Okay just a few author's notes to startthis off. I realize thatI have some dedicated readers. I hate to do this, but chapter one got about 14 reviews which was completley brilliant,the second chapterI got 8, that is nearly half, and finally chapter three i got 5. I really do appreciate those who did review, butI find it a bit discouraging thatI'm gettingless and less reviews. So ifthere are lurkersout theirI would appreciate hearing what you have tosay.

There were also a few coments made about my mention of Mark Evans. I am aware that JK Rowling scratched that theory, butI'm going to keep going with it, as it is essential to the plot. SoI'll stop talking now so you can read! Everyone thank my beta FormelyKnownAsErin. PLEASE read and review!

Gypsy t. Potter

"Alright, let's have you all stand up and partner off. Harry if you'd come up front with me please." The defense class did as they were instructed and paired up respectively. He and Bill had talked over the lesson plan for today, since Bill needed work on his patronus as well.

"I've asked Harry to assist me with this lesson for today. As pathetic as it may seem you don't encounter many dementors in mummy caves, so my patronus work is a little shoty," several of the class members seemed startled at the fact that they would be learning such a complex spell. "There is no need to fret, Harry has taught this to people with no experience before, and he's going to help me brush up a bit as well."

Harry had told Bill he wasn't exactly comfortable teaching a class that wasn't his, but Bill had insisted. "Some of you might be wondering why we would need to learn a Patronus charm in the first place, and forgive me for being frank, but you need to get a clue. Most of you are already sixteen years old, and there is a war going on. This is not a game, this is life or death, and now the Dementors are lose. Do you want to be protected or not?" There were various nods around the room. "Good, now I'll turn over the floor."

Harry gave Bill a weak smile, and stepped forward. "I learned from Professor Lupin in third year about how to create a patronus. It's very emotional to be able to conjure one. You have to think really deep inside you, you have to think of the happiest moment in your entire life, that's the hard part. At the same time you have to say the incantation, Expecto Patronum. Through this entire process you can never forget the memory, that's the key. It takes a long time to get it to work, so don't get discouraged.

"When you first start getting it to work you'll end up with a sort of silver mist. The more you practice it will start to take form of something, and charge the Dementor down. Any questions?" The class all shook their heads. Bill stood up.

"Would you mind giving us an example?"

"Oh, sure um… Expecto Patronum." The silver white stag burst from his wand and galloped across the room, the girls all oohed and awed.

"Thanks Harry, so why don't you all get working, and we'll come around and help you." The rest of the lesson went fairly smoothly. Hermione was the farthest along of them all considering she had conjured an otter last term. Ron and Neville were doing equally well. Hermione helped Harry and Bill touch up the technique of the students who were new to this concept.

When they left the classroom Harry felt very satisfied for all he had done, but in another sense he knew he should be doing more. After lunch they went to Charms, which was nothing more than an excuse to talk, objects were being banished, vanished, and accioed all over the room in what he was sure Professor Flitwick had hoped to be a helpful review. It turned out to be nothing short of an all out brawl.

He was in a thoroughly good mood by the time he arrived in the common room. He should have known it wouldn't last.

The complete exhaustion that had seemed to consume him had now become the norm. He never seemed to wake up tired because he never seemed to have fallen asleep. Aside from that Harry arrived at breakfast in a fairly pleasant mood. His eggs and kippers were delicious; he even had time to grab a raspberry éclair. Of course History of Magic was a double lesson today, but really how bad was that? He might even be able to get in some sleep, and that was always a promising incentive to go to class. What a foolish, foolish person he was…

Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their usual seats in the back. Harry and Ron got out some parchment in order to "study" their tic tack toe skills. Professor Binns floated through the chalkboard and hovered above his stool. He had in his hands not his usual tomb of a novel, but rather a compendium of what looked like a massive amount of notes and loose parchment.

Next to him Ron shrugged, and went back to their game. Hermione got out her notes, and stared expectantly at the professor. Harry listened with half an ear, as the students got settled, and Binns cleared his throat.

"We will be starting our new unit today. There isn't much information on this subject, so I had to do my own research," he indicated the notes in his hands. "It's a biography of a person essential in today's society," Harry's ears perked up slightly"It is believed by some that he will play an important roll in the fall of You-Know-Who." Harry looked away from his game, they couldn't be talking about him, it was probably just Dumbledore. Ron was looking up now as well. Binns opened his file and looked down at his notes. "Harry Potter was born July 31, 1980."

Harry's mouth opened before he could stop it, "EXCUSE ME!" The rest of the class was starring at him, but he didn't care, this was an injustice surely anyone would agree.

"Mr. Potter, if you have any question please see me after class."

Harry gaped, "Questions! Questions about my own life?"

"Mr. Potter, if-"

"Isn't this like a huge invasion of privacy?"

"If you intend on disturbing my class any further, I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave." He gaped a bit more, huffed and then turned towards the window. He was in shock; this was beyond anything he had had to endure in the past. This was worse than an article in the Daily Prophet.

