Things are Looking up

by emikae

Complete, Severitus, First story, not very good, and not reccomended for reading. Run away from this story.

12. Lions, Tigers, and Wolves?

A/N: Not mine, don't sue, and this is a repost! someone, very kindly pointed out that my dyslexia(sp.?) is making an apperance again, and i had switched two letters on lion. Spellcheck didn't catch it, but the reviewer did, and to Vista: Thank you so much!

"That is so weird." Draco said.

"Yeah. Who would eat raw maggots?" Remus agreed.

'Don't go away. After the break, the remaining contestants will be riding across a 10 inch wide beam across a street forty stories up!' The television declared.

"The muggles on this show are crazy." Draco said.

"They will do anything for fame." Remus commented.

"True." Draco said. "Do you want to keep on watching this show? It's getting sort of boring."

"That it is." Remus commented nonchalantly.

"Why don't we go and wake Harry up?" Draco said.

"Sounds good." Remus said, remembering the days when he was Draco's age. If he slept in, the chances were that he would be woken up by a bucket of water, or something equally unpleasant.

"How shall we wake him up?" Draco said mischievously.

"Why don't we just wake him up nicely today. We can wait to prank him in his sleep until after dinner." Remus said. Harry's room had looked familiar when he had seen it at first, but he couldn't place it. Maybe after a second glance he would be able to figure out where he had seen it before.

"Yeah. If we wait, there's more time to plan." Draco said reasonably.

"Yep. You can't tell anyone at school about this though. It wouldn't go over well with the other staff."

"What, that you pranked Potter?" Draco said.

"Yes." Remus replied with a sigh, making it seem like it took a great effort to reply.

"Wait—staff?" Draco said slowly. "Are you going to be teaching again?"

"Yes. I'm taking the jinxed post of Defense Against The Dark Arts." Remus declared grandly. "And I'm going to have to work you all extra hard for you to catch up."

"I understand. My er... The git that calls himself my father, was most displeased with the teaching method that Umbridge used." Draco said, a touch of the hatred he felt for his father carried through his voice.

"Why?" Remus asked

"It went against Voldie's plans. He wanted his new initiates well versed in the art of defending yourself against the dark arts."

"Okay." Remus said, clearly confused.

"I don't know why. I have no idea what goes through that maniac's mind besides, 'Die Potter, Die.'" Draco said with a slight laugh. (A/N: Sound familiar? It's what Ron says after the divination Owl. 'I don't care if my tea leaves spell die Ron, die. I'm just chucking them in the bin where they belong.')

Remus laughed at Draco's statement, and said, "There's probably some more stuff that goes through his head, besides 'Die Potter, die."

"Yeah. I suppose that 'crucio' and 'Avada Kedavra' go through it a fair amount too." Draco said.

"Good point." Remus said.

"Hush. That's Harry's door." Draco said, pointing. "We're suppoused to be sneaking up on him."

Remus quietly opened the door and glanced around. There was a lump in the bed that was slowly moving up and down. He turned and motioned Draco in. They both started to sneak up on Harry's bed.

Harry grinned as he started to close the door with his foot. Just as it was about to close, it was stopped by a pale hand. Harry glanced down and grinned at his father. Harry put a finger to his lips and pointed to Remus and Draco. 'Sneak up on them?' Harry mouthed.

Severus smiled maliciously and nodded. Lily's ghost floated up to Harry and whispered in Harry's ear "Flying in the house?" And shook her finger at Harry. Harry smiled and turned his head back towards the others, who were currently sneaking up on a pile of Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-bangs. When they got within five feet of Harry's bed, Harry whispered 'activate'.

The comforter and sheets flew up to reveal a pile of fireworks that fizzled for a moment and then began to explode. Draco and Remus hurriedly backed up. Severus, who had heard his son whisper something, had already backed up. Remus finally turned and ran, but he didn't realize that Severus was almost directly behind him. Remus ran into Severus and in a fit of fear, Remus buried his face in Severus' robes and clenched fistfuls of them in his hands. Harry nearly fell off his broom trying not to laugh, Draco's eyes widened at the sight and Severus froze. Draco began to laugh and Harry yielded to his own laughter. Remus began to come to himself.

Looking down at the floor, Remus slowly said, "I am sorry for my reaction. It's just that one summer I was in the states and it was the fourth of July and some teens thought it would be funny to set fireworks off at anything that moved. It was a full moon, and well, I nearly got blown up that night." Remus finally looked up to see who he had been cowering against and gasped. "I'm a dead man." He said before fainting.

"It's a good thing he wasn't there last year then." Harry said from above his doorway.

"Yes. Now why don't you get off your broom and help me put him someplace." Severus said.

"You aren't er... going to kill him are you sir?" Draco asked timidly. "I was just getting to know him and I think that he's worth keeping around."

"No I won't kill him Draco, and as it's summer time and term hasn't started yet please call me Severus. Sir and Professor make me sound old." Severus said tiredly.

"Okay. And as to where to put him, why don't you put him on the daybed in the library?" Draco suggested.

"Yes I suppose that's a good enough place." Severus said. "Would you grab his feet?" He asked Draco.

"Sure." Draco said, reaching for Remus' feet. "Why can't we levitate him?"

"He has lycanthropy, something in the disease gives him a bad reaction to levitation." Severus said crisply.

"That stinks." Draco said.

"It could be worse." Severus replied.

"So where were you?" Draco asked, wondering if Severus would tell him

"Well, Lily and I went to rescue Harry's god father who everyone believes is a mass murderer, and incidentally, is your—" here Severus wrinkled his forehead in thought. Hogwarts professors were required to know who is related to whom, so to keep unknown cousins from dating. "Your second cousin."

"Hmm, second cousin who is Harry Potter's god father." Draco muttered, trying to remember who that would be. "Severus, who is he?"

"That would be me." Yet another voice from yet another doorway spoke. (A/N: Does anyone have a better idea for making people's presence known?)

"Sirius Back?" Draco asked.

"Yes that would be me. What happened to Remus.?" Sirius asked.

"Harry let off some Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs when Remus and Draco decided to sneak up on his bed." Severus stated, trying not to laugh.

"So now he's Harry?" Sirius asked, noting that Severus' form of address for his god-son had changed.

"Harry and I have reached a truce of sorts." Severus told him, almost gloating.

"Jeez. I go missing for a bit and Severus Snape is friends with my god son. What is the world coming to?" Sirius bemoaned, putting a hand to his forehead in mock despair.

"Oh well it could be worse. Harry's down in the kitchen. Why don't you transform and get under the cloak so you can sneak up on Harry. Remus will come round in an hour or so." Severus informed them.

"Fine." Sirius said grudgingly. With a slight pop, a black dog replaced Sirius and ambled forward towards Severus who pulled a invisibility cloak out of his robes and shook it out and draped it over the dog.

"So Harry, you'll never guess who we found while we were in London." Lily was saying to Harry.

Please tell me mum!" Harry pleaded with her.

"Okay, I'll give you a three clues. He or she used to be an unspeakable, has three paws, and lived with the Weasley's for a while." Lily told Harry. "Any guesses?"

Harry thought for a moment. Could it be? There was only one way to find out. "Did you—?" Harry said slowly.

Severus finished for Harry. "Catch Peter? Yes we did. How are we going to turn him in?"

Harry thought for a moment. Suddenly he jumped up and nearly ran to the fireplace. "I have an idea!" Harry nearly shouted, before grabbing a pinch of floo powder that Molly had left him. After tossing it in the fire and watching the flames turn an emerald green, Harry stuck his head in and said "The Burrow", Harry once again experienced the unpleasant feeling of his head spinning around while the rest of his body remained still.

The sight that meant his eyes was definitely not on the list of things he expected to see. Harry sighed and waited for Ron and Hermione to notice him. After a bit Harry gave up on him noticing him and took matters into his own hands. Grinning evilly, Harry said "Hem Hem." In a very good impression of Umbridge.

Hermione looked up startled and looked around the room hurriedly and had half drawn her wand. She had forgotten to look at the fireplace, and since her back was to it, she said to Ron, "There's no one there Ron."

"The fireplace, Hermione." He told her simply.

Hermione then looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened when she saw Harry.

"I was wondering when you two were going to get together." Harry said gleefully. Finally his two friends had realized how they felt for each other.

Hermione glared at Harry and said, "What makes you think that Ron and I are together? I could have just tripped and fallen onto him." Hermione trying to think of a reasonable excuse.

"I think not Hermione. I was in the fireplace for a minute or so before I spoke. I didn't want to interrupt, as you seemed quite busy." Harry said, trying not to laugh.

"Yes Hermione, you did seem quite busy." Ron said from behind her.

"Fine! I am with Ron. There I said it. Are you happy?" Hermione said, acting angry.

"Hey! Who says I'll have you?" Ron said.

"Judging by your response Ronald," Hermione said, emphasizing his name, "You do accept and we are a couple."

"Fine." Ron said, trying to look pissed off at being forced to go out with Hermione. He failed and a grin broke through his expression.

"Good, now that that's settled, Hermione do you still have that jar that you kept Rita in?" Hermione nodded. "Good. Would you mind flooing over with it?"

"Not at all, but why?" Hermione asked.

"I need it. The place is 'Marauder's wood' Ron can come too." Harry said.

"Okay." Hermione replied.

"You're not mad at me Harry are you?" Ron asked.

"No Ron." Harry rolled his eyes at Ron's question, Harry didn't look mad, did he? "It was completely obvious that you and Hermione liked each other. It was just a matter of time." Harry said, to avoid having to talk more Harry pulled his head out of the fire. After a few initial moments of dizziness, Harry blinked and brushed the soot out of his hair.

"Well?" Severus asked. "The charm holding him won't last the hour."

"Hermione's coming. She has got a handy little jar that is good for trapping animagi." Harry said. "She should be here any moment."

In accordance to Harry's statement, a rapidly spinning figure appeared in the fireplace. Hermione Granger stepped out of the fire and wobbled a bit before siting at a table. She glanced at her robes and muttered 'scrougify' The soot on them vanished. "Ron will be hare soonish. He got held up by his mother." Hermione informed them. "Now Harry, what did you need the jar for?" She asked him.

