Chapter Three
"Harry! I need to talk to you right now it is really important." The entire school was silent and stared at the mysterious stranger. Harry on the other hand seemed to be in shock. He knew the voice was familiar, but that person should not be here.
"Let's go to my office shall we." Harry was getting a very strange look from Dumbledore. When Harry and the newcomer entered the office Harry turned around to face the man.
"How did you get here Neville? Never mind why are you here?"
"I have very important information for you. Draco Malfoy is here in the past. We aren't quite sure what he's up to but it must have something to do with You-Know-Who" As Neville rambled on Harry just stared at him. How could he be here? Ha I knew there was another reason for Albus to send me here.
"So what are we suppose to do? Professor Dumbledore wouldn't tell me anything."
"I'm not sure, but we'll figure it out don't worry. So how long are you here for?"
"Not sure, the Headmaster said something about me not being here for very long. He wouldn't tell me how I get back though. Something about love showing the way." Harry did not think that made much sense but figured that he would think about it later.
"Come on there are some people here I would like to introduce you to." And with that the two made their way back to the Great Hall.
When Harry arrived back at the Great Hall three students accosted him.
"What's wrong James, where is Sirius?" Harry got a looming feeling in his gut.
"I don't know professor, that's what we came to tell you. His brother asked to talk to him about something and now we can't find him." Harry knew that if the boys could not find him then he was not to be found at Hogwarts provided they checked their map. At that moment Harry's scar seared with burst of pain and he clasped his hand to his forehead.
"Harry are you alright? Is it Voldemort?" Neville who has seen Harry's fits before was quite concerned.
"James go back to your dorms I will find you after – no arguments." James, Remus and Peter were about to protest but when they saw how serious their professor looked thought better of it.
"Neville I think we need to talk to Professor Dumbledore straight away.
The two time displaced boys made their way to the Headmasters office.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black is missing and I believe I know where he is."
"Where is he Harry?" Dumbledore looked very old and worried at that moment; he probably already knew that Sirius was missing. However when Harry mentioned he had an idea where the boy may be he had a spark of hope in his normally twinkling eyes.
"He is with a Voldemort at number 12 Grimmauld Place."
"Lead the way," Harry was happy that he did not question what he had said. He was not quite sure that this Dumbledore would accept his information as readily as the Dumbledore he knew would. Curiously he asked no questions about Neville, but then a student's life was in question so the questions could wait.
The three of them apparated from Hogsmeade to London, then made the journey to number twelve.
"How are we getting in Harry, we can't go through the front door."
"Remember the summer between the sixth year and seventh Nev.; remember how I always seem to come out of nowhere no matter where in the house I was."
"Uh yeah."
"Well there are a series of passages that ran all through the house. There is one from the backyard to the dinning room, we can go from there." Neville looked at Harry with a look of understanding. Dumbledore looked at Harry in amazement. Probably trying to figure out why he would know anything about the Black House to begin with.
From just behind the entrance to the dinning room they could hear voices.
"Mr. Black, I have heard so much about you. First Black to be sorted into Gryffindor, making friends with mudbloods and blood traitors, running away from home last year."
"What do want, why would you have any interest in me?" Sirius asked truly showing why he was sorted into Gryffindor.
"Well young Black I believes that you could be a great asset to the cause. The rewards can be beyond your wildest dreams! Your parents feel very strongly about this. What do you say join and reap the rewards or die as a blood traitor?"
"I would never join you or betray my friend's ahhh." When Harry saw the orange light of the Cruciatus curse he made his move. He was not about to let anyone hurt his Godfather.
"Expelliarmus" Neville had run to Sirius while Dumbledore continued the duel with Voldemort. Harry knew it would not be smart if he were to do so he did not want to tip Voldemort off. He looked around saw a teapot and created a portkey. Knowing that Dumbledore could look after himself, he, Neville and Sirius all portkeyed back to the Headmasters office.
"Sirius are you okay?"
"Uh I think so professor. How did you know where I was? I'm sure that Regulas didn't tell you."
"I would like to know the same thing." Professor Dumbledore was back from his duel with the dark lord.
