Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and its various publishers own Harry Potter. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Notes to reviewers are at the end of the chapter. I'm really interested in what people have to say. Thanks for writing reviews!

Chapter Fourteen

The Best Revenge

"What shall we do to him, Harry? Death is too good for him." The question hung in the air between the angry werewolf and the young wizard.

Harry wasn't frightened by this outburst. Remus would never hurt him. Harry also knew the Headmaster could get in any time he wanted. Now he would find out if Dumbledore really did trust him to handle things.

The two remained motionless for a moment while Harry took in the ragged, wretched appearance of his new guardian. Pain and grief showed in his eyes. His face seemed alive with anger. His jaw was set and his nostrils flared. In a low-pitched, deadly calm voice, Harry asked, "Do you really think he's worth it, Remus?"

Before he could answer, Peter Pettigrew distracted them by making a muffled sound. It might have been a scream without the gag that tightly bound his mouth. With an open hand, Lupin smacked him across his head and yelled, "Shut up!" The muffled noises didn't stop as the strength of Lupin's blow rocked the chair holding Pettigrew.

As the chair lost its balance, Harry made Lupin's wand fly to him and stepped between him and the quivering mass bound to the chair. Unable to check the force of his next blow, which he was already swinging toward Peter before he fell, Remus struck Harry's face instead.

"Gah! Ohbloody hell" said Harry as the sting of the blow coursed through him.

"Harryoh, nowhat've I done? II was aiming for Peter. Let me see," said Remus, his expression shifting from vengeful rage to remorse. The overturned prisoner lay unheeded on the floor.

Harry shut his eyes tight to stop tears from falling and covered his face with his hand. Recovering slightly, he said, "Oh, wellIt'll be all right." It hurt like hell, but he wanted to calm the situation.

Their brief scuffle excited the interest of the people waiting in the hall. "Harry? Remus? Let me inI have to come in there," Tonks shouted through the door while rattling the handle. Several other excited garbled voices could be heard talking outside.

Raising his eyebrows in question, Harry looked at Remus who was still visibly distraught. Remus shook his head.

Harry shouted, "We're all right, Tonks. It's fine. We just need a little more time alone."

Still ignoring Pettigrew who was bound to the chair on the floor, Harry sat down on the bed. Distressed, but quieter, Remus joined him and said, "Let me take a look at that."

He lifted Harry's hand off his cheek so he could take a look. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." His earlier wild-eyed expression was replaced by concern for his godson as his focus shifted from Pettigrew to Harry.

"Uhshould hope not." Harry held his hand toward Pettigrew and set him upright without comment. With another hand motion and a whispered spell, he silenced the prisoner. He still held Remus' wand in his other hand.

"Stop that, Harry!" Remus scolded. "Give me back my wand. I won't have you getting into trouble over him. You shouldn't be doing magic away from school anyway. You have to be more careful!" While he sounded agitated again, his face only showed anxiety.

Harry gave him a small smile. Grinning made his cheek hurt, but he didn't mind. He was too relieved to see Remus' anger replaced with worry. Pointing his hand palm up toward the back of Pettigrew, Harry said, "You're lecturing me about being careful? That's what I was going to say to you. I don't want you to get into trouble because of him. Who cares about him? I came here because of youyou don't seem quite yourself, Remus."

Dropping his head to his chest, Remus didn't answer. They'd been through a similar scene two years before in the Shrieking Shack. Sirius had been the crazed one then.

Searching for the right words, Harry said in a quiet voice, "II came here today because I don't want to lose you. Pettigrew's a waste of time."

Lifting his face to Harry's, Remus growled, "He's a murderer, Harry."

Caught by the pain in the older man's eyes, Harry didn't look away. "I know what he is," he answered darkly. As the two men continued to stare at each other, Harry added in a hollow voice, "I watched him kill Cedric Diggory."

Remus' anger reignited. "That's right. If you'd let Sirius and I kill him the first time, he never would've had the chance. Don't stop me now! He doesn't deserve any mercy."