"A certain rat got caught in London today." Harry grimly told Hermione.

"You don't mean..." Hermione's voice trailed off, just incase she might be wrong. (A/N: Hermione? Wrong? Couldn't happen! Well it could... but it's a great fear of hers. Remember exams in the third book?)

"Peter Pettigrew?" Harry finished for her. Hermione nodded.

Harry pointed to the lump of unmoving fur on the table. For the fist time Hermione noticed Lily. "You look like Harry's mum." Hermione stated.

"Maybe 'cause I am?" Lily said sarcastically. The girl reminded her of herself.

Another spinning figure appeared in the fireplace and Ron sort of fell out of the fireplace. "Ugh. I absolutely hate floo travel." Said Ron's voice, a bit muffled by the floor. "My dad's coming along, he should be here soon. Lucky him, he gets to apparate."

"Okay then." Harry acknowledged Ron's statement, "Lets do this thing.

"Yes, lets. Now that the golden trio is complete." Severus said dryly.

Ron looked up surprised, he hadn't noticed the potions professor at the table next to Harry. Ron gulped, the only available seat at the tale was in-between Snape and Draco.

Draco, seeing Ron's hesitation, sighed and got up and went to sit next to Lily on the counter.

"It's bad manners to sit on the counter Draco" Lily said.

"And you're not?" He asked Lily.

"Nope. I'm Hovering just a little over the counter." Lily said smugly.

There was a faint crack outside and Arthur Weasley could be heard coming in the front door. After a few moments Mr. Weasley poked his head in the doorway. "Ah, There you are. Why are we all gathered here? All I could get out of Ron was something about a rat and a jar." He said sounding a little confused.

"Well, Mr. Weasley, Severus caught a certain rat and we decided that it should be locked up.

"A rat?" Mr. Weasley said, finally catching sight of the rat on the table. "Ron, isn't that Scabbers?"

"Yes it is." Ron said strangely, it was hard to admit to himself that he had kept a dangerous mass-murder in his room.

"Let's just put him in the jar." Harry said.

"Okay. Just let me get it out." Hermione said as she was drawing a jar out of her pocket. "Harry will you put him in there? I don't want to touch him."

"Neither do I." Harry said, "I'll do it." Harry reached over and gingerly picked up the rat by it's tail and dropped it in the jar. As Harry started to put the lid back on the jar, and angry beetle appeared. "Hermione, what is Rita doing in the jar?" Harry asked.

"She is?" Hermione said, standing up and moving over to Harry to get a closer look at the jar. "oh. She is. Why don't we let her out?"

"Yes I suppose we should." Harry replied, unscrewing the top so Rita could fly out. "There you go." He said softly.

"Rita flew out of the jar and landed on Hermione's currently vacant chair. With a faint 'pop', she resumed her normal form. "Hello. Could you please tell me what you were doing, putting a rat in my home?" She said, appearing a little scared.

"I'm sorry Rita. I didn't know you were living in a jar inside of my trunk. Perhaps you could elaborate." Hermione said, doing a very good impression of an angry potions master. Severus and the others unconsciously moved away from Hermione a little.

"The Death Eaters were after me. It was the safest place I could think of." Rita said quietly.

"Why were they after you?" Hermione asked, using a kinder tone this time.

To her surprise, the answer came from Severus, not Rita.

"They wanted her because people believed her articles." Severus said quietly. "They were going to capture her and force her to take the Dark Mark and possibly put her under the imperious, and have her writing articles discounting the ministry about Voldemort's return."

"That makes a bit of sense."

"Now that we've cleared up why I was in the jar, let's discuss the sudden appearance of a rat in the middle of my evening nap." Rita snapped.

"We decided that the jar was the best place for Peter, the wizard who good as killed my parents. Especially since there are a number of anti-detection wards on it."

"Peter who?" Rita asked suspiciously.

"Peter Pettigrew, the rat the got my mum killed." Harry said.

"Wasn't the Sirius Black?" Rita asked.

"No, Peter was the secret keeper for the Potters, not Sirius. Peter was the one who sold them out to Lord Voldemort. Sirius Black is innocent." Lily chimed in from the ceiling where she had been practicing loop-de-loops.

"Thanks mum." Harry said.

"It was nothing." Lily replied.

"So Sirius Black is innocent?" Rita said slowly.

"Yes!" Harry, Ron Hermione, Arthur, Lily and even Sirius shouted at her.

"How do you feel about this, Harry?" Rita asked in an all too familiar tone.

"I am not going to give an interview on this until Sirius' name is officially cleared." Harry said curtly, recognizing the glint in her eyes and tone of voice the Rita used when she was trying to get an interview.

"Fine. I'll wait until his name is cleared." Rita said grudgingly.

"And only if it is published in the Quibbler." Hermione added.

"Say it." Harry prompted.

"I will only publish an interview with Harry Potter regarding Sirius Black's innocence in the Quibbler." Rita said, rolling her eyes. "Happy?"

"Yes, Yes I am." Hermione and Harry said in unison.

"You two creep me out more than Fred and George." Ron muttered.

"At least you don't have to worry about any food I give you." Harry pointed out to Ron.

"You do have a point there." Ron admitted.

"Ron? Didn't you say that was Scabbers?" Mr. Weasley asked trying not to shout, although he wasn't sure why he wanted to shout.

"Yes." Ron said warily.

"Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yes?" Harry said, knowing what was coming, and hoping to avoid it.

"Didn't you say that the rat was Peter Pettigrew?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Why?" Harry said, avoiding the answer.

"BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW If WE HOUSED A DANGEROUS CRIMINAL OR NOT!!" Mr. Weasley shouted at Harry.

Harry cringed, and Severus recognized that Harry wasn't taking the effects of the yelling too well.

"You don't have to yell Arthur." Severus said quietly.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to yell." Mr. Weasley said quietly.

"It's okay Mr. Weasley." Harry said quietly.

Hermione chose that particular moment to speak up. "I'm sorry Mr. Weasley, Peter Pettigrew and Scabbers are one and the same. Seeing how Ron reacted to the news, we thought that it would be better if you didn't know." She finished quietly.

"Ruined. Completely ruined." Mr. Weasley muttered as he sank down into a nearby chair. "If this ever gets out, I'll probably lose my job. When Molly finds out— I don't even want to think about what will happen when Molly finds out."

"Dad, it's okay. Mum won't be furious. You can blame it on me. I should have told you at the end of my third year." Ron told his father.

"I too, must take my share in the blame." Severus surprised them all by speaking up. "If I had taken a different course of action in the Shrieking Shack, the outcome would have been remarkably different."

"Er.. Professor? Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"Yes I am fine, Miss Granger." Severus replied.

"Then why are you all of a sudden in a better mood?" Hermione asked, surprising everyone, including herself.

"I don't believe that I have to answer that question." Severus said, adding a it of ice to his voice.

"What he means to say, is he doesn't have to deal with the headaches the Slytherins give him." Draco said.

"Really Draco?" Hermione asked playfully.

"Yep." Draco said.

"And I suppose with you not causing as much trouble, Professor Snape will have less headaches?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah I suppose. Especially with Fred and George out of Hogwarts." Draco added.

"Merlin be thanked for that." Severus murmured.

"Yeah. Hermione will be able to actually study in the common room this year." Ron said.

"Don't know if it will be worth studying though. Professor do you know who will be teaching Defense this year?" Hermione directed the question at Severus.

"I am." Remus said from the doorway. "Did you forget about me?"

"No Remus, of course not!" Harry was quick to say.

"We just got distracted by other things." Hermione said, who had no idea that Remus was there at all.

"Like the sudden appearance of a certain rat." Ron said proudly.

Remus' face had a hopeful expression on it. "You caught him?" He asked.

"Actually Severus did." Lily said from her high point of view.

"Lily?" Remus said, looking up at the spirit near the ceiling. "It's been so long. Why did you come back?" He asked in a strained voice.

"Harry needed me." Lily said simply.

"Okay. That makes some sort of sense." Remus said. "So now that Pettigrew has been captured, Sirius' name can be cleared.

"Yes. The name Sirius Black will no longer mean murderer." Harry said proudly.

Remus frowned. "Huh. I could have sworn I just smelled Sirius." Remus said sadly.

Harry quickly looked at his mother. He frowned at her in a silent question. She smiled and gave a slight nod. Harry then glanced around the kitchen. He didn't see Ron, Hermione, and Rita. "Where's Ron, Hermione and Rita?" He asked the general populace.

"Right here." Hermione said entering the kitchen with Ron right behind her.

"Where's Rita?" He asked suspiciously.

"Oh! We told her to go to Hogwarts if she's that desperate for protection. She flooed there from the library fire." Ron said.

"Not that all of us here are trust worthy, Sirius, why don't you remove your cloak?" Lily asked an apparently empty corner.

"Okay." Came the familiar voice from the corner. Ever so slowly, Sirius' head appeared. First the long grimy black hair, then the familiar blue eyes, and finally his grinning mouth. Sirius stood up (he was sitting in the corner) and started towards the table. He didn't quite make it there because he got tackled by Harry.

"You're not dead. I missed you so much!" Harry said, while hugging Sirius very tightly.

"Air." Sirius managed to say as his face was turning blue.

"Sorry." Harry said as he loosened his grip on Sirius.

"It's okay. I suppose if you had gone missing and presumed dead, I suppose that I'd squeeze you a bit too." Sirius replied, laughing a bit.

"Sirius. How did you get back?" Ron asked.

"I'm not too sure about that. All I know is that I'm not stuck in a big room with a bunch of other people who went through a veil." Sirius paused for a moment. "Harry? Would you mind if I stayed here for a bit? I'm not quite ready to go back to Grimmauld Place right now. That means that Dumbledore can't find out that I am back."

"Sure. I'm not really happy with Dumbledore right now." Harry said. He hadn't told anyone about how he felt mainly because of how they'd react. He didn't need the whole of the Order fawning over him and making him sort things out with the headmaster. (A/N: or the author forgot about Harry's feeling towards Dumbledore. Either one.)

