Things are Looking up

by emikae

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

13. Look, a pickpocket stole Draco's necklac...

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and Professor McGonagall does not own Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. I don't either. So there. Don't sue me. Let's just make this cover the entire story okay? Good. Thank you.

"Harry James Potter, if you don't get out of bed this instant you will be sorry." A high pitched voice that was familiar broke through Harry's slumber.

Harry woke up immediately. He looked around his room and his eyes fell on a tall figure with red snake like eyes and what appeared to be slits for nostrils. Harry reached for his wand.

"I don't think so." The person said. 'accio wand' The figure smiled evilly and laughed.

Harry looked around for a means of escape. He didn't see one.

"So we meet again, Harry Potter. This time I will kill you properly."

Harry thought, oh great. I'm going to die in my pajamas. In my bedroom. On my birthday Bet Dumbledore will like that. I wonder how my funeral will go. Harry wondered.

"Tonks? How's waking Harry up going?" Remus called from downstairs.

"Remus! I was having fun." Tonks called, but unfortunately she forgot to change her voice.

"Harry! Are you okay?" Remus called, hearing the voice and connecting it with a very evil wizard.

"Remus, I'm fine. Tonks is just showing me her idea of a joke." Harry said, glaring at Tonks.

"Well I got him up didn't I?" Tonks asked indignantly.

"Tonks, doing an impression of Voldemort is not a good thing to do to me in the morning." Harry informed her. "Hang around here for a bit. I have an idea."

"What sort of idea?" Tonks asked suspiciously, walking over to Harry's desk and nearly killing herself by tripping over Harry's open trunk.

"You'll see." Harry said before getting a few things that he needed, and going into his bathroom. "You know what?" He asked his mirror. "I'm feeling a bit Slytherin today. So let's make the decor a bit more green."

"Are you sure?" The mirror asked him.

"Yes I'm sure, so could you just find the incantation?"

"Fine." The mirror made a noise that Hermione would recognize immediately, but Harry had yet to place. "Aha. Found it. Okay, the incantation is 'Slytherin viridis ornatio materres' Happy?" The mirror asked.

Harry raised a hand, and muttered the words and waved the hands in an exact swirl. "Yep. I'm happy." Harry said, taking in the now green marble counter and the snake faucets, and dark green tile. Harry noticed with a smile that there were snakes engraved into the tile. Harry stripped and stepped into the shower. The water turned on automatically, and was at just the right temperature. Harry was glad of the mirror that he told him most of the spells that he had used in his room. Enchanted bathrooms were nice.

Before washing his hair, Harry felt it to try and figure out if it was getting greasy. He couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but it seemed greasier. Harry finished washing and dried off using a drying charm, which was faster than towel drying. Harry pulled on a fresh set of robes that he had brought with him, and stepped into his room.

It looked very Slytherin.

"I didn't do anything." Tonks said hurriedly. "It just happened."

"I know, I did it. I got bored with what I had it decorated with before." Harry said, lounging on his bed.

"What about this prank you mentioned?" Tonks asked,

"Well I thought it over and decided that it wasn't worth it." Harry said.

"I suppose it probably wouldn't have been." Tonks replied. "Are you excited about your birthday party?" Tonks asked.

"Not really. I've never had a birthday celebration before, so it will be strange." Harry said honestly

"What's it like having Severus as a guardian?" Tonks asked curiously, assuming that Harry knew.

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked sharply, sitting up.

"Well Dumbledore said, now that your relatives gave up custody of you, and that Sirius is dead, Severus got custody of you." Tonks explained.

"Is that all Dumbledore said about that?" Harry asked.

"He did say that we might be surprised after a while." Tonks told Harry. "Perhaps you know why?"

"I can't tell you, you'll just have to wait with everyone else and find out when they do." Harry told Tonks loftily.

"It was worth a try." Tonks said, sounding genuinely disappointed.

"I have my own question. Why are you here?" Harry asked.

"I'm here to make sure that you don't run off and skip your birthday party." Tonks told Harry.

"And why would I do that?" Harry asked tersely.

"Apparently Dumbledore thinks that since the party was his idea and you and him aren't on the best of terms with him, he thought that you might decide to skip the party and run off." Tonks told him.

"I won't run off, because I don't want to disappoint my friends. Harry said reasonably.

"That's what I thought." Tonks said.

"True. Do you know how we're getting there?" Harry asked.

"I believe that we are taking a portkey to Hogsmeade." Tonks informed him.

"Do you think that we could go early and maybe shop for a bit?" Harry asked.

"I guess that'd be okay." Tonks said.

"Good." Harry replied. "Who's awake?" Harry asked.

"Everyone." Tonks answered. "Ron, Hermione, and Ginny flooed in a while ago."

"Joy. So how many of us are going to be using the portkey?" Harry wanted to know.

"I'm not sure. Why don't you go down and have some breakfast?" Tonks suggested.

"Food. That sounds good." Harry replied.

Tonks laughed and followed Harry downstairs. When Harry opened the swinging door to the kitchen, he was greeted with a loud chorus of Happy Birthday.

"Oh God, why did I even come down." Harry muttered to himself. Harry noticed that 'greasy git' Severus was back.

"Good Morning, Mr. Potter." Severus said icily. "I see that you have taken the luxury of sleeping in."

Harry knew that it was all an act because Tonks was there, so he played along. "Yes. It is my birthday and I was up rather late last night.
Harry replied, his tone of voice rivaling Severus'.

"Harry, Severus, will you let the rest of us eat in peace? I am tired of your constant arguing." Remus said, playing along as well.

Harry and Severus continued to eat in silence for the duration of the meal. When Harry thought that no one was looking, he grinned at his father. Severus grinned back and mouthed, 'my room?'

Harry nodded. He hurriedly ate the last few bites of his pancakes and looked at Tonks. "Tonks?" He snapped.

"Yes?" She asked, wondering why Harry was in a mood.

"What time are we leaving?" Harry asked.

"Eleven, and the party's not until 11:30." Tonks replied.

"Thanks." Harry said, before abruptly getting up and storming out of the kitchen.

"What's his problem?" Tonks asked the group.

"It has something to do with being forced to live in the same house as Professor Snape, and the fact that Dumbledore sent someone to baby sit him." Ron said.

"But, on Monday he seemed fine." Tonks pointed out.

"Oh, on Monday, he was being diplomatic. He said that he didn't want everyone knowing all of his problems." Ron said.

"Ah. He wants to have a few secrets." Tonks said, knowingly.

"Yeah, that's be it." Draco said, having an idea of how Harry felt, as he hadn't been allowed secrets at his home.

"Okay." Tonks looked around and noticed that Severus was missing. "Where'd Severus go?"

"I suppose that he went up to his room to think of new reasons to get out of being Harry's guardian." Lily said, knowing that he had gone to go and talk with Harry.

"Okay." Tonks replied. "Anyone want to play exploding snap?" She asked, pulling a deck of cards out of her midnight blue robes with stars on them.

Ron, Hermione, and Draco all agreed. Remus started the dishes washing themselves magically, and left the kitchen.

"I can't believe him!" Harry said, pacing in his fathers room that was mainly dark colors. "Why couldn't he trust me to come!"

"I don't know why Harry. It drive me mad to know how he treats people." Severus agreed. At that moment, Remus was just at the end of the hall and they had neglected to put a silencing charm on the room.

"Not to mention that fact that you're my father! One would think that Dumbledore would trust you enough to drag me to a stupid birthday party." Harry said loudly.

"True." Severus agreed. "I was going to make you go."

"That's not the point. I was going to go of my own free will. It's the fact that he couldn't trust me to go to my own birthday party! He didn't even trust my father to take me to it. If he doesn't really trust you, who does he actually trust?" Harry said, not knowing that Remus had heard a great deal of the conversation.

Severus opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short by a knock on the door. "Who's there?" Severus asked.

"Remus." Came the voice on the other side of the door.

"Okay then." Severus opened the door to admit Remus, but then he noticed the expression on Remus' face. "What's wrong Remus?" Severus asked, concerned about his friend.

"You." Remus spat out, slowly advancing on Severus. "What did you do?" Remus hissed, stepping closer to Severus.

"What do you mean, 'What did you do?'" Severus asked, sounding a little confused.

"On my way up here I heard the most interesting thing come out of Harry's mouth. A thing concerning you." Remus said, getting closer to Severus.

"Oh. Well, that." Severus said, laughing nervously. "Turns out that I happen to be Harry's father. Came as quite a shock really." Severus said, his voice a little higher than usual.

Remus blanched and sat down on the end of Severus' bed. "Is this true?" He asked.

"Yes, Remus, it's true. My father isn't James, it's Severus. If it helps, James adopted me and, he knew and he was okay with it." Harry said nervously.

"I find it hard to believe that James was okay with Lily cheating on him." Remus said, not believing either of them.

"Well, technically, Lily didn't cheat on James. Harry was conceived the day before Lily and James were married. You do remember that Lily and I were engaged once?" Severus asked.

"Yes." Remus said.

"The week before their wedding when Lily was in hiding, she was hiding in my manor, and well, one day we got to talking about the past, and one thing led to another." Severus said quietly.

"Er, Severus? Could you wait for me to leave before you start to talk about this subject." Harry asked. "I'll just be going to my room and seeing if there is something that is decent for me to wear to my party."

"Oh, Harry, Tonks brought some robes over for you. I put them on your bed." Remus said.

"Thanks." Harry said, before walking towards the door.

"Harry?" Remus said quietly. "How are you with this?"

"Right now I am fine with it, I'm actually pretty happy. I'm not very sure about the school year."

"Why?" Severus asked.

"Well, up until about a few weeks ago, you were suppoused to hate me, which has obviously changed, and unless Voldie decides that all of you should be nice to me, you will have to keep up appearances and still pretend to hate me." Harry said logically.

"That would be a problem. Unless I come out and claim you as my son." Severus said.

"No. That would put your position as a spy in jeopardy. I just found you , and I don't want to lose you." Harry said quietly.

"So would the secrecy factor be why you didn't tell me?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, So far only Hermione, Draco, Dumbledore and now you know." Harry said.

"Why does Draco know?" Remus asked.

"I messed with a prank meant for Harry. It had, interesting side effects. One of them being that it made you tell the truth."

"Thanks. I always love to miss out on a prank meant for me." Harry said smugly.

"Yeah, but that pulled me into the prank war." Severus said menacingly.

"I'm dead." Harry said. "Unless... Could I join your team?" Harry asked.

"Nope." Severus said smugly. "The first generation of the marauders against the second."

"Okay then. Just remember where my Tri-wizard winnings went." Harry said with a grin.

"Whewre did they go?" Severus asked.

"I'm not telling." Harry said. "Remus, do you know who Dumbledore has invited?" Harry asked, thinking that Remus might know because he had been at Hogwarts the day before.

"I have a general idea." Remus said.

"Would you mind telling me?" Harry asked torn between wanting to know and not wanting to know.

"Sure. All the Hogwarts professors are invitied, all the Order members are, and some of your friends are." Remus said brightly.

"That reallly helps." Harry said sarcastically. "Severus, do you know how fast the change is going to go?"

