DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: I know, I'm a bad, bad writer… actually, I took this apart a few times… hope I finally got it right…

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VON:giggles wickedly: Now, now that would be telling …

All: Wow 300 Reviews:-) Yey me! Actually yey all of you :-) I doubted I'd get many well I started this misadventure…

Chapter 37

Ghostly Appearance

Allowing the bright, happy, smiling image he presented to the young man the last two days to finally abate, Albus Dumbledore's mood faded to the one he normally wore these days. It was much, much more somber. He sat in his office, staring vacantly staring out the window. Things were definitely not going as planned. He believed once he had Harry away from Remus things would return to normal. Harry would be able to forgive him and things would continue on as they had before. He had obviously underestimated the werewolf's influence. Moreover, he had underestimated Harry's occlumency skills – not only was he detected; he hadn't even learned a thing. Hadn't Severus said he was hopeless? Certainly he hadn't had that type of skill when he had left school last year.

If matters weren't bad enough, Minerva was barely speaking to him. Harry's revelation of his parents will was yet another unforeseen event. Albus was taken aback. Not only had Remus deliberately sabotaged his relationship with Harry by revealing that information, Harry had inadvertently let Minerva know that Albus had interfered with Harry's custody all this time. She was livid and reminded him none to lightly about her warnings the evening he had taken Harry to the Dursleys.

Albus was truly at a lost at how to deal with the boy. The second conversation he had with Harry had gone even worse then the first. Albus was almost giddy when Fudge insisted on being present when Harry returned to school. He had assumed that the minister's presence and antagonism would persuade Harry to again seek his guidance and protection. He never expected the boy to take matters into his own hands. Moreover, the anger he felt was coming off of the young man in waves. Not only hadn't he expected Harry to handle things on his own, but blast it the boy did it well. The only hope he had left was at least Harry had been more aggravated at that pompous idiot Fudge, then himself. Perhaps there was some leeway after all.

The one thing that seemed to be going right for him at the moment was that Alastor was coming on Wednesday to tutor the boy. Although Albus was not entirely clear where, when, and how the arrangement was made, he couldn't say he was displeased. Surely if anyone understood self-sacrifice it was Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody. He'd be able to get through to Harry. Perhaps, teach him a fair bit of defense along the way.

Harry stormed back to the dormitory. He had been back to Hogwarts twenty-four hours and no one would leave him be. Actually hadn't even made it to Hogwarts before they attacked. He was beginning to think this entire idea was a mistake. He missed the cabin and the 'no pressure' atmosphere so much. He closed his eyes and imagined Remus and Mikhail sitting at the breakfast table eating breakfast. They were waiting for him to join them. The visual was so clear he could hear the conversation.

"Pass the honey, please."

"So, do you want to unpack the living room, or start on the dining room first."

"Well, I believe we spend more time in the living room so let's start there."

Unpack? Harry mused. That was weird. He shrugged. He supposed his knowing they had moved and his wishful thinking had somehow merged.

"Harry Potter … Harry?" the shout shook him from his reflections. He chuckled softy to himself. Now he was really losing it. He had let go of the visualization but he could have sworn he still heard Remus' voice.

"Harry Potter!" "Harry are you ok?"

"Moony?" Harry looked about the entire room confused. No one was there. Was he hearing things? Was the stress getting to him already? Perhaps Dumbledore and Fudge's antics had pushed him over the edge and nobody bothered to tell him? Perhaps, he was as mad as Trelawney? He was hearing voices after all…

"Harry Potter! Damn it, Cub! Answer me!"

"Moony?" Harry answered hesitantly still finding no one in the room. "Er, where are you?" His eyes searched and searched but there was no one there, at least no one visable. He starting flipping up the bed skirts. Nope no one here… a charm maybe? The twins?

"HARRY POTTER!" Remus' voice screeched echoing throughout the entire room. It seemed to be coming from that corner… He searched carefully trying not to touch anything. If it was the twins, best to be prepared. He finally located the voice. It appeared to come out of the nightstand.

Harry approached it hesitantly. Not quite daring to touch anything. "M…Moony?" he whispered.

There was nothing that seemed unusual or out of place and there was definitely no one there. Perhaps he was really mad after all. Then as suddenly as a lightening strike it hit him … the mirror. HE sighed in relief as he pulled open the drawer. He yanked it so quickly it clattered to the floor. He grabbed up the mirror quickly. Thankful that he wasn't entirely insane, he shouted, "Moony … god Moony, you startled…"

"HARRY POTTER!" Remus yelled again.

"Oh yeah, er, Remus … Remus Lupin." Harry was beginning to think that these mirrors were just not for him. They never seemed to work out quite right.

"CUB!" Remus' voice echoed with relief.

"Er, hey Moony … thought I was going spare there for a moment." He babbled nervously. "What's wrong?" his anxiety increased as he took in Remus' form. The werewolf was pacing and his face was etched with concern.

"Harry, are you okay?" Remus answered, hisvoice slightly edged with tension.

"Er, yeah … I think so anyways … Why?"

"Well, um, er, it's just … it just … Mikhail and I were sitting here and then … well … then you were … I mean we saw …"

"Moony, er, you're scaring me … What happened?"

Remus paused a moment. "Well, Cub, you see Mikhail and I were sitting here, enjoying breakfast and discussing what we were going to unpack first and where to put the things and then … well, er, you were sitting there clear as day … then, then gone again just as suddenly…" Remus trailed off not knowing what to say next.

"Er …" This was about all Harry could get out. Perhaps he wasn't the only one going mad after all.

Remus' voice hardened. "I am not mad, Cub. Mikhail saw too, I'll have you know!" He did not mention that he had asked Mikhail before reacting.

"I did indeed," could be heard from the background. Mikhail sounded a bit amused at the whole thing.

Harry's face colored. "I didn't mean … I didn't know … er, how?"

"Huh?"

Harry sighed, "I think you'd better call Mikhail over so he can hear this, too."

Soon Harry could see a bit of both men trying to fit in the tiny frame. "Er, ah, I spoke to Dumbledore this morning … yesterday, too, come to think of it … but anyways, er, I was a bit … hey Mikhail, I blocked Dumbledore – he tried to use Legilimency and I recognized it right away and kept him out ...I think, anyways …"

Remus' face reddened in anger and a low growl could be heard.

"That's wonderful, young Harry, I would like to hear about the experience later; however, I believe there was a point you were making?" Mikhail interrupted.

"Er, I was a bit, well, irritated and I was wishing Ihad chosen to stayat the cabin. So I figured I'd try some visualization to relax and I closed my eyes to picture it in my mind. Er, well then the next thing I know it's all, pass the honey and what to unpack. Then everything was gone just as quickly. Next thing I know Remus is bellowing my name. Thought I was a bit off there a moment, I'll tell you…"

"Indeed, Harry? Honey, you say?" Mikhail asked evenly, not giving any indication that these were exactly what was being discussed when the young man had appeared briefly.

"Yeah." Harry answered looking at then both a bit strangely. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe perhaps all of them were a bit mad.

Remus and Mikhail looked at each other and then at the boy. Not knowing what to say. No one it seemed had any answers.

Finally, Remus faltered, detracted for the moment. "Um, Cub... Why is your hand bright red?"