"I'm not pleased with him either." Lily added. After all, he did make my son live with my sister and her horrible husband for most of his life. Hmm. Maybe I should go and pay my sister a visit.

"Arthur?" Sirius asked.

"I don't think so. He doesn't need to know everything now? Does he?" Arthur told them.

"Remus?" Harry asked.

"You have my word that I won't tell anyone." The werewolf said.

"Thank you." Harry said. "I'm sorry about the fireworks."

"It's okay. You had no idea that I would react to them that way. Besides, we shouldn't have been sneaking up on you." Remus said.

"True." Harry said with an incline of his head. "Mr. Weasley, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"As much as I'd like to, I have to go home and explain to Molly that Harry just wanted Ron and Hermione over for a chat, and they stayed for dinner." Arthur said.

"We can stay for Dinner?" Hermione asked. Mr. Weasley nodded. Hermione gave Mr. Weasley a hug and said, "Thank you!"

"Yeah, thanks dad." Ron added.

"I better be going before Molly comes round to see what is taking so long." Arthur said, before taking some floo power and tossing it in the fire and departing.

"Draco, would you mind keeping Ron and Hermione entertained while I make dinner?" Harry asked.

"Not at all. Are you sure that you will be able to make dinner for eight people." Draco asked.

"I should be fine." Harry said, not mentioning that the Dursleys had forced him to make dinner for them all the time.

"Er, Draco, aren't you miscounting?" Sirius asked.

"No, he's not. There are eight of us. You are the one miscounting." Harry said.

"Okay then. Harry I assume that Lily told you that this is the ancestral summer home of the Potters?" Sirius asked.

"Yes." Harry said.

"Good then. I don't know if you remember, but I spent much of my summers with the Potter family?" Sirius said with a slight grin.

"Yes." Harry said warily.

"Not only is there the secrets tower off of your room, but all of the Marauders had their own rooms. All hidden of course, but would you like to go and check them out?"

"Sure." Harry said, relived that Sirius wasn't bringing up a more serious topic.

"Okay, let's go. Before you ask, I personally dismantled Peter's room, and just as I finished, the place popped out of existence and a few hours later we had our duel." Sirius.

"Oh. Sirius. Mum once said that Severus was a marauder. Does he have a room here too?" Harry asked.

"I think he does." Sirius said. "Have you checked for it recently?" he asked Severus.

"No. I haven't got around to it yet."

"Professor? If you were a Marauder too, are you an animagus?" Hermione asked.

Sirius laughed loudly. "C'mon, Griffy, transform." With that comment, Severus glared at Sirius.

"Griffy?" Ron asked bewildered.

"You will pay Padfoot." Severus told Sirius. Suddenly in Severus' place was a large, pure black, lion. (A/N: I had to do that. What do you think of Sev's form being the Gryffindor mascot? Hence the name Griffy.)

"Looks like Gryffindor has a new mascot." Harry said, trying not to laugh.

"That's exactly what James said when Severus first managed the transformation." Remus said.

Ron looked over at the loin, in wonder, and something suddenly clicked. "Hermione? Do you remember that lion we saw on prefect patrol once?"

"Was that you Professor?" Hermione asked the loin, after thinking for a moment.

The lion nodded and looked at Sirius and flexed a paw. Dangerous looking claws made their presence known. Harry was staring at his father. He made quite a majestic lion really.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "Are you okay? You had the strangest expression on you face."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I just realized that if I don't get dinner started now, we'll eat really late, so I better get cooking. Why don't you Ron, Remus, Lily, Sirius, and Draco go down and watch a movie. A really cute one that Dudley hated was the Pagemaster." Harry said.

"What's it about?" Hermione asked.

"I can't really remember, but I remember that I liked it." Harry said. "So why don't you all go and watch it."

"Okay. Why don't you want Professor Snape to go and watch it with us." Hermione asked.

"Oh. He, um.." Harry's voice trailed off, not sure what to say.

Severus, noticing that his son couldn't come up with a suitable excuse resumed his human form and said, "I promised that I'd help him with dinner tonight."

"Yeah. Dinner." Harry said quickly, and shot a look of gratitude to his father.

"Okay then. Are you sure that you don't want any more help?" Hermione asked, looking at Severus suspiciously.

"It's okay Hermione. He won't stun me and take me to Lord Voldemort. He's had plenty of opportunity to do that already." Harry said trying to get Hermione to join the others who had already go downstairs.

"Fine. I know when I'm not wanted." Hermione said scathingly. Severus rolled his eyes. The girl knew that Harry was hiding something and would go to the extreme to find out what it was. Hermione abruptly turned and began to walk away quickly.

"Wait! Hermione come back." Harry called to her desperately.

Hermione allowed herself a tiny smile before slowly turning around. "What?" She asked in that tone that most teenagers use with their parents in the rare moments that they are actually talking to them. (A/N: You know. Sort of a snap, but with a load of disrespect, and usually accompanied with a roll of the eyes.)

Severus decided to lighten the mood. "You've go the word!" He crowed, calling on his memory of his experience with the peach for help.

"What?" Hermione and Harry asked him.

"Did I say something?" Severus asked innocently, acting as if it had never happened.

"Nothing." Harry muttered. Hermione had walked back to the kitchen. She sat at the table and motioned to the chair across from him.

"Sit." Harry sat.

"Okay, Hermione. I am going to tell you something. You can't tell anyone what you are about to hear. If the wrong people find out, it can cause someone that I care for very, very much, and might even love, to die."

When Severus heard his son say these words, he felt a strange feeling rise up through his body. A feeling that made him want to run and jump and scream with happiness.

"Can I have your promise not to tell, anyone? Especially Ron?" Harry said slowly, making sure that Hermione heard every word.

"Sure Harry. You know that you can always count on me. But why not Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Ron has a tendency to get mad and yell out secrets for the whole school or common room to hear." Harry said quietly.

"True." Hermione agreed. "But why is he still here?" Hermione asked, meaning Severus.

"Because he was suppoused to tell me, but my mum beat him to it." Harry said.

"Okay, so three beings know this. Does anyone else?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Draco and Dumbledore both know." Harry said.

"So what is it that you are going to tell me?" Hermione asked.

"Severusismyfather." Harry said quickly.

"What? Harry, I didn't quite catch that." Hermione said.

"I believe what Harry meant to say was that I am his father." Severus said offhandedly while he was chopping some garlic for the spaghetti sauce.

"I really hope that this is news to you because if you knew that he was your son when he first came to Hogwarts..." Hermione said dangerously.

Severus audibly gulped when Hermione threatened him. There were numerous things that the young witch could do to him. "I can assure you that this is completely new news to me. If I had known about Harry's true parentage when Lily and James were murdered, I would have been the first in line to take Harry into my home." Severus said quickly. "As you can see, I am doing my best to make up for the lost years right now."

"Yeah. Hermione. So what do you think?" Harry asked.

"Shocked. I'm happy for you though. It's good for you to have someone who cares for you who is related. I do see the importance of not telling anyone. Do you remember how you were learning Occlumency? I'd really like to learn, if it's okay?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"I'm sure that could be arranged. Harry, why don't you go and check the Library for books on the subject. I'm sure that last time I was here I left some in there. If they are there, the would be on one of the shelves by the window seat." Severus said.

Hermione got up and almost left. Except Harry said something. "Are you sure Severus?"

"Yes, I'm sure, if I wasn't sure, I wouldn't tell you." Severus said crisply.

"I should be helping you with the cooking." Harry said.

Severus sighed and decided that he was going to have a word with the boy's relatives. "I am quite an able to cook a dinner, just as you are quite able to go and find those books. Read the first chapter of Basic Occluding of the Mind (A/N: I don't know if the spellings right, but as my mom was telling me to take out the trash when I was trying to see if that word was in the book, I gave up after the Harry in Sev's pensive incident.) And practice thinking of nothing."

"Yes, Severus. When will dinner be finished?" Harry asked.

"About an hour and a half." Severus replied. "And yes, I am sure that I don't want any help."

"Okay." Harry said. His hands raised in defeat. "You win."

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes?" Harry replied.

"When are you going to tell Ron?" Hermione asked.

"We'll wait for the opportune moment." Harry said.

"I know it'll be difficult for you, but don't do anything.." Hermione paused. "Stupid." She finished. (A/N: does anyone recognize that line?)

"Fine." Harry said curtly. Before stalking off with his robes billowing dramatically behind him. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she watched Harry's robs. Then she smiled. He was truly Severus' son. Why did he look like James?

Hermione walked raster to catch up with Harry. She caught up with him at the Library door. "Harry? Why do you look like James?"

"Apparently Mum charmed me to look like James. The most interesting thing is that the visible sign or the charm is this scar." Harry traced the familiar lightning bolt scar. "It also gets more prominent if I am cursed with something that has a lasting effect. According to my Mum, it will fade throughout the next year. So it might go away completely, or it might just fade noticeably." Harry said.

"That's good. So will your appearance be changing a bit?" Hermione asked.

"Actually I'm not sure. Severus and James were distant cousins, I found one photo of all them, including Lily, and Severus and James look really similar. I don't know if there will be that much of a change, They both had black hair. Guess what? According to mum, my hair will actually grow quite a bit. Mainly because it was charmed to stay the length it is, so if I want I can have it long." Harry said, fingering a lock of his hair. "I think it would be okay long. Don't you Hermione?"

"I'm talking about hair with Harry Potter. Will wonders never cease?" Hermione muttered, looking at the ceiling.

"You forgot the wonder that Severus could actually reproduce." Harry said.

"True." Hermione said. "EWWWW! Dirty thoughts! EWWWW!" Hermione said loudly. "Ew, ew, ew, ew." Hermione began repeating very fast and quietly.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" Harry asked, suppressing a laugh.

"NO I am NOT okay. Why did you have to go and say that about Professor Snape?"

"Say what, Hermione?" Harry asked innocently.

"Say that line about Professor Snape actually reproducing." Hermione said through gritted teeth. "Now I have—" Hermione was cut off by Professor Snape.

"Have what? Miss Granger? Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me and Harry here." Severus said, hiding that he was very near to breaking out in laughter.

"Nothing, Professor." Hermione said, turning red and glaring at Harry.