"I have no idea. Neither does Lily." Severus replied.

"Change?" Remus said blankly.

"I look like James, and Severus is my father, why don't I look like Severus?" Harry said pointedly.

"Lily charmed him to look like James." Severus explained.

"I'm going to have a word with Lily." Remus said.

"Could it wait until after my party?" Harry asked.

"Of course." Remus replied.

"Speaking of parties, shouldn't we be going downstairs?" Severus asked.

"Not until you put on your dress robes." Remus said. "Did I forget to mention that?"

"Yes." Severus grumbled.

"Maybe my dress robes won't fit anymore." Harry said.

"You can only hope." Severus said. "Sadly, as I haven't gotten any taller in the last few years, I can't hope for the excuse."

Harry stuck his tounge out at Severus

"By the way Harry, I was sent to get you some dress robes." Remus said. "I put them on your bed. They are charmed to fit and you can make the color change to go with the occasion. I believe that there is a parchment describing it." Remus said, fighting the urge to laugh at the expression on Harry's face. He was truly Severus' son.

"Gee, thank Remus." Harry said sarcasticaly, before leaving the room and going to his own.

"He is truly your child Severus." Remus informed him. "He has your attitude, and is good at twisting the truth."

"Yeah, remember when he got ahold of the marauder's map?" Severus asked.

"I nearly died laughing." Remus informed him.

"I had a hard time not laughing. Do you mind if I unlock Griffy from his prision on the map?"

"No not at all. I would ask Harry about that sometime."

"That I will." Severus said, before opening the wardrobe that was magically tied to his wardrobe at Hogwarts and reached in for a dress robe.

Harry looked at the robes and decided on plain black with a dark green shimmer to them. There was a knock on Harry's door and Harry let Sirius in. Harry sat on his desk and exaimened his hair in a hand mirrior.

"I'm coming to your birthday party." Sirius said.

"Really? I find that hard to believe as Mad Eye is likely going to be there." Harry said.

"I won't be under an invisibility cloak. I'll be in plain sight." Sirius said, grinning.

"Really?" Harry arched an eyebrow at Sirius.

"Don't do that. It makes you look like Severus." Sirius said. "I'll be going as a snake. I never told the order or anyone else that I had that ability. I can be a birthday gift from someone." Sirius said before transforming into a medium sized black snake.

'Isn't it great?' Sirius asked.

'Yeah, bloody wonderful.' Harry said.

'Now don't get all jealous. I think that I'll give your robes a nice touch.' Sirius said before wrapping himself around Harry's arm.

Harry ended up with Sirius' head resting on Harry's right shoulder, and his body wrapped around his left arm. Harry shrugged and went downstairs. As he had thought they were all in the kitchen.

"Ooh. Nice robes Harry." Tonks said, looking Harry up an down.

"Give it a rest Nymphadora, he's too young for you." Severus snapped at her.

"Can we leave yet?" Harry asked, wanting to get it over as soon as possible.

"If we're all here?" Tonks asked, pulling a rolling pin out of her robes.

"Let's get out of here." Harry said before laying a finger on the end of the portkey.

"Gather round everyone, just a finger will do." Tonks said, making sure that everyone was touching the portkey.

"I like the robes Harry. The snakes a nice touch." Draco said.

Severus' eyes widened at the sight of the snake whose tail was resting on the portkey.

"On three then?" Tonks asked. "One... Two... Three... SpongeBob Squarepants." (A/N: the activation phrase thinga-ma-bob.) Harry felt the familiar feeling of a hook being jerked from somewhere behind his navel, and he closed his eyes. When Harry opened them again, he was in a familiar cave.

'Now this cave is almost like home!' Sirius said.

'Shut up.' Harry hissed back.

'Is that any way to talk to your god-father? The one who you will be living with when I get my name cleared?' Sirius asked.

'There might be a little problem with your plan, Sirius.' Harry hiss at his god-father.

'What?' Sirius asked.

'A while ago, we found another relative. I may end up living with him.' Harry said.

'Who?' Sirius asked.

'Not now, I'll tell you later.' Harry said. 'We are going to Hogsmeade, and let's try to appear normal.' Harry told Sirius.

"You? Normal?" Draco asked. "I don't think that's possible." Draco said.

"You understand Parseltounge?" Harry asked.

"I learned the language when I was young." Draco said.

"Who from?" Tonks asked, geniuenly interested.

"Dear Aunt Bellatrix." Draco said.

"She spaeks Parseltounge?" Tonks asked.

"Runs in the Black family. Only the women seem to be able to get it though." Draco said offhandedly.

"Fun." Ron said.

"Why did we come so early?" Severus asked.

"Because, Harry wanted to get some shopping done." Tonks said. "We have to stick together. So buck up and lets get some shopping done!" Tonks exclaimed before setting out towards Hogsmeade at a fasted pace.

Severus and Remus muttered something about women and shopping, and reluctantly set off after the females in the group who seemed to be drawn towards the shops with a force that seemed to repel the men.

"We should start heading up to the castle now." Tonks said brightly.

"I don't know. Could we got to the shrieking shack?" Harry asked.

"Just for a bit." Tonks agreed.

"Harry?" Remus asked. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yep. Closure." Harry said as an explination. Not mentioning that he planned to ditch them by going though the passage.

The group walked hastily up the path towards the Shrieking Shack. "Are you sure that you want to go up there?" Draco asked, nervously. "It's suppoused to be haunted."

"Draco, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were scared." Sirius hissed at him.

"Shut up you silly snake." Draco said back in human tongue.

"Silly? What do you mean by that?" Sirius hisssed back.

"Nothing." Draco said lightly, striding ahead of the group.

"I don't know about you, but I'm just going to go and have a look around the building." Harry said. He walked ahead of the group and jumped over the low fence, ignoring their cries for Harry to come back. Harry walked around a corner and pulled his invisibility cloak out of one of the pockets in his dress robes and put it on. Harry smiled and climed in through a window. Once Harry was inside of the house, he went to the room that had the tunnel that led to the school in it. He didn't have much time; he could hear their voices getting louder. Harry crouched down as he entered the tunnel. Walking a quickly as possible turned out to be hazardous as he fell and rolled down a steep bit in the tunnel.

"May I ask why are we sneaking off?" Sirius hissed at Harry

"Yeah. I'm sneaking off, because I want to avoid whatever distraction Fred and George have surely set up at the gates." Harry hissed back. "Would you mind telling the others?"

"Not at all." Sirius hissed back. Harry walked along the tunnel towards the school. "They're coming." Sirius hissed. "Moony and Griffy and a little angry with me for coming. And not telling them about this form." Sirius hissed at him.

"All the more reason to hurry." Harry said, walking a bit faster.

"Harry!" Hermione called, her voice echoing up and down the tunnel.

"Ugh. Almost there, I think." Harry muttered, feeling ahead of him for the end. There it was. He pushed at the top of the tunnel, and it opened, letting in a bit of light. Harry hurriedly reached for the knot and pressed it. Thankfully the branches of the tree froze and Harry pulled himself out of the tunnel.

"How does going to Hagrid's first sound?" Harry asked.

"Just great. I'm sure he'd love to see a large snake." Sirius hissed at him sarcastically.

"Good." Harry said, deliberately not picking up on the sarcasm. Harry walked quickly over to Hagrid's door and knocked on it.

"Who there?" Hagrid asked, opening the door and wildly looking around, Harry slipped past Hagrid and waited for him to close the door. Hagrid closed the door and muttered something unintelligible.

"It's me Hagrid. I'm under my cloak." Harry said.

"Ah! Harry. It's good to see you. If you would take the cloak off?" Hagrid asked, looking around his cabin.

"Over, here, by the table." Harry said, pulling his cloak off. "I'm hiding from people." Harry said.

"Don't want to go to your own birthday party?" Hagrid asked. (A/N: I'm sorry, I just can't do the accent. I know it's one if the things that makes the books what they are, but I just can't do it.)

"Yes." Harry said, trying to look ashamed, but he couldn't manage it. "It's more, like I'm nervous, and I've never had a birthday party before, and I..." Harry trailed off, not sure what to say.

"It'll be okay, Harry. They're fun, and just between you and me, people have been sending you things for your birthday ever since you defeated you-know-who, it all came to Hogwarts and Dumbledore's been saving it up for when you were of age." Hagrid whispered to him.

"Really?" Harry asked, his voice not betraying the turmoil he felt inside. Part of it was astonishment at the people cared, and part of it was rage, that Dumbledore had never bothered to tell him.

"Yep, really." Hagrid said brightly. Someone knocked at the door. "Well, I seem to be getting quite a few visitors today." Hagrid said, going to open the door.

Hermione was at the door with the others. "Hello Hagrid, by any chance, have you seen Harry?" She asked.

"Yeah. He came in here a bit ago. He was a bit nervous about his birthday party, so I had a it of a chat with him, and I think he'll be going." Hagrid said, moving over to Harry and gently nudging him towards the door.

"Wotcher, Harry. Thought you'd decided to skip out of your party." Tonks said, getting a firm hold of Harry's robes and starting off towards the castle with him. "C'mon, the ice cream is probably melting." She said eagerly, walking faster, forcing to others to keep up with her and Harry.

"Is it necessary to drag me to the castle?" Harry asked through gritted teeth.

"You tried to skip your party once, so we're not going to let you do that again." Remus said, laughing a little.

"I could always have my snake bite you." Harry said, knowing that Sirius wouldn't do any such thing.

"We don't care." Tonks said. "Oh look! Dumbledore." She said, bringing their attention to the old wizard, walking towards them.

"Ah good. You have arrived. I was beginning to worry when Fred informed me that you hadn't arrived at the gates yet." Dumbledore said in greeting.

"Well Professor, we decided to use another entrance because Harry didn't want to risk what ever Fred and George had planned." Hermione said.

"I suppose that is wise Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, thinking of what had happened to Professor McGonagall when she was returning from Hogsmeade. "Professor McGonagall had the unfortunate pleasure of being a lab rat for Fred and George. She was most displeased at the effects. Pink and purple flashing hair didn't suit her."

"They did that?" Remus asked, laughing. "I can think of something worse."

"Yes, so can I. It would be most unfortunate for word of the particular week to leak out." Albus said, recalling an incident. He dearly hoped that he had acquired all of the photos of the event.

Harry felt for the vial of potion he had in his pocket. This was going to be fun.

"Harry! You're here! I'm so glad that you could come." Molly said, rushing over to hug him.

"Yes I am here." Harry said, not adding that he almost wished that he wasn't here. "I'm glad that you could come."

Molly let Harry go and gave Ron a hug and Ginny too. To everyone's surprise she a gave Draco a hug. "I'm so sorry for what happened." She told him.

"Er, I don't mean to be rude, but what happened, other than me getting kicked out of my home?" Draco asked, looking confused.

"You haven't heard?" Molly asked, her eyes going wide. "Well, the aurors caught quite a few Death Eaters. Your father was one. I'm so sorry, but he was questioned under veritaserum and was given the" Molly sniffed.

"Oh so they got him?" Draco asked. "Did the dementors kiss him?"

Molly nodded unable to speak, it was so awful for the boy to lose his father.

