Chapter 33

Southern magic

"Maybe we should head back?" came Jamie's voice.

Harry nodded and went over to Ana to put a hand around her waist for support. "how's your head?"

"it still hurts like hell."

"Good to know." Said Harry, who got a smack in the head for the comment.

They had almost reached the tower when it became to much for Jamie. "Harry! That was a wicked Punch!" Harry grinned, 'It definitely was.'

Harry rubbed the knuckles of his sore fist; he had really hurt it the night before. Logan had given him a small lecture on how he should have known better, that he had been taught how to punch properly, but in the end the large man had given the boy a rare proud grin and walked off to have a little chat with the headmaster. The mutants had been outraged at the news that Ana had been attacked and demanded justice, and the instructors had been off to speak with the headmaster and Snape several times.

Unfortunately justice would not be found, at least not in the way they had hoped. Because the headmaster thought that Ron and Hermione's intentions were 'good', they would not be expelled as they should. However they were to be severely punished, with three months detention each, and their act would be placed in their records, which would permanently mar their credibility in future job prospects. Not to mention that Gryffindor was in the negative for points now for the first time in three centuries.

The pair had also been forced to apologize for their crime to the mutants on a whole, as well to Ana. Harry was conveniently left out of these events, not that he cared much. While they did seem cowed at the idea that they could have killed Ana, there was still an air of extreme dislike between the mutants and them.

It was then agreed that Moyra and Ana would not be left to traverse the halls alone, and a schedule was set up so that there were at least three mutants free to escort the sisters to and from their wizarding classes. Harry himself had made sure that he was present in most the shifts, except when he absolutely would be in class. He had already lost one of his best friends to the wizarding world, he was not about to lose the other to idiotic hero wannabes, who don't know shit.

And that was where they were now, with Rouge and Scott beside him, waiting outside the doors to the potions lab. Ana had class with the Gryffindor's again and the class was due to finish any moment.

As if on cue the door opened and the students flooded out, Hermione among them. She caught sight of the three of them and paled before turning and rushing way.

'Coward.' Harry thought to himself as the last few trickled out of the classroom.

"Where's Ana?" asked Scott, and Harry noticed that no one was leaving the classroom, and Ana had yet to make an appearance. Making a quick glance around to make sure they hadn't missed her, they ran into the room and were relieved to see her speaking to Snape at the front of the room. Seeing her entourage, she said a quick thank you to the professor and gathered her things.

"Sorry, I forgot you guys were waiting!" she said as she rushed to meet them.

"No Problem." Said Rouge with a dismissive wave of the hand.

They had just gotten out of the classroom when Harry stopped. "Um guys? Could you wait here for a sec? I'll be right back"

"Be careful Harry." Came Scotts warning as he re entered the potions lab. Snape was still at the front of the class putting away unused ingredients, and made no move to acknowledge that Harry was in the room.

"Erm, Professor Snape?" he called out, and frowned when the man still did not turn to face him. Deciding to try again, "Profe-"

"Is there a reason for your presence, or you that sure of your placement in this school that you feel you are again above the rules Mr Potter?"

"Sir?"

"I believe you are required to have an escort at all times Potter, lest you attack one of the precious students."

"My friends are just outside sir, and you're right here, and I wanted to ask you a question."

There was no response to that and Harry had been about to repeat himself when Snape turned around impatiently. "If this is about your little Gryffindor friends and their punishment, I promise you Mr Potter I will not be pleased."

"No! it isn't, well, it is in a way." He stumbled out as Snape looked on, unimpressed. "I just wanted to know, yesterday, you had the perfect chance to get me taken away to Azkaban. I attacked a student, and you saw it all, but you didn't. I don't understand, and I wanted to know why." Snape just continued to watch him. After a long stretch of silence, Harry Nodded in defeat and went to leave. 'Fine, let the greasy basterd keep his secrets.'

He was nearly at the door when Snape spoke. "It would be giving you far to much credit Potter."