"Truly? It seemed like it was something. Are you sure?" Severus asked.

"Yes I am sure." Hermione replied through gritted teeth once again.

"Are you sure it wasn't dirty thoughts about Hogwarts Professors?" Harry said.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Now really, Miss Granger! Dirty thoughts? About Hogwarts Professors?" Severus said wonderingly. "What sort of dirty thoughts?"

"Harry! Make him quit! He's worse than Fred and George!" Hermione said, her cheeks a color Harry didn't think was possible without makeup.

"Dad, if you stop, I'll tell you what caused all of this." Harry said.

Severus grinned inwardly. Harry had called him Dad! (A/N: YAY!!!!!) For that, he could quit. He wondered if Harry would go back to Severus or if he would keep calling him Dad. "Fine I'll quit. I'm sorry Miss Granger."

Hermione looked up. She had never seen this side of Professor Snape before, and compared to how he acted at school, this was scary! "I'm sorry sir, it's just that I've never seen this side of you before, and it's quite terrifying." Hermione squeaked.

Harry laughed. "He scared me at first too Hermione. After all of two days, I'm used to it."

"Oh yes. Two days, and I'm still afraid to get out of my bed." Severus said.

"Why?!" Harry exclaimed. "Draco and I haven't pranked your bed or your food, yet."

"YET. That's what worries me." Severus said.

"You have my utmost apologies sir." Hermione said. "And my wishes for a speedy recovery."

"So you think that I will be hurt by their pranks?" Severus said, backing away from his son as if he was a bomb.

"Dad, do you think that I, your perfect son, would harm you?" Harry said, over-doing the perfect little angel act.

"Yes." Severus said firmly.

"Oh ye of little faith, just you wait." Harry said. "Do you want to know what set Hermione off?"

"Please." Severus said simply.

"Well Hermione said 'I'm talking about hair with Harry Potter. Will wonders never cease?' Then I said, 'You forgot the wonder that Severus could actually reproduce.' That's all it was really." Harry said innocently.

"The wonder that Severus could actually reproduce?" Severus said in false anger.

"Well, in Griffy Tower" Harry coughed. "Sorry, I meant Gryffindor Tower, it's a well discussed topic whether or not you can reproduce."

"Ah. More reasons to hate Gryffindors. YAY!" Severus exclaimed.

Hermione and Harry backed away slowly.

"Don't make eye contact. I've heard it works with bears." Harry whispered to Hermione.

"He has us cornered. How are we going to escape?" Hermione whispered back.

"Maybe he won't notice if we make a run for it." Harry said.

"On three?" Hermione asked.

"One." Harry said.

"Two." Hermione said.

"THREE!" Harry yelled and made a run for it. Suddenly there was a large black lion directly in front of him.

Harry rapidly came to a stop. He looked over to Hermione and saw that she had stopped too.

"Well there's one way to force us to study." Hermione laughed weakly.

"Let's study then." Harry said.

"Okay." Hermione agreed.

Harry looked at random shelves until he came to an unmarked book. Being the naturally curious person he is, he pulled it out and opened it. To his surprise, the front page said: Photographic Memories of Marauder's Pranks and Other Memorable Moments. Harry grinned and took the photo album over to a window seat. He began flipping through it. There was a photo of Severus in the Hospital Wing with what looked like HOG ART HIST imprinted on his face. Both eyes were swollen shut, and he appeared to be in a lot of pain. Under the photo in swirly lettering was, Couple Lesson #3 Never break up on her Birthday. Especially after giving her Hogwarts A History as a gift. (Bad for the Face) A few pages after that was another photo, with a bright pink half transformed Sirius. The caption for that one was, Friendship Lesson #24 Don't tease Lily about her family, since she knows the animagi spells. On the next page was one of a lion. There was a scribbled out, Gryffindor's New mascot! Harry laughed and turned the page.

The next one was of the Staff table. Professor McGonagall's usually neat hair was arranged in foot long spikes, Dumbledore's beard and hair had (Harry looked closer) incantations scrolling over it, much to his delight. Periodically he would pick up his beard and read it. Professor Sprout had what looked like Wisteria growing from her head. Professor Binns' hair was spelling out boring in fancy script. Professor Flitwick's hair and beard were flashing different colors, and to top it all off, Hagrid's hair had what looked like miniature thestrals occasionally trying to fly away, causing his hair to fly up in different directions every once in a while. The professor next to him was trying to help him catch one, as they were both fascinated with them. His hair only burst into flame occasionally, whereas the professor on the other side of him (two seats from Hagrid) had something that resembled snakes for hair. The caption for that photo was: Prank Tip #32 House Elves make great friends.

Harry couldn't decide whether or not to turn the page. He did. There was a photo that showed Peter, Severus, Sirius and James all looking beat up and an equally beat up Remus glaring at the four from a corner. This caption was Friendship Lessons #21 Werewolves fight dirty. Then below that. We do not, we are just stronger. Harry laughed at that. On page after that there was a photo of the five marauder's showing off their animagi skills. Apparently Remus was one too, but no one had ever told Harry. So at first it was just James, Peter, Remus, Severus and Sirius, and then there would be a stag, rat, wolf, lion, and dog in their place. This one's caption was Prank Tips #15 Animagi skills come in handy. Harry looked at the photo fondly. That would be a handy one to have around. He would have to ask Hermione if she knew a spell that would allow him to copy the photo.

(A/N: Before anyone asks, the only tips and Lesson things are the ones that I have written so far. I might come up with more in the future, if the photo album makes another appearance and Fred and George don't steal it.)

Harry continued looking at the photo album and Hermione had found a rare history and had completely forgotten about the Occlumency books. Neither of them had noticed when black lion went back to the kitchen. He was quite surprised to see the red haired witch finishing the spaghetti.

"I was going to finish that Molly." Severus said after resuming his human form.

"So you were the one who left sauce on the stove to let it burn?" She asked.

"It wouldn't have burned. I put a temperature regulator spell on it and a continual stirring spell. It would have been fine." Severus said.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Molly asked suspiciously.

"Oh a few things that don't really matter." Severus said nonchalantly.

"Okay then. I would like to know where my son is." Molly asked.

"He's downstairs. I'll go and fetch him. Are you okay finishing up in here?" Severus asked, knowing that the woman loved cooking for large groups. "Yes, I'm quite fine."

"Good then. I'll be right up with Ron." Severus said before leaving the room and hurriedly walking downstairs. Severus reached the door to the TV room and saw that it was a jar. Lovely. He quietly opened the door. "Ron?"

Ron jumped at the voice and looked at Severus strangely. "What?"

Severus nearly kicked himself. He had forgotten the angry professor act. "Your mother is here. She requests your presence in the kitchen and remember, if you breathe one word about Sirius to her you will sorely wish that you had never been born." Severus said. His theory was, forgot the act? Apply it liberally after exposure to nice Severus.

"Yes, Professor." Ron said as he hurried up to the kitchen. It wasn't a good idea to keep his mother waiting. No it was not.

"RONALD WEASLEY! Do you have any idea what the portrait in the front room told me?" Molly asked her son. It was remarkable how much she resembled a tiger.

"Umm. Vaguely." Ron said.

"I know that you are a teenage boy and that you have urges, but what if Ginny had walked in on you and Hermione? Do you have any idea of how she would have felt?" Molly yelled at him.

"What if Hermione's parents had come back early? How would they have felt, seeing their baby girl engaging in that sort of activity?" Molly added. "I promised then that she would be fine! Do you think that they would see that as fine?"

"I think not!" Mrs. Weasley took a breath, and Ron seized the opportunity.

"Mum. Me and Hermione... It's not what you... We're just..." Ron suddenly figured out a decent defense. "Mum. We never meant to do that, it just sort of happened. We were only snogging. What did the portrait tell you?

"It certainly didn't say that you were only snogging. That portrait made it seem quite worse than innocent snogging. I'll have to have a word with my grandmum, maybe move her to a different place." Mrs. Weasley seemed to have calmed down quite a bit.

"If you don't mind mum, I'm going back downstairs." Ron said.

"Okay dear, dinner will be ready soon. I won't be staying so be sure to eat plenty." Molly said watching her son, and not noticing that he didn't go back downstairs, he went to the library.

Ron was wondering where Hermione and Harry were. The library door was ajar, so he stood outside it for a moment.

"Hermione, look, here's a picture of my dad playing Quidditch." Harry said.

"Really? I didn't know that he played." Hermione said, going over to Harry and looking at the picture.

"Honestly, Hermione, not know that James Potter played quidditch." Ron said, going over to them to look at the photo.

"I don't think it's a team photo. It looks like a Girls vs. Boys game in their first year. See? There's my mum." Harry said, pointing out a figure flying around the picture.

"What are you looking at?" Sirius asked from the doorway.

"Oh nothing, just a photo album." Harry said nonchalantly.

"Really? Can I see?" Sirius asked.

"Oh I don't think that you need to see, as you're in half of them." Harry informed him.

"I am?" Sirius asked. "Oh no. Is that—" Sirius asked in a choked voice.

"Photographic Memories of Marauder's Pranks and Other Memorable Moments?" Harry asked.

Sirius nodded with a horrified expression on his face.

"Tell me, does this sound familiar? 'Don't tease Lily about her family since she knows the transformation spells'?" Harry asked mischievously.

Sirius closed his eyes remembering that particular day. Then he decided that Harry shouldn't be looking at that because he might find out things that he would have questions for that would be uncomfortable to answer. Sirius lunged for the book.

Harry held it away from Sirius. "Padfoot, could you tell me why house elves make good friends?"

"Yeah I can. Could you let me see which prank that one is?" Sirius asked.

Harry laughed and flipped to that particular page. "Here."

"Oh this one. That prank took months to prepare. We figured out a potion that would have interesting effects on a persons hair if ingested. The best part was that the effects lasted for almost a week. McGonagall was so mad, and the best part was because we swore the elves to secrecy, she couldn't prove it was us! Hagrid, Dumbledore and Sprout all tried to duplicate the effects.. Now, wouldn't it be a shame if a copy of this photo got blown up to 2 times life size and got stuck with a permanent sticking charm to the wall behind the staff table?"