"I'd rather not talk about that Headmaster if it is all the same to you." He gave the Headmaster a pointed look and hoped he understood that it had to do with matters of the future and was none of his business.
"Very well, would your friend escort Sirius to the Hospital Wing, I would like to talk to you right now."
"Sure professor, come Sirius let's let them talk." Neville and Sirius left the office and Dumbledore turned to Harry.
"So who is your friend someone else from the future I suppose."
"You don't believe I'm who I say I am. Yes Neville is a friend from the future. You sent him to warm me about something."
"How can I trust you Mr. Potter? You come seemingly out of no where with a great tale. You will not say anything about yourself. You have knowledge about a known dark family's house, were able to know where Sirius Black was taken. This is all very questionable Mr. Potter."
"The irony of this is amazing; I can remember when nobody would believe the two of us. You want to know how you can trust me." Harry looked at Dumbledore incredulously. He got up walked over to Fawkes and started to pet him. Harry turned around abruptly and came to an important decision.
"Look me in the eye." Harry slowly let part of his mental shield down. He did not let the old man see any memories of the future however except for the conversation he had with his Dumbledore before he left. He let his mentor see the feelings he had for him. All the feelings from the day he first met him. From the trust he felt in the first year to the betrayal Harry felt in the fifth.
Then he let Dumbledore guide what he wanted to see. The mutual agreement was he would not see anything that could affect changing the future. Dumbledore saw the love, hate, loss, hurt and pain Harry felt throughout his entire life. Whenever he would draw near something dangerous such as his hatred for Peter Pettigrew he would gently direct his attention away from it. Just enough so Dumbledore would know that was dangerous grounds to be treading, but not enough so that if he really wanted to push is he could. Harry was showing Dumbledore a great deal of trust by doing this, and Dumbledore knew it. When Dumbledore was finished he could see Harry's pure heart his driving force, love and trust.
"Thank you for sharing that with me Harry. I have never had an experience like it before." Dumbledore seemed to be a little overwhelmed with Harry's emotions.
"You shared a similar experience like that with me in my sixth year."
"I thought I saw reminisce of my mind in there. Very well Harry I have no doubt in you now. Please forgive me." Dumbledore said with sincerity.
"Of course Professor Dumbledore, if I could trust you again after my fifth year I can continue to trust you now. I am sure that Sirius would like to talk to us right about now."
"Of course you go ahead I have some business to take care of first."
"Hello Professor, I suppose you have some questions." Sirius appeared tired but injury free.
"A few, would you like to tell me what happened or would you rather talk to Professor Dumbledore?"
"I'll talk to you." Sirius looked as if he was trying to compose himself.
"I was with James; we were discussing the implementation of the Halloween prank." He glanced at his professor; Harry waved him to go on. "My brother, Regulas, asked to speak to me. Now that in itself is strange. We haven't spoken since I ran off to James's last year. He sad it was really important I speak to him alone. So I went with him, he took me to what I thought was an empty classroom, where someone, I couldn't see their face, stunned me. When I woke up I was at home with that man there." And Harry knew what went on from there.
"Thank-you Sirius, are you getting out of here soon?"
"I have to stay the night but Madam Pomfrey said I could leave tomorrow."
"Good to hear. I will see you in class then."
The weeks following Halloween were pretty much uneventful. The Marauders were back to normal fairly quickly and showed it through a series of pranks. This consisted of but was not limited to pranking the Slytherin house. It seemed that Regulas Black was at the bunt end of most of these in particular. He went almost the whole day speaking backwards before Professor Flitwick took pity on him. A couple days later he jumped up at breakfast and started hopping around like a frog while singing a show tune. However like most things at Hogwarts things slowly got back to usual. Which with James and Sirius meant only pranks a couple times a week instead of everyday.
In early November Harry introduced Neville to his parents. He was very nervous about meeting them.
"I know what you mean. I was very surprised to see my parents. Think of it this way, you will finally get to see what they are like. Trust me Neville this is an opportunity you don't want to miss." Neville seemed to find his courage after Harry's impromptu speech. They could not tell Frank and Alice why but asked them to humour him and talk with Neville.
Harry was happy to see the bonding between the three of them. Apparently they planned to get together at on a Hogsmeade weekend in December.
