A/N: I don't own Harry Potter and cohorts, er, uh I mean friends! Don't own Sirius (that's depressing) don't own James or any of them. I did have Sirius, but the auction went well and I got a grand total of $3.57 for him. Would the owner please come pick him up before I strangle him? He's out on the back porch howling at the moon (It's a bright sunny morning, but he's howling)

Thank you to my reviewers.

To parissima: Thanks for the review. I will try to make the chapters longer; I just need to concentrate on it. I'll make this an extra long chapter, just for you.

Five reviews! I'm happy. Then I look at all the reviews other people have and it depresses me. Humph.

Anyway... story time. Drum roll please!

Neville didn't come it until late that night so he was going to go into the penseive some other time. Harry didn't care, he just wanted to sleep and get his questions answered. He didn't get either one that night, just a headache and a growing dread for potions the next day.

Harry sighed and rolled out of bed, falling face-first on the floor. He wasn't going to enjoy today. He didn't get enough sleep, he had a lot to think about and now he had class with Snape. Also his nose hurt now. He pulled his head up off the floor and saw some blood. Looking around he noticed he was the only one up so he got dressed and went down to the common room.

He decided to write to Remus and ask him who Lynne was and why those memories were painful for Sirius. Pulling out a piece of parchment and a quill, he sat down at a table and wondered how to word it. It took him a while, but he finally had everything written down just the way he wanted. He reread it one more time to make sure.

Remus,

I saw some of Sirius' memories last night and you're right, I do have a few questions. Who is Lynne Quenten? Why hasn't Sirius mentioned her to me before? He's told me all about the antics of the Marauders but he never mentioned her. If you don't think Sirius would have wanted me to know, just say so. I feel like I'm invading his privacy by having his penseive anyway.

Harry

P.S. I hope you're doing okay. Say hello to everyone for me.

He decided to go send his letter on his way to breakfast, seeing as he wouldn't get any more sleep. He groaned as he sat up. Today would be a long day. Ugh, oh well, no need for self-pity. Moving on!

Breakfast was good. Normal Hogwarts food. After a summer with the Dursleys, it was wonderful. He ate his fill and was just about to get up and go get his quidditch gear for a little flying when Ron and Hermione came in.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you. Listen, I asked Professor Macgonagal that question I was talking about yesterday and she said I can tell you what she said."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Well, that's helpful, seeing as we don't know what the question is. Honestly woman, will you ever learn to tell us what we're talking about at the beginning of our conversations?"

Harry chuckled and Hermione glared at him. "Oh you think you're so smart? Tell me, Ron, what did the thestrals look like yesterday?"

Ron thought for a moment and then his eyes went wide. "I don't know. I didn't see them." He got really excited then practically yelled, "I didn't see them, Harry! That means..."

Hermione shushed him just before he finished because Draco was headed their way. Harry felt dizzy; this meant falling through that veil didn't kill Sirius! But, why didn't he answer when he used the mirror? Maybe he didn't have it on him. Harry decided to send Hedwig out with a letter for Sirius in a few days. He needed to think about it a little more.

Draco swaggered over, his face contorted into a sneer. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the wannabe aurors! Fancy seeing you here."

Harry stifled a laugh; "This is our table Draco. It has been for the last six years. Are you really so slow that you can't catch on to that?"

Draco sneered at him. "You think you're so tough, do you? You'll see that you're nothing but a stupid git who's getting himself in way over his head. That's what happened to Black. One of these times, Potter, you aren't going to have Dumbledore around to pull you out and we'll just see who's king." He spun around and stalked over to his table.

Harry shook his head and went back to their earlier conversation. "So, neither one of you saw them? Does this mean what I think? Is he, is Sirius really...?" Harry couldn't make himself finish the thought; he'd get his hopes up if he did.

Hermione's expression changed. "I don't know, Harry. Macgonagal told me it might just mean he didn't die just by falling through. As for what it might mean in a positive way, well I guess we can only hope. Professor Dumbledore said to tell you not to exhaust your owl looking for him. He said to use your own gifts, whatever that means."