"You wouldn't!" Hermione said, aghast at the idea.

"Oh yes I would." Sirius said. "best part, 'cause they think I'm dead, they can't do anything."

"I'll do it. Under one condition." Harry said.

"And that is?" Sirius said.

"You teach us to become animagi." Harry said.

"You drive a tough bargain." Sirius said. "And why would I teach you to become animagi?"

"Well shouldn't the next generation of marauder's be able to transform?" Harry asked.

Sirius stood still for a but, thinking. "Would you really do that? Carry on the traditions of Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Griffy?" He asked, his voice choked with emotion.

"Of course." Hermione said. "As long as we don't let anyone know that it is us."

"Well we never told anyone our identities while we were at school." Sirius said.

"But there is one slight problem." Ron said.

"And that is?" Sirius asked.

"Doesn't it take you like years to become an animagi?" Ron asked.

"You forget who you are talking to." Sirius said gallantly.

"How long did it take you guys to learn?" Harry asked.

"A little over three years." Sirius said.

"We don't have three years. We have a month." Hermione pointed out.

"Ah, but it only took three years to get all the information. Now, see the portrait of Merlin?" Sirius asked.

"Merlin?" Ron said blankly.

"Yes, the wizard who is currently sleeping, surrounded by books?" Ron nodded. "Good then, behind his portrait there is a secret compartment. You whisper 'Marauders Rule' to the book in the lower right corner. It opens and in there is the book on how we learned to become animagi." Sirius said.

"Okay then. When do we start?"

"Start what, Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked from the doorway.

"Oh, he was just asking if I was going to re-form the DA and when I was going to start meetings." Harry said. "I suppose that you are here for a reason Severus?" Harry asked, looking his father squarely in the eye.

"I have been sent to inform you that dinner is ready and Molly has left." Severus said, glaring at Harry, just to be glaring. "As if you really need to eat..."

"You know I do and I plan to eat something, especially since that heavenly scent has been drifting into here." Harry said.

"Fine. Just remember, that I prepared it." Severus said.

"Fine, just remember that Mad-Eye taught me a few tricks about detecting poisons in my food." Harry said, trying not to laugh, knowing that his father was having fun teasing him. In the past two days, Harry had learned that Severus had a rather dry sense of humor.

"That was rather good." Hermione said, directing her comment at Severus.

"Yeah, I had forgotten that you knew how to cook, Severus." Remus added.

Lily floated down to Harry and whispered in his ear. Harry nodded and got another plate of spaghetti.

"Er, Harry? Why are you putting a shield around a plate of spaghetti?" Hermione asked.

"You'll see." Harry said sarcastically. He poked the tip off his wand in the shield and whispered the killing curse. "There you go mum, you'll have to do the rest yourself." Harry said, motioning to the rest of the spaghetti that was now silvery.

"Sorry Lily, I completely forgot your portion." Severus said, mentally smacking himself, how could he be a father if he couldn't even remember someone else's eating needs?

"It's okay Sev, I'm sort of hard to keep track of." Lily said pleasantly. Just then the doorbell rang.

"Sirius you go up to my room, everyone else, remember, Padfoot is dead." Harry said. "I'll get that, seeing as it is my house." Harry waited until Sirius got up the stairs and went to answer the door. On the porch, was none other than Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello, Professor, may I inquire as to the occasion for you to be stopping by?" Harry asked, hiding his true feeling for the man.

"Oh just thought I'd stop by, see how you and Severus were getting on, talk to Lily, and have a chat with a certain Miss Granger." Dumbledore said off-handedly.

"Sir? What do you mean by Lily? I can assure you that there is no one here that goes by that name." Harry said, blocking his mind. He had gotten quite good at blocking his mind, because at the Dursley's he had had nothing better to do.

"I got a most interesting letter from your mother's ghost from this little bird." Dumbledore stepped aside and for the first time, Harry caught sight of Nearly Headless Nick.

"Hello Nick. Why don't you two come in." Harry said, stepping aside from the door. He motioned for Dumbledore to follow him to the kitchen. "Okay everyone, Professor Dumbledore has stopped by for a visit."

"Hello Lily, since I could not write a reply to your letter, I decided to come and answer it in person. I will tell you that I put Harry in his relatives care because that seemed that safest place for him." Dumbledore paused for a breath.

"SAFE! Her home safe? You must have been deulsional. Petunia was always jealous and she hated magic! You should have known better. I would have soon as left Harry in Peter's care than in my sister's care!" Lily shouted at Dumbledore. Then she noticed Nick. "Oh, Hello Nick. Would you like a plate of spaghetti?"

"If it's not too much trouble." Nick said.

"Oh no, it's no trouble at all. Right Draco?" Lily asked, turning to Draco and looking at him menacingly.

"No trouble at all, I'll just get that plate of spaghetti right away." Draco said, going along with Lily, as he had an idea of what she was going to do. Sure enough she drew the whip from her robes and snapped it at Draco.

"Faster!" She told him.

"Yes, mistress." Draco said, hurrying. He cast the shield charm around the plate and watched it blow up satisfactorily.

Dumbledore looked on in amusement. Lily really fitted in with this group as strange as it seemed.

"Excuse me sir?" Hermione asked him. "They're only going to get louder, so perhaps you'd like to go to a quieter place to discuss things?"

"That would be lovely Miss Granger. In fact I have something I'd like to discuss with you." Dumbledore said.

"Then I suggest the Library." Hermione said, leaving the kitchen for the quiet sanctuary of the library. "Now what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"I'd like to discuss why you sent Ms. Skeeter to me." Dumbledore asked.

"Oh, well she said that Voldemort was after her and I figured that Hogwarts was a safe place for her. It sounded like she'd like to join in the fight against Voldemort, so again I thought of you." Hermione replied, sitting in the window seat and motioning for Dumbledore to sit in the nearest chair.

"Excellent reasoning, Miss Granger. I commend you on that."

"Thank you sir. Did she want to join the Order?" Hermione asked.

"She did, and we will be inducting her August first." Dumbledore said, he pulled a jar out of his robes. "Would you like a lemon drop?" He offered the jar to her.

"No thank you sir." Hermione replied.

"I'd like to ask you if Harry has told you anything about his family recently." Dumbledore asked.

"Professor, I believe that that is absolutely none of your business." Harry's voice broke in from the doorway.

"Well Harry, I was just asking Miss Granger—" Dumbledore was cut off by Harry.

"If I had told her who my father is. Which, I may point out is none of your business. This is a matter concerning Severus and I. Which is worse, than keeping important prophecies from me." Harry said, barely suppressing the rage in his voice. He was tired of Dumbledore sticking his crooked nose in Harry's business.

"I admit. I should have told you about that earlier. If I had I could have prevented Sirius' death." Dumbledore said, trying to calm Harry down. Sadly, he had said the wrong thing.

"YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SIRIUS! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS MANIPULATING PEOPLE TO GET THEM TO DO YOUR BIDDING! If YOU HAD DONE THE RIGHT THING AND TOLD ME ABOUT THE DAMNED PROPHECY SIRIUS WOULD BE HERE NOW! NOT THROUGH SOME BLOODY VIEL IN THE DEPART OF MYSTERIES! YOU COULDN'T EVEN TELL ME WHY I WAS GETTING THOSE VISIONS! YOU JUST FORCED ME TO TAKE OCCULMENCY LESSONS WITH SNAPE! YOU COULDN'T BRING YOURSELF TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU WERE AFARID TO! INSTEAD YOU MADE ME RELIVE MY CHILDHOOD! WHICH WASN'T A PLEASANT EXPERINCE, MIND YOU! I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD KEEP YOUR CROOKED NOSE OUT OF MY BUISNESS!" Harry yelled at Dumbledore before slamming out of the Library and stomping up the stairs. Minor explosions could be heard until there was another slamming door.

Hermione didn't know what to say. Apparently Harry and Dumbledore weren't on the best of terms. After a few moments, Severus stormed into the library and gently shut the door and put about three locking charms on it, and five different silencing charms on it. Hermione gulped and looked out the window for a means of escape. Being locked in the same room with a very angry Professor Snape wasn't a good thing.

"Albus, would you care to explaining why every dish in the kitchen shattered of it's own accord, including Lily's and Nick's, and why my son had locked himself in his room and won't let anyone in?" Severus said, keeping control of his voice, not mentioning the trail of broken things folloiwin the pathway to his son's bedroom.

"Well, I was talking with Miss Granger here, and I merely wished to know if Harry had told her of his parentage, and Harry told me in a few words that it was none of my business." Dumbledore said calmly, examining his hands.

"Is that all?" Severus asked.

"No." Hermione surprised herself by speaking up. "Harry said something about keeping important prophecies from him. Then Dumbledore said he should have told Harry and that he could have prevented Sirius' death." Hermione said, her voice gaining strength and clarity with each word. "Then Harry blew up. That is all."

"Thank you miss Granger." Severus said, before glaring at Dumbledore. "Albus, what were you thinking? You knew that Harry wasn't happy with you. It would have been best if you had just let things be, but NO, YOU HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET MY SON BE? HE ALREAD HAS EOUGH PROBLEMS WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT YOU PRYING INTO HIS BUISNESS. It DOES NOT MATTER WHO HARRY AND I TELL ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP! IT IS ABSOULTLEY NONE OF YOU BUISNESS! I SUGGEST THAT YOU LEAVE!" Severus yelled to the old man who didn't know how to mind his own business.

Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Severus said "Miss Granger, would you like to go and see f we can get Harry to talk?" Severus asked as she stormed out of the library in front of him.

"That's exactly where I was going. I intend to find out about this prophecy thing he mentioned." Hermione said, her robes billowing behind her dramatically.

"Hold your arms more loosely, they billow better that way." Severus told her.

"What?" Hermione asked, perplexed.

"Did you not notice that your robes are billowing behind you?" Severus asked.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. "They were?' She asked.

"Yes, it rather reminded me of myself. If you do it right, you can get the right combination of angry potions master, stern transfiguration teacher, and a little it of Molly Weasley, you can be quite intimidating." Severus pointed out.

