RPG King – Very good guesses! I'm impressed. I thought everyone would be able to see right through me, Guess not. Your answers are in this chapter, well some anyway. Or maybe they aren't! You won't know until later. So if you want to try to solidify, for lack of a better word, your guess, here's a clue. I mention something in one of the more recent author's notes… but if you don't just read this chapter…although there might be another plot twist…you never know….Happy hunting :-0

I would like to retract a comment that I made in chapter 15.3…and I quote "Sorry about the itty bit of Evil Harry-ness in Chapter 15 (all three sections). I couldn't help it. It jus worked. I'm sorry!" I retract this! I AM SO NOT SORRY, ANYMORE!

EVERYONE PLEASE READ!

P.S. Before you all tell me I dumb and stupid, I confess. weeps piteously! Sniffle I totally forgot about Ron and Draco! Oops? Oh well, let's just say that they randomly left and don't know what's going on, okay? Good! Now that that's out of the way.

This a long excerpt from the last chapter because that is where the important stuff starts.

Now on with the chappie…

Last Chapter…

"I-Praeopta Nocea. I'm sorry." Hermione whispered.

"No…" Sirius breathed. "But that would mean…"

"Yes. I can only think of one person…but it would be impossible. He's—"

"No, no he's not. Not anymore…" Hermione looked shocked and horrified by Sirius' words.

"Could you please tell me what's going on? What is Praeopta Nocea?" Harry asked, looking from one to the other.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Praeopta Nocea literally translated means the desire to do harm. It is a Curse, almost as obscure as a-a Horcrux. It's slightly more common, having a common name as well. It's sometimes called the Depletion Curse. When applied to a person, it's a powerful magical drain. However there are some…um, prerequisites." She stopped and looked Harry in the eyes. "The individual has to have three or four things from the recipient. They need hair or blood from the victim, hair or blood from a very close friend, hair or blood from the biological parent, and a close bond with that person, such as love, hate, or familial connections. Harry, I'm so sorry."

He looked confused. "Why are you apologizing? That can't possibly be it! I mean, no one has blood or hair from one of my parents. And who would…" He trailed off when he saw them looking at him, sadness and pity in their eyes. "What! What the hell do you have to be sorry for?"

Hermione pressed her lips together, looking like she was about to cry. Sirius spoke up, "Harry, there is only person who fits the criteria and has the bond…"

"Who? There is something your not telling me!" Harry demanded.

Hermione began to cry silently, but she answered him anyway. "Harry, love, You…The only way to break this particular Curse is to have all your magic drained from your body, which would cause the same effects as the Dementor's Kiss, or to…Kill the caster."

Harry sat stunned, then he nodded grimly. "Who? Who do I have to kill?"

Chapter 25 - Searchings, Findings, and Freak-Outs

Hermione gave him a watery, slightly relieved smile, but it was Sirius who answered his question. "Harry, the only person who fits the criteria and has the bond of Hate with you…is Severus Snape. He recently escaped from Azkaban with the help of the Death Eaters. And there is something else…"

"It can't be him. There is no way!" Harry said positively. "He can't have the hair or blood from one of my parents."

"Yes, Harry, he can and probably does. There was an incident…well the Record Book tells all about it. I wasn't there so I don't know, but that should tell you whether or not he has what is needed. But Harry…the other thing…"

"Yes?"

"Well, he, um…dropped of everyone's radar. Dumbledore has no idea where he is and, according to a source, neither does Voldemort."

Harry stood abruptly and strode out of the room. Hermione and Sirius rushed after him. They finally found him in his room. Harry could disappear in Hogwarts better, even, then the Weasley Twins or the remaining Marauders. He was kneeling next to his bed searching for the Book, obviously. Draco and Ron were standing in the corner watching Harry in confusion.
With an 'aha!', Harry stood with the box in hand. Opening it, he took out the Book and began flipping pages. Finally, being unsuccessful and looking frazzled, he thrust the Book silently at Sirius, who took it and also, began flipping pages.

"I…I don't see it…hang on." He pulled a mirror out of his pocket. He grinned briefly. "This should be funny." He tapped the mirror twice and screamed at the top of his voice, "MOONY, GET THE FUCK OVER HERE RIGHT NOW! WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM!"

Remus, who had been in the middle of teaching a class, jumped a mile and, spinning around, marched to his desk. He pulled out the offending, screaming mirror and, tapping it twice, hissed, "Sirius Black, shut the hell up! I'm in the middle of a class!"

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU ON THE VERGE OF FINDING A CURE FOR THE MOST EVIL ILLNESS ON THE PLANET! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE, RIGHT NOW!" The mirror shrieked back.

Remus gritted his teeth and glanced at the shocked students. It appeared they'd never seen a teacher being screamed at by a mirror before. "Why, pray tell should I do that?" He said tightly.

"Two reasons: One, I need you to find something for me in the Book, and Two…"

His lips thinned and he looked amazingly like McGonagall. "If the second reason is as weak as the first, I will inflict great pain upon you, when I next see you!"

"Praeopta Nocea."

It was Remus' turn to scream. "WHAT? WHO? YOU HAVE TO FUCKING KIDDING ME!"

"Seriously, would I joke about something like that? I mean I know I'm an idiot, but be realistic!"

"HOLY FUCK! I'll be there in two minutes or less." He turned to the class and said simply, "Out! Now!"

They hurried to comply. It was rather frightening, the most laid-back and jovial teacher in the school, besides Dumbledore, was screaming, swearing, and ordering them about all the time looking as if someone died. Remus grabbed his wand and rushed out before the students even got up from their seats. He flat out ran through the halls, students looking after his with curiosity. In exactly 1 minute and 56 seconds, he arrived in the Marauder's lounge, as they had dubbed it.

Sometime between the last mirror message and the time Remus arrives, everything was quickly explained to Ron and Draco.

Remus leaned on a table, panting. "Sirius?" He called and, in a matter of seconds, Sirius and the quartet had appeared at the top of the stair. "Who?"

"Harry is being drained." Hermione answered, quietly. They all saw they fear and horror in Remus' eyes and knew it was reflected in their own. Only Harry seemed strong and unaffected by the Depletion Curse that had been placed on him.

Looking calmly at Remus, he said, "We suspect Snape, who recently escaped from Azkaban and has dropped off everyone's radar. We only need conformation that the Book can supply. However we need you to find it."

Sirius explained what they were looking for. Remus took the Book and flipped through. He, finally, stooped at a page and read aloud, "As you, whoever you are, have probably noticed I, James Potter, have written maybe two entries in this entire volume. The only reason I am writing this one is the fact that I believe Wormtail is physically incapable of writing without ruining whatever he is writing on and he is quite illiterate anyway. Therefore, here goes nothing…

"The following is a full account of the, as I like to call it, Switching Incident…A true tale involving Potions, Hair, Bloodshed, and Bets…" Remus looked up. "James had a flare for the dramatic, as you probably gathered." He turned the page to continue, but stopped dead. "So-Someone…ripped out t-two whole pages…but…but how?"

He looked up, stunned. Sirius shook his head and grabbed the book. "That's not possible." However, he saw that it was, when he looked at the jagged remains the two missing pages left behind. His jaw dropped.

"How could…?"

Everyone looked at everyone else. They all, except Draco, came to the same conclusion at the same time.

In unison, they all said simply, "Wormtail!"