Harry smiled wistfully. "Well, I think it means to use the mirror that Sirius gave me last Christmas, but I broke it. I tried a repairing spell on it, but all that did was fix the glass, I need the charm back on it."

With that he got up to trudge up to his dorm for his books. He had potions first and then Defense against the Dark Arts. He looked up at the staff table on his way out and saw his new teacher talking with Professor Dumbledore and they both looked at him on his way out. That gave him the feeling that they were talking about him, so he walked even faster.

Going up the stairs, he started thinking about his headmaster. He was still very upset with him and didn't want to talk to him at all. He was the reason Sirius was dead, or whatever. If he had let him out of Grimmwauld Place every so often to at least stretch his legs, Harry wouldn't have lost the only family he had left. Harry would have the closest thing to a father he had ever known. Harry would have...

Harry looked up right in the middle of his thinking and noticed someone down the hall, someone that looked very familiar. She had honey-brown hair that went almost to her knees and she was laughing at the painting of Sir Cadogan. He walked up to her slowly, afraid that it might be some trick being played. She was taunting the knight and laughing so hard that she didn't notice him coming. He was a few feet from her when he finally spoke.

"Are you lost? Um, can I help you?" He asked uncertainly. He was still unsure about whether or not this was a trap.

She turned around, surprise showing on her face. "Oh! I didn't realize someone else was around. I'm sorry, I'll just, ah, be going." She blushed as she walked towards a door, then stopped. "Do you know your way around here? I can't quite seem to find my way."

Harry got a little more suspicious, how did she get here if she didn't know her way around? What was she doing wandering around a castle that had some very nasty traps for the inexperienced? Why did she look like someone known to be quite a bit older than she obviously was? She looked to be in her early twenties.

Lynne would be the same age as Sirius and Remus, give or take a year or two.

"Uh, yeah. I know my way around. Where are you going?" Just then he heard a noise behind him, turning around he saw that it was Mrs. Norris. "Oh, sod off you mangy old cat, I'm about to leave!" he turned back around shaking his head he turned back to ask the woman more about where she was going and found she wasn't there. Harry walked over to the door she had almost gone through and looked for any sign of her. Not a thing, no evidence at all that he had just talked to her. This troubled him, but he decided to go get his things before he was late to class.

Harry was still pondering his little experience when he went through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. "Must be mental." He mumbled to himself.

"Well, I'd say so if you're talking to yourself like that. Especially if you're intentionally late for Snape's class." Ginny said from the doorway to the girl's dorms. She smiled at him then came down the stairs. "Don't bother, Ron already got them for you. Where'd you go?"

Harry shook his head. "I'll tell you about it later. For right now I just want to get to class before I'm so late that that greasy git takes away all our points and leaves me with no way to do today's work."

Ginny nodded then walked with him to class, as hers was nearby. "Are you sure you're alright? I know a lot had happened the last few months, if you need someone to talk to about it all, come find me, alright?"

Harry smiled and nodded and headed into class.

"Well, well, Mr. Potter. I'm surprised to see that you made it through the o.w.l.s, I have to admit I didn't think you could. Next time, you might not be so lucky." He smirked at Harry, daring him to try anything back.

Harry just smiled politely and replied with, "Well, if I don't make it, I suppose I could get a job here at the school." This had the desired effect on the potions teacher, as they both knew Dumbledore would hire Harry. He grinned and sat down in his seat. He was pleased to see Snape looking at him warily. He was obviously looking forward to not having Harry around him in another two years. Harry felt the same way.

"Where were you this morning?" Ron looked worried about him. Harry shook his head. "Not now."

"Mr. Potter, if you're going to come to my class I suggest you pay attention. Five points from Gryffindor, for your obvious insubordination. Next time pay attention. Now, will you answer the question?"

Harry blushed, "I don't know what the question was, could you repeat it?" Everyone was staring at him and it made him uncomfortable.

Snape just raised his eyebrow and growled, "What is the proper way to prepare a wolf's liver for a petrifaction potion?"

Harry glared at him. This was some way to get him to start thinking about Sirius. "I don't know, with onions and a frying pan? I hear that's a pretty popular way of cooking liver in America." Hermione gasped and the rest of the class giggled.

