Harry took a bite out of his sausage and shook his head. "I'm not mad."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, you certainly do a good impression of it. If you're not mad at him, then what's bothering you? It's not about Pettigrew, so are you just upset that he never told you who he was?"
Harry took a biscuit from the basket but said nothing. It was a few minutes before he finally spoke. "I just think he should have told the truth. Even if Dumbledore told him not to, he could have hinted at it. I like Lupin, I just don't understand him. And, he did kill Wormtail. Even if Wormtail deserved it.... I know I almost killed Sirius myself, but I didn't. "
"Well, I don't know, Harry. I'm confused too, really," Hermione admitted, "But when I think of everything that could have gone wrong. If he'd escaped, you wouldn't be able to see Sirius anymore, he might have been caught. Professor Lupin's transformation really was unexpected. Besides, Harry, even if we'd managed to get Pettigrew up here, you know he would have been given the kiss. The Dementor's Kiss is the worst punishment they have, it's even worse than death, so Pettigrew is better off now than he would have been."
"I hadn't thought about it that way." Harry admitted.
Hermione was saved the trouble of answering when she saw McGonagall heading towards them. "I see you got him up, Miss Granger," she commented with something that might have been a smile. "I've talked to Madam Pomfrey, and she has kindly agreed to let you two see your friends." She put a delicate emphasis on the last word.
Harry and Hermione thanked her and quickly finished their breakfast. Neither said anything on the way to the Hospital wing, and when they arrived they were met by a disapproving Madam Pomfrey who kept eyeing them suspiciously as if to see if they had healed properly while not under her care.
Ron was sitting up on his bed, a slight grin on his face. Harry headed towards him, but Hermione stayed where she was. Harry gave her a questioning look at she moved towards him.
"I'm going to go talk to Sirius first," she whispered in his ear, motioning towards the bed that was hidden by a curtain at the end of the hospital wing, "but I don't think it's a good idea for Madam Pomfrey to overhear, so can you keep her busy? Ask about Ron."
Harry nodded, well aware that Hermione and Sirius were going to talk about him.
.................................................................................................................................
Okay, next chapter, we get to see the conversation. Like I said, I promise to have the next chapter out before the end of July. Meanwhile, check my LiveJournal for teasers or updates. And if you want to add me as a friend on LJ, feel free to do so. You can get to my live journal through my profile page, or you can just look for slightlypsycho. I'm rather in the middle of a quiz war, do don't be freaked out by any weird posts you may see... 0o
'Til next time!