PART TWO

Time passed as it has a tendency to do, first Halloween and then Christmas approached. The dream recurred with increasing frequency causing consternation to Harry. Did the dream indicate that he was interested in this person or did this person occupy his waking thoughts because of his dreams? Caught up in his thoughts, Harry had not realised he had stopped moving. Therefore he was startled by the sound of giggling from, what turned out to be, an attractive blonde in front of him.

"Um, You're under the mistletoe."

More giggling. Looking up, Harry had to concede she was right.

"I see."

"You know, it's magic mistletoe? You won't be able to move until you kiss someone."

Harry could not think of any response to this except " right", which the girl took as some sort of encouragement since she leant forward and kissed him. Unconsciously, Harry closed his eyes. It wasn't wet and it wasn't half bad. In fact, it was quite pleasant. When the kiss finished, he opened his eyes and a pang of disappointment ran through him when he found himself facing blue, not gold eyes. Not quite sure what was appropriate now, Harry mumbled his thanks and fled. That night, his dreams were particularly vivid.

" Harry, you do realise its Christmas and you're allowed to have a break from studying!"

Startled, Harry was about to answer when he felt Madam Pince's disapproving gaze upon him, as though him to disrupt the quiet of her library further. Deciding not to risk her wrath, he contented himself with giving one of his rare smiles until Sirius had settled himself where he answered.

"Yes, I know it's Christmas but I want to get this work done and this is the only place I can get some peace."

"Most of the students have gone home, I'd have thought the Gryffindor common room would be fairly quiet?"

" They are but the ones left keeping making comments or asking questions."

When Sirius said nothing, Harry continued,

" I got caught under the mistletoe by a Gryffindor fifth year and now everyone wants details except there are no details."

"So what's the fuss unless of course you'd like there to be details?"

"No"

" You know, you are allowed to have a life outside study. Everything doesn't revolve around N.E.W.T.S, no matter what Hermione would have you believe."
" No, but there is the little matter of Voldemort."

"Still you shouldn't let that stop you socialising and making friends!"

" I have friends."

" You know what I mean?"

" I know but I, well, actually, I just feel like I don't have anything to talk to them about. They all seem to be obsessed with the latest articles in Witch Weekly, who wore which gown and beauty products. It all seems so juvenile and they're always giggling. How did you stand it?"

" There are other things to do apart from talk"

" Yeah, that's what Ron said."

" Well it's true. As for them seeming immature I don't recall having that problem, if anything, I reckon the girls in my year considered me juvenile."

" So did all the girls in the years below you, in fact, the general consensus was that the average first year had more maturity then you, Padfoot."

The appearance of Professor Lupin behind Sirius, mischievous smile reminiscent of his dream caused Harry to flush, remembering what had happened after the smile. As an attempt to distract himself from such thoughts, he began to fidget, tidying up papers and books.

" We missed you at dinner, Harry."

"It's not that late, is it?"

"Afraid so."

"If you're hungry, we can raid the kitchens and head back to Moony's where I can fill you in on all that's happened these past few months."

"Ok but I'll meet you there. I've got to take some of this stuff back to my room."

Harry caught up with them as they were halfway to Professor Lupin's rooms. Harry's eyebrow rose at the amount of food in their arms. Sirius gave his bark like laugh before commenting " you know what house elves are like!"

"I'm sure he does but once Sirius left slip that it was for you, well, you're lucky that we only left with what we could carry and not an entourage of house elves as well."

Harry felt distracted, being in Professor Lupin's private rooms and picked at his food, making only non committal noises to Sirius's various comments. Eventually the conversation trailed off and Sirius asked " How is everything going? I know what you said to me but you're not hiding in the library because you've had a fight with your friends?"

Harry shook his head pushing the food around with his fork.

"Lessons going ok? That greasy git Snape's not been giving you too much hassle, has he?"

"Padfoot," said Remus reprovingly.

"That's Professor Snape and now that you mention it, he did conduct various tests concerning how human react to several potions he's invented at our last lesson."

As Sirius made to leap out of his chair, muttering vile threats, Remus pushed him back down into his chair. Remus and Harry found themselves laughing at the expression on his face.

"Relax, Sirius, Professor Snape is no worse then usual and it's nothing I can't handle."

Still muttering about visiting Snape, Sirius settled back into his chair, eventually he calmed enough to say, "Well if it's not Snape then it must be the slave driver next to me" with a grin.

Sirius's words evoked memories of his dream, causing arousal and embarrassment to rush through him. Harry considered telling him that yes, Remus was distracting him, though not for any reason he was sure Sirius could conceive of. However, he wasn't sure that he could handle either man's reaction if they knew exactly what Harry's D.A.D.A. teacher and godfather's, not to mention his father's best friend, got up to in his dreams.