Harry shouted back. "Don't you think I know that! I know it's my fault he escaped last timethat Cedric would be alive if I hadn't, but that still doesn't make it rightYou don't have to become like him." Anger and guilt bolted through Harry at the thought of all the crimes that could be lain at Pettigrew's feet. Fueled by the very real fear of losing Remus over this, anger swelled within Harry until the air in the room began to crackle.

Both of them were on their feet again. A feral look on his face, the werewolf within him close to the surface, Lupin said, "It doesn't matter anymore, Harry. Let me do this Every full moonall of this time. I've have fought the temptation to tear someone apart. Now I can put it good use."

Harry stood in front of him. "You're not a murderer! He is!" he shouted. It did the trick, shocking Remus out of his rage. Seeing him relax slightly, Harry moved away. He began to pick up the photographs scattered around the room. Most showed the school age Marauders smiling happily. Obviously, Remus had been trying to make a point by showing them to Peter before Harry arrived.

Relieved that Remus was looking more like the mild mannered Professor Lupin, Harry said, "Pettigrew already knows that he missed out on living a nice life. Perhaps that's punishment enough. He knows he had it great for a while, friends who would do anything for himgood times."

Remus stood staring at the back of his former friend's head again, all traces of anger had been replaced by sadness. Handing him the stack of photos, Harry continued, "He knows he threw it all away for nothing, for a life that's worse than death. Serving Voldemort is a horrible way to live. If he's still capable of feeling anything, he's probably glad he's been caught."

The photo on the top of the stack showed the Marauders in happier times. They looked about the same age as Harry. James and Sirius both wore cocky grins. Remus was trying to suppress his laughter, and Peter wore a shy, happy smile.

Remus fingered the edge of the photo for a moment, then said quietly, "I can't forgive him."

"He wouldn't understand it if you did." Harry waved his hand dismissively at Pettigrew as he spoke.

Looking mournfully at Harry, Remus said, "He took it all away from me, Harry -- Sirius, James, Lily, even you. You had to live with those Muggles. You missed out on so much...all because of this little rat." He pointed his wand at Pettigrew again. Tears began to fall unchecked down Remus' face.

Putting his hand over Remus' wand hand, Harry gently lowered it so the wand was pointed at the floor. "Yes and no. Yes, he did all of those things and he should be punished for it and no, you and I still have a nice life. People care about both of us. We have each other and we have loads of friends andand, like I said, people who matter." He paused for a moment. Speaking quietly and clearly, he said, "You matter to me, Remus."

At this, Remus broke out of his melancholy. Tears still shining in his eyes, he stared into Harry's determined face and simply nodded.

Seeing his guardian relax, Harry added with a small smile. "There's a nice looking Auror on the other side of that door who obviously doesn't want anything bad to happen in here today. I'd say you matter to her, too."

Remus smirked and said, "Hmmare you saying that the best revenge is to have a nice life?"

Harry nodded, "Well, all rightsomething like that. I'm saying that we both have a lot of good things to spend our time doing. Pettigrew's life is over. It's his turn to go to Azkaban, not yours."

Remus punched Harry's shoulder. "You're so grown up sometimes, Harry."

"I'm not sure that's a compliment." Harry smiled. "And -- and you really have to quit punching me."

Remus laughed softly and nodded.

"Can we let the others in now?" Harry asked as he moved toward the door.

"Wait. Isn't there anything you'd like to say to him, Harry? I've been in here for a quite a while telling him how much he hurt everyone with his betrayal. He hurt you the worst. Don't you want to punch himjust once?"

"A punch won't bring back Sirius or Cedric. It won't give me a childhood spent with loving parents. Sirius said the right thing to him back in the Shrieking Shack; he should have died all those years ago. Even after that, he went and resurrected Voldemort. Can't you see what a lost cause he is? A punch would only hurt my hand." Harry opened the door to let in the others.

Tonks ran straight to Remus' and threw her arms around him. Harry smirked at his friend's surprised look.