Snape's eyes narrowed and his face went white. "Do not mock me Potter. Fifty points from Gryffindor and you will leave my class now." Harry stormed out and went straight to Hagrid's hut. He needed someone to talk to and Hagrid was better than anyone else available right now. He went up to the door and pounded on it.

"Just a minute. Bloody hell, whoever's out there makin' such a racket on my door better 'ave a good reason!" Hagrid yelled from inside. His voice sounded like he'd just woken up and Harry felt bad about that. Hagrid opened the door and his face went from anger to shock. "Oi! Harry, come on in. I thought I'd see you today. What's the matter? You've ne'er pounded on my door quite like tha' before."

Harry didn't quite know where to start. Everything had just seemed to pile up on him. First the article he had read this summer about Sirius fighting AGAINST Harry and falling through the veil (It wasn't very nice, Harry had almost lost control again after he read that), then the penseive, now Snape was goading him about Sirius. Harry almost couldn't stand it. Everything just spilled out and Hagrid poured him some tea and just listened. Harry noticed when he mentioned Lynne that Hagrid paled a little, but he didn't want to mention that now, he'd find out more in the penseive.

When Harry finished Hagrid sat for a minute and took it all in. Finally he broke the silence. "Well, Harry. I really don' know what to say. I mean, it's bad enou' that he goes aroun' tormentin' you and yer friends jus' because of summat yer father did, but now he's gone too far. I'm goin' to talk to Dumbledore abou' this. Sirius is off limits. I'm also gonna let 'im know that if he e'er decides to talk abou' that subject with you again that I'm goin' ta have a little talk with him." Hagrid was completely sincere and Harry felt better just by hearing those words. He smiled and went and gave Hagrid a big hug.

Harry was about to speak when there was a knock at the door. Hagrid made a gesture that he wasn't expecting company and went to open it while Harry sat back down. A warm feminine voice spoke as soon as the door opened. "Hagrid, are you threatening teachers again? I wish you'd let me do it. I haven't been able to do that since I was in school."

Hagrid burst in to a big smile and picked up the woman and brought her inside. Harry recognized her as his new teacher, Professor Thorpe. She was fairly pretty, he noticed. Soft brown curls that fell just around her face, full lips, dark brown eyes, and an athletic body. She smiled at him. "Alright, Hagrid. I can walk; you can put me down. So how's everything going with Olympe? She told me that you two were a bit of an item now." Hagrid blushed a little and Ms. Thorpe smiled even bigger. She turned to Harry. "Ahh, you must be Harry, I've heard a lot about you. Actually I need to talk to you. Professor Dumbledore would like to continue you defense classes, under a different name of course, and I'm supposed to be there to help when you need it and instruct you in a few things."

Harry was surprised. "Huh? Instruct me in what?" She smiled at him.

"Well, getting your occulemense lessons going. I know you'd probably want professor Dumbledore to do it, but he's really swamped right now and I offered. You can still have him teach you if you want, I just thought you might let me help. I'm really rather good at it. Once you get too good for me then you could move on to Professor Dumbledore. What do you say?"

Harry was a little skeptical. What if she saw anything about the Order, or Sirius? He couldn't risk that. He started to shake his head when Hagrid spoke up. "She's in the Order, Harry. No need to worry about that."

Her eyes went a little wider. "Oh, I forgot to mention that. I'm sorry. Yes I'm in the order, I have been for about twelve months now and I was getting to be friends with Sirius, when he... ah. Never mind. Anyway, if you don't want me to teach you, that's fine. I can however repair the damage that Snape did last year. Bloody git. Ugh, I can't believe he did that! Anyway, what do you say?"

Harry couldn't think of any reason not to, so he agreed and they left for her first class together. She was nice and funny and told him about the school she had gone to until they got there.

They were both early so they went into her office to talk some more about the defense classes. "Alright, what do you think they need to learn about this first meeting? Is there anything you need coaching with?" Professor Thorpe sat down at her desk and looked up at him.