"Really?" Hermione asked. "I could scare the into doing their homework. Maybe I could even get entire the entire Gryffindor Tower to do their homework." Hermione, said, thinking of the possibilities.

"That would be highly unlikely." Severus said.

"It's possible." Hermione said.

"True. Now hush." Severus said. He knocked on Harry's door. "Harry" May I come in?" There was no response. Severus knocked again. "Harry, please, could you let me in?"

"NO!" Harry shouted from the other side of the door.

Hermione looked at Severus and whispered, "Let me try." He nodded. "Harry, it's me Hermione, could I please come in?"

"GO AWAY!" Harry replied at top volume.

"We can talk about how stupid Dumbledore is." Hermione said.

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE, SO GO AWAY!" Harry shouted.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

There was silence. Severus sighed. "Why don't we try later?" He asked.

"Good idea, give him some time to cool down."

Harry threw yet another knife at he wall and smiled in satisfaction as it stuck in the wall. He reached for another and Sirius handed him one.

"You're getting closer to the target." Sirius said.

"Yeah." Harry agreed.

"I thought you didn't want to talk to anyone." Sirius said, handing Harry another knife for him to throw at the circle he had drawn on the wall.

"I don't want to talk to them." Harry said. Taking another knife and throwing it at the wall. (A/N: Believe me when I say it is satisfying to throw knives into a wall to work off anger. There's something satisfying about it.)

"That was the last knife." Sirius said after Harry threw it.

"Okay." Harry waved his hand and the wall fixed itself and the knives put themselves back in their box. "I'm actually sort of tired of doing this."

"I have something to do." Sirius said. "How would you like to find out what your animagi form is?"

"I'd love to." Harry grinned. "What do I do?"

"You just stand where you are and let me cast the spell on you." Sirius said grinning as he drew his wand. (A/N: They nicked it from Grimmauld Place.)

"Okay." Harry stood still already having an idea what his from might be.

'nudo feara forma Harry Potter' Sirius muttered while pointing his wand directly at Harry's chest. A black jet shot out of his wand and surrounded Harry.

Then the black glow surroundind Harry faded and Harry felt the familiar sensations of his body changing size and shape. Except when the sensations stopped, it felt different from his usual form. His form was longetr and more lithe. Other than that it was normal. Harry twitched his tail and walked over to the bathroom door where there was a mirrior. He flexed a paw and sharp claws shot out of it. Harry slammed his weight into the door and it popped open. When Harry caught sight of himself in the mirrior he grinned. The panther in the mirrior showed off it's teeth.

Harry padded out, back twards Sirius and looked up at him. Sirius smiled back at Harry. "It only lasts five minutes, so you should be going back to your human form any second." True to his word, Harry felt the cat shape leaving him and his human form reasserting itself.

"Wow. A panther!" Sirius said.

"Sirius, is it possible for a wizard to have two forms?" Harry said.

"Yeah. Really powerful wizards can have two forms. Why do you ask?" Sirius asked.

Harry decided that it was finally time to let his secret out. "Because of this." Harry said and changed into a large tiger.

"Ah. How long have you been able to do that?" Sirius asked.

"My earliest memory of changing is when I was three. My aunt had left me with the neighbor, Meaghan, who was a witch, but I didn't know that, well, me and her son were watching an old Winnie the Pooh episode, and When I saw one of the characters, Tigger, I transformed into a tiger." Harry said. "She said to not do it in front of people and not to tell anyone. You are the first person I've ever told."

"Wow. An animagi since age three. That's got to be some sort of record, Harry." Sirius said in awe.

"Please don't spread it aroung. I don't want too many people knowing about it." Harry said.

"That's okay. Do you ming resuming your form for a moment? I want to perform a communication spell, it's so we can talk mind to mind in our forms."

Harry nodded and transformed. Once again, Sirius pointed hi wand at him. This time, Sirius said, 'vinculum' and then Sirius transformed into the familiar dog.

'Harry?' Siruis asked. 'Can you hear me?'

'Yep.' Harry replied.

'Well, now that you have your form we need to find an alias for you.' Sirius said.

'How about Tigger?' Harry asked.

'Sounds fitting.' Sirius said, 'as you're a tiger and all.'

Their conversation was inturrpted by a knock on the door. With two slight 'pops' Harry and Siruis resumed their human forms.

"Who is it now?" Harrry snapped.

"Harry, it's Remus. May I please come in?" Remus asked through the door. He had been nominated as the next person to try and get Harry to talk.

"Should I let him in?" Harry asked Sirius.

"I suppouse you should." Sirius told him.

"Fine." Harry waved his hand and the door opened of it's own accord and Remus was dragged into the room, and as soon as Remus was out of the door's swing, it slammed itself shut and locked.

Remus looked at the door strangley. "Er. Nice spell that you have there on the door."

"I know. I found it in a book yesterday. I guess it works." Harry said proudly.

"Yes, I suppouse so." Remus said. "So, what've you and Sirius been doing?"

"Learning how to be an animagi." Harry said off-handedly. Harry immensly enjoyed Remus' reaction.

"WHAT! Learning to be an animagi? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Remus practically shouted.

"Moony, relax, he's been doing this since he was three. He's fine. Although we did find out that he has a second form." Sirius said, hoping to take Moony by surprise. It worked.

"Two forms? Since he was three?" Remus said weakly.

"Yup." Harry said promptly and changed into Tigger.

"A tiger?" Remus said.

"Apparently." Sirius said. "Tigger, do you mind if Remus performs the bonding spell?"

Tigger shook his head no. "Alright Remus, go ahead and perform the bonding spell."

Remus shook his head in wonder. He shrugged his shoulders and performed the spell. "Shall I transform?" He asked.

Tigger nodded and Sirius changed into Padfoot as an answer. "It's been so long, I don't know if I remember how." He said aloud.

'Come on Moony, you can do it, just remember how it feels to change.' Tigger said. (A/N: 'this sort of quote marks' means mind to mind speech.)

'Fine.' Moony said and sat for a moment remembering. After a moment, a wolf appeared. 'Hello, Padfoot old friend.'

'It's been awhile.' Padfoot said.

'Too true.' Moony agreed.

'Shall we instruct Tigger here in the fine art of scaring people shitless?' Padfoot asked. (A/N: I'm ever so sorry if you don't like the swearing in this chapter, but this is the second time I am writing this, as the stupid computer decided to not save, and instead turn off. So I lost fifteen pagges, an entire days work. It's going a bit faster only beecause I know where I'm going. At least that's good.)

'That sounds fun!' Tigger said. 'Who excatly are we going to scare?'

'Tigger, you get Hermione, Moony, you'll get Ron, and I'll explain to Severus and we'll gang up on Draco. Sound good?' Padfoot declared.

'I'm with you.' Moony said.

'I'm good. Can I do magic in this form?' Tigger asked.

'Some.' Moony replied. 'I suppouse you could open your door as it's already been enchanted.'

'Okay. And Moony? It's actually a curse. Technically it's a prison spell, but since I'm in control of it it's sort of more legal.'

'Tigger? Are you putting illegal curses on your door?' Padfoot asked.

'kinda sorta.' Tigger said in response.

'That's my god-son!' Padfoot shouted jubilantly.

'Paddy, you shouldn't be congratulating him, you should be admonishing him.' Moony said reasonaly.

'But Moony, that's your job.' Padfoot pointed out.

'Fine, Tigger you have been a very bad boy, so you go and raise some hell out there!' Moony said before pawing at the door, trying to get out.

'Okay then. Let's run!' Tiger said to the others and waved his right paw and the door creaked open.

Hermione heard Harry's door open and she hastened her step. Was that Remus coming out, or was it Harry coming out? Only one way to find out. Hermione cautiously approached Harry's door and peeked in. Harry's room was empty. That was a good sign. Hermione failed to notice the tiger that was belending in with the shadows until it closed it's massive jaws on her wnad hand.

Oh my god. I'm going to be eaten by a tiger. Wait? Why's it tugging on my hand? It's seems to want me to go in that direction. I suppouse that I should, if I want to keep my hand. Hermione followed walked alongside the tiger with her hand in it's mouth.

Tigger smiled inwardly. He had gotten Hermione! It was so easy. He was going to take her out to the baclony and scare her good, before showing her who he was. Tiger reached the slightly concealed door to the balcony and flicked his paw. As he had hoped, thinking the incantation and flicking his paw had worked. He led Hermione out to the alcony and shut the door and locked the door magically. Tigger let go of Hermione's hand and watched her try the door.

Appaerntly the tiger isn't going to eat me. Yet. Hermione thought. She grabbed a handful of her robes and raised them to her hand to clean the saliva off of it. Funny, the tiger spit gave off a funny odor. Almost like, spaghetti. Strange... Hermione backed into a corner and sat in it resoultly gathering her robes around her. It was going to be a long night...

Tigger just sat there watching Hermione. Why doesn't she curse me or something? He sniffed again. The smell of fear emanating off of Hermione had lessened. Just then, there came a rather high pitched scream from somewhere out on the grounds.

"AUGH! Get back! Someone, HEELLLLP! There's a wolf out here! HELP!"

'Having fun Moony?' Tigger asked.

'I forgot how fun this was.' Moony replied.

'Padfoot, how's it going.' Tiger asked his other friend.

'I'm explaining to Griffy, do you mind if I tell him about you?' Padfoot asked.

'Not at all.' Tigger replied.

Noticing that Hermione had truned away from him, she appeared to be trying to see Ron. Tigger seized the chance and changed back into Harry.

"Hermione? What are you doing out here?" Harry asked, as if he didn't know.

Hermione turned and rushed at Harry and hugged him with all her might. "Oh Harry! There was a tiger. I was so scared, You saved my life." Hermione said breathlessy, apparently he had scared her more than he thought. That almost made Harry feel guilty about what he was going to do.

"A tiger Hermione?" Harry asked, sounding perplexed, but she couldn't see his malicious expression. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes quite sure." Hermione said, still hugging Harry. A moment later, she was hugging a tiger.

Hermione jumped back in terror. "Harry James POTTER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

Tigger changed back into Harry. "Showing off my animagi skills that's what."

"How long?" Was all Hermione could say.