The twinkle was back in the Headmaster's eyes, as he looked at Harry with pride. Harry had the feeling that he knew everything that had just happened, even though he hadn't been in the room.

Dumbledore asked, "Shall we ask the prisoner a few questions before we turn him over to the Ministry, Harry? This can take the place of your afternoon lesson."

Harry was confused. Despite the emotionally draining scene with Remus and Peter, his interest was roused. Did Dumbledore mean that he should try to use Legilimency on him? He was hardly proficient at it. Harry nodded in agreement. "What shall we ask, Professor?"

Dumbledore ran a healing charm over Harry's bruised cheek as Kingsley Shacklebolt removed Pettigrew's gag with a wave of his wand. Three Aurors that Harry didn't recognize surrounded the prisoner, their wands pointed at his heart.

Obviously in charge of the interrogation, Shacklebolt said, "Why don't you begin, Harry? Anything you'd like to know?"

Harry moved to sit in front of Pettigrew so he could maintain eye contact. So quietly that no one could hear him, Harry removed the silencing spell and said, "Legilimens!" Then he asked, "Where is Voldemort?" Pettigrew gasped and tried to look away, but Harry persisted. "Look at me, Peter. Where is Voldemort?"

"He's in a castle in Spain." Wormtail said, looking oddly relieved. "I'll tell you anything you want to know, Harry. I haven't forgotten that you saved me before. That's twice I owe you. Could you wipe my forehead for me?" His brow was glistening with sweat. The few hairs he stretched over his bald spot were plastered to his head. His beady eyes looked at Harry eagerly, as though he expected something from him.

That eager look made Harry's stomach lurch. Ignoring Peter's request, he turned to Dumbledore and said quietly, "He's lying. The castle where Voldemort is living seems more like it's somewhere rainylike England... I can't be sure."

"Whano it isn't. I wouldn't make things uup." Pettigrew sputtered.

Dumbledore gave Harry an appraising look. "Impressive, Harry. Please continue. Do you think you could stand to stay and verify his statements while Kingsley and the others interrogate him?"

Harry looked over at Remus who still had his arm around Tonks. "Maybebut I think I should take Remus away from here, Professor. He's had enough."

"Who's the guardian here, Harry?" Remus asked lightly; but he wasn't opposed to leaving.

Dumbledore turned to Tonks and said, "Nymphadora, would you mind taking Remus to the drawing room? Harry will join you shortly."

As they left, Alastor Moody entered the room. Harry spent the next half hour staring into the soulless, beady eyes of the man who betrayed his parents to Voldemort, who killed Cedric Diggory in cold blood and who cut off his own hand to bring back the most evil Dark Wizard of their time. He had to put thoughts of those crimes out of his mind in order to concentrate.

Almost motionless, Harry sat a few feet away from the prisoner, maintaining eye contact during the questioning. The Legilimens spell worked easily on Wormtail's weak mind. Not only was Harry able to tell when he was lying, but he could sometimes sense the truth as well.

Pettigrew interrupted the questioning frequently with requests and questions of his own. "Just untie my hands for me, Harry. My nose itchesmaybe you could just scratch it a little for me?" Only the intimidating presence of the Aurors kept Pettigrew from whining nonstop.

His pleas fell on deaf ears. Harry stayed completely focused on the Legilimens spell. It was when Shacklebolt asked, "Who works for Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic?" that Harry's intrusion into Pettigrew's mind yielded a stronger image. This wasn't a feeling or a reaction to the question. This was a memory.

Without warning, Harry sprang from his seat and severed Pettigrew's artificial hand with a shouted spell and a swift hand motion. The silver prosthesis fell to the floor with a loud thud. Before anyone else had a chance to react, a high cold laugh echoed through Harry's mind.

"Don't touch it!" yelled Harry, grabbing his scar. "There's a spell on it." He threw up an invisible shield and moved away, not taking his eyes off the hand. Dumbledore, Moody, Shacklebolt and the other Aurors cast their own shield charms, leaving Pettigrew the only one who was unprotected.