Harry glanced around and thought for a moment. She had a pretty nice office. Like the teachers before her and yet completely different. She had a painting of a mountain scene on the wall, pictures of her and friends waving at him from the frames, articles on captures framed (only a few she's not completely conceited. She is proud of her work, though), some instruments like Harry had never seen before and a belt with a holster on it hung next to the door. Harry did a double take at this. A gun? At Hogwarts? He shook his head and turned back to her. Before he could speak she smiled and cut him off. "I find it's useful to carry one around, magic can't work in every situation. I also don't want to only rely on magic to get me through everything. I've had to get muggles to back off and pulling out a wand isn't effective. All they see is you pointing a stick at them. They don't deserve to get a hex put on them because they're ignorant of the situation, do they?"

Harry nodded and smiled. He was about to tell her what he wanted for the meetings but he heard Hermione yelling in the classroom. Professor Thorpe rolled her eyes and stood up with a groan. "Yay, a new day of teaching. This should be interesting. I wonder who's going to come out on top, me or my new students?" She opened the door and everything went quiet. When she opened the door Harry noticed that the entire classroom was covered in chocolate pudding and the students were frozen in mid-duel. Ron, Hermione, and Neville had their backs to each other and Slytherins surrounded them. Professor Thorpe barely held back a smirk. "Welcome to your first class with me, folks. I trust that everything and everyone can make it to their rightful places?" With a wave of her wand the pudding disappeared and students filed towards their desks. "Now, I'm going to act like that didn't happen. Be grateful because I will only do that once. I don't want any dueling in my classroom without my consent and supervision. Is that clear? Yes well, I see you've managed the finer points to this, now I just need to know how far your knowledge goes and we'll take up your lessons from there. So, who would like to go first?"

Of course Hermione was the first one to speak, which she did at great length, and she told Professor Thorpe everything that had been taught to them. The professor just raised an eyebrow to this girl knowing it all off the top of her head and smiled and nodded. When Hermione (finally) finished the new professor gave her an impressed look and said, "Wow. That's great, however there is still much to learn. We'll get into that later though. I suppose you would like me to tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Helena Thorpe, as you know, I am usually an auror. I'm 26 years old. I'm American, although I did go to school here for a few years. In fact I was in Professor Snape's first class ever, so you do the math. I did go to another school in Arizona, that's my home state, but I wasn't there for long due to an unfortunate incident involving a dung bomb and a horrible old teacher at a school dance. It wasn't my fault, I swear." Everyone giggled at this, "Anyway, um, I do like being an auror. It's a great job and I'll help any of you who want to become one. Just ask, okay? I'm pretty familiar with the muggle world, more familiar than most wizards are, actually.

Anyway, I don't have a lesson planned for today so you may stay in my classroom if you wish or go about your business elsewhere for the rest of the hour. Tomorrow, however, you will have a lesson. So class dismissed and it's nice to meet all of you. Mr. Potter, can we finish our earlier discussion after the classes are finished for the day?" Harry nodded and everyone started milling around.

Professor Thorpe made the rounds, talking to her new students and making them laugh. Everyone really seemed to enjoy her.

Harry turned to Hermione. "What was all that about earlier? Pudding?"

Ron laughed. "It was one of my spells. Fred taught it to me, said it might come in handy some day. I guess he was right, huh?" Harry laughed and looked away.

The rest of the day went by rather fast for Harry. He ended up with a mountain of homework to do, but he still had to go talk to Thorpe. Dropping his books off in his room, he noticed that the penseive had been moved. He looked around for any clues to how this had happened and found none, so he locked it inside Ron's trunk and went to find him and tell him before going to see Professor Thorpe. Catching up with him at the Quidditch field he explained quickly how it had been moved and such and that people wouldn't expect to find it in Ron's trunk and then set off for his meeting.

He go to the classroom and heard yelling coming from inside the office, Snape was in there. "Well, I wouldn't have to do this if you hadn't basically attacked his mind with a crowbar and a hammer. I can't believe that you could be so childish as to do this to his son!"

Snape yelled back, "Oh, you have no idea how much those two are alike, both so arrogant and self-important. That boy is more like him than you think. I'm just trying to teach him a lesson. It isn't my fault if he has a weak mind."