"Since I was three." Harry grinned at her. Her reply was cut off by another scream from Ron.

"AUGH! A LION! HEEEELLLLPP! SOMEONE?! PLEASE?!" Ron shouted somewhere over to Harry's left.

"Sounds like Griffy caught up with Moony." Harry said, laughing.

"MOONY! HE'S OUT THERE??? NOW? HARRY YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING!" Hermione shouted in desperatione. Apparently her boyfriend was about to become a werewolf, not that she'd love him any less...

"Did I mention that Remus is a wolf animagi? And the full moon was last week?" Harry said dryly.

"Oh. Oops." Hermione looked sheepish.

"Do you mind if I go and join them?" Harry asked her.

"No not at all, just don't scare him too much." Hermione said. Harry grinned in reply and changed into Tigger. Tigger took a running leap and jumped over the waist high wall on the balcony. He landed softly on the grass, and stalked off. He easily found Ron's scent, and could have easily followed it to find him, but decided to ask. 'Hey guys, where's Ron?'

'We've got him corned near the back gate.' Moony replied.

'Yeah. We're right by the pond.' Padfoot replied. I'm staying hidden in the shadows.'

'Okay. Do you mind if I join in?' Tigger asked.

'Hurry up!' Padfoot said.

'Yes please, it looks like he's getting ready to bolt.' Moony added.

'Now we don't want that do we?' Tigger asked and set off at a slow run towards the back gate.

As Tigger rounded the corner, he saw Moony and Griffy facing him. Consequentially, Ron's back was to him. Tigger slowed down and padded silently towards Ron. When he was about five feet away from him, he sat down and curled his tail around his legs and (A/N: Do tigers roar??) roared loudly. Ron whirled around quickly. When his back was to Moony and Griffy, they transformed back into their human forms.

This time, Ron didn't scream. He just stared at Tigger and whimpered. Pitiful. Tigger thought.

"What's the problem Ron? We could hear your screams all the way in the kitchen." Remus asked, trying not to grin.

"My problem?" Ron asked. "Oh not much, only being chased by a wolf and a Lion. Not much. Then being cornered by a tiger." Ron said, his voice wavering a little when he mentioned the tiger.

"What tiger, Mr. Weasley? I fail to see what you mean." Severus said sharply.

"What tiger! The tiger right behind me!" Ron exclaimed, jerking his thumn in Harry's direction.

"What tiger Ron?" Harry said from behind Ron. When Ron whirled around to face Harry, Severus and Remus resumed their animal forms.

"I swear there was a tiger there a few moments ago." Ron said, his voice shaking. It appeared that he was going to say more, but he was a tad but distracted by the lion behind him that made it's presence known with a deafening roar. When Ron turned to face the lion and wolf, Harry changed back into Tigger and waited patiently for Ron to notice him.

'Excellent Harry.' Severus told him. 'I performed the charm when Ron was talking to you.'

'Okay. Isn't this fun?' Tigger asked. 'By the way, name's Tigger.'

'Okay. And I am Griffy. Here's a secret, I rather like the name.' Griffy told him.

'And I' came another voice in Tigger's head, 'Am Rimarin, otherwise known as Draco'

'Okay then. I that every one?' Tigger said nervously.

'Yeah.' Padfoot said.

'I'm getting bored woth this game.' Moony said.

Tigger sniffed the breeze. 'Wait a moment before we reaveal ourelves, I think we're about to get company.'

True to Tigger's word, in a moment, Hermione walked calmly into their presence. There was a snake following along behind her and she was paying it little notice.

"Hello Ron. How are things?" Hermione asked pleasantly, sitting down on the grass next to Harry.

"Just fine, thanks for asking. I always love getting cornered y dangerous animals." Ron said his voice higher than usual..

"Oh they're not vicious." Hermion said, scratching Harry's chin.

Tigger shook his head and tackled Hermione. She laughed and whispered, "Harry, you know that Ron isn't going to appreciate your behaviour."

Tigger just shook his head and proceeded to wash Hermione's face with his tounge. (A/N: My cat does this. It's really annoying when she sits down on the keyboard when I'm typing and cleans her butt, and then proceeds to wash my face for me.)

"Hermione. It's licking you." Ron said, sure that the tiger was going to do worse to her girlfriend.

"I'm fine Ron." Hermione said, pushing Harry off of her. (A/N: He wasn't on on her, he was standing over her.)

Tigger just blinked. He shrugged and curled up to take a nap. 'Games up guys. I'm out, don't let them hurt me please.' Tigger said before drifting off into a cat nap.

"Hello guys. I see Harry is taking a nap." Sirius said, turning back into Sirius and walking out from where he had been watching it all.

"Harry? That's Harry?" Ron asked amazed.

"Yep. Did he forget to tell you that he was a tiger in his spare time?" Severus said, approaching Ron.

"Yes he forgot." Ron said.

"Well scaring people is tiring work. If you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap too." Severus said before changing back into a lion and going over to Harry. After sniffing him to be sure that he was okay, he curled up next to his son and stretched out a paw that he rested on his son's shoulder.

"So Ron. Look at me for a moment." Sirius said. As soon as he got Ron's attention, he pointed his wand at him and hurriedly said 'nudo feara forma Ronald Weasley' The others watched as Ron's expression changed from fear to a frown, before his face changed shape and he grew fur.

This was the weirdest feeling Ron had ever experienced. Suddenly his body quit changing and Ron twitched a muscle, and to his amazement, he felt something move. He tried to say 'what's happened to me, but it came out as a series of barks and yaps. His vision was then filled with a larger than normal Hermione. Ron backed up fearfully. "Ron, you're a fox." The larger than normal Hermione whispered to him. To his surprise, he felt his ears twitch and move around to pick up more sounds. He could hear Harry and Severus breathing, he heard the wind in the trees and the lapping of the water on the edge of the pond-that-could-be-called-a-lake. Ron shook his head and inhaled. The smells! Over in the bushes there was a chipmunk, and some mice. The mice smelled good. They smelt like food! Ron-the-fox, walked over towards the mice and stumbled a bit. Four legs were harder to control than two. After getting coordinated a bit he returned to stalking the mice. He could hear them burrowing deeper in the mast and he could almost smell them. He licked his lips in anticipation, but just before he could try and pounce on one, he began to change back.

Ron shook his head a bit when he had fully returned to human form, and tried walking, It took a moment to get reacquainted with his set of human limbs, but he did.

"A fox, eh?" Sirius asked.

Ron nodded. He breathed deeply and was a it disappointed with the lack of smells. Remus and Sirius laughed.

"This form has a lack of scents doesn't it?" Sirius said knowingly.

"Yeah. I smelt the most amazing things. I smelt mice and I could find them just by scent—" Ron broke off, horrified by what he had been about to do.

"Ron? It's okay. At first the animal instincts do most of the thinking. It's okay to eat vermin. They actually have a semi decent taste." Remus said quietly. "You should try being forced to transform every full moon and having almost no rational thought, but still have the memories." Remus added, laughing hollowly.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure that I'll get used to it after awhile." Ron said. "Now, let's discuss how I'm going to change into a fox again."

"All you do is remember how it felt to change the first time. You remember he feelings and you will change into a fox again. At first the change will be agonizingly slow, and your form might not last long, but after about a month of practice you should be able to do it any time." Sirius said.

"It took out lab rat two months to learn." Remus pointed out.

Sirius laughed his laugh that was so much like a bark. "Peter, he was out literal lab rat."

"I see. Has Hermione attempted the change yet?" Ron asked.

"Not yet. She wanted to see how you did." Sirius said.

"Yes, and I saw and I'd like to find out now." Hermione said from the rock that was sitting on, skipping stones in the water.

"Fine Hermione, come over her and stand up." Sirius said. He pointed his wand Hermione and muttered 'nudo feara forma Hermione Granger' Once again, the black jet shot of Sirius' wand and enveloped Hermione.

Hermione stood there bouncing from foot to foot and she couldn't wait to transform. She remembered to pay attention to the sensations, so she would have an easier time transforming on her own. She could feel her bones changing shape and realigning themselves. Some bones disappeared altogether, and she felt herself growing a tail. Her new form was low to the ground. She opened her eyes and looked around. The water in the pond was strangely alluring. After looking at the water lapping gently on the shore, she looked up at Sirius. He saw her glance and nodded. "You're an otter, go for a swim." Hermione nodded and scampered off to the pond. When she heard something in the bushes, instinct took over and she made a run for the pond. As soon as she swam far enough to dive, she took a breath and dived, her nostrils closing instinctively. Now that was an odd sensation. Hermione swan down to the bottom and looked around. There were a lot of interesting things down here. What was that? Hermione asked herself.

She swan closer and realized that it was an old wizard's bike. It had to be a witch or wizard's as it was trundling around the bottom of ht pond on it's own. The old fashioned headlight swung around and caught Hermione in it's glare. The bike, seeing her came after her. Hermione didn't know if its intentions were good or not, but she swan off quickly. With frequent glances over her shoulder, she could see the dim glow of the lamp on the handlebars still following her. Hermione surfaced and looked around. Ah. There was Sirus. He should be able to deal with the bike, Hermione thought, the human part of her mind in control now. She swan quickly at Sirius.

When she got to the shore, she shook off quite a bit of the water off of her fur, and turned around, trying to see if the bike was still chasing her. Yep, she could see it's light coming at her. Great. She walked over to Sirius and stood behind him, her eyes glued on the pond.

"What is it Hermione?" Lupin asked kindly. "Did you see something in the pond the scared you?"

Hermione nodded her head and immediately felt foolish. Why should a simple bicycle scare her?

"Your five minutes are nearly up. Pay attention to the change. Okay?" Sirius told her quietly.

Hermione nodded again to show understanding. She sat patiently and waited for the change back to happen. It happened with warning, it felt exactly like the first time, only in reverse. Only it seemed to go faster this time.

"So, how do you like your form?" Sirius asked her.

"It was fun. Could you tell me how to do it on my own?" Hermione asked.

Sirius smiled. "Sure, if you tell me what scared you in the pond that made you come back out so fast."

"Well there was a bike trundling around by itself." Hermione said shuddering, though she didn't know why.

