Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Harry Potter Ninja: Change the names of what?

Chapter 4:Betrayal and pain

The rest of the day past normally and soon the news of how Harry almost died, but Ron, James, Sirius, and Remus saved him was all over school by the next day.

On Monday they had classes again and the Marauders kept an eye on their friends. They didn't see anything suspicious about them, but they still thought they were hiding something.

On Saturday, a week after Harry's rescue, they all headed to the grounds again (Hagrid had managed to send the thing to the Dangerous Magical Creatures zoo) after lunch. They sat and talked, and played Exploding Snap and Wizard chess for a couple of hours. Then James, Remus, and Sirius claimed to have forgotten to do their transfiguration homework and raced inside. Soon they came out with the Invisibility Cloak on.

"Hey did you guys hear that?" Ron suddenly asked Harry and Hermione.

"Hear what?" Hermione asked him.

"A rustling sound. It sounded like there's something in the bushes."

"Well why don't you go see what it is?" Harry said. Before Ron could get a chance to a green snake slithered out of the bush. It was bleeding on its back and Harry could make out what it was saying.

"Sso hurt. Ssstupid twigsss. I need help, but where to find it?"

"What'sss wrong with you?" Harry asked it kindly, making sure no one was around. The Marauders nearly fell over in shock. Ron and Hermione looked at their friend.

"What's it saying?" Hermione whispered.

"Oh, you can ssspeak to me!"

"Yesss. How are you hurt?"

"I cut myssself."

"Oh, let me fix that for you." Harry performed a healing spell and the snake looked relieved.

"Thank you sssir, you are very kind." It slithered away happily.

"Harry?" Ron asked.

"Oh, it cut itself on a twig or something so I helped it."

"Ok. We should go to dinner."

"Yeah," he said and they stood up. They walked back to the castle leaving three invisible boys gaping at their backs.

"He's a parselmouth!" Sirius whispered.

"I know, I can't believe it and we've been friends with him ever since he came here!" James exclaimed.

"So you guys think he's a Death Eater?" Remus asked.

"Of course! Has there ever been a parselmouth who isn't dark?"

"No, no I agree. But that means they all are because they know he can talk to snakes and they're still friends with him."

"We have to go tell everybody!" Sirius said. James put the Cloak in his pocket and they sped off after the other three.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting next to Lily and Mia (who had apologized for being so rude), wondering where the Marauders were. It couldn't take them that long to do transfiguration because they were the best in that class. Ron was piling potatoes on his plate when suddenly the doors burst open, and James, Sirius, and Remus rushed through.

"Hey Sirius," Harry said.

"Don't 'Hey' me," Sirius snarled. Up at the head table Sam had closed his eyes, put his head in his hands, and started muttering "Oh no."

"What?"

"We know all about you three."

"What are you talking about, Sirius?" Ron asked.

"We know that he's a parselmouth!" Sirius yelled pointing at Harry. Everyone stopped talking and looked at the Gryffindor table. Sam started banging his head on the table (but nobody noticed because they were all looking at Harry and Sirius), Hermione gasped, Harry's eyes widened in shock, and Ron started shaking with fury. Before he could say anything, though, Lily's voice broke the silence.

"Is that really what you have to do to get attention?" she asked furiously. "Make up some stupid story about Harry being a parselmouth? That's so low!"

"We aren't making it up; we just heard him talking to a snake that had a cut on its back, isn't that right Harry?" James said. Harry turned his eyes on him. They were filled with hurt and anger, but his face remained expressionless and he didn't say anything.

"Are you not saying anything because you know you won't be able to get out of this?" Remus sneered. Ron, Harry, and Hermione couldn't believe Sirius and Remus could act like this. It was so different then what they were used to. They didn't know about James, though they hoped he wasn't like this when he was older.

"No," the green eyed boy said.

"Oh, so is it because you're not a parselmouth, and not a Death Eater?" Remus asked sarcastically.

"No," he said again.

"Can you tell me why you're calling your friend a dark wizard?" Mia asked.

"Not just him; Ron and Hermione too, because they knew he was a parselmouth and they didn't do anything about it," James said. Over at the Head Table Richard had his head in his hands, and Sam was looking at the scene in front of him sadly. Dumbledore was thinking about Harry being a parselmouth; he knew he couldn't be a dark wizard, and he was amazed his friends could say that he was.