The eerie laugh became the cold voice of Voldemort in Harry's mind. "I know where you are, Potter. You won't escape me so easily this time."

Harry closed his eyes and focused, trying to clear his mind and block Voldemort while still maintaining his shield. The pain in his scar was blinding him. He felt the mind block go up and the pain in his forehead eased. He reopened his eyes.

While Harry had been forcing Voldemort out of his mind, the silver hand had dissolved into a gray mist that clouded around him, obscuring him from view. So far, it hadn't penetrated the barrier of Harry's shield. Moody shouted, "Evanesco! " and "Finite Incantatem! " Neither spell worked. Instead of disappearing, the gray mist began to glow until red and orange flames flared.

Harry found himself surrounded by flames. His shield held, but the heat was uncomfortable. Concentrating all his energy on maintaining the invisible barrier that was keeping the flames away, Harry heard an echo of that eerie laugh return.

Everyone except Harry and Wormtail shouted a spell to douse the fire. Like water poured on a grease fire, the flames scattered and became more intense. Dumbledore stepped forward and shouted, "Contenere!" A dark, clear globe appeared in his hand. The flames were pulled into the sphere as if absorbed by an invisible force. The globe shone brightly for a moment before Dumbledore uttered a banishing spell that Harry didn't recognize.

Looking relieved as he came back into view, Harry quietly muttered, "Thanks." But he didn't lower either the shield in his mind or the invisible one protecting him from any magic in the room. Dumbledore was considering him carefully.

Shacklebolt came out from behind an armoire and asked, "What was that about?"

Harry answered, "In a flash I saw it in his mind. Voldemort charmed his hand to trap me. If I'd touched Pettigrew, or moved close enough for him to touch me, it would have become a Portkey transporting both of us to Voldemort." Harry's words were strong, but his smile was shaky and his face was pale. In a light tone, he said, "It's just as well that I didn't punch him."

Not commenting on Harry's use of Wandless Magic to remove Pettigrew's hand and throw up his shield. Professor Moody growled, "Time for you to get out of here, Potter. We'll handle things now. Just go."

Harry walked out the door without a backward glance.

Pettigrew was crying now. The stump of his hand had long since healed. Losing the prosthetic silver hand had not caused him any physical pain. But he'd known his purpose was to capture Harry. He'd failed. If he ever escaped Azkaban, there would be no return to his master. His life was over. It really had all been for nothing.

***

Remus stopped pacing when Harry entered the drawing room. Tonks sat up on the couch. Remus said, "Finally. What took so long? I thought I heard shouting."

At the reassuring sight of his guardian, Harry smiled and said, "They had loads to ask him. I guess they think the Ministry won't try to uncover the truth Anywayit was all a trap. Pettigrew was sent to kidnap me." He sank into a chair near Tonks and put his head in his hands.

At first Tonks was excited by the drama of it all. She jumped up and exclaimed excitedly, "What? I wondered why Pettigrew was so easy to catch. I just thought the Death Eaters were slipping or short handed or something. After all, we captured so many of them at the Ministry last June. Of course it was a trap! They were practically waiting for us outside!" She seemed almost happy at the revelation.

The other two remained quiet. From the exhausted expressions on Remus and Harry's faces, she realized they'd had a different reaction to the afternoon's activities.

Remus took the place on the couch that Tonks had vacated. He looked at Harry's bowed head and prompted, "What do you mean? How was it a trap?"

Harry let his head fall back against the high-backed chair and took a deep breath. His eyes were focused on the ceiling. Letting out a long slow breath, he said, "I could see it in his mind. Voldemort sent Pettigrew to collect me." Harry explained what happened in the room after he severed Peter's fake hand.

"Dumbledore's an amazing wizard. It's lucky he stayed in the room with you," Remus said. Then he gasped softly as he realized how he had encouraged Harry to punch Peter just once.

Seeing him pale, Harry said, "I know. It's a good thing that I didn't want to touch him. I'd probably be dead by now." He didn't want to think about it.

