Harry woke up drenched in sweat. The dream he'd had had been intense, he knew, but for some reason he couldn't recall it. He sat up in bed and checked his watch by the moon light that was now filtering through the repaired window in his room. Just 1:30! He'd been asleep for only two hours and already he knew he would not be able to go back to sleep.
He rubbed his head where his scar was now burning. "God, will any of this ever stop?" He murmured.
"Talking to your head again I see. Are people sure you're not mad?" Asked Phineas from inside his frame.
"What do you want?" Harry growled, feeling that Phineas annoying him was the last thing he needed at the moment.
"Dumbledore asked me to report on you. What shall I tell him?"
"That nothing out of the ordinary is wrong." Harry replied, getting out of bed, putting his bathrobe on, and heading out the door.
"No respect that one. It'll mean the end of him." Harry heard Phineas grumble as he closed the door.
Harry walked down the stairs quietly, following the trail of moon light the windows now left. Grimmuald Place, Harry now realized, was obviously a pretty charming place, now that it had been cleaned up (and out) of many of the Dark Arts that had been left behind. The House Elf heads, Harry was pleased to see, were finally taken down. The old troll foot umbrella stand had been replaced by one that was gold with griffins on it.
Harry's happiness at being again with the people he loved the most deflated as he realized that this was the Grimmuald Place that Sirius SHOULD have known. It wasn't fair that he couldn't see the place at it's best. And why wasn't Sirius here for him now, when Harry most needed him?
Harry was just about to head back up the stairs when he noticed the light in the kitchen was on. Who could be up at this hour?
He walked into the kitchen and saw Ginny sitting there in her t-shirt and sweat pants pajamas with a turkey sandwich in her mouth and a book in front of her that she seemed to be enjoying very much. When she heard Harry come in she jumped, then smiled when she saw who it was.
"Harry? Sit down, what are you doing up?" She asked, putting down her sandwich and closing her book, while gesturing to the chair next to her.
Harry sat down and looked at her curiously. "What are you doing up?"
"I can't sleep. When I can't sleep I come down and make myself a sandwich."
"Sounds good."
"Do you want me to make you one?"
"Sure."
Ginny got up and started going through the cabinets and refrigerator. She got out bread, lettuce, tomatoes, turkey and mayonnaise.
"Are these fine?" She asked.
Harry thought for a moment. "Could you add onions to that pile?"
"Sure." Ginny reached into the refrigerator and got out a bag of perfectly chopped onions.
"And celery?"
"Are you asking for a sandwich or a mountain?" She asked, turning to look at him.
"Sorry."
"That's okay." She replied, the grabbed a stalk of celery out.
"Thanks."
"No problem." A few minutes passed while she chopped tomatoes and spread mayonnaise over two slices of bread. "Hey Harry, are you okay with tomorrow? I know everyone keeps asking you that, but I think you're feeling more than just hungry right now." She said as she finished the sandwich and then placed it in front of Harry.
He took a bite, just to preoccupy himself before he let himself answer. He didn't know if it was her sandwich, or her ability to tell what he was feeling (he was grateful that she acted like he had a choice to tell her himself, even though he knew she could sense what other feeling was there).
"Yes, you're right, I am upset. I think I'm starting to hate you knowing my feelings. Is there anyway you could control it?"
"Not looking at you. It's easy at school, there are a lot of people, but when it's just you and me, my thought's are concentrated on you and I can tell what you feel."
"Kind of like my scar and Voldemort's feelings. Only it happens every once in a while."
"Exactly." Ginny stood up, taking her plate over to the sink. She leaned back on it and faced Harry, smiling. "But I don't see snatches of what you're doing every now and then, do I?"
Harry laughed. "I'd be a little scared if you did."
Ginny smiled. "You're a strange boy Harry Potter. Good night."
She walked out the door. "Hello Professor Lupin." He heard her say as he settled down to finish his sandwich.
"Evening Ginny." Lupin replied, walking into the kitchen. He stood for a moment in the doorway, taking in the fact that Harry was sitting in a room that Ginny had just left. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me Harry?" He asked, sitting across from him.
Harry swallowed the bite he'd just taken. "What do you mean?" Lupin gave a significant look out the door. "Wha-oh. OH! You think Ginny and I? No, I just couldn't sleep, so I decided to walk around and I noticed the light in here was on and came in to see Ginny sitting here. We talked, and she made me a sandwich."
"So there's nothing going on?"