Thorpe yelled back "I'll be the one to judge that. Your teaching position is in jeopardy here. If you had taught him properly Sirius wouldn't be where he is now. Harry doesn't have a weak mind, he's stronger than you are! You're just an arrogant prick who thinks that Harry owes him something. Well, you know what? You owe Harry. His father saved your life, and then Harry saved your life that first time he stopped Voldemort!"

"Don't you presume to think that you're powerful enough to say his name and get away with it! The Dark Lord has more power at his disposal than you'll ever dream! You are even more foolish than I thought to go around yelling it for everyone to hear!"

"No, you're foolish enough to go around believing that rubbish. It isn't even his real name! How much of an idiot do you have to be to fall for that crap?! I'm going to build Harry's defenses back up and you better hope that I don't consider this more damage than your job is worth or I'll go straight to the headmaster myself."

Snape was quiet for a moment then said "Albus knows where my loyalties lie. I'm more valuable than you think. He wouldn't fire me, not when I'm his source of information as to what Voldemort is planning next."

"Yeah? Well if you're so loyal to him, why would you break the defenses of the one person who can stop Voldemort? Why would you let some childhood grudge get in the way of doing what's right? You shouldn't even be teaching him anything. Oh, and if you ever goad Harry about Sirius again, I'll personally tear your heart out and feed it to the thestrals. You can go now, and don't say anything at all to Harry on your way out, do you understand me?"

Snape opened the door and looked back at her. "You talk to me as if I were a child."

She leaned over the desk and smiled; "If the shoe fits..." Snape whirled around and stormed out the door. Leaving a very amused professor and an uncomfortable Harry in his wake. She looked up at Harry, "Come on in. I guess we should get started. As you just heard, I need to see how far the damage has gone, so this will be very exhausting for both of us."

Harry went and sat down in the chair opposite her. "You knew I was there? How did you know?" She shrugged and got some pillows from her closet and tossed them on the ground around him.

"Okay, the first thing I need to do won't take very long, just some probing. I don't need you to fight this one off, just relax, alright?" Harry nodded and she spoke softly. "Legimense." It was much different than when Snape did this. It was soft, more perusing, not attacking violently like Snape did. Harry woke up on the floor and looked up at her. Anger was showing through on her face. She gained control of herself and smiled at him. He started to rise and she shook her head. "Better stay down there, you'll probably end up that way anyway. Alright now I know what I have to work on, which is quite a bit, so now comes the hard part. You need to fight me off this time, alright? I'll start off slow and we'll work our way up."

Harry thought she was mad at him by the look on her face when he woke up. "Professor, are you mad at me? I saw that look on your face, you're definitely mad about something."

She shook her head. "Harry, first of all call me Helena during the lessons. I'm still uncomfortable with the title. Second of all, Severus did a lot of damage to you. You don't realize how much. I'm going to have another little talk with him tonight. We'll both need to work hard for your defenses to get better. Tonight I'll give you an exercise to do before you go to bed. I understand that Severus gave you instructions on what to do before bed but he never told you to go about it. Now, get ready, we're gonna go again. Ready? Okay. Legimense."

Scenes flashed before Harry's eyes. Dudley fighting a boy who tried to befriend Harry in second grade. Marge blowing up like a balloon, Sirius laughing in Grimmwauld place, Cho crying in Madam Puddifoot's. Harry suddenly got the urge to fight back and waved his wand. "Protego!" he yelled.

Suddenly things went in reverse. He started seeing her life. Christmas surrounded by people, crawling through a tunnel and looking back at a smiling boy, picking flowers in vibrant hues, pointing a wand at a dementor. She stopped it and smiled. "Very good. You're catching on to how this works. I've been told that you're good at throwing off the Imperius? Well, it's along the same type of defense that you need to master. Do you have any questions?"

Harry was panting from the exertion of what he just did. The only thing he could think of was those flowers. "What kind of flowers were those? The ones in your memories."

Helena laughed. "Well, not a question I expected to be asked, but I'll answer it. The only name I've heard them called is Indian Paintbrushes. They grow wild in this little field about a mile away from where I grew up. I guess you can see why I want you to call me by my first name, right? I mean, if you and I are going to be seeing each other's memories, it makes sense to be on a first name basis."