"Good riddance then, I say." Draco said, surprising everyone. Noticing their surprised stares, he said. "The past few weeks, I've spent living in a home where someone cared about me. I came to see my father not as my father, but as someone not worth knowing for how he treated me." Draco said. "I decided that I want to join the light. I refused the Dark Mark and I paid for it, by losing my family. I highly doubt that my father even cared about me, and all he saw me as, was something to further forward his rank as a Death Eater." Draco finished.

Mrs. Weasley sniffed and hugged Draco again. "You poor boy." She murmured. Draco looked embarrassed.

Arthur noticed this and said, "Molly dear, I think you're crushing him. He's joined the light, you don't want to scare him back to the dark." He said.

Molly immediately let him go. "Draco dear, if you ever need anywhere to go, it's not the best place, but we can always make a it of space for you in our home." Molly said.

"Thank you." Draco said. "I never thought that people would actually care. It's all been a bit of a shock."

"Mum! What have we told you about scaring poor innocent little boys!" Fred told his mum.

"Now, Fred, every child is entitled to a little love in his life." Molly said, striding over to her son. She hugged him tightly. "Now you never forget, no matter how big you get, you'll always be the little boy who ran around starkers screaming about the garden gnomes." She said, aiming to embarrass her son, and hitting the spot directly.

"MUM! Did you have to say that in front of everyone?" Fred asked, his cheeks a brilliant shade of red.

The others were snickering. Harry hadn't noticed, as he was giving a vial to Dobby and instructing to lace the food with it. While the others were occupied, Harry put up the large picture of the head table with a permanent sticking charm, and concealing it.

"Why don't we eat some of the lovely fare that the house elves have prepared?" Dumbledore asked, motioning towards the table that now had food piled on it. Harry saw where his friends were sitting and used a spell to put the potion that countered the first in their goblets. Saw that the others that had gone to the ministry with him were here. "Hello Luna, Neville. I'm glad that you could come."

"Yeah, me too Harry." Neville said, getting a sandwich from a tray the was slowly moving up and down the table.

"How did your..." Harry trailed off, not sure how to ask the question.

"How did Gran feel about the whole ministry fiasco?" Neville finished for him.

"Yeah, that." Harry said.

"She was proud, but a little disappointed about Dad's wand. When I went to visit Mum and Dad at the start of the holiday, they showed some response. They say that they might be starting to recover!" Neville said happily.

"Do you think it might have something to do with being stuck in the same ward as Lockhart?" Ron asked.

Neville laughed. "It just might. I have no idea how we managed to tolerate him for a year."

Hermione made an indistinguishable noise in the back of her throat.

"Yes Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Nothing. I like you." Hermione said, patting Ron's hand.

"Trying to figure out why you fancied him?" Harry asked.

Hermione kicked him under the table. "No, trying to figure out why I didn't realize he was a fraud."

"Ah." Luna said. "He was most annoying."

"Hello, Luna, are you having a nice summer?" Ginny asked pleasantly from across the table.

"It's been okay. Because the Death Eaters could be after me and Neville, we've been in hiding." Luna said.

"I'm sorry, I know that's not always fun." Harry said.

"It's been okay. Neville and I are together." Luna said from behind a copy of the Quibbler. The others looked at Neville who was blushing.

"She's actually quite nice..." He said, looking at his plate.

"Congratulations, Neville." Hermione said.

"Yeah." Ron added.

"You guys make a good couple." Harry added.

"That's everyone except for Harry and Ginny." Ron said, looking from Harry to Ginny.

"Ron. You'll let them get together on their own, and they don't have to go out with each other." Hermione told her boyfriend gently.

"I know that Hermione." Ron told her.

"I'm sure." Hermione said sarcastically.

Any reply that Ron voiced, they weren't able to hear, due to a loud shriek from Professor McGonagall. Harry had to try to look shocked. "Albus! Look at me!" She shouted.

"Yes, Minerva, I rather like what you've done with your hair. Makes a good statement." Dumbledore said jovially, trying not to laugh.

"A STATEMENT?" She asked. "You call foot long scarlet spikes, a STATEMENT? If you are under the impression that I did this to myself you are royally worng! It just happened like when..." Minerva stopped suddenly. She was not goingt to bring up that event.

"When what?" Geroge asked her, which turned out to be a mistake.

"Did you do this?" She asked, doing a good impression of a bomb about to explode.

"No proffessor, Fred and I didn't do this. We learned yesterday not to mess with your hair." George said.

Suddenly there was a large boom, and everyone jumped. On the wall, words were being written by an unseen hand. 'Beware. Such terror has never been seen before at Hogwarts. You are warned. Professors and students alike flee at the very mention of us. Pranksters bow and cower at out feet. You have been warned. The Marauders have returned to Hogwarts.' The writing stopped and Fred and George turned to look at Remus.

"Innocent." He said. "I think there's more, the marauders usually sign their messages." True to his words, there was more.

Mr. Moony says hello, would like to say that this is going to be a fun year.

Mr. Prongs would like to add that there will be some warning for some pranks.

Mr. Padfoot is wondering if to wait until term starts to begin terrorizing people.

Mr. Wormtail bids you all good-bye, for he is a traitor and will be leaving.

Mr. Griffy is back! All shall run from me, for I have new tricks and pranks in my arsenal.

Miss Lily, and now, introudcing for the very first time, the newest member!

Mr. Tigger says hello, and watch your step this year for there are new commrades and this will be a fun year. For the marauder's that is!

Maniacal laughter filled the great hall as the words faded from sight. Fred and Geroge looked happy and were trying to find a reason for them to be at Hogwarts. Remus looked a little frightened, and Severus was glowering at Harry. Harry was doing his best to look innocent, but he wasn't doind a good job. Minerva was resting her head in her hands, and Tonks was trying to get her hair to match the transfiguration's teachers. Dumbledore looked amused and was wondering who Tigger was.

"Oh my!" Dumbledore said. "This is different from last time." He said, examining his beard. The others crowded in around him.

"It appears to be a map." Severus said.

"Oy!" fred said. "Let me see that." Fred and George drew their wands and made their way to Dumbledore. "I do believe it is." Fred said to George.

"It is. We can't have that." George said.

"No we can't." Fred commented. "It wouldn't do."

"No it wouldn't" George agreed. "You do the honors."

"Okay." Fred placed the tip of his wand on Dumbledore's beard and muttered, mischief managed.

The map on Dumbledore's beard disappeared. Dumbledore looked a little disappointed, but decided to question Fred and George about that later. Because "Now it's time for presents!" Dumbledore said and he led the group to a room that had a low table and a number of comfortable chairs. In the corner was a large pile of presents.

Harry stared at the room and looked around it. It seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it. Severus glanced around the room and glared at Dumbledore. What was he doing, making a replica of the Potter's sitting room! Remus was having a similar reaction. He wanted to rip Dumbledore limb from limb for doing this. Why did he do this? Molly looked around the room and the memories it brought back. Arthur looked around at the room and sighed. It was exactly how it had been. Fred and George thought that the room looked familiar, but they couldn't place it. Dumbledore wondered if it was a mistake to show them this room. This set of rooms had been especially created for when Lily and James had needed it. There were four doors going off of the room. On led to the room where Lily and James had slept, another was Harry's and the third was a bathroom.

"Albus. Why is this room here?" Remus asked in a choked voice, he was caught between wanting to rip the old man's throat out and breaking down in tears.

"This is where Lily lived when James was out on a mission. She had made it like this. I haven't been in here for years. I thought that Harry would like to see it." Dumbledore said quietly.

Harry just sat down. So that was why the room was familiar. His mum had been here, lived in these rooms. Probably was stuck in these room so any Death Eaters in school didn't know she was here. "Well, this is most interesting." Harry said, hiding his rage at Dumbledore. Why hadn't he shown him the rooms sooner? It would have been a comfort to be able to come down here and to know that his mum had been in this very room. Harry took a few deep breaths and concentrated on clearing his mind.

"Why don't we get to those presents?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. There seems to be quite a pile of them." Harry said, giving Dumbledore a chance to explain.

"Quite a few of them are from Hogwarts staff and some are from the various people at the minisrty, and some more are from admirers. Mad-Eye and myself looked over all of them to make sure that none of them had anything unpleasant in them." Dumbledore explained.

"Thank you for that." Harry said. "Now, let's start with the gifts from friends." Harry said. The first gift was one from Hermione. It was, as he had suspected, a book.

"It's really good, Harry. I think it might help you." Hermione said eagerly.

"I might have to borrow that one Harry." Remus said, looking at it.

The next one was from Neville and Luna. "When Gran heard about the party, she remembered that my parents were friends with your parents and she probably had a load of photos." Neville explained. "Luna and I made it."

It was another photo album. Harry flipped thorough it quickly. There were photos of his Lily and James, but Severus was in quite a few of them too. "Thanks Neville. I got you something, because someone told me that your birthday was near mine." Harry pulled a wrapped gift from his robes. "It's really two parts. I thought that you would enjoy it." Neville unrapped the book. "It's a muggle book, but I thought that It would help. Nearly Headless Nick has the other part." Nick made his presence known.

"See, Neville, we recently found out that the killing curse makes food edible for ghosts. We first tried it on a peach, and we ended up with a peach pit. Would you like to help make it grow? I'm not good with plants and Professor Sprout doesn't really have the time." Nick explained.

"Of course." Neville exclaimed. "If Harry doesn't mind, could you show it to me now?"

"Sure, if Harry doesn't mind." Nick said.

Harry laughed. "I don't mind at all. Just don't get lost." Harry said.

"Thanks Harry!" Neville said, before following Nick out of the room.

The next gift was from Ron, not surprisingly, it was a quidditch book.

"Thanks Ron. It looks interesting." Harry said.

"Here Harry. This one's from us, it won't explode or do anything else." Fred said, tossing Harry a large box.

Even thought they had said that it wouldn't explode, Harry opened the box very cautiously. When it didn't explode, Harry took the lid off. The box was full of candy. There was a note on top of it.

Harry-

This is just a little bit of out newest things. We thought that they would make a great gift. If you look closely, you can see that all of them are labeled. But, don't worry. They are specially labeled, so only you can read them.

Gred and Feorge

Harry grinned and thanked them. Harry reached for the next gift and continued in this fashion for a while. After a while, Luna left to go and find Neville because they had to go back to where they were hiding, and a few others left for some reason or other.

"I hate to say it, but isn't it a little late?" Harry asked.

"Wow. How'd it get to be so nine o'clock?" Ron said.

"I have no idea." Harry told his friend. "Professor Dumbledore? Just how many gifts were there?"

"About ten years worth." Dumbledore said, praying that Harry wouldn't get mad.

"Would that be why the gifts were getting so they would suit an eight year old?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. We donated the clothes and some of the toys to St. Mungo's for the children who lost their parents in the war." Dumbledore said.

"Thanks. That was kind of you, But why didn't I hear of this sooner?" Harry asked.

"Well, I always meant to tell you, but things kept getting in the way and the house elves just took any gifts and sorted them, if they were something you could use later in life, then it was kept and if it was something age related, it got sent to someone who could use it." Dumbledore said.