Instead, he settled with saying, "I am not hiding. I really have work that I want to get done and at the moment the library is nice and quiet."

"Actually, all the Professors are quite pleased with your progress this year, even Severus. Well, as satisfied as Severus will ever be with a Gryffindor. His words were I believe " The boy may actually possess a smidgeon of intelligence."

Harry smiled at the thought of Professor Snape ever bestowing a compliment, not to mention a compliment on him. Such an event, he'd have once of thought as likely to happen as Neville having a potions class without causing an explosion. He imagined the expression on Professor Snape's face as he spoke those words must have been quite similar to his expression in that potions class.
"Thanks."

"No need to thank me, you've done all the work."

" I don't think I would have got this far without all your help. I know I didn't make things easy."

"If you're finding it difficult to get space to work, you're still welcome here anytime, not just when we have our extra class."

"Thank you. I might take you up on that offer. Well, I think I should call it a night. Thanks for dinner."

"I'll walk you up, Harry, wouldn't want you to get into trouble with Filch for being out after curfew!"

"Okay."

"Everything all right, Moony?"

"Yes, No. Did Harry seem uncomfortable around me to you?"

"Well, he seemed very quiet."

"Yes, he's been like that at our extra D.A.D.A. classes. He also flinches when I come near him. I can't figure out why though? If I didn't know that he was already aware I was a werewolf, I'd think that was it. Unless he's read or heard something that's changed his opinion of me. I know he was very angry at me after you went through the veil, but I thought that was resolved so I'm extremely puzzled about what exactly is going on!"

"It's probably nothing. Harry's a teenager, you know, odd behaviour is actually a definition of them. We were all there once, don't you member what it was like, our bodies betraying us at all the wrong times, embarrassing us. Well, actually, maybe not you," Sirius answered with a teasing grin.

"Maybe, you're right."

Sirius stayed for the Christmas break which passed far too quickly in Harry's opinion. The questions from his friends eventually died down and Christmas morning brought an unusual array of presents, Luna's were, perhaps, the oddest he had ever received. The present from Sirius and Remus, however, caused a mixture of emotions, joy that Remus had, perhaps, put time, thought and effort into getting him a present and jealousy that there might be something going on between his godfather and his best friend. For the rest of his godfather's stay, he watched them closely in an attempt to get clues as to their relationship. But the only conclusion he could come to was that they were incredibly circumspect, he was completely dense when it came to picking up clues or they were, as stated, simply friends. Hermione would probably argue he was the middle option and he had briefly considered asking her opinion but that would mean explaining why he wanted to know and that was one conversation he was not yet ready for. He did notice that Remus was watching him fairly closely. He found himself wondering if Remus suspected his student had a crush on him and what that had done to his opinion of Harry.

The last night of Sirius's stay, they were sitting in Sirius's room, playing exploding snap. Harry having decided that, perhaps, he could take one more break from his books.

"You would tell me if there was something bothering you, wouldn't you? No matter what it was?"

"Of course. Why?"

"Moony thinks he's offended or upset you somehow and I have to admit you tend to be tense around him and the past few days you've been watching him intently."

"Oh."

Harry felt his cheeks heat and surmised that he must resemble a tomato.

"Moony has been an outcast most of his life because of something he can't change. He thought you had accepted and were okay with his lycanthropy and well, he's quite upset at the thought that maybe, you think, he is actually little more then a monster."

"It's nothing like that. I can't explain it at the moment but well, I couldn't imagine Remus not being a werewolf, it's so much a part of who he is. I don't think, he'd be the same person without it."

Remus is it? Thought Sirius to himself and he seems quite passionate about the fact that he doesn't dislike him or feel revulsion. Suddenly Sirius thought of James and how he used to look at Lily, even before she acknowledged his existence and decided to let the subject drop.

"Well I'm here when you're ready to talk and Moony has always been a good listener."

"Thanks and Thanks again for the present, it's brilliant."

"Moony's the one you really want to thank, he's the one who sorted it out."

If anything, Harry seemed to be even more pleased and Sirius felt his suspicions become more concrete.

"Listen, I've started animagus training with Professor McGonagall. Since it might prove a handy talent when I confront Voldemort, or perhaps, for auror training. So I was thinking, since you've some experience, perhaps you could run me through some of the problems you experienced and how you overcame them?"

"Okay."

The rest of the night passed with Sirius recalling the various problems the marauders had experienced, which led to reminiscing about the various pranks they had pulled. These tales were received with a variety of responses, laughter, incredulous looks and in some cases, disapproval. Sirius also explained a little bit about the creation of the marauder's map.