"Don't say things like that Harry. There's always more than one way to work things out." Remus tried to reassure Harry.

Not wanting to think about Voldemort anymore, Harry looked at Remus. His cuts had been healed and a soft white cloth with some sort of purple goo had been applied to the burn on his forearm. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Leaning toward Harry and putting his hand on his shoulder, Remus said, "I think we're both more than all right. Thanksfor everything you said up there." Harry shrugged as Remus let go of his shoulder, rumpled his messy black hair and asked, "When did you learn Legilimency, Harry?"

Harry thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know how to do true Legilimency — not like Snape. I can't actually read anyone's thoughts, but I don't really think it's much different than Occlumency. It's the same skills. You can't learn one without developing the ability to do the other. I've only sensed emotions and ideas that are on the surface beforeand I think I can tell when someone's lying to me. Anyway, Professor Dumbledore is a much better teacher than Snape."

Tonks snorted and said, "Well, there's a shocker." She noticed that Harry at least gave her a small smile in response. Both Remus and Harry looked exhausted. "Who's hungry?" she asked with enthusiasm.

Before either of them could answer, Professor Dumbledore entered the room. Despite his age, he exuded strength and power. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Peter Pettigrew is gone as are the other two Death Eaters we captured. The Aurors have taken them to the Ministry."

"Will he stand trial, Professor?" Harry asked.

"That is our hope. We shall have to wait and see how the Ministry responds. At least we were able to question all three men first," Dumbledore answered. His eyes were full of kindness as he spoke.

"For a kidnapping plot, this one seems poorly planned. How did Voldemort even know that I would be near enough to Pettigrew to touch him?" Harry asked.

Tilting his head back, Dumbledore studied his pupil. Harry looked tired, but determined, as if he wasn't going to stop asking questions until he heard an answer that made sense to him.

Dumbledore said, "I believe that their plan took some calculated risks. From what we know of him, we might assume that Mr. Pettigrew was a loyal Death Eater with limited magical talent. His usefulness to Voldemort would be his knowledge of you and your friends gained from his years spent as your friend Ron's household pet. Once he'd told all he knew of those years, what else did he have to offer? The two Death Eaters captured with Mr. Pettigrew were new recruits."

Remus looked thoughtful, "So you're saying all three men were expendable." That made sense.

"But why did they think I would be involved?" Harry persisted.

Remus answered for him. "It's a long standing tradition in wizard courts to allow the victims of a crime to confront the perpetrator. Of course, it's usually after a trial and conviction." He looked guiltily at Harry.

Smiling at the look, Harry said, "I think you've already had your turn to confront him, Remus Don't feel bad. I seem to remember Sirius trying to strangle me in order to go after Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack. Today was just..." Harry's voice trailed off. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "So the real plan was for Peter to capture me in open court, during a trial with all the higher ups in the wizarding world watching helplessly as Voldemort struck me down right under their noses"

Dumbledore nodded. "That appears to be the case."

"The Ministry would think they were doing the right thing, bringing Pettigrew to justice and Voldemort would use that against them." Harry looked grim, his lips drawn in a thin line.

Dumbledore answered, "It seems very likely. Tom Riddle always did have a flair for dramatics." Looking carefully at Harry, he continued, "We'll have to wait to see if this really is a good day for justice. I need to speak with some people at the Ministry -- make sure that some things are attended to. Will you be all right here until I return, Harry?"

Harry was confused. Was the Headmaster just concerned for him or was he suggesting that he go to the Ministry with him? His forehead furrowed, he answered, "I'm fineI'd like to stay here. If it's all right."

"Are you worried that there will be another attempt to kidnap, Harry? Should he go straight back to Hogwarts?" Remus asked bluntly.

With a twinkle in his eye, Dumbledore said, "I do not think we have to worry about another attempt tonight. In any case, they will not be able to get into Grimmauld Place. All the same protections are still in place. Today's events are an indication that Voldemort is actively working on plans to capture Harry, we do not know any more details. We may need to consider other safety measures."