"Oh that." Sirius said, looking a little uncomfortable. "Sorry about that, we'll tell you how to make it quit following you."

"Yeah, sorry Hermione, we were trying to do something, and we just chucked it in the pond." Lupin said.

"And what were you trying to do?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure. It was James' idea, so we are innocent." Sirius said.

"Okay then, so can I work on transforming by myself?" Hermione asked.

"Sure. Ron's over there concentrating. He's been at it for ten minutes." Remus said, pointing towards a somewhat smaller and hairy Ron.

"Okay then." Hermione said. I'm going to go over there." Hermione said, pointing at an arbor with roses trailing over it.

"Okay then. If you feel like you're getting stuck, do something to get our attention." Remus told her. Neither of the three people had noticed Ginny watching them.

She decided that it was the best time to make her presence known as she wasn't too sure of the incantation. "Hello." She said, walking around the corner.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" Remus asked, moving in front of Sirius.

"I have been sent to stay here if who ever's in charge doesn't mind because apparently I have n Uncle who is deathly ill in St. Mungo's and he requested mum and Dad's presence at his death bed. Strangest thing is that he's an uncle in my mum's side. It's creepy. They've never really paid any attention to us before." Ginny said. "Hello Sirius, I take it you're not dead?" She asked.

"Nope. Still alive. But we're keeping the fact that I'm alive a secret, so kindly don't tell anyone." Sirius said.

"Okay. What's with the tiger and the lion?" Ginny asked.

"That would be Severus and Harry. Harry is the tiger and Severus is the lion." Sirius said. "Before you ask why you brother is sinking slowly and growing fur, he's practicing turning into a fox of his own free will. That's what Hermione's doing over under the arbor."

"Good. That's what I thought. I was watching and that was what it appeared you were doing. It's my turn." Ginny said, standing directly in front of Sirius and staring him in the eye.

"I don't have a choice do I?" Sirius asked.

"Nope." Ginny said.

"Fine." Sirius muttered something about pushy women. He pointed his wand at Ginny and said, yet again, 'nudo feara forma Ginevra Weasley'

Ginny watched the black light and had to fight instinct to duck. Ginny didn't duck and the spell hit her and she began to change. She felt her nose and mouth molding into one and her eyes moving to the side of her head. Her body got smaller and her legs shorter, her feet changed into four toes and she felt feathers growing out of her skin.

Ginny blinked for a moment, there was something strange about her vision. Then she realized that her eyes had changed place and she was seeing from the sides of her head. So if she wanted to look straight ahead, she had to turn her head. Ginny did that and she saw Sirius. He was crouching down on his knees in her face. He seemed really big. She took a few nervous hops back.

"You're a raven Ginny. A raven, you can fly." Sirius said. "But don't try it until you can master the transformation completely, because you don't know how long you will hold your form. Don't worry Hermione will have the same restriction about swimming." Sirius finished softly.

Ginny thought for a moment and remembered Hedwig perching on Harry's shoulder. She thought for a moment and eyed Sirius' shoulder. Ginny hopped a few times and flapped her wings the last time. She almost made it. She was only about a foot sort. Thankfully Sirius had good reflexes and managed to catch Ginny before she collided rather painfully with the ground. Using her beak, she climbed Sirius' arm and finally got to his shoulder. She stood up and tried to say 'I did it!', but it came out as "Caw caw." (A/N: I'm not sure what sort of noise ravens make.)

Sirius chuckled. Remus sighed and looked at Ginny. "You have to get down onto the ground. I know you're more comfortable up there, but you need to be on the ground when you transform back. Unless you want to fall off of Sirius' shoulder, and possibly hurt him on his first day back in the land of the living."

Ginny glared at Remus and hopped off of Sirius' shoulder, using her wings to glide and landed gracefully. Ginny walked around and realized that there wasn't much difference between this and her human form was the size and the wings and other obvious things. In a few minutes she felt herself begin to change back. Her bones grew rapidly and her facial structure changed. Ginny analyzed the sensations as she experienced them. There was really no description for them, they were just strange.

"So Ginny, how do you like your form?" Sirius asked.

"It's, I don't know. Could I get back to you in a bit?" Ginny said laughing.

"Fine. But let's get everyone in the house. I don't think that they are going to have much success with this tonight." Remus said. Motioning to the others. Harry had woken up and was gazing at Ron, who was about half his normal size and had fur all over him. Hermione was down to otter size, but she couldn't seem to grow fur or get into the otter shape.

"Sirius?" Could you help?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, but let's get you inside." Sirius told her. "Do you mind if I carry you?" He asked.

"I'm not sure if I can walk." Hermione admitted. "My back feet are otter feet and the rest of me is otter size."

Sirius sighed. Peter had gotten into worse predicaments and he and Remus had always been able to sort it out. "Okay then." He crouched down next to Hermione and realized that her clothes hadn't been part of the transformation. "You have to concentrate on your clothes being part of you, or else they get left behind and when you transform back into human shape, you are unclothed." Sirus told her, wrapping Hermione in her robes.

"Okay, I'll remember that. You have no idea how uncomfortable this is." Hermione told Sirius who was now carrying her like she was a baby.

"Actually, I do. The same thing happened to me when I was first learning. Try being carried to the infirmary by your best friend. We had a hard time of it explaining to Madam Pomfrey what had happened to me." Sirius said.

"I remember that Sirius, you were insisting that you could walk, but your feet were a mix of human and dog." Remus said, laughing at the memory.

"Yeah but you had an awfully hard time explaining why you were in wolf form and it wasn't even the full moon." Sirius replied.

"True. That was hard. I don't think that she ever really believed me." Remus said.

"What did you come up with?" Sirius asked.

"Potions accident." Remus said shortly. "Never was any good at potions..."

"Fine. You can carry me." Ron said grumpily from about ten feet behind him.

"What, are you having a hard time walking?" Remus asked innocently. "you insisted that you could do it yourself."

"I was wrong." Ron said, as if it took great effort. "Good, gland that you could admit that." Remus said, before walking back and picking Ron up and resting him on his hip.

"Ron, you look really funny like that?" Hermione said, laughing.

"And you never looked funny as a cat?" Ron said bitterly.

"Hey shut up. At last you have human feet." Hermione said, sticking her feet out of the bundle of robes that she was in. She wiggled her toes.

"Hermione? Are you in there?" Ron asked staring at the small bundle of robes that was Hermione.

"Yes. I managed to get the size and the feet, but not the rest." Hermione said, entertaining herself by wiggling her toes, which took a bit of concentration as they belonged on an otter.

"I almost got the size, and I got the fur." Ron said.

"So do you like your forms?" Ginny asked, forgetting that Ron and Hermione didn't know that she was there.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" Ron asked, his voice sounding worried.

"Ginny? Oh no! Sirius! Ginny, you mustn't tell anyone about Sirius' presence." Hermione said.

"Yes I know, I've already figured that it out. Especially as I am a raven animagi." She said proudly. "I'm here because an uncle on mum's side requested their presence at his death bed. I have no idea why, so don't even ask Ron."

"I wasn't going to." Ron protested loudly even though he was going to.

"If you do, I'll get a picture of you in your current state and post it all over school." Ginny threatened.

"Good one Ginny." Hermione said. "Sirius, how are we going to get back to normal?" Hermione asked.

"Well, first we are going to wait the night. Hopefully your body will give up the form and you'll return to your normal size. If you are still like this in the morning, we will resort to magic." Sirius said.

Hermione yawned and wiggled a little in Sirius' arms and started drifting off to sleep. By the time they got to her room, she was fast asleep.

Sirius set Hermione on her bed. "Ginny, do you know how to cast a privacy charm?"

"Yeah. Why?" Ginny asked, looking at Sirius curiously.

"Because once I cast the charm to keep her from falling out of bed, she'll need to take her robes off. If my experiences prove correct, she er... won't be wearing much besides being wrapped in her robes. So the privacy charm is to keep people from seeing her if they inadvertently walk into your room. I know that Harry and Draco were planning something to prank someone tonight, so I thought that Hermione might not be wanting to give them an eyeful when she was asleep. Do you understand?" Sirius asked, not wanting to explain it to Ginny again.

"I get it. I'm a girl, and you don't want Hermione to feel violated and she can't be wearing her robes when she transforms back 'cause it might hurt her and I'm the only girl in the entire household besides Lily." Ginny said. "So cast your charm and leave." She said. Sirius nodded thankfully, as he was a bit uncomfortable discussing this with Ginny, and he cast the charm and left hurriedly as it seemed that she had inherited the Weasley temper.

A/N: I think that I will quit here because the chapter is 31 pages long. Okay I'll sum things up. Ron and Hermione are sorta stuck in their partial forms and I do know that the whole everyone-is-an-animagi-plot-twist is a little on the dumb side, but I have my reasons for this. What do you think of Harry's nickname? I think I might have him sign himself Tigger (T-I-double G-Er) What do you think on that? Does any one have any ideas for nicknames for Ron (Fox), Hermione (Otter), and Ginny (Raven). Thanks! And, I figured out a fool proof way to get you to review. Okay? Ready? 'IMPERIO!' Now go and review. I said Review! You can't all fight it off, Review!. Maybe I should try the incantation again. Oh crap. I'm going off to Azkaban now. I forgot that that curse was illegal. Oh well, maybe I'll escape. Everyone, send me escape tips!

/N2: Thank you to all my lovely reviewers. I love you all so much!

anno: I hope that this is soon enough. I'm glad that you love the story.

Lady Lily3: Five DAYS? I have absoultely no idea how I'm going to have Sirius find out. Ron's going to find out by accident, sorta how Remus does. oops. That's in the next chapter. Shouldn't have said that. Sorry the update took so long.

sparkling silver angel wings: I don't know if I'm going to bring James back. I might bring him back, but if I do, I think that I will have Lily come back as a person, not as a ghost.

Malach: Glad you like Lily's return.

Thanks for reading, and the next chapter is 17 pages in my notebook, and i have to type that up, I'm not going to guatentee anything about when the next chapter will be posted, ut I will say that I will try to have it up before the 31. That gives me 8 days, I should be able to handle that.