Turning around to face the man again, he asked, "What?"

Leveling the boy with a stern look, not all that evil, he continued. "To say that you were capable of conjuring the proper skill to cast an unforgivable would be giving you far more credit then you merit."

"You believe I'm innocent?"

"I believe you are hiding something Mr. Potter. I believe that something happened that night that drained you of your magic. I believe that you did not escape Azkaban alone and I believe that it was no coincidence that you ended up with mutants. I believe there is something more behind your schooling with them and I plan to find out." He said as he drew closer. "What I do not believe Mr Potter, is that you have it within your person to kill. You can barely make an acceptable calming draught for Merlin's Sake. Now if you will excuse yourself from my rooms, I believe your mutant friends are still waiting for you and I have work to do." With that the man whipped out his wand and spelled the remaining potions ingredients away.

Giving a small thank you, Harry rushed from the room so meet up with the others.

"So?" asked a curious Ana, who knew already what Harry had been speaking to Snape about. "Is it good news or bad news?"

Harry considered Snapes words carefully. "I'm not sure." He answered finally with a frown. Worried looks were passed between the group. "later." He told them, knowing it was not safe to talk of his powers in the halls.

When they reached the tower Harry had been about to go and find the instructors and warn them that Snape was suspicious, but Rogue's outcry drew his attention.

"What is he doing here?" she asked outraged, pointing at the smirking teen that sat on the common room couch. Harry knew exactly who he was, even if he had only met the man once. He was tall, and well built, and he wore a brown duster over his outfit of dark clothes. But it was his eyes that drew the attention of most. They were all black, except for the pupils which were red as fire. Gambit.

Grinning at Rogue's outburst he got up and strode lazily towards them. "Bonjour Chere, jus' tought I'd stop by, make sure de mutants were bein' treated right."

"And how exactly did you know where we were?" demanded Scott.

Without taking his eyes off of Rogue he answered. "Monsieur Magneto has teamed up wit your Professeur, he sen' Remy here t' keep an eye on tings."

Harry could see Rogue give a small blush and she hurried to pull off one of her gloves, probably to threaten Gambit. But as soon as the glove was off, Gambit reached forward and took the uncovered hand in his and placed a small kiss on it, gave her cocky grin, and strode away.

The group stood there in shock, and Rouge was staring at her hand as if she had just seen it for the first time. "How…" she asked before turning to look at Scott who looked just as bewildered as she did. Ana reached out to touch the top of Rouges hand and jerked away as soon as the girls powers began draining her own. Fisting her hands, Rouge stormed off in the direction that Gambit had gone in yelling, "Get back here ya Swamp rat and tell meh what ya just did!!!"

"Well," said Ana, crossing her arms over her chest, "Things just got a bit more interesting.

Nodding in agreement, Harry had to smile. But it soon faded as he remembered what had just happened. "I'll be back in a sec ok? I have to talk to the teachers." Ana gave a small smile and said she was going to go see how Moyras classes were if he needed to find her later. After she left up the stairs to the girls rooms Harry strode to the hall that led to the instructors rooms. He had discovered before that they had their own little common room or Staff room. Knocking lightly on the door, he entered when he heard Storm invite him in. Storm was sitting in a soft blue armchair, while Logan stood by the fireplace in the room. What surprised Harry the most was the figure that was seated by Storm in his own chair.

"Professor!" he cried happily, never so pleased to see the man. "What are you doing here?"

"Good afternoon Harry, How are you doing today?"

He shrugged, "Ok I suppose."

The powerful mutant smiled, "I'm glad, I was worried for you most of all when you were sent here. I'm glad you are doing well." He glanced at the other adults before looking back at Harry, "As for why I am here, it actually has to do with you."

"Me sir?"

"Yes, Your instructors have told me that they have been informing you and the other students what we know of Voldemort, and the other captured mutants." Harry nodded. "We have been trying to recapture those that were taken, so that they could be treated and have the mind controlling spells removed, but each time we come close, Voldemort will activate a spell, a portkey, and it transports them all to a place we can not reach."