"I suppouse that this makes sense." Harry said. "I think that it would be nice to have something to eat."

"Yes, that would be nice. Most of the others went out to talk or they had to leave. All that's here is your closest friends and your guardian. I believe that I will go down to the kitchens and have the elves bring some food." Dumbledore said.

"Thanks, that would be great." Hermione said. "In fact, I think that the rest of us will go with you." Hermione said, glancing around the room, and seeing that there was only Fred, George, Ron, Draco, and herself, left in the room. Hermione had Sirus wrapped around her because, the same room was starting to get boring.

"That sounds excellent, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, herding the rest out of the door. "Now did I ever tell the time when..." Dumbledore's voice died out as he got further away from the room.

"I think she left us alone for a reason." Severus said.

"Yeah." Harry sad, surveyung the pile of stuff that he had decided to keep. "Do you have any idea what do with all of this?" Harry asked.

"No." Severus replied. "I had no idea that Albus did this." Severus said, trying to find out if Harry was anrgy.

"I'm not mad, it's more why didn't he tell me earlier." Harry said. Getting up and moving to sit next to Severus. Severus put an arm around Harry and sighed.

"I did get you something. It been in the Snape family for generations. It was given to me on my sixteenth birthday, and I'd like to give it to you, even if you don't accept me as your father." Severus said and shifted, pulling a small box out of his robes. "Here."

"Thanks." Harry said.

Severus chickled. "You don't even know what it is."

"Sorry, saying thanks has become a reaction to when anyone hands me anything today." Harry opened the box. Inside was a beauiful pendandt. "It's beautilful." Harry said.

"I'm glad you think so. It's the family crest. The chain is mithril." Severus said softly. "The hawk's eyes are diamonds, and I have asoultely no idea what the sort of metal he is made out of, but it's pretty." Severus said softly.

"Thank you. I really like it. Does it have any magical properties?" Harry asked, gazing at the hawk. It was sitting on a tree branch and it seemed to be looking at Harry directly.

"It does. You have to find those out on your own." Severus said.

"I can do that. I'll put it on my to do list." Harry said before turning and hugging Severus.

"What else is on your to do list?" Severus asked.

"Tell my friends about the prophecy, kill Voldemort, tell Ron the truth, try and live past my seventh year, get DA meetings planned again. Some other things too, but that's just about it."

"What prophecy?" Severus asked.

"Oh, you don't know about that?" Harry asked.

"No, or else, I wouldn't be asking." Severus said.

"Well the prophecy is why Voldemort decided to attack the Potters. 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord apporaches....born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies....and the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the dark lord knows not....and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives....the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as the seventh month dies.'" Harry said. "It basically means that I am the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord. Kill or be killed."

Severus stared at his son. "Harry." He said sadly, his son had to either kill Lord Voldemort or be killed by him. "That's awful..." Severus said, giving Harry a hug.

"It's not that bad. I don't think about it that much. Every once in a while I dream about it, so it's just there, but not really a big part of my life." Harry said.

"Thanks for telling me." Severus said.

To Harry's great embarresment, Harry started to cry. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to cry, I'm just so happy." Harry said.

"It's okay." Severus said, gently rubbing Harry's back. "Sometimes a good cry helps a lot. Just let it out."

"Thanks." Harry sniffed.

"Shhhh. You don't have to say thanks, I'm your father, I'm suppoused to be there for you." Severus said.

"I suppose you are. I'm sort of new with the whole having a father thing." Harry said.

"Well, I'm new at the having a son thing." Severus replied. Neither of them noticed Hermione dragging Ron away from the door, with her hand clasped firmly over his mouth.

"Professor? I need you to do something for Ron." Hermione said to Dumbledore pulling him into a dimly lit classroom.

"What would the be Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.

"To oblivaite him." Hermione said.

"And why would that be?" He asked the twinkle dimming a little.

"He overheard a conversation that he shouldn't have." Hermione said grimly, motioning towards Ron who was shaking uncontrollably. "He can't handle it, sir."

"So I take it he learned the truth and he can't handle it?" Dumbledore said sadly.

"Yes." Hermione said, looking at Ron.

For the first time into the conversation, Ron spoke. "No, it's not true. It can't be true. Harry isn't Snape's son. He's not, he can't be." Ron said quickly, not sounding like himself at all. "Harry's my friend. He wouldn't betray me like that. No, he wouldn't." Ron kept repeating over and over.

"I see what you mean, Miss Granger. You were wise to bring him here and fetch me promptly." Dumbledore sighed. He had hoped that Ron would be able to handle it when he found out. "I don't know how he'll take the news when he hears it the next time, but for now, I'll erase the memories. However, I will have to inform Harry of what happened. I hope that that is okay." Dumbledore asked.

"Yes it is." Hermione said. "Why don't you conjure a couch and put him on it before you oblivaite him. You can tell him that he tripped and blacked out." Hermione said logically.

"Ah, that makes an excellent excuse." Dumbledore said. "I see how you got past survived Severus' logic puzzle."

"That was easy." Hermione said.

Dumbledore agreed, but didn't mention that most of the staff couldn't figure it out. He performed the spell and when Ron sat up blinking he said, "Good, you've come 'round. I was beginning to worry. You took quite a tumble Mr. Weasley."

"I did?" Ron asked, sounding confused. "The last thing I remember is going to go and see what Harry and Professor Snape wanted for dinner."

"You and Miss Granger didn't quite make it there. You apparently tripped and knocked yourself out. You had a small gash on your forehead, but I healed it. You had worried Miss Granger.

"I did? Oh, I'm sorry 'Mione." Ron said.

"It's okay Ron, you were just so pale and there was blood all over your face. It was scary." Hermione said, doing a good impression that it had really happened. She called on the memory of finding her grandfather's body and she began to cry. That always worked.

"Shhh. It's okay 'Mione. I'm fine." Ron said, soothing his girlfriend.

How did the girl do that? Albus wondered. The tears were genuine, he could tell, but he didn't know what had caused them. Perhaps it was that Ron couldn't handle the truth. Another thought to ponder when he couldn't sleep. "I think I'll go and get food to the others. You two can join us when Ron feels better, I think that he feels a little unsteady right about now." Dumbledore smiled and left.

"Severus? Harry? I need to talk with you two." Dumbledore said.

Harry and Severus got up and followed Dumbledore into and empty classroom.

"Apparently Ron overheard you two talking and he heard enough to realize that Harry is your son." Dumbledore said gravely. "He didn't take the news too well. He went into near hysterics, he was shaking uncontrollably, and kept saying over and over again, 'It can't be true. It can't.' Miss Granger suggested oblivating him because of how he was. So unfortuantly, I did that. Harry, I think that you should keep this a secret from Ron for a while." Dmbledore said gravely.

Harry nodded. "I have some warning if I tell him. Thank you for telling me this." Harry said.

"Yes thank you." Severus said. "I suppose that we're not going to tell anyone else the happy news. Besides, the more people that know, the more likely that it will be told to someone who doesn't need to know."

"That makes sense, Severus. Now, I need to know when you will be returning to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said.

"I was thinking Monday. I'd be bringing Harry and Draco with me, only because I don't want them getting into trouble with nobody to watch them. I have discussed the matter with both their employers and they agree with that only if Harry and Draco agree with it." Severus said.

Funny. I don't like it when Dumbledore tries to control my life, but I don't seem to mind when Severus does. Strange. "I don't mind." Harry said.

"Good. I already discussed it with Draco and he doesn't mind either." Severus said.

"Good then. So Severus, how will you be arriving?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think by portkey, but it will need to be a two way portkey, because there are a few things that will need to go back and forth. Would you mind doing that?" Severus asked.

"No not at all. The activation phrase will be 'songebob'." Dumbledore said.

"Professor, I'm just a little cuirous, where did you learn that phrase?" Harry asked. "It's an American muggle television show." Dumbledore said.

"Thanks, I was just wondering." Harry said. "I think that I'll rejoin the others and have something to eat before I fall asleep." Harry said before going back to the rooms where the others were not eating some sort of stew. Whatever it was, it smelled good. Harry walked in and asked, "Is there a bowl of that for me?"

"Yeah. It's over here." George said.

"Do you know what? Even if it's my birthday I still don't trust you two with my food. I might turn into something. I'll leave that bowl for Ron." Harry said. He took a clean owl from the stack on the tray and ladeled some out of the pan that the elves had left them. Harry took a spoon and ate a little of it. "This is good! We've never had this here before." Harry said.

"That's because Mum oversaw the cooking. It's her recipe, and she refused to give it to the elves, apparently." George said.

"I don't blame her. If I had a recipe that was this good, I would gaurd it with my life." Harry said, eating more. As Harry was getting seconds on his stew, Severus returned. With out thinking, Harry set his bowl down and got another one and put more stew in it for Severus. "Here." Harry said, holding the bowl out to Severus.

Severus, not think either, said, "Thank you" and sat next to Harry.

"You're welcome." Harry said, and then he realized his mistake.

"Harry?" Fred asked, in a strange voice.

"Are you alright?" George asked, peering at Harry. Harry seemed more pale than usual and his hair looked longer.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Harry snapped sounding remarkably like, Severus.

"It's just that you are being, well, nice to, well, him." Fred said, staring at Harry.

"Ye gods, what have I done?" Harry muttered to himself. "Apparently he's my new guardian. He's been in the same house as me for the last week, and I will be spending next summer and Christmas and Easter holidays with Severus. The second day we were in the same house, we agreed to a truce." Harry said, which wasn't a long shot from the truth.

"Christmas and Easter Holidays with Snape?" George said his eyes wide.

"Honestly." Hermione said, from the doorway. "He's not that bad. He gets." Hermione would have continued, exceot for Severus cut her off.

Using his best greasy git voice, he said, "Miss Granger, if you continue you will find yourself in dentention when term begins for breathing wrong. I strongly suggest that you shut your mouth, and go find your pathetic boyfriend who can barely play the simple position of keeper."

"Severus. Keep your acidic tongue to yourself." Harry said.

"And who is in charge?" Severus asked.

"I'm not too sure on that." Harry said, taunting Severus.

"I am." Lily said from the corner she was looking at.

"What!?" Severus shouted, ejoying himself.

"Yes, Severus has a point, what do you mean, you are in charge?" Harry asked him mother's ghost.

"I mean I am in charge, because you two can't decide who is in charge." Lily pointed out. "Now that that's cleared up, what do you think about this corner. It seems to be unhaunted. I think it has nice prospects."

"Mum!" Harry said. "I thought you'd decided to be a roving ghost."

"I'm having second thoughts. I can't decided between annoying Voldemort by singing nursery rhymes to him and bugging him for killing me, or haunting Hogwarts." Lily said brightly.

"Nursery rhymes?" Harry asked. "No. That is way too evil, even for Voldemort. You'd drive him insane."

