Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K Rowling.
As they sat in the abandoned common room the next day (they were skipping dinner, it didn't matter because the house elves were happy to provide nourishment), Harry told them about his escapade in the Forest.
"Harry are you mad? Do you realize you could've been bitten? Or you could've died! If that man had found you," Hermione started scolding even before Harry's mouth had shut.
"YOU TRUSTED A SNAKE?!" Ron yelled. "Harry, it was a SNAKE! The mascot for Slytherin! How d'you know that it wasn't just a trick from You- Know-Who?" Ron thundered. Harry's blood instantly ran cold. He hadn't even thought of that. Hermione caught sight of his startled face.
"Harry, Voldemort- yes Ron, I said his name!" Hermione said to Ron, who had gone white and twitched. She looked at Harry again with a softer expression. "Look Harry, Voldemort knows you! He can see in your mind," Hermione and Ron shuddered here, "and he knows you! He's counting on you playing off your emotions and playing the hero!" Hermione said pleadingly. The more she spoke, the stupider Harry felt.
"Let's just go to class." Harry sighed. Transfiguration just got harder and harder. They were supposed to transfigure mice into teacups, but Harry's mouse just curled it's tail like a handle and squealed. Hermione's however, transfigured instantly into a blue teacup with mint tea. Ron's turned orange and ran in circles. They were just leaving when Harry literally walked into Snape.
"Potter, you have detention with me tomorrow due to our discussion after the first class of the term. At seven, be in my office." Snape drawled.
"Yes Professor." Harry said automatically. Snape was only a few feet away when Harry mumbled, "Git." Snape whirled around.
"For that, I shall deduct," He didn't get to finish.
"SILENCIO!" Harry shouted. Snape looked indignant. 'Counter spell!' Snape mouthed. Harry shook his head and walked away, followed by a shocked Hermione and Ron. When they were safely back in the common room, Hermione glared at Harry.
"I guess there was more to your little discussion than you let on Harry." She said coolly. Harry shrugged.
"Listen, I've got to get something. I'll be back soon." Harry said quickly, hurrying up into his dorm. He put the Pensieve on the bed, closed the curtains around himself, and looked in.
A stag was prancing proudly through the sleeping town of Hogsmeade. To its left was a shaggy black dog, its tongue lolling out of its mouth, then it suddenly retreated back into the mouth and the head lifted regally, with the air of a king. Harry smirked at Sirius's attitude. The stag tossed its head and the dog grinned, its tongue falling out again in a comical fashion. There was a snarl from behind them, and Harry heard squeaking. The squeaking came from a rat, which suddenly darted between Harry's legs. Chasing after it was a full grown werewolf, howling loudly. Harry's skin prickled and his hair seemed to stand on end. He stepped closer to the stag for protection. The dog bounded back towards the werewolf, and they danced up on their hind legs, clashing in the air. The stag drifted back, cutting in between the two. The werewolf (which Harry knew was Remus) jumped up on James, biting deep into the flesh. The dog snarled and leapt onto the werewolf, knocking it to the ground. It got up quickly and snarled at the dog. Suddenly, the stag knocked into its shoulder. The werewolf, jostled, stared in astonishment at the stag. Sirius rammed Remus's other shoulder. Instantly, the eyes of the werewolf seemed more human. It sat on its haunches and howled to the moon. Sirius threw back his head and sent up his own long, shivery howl. The stag tossed its gaze up to the stars and bellowed a deep, regal sound. There was another sound, the squeaking of a rat that stood next to Sirius's leg. Sirius looked down mockingly at it, and snapped at it. The rat squealed and disappeared into the shadows. James nudged Sirius and threw back his head to show he was laughing. The dog smile reappeared.
Harry sat back on his bed languidly, remembering vividly his dad's memories. Something was nagging him. He slipped the Invisibility Cloak on and went down to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was skinning a rabbit outside his front door while Fang lounged in a patch of sunlit grass. Harry removed his cloak.
"Hey Hagrid!" Harry called. Hagrid looked up and grinned.
"'Ello there, Harry. Good ter see you."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
"That...that snake, that Slyyeri snake, where is it?"
"Oh, e's been hanging around the edge of the Forest fer now. Dunno why. They usually stay hidden deep in." Hagrid returned to skinning the rabbit.
"Oh, okay, thank," Harry stopped.
I wondered when you'd come. The snake hissed, slithering into view. Hagrid looked surprised.
"Why were you wondering?" Harry asked. Hagrid shifted uneasily in his seat.
"I'll be seein' you Harry." He said quickly, vanishing inside the hut with Fang at his heels.
I knew you'd feel uneasssy about my help. I mussst tell you Potter, that we Slyyeri are very loyal to thossse who do right.
"How do you know who's right?" The snake cocked its head.
We know that that man isss bad. Hisss heart is asss black asss night in the Foressst. But your causse isss asss white and pure asss unicorn blood. The Slytherin's know we are not their alliesss, and they do not like usss for it. We are widely known to support the good caussesss.
"So you want to help me?"
Yesss. That man in the Foressst was not what you thought he wasss. Now go back to your cassstle. You may tell your friendsss I mean no harm. The snake reassured him with what looked like as close to a smile a snake could get.
"Wait! Do you have a name?" Harry asked.
Slyr. Then the snake slithered back into the Forest and disappeared from view. Harry returned to the castle. Hermione and Ron were still in front of the fire. Harry quickly explained about Slyr.
"I'm surprised you didn't find that in your reading." Harry teased Hermione. She turned red and muttered about how that did sound familiar. Harry went back to his room and pulled out the Pensieve again. After staring deep into it for a few seconds, his mother's face emerged.
James and Lily were sitting a small restaurant in Hogsmeade. (Harry could tell because across the street was The Three Broomsticks.)
"Thanks for coming Ev- I mean Lily." James said sincerely, immediately hiding his face by taking a sip out of the cup in front of him. Lily grinned.
"It was hard to ignore and refuse the three roses that were stuck to my pillow, the pieces of parchment that were stuck in my notebooks, the singing knight in armor that followed me for