"Sirius told me that, he said that no one knows where the safehouse is."

"That is correct Harry. Cerebro is useless, as our technology does not work in areas filled with magic. It distorts everything. Where ever Voldemort is hiding them, he has cloaked the area with magic so that we can not find them, not with cerebro at least." Harry looked away feeling defeated and helpless. "Harry, do you know exactly what cerebro does? How it works?"

"It magnifies your powers, so that you can find the minds of people all over the world."

"That's right Harry, and what I have been trying to do at the Order is to develop a cerebro or something like it, and power it by magic. If we can accomplish this than there would be no barriers to stop us from locating the others. Unfortunately we were unable to find a way to do this. Until I thought of you Harry."

Harry looked up at the professor. "What? I don't- there isn't a spell like that."

"Harry," started Storm, "your powers enable you to do magic without a spell. You have done these things before. You lift objects without murmuring the incantation or even moving."

"But that's because I know how it works! I don't know anything about this spell. I could hurt you Professor!"

"Harry, I would not have even mentioned this to you if I had any doubt that you could do it. You have effected the mutant powers of others before. Young Miss Probert is proof of that." And harry knew that this was true. Once on an outing some teenagers had been Harassing them as a group and Moyra had panicked. The sight of one of their friends turned to stone had enraged the group of boys and Moyra had been to upset to turn the boy back. Just when it had looked like things were going to get ugly Harry had reached out with magic to push Moyra powers along, to help her focus, and the boy was returned to his normal state.

"But I only helped her calm down!"

"You did more that that, you advanced her powers. Moyra has never been able to return a form back to its true state is so little time. And that is what I need you to do for me Harry. If you can help to push my powers to stretch across England, we might be able to catch a glimpse of where the others are being hidden."

Harry looked down and thought hard before he finally nodded. "When do you want to do it?"

"tonight if possible."

"Alright. Lets do it."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

"So what did they say?" asked Ana as he entered her room. Moyra was sitting on Anas bed with a book across her lap while Ana was sitting behind her pulling a brush through her hair.

"The Prof is here." He said, closing the door.

"WHAT?" they asked in unison and Harry had to stifle a laugh. He grew somber though and explained what was going to happen that night.

"You need to get some sleep." Ana said finally.

"I have enough trouble getting to sleep on a normal day, I'm not going to be able to sleep now."

Putting her hands on her hips in a way that resembled Mrs. Weasley far too much for comfort, "Harry Potter! This is important and you need to rest! Now get over here and lay down!"

Shaking his head, Harry knew better to piss off Ana when she was in one of those moods, so he toed off his shoes and went to lay on top of Her bed. Moyra got up to sit in her own bed to watch the proceedings as Ana placed a blanket over Harry. "Now you are going to sleep, we cant have you exhausted for tonight and passing out halfway through." She explained as she lifted his head so that it rested in her lap. Harry closed his eyes knowing what was going to come, and sure enough Ana began running her fingers over his scalp. She had done this on the rare occasion before, and it never failed to turn his bones to mush.

'Oh if only I could purr,' he thought to himself, as his body relaxed entirely and he slowly slipped into slumber.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz

To the reviewers:

Ok this is in genral cause most people were saying the same thing!

Harry will be proven innocent pretty soon!

when Harry is proven innocent there will be a little 'conversation' between him and his old friends. Get out the ear muffs people its gonna be loud!

3)Ginny will probably be in the next chapter (no romance)

And I know you all think that the punishment wasn't nearly enough but Ron and Hermione are both 'children of the light' so to say and Dumbledore isn't going to expel the son of one of his most loyal supporters and his girlfriend. So there is my excuse. Besides, If I expelled them, who would Harry yell at when hes proven innocent!?!?

There you go! And the next chapter will be out soon. As chosen by my group, they have voted for longer chapters that take a few days to update, rather than short ones every day.