"I am positive that these kids get slower every year, what do you think Filius?"
"Oh I don't know about that Minerva, I think you are just complaining because you had second year Hufflepuff's." Harry was enjoying some time away from the students in the staff room.
"Well you would be complaining too if you just spent the last hour explaining why you can't transfigure a rock into a dog as easily as a cat into a fish."
"Why would you want to transfigure a cat into a fish anyway?" Harry had always wanted to question his Transfiguration Professor on this point.
"That's not the point!" It did not look like Harry was going to get his answer.
"How are you finding teaching Harry? I hear that the students simply love your class" Professor Sprout decided to change the subject before the two got into a verbal match.
"I really enjoy it. Most students catch on very fast and are able to bring interesting ideas to share."
"I heard that you set an essay on a prank James Potter and his little gang tried to pull on the first day of lessons."
"Very true, you should have seen what I got back. James went into detail about how each spell was set up and how it works. Then he continued on to explain how he could have made it better so I would no find out next time. Lily Evans described with great detail how immature an inappropriate the prank was and how stupid it was to get caught in the first place."
"Well she is right; there was no reason for those boys to be pranking a new teacher on his first day." Professor McGonagall replied hastily.
"I disagree; it showed everybody that you always have to be aware of your surroundings. It is a very good lesson for a defence class." Harry was very protective of this for some reason. It was probably because it was one of his biggest learned lessons.
"You are just disappointed Minerva, that they didn't use any transfiguration in that prank. All they used were some very good, I may add, charms." Professor Flitwick seemed to like egging the deputy Headmistress on.
"As much as I would like to continue with this enlightening conversation I do have a class of fifth year Ravenclaw's to be teaching next." With that she walked out of the staff room.
"What has her all wound up?" Professor Grey had just walked in as McGonagall stormed out.
"She doesn't like the fact that the Marauders haven't been using transfiguration lately in any of their pranks.
"Well they haven't been using any potions either and you don't see me getting all uptight about it."
"But you didn't have second year Hufflepuff's this morning." Answered Flitwick.
"Very true I had sixth year Ravenclaw's/Slytherin's always a delight to teach." Professor Grey seemed a little upset and continued on, "Harry, may we speak alone for a few minutes?" He looked her in the eye to see if he could get a feeling of what it was about. He could see flashes of anger, guilt and mistrust.
"Of Course Gwenny, let's take a walk shall we?" She led him out o the staff-room and proceeded to walk outside in silence. She walked all the way to Hogsmeade and decided that was not a good place. Harry took her towards the caves where Sirius hid during his fourth year. She seemed quite satisfied that they would not be over heard, the walk also seemed to give her the opportunity to put her thoughts I order. She turned toward him with a determined look in her eye.
"I have something important to tell you. You know how I told you how my family has managed to stay neutral in almost all matters throughout history. I think my parents really believe that to be of pure blood is better. I have a felling that a few of my cousins are faithful followers of You-Know-Who. I don't know what to do, I have been taught all my life to stay out of other people's conflicts. But I have no loyalty to Dumbledore anymore than the Dark Lord. Help me Harry please; I just want to stay out of this altogether." Harry did not know what to say to her. He was a person who had to fight all his life for what he believed in. He had had no choice if he wanted to survive.
"Gwenny, I don't think you will be able to stay out of this. If Voldemort has managed to bewitch, bribe or otherwise convince your family to support his cause, he and his followers will not leave you alone." She seemed very disappointed with his response. "Hey, I will help you if I can, I'll do my best to protect you." This seemed to make her feel a little better.
They made their way back to Hogwarts, it had become fairly dark by now and the full moon was shining brightly. It seemed as though they had missed dinner. Harry would see James, Sirius and Peter going towards the Whomping Willow. He smiled to himself and gave the boys a small wink and continued on his way. He remembered the day that Dumbledore told him the secret of how he could see through invisibility cloaks. He was a little disappointed when he found out however the knowledge seemed to make Dumbledore less mysterious. Apparently it was a tricky charm done on his glasses, but it only worked if you knew someone was there.
Harry and Gwenny bade goodnight and went their separate ways.