Harry nodded, she had a point. "Alright, let's go again. I've caught my breath and I'm ready to go." He laid his head back on the pillow and looked up at her. She walked out a little bit turned around and said it again. This time Harry was ready for it. She didn't even get the word over with before Harry had built his defense. She winced and laughed.

"Very good. You're getting the idea of what you have to do! I think that's enough of that for one day. Now we'll work on that exercise for you to do before bed. Ready?" Harry nodded. "Alright. Completely relax. Close your eyes and feel your body relax. Once you've done that, picture a chalkboard in your mind. Now put all of your thoughts and feelings on the chalkboard, if any new thought come up, put them there, too. This will take a minute so I'll wait. Once you've done that, tell me and I'll go on." Harry took a while to do as she asked. He kept having to think about putting thoughts on the chalkboard and then more thoughts would pop up. Finally he felt like he was ready. He nodded. "Alright, now imagine yourself erasing those thoughts. They're being wiped away, not bothering you or keeping you awake. Just disappearing. If any new thoughts come up, erase them. They don't matter right now. Just keep the chalkboard clear." She stopped talking for a few minutes and then Harry heard her speak softly, "Now imagine the chalkboard disappearing, it's not there anymore. Just light, nothing else. You don't have any worries, no feelings, nothing at all." Harry felt himself completely relax and drift off into sleep.

She woke him some time later. "Food's here. I had the house elves bring it in my office for you so that you didn't have to go far." Harry was surprised. He felt great! Like he had a full night's sleep. Getting up, he realized why she had his dinner in here. His body was almost unresponsive. Helena was amused. "My teacher taught me that one when I was going through auror training. It's the most effective way I've found. Does leave you a bit groggy, doesn't it?" Harry nodded and took a bite of his food. "So, I hear you want to be an auror? It's a good job. You'll have to make it through potions first. If you can get through two more years with Snape, you can make it through anything."

Harry looked up at her. "Helena, what all do you do in training? How do you go about everything?" She told him all about the training and the job. Harry listened to everything and before they realized it, it was ten o'clock. Harry was disappointed to have to go back to his dorm. Helena escorted him, though, to keep Filch from giving Harry a detention. They walked back to his dorm in silence. "Helena? You said you were one of Snape's first students. Why does he hate you?" Harry stopped and looked at her quizzically.

Helena smiled and her eyes dropped to the floor. "Well, let's just say that my friends and I weren't the nicest people to him. In fact, I got thrown out and had to go to school in America because of something I did. I kind of regret it now. It was something stupid, mean, and absolutely hilarious." They resumed walking and stopped again in front of the portrait hole.

"Like what?" Harry asked before going in. "What did you do to get thrown out of Hogwarts?" Helena just shook her head, said goodnight and walked back to her classroom.

Harry went straight up to his room and laid down on his bed. She wasn't kidding when she said he'd get worn out. Never the less, he felt like he had made a friend that night. He practiced the chalkboard exercise and fell into a deep sleep.

A/N: Sorry this one took so long. I had a really bad illness. Anyway, I'm better now... mostly. I still have a huge headache. The kind my mother told me could kill a mule. (And yet I live. I have yet to figure out if this is a good thing or a bad thing.) Yup, horrible headache and here I am, writing to my devoted fans about it all. Whining is more like it. Ugh. Anyway, I truly am sorry that I couldn't get this out sooner. I swear this stuff is like crack. So, what shall we call it, hmm? Fancrack? Nah, not catchy enough. Harry Crack! Somehow I don't think Ms. Rowling would appreciate that, might just be me. Anyway, review and tell me what to call it. Next chapter goes back into the penseive, I swear. Also, Snape gets a little present from a fellow teacher. A present he really wants to return to the giver. What kind of present you ask? Could be a lot of things. A kiss, a pink silk teddy, maybe even a swift kick in the... Stay tuned for another exciting adventure of SUPER HARRY!!!

Really, guys, five chapters and five reviews? I'm beginning to think I suck. No, really. I am.