"Professor she's my best friend's sister!" Harry replied, looking shocked.
"It happens sometimes. I'll stop bothering you." Lupin started to get up.
"Wait." Harry realized that Lupin was the last Marauder he could talk to. Now would be as good a time as any to talk to him. "Can you tell me a story of you and the Marauders?"
Lupin froze, hovering above his seat for a moment, looked at Harry, and then sat down slowly. "What exactly do you want to hear?"
"Maybe not a story. Just tell me what it was like for you guys."
"Basically? A whole lot of mischief." Lupin said, laughing slightly. "Honestly, you've heard so many stories, I wouldn't know what to tell you. What would you like to know about us?"
"Anything you can tell me." Harry said, fixing his stare upon Lupin, having finished his sandwich.
"Well, your father, James, was more of the leader of all of us. Sirius was his right hand man. I was, what they liked to call, a surrogate mother. I would scold and warn them not to do something, but I would either join in the fun eventually, or sit on the sidelines and act as though I didn't know what was going on, which you saw in Snape's memory. Going to Honeyduke's now and then was fine for me, but tormenting a fellow pupil I normally would not take part in, not even if it were Snape." Lupin stopped.
"What was Peter?" Harry asked, not even sure why. "What could have made him change?"
"Ah, well… Peter was somewhat shy and secretive. He always just followed us around and would do anything James or Sirius would ask him to do. He couldn't get power himself, so he would hang around people who did. I'm sure that's why he joined Voldemort. Voldemort was gaining power. He had a foot in Dumbledore's power and a foot in Voldemort's so he figured that no matter the outcome he would be safe. Didn't work out the way he planned though, did it?" Lupin asked, smiling at Harry.
"Professor, why do you think Sirius told my father to pick Peter? For Secret Keeper, I mean. Why not stick with himself? Or even you?"
"Because Peter was the weakest. No one expected anything from Peter, so we trusted where we shouldn't have. It seems that the weak can be easily corrupted.
Harry was reminded forcibly of Professor Quirrel in his first year. He had seemed weak, too. Unless you don't count that whole Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head thing . . .
"Harry, both James and Sirius were stubborn men. They wanted their own way, and would normally do almost anything to get it. Your mother wasn't quite as bad, but she had a mind of her own and was extremely strong willed."
Harry smiled. He had heard Lupin speak of his mother like this before. In quiet, dulcet tones. It was pure, and pulled right at the heart strings. He sat up straight and looked Lupin squarely in the eye.
"You loved my mother, didn't you?" He didn't say it in an accusing tone, but one of kindness and understanding.
Lupin looked taken aback, then he smiled kindly at Harry. "She and I were together for a short time, yes. And I did care for her deeply."
"What happened?"
"Well," he replied, leaning back. "James wasn't to happy about the whole idea, and we were so close I didn't want to hurt him.
"I also came to realize, I can't take care of myself half the time, I would be able to take care of her. Look at me now!"
"I don't see why-"
"Harry, I am a werewolf. I can hardly take care of myself. It wouldn't have been safe for me to marry."
Harry sat and looked at him, as though for the first time. He admired Professor Lupin even now more than he ever had before. "I'm sorry you're treated so horribly. I don't think it's fair, and I wish you would take your job back."
"And risk being with Snivellus? No, thanks. I told you at the end of the year that parents will not want a werewolf teaching their children. No matter how many show an interest in having me back." He added, seeing Harry get his look in his eye that he gets when he becomes determined.
Harry stood up and slammed his fist on the table, knocking over his chair in the process. "It's not fair! You're the best teacher I know and you have every right to teach or have any other job as you bloody well please! That's discrimination, and that's not right!"
"Harry, please sit back down."
"I'm not going to." He replied, crossing his arms.
Lupin sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Fine, listen then. Dumbledore has been giving me enough to get by, okay? I've been a werewolf since I was little, so I'm used to everyone treating me differently." He reached out and grasped Harry's shoulder in a fatherly way. Firm, but knowing. "Harry, we need you to keep your anger in check this year. The Order, I mean. We know you're a teenager, we know that you're going through a lot right now, but we need you to watch yourself, now more than ever. Do you understand?"
Harry nodded.
"Good. Now, I think that you need to at least attempt to get to sleep. Go back to bed, Harry.
Harry walked out of the room and back to his room, keeping quiet. When he opened his door, he saw Ron stir, but he didn't wake. Harry fell onto his bed, full of thoughts.