Turning to Harry, he said, "Your Occlumency skills seemed to be equal to today's test. Is there anything you wish to tell me?"

Harry smiled at the familiar question and said, "Yes, there is something you should know. I had to force Voldemort out of my mind twice after severing Pettigrew's hand. But, as you say, I was equal to the test. I was able to close off my mind, even while trying to hold the Shield Charm. Thanks for the rescue, Professor."

***

After Dumbledore left for the Ministry, Harry ate dinner at Grimmauld Place with Tonks and Remus. Returning to the house wasn't as grim as Harry had thought it would be. He could still envision Sirius everywhere he looked, but he wasn't as sad as he'd thought he'd be. Perhaps because the day was so full of purpose.

Seeing Harry lost in thought, Remus asked, "Is something bothering you?"

Shaking his head, Harry answered, "Not reallyjust thinking about what this day would have meant to Sirius. If Pettigrew is brought to justice, then Sirius had something to do with it. He never gave up, even in Azkaban."

Remus agreed, "He came after Peter at Hogwarts when the odds of catching him were next to none."

With a sigh and a small smile, Harry continued, "Sirius always held on to whatever hope the future offered, even when there wasn't much to go on. There's a lesson to be learned from the way Sirius lived. He never stopped trying and he never let people down if he could help it."

"And he had as much fun as he could," Remus said with an affectionate smile.

Harry's smile reached his eyes this time. "I heard that Kreacher's gone, but what happened to the portrait?" They all knew which portrait he meant. The silence in the entryway was a vast improvement.

Tonks looked a little guilty. Harry asked, "What did you do, Tonks? Get mad and blast it to pieces?"

She gave Harry a saucy grin. "No, I convinced Mrs. Black's painting that she'd been invited to live elsewhere, among her own kind, since this house no longer belongs to the Black Family."

Remus interrupted, "We had to remove part of the wall with it."

Tonks chuckled softly at the memory, "So what if it got a little messy? Anyway, I wrapped her up and sent her to Narcissa Malfoy. Hope she liked her present." Remus looked at her appreciatively. "Anyway, now I can trip in the hall all I want without waking up that old hag."

"Sirius would approve, Tonks," Harry said.

They moved back to the drawing room after dinner and had a nice long visit, catching up on all the things they'd been doing. Harry enjoyed the evening. By the time Professor Dumbledore returned it was really late. They said goodnight and Dumbledore and Harry flooed back to Hogwarts.

As he moved away from the Gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office, Harry hurried toward Gryffindor tower. He'd realized something as he talked to Remus earlier — people were the most important part of his life. He knew that there was one person who mattered more to him than all the rest. It was probably too late to talk to her tonight, but he wanted to retrieve his mirror and check. She might still be awake.

When he entered the tower, it was just after midnight. The common room was dark except for the light from the hearth. Harry started up the stairs to the boys' dormitory before he noticed that someone was curled up like a cat on the couch in front of the fire — someone with long red hair. Parchment and books were spread around her as though she'd fallen asleep while studying. Changing his mind about going to bed, Harry made himself comfortable in the chair by the fire.

Wishing that Ginny would wake up so they could talk, Harry decided to settle for watching her sleep. It seemed selfish to wake her. Besides, he didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful. She seemed so peaceful and innocent. The only hint of her lively personality was the firelight kindling her disorderly red and gold hair.

Harry's thoughts were just as disordered. He'd kept a lid on his emotions throughout today's ordeal because he didn't want Dumbledore or one of the other Order members to exclude him. He knew his relationship with Remus was stronger than ever. And Dumbledore seemed pleasedmaybe now he would have more faith in him. Those were all good things; but his life was still out of control and unfair.

It seemed to Harry that his friends led such normal lives. They were all wonderful in their way. He admired and envied them. No one expected them to rid the world of an evil wizard. Harry cursed his fate. Ron always had a hopeful, cheerful outlook. Hermione was brilliant and loyal. Luna had such a unique point of view. Seamus was in love with Lavender. Neville knew everything about Herbology and worked so hard all the time. And Deanwell, he was a really good artist and all the girls thought he was handsome. What would he give to be more like them?