"How dare you call us Death Eaters?" Ron shouted, standing up. "I can't believe we counted you as our friends!" Harry stood up as well.

"I think," he said, "I'm done with my dinner. I still have something I need to do so I'm going to go." He began walking away but James aimed his wand.

"Rictusempra!" he yelled. Harry doubled up not able to do anything, because he was laughing so hard. But between laughs, he pointed his wand at James.

"Tarantallegra!" he gasped. James' legs started to jerk around out of control.

"Oh no, this is just like second year," Ron murmured to Hermione. She nodded and hoped James didn't know the spell that would really get Harry in trouble.

"Boys!" Professor McGonagall stood up. "Detention tomorrow night and ten points from Gryffindor!" Professor Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder.

"They can handle this," he said quietly. She shot them a stern look but sat down.

"Finite Incantatem!" Hermione said and Harry and James returned to their normal state. Harry was furious by now but he had to get out. He started walking away again but heard one word that made him stop in his tracks.

"Serpensortia!" he heard a hissing behind him and people screaming. Hermione and Ron had shut their eyes; Harry had almost no way out of this. He turned around slowly. Teachers were getting up from the table trying to get to the snake but they couldn't see it because of the crowd around it and all of the students were too scared to move. Lily was getting up now.

"So now who's the one who's a dark wizard? The one who is blamed for talking to snakes or the one that conjures them?" She hissed. (No pun intended). The snake began slithering towards Sirius who was backing away.

"James," he said slowly "Get rid of the snake!" But James wasn't acting like himself. He was smirking and looking at Harry.

"Going to save everybody, Harry? You know you're the only one who can."

"You know what James?" Harry's blood was boiling "You conjured it so I'm going to let you get rid of it." He was about to turn around again when he saw the snake open it mouth at Sirius' leg. Teachers were trying to get to him but not even Dumbledore could do anything because the snake was hidden from view. The snake was about to bite the terrified boy's leg when Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't," he said. A hissing left his mouth and everyone looked at him fearfully. "Don't bite him." The snake turned to look at Harry.

"Why ssshouldn't I? He hasss causssed you pain, and yet you try and sssave him."

"He isss a better perssson later on. He will caussse me much happinesss in life. Pleassse don't hurt him." The snake nodded and slumped to the ground closing its mouth. Harry waved his wand and it disappeared. Everybody stared at him as he moved towards Sirius.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered. He ignored her.

"I don't really know why I bothered helping you." Harry spat. James and Remus ran over to Sirius' side. "I thought you were my friends, you know? I would have told you if I was sure I could trust you to believe me about not being dark. Now you found out, and told the whole school. So now everybody's going to hate me. You know what this reminds me of? My whole life after I was one until I was eleven. My cousin hated me and since he was always the school bully, everyone else did too. My aunt and uncle thought I was a freak and locked me in the cupboard under the stairs until I got my letter for school. Oh and in second year when everyone found out I was a parselmouth they thought I was setting a basilisk on the muggle born students in our school. And then there was last year when we had a tournament at school. There was only supposed to be one person competing from our school but I got chosen as the second and everyone thought I was stealing the glory away from the other person. And we can't forget the end of last year when everyone thought I was a crazy fame-seeking child. And of course, every summer when I go back to my aunt and uncle's house.

"I thought this year would be different. I guess I was wrong, though. There are a lot of things I could say about all of you. A lot of secrets I know you have." Harry's gaze lingered on Remus whose eyes widened. "I know more about you than you may ever know. I know all about your future and what's going to happen to you. How old you'll be when you die, how long your lives will be miserable or happy. How many kids you'll have, even, and who you're going to marry."

"What are you, some sort of seer?" Sirius asked.

"I guess you could say that. In any case, you know why I won't tell anyone your secrets, or things that will happen to you in the future? Because I don't want your lives to be miserable. If I tell your secrets there's a possibility everyone might hate you. Maybe they'll like you more but you never know. I'm not going to tell you what will happen to you in about ten years because I know you won't like it, and I want you to have a good life; not one where you keep dreading the day you know something bad will happen. This is called being a good friend, and Ron and Hermione are really great friends too because they know as much as I do and I know they won't tell."

"How do you know?" Remus croaked.

"We're all seers, in a way," Ron called out, coming to stand next to Harry. Hermione came behind him glaring at the Marauders.

"Everyone sees how you guys trust each other no matter what, and how you help each other whenever it's needed. We thought we had the same privilege, but I guess we were wrong," Harry said.