"I thought that he already is insane." Fred said. The discussion continued until it got to the point where Harry was falling asleep. Ginny, who was sitting on Harry's other side, was dropping off also. It was Harry who fell asleep first, and Ginny was soon asleep too. Severus noticed this and conjured up a large quilt and tucked Harry and Ginny in. He smiled fondly, reminded of a time when that was him and Lily in the Room of Requirement, they had been meeting there to study, and they had studied a bit late. Across the room, Hermione and Ron were slowly dropping off too. Severus decided that just shutting his eyes for a moment wouldn't hurt, but first he moved to the big squashy armchair that had been his favorite and summoned a book from the bookshelf. After conjuring another quilt and a mug of hot cocoa he read for a bit then he dimmed the lights and dropped off to sleep. (A/N: God that sounds good right now. A big armchair, a book and cocoa.)

Fred and George who had left the room to return the dishes to the kitchen, had joined the adults in conversation.

"I don't see why you are letting him have it." Molly said.

"I am letting him have it because it gives him a false sense of security." Albus explained.

The door to the staff room opened, and Professor Trelawney came into the staff room. She peered at them through her glasses. "Ah, Professor Dumbledore, I must tell you something. I was doing a star chart for myself, when I saw a very large humanoid shape going towards the castle. I could quite clearly hear it muttering 'Haggar' whatever that means. I thought you should know." She said before leaving the room and returning to her tower.

"Why do you keep her around Albus?" McGonagall said amidst a yawn.

"I have my reasons, Minerva." Albus replied. "I believe that we must call this meeting to a cease, as Grawp seems to be looking for you, Hagrid." Dumbledore said, before rising from the chair he was siting on and stretching.

"Yes, I should go and find him before he gets too worried." Hagrid said, rising, and leaving hurriedly.

"I—look at the time!" Molly exclaimed. "Why it's past one in the morning, oh dear, I hope they children haven't gotten into mischief." Molly said, standing up to go and find her children.

"I'm sure that they are fine Molly. I'll go and check on them." Arthur said, as he slipped out of the staff room, going to the room where they had left the children. When Arthur opened the door, he smiled at what he saw. Though perhaps, Harry and Ginny shouldn't be sleeping so close. Nor should Hermione and Ron. Well he remembered a charm that would only last the night. His parents had used it when Molly had stayed over at their home to ensure that they didn't get grandchildren too early.

Arthur went back upstairs and smiled at his wife. "They're sleeping. It's so cute. Harry has his arm around Ginny and it's so cute! And Hermione has snuggled up against Ron in her sleep." Molly got up to go and separate her children from their consorts. (A/N: hehe. I've been dying to use that word. Consort. Makes me think of Gods and Goddesses. Probably got my definition messed up though.)

"Molly, it's okay. I cast that charm that keeps them from..." Arthur trailed off and gave his wife a lusty wink. "You know...."

"Dad! Not when we're in the room!" Fred and George said in unison. "What a second."

"You mean that there's a charm—" George said.

"That keeps you from—" Fred added.

"Going all the way?" George finished.

"Yes. Why do you think that we're not grandparents yet?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur. Don't tell them that. They'll find a way to get past it and we'll have a lot of little Freds and Georges running around." Molly said, trying not to laugh.

"Please don't Arthur, I don't think Hogwarts could take it." Minerva added from a corner, wondering what exactly was in the drink that Albus had served. (A/N: I feel obligated to tell you that it's late and I'm working on a sugar high and I've been in front of the computer for like all day, so this might get weird, and I'm listening to my radio station and my favorite song just came on and I'm singing along. Remember YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. It may get weird, as I have gone completely off of the plan that I had.)

"Well Fred and George, as you have said, there is a charm that keeps you from going all the way. Arthur said.

"And that's all you're going to hear on the subject from your father." Molly said. "Now Arthur, I need to have a chat with you. In private. In here." Molly said, pulling Arthur into a nearby closet the seemed to be full of teacher's cloaks.

"Professor McGonagall?" Fred asked.

"Yes?" Minerva replied.

"I'm scared." Fred told her.

"Go and tell you mum." Minerva said, looking over the book she was flipping through that defined various types of alcohol.

"I'd rather not." Fred replied, edging away from the closet from which strange noises were coming forth.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think that Albus drugged the drinks." Minerva said.

"That's reassuring. Why did he drug them with?" Fred asked.

"I'm trying to find that out." Minerva said. "When I get my hands on him...." She trailed off, not finding any suitable threats.

"Well, I am going to go and find and empty classroom and barricade myself in it." George said before leaving. After a few minutes, he returned. "Hogwarts is scary at night."

"Tell me about it." Minerva muttered. "I am going to go to my rooms and sleep in my bed."

Fred and George looked at her.

"You two are up a creek with out a paddle. Good bye." Minerva said hurridley before leaving the staff room. She wondered how Fred and George would fare out at Hogwarts in the middle of the night, without their wands. She really was an evil person. For the eighty millionth time, she wondered what Albus had put in the drinks. Ugh, She had reached her rooms. After saying the password, (ferret) she lit the lamps by hand and set down at her desk to write the next chapter of her story. (A/N: Oh MY god! I jut had the bestest greatest idea ever.)

Chapter Five. In Which Cimorene Receives a Formal Call from Her Companions in Dire Captivity

Kazul slept late the following morning, and Cimorene was afraid that she would leave before Ciomrene had a chance to ask about the dragons' after-dinner conversation. To her relief, Kazul called her in as soon as she was thoroughly awake and asked Cimorene to ring in the brushes for cleaning her scales.

"What was that crystal your friends mentioned last night?" Cimorene asked as she laid out the brushes. "The one she though King Tokoz could use somehow to find out what the wizard are doing?"

"The King's Crystal?" Kazul said. "It's one of the magical objects that belongs to the King of the Dragons."

(A/N: Okay, that was my idea. To have Prof. McGonagall be writing the enchanted forest series. Changed my mind. That's the first page of chapter five. I'll admit it is word for word. It belongs to Patrica Wrede. Not me. Her. Same way Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. Not me. Her.)

Professor McGonagall put her quill down and decided that it would be much more fun to watch Fred and George. She changed into her tartan nightgown, and slipped into her matching tartan robe and settled comfortably into her bed and watched the magically projected images of the twins of her wall.

"Well we can't go back in there." Fred was saying to George.

"So where do we go now?" George.

"I refuse to huddle for warmth." Fred blurted out.

"Where did that come from?" George asked looked around warily.

"I don't know." Fred replied.

Suddenly, music came out of nowhere. 'My mind' saying no, but my bodys sayin yes...' (A/N: If I hear the stupid commercial for the stupid movie one more time I will kill myself.)

"What was that?" Fred and George said at the same time.

"Okay. I am getting seriously creeped out." George said.

Tap. "I suppose you don't know what that was either." Fred asked George.

Squeak. "What about that?"

"Nope." Fred replied.

Tap. Fred and George both shook their heads.

The mysterious noises were getting louder and louder. Suddenly, around the corner, came a girl. "Hello. I don't suppose you could tell me where I am?" she asked Fred and George.

"You're at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Fred informed the girl, looking at her. She was a little on the short side with brownish-blonde hair that went a little past her shoulders, and had dark brown eyes that appeared black in the dim light.

"I am?" The girl replied. "I guess that explains the wagon with my things on it." She said. For the first time, they noticed the battered toy elephant that was in the girl's right hand.

"Er.. I don't mean to be rude, but what's that?" George replied, pointing at the elephant.

"Umm, that would be Pinko. I've had her ever since I was a baby and she used to be pink, hence the name. I'm a little frightened of the dark, and she helps." The girl said reluctantly.

"I understand, our brother has a strange fear of spiders." Fred said.

"That's only because you turned his teddy into one." George said.

"Only because he broke my broomstick." Fred defended himself with.

"Oh well. I'm George Weasley, and the git over there, is my twin brother Fred." George introduced himself and his brother.

"I don't have a problem with spiders. There's one that has made a web in a corner near my desk. I rather like it. By the way, I'm Amy." The girl now known as Amy said. Something suddenly clicked in her mind. "You guys didn't just get magically kicked out of the staff room did you?"

"Yeah. Why?" Fred asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Amy said. "I was just wondering." She said, trying to remain calm on the outside, but was screaming in her head 'oh my god! I'm a character in a book! A book! Not even a real book! Just some silly story that's on the Internet, that only four people read! AUGH!'

"Are you okay?" Fred asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just thought of something." Amy said.

"You were nearly hyperventilating." George pointed out.

"I'm fine. Now I am going to go and find a nice spider free corner, and see what's in the little red wagon that I've got with me and curl up and sleep until morning. Good-bye." Amy snapped and headed off in the direction opposite that of which she had arrived.

"I saw a blanket in that wagon." Fred told his brother.

"I think I saw a few pillows." George said.

"Hogwarts is cold at night." Fred commented.

"I think we just let a blanket get away." George said.

"Let's catch up with her!" Fred said brightly.

Fred and George hurried off in the direction that Amy had headed.

Amy had found a nice, hopefully spider free corner, and set about setting the corner up for residence. "Let's see, what do I have here." Amy had, the big blanket from her bed, a few pillows, and a large pile of books. Included were her set of Harry Potter books, The first four books of the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, all of her Tamora Pierce books, her Darren Shan books, and a various assortment of trashy romance novels. "Well, I won't get bored. Yes! My matches! (A/N: She's a pryo, the scorch marks on her window screen prove it) If my matches are here, them maybe the dragon candle holder..." Amy rooted around in the wagon and pulled out a candle holder wrapped in what appeared to be a pirate flag. "Oh yes, that's always good to have around. Now, let's put a little light in the corner." Remembering that this candle holder tended to drip wax all over, she took a sheet of paper out of her notebook and set the candle on it. "Now Filch won't be able to complain."

"I think that I'll do a little reading before I drop off completely, after all, tomorrow's going to be an interesting day." Amy muttered. She pulled out Cirque du Freak, by Darren Shan and turned to the first page.

"Aha. There she is. She did find a corner." Fred muttered to George.

"Hello. Our paths seem to have crossed again." George said brightly.

Amy rolled her eyes. "You look a little cold, I suppose that Hogwarts gets cold at night?" She asked.

"Yes, It seems that it does." George said. "I don't mean to be rude, but..."

"Could I share my blankets with you?" Amy asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, that'd be it." Fred said helpfully.

"I don't mind, as long as you promise to be nice." Amy said.

"Fine. I'll stay over here." George said, plopping down next to Amy, about a foot away from her. "And, he'll stay over there."

"I don't suppose that you have anything warmer than what you have on right now, do you?" Amy asked, just a little concerned.

Fred and George both shook their heads.

"if you're lucky, I might have a few spare sweatshirts in this wagon." Amy said, before tuning and rooting around in the red wagon. "Aha. Here." She tossed a blue hoodie to George and a sweatshirt to Fred that had a drawing of a lady watering plants, and it said, 'Bloom where you're planted.' on it.

"I don't know about you two, but I am tired, and this is my corner, and that is your side and I will stay on my side, and you will stay on your side." Amy said. "are we in agreement?"

"Yes. I just want to be warm." Fred said.

"Good night." Amy said, before moving the candle out of where it would get knocked over, and blowing it out. "It' really dark here." She said.

"Yeah, during the school year, there's almost always a light in each hall." Fred commented.

"Oh well. I'll just face the wall and shut my eyes and hope for sleep to claim me immediately." Amy said softly.