"I hope I can continue without any further interruptions." The ghost's eyes grazed the classroom. "Harry James Potter was born on July 31, 1980 to Lily Evans Potter and James Arnold Potter. He was born during the first reign of You-Know-Who; the war was at its peak.

"In his years at Hogwarts, James was a Chaser and Captain for the Gryffindor Qudditch team. He was never a Prefect, but was later dubbed Head Boy. Lily was also in Gryffindor. Unlike her future husband, she was first named prefect and then Head Girl.

"It was well known James Potter had a close friendship to Sirius Black," Harry felt more eyes dart toward him, but the sharp pain in his chest was affecting him more than their stares, "Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

"After finishing Hogwarts, Lily, James, and Sirius joined the Aurors ranks. Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were all active in the fight against You-Know-Who. Recent events have led us to the truth involving the mystery behind Lily and James's murders.

"Peter Pettigrew had been secretly in cohorts with the Death Eaters. The Potters were forced into hiding when it was revealed that they were at the top of Voldermort's hit list. They were placed under the Fidelus charm. James had originally insisted Sirius be their Secret Keeper, and it was believed to be the truth for 12 years. Not even Albus Dumbledore was aware that the Potters had not in fact named Peter Secret Keeper. They had hoped to outwit You-Know-Who by using the faquade that Sirius was in fact their Keeper, for he would seem to be the obvious choice. In truth they had switched to Peter; they would never live to know what an unwise move they had made. Pettigrew led Voldermort straight to the Potter's home."

Students' mouths were agape in shock, and surprise. They were aware Sirius Black had been cleared of all charges, but the Prophet's detail had been very vague. Binns appeared to be surprised at the class himself, Harry assumed he had never had so many students pay such rapt attention to him before.

He went back to his notes, "On October 31, 1981 You-Know-Who arrived in Godric's Hollow. It is said that he entered the home to first find James Potter," Harry couldn't believe he was hearing this. His peers were listening in vivid detail to the description of his mother and father's murder. "James put up a fight in order to delay You-Know-Who from finding Lily and Harry. Unfortunately, at the time one could not hope to survive Avada Kedavra. You-Know-Who moved on to the upstairs nursery. There he found Lily standing in front of Harry's cradle. He told her to stand aside and she refused, she too was killed. When he moved onto Harry to perform the curse, it backfired, for the first time in history. You-Know-Who was left as an essence of his formal self. Harry Potter was marked with a lightning bolt scar, and was hence forth known as 'The Boy Who Lived'."

Harry tried blocking out his professors droning voice with all of his might, but it was drilling into him, grating his nerves on the edge of bleeding. All he wanted to do was leave, run, just get out of here.

"As it was still thought that Sirius Black was the Secret Keeper, it was assumed that he was responsible for the Potter's death. Peter Pettigrew cornered him in the street, and staged his own death, killing 12 other by standards. Sirius was arrested and sentenced to life in Azkaban, without trial.

"Rubeus Hagrid was sent to retrieve Harry from the ruins of the houses and take him to his only living relatives, Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley." He let silence reign for a moment. "Your homework for the evening, an essay on why you think the Potters where put on You-Know-Who's hit list in the first place." Binns closed his parcel of notes, the classroom was buzzing.

He couldn't take it anymore. Harry grabbed his back and left the room. His shock had passed and his fury was setting in. How could Dumbledore have allowed this to happen? Why? Why did his life have to be publicized like this? And in front of a classroom full of his friends?

He charged through the corridors, heading for the Great Hall, hoping to catch Dumbledore before lunch. He needn't wait much longer; he ran right into the silvery beard that was attached to Albus Dumbledore.

Harry didn't spare a moment, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? How could let them do this? What happened to you wanting to prevent my suffering? Did you think this would ease my pain in some way? I just heard my parent's murder described in vivid detail to a class of my eagerly listening peers."

Dumbledore looked down at him with pleading eyes, "Harry, my boy, you must understand, you are a part of history. The people need to have faith in you, so that they can have faith in the fight against Voldermort. You need to learn to accept this."

Harry blinked at him, "And what about the homework essay? 'Why do you think the Potter's were put on the hit list in the first place' Isn't that a breach of security or something?"

"As much as we will try to prevent it the fact is that eventually the prophecy will come out. I found this as a way to get their minds brewing. It would be in our best interests to soften the blow a bit."

Harry glared at his former mentor, "All you ever do is scheme and lie to me. I will never forgive you for this." He turned on his heel and marched through the doors of the great hall.

He plopped next to Dean on the long bench that lined the Gryffindor house table. Ron and Hermione sat across from him. Harry served himself a baked potato, just as Hermione grabbed her bag.

Ron looked up at her, "Where are you off to then?"

"I'm going to get a start on that History of Magic essay, care to join me?" Harry made a sort of primitive growling sound, and she took the hint. He noticed Ron shooting a rather hawk like stare at Ginny and Seamus, who were, as usual, sitting together.

Ron looked at Dean, "What's with those two lately," he nodded his head in their direction.