"Answer me this," Hermione suddenly spoke up. "Since when does transfiguration homework involve spying on your friends?" The Marauders looked at her guiltily. They didn't feel too different in their opinion but they still felt wrong about spying on the other three when they were friends.

"How long have you been spying on us?" Ron demanded. "All week? Maybe two weeks? I can't believe you."

"You guys better watch out in divination," Harry said. "Professor Carlson isn't a fraud like you all think she is. Remember the prediction where I was going to have a rough and dangerous two weeks? I did have it rough with you avoiding me. But I know you already knew that, as you were hiding in the bushes weren't you? That would also explain how close you happened to be when I almost drowned. You know how I know? I heard the bushes moving when there was no wind, but I never suspected you would do such a thing.

"Now, remember Sirius' prediction? About him betraying someone the second week of school and getting hurt because of it? Well what do you think he just did to us?" Sirius eyes widened. "As for the getting hurt because of it part, I think I can help with that." Harry concluded and suddenly his fist connected with Sirius' nose. Everyone gasped and Harry just turned around and stormed out of the Hall.

He had no idea where he was going; his feet were carrying him down corridor after corridor, and up staircases. He could hear people following him but he didn't stop. After a while, he found himself in front of a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy's attempts at training trolls to do ballet. He walked past it three times concentrating on these words: I need a place to calm down. Somewhere where I can have peace and quiet to think about everything that's happened. Suddenly a huge door appeared out of nowhere on the wall, and he opened it and walked inside. There was a fire blazing and a couch next to it. Right near the couch was a table with a steaming mug of hot chocolate on it. On the couch were big fluffy pillows.

Harry sat down and drained the cup. He couldn't believe he had punched his god father, but then again, he wasn't his god father yet and he had been really making Harry mad. The door opened again and Hermione, Ron, Lily, and Mia burst in.

"Harry! There you are!" Hermione exclaimed rushing over to her friend.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Lily and Mia.

"We don't think you're dark. Everyone else only does because there hasn't been a good parselmouth yet. I bet when the first parselmouth said he was a parselmouth everybody said that was impossible just because no one had been able to talk to snakes before," Mia said.

"I know, those boys are so primitive," Lily said. Harry laughed.

"Thanks. It's good to know we still have friends."

"Can I ask you guys something?" Lily asked tentatively.

"Sure," Ron said sitting down on the couch.

"You're not from here…are you? And Professor Carlson knew, didn't she?"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked quickly.

"You're from the future," Mia said quietly.

"Well…we…" Hermione spluttered. "Yes," she said finally.

"Are we really that obvious?" Harry asked.

"Well, the thing in the Great Hall right now…" Mia said. Harry blushed.

"I just lost my temper."

"Oh don't worry. Everyone else in this school are idiots; they'll believe the whole seer thing." They all laughed.

"Harry, I can't believe you punched Sirius!" Ron exclaimed suddenly.

"Why not? Hasn't he punched somebody before?" Lily asked.

"No it's just-" Ron said wondering if he should go on.

"You can say, Ron, as long as they promise not to tell anyone," Hermione told him.

"We promise," the other two girls chorused.

"Well, Sirius is his future god father." Lily's eyes widened.

"So you're James' kid!"

"What?"

"I mean, you look so much like him and only he would make someone as crazy as Sirius his child's god father." They all laughed again.

"Yeah, he's my dad."

"So who's your mom?" Mia asked. "Anyone I know?"

"We can't tell you," Ron said. "It could ruin the future."

"Oh, I understand," she said though she looked slightly disappointed.

"So, um, why did you live with your aunt and uncle?" Lily asked. Harry looked at Hermione questioningly.

"I dunno if I can tell you. I mean, anything I tell you might ruin the future."

"We can tell you our names though," Hermione said. Lily brightened.

"Ok!"

"I'm Hermione Granger. My parents are muggles so you wouldn't know them, probably."

"Well I am muggle born, but I don't know them."

"I'm obviously Harry Potter."

"And I'm Ron Weasley."

"Is your father Arthur Weasley?"

"Yep."

"He graduated in our first year," Mia told them. "Harry, is it true what you said in the Great Hall? How you know everything about the Marauders' lives and secrets?"

"Yeah, I even know a lot about Peter."

"So you know about Remus?" Lily asked.

"How do you know?" Ron demanded.