"What?" George asked.

"I'll just close my eyes and hope to fall asleep quickly." Amy said, wondering exactly how dim a male could get.

"Oh. Good night then." George said he didn't get an answer, for Amy and Fred were both asleep. George looked up at the ceiling and wondered if the floor could get any more uncomfortable. Eventually sleep claimed George. Leaving only Albus awake in Hogwarts, wondering what that surge of power that had roused him was. He decided to deal with it in the fast approaching dawn.

(A/N: I'll bet you didn't see that coming. I didn't either, so don't feel bad. :-) I went to bed, so should be semi normal. I hope.)

Severus reached up and rubbed his eyes. Why was he still in his robes? Memories of last night came flooding back. He had fallen asleep in a chair. It had been ages since he had last done that. He looked around and saw that the others were still sleeping. Severus stretched and decided that it wouldn't hurt to sleep for a little longer.

Minerva woke up to her lasted alarm shouting at her joyfully, "GET UP! GET UP! IT'S TME TO RISE AND SHINE!!" in a sing-song voice.

"I'm awake, now SHUT UP!" She shouted at the alarm. It was part of her morning routine, to shout at her alarm She didn't notice that she had left the window that she was watching Fred and George in before bed.

Albus woke to Fawkes trilling Phoenix song at him.

"Yes Fawkes, I'm awake." Albus smiled at his bird, and got up. He wondered how things had gone last night. He probably shouldn't have put that potion in their drinks. As it was probably close to a hundred years old... Well, he had added Phoenix tears, so if it was poison, it would have no effect. Minerva should be here any moment....

Fred wok up, wondering why his bed was so cold and hard. Then he remembered that he was on the floor of Hogwarts. He poked Amy and George in the ribs. George woke up immediately. Amy, on the other hand, said, "Go away Mom, I'm sleeping," and batted at his hand. Fred smiled at George and whispered to him, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That's Amy's ticklish?" George whispered back.

Fred nodded, and poked Amy in the side. She shuddered, and said again, "Go away. I'm not getting up.... It's cold."

Fred grabbed the blanket and pulled it off of Amy. "Okay, I'm up. Now go away."

Fred and George laughed and tickled Amy until she was fully awake.

"What?" She snapped, them immediately apologized. "Sorry, I'm not much of a morning person." She said, sitting up and stretching her arms toward the ceiling.

"Good morning." George said.

"Morning." Amy replied.

"Now that it's lighter in here, why don't we go and try to find the others?" Fred asked.

"Good idea." George replied.

"Would you mind helping me put these things away?" Amy asked, folding the blanket and put it in the wagon. "Fine then, don't help." She muttered, tossing the pillows in, and wondering how there was so much room in the wagon, and who had packed it.

"So lets go." Amy said.

"Where to?" Fred asked.

"Well, either to find the others, or to talk to Dumbledore." Amy said, rolling her eyes.

"Why not the kitchens first and then find the others?" George suggested.

"That sounds good." Fred replied. "What about you, Amy?"

"I don't care." Amy said. "I'm not particularly hungry, but food would be nice."

"Okay then. Kitchens it is." George said.

"You know what sounds really good right now?" Amy said.

"What?" Fred asked.

"Chicken nuggets." Amy said.

"What are those?" Fred asked.

"They're a muggle food, made by McDonalds. Maybe I'll see if the house-elves can make some. They are bits of chicken, that are dipped in batter and deep fried, I think. However they make them, I like them." Amy said, her eyes half closed, like she was falling asleep.

"They sound good." Fred commented.

"They are." Hermione said, stepping out of a room. "Are you going down to the kitchens?"

Fred and George nodded. "Good, then I'll come with you. I don't believe I've met you." Hermione said, turning to face Amy.

"No I don't think you have. I've just recently arrived. I'm Amy Heller." Amy said, extending her hand.

Hermione took Amy's hand and shook it. "Hermione Granger. I'll be glad to show you around if you end up staying."

"Thanks. I'm not even sure how I got here." Amy said, sounding a little confused.

"What were the events leading up to your arrival?" Hermione asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Amy asked.

"Of course, I might be able to help you." Hermione said.

"Well, I was in my room, and I went downstairs to go and get something to drink, a glass of water, and I got the water, but on my way back upstairs, I decided to go outside for a bit and look at the stars for a bit. I ended walking to the field for near my home because you can get a really good view of the sky from there. After a while, I went back home, but there was a wagon in the way, this one." Amy said, motioning to the wagon she was pulling behind her. "I knew that it belonged to the kids down the street, so I grabbed the handle and started pulling it behind me and the closer I got to the house it belonged, the harder it got to walk and the handle kept getting hotter, but I couldn't let go of it. After a bit, I don't know how long, the handle cooled down and walking was easier. I guess somewhere, the scenery changed, because when it was easy to walk I found myself in Hogwarts, and the wagon was full of my things." Amy said.

"Wow." Fred said.

"So that's why you were confused." George added.

"Yeah." Amy said.

"Well, I'm sure that Dumbledore can get things sorted out." Hermione said confidentially. They were now in a hall that was adorned with paintings of food. The group stopped by a picture of a bowl of fruit. Hermione reached for the pear and tickled it, so it turned into a door handle.

Fred opened the door and let Hermione and Amy go in ahead of them.

"Thanks for opening the door." Amy said. "Hermione? Ho do you feel about explaining the wonders of chicken nuggets to the house elves?"

"Sounds like a good idea. I think the muggle born students would like it." Hermione said. "But why don't you ask them?"

"Okay." Amy said, thinking that Hermione probably wanted to see how she treated the elves. One of the elves had been standing by them, so Amy turned to address it. "Hello."

"Mistress." The elf said, curtseying. "How can I help you?"

"I'm Amy. What's your name?" Amy told the elf.

"Tiddy, ma'am." Tiddy said, looking down at the floor.

"Well, Tiddy, could you come and sit here for a moment?" Amy asked. "I need to talk to you about something."

"If that it what mistress wants." Tiddy said, staring up at Amy like she had grown an extra head.

"Yes it's what I want. Now please sit." Amy said, motioning to a nearby set of chairs.

Tiddy sat in a chair next to Amy. "Now Tiddy, have you ever heard of chicken nuggets?" Tiddy shook her head. "Well, they are pieces of chicken that are dipped in a batter and fried until they are golden. We were wondering if you could make them?" Amy asked gently.

"If Tiddy could see what these chicken nuggets looked like." Tiddy said, referring to herself in third person.

Hermione had been muttering all through the conversation and was waving her wand around a little. There was a little bang and a poof of smoke. Three chicken nuggets had pooped into existence in front of her. Hermione eyed them and picked up one and sniffed at it. "It smells fine." Hermione said. "Here you smell it too." She said, holding it under Amy's nose.

Amy nodded. "It smells right."

"Okay them. Now lets see if it tastes right." Hermione said, before closing her eyes and nibbling the edge of the chicken nugget. She smiled and the took a big bite out of it. "Yep. It's perfect. Here Tiddy, these are chicken nuggets." Hermione said, pushing them over to the elf.

Tiddy went through the same process that Hermione went through. "Oh, we elves can make these easy. It will be a few minutes." Tiddy said, before taking the remaining one and a half golden chicken nuggets over to the others.

"Thanks, Hermione, I've been dying for chicken nuggets." Amy said. "I know it sounds silly."

"It does, but I been wanting some too. I'm glad that the elves can make them." Hermione said. "So now that you've told us how you got here, why don't you tell us about yourself.

"I don't know what to tell you." Amy said, laughing a little.

"Well all we know about you is your name." Fred pointed out.

"That's all I really know about you." Amy replied.

"Good point." Hermione said. "Here. I've got an idea. We'll ask you a question, you'll answer, and then ask us a question." How's that sound?" Hermione asked.

"Sure." Amy said.

"I'll go first!" George exclaimed. "How old are you?"

"I'm not sure. I may have traveled in time." Amy said. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen in a month." George said.

"How old are you in your time?" Fred asked.

"Fifteen." Amy replied. "What year is this?"

"1996." Fred replied.

"What year is it in your time?" Hermione asked, seeing that Amy's eyes had widened.

"2004. So I'm fifteen, but this year, in the first time around I'm seven." Amy replied. "Now that I've got that figured out, where do you live?"

"Thetford, I doubt you know where that is."

"I do. I used to live there, actually I still am. Though I'll be moving soon." Amy said.

"It's my turn again!" George asked. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"One sister. She's three years younger then me and is called Sarah." Amy said.

"How about you?" Amy asked.

"Eurgh. I have one sister, and five brothers." George said.

"Big family." Amy commented.

"Where are you from?" Fred asked.

"The states. I was born in Washington state, moved to Thetford for three years, Lived in California for a little under a year and I moved back up to Washington." Amy said.

"Okay." Fred said, wondering what she was going to ask him.

"I'm guessing that you're out of school, so what do you do?" Amy asked him.

"Me and George run a joke shop in Diagon Alley." Fred told her.

"Where did you live in Thetford?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Erm... I know what you're thinking. I changed my name to Amy, and Sarah used to go by Sally, Hermione, you used to baby-sit me and Sally." Amy said.

"Emi! Hermione said. "I never thought that I'd see you after this summer. Your mum told my mum and she told me, that you were going to be moving."

"Well I suppose that you do see me again. This is so confusing." Amy said. "So Hermione. "Have you and Ron gotten together yet?" Amy asked, remembering that Hermione had told her about a boy that she like at school.

"Yes." Hermione said, realizing that she hadn't have told Amy about who she liked.

"So, why did Hermione know you as Emi?" George asked.

"My real name is Amelia. My parents called me Amy, but Hermione called me Emi." Amy said. "So. Hermione told me a little about you two. Why does a person not trust anything that you give them?" Amy asked.

"Simple. We're pranksters, add magic to that, you're doomed." George said.

"Excuse me, sirs and misses, the food you requested is ready." Tiddy said, coming up to the group, following her was two elves bearing a large platter with a pile of chicken nuggets on it.

"You didn't have to make so many..." Hermione said, but was cut off by George.

"Are you sure that's enough?" George asked.

"It should be just fine. Thank you Tiddy." Amy said, helping the elves set the platter on the table. "I meant to ask earlier, but could we get a bowl of sweet and sour sauce and another of honey?" Amy asked.

"Oh, yes. Right away Miss!" Another elf exclaimed before running off eagerly and returning with the requested items.

Hermione took the two bowls and Amy said "Thank you. I believe that's all we'll be needing for a bit."

Fred and George each grabbed a chicken nugget and bit into it. "These are good!" One of them said through a mouthful of chicken. (A/N: I want some chicken nuggets, can you tell? Eurgh. Stupid mother, won't tell me how to make them, or take me to buy some. So must die. After she gets me chicken nuggets. Maybe there's some in the freezer! Yum. Frozen curly fries.)

"Glad you like them." Amy said, thinking of the frozen curly fries that she'd probably be eating if she was at home. Hogwarts was better.

The door to the kitchen opened, and Harry, Ginny and Ron wandered in. The table that they were sitting at magically expanded to make room for the others.