Ginny stirred in her sleep, bringing his thoughts back to her. One thing about his life that he wouldn't trade for anything was his friendship with her. She was the most wonderful friend of all. He stared at her face, memorizing, trying to burn the image of her into his brain so that he would always be able to see her in his mind.

It occurred to Harry that maybe she was curled up in a tight ball because she was cold. She had on the thin knit Muggle exercise clothes that she often wore when she lounged around doing homework. The couch wasn't all that near the fire. Moving carefully so he wouldn't disturb her, he put a warming charm on his school robe and spread it over her sleeping form.

Harry watched her pull the robe close and stretch out more comfortably. As she turned in her sleep, her hair fell back off her face and neck. Her skin was creamy white with a delicate dusting of freckles. Harry decided he better go to his own bed. Before leaving, he conjured a small white lily, just as he'd so often done last summer. Leaning over Ginny, he traced her cheek with the flower and left it on her pillow.

To be continued

Notes to Reviewers:

Lourdes1: Hello again. Thanks for reviewing!

sambow24: Thanks! I'll keep trying.

Nightwing509: You'll find the answer to one OF YOUR questions in this chapter. Lupin does recover himself. Plotwise, Malfoy has loads more to dobut that's for later. Thanks for reviewing!

Kirstie232: Thanks! I hope you continue to enjoy it.

athenakitty: You're really good at figuring things out. Harry doesn't just suggest ithe took it off! I like your idea of an infertility spell. Thanks for your review!

Anne: Good suggestion! Later in the story is a chapter all about the prophecy. Thanks for your review.

Black Vengeance: Thanks for your suggestion, and thanks for reading and reviewing my story.

PrincessSkywalkerOrgana: Thanks for writing! Sorry about the cliffie. You're right, I don't like them either so why did I do it? Oh well, the rest of that scene wasn't ready to post yet. Here it is nowforgive me?

SCALES-TALON: Thanks for reviewing!

Jaqueline: I enjoyed making Remus' control crack for a bit. I'm hoping to explore the relationship between Remus and Harry more, if the plot allows. I think he and Harry have much in common. The next few chapters have more about Harry and Ginny including Ron stepping up his matchmaking. As always, thanks for your comments!

HappySnakesRule: I agree with you, Peter must have had some good traits or they would never have been friends. And look how he repaid them for their trust Thanks for reviewing!

Lily and James Potter: Thanks for writing! I will try to update frequently. I have to ask — are there two of you?

dragonclawz54: Interesting ideas. Using Peter for a punching bag was a way to reduce some stress. Since the Cruciatus curse is illegal, Remus had to settle for some old fashioned Muggle torture. Easily covered up and forgiven by wizards. Thanks for your review!

Areianna: Thanks for all of your nice comments. I'm glad you like the story so far. Your analysis of the friends dilemma is really true. People can miss out on something great by not admitting their feelings. Harry and Ginny seem so well suited, it would be heartbreaking if they never figured it out... Thanks for saying that about frequent updates. I really am trying to be quick in order to make the story easier to follow. I don't have any secrets. I'm new at this. Maybe we could get our hands on a magic wand somewhere Thanks for reviewing!

kmargarden: Good to hear from you again. I'm sorry about crazy Remus. I see it as the werewolf finally cracking through his control. While he was calm in the Shrieking Shack scene, he did try to kill Pettigrew. I figured if he was mad enough to kill him then, how much angrier might he be after losing Sirius, too. Forgive me? Anyway, you and I totally agree about Harry and Ginny. Thanks for writing!

hart-break: I had to laugh when I read your review. You paraphrased a line I wrote for Ron in an upcoming chapter. You'll know it when you read it. Soare you psychic? Thanks for your review!

A/N: Want to tell me what you think? Please review!