"Well for five years he's been missing one class a month, always after the full moon. It's not hard to spot, even though I don't think anyone else has figured it out," Mia explained.

"So you know about the Marauders too?"

"About them being animagi? Yeah we know but they don't know we do."

"Oh." Before anyone could stop him Ron said "We're animagi too. But don't tell anyone."

"Really? That's awesome! Can we see?"

"Well I managed to do it completely," Hermione said "How about you guys?"

"Almost, I just need the feathers." Ron said.

"I only need the beak, the legs, and the feathers," Harry told them. "So Hermione can go first." Before she could do anything, the door opened and Sam and Richard ran in.

"Harry, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot to warn you about us doing that!" Sam yelled. Then he noticed Lily and Mia. "Oh man."

"It's ok; they know we're from the future."

"Oh my God!" Mia shrieked. "You're the future Sirius! And he's the future Remus, isn't he?" Richard sighed.

"Yes."

"Now I can feel good about hexing a teacher!" Lily said. Sam put his hands up.

"Oh please no, Lily! I've changed, I swear I have." Everyone broke out in laughter.

"Ok, I'll spare you. This time." Sam bowed.

"Thank you, Queen Lily."

"You've come just in time to see their animagi transformations," Mia announced.

"You've managed?" Richard asked.

"Well Hermione obviously has, but Ron and I still have some work." Sam and Richard plopped themselves on the couch.

"Let's see it then." Hermione nodded and closed her eyes. Suddenly there was a hawk in her place. She spread her wings and flew around the room once. Then she transformed back into a human. Everyone clapped and cheered. Then Ron stood up. He screwed his face up in concentration and then instead of Ron there was a hawk owl in his place. He, in turn, flew around and landed, transforming back. As everyone applauded for him too he jumped up and down.

"I did it, I did it!" he sang. Then he sat down and Harry stood up. He shut his eyes concentrating on the image of a golden eagle. He felt himself shrink, and his legs became skinny. He grew wings, and his mouth hardened into a beak. His skin felt itchy and when he opened his eyes he realized he had feathers. He had fully transformed! He flew around the room, and it felt great. It was so different than flying on a broom. Once he had retransformed Sam jumped up and pulled him into a bear hug.

"You did it! My god son has become an animagus!" he cried.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day when Sirius is actually proud of something someone else did," said Lily. Sam grinned.

"I'm full of surprises. Anyway, it's time to go back to your common room."

"What? No, I'm going to stay here tonight," Harry said. Ron and Hermione nodded.

"No, you can't because tonight you tell us exactly what secrets of ours you know. Then you succeed to make us even more suspicious and add to our list. Then we start to realize what is so strange about you and I think Dumbledore performs a memory charm on us because I can't remember what happens next." Richard said.

"Fine," Harry grumbled. "Wait a minute, what list?" Sam looked guilty.

"Oh, um, we kind of have a list of suspicious things about you," he said.

"That's not very nice," Harry said shaking his finger. Everyone laughed. After talking for a couple of minutes about the Marauders' past they all left the Room of Requirements and the kids headed back to Gryffindor tower. When Ron and Harry entered their dormitory the Marauders pounced on them.

"What exactly do you know about us?" James asked. Harry pushed him off and went to his bureau. He opened the drawer while listening to Ron do the same. The Marauders kept pestering them until Harry slammed his drawer shut and turned to face them.

"All right since you really want to know I'll tell you!" he shouted. He cast a silencing charm on the room and continued. "We know your friend, Peter Pettigrew's nickname is Wormtail and he's an illegal animagus. James' nickname is Prongs and he's also an animagus. Sirius is nicknamed Padfoot, and he's another animagus, and Remus is Moony and he's a werewolf which is why you even became animagi in the first place. Peter's a rat, James is a stag, and Sirius is a dog that looks like the Grim." Remus was looking very pale now. "You go to the Shrieking Shack every full moon with Remus and the only reason it's even called the Shrieking Shack is because of the sounds people hear coming from it. Those sounds are just Remus. We know all about your map and the Invisibility Cloak. We know everything about you. You know nothing about us so you have no right to call us Death Eaters. If you only knew what we've been through you'd rethink this, but no, since I'm a parselmouth we're all dark. God, I'm surprised you guys are the top of most of your classes, with brains the size of yours." He stormed into the bathroom followed by Ron. They slammed the door closed, leaving the stunned Marauders behind.