"Good morning Hermione, we were wondering where you had gotten to." Harry said, not really paying attention to the others at the table.

"Morning Harry, you and Ginny were awfully close last night. Anything I should know about?" Fred asked.

"I'm not sure just yet Fred." Ginny said. "He asked me this morning, but I haven't decided."

"Oy! You couldn't tell me this?" Ron asked, suddenly awake.

"Well, you were sort of worried about Hermione going missing, so I didn't tell you." Ginny said. "He was convinced that Professor Snape had kidnapped you." Ginny told Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Amy tried not to laugh and poked Fred in the ribs. "Have I suddenly gone invisible?" She whispered to him.

"I think you might have. I wonder if they will notice you." Fred replied.

Harry had just noticed Amy. "Er, I don't mean to be rude, but who the ruddy hell are you?"

Amy looked mildly surprised. "Me?" Harry nodded. "I'm just a friend of Fred, George, and Hermione."

"You must be brave." Ron said.

"Why?" Amy asked.

"You're sitting in-between Fred and George, and you're eating." Ron said as an explanation.

"I think they haven't figured out how to get me to eat something that they have touched." Amy said, laughing a little. "Would you like some? They're very good." Amy offered a nugget to Ron.

"Sure." Ron said, and took the nugget from Amy and popped it into his mouth. After he swallowed it he frowned. "I could have sworn that tasted like." Ron's voice was cut off as he turned into a large chicken with bright red feathers.

"AMY!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yes?" Amy asked.

"You shouldn't be going around giving out hexed chicken nuggets!" Hermione said loudly.

"But I didn't. I just passed it along." Amy said innocently.

"That's why you didn't turn into a chicken." Fred exclaimed.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that." George said.

"Like I said, earlier, I'm too smart to accept and eat food from you two. I'll accept it, but not eat it." Amy said smugly.

"But, I could have sworn you ate it." Fred said, looking perplexed.

"Did I ever mention that I was a magician at a fair last summer?" Amy asked.

"No." Fred said.

"I was excellent at sleight of hand, you know, now you see, now you don't, and I'll put this over here, and how'd it get over here into my hand?" Amy said.

"That makes sense." Hermione said.

"Would you like these back Hermione?" Amy asked, holding up a sterling silver ring with a matching bracelet.

Hermione looked at her right hand. Then she held out her left. Amy dropped them into Hermione's hand. "How'd you get those?"

"I'd also make a good pickpocket, and the catch on your bracelet isn't very good, and the ring is a little too big for your finger." Amy said, smirking.

"Ah. I see what you mean. I'll just fix the problem with the ring." Hermione said, pulling her wand out and tapping the ring with it. "So how'd you get them? Besides the fact that the jewelry didn't fit well."

"You shook my hand Hermione." Amy said. "I was wondering if you would notice. I only keep things that I take from people who I don't like. I think it's safe to say that I like all of you."

"That's a reassuring fact." Harry said. He looked around. "Aren't we missing someone?" Harry asked.

The other's looked around. "Draco." Harry said.

"I wonder where he is." Ron said.

"Maybe someone should go and look for him." Harry said.

"Harry Potter sir! I is willing to go look for Harry Potter sir's friend." An extremely bouncy elf came up to Harry.

"I don't know Dobby. Do you remember your old master?" Harry said. "Well, it's Draco, he refused the Dark Mark and went to the light. If you want to look for him you can, but if you don't I perfectly understand." Harry said quietly.

"Dobby will find Harry's friend. Old master's son cannot hurt Dobby, because Albus Dumbledore will protect Dobby." Dobby said, before going out and looking for Draco.

"Thank you Dobby!" Harry called after Dobby. "So chicken nuggets? I didn't know that the elves knew how to make these." Harry said, picking one up.

"They didn't. Amy and I explained it to them, and they were more than happy to try and make them. They did it most wonderfully if I say so myself." Hermione said.

Ron the chicken, leaned forward and got one in his beak.

"Eww! Ron, don't be a cannibal!" Hermione said loudly. "How long will he be a chicken?" Hermione asked.

"Er, we're not to sure about that. He might be a chicken for a while." Fred said.

Amy was having a hard time not laughing. "Why don't you see if Dumbledore could sort him out?" Amy said, in-between laughs.

"What's got you off laughing?" Ginny asked, peering at Amy like she was crazy.

"It was the cannibal line. Sorry Hermione, it just set me off for no good reason." Amy said, trying to quit laughing.

George laughed a little. "That is funny. Out little brother, dear ickle Roniekins, a cannibal?"

A/N: I have been noticeably absent from this chapter, so I am here now to apologize for the bad humor that probably no one gets, as my sugar levels have been dangerously low and I am now replenishing them, so it should get better, I hope, which is unlikely (that it will get better)

Dobby interrupted by bouncing into the kitchens, dragging Draco behind him. "Harry Potter sir! Dobby has found the ferret! Here he is!" Dobby exclaimed, bouncing on his heels.

Harry stifled a laugh. "Thank you Dobby." Dobby bounced off oblivious to the glares he was receiving from the other elves. "Hello, Draco, where did you sleep last night?" Harry asked pleasantly.

"The dorms." Draco said smugly. "Where did you sleep?"

"The sitting room. It was most comfortable." Ginny said smugly, looking at Harry in a way that was most shocking to Draco. "I've decided Harry." Ginny said.

"And?" Harry asked.

As an answer Ginny walked over and sat on Harry's lap.

"Ginny!" Ron shouted, no one had noticed that he had changed back to human. Animagi lessons came in handy. "You can't do that!" Ron said, looking scandalized.

A/N: Yep, sugar's kickin' in nicely.

"Really, 'cause I think I can." Ginny said, wiggling around. "Harry, I really hope that's your wands that's poking me."

"Ginny!" Ron shouted again.

"It is." Harry said. "The one with the phoenix feather core." He added, so as not to anger his friend more.

"I'm starting to think that I didn't want this." Ron muttered.

"It's okay, Ron." Hermione said, patting Ron on the head. For the first time Draco noticed Amy.

"Hello. Now who are you?" Draco asked, looking Amy up and down.

"She's taken." George said.

"I am?" Amy asked, mildly surprised.

"Yes you are." George said firmly.

"Okay then." Amy replied, and returned to examining her rings.

"You never answered my question." Draco said irritably. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Amy asked, now examining her nails.

"Yes you, the girl I've never seen before." Draco said.

"Oh, I suppose that would be me." Amy paused for a moment. "I am Amy. The one who will be able to drive you insane within and hour. Or even sooner. You look like and easy person to drive insane." Amy said, looking critically at her right pinkie finger. "Now by any chance, have you seen my black nail polish?"

"No." Draco said, looking at Amy. "Are you sane?"

"Last time I checked, nope." Amy said happily, looking at the ring on her right ring finger. For some reason it wouldn't come off. Oh well, people wouldn't be able to steal it.

"Tiddy?" Amy asked. The elf was suddenly at her side. "I would like to thank you for this most excellent meal, and I hope to be able to dine on such wonderful fare again."

"Thank you miss." The elf said, staring at Amy with wide eyes. "I've never had such praise before." She curtsied and scurried away.

"Fred, George, I believe you said that we should go and talk to Dumbledore." Amy said loftily. "I would like to do that, and I don't have any ideas where to find him, perhaps you would be able to assist?"

"Of course fair lady." Fred replied, catching on immediately.

"Why thank you, sir knight, a lady is always pleased to have a proper escort through the halls of such a fine castle." Amy curtsied to Fred, and whispering in George's ear, "Curse what's left of the food."

"Excellent." George hissed back and then did so before rising he bowed before Amy and said, "Might I offer my arm, fair lady?"

"Of course sir knight, for what is a lady without an escort?" Amy asked, having fun.

"Yes, I'll just get the door and the wagon." George muttered, he reached for the wagon and dropped the handle in shock. "It zapped me!" He exclaimed. "I mean, fair lady, there is a slight problem, I believe that the wagon is attuned to your fair hand, you need to pull the wagon."

"I thought that might be the case, as the wheels locked up when Ron tried to move the wagon." Amy said, before getting the handle of the wagon in one hand, and resting her other arm on Fred's outstretched arm. "Add a long, flowing pink gown, and the picture would be complete." Amy said, as she walked elegantly out of the kitchens.

When they were out of earshot, they all collapsed in laughter. "Thanks for playing along." Amy said.

"When you said you were a prankster, we didn't know you were that serious." Fred said, looking at Amy wait a sort of awe in his gaze.

"You'll never guess what Draco wears around his neck." Amy said, with a silly grin on her face.

"What?" George asked. "You didn't?"

"Didn't what? Brush my hand across his neck as I walked by him?" Amy asked innocently.

"You did!" Fred exclaimed.

"I did. He has a silver chain, that has a gold heart on the end of it. With, I quote, Mummy loves you my dear Draco, don't you ever forget that inscribed on it." Amy said. "Now if I only knew what to do with it..." She pondered. "I think that I'll drop it in a likely place that it will be found by someone who can use it."

"How does the lake sound?" George asked.

"No, I don't like how he looked at me. This necklace is going to be a little example of what I can do." Amy said, holding up a necklace. "Would one of you mind looking for any charms or curses on it?"

"Not at all." Fred replied, and her took it from her and tapped it with his wand. "Yeah, there's an anti-theft jinx, but that only prevents magical theft. I think that that can be removed."

"Anything else?" Amy asked.

"I don't believe so." Fred replied.

"For your safety, I would put it in here." George said.

"It's a handy little cupboard that cancels out all magical signature, so you can't trace anything by it. So if you put the necklace in here, he won't be able to find it using magic." Fred informed her.

"Thanks, You guys don't mind being dragged into this, do you?" Amy asked, concerned that she might be putting Fred and George in a situation that they didn't want to be in.

"No. I saw how he looked at you, and..." George paused. "You know, I don't know if you are going to stay or not, so I will save that for later."

"I'm not very pleased with Draco either, the way he looked at you, that he had the audacity to look at you like that, it just infuriated me." Fred said

"Ah. Good we are in agreement. Now, could one of you show me the way to Dumbledore's office?" Amy asked.

"Of course." Fred said. "Now let's go before Draco realizes that his necklace is missing."

Amy laughed, and walked a little quicker. After a bit, they stopped at a statue of a gargoyle.

Fred looked at it. "I don't suppouse that you'd let us in?" He asked it.

There was no response. Geroge tried, and then looked at Amy. "Maybe you should try."

"Okay." Amy said, before moving to stand in front of the gargoyle. "Hello. We need to talk to Dumbledore. It is of a most urgent matter." Amy said, looking the creature in the face. It jumped to the side and a gap opened up in the wall. Had it winked at her?

"Thank you." She said politely, before going in. Fred and George looked at her for a moment. "What?"

"Oh it's nothing, we've always tried to get into here, but we've never managed." Fred said.

"Oh that. I seem to have an affinity for getting into places I shouldn't be." Amy said, stepping onto the moving staircase.

After a bit, they reached the door with the griffin knocker on it. "I suppose I'll knock then." She muttered, because Fred and George seemed to be hanging back.

Amy stepped forward and rapped on the door ignoring the knocker for some odd reason.