Dean spoke distractedly through his mashed potatoes, "Oh, haven't you heard? They're dating now." Harry's head swung to look in their direction. Now that he looked more closely he could see their hands joined. An odd burning sensation filled his stomach. He noticed Ron's stare had now turned into a full on glare.

"Doesn't that bother you at all," Harry asked. Ron looked back curiously.

Dean swallowed his potatoes, "Nah, like I told you, we're better off friends. I mean Ginny's a great girl and all…" Ron redirected his glare at Dean; he seemed to take the hint, as well. "Well I'm off chaps, see you in a bit." Dean grabbed his bag and clapped Harry on the back. Not a smart move.

"Ugh," Harry had to lean forward on to the table to prevent himself from uttering any more cries of pain. He just had to hit a sore spot didn't he? And, shite, Ron had noticed.

"Harry?"

"I'm fine," He grabbed his bag and headed to potions to avoid any further comment.

Harry found potions a more unpleasant experience than it usually was. Made so not by Snape, but Ron. His best friend refused to leave him be for one moment. Any time Harry reached for a vial, worm, or spider leg Ron's eyes were attached the back of his skull the entire time. Harry would have turned around and asked him what his problem was if Snape wasn't looming over his table.

When the bell rang signaling the end of class, Harry felt he had never been more relieved. He followed Hermione down the hall, on the way to Care of Magical Creatures. He heard Ron's pace quicken to catch up with him. Harry felt Ron put his arm on his arm to stop him.

Hermione must have noticed the lack of footsteps behind her, because she turned around. She looked at Ron curiously.

"We'll catch you up," said Ron.

"What, why?" Hermione walked towards them.

"We'll catch you up, okay?" She glared at Ron, turned on her heel and huffed off.

Harry looked at Ron strangely, "What are you doing? We'll miss class." Ron had started walking off in the direction of the Tower. Harry had to walk quickly to keep up with his long strides.

"Hagrid won't mind. I need to talk to you and this is the only time the dorm will be empty." Harry followed Ron's long path up to the tower and through the portrait hole. He stood waiting for Harry at the bottom of the stairs leading to the boy's dorm and waited for Harry to pass him.

He looked at Ron curiously and made his way into the sixth year's room. Harry watched as Ron shut and locked (not that it would do much good here) the door behind him. He stared at Harry for a while, as if expecting him to say something. He felt a bit like he had done something horribly wrong, and Ron was waiting for an apology. If he could only remember what it was he had done.

Harry was spared the tension of trying to think of something to say, when Ron finally opened his mouth. "I think it's time you tell me just what's going on." This gave Harry no more incentive to talk; Ron could mean any number of things. For a split second Harry's mind had the terrifying thought that Ron might have meant the Prophecy.

"What are you talking about Ron?" He asked.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," Harry could tell Ron's temper was rising and that was never a good thing. His mind could still not grasp what Ron was talking about though.

Ron was looking at him as though he was the biggest idiot in all of Hogwarts. "Would you like to tell me why if someone so much as touches you, you flinch away." Now, that caused Harry to pull back. He should have known he would have to deal with this eventually but not quite so soon.

What could he tell Ron? Sure his friend could keep a secret but this was essential to his existence. His mind was buzzing, when in doubt, deny . . . deny . . . deny . . . "Ron your talking crazy. I don't-"

"Stop lying to me Harry! I thought we were best friends, I thought you trusted me."

"I-"

"It's not like I need you to tell me, to figure it out. I'm not an idiot despite what Hermione might say. I'll go to Dumbledore, I will."

Harry's own temper was beginning to rise. He couldn't let Ron go through with this; it was humiliating, and he wouldn't understand. "And just what do you think your going to go to Dumbledore about?"

"That your uncle, or cousin, or someone was hurting you!" Ron looked shocked even by his own words.

Harry's own irrational temper was now taking over. "Well aren't you just the brightest tool in the shed," his voice came out in a harsh whisper, "you finally figured it out! The great and powerful Harry Potter isn't so wonderful anymore. Do you feel better now? You're better than me, congratulations! Harry's uncle hits him. Harry is a weak, pathetic child who can't even defend himself against a muggle."

Ron was looking scandalized and confused. His mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. He looked in desperate need to say something. This did not stop Harry's onslaught "Well do you want to know something Ron? It's old news to me. I always knew I was weak, I always knew my uncle was an ass, and I always knew that you were better than me. I've really never understood why you envied me." His anger was fading now. "Do you have any idea how many times I've wished I could be you? To have the family you have, to be loved like you are…" He trailed off and sat heavily on his bed.

He buried his face in his hands. Waiting for the slam of the door, waiting for Ron to leave him; all he heard was silence. Harry felt the bed sink next to him and arms close around him. Ron was pulling him close, and for once there was no manly back slap between the two. So much pain had already been revealed there was no reason to hide from comfort now.

Harry felt Ron's breath against his ear, "Harry you are loved, just as much as I am, and you have a family. We are your family, forever."

He held his breath, deep inside his chest. "Ron you can't tell anyone."

Harry felt Ron tense up, "Harry-."

"Please," his voice sounded desperate, even to him.

"I promise, Harry," he whispered. "I promise."

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