Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Hermione didn't speak to Harry and Ron for the rest of the weekend, except to threaten to tell Professor McGonagall about the Marauders Map.

"Wrong book, Hermione" said Ron in a mock condescending tone. "You did that when we were in our third year, remember?"

Hermione muttered something that sounded like "I give up" and left the common room in a huff. Part of Harry knew that Hermione was right; Sneaking into Hogsmeade had been stupid.

"She has a point" Harry told Ron. "What if Voldemort knows about that passage? Wormtail's probably told him. He helped write the map."

"What are you saying?" said Ron "That You Know Who's just going to wait in that passage in case you get the urge to sneak out of school? Harry, that's stupid"

Harry and Ron forgot about their fight with Hermione on Monday morning. In Potions Snape had set them to work making Veritaserum and announced that they would all be testing it when it was ready. Something Harry was not looking forward to. He cringed at the thought of revealing all his secrets for Snape and the Slytherins to hear. And Harry knew that Snape would love to hear him admitting to some of the things he had done; such as throwing a Filibuster Firework into Goyle's cauldron in his second year and visiting Hogsmeade illegally.

"Sir" said Hermione thrusting her hand into the air "I thought the laws about using Veritaserum were very strict. Why are you making us drink it?"

Hermione's voice sounded slightly panicky. Harry thought she must be worried about the prospect of admitting she had robbed Snape's private potions supply.

"You are going to drink it because it fits in with the story in ways I don't understand because I am not writing it" said Snape "Ten points from Gryffindor for making me look stupid"

After an hour and a half of being in the dungeon with Snape, who was in a particularly bad mood, Harry couldn't wait to get outside for Care Of Magical Creatures. He and Ron were walking a little way behind the Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Theodore Nott. Crabbe, Goyle and Nott all appeared to be listening intently to Malfoy. Harry moved closer to hear what he was saying."

"...slip Potter some of that stuff. I want to ask him a few things"

Nott nodded and whispered something Harry could not hear. Crabbe and Goyle grunted. Harry let Parvati and Lavender get between him and Malfoy so he could tell Ron and Hermione what he had just overheard.

"I don't know what you're so worried about, Harry" said Hermione reasonably. Malfoy's going to have a hard time slipping you Veritaserum, and even if he does you've got nothing to hide"

"Yeah. I can't believe I thought Nott was OK though" said Harry.

"I thought you'd be used to finding out you had the wrong ideas about people by now, Harry" said Hermione.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron.

"Well you thought that Snape was evil..."

"He is. I don't care if he's in the Order. He's still evil" said Ron I suppose we've got it wrong about You Know Who, too. We'll probably get to the end of the seventh book and find out he just wanted to take Harry out for tea or something" he added sarcastically.

Over the next few days Harry was plagued by nightmares about Malfoy tricking him into drinking Veritaserum. He wouldn't eat if Malfoy was already in the great Hall when he arrived. As the Slytherin common room was much closer to the Great Hall than the Gryffindor common room Harry missed several meals. By Friday he decided to conjure his own food, with little success.

"Harry, just go to the kitchens and get some food off Dobby!" Hermione snapped when Harry accidentally sprayed her with bits of broken glass, pumpkin, mashed potato and steak.

"Yeah I'll come too" said Ron quickly.

"You ate dinner, Ron" said Hermione pointedly.

"Never thought Hermione would tell anyone to nick food from the kitchens" said Harry as he walked along the brightly lit corridor that lead to the school kitchens. Now that Hermione had mentioned it getting food from Dobby seemed the logical thing to do.

"Hi, Harry. What are you doing down here?"

Harry turned around. Adam Prince was running towards him. He had forgotten that this corridor also lead to the Hufflepuff common room.

"One of the house elves that works here is a friend of mine. I'm going to see him" said Harry, which was partly true. He didn't feel like explaining that he hadn't eaten because he was afraid that Malfoy was trying to slip a truth potion into his food.

"Oh right" said Adam "Listen, Harry, I read the books like you told me to..."

"Er good" said Harry distractedly, feeling that more questions were coming up.

"And I reckon there's something going on with your Aunt" said Adam. "I think she might be a Squib"

Aunt Petunia a Squib? Harry thought about this as he ate a large helping of chicken and ham pie that Dobby had given him. The more thought he gave it, the more sense it seemed to make. It explained his grandparents being proud of having a witch in the family and Aunt Petunia knowing about things like Dementors and Azkaban. As soon as he finished eating Harry ran upstairs to the stone gargoyle which concealed the entrance to professor Dumbledore's office. Then he realised he did not know the password. Harry named every wizard and muggle sweet he could think of becoming more frustrated with every guess, but the gargoyle did not move.

"Just open" thought Harry as he felt in his pockets for something that might be the password to Dumbledore's office. He pulled out a small purple and orange sweet.

"Skiving Snackbox!" he shouted.

The Gargoyle sprang aside and Harry sprinted up the spiral staircase and hammered on the door at the top.

"Come in" called Dumbledore.

"Professor!" said Harry as he burst into the room "I wanted to ask you, is my Aunt a Squib?"

"No she is not, Harry" said Dumbledore.

"Are you sure?" asked Harry.

"Positive" said Dumbledore. "I did not teach your grandparents on your mother's side. And Ms Rowling has been kind enough to confirm that your Aunt is not a Squib"

Harry was about to ask how Dumbledore knew this, then he remembered that the headmaster read the muggle newspapers.

"Is there anything else you wish to ask me, Harry?" said Dumbledore.

Harry was about to say "no", but he changed his mind.

"Yes. I was wondering about the...about..."

"Mr Prince?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes him" said Harry. "I was wondering is he going to be important to the story? Because right now he's just like Colin Creevey was in his first year"

Dumbledore did not answer Harry's question directly. Instead he asked,

"It was Mr Prince who suggested that your Aunt may be a Squib, was it not?"

"Yes" said Harry.

"And you came straight to me to see if it were so" said Dumbledore. "It seems that Mr Prince's part in this book is to encourage you to question the things you have never questioned before.