"Enter." Albus said, wondering who it could be. Minerva would have just stormed in.

The door opened, an Amy hesitantly walked in. "Hello sir."

"Hello, I don't believe I've ever seen you before." Albus said, trying to enter the girls mind, but failing for some reason. That was odd.

"I suppose not, as I just arrived last night." Amy said.

"Arrived? Last night?" Albus said, leaning forward slightly and peering at the girl closer.

"Yes. Arrived. I was hoping that you could help me find out how I arrived here." Amy said. "I should tell you how I got here."

Albus nodded. "Let me get something." He said, rummaging for a quill and the truth ball that glowed when someone lied, as he wouldn't be able to see in her mind if she was lying. "Okay. Begin."

"Well, I was going downstairs last night at my house to get something to drink, and I decided to sneak out and look at the sky for a little bit. I ended up going down to the field near my house because you can get a good view of the sky from there. On my way back, I saw a wagon that looked like it belonged at the neighbors, so I grabbed the handle and started pulling towards their house. After a bit, it got harder and harder to pull, and the handle kept getting hotter and hotter, but for some reason I couldn't let go. After a while it got easier to walk and the handle cooled off, but I found myself in Hogwarts. I walked through the hall and found Fred and George and they said that I was in Hogwarts. I wandered off and found a comfortable corner to sleep in, and then, Fred and George showed up and said that they needed a warm place to sleep because Hogwarts got cold at night." Amy said.

"So you slept in a corner? What your clothes don't look slept in. Why is that?" Dumbledore asked.

"The wagon had been packed with a lot of my things. One of the things were some pillows and a few blankets from my bed." Amy said.

"Ah Thank you very much. I feel a bit silly asking this, but what is your name?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm Amy Heller. I live in the Keyport. That's in Washington State. That's about halfway around the world from here. To add to it all, I thought that magic wasn't real. I'm a muggle." Amy said.

"Actually, you're not. If I am right, in what I thinking, your great grandmother married an Andrew Olsen?" Dumbledore asked.

Amy nodded. "And your last name isn't Heller, you are using your great grandmother's maiden name, aren't you." Dumbledore said.

Amy nodded. "I changed my name legally."

"Okay then. Well, Miss Heller, welcome back. We've been looking for you for quite a while. When you great, great-grandfather jumped ship on Whidbey Island, he gave up the wizarding world and lived life out as a muggle. In fact, he married a muggle, Helena Thorsheim. The Thorsheims were a family of Witches and Wizards, but Helena was a squib, and in her case, all of her children were either all muggle, or squibs. I believe that you are the first witch from that family in ages." Dumbledore finished,

A/N: If any of you have a great-great-aunt Helena, who married a Norwegian named Andrew Olsen, we are distant cousins. Do you?

"Why now?" Amy asked.

"We couldn't find you. I have no idea why you are here now, especially through time, but that can be sorted out." Dumbledore said. "Would you like to go back, or stay?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think I'd like to stay here. If I am a witch, I should be trained. Especially since I don't want to inadvertently harm my friends. I will miss them tough. I don't suppose that owls can deliver letters over time?" Amy asked.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "No. Are you sure that you want to stay?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, I am sure." Amy said firmly. "Do you think that I could stay at Hogwarts?" Amy asked.

"Of course. Would you mind helping teachers with various things?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not at all. I'd enjoy helping at in the library." Amy said. "That is, if the Librarian is willing."

"I'm sure that Madam Prince would enjoy the help." Dumbledore said. "Why don't we head down there? I think that she is arriving today."

"Okay that sounds fine." Amy said. "Fred, George, I'm sure that you have other things to do today. Thanks for getting me up to Dumbledore's office safely."

"It was nothing." Fred said.

"But you're right, we've got to get to our shop, we're already late as it is." George said, standing. Amy walked over and gave both of them a hug.

"Thanks though. You two really made me feel welcome." Amy said.

"Well, you're welcome, and we'll stop by to see you sometime, or you can come to our shop." Fred told her, before leaving the room abruptly.

"Yeah, I better go before our mum finds us." George said and left as abruptly as Fred had.

Amy sighed. "Well, why don't we go and see the Librarian?" She asked.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. So you want to learn to use your magic?" Dumbledore asked as he opened the door for Amy.

"Yes, I do, I'd be going into my fifth year." Amy said.

"I think that you should get private lessons, until you are caught up with your year." Dumbledore said.

"That would be great. Who would be teaching me?" Amy asked.

"I think that I will, and possibly some of the other professors." Dumbledore said.

"Okay then, when could I start?" Amy asked, wanting to know.

"I think possibly tomorrow, or Tuesday." Dumbledore said.

"But, I don't have any money." Amy said, worriedly.

"Actually, you do. Your grandfather left his money in Gringotts, and he had some very wise investment, so I believe that you have some where around two and a half million galleons." Dumbledore said pleasantly. "Lemon drop?" He asked, unaware that Amy had stopped.

Amy shook her head, she must have heard wrong. "Er, sir, how much did you say?"

"Two and a half million, and I'm not completely sure about the amount. Would you like a lemon drop?" He asked again.

"Of course, a lemon drop, that would be lovely." Amy said.

Dumbledore smiled to himself and held out a lemon drop to her. "Now, how much experience do you have working in a library?" He asked as they got nearer to the library.

"I mean it Harry, there's something strange about Amy." Hermione said for the third time.

"Hermione, stop. I heard you. You just don't like her because she managed to get your bracelet and ring without you knowing." Harry said.

"Well, they were special. My grandfather gave them to me just before he..." Hermione stopped, she hadn't told anyone about her grandfather. "left." She finished.

Ron looked at her funnily, but thankfully didn't press the matter.

"What do you mean by that Harry?" Draco asked.

"By what?" Harry asked irritably.

"How did she manage to get Hermione's jewerly?" Draco asked.

"He won't say that she's a pickpocket, but that about sums it up." Hermione snapped.

Draco's eye's widened. He counted the money he had quickly, and all of that was there, but when he took attendance of his jewelry, his necklace was missing. More precisely, the one his mother had given him. "My necklace, it's gone." He said breathlessly before getting up and setting out to find the necklace, thankfully it was magically tied to him and he could find it easily.

"What'd he say?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure." Harry replied.

"I'll go after him." Ginny said, getting up.

"What?" Harry almost shouted. "No. He's in a fair mood, and I'll not have you getting hurt." Harry said firmly, tugging Ginny back into her seat.

"If you start going all 'I man, I protect woman, woman inferior and weak' on me, I will break up with you, after hexing you." Ginny said.

"Fine, go looking for him!" Harry said. "Just don't get hurt." Harry muttered at Ginny's retreating back.

"I heard that." Ginny said, before snapping the door shut.

"Harry? Are you okay?" Hermione asked, as Harry had started bashing his head on the table.

"Peachy keen." Harry said, sitting back, and grinning at the others forcibly. Inwardly, he was wondering if he should have asked Ginny out.

"Harry, come over here." Hermione said, she looked at Harry for a bit, and cast a security bubble. (A/N: Not mine, I found it in someone else's fic, but I can't remember who or when, so this wasn't my idea. Okay? Understand? Good.)

"You're having second thoughts aren't you?" Hermione asked him.

Harry nodded.

"Why'd you ask her?" Hermione asked.

"It just felt right at the time." Harry said quietly.

"Okay. Would you have asked her normally?" Hermione asked.

"I—I don't think so." Harry said quietly.

"Okay then, what are you going to do about it?" Hermione asked, Harry looking at Harry with a worried expression on her face.

"Tell Ginny how I feel." Harry said after a long pause.

Hermione nodded.

"I feel so bad though. I never should have asked." Harry said.

"Harry, if it makes you feel better, I think that Ginny's having second thoughts. All we have to do is worry about how Ron feels about this." Hermione said, sighing.

"After I talk to Ginny, could you talk to Ron?" Harry asked.

Hermione laughed. "I'm glad that you are going to talk to her. Go and find her, okay?" Hermione asked.

"Okay." Harry said.

"I'm glad that we had this talk." Hermione said in a very business-like manner.

"Yeah, me too." Harry said. "Talk to Ron for me, okay?"

"Sure." Hermione said, and let the spell go. Harry walked out of the kitchens, leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

"Ron?" Hermione said. She swallowed nervously. This was going to be hard. "We need to talk." Ron's reaction would have been comical, if she hadn't been so worried about how her boyfriend would react.

"What?" Ron asked, looking at her with wide eyes, his freckles standing out more than usual. "You're—you're not?"

"No I'm not breaking up with you. But I have to tell you something, and you have to promise me that you won't get mad. Can you do that?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I can." Ron said.

"Okay then." Hermione breathed deeply and cast a calming charm on Ron. "Harry and I were talking and he doesn't think that he's right for Ginny." Hermione watched Ron's face closely.

"What?" He said weakly.

"He doesn't think that he's right for Ginny. He was having doubts about it and he asked her out on the spur of the moment. Ginny was having her doubts too." Hermione finished.

"Okay. That's fine." Ron said happily and began humming to himself. Perhaps the charm had been a little too strong. Hermione cast a weaker one and removed the first one.

"Ron are you still fine with that?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"I'm a little miffed at Harry, he should have thought it through, but I understand. Asking you out was a spur of the moment thing too. But I had seriously thought about asking you out before, so I knew how I felt about you, and you thought your response through." Ron said, almost mechanically.

Uh-oh. "Ron what's your name?" Hermione asked, afraid of what she would hear.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley." Ron said.

Did that spell have a side effect of making someone tell the truth? Hermione wondered. She broke the spell and waited for Ron to respond.

"Hermione? Is that all?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. You aren't mad?" Hermione asked.

"No. I could tell that Harry and Ginny were wrong for each other. Ginny hero worships him, and he give's in to her too easily. I hate saying this but, I sorta hope that they break up." Ron said, so he was completely surprised when Hermione launched herself at him.

"Oh Ron! You're growing up!" Hermione said, hugging him tight around the neck.

A/N: Hi. I know that I said I'd update er... three dyas ago, but I realized that School starts on Sept. 8, so i got to writing like mad. I think in the past week or so, I've written aroud sixty pages. So yes, the next chapter is done. And so is fifteen. BUT, I'm going to write at least one more chapter before I post fourteen because I want to be at least two chapters ahead. That's only because I have english and sicene in the same semester, and math i think, (I'm to lazy to look for my schedule) All three of those classes have tests, and studying cuts into my writing time. Please, bear with me.

Sparkling Silver Angel Wings: I thought that Griffy was wierd too, but my mind wouldn't let it go. I think that they gave it to him, and it stuck. And as to James coming back... next chapter you'll find out about that. I will have Dumbledore suffer because, Harry goes missing right from under Dumbledore's nose, and I might have Dumledore go frantic looking for him. It doesn't help that Sev will be missing for a week too... opps. Well, now you have a nice idea of what's happenind in the next chapter.

Lady Lily3: Lily and Sev won't be together, but Sev will have someone, she just hasn't come into the story yet.

Vista 21.4.1990: Thanks again for pointing my mistake out. Keep revewing!

That's it for shout outs, and please Review, and I will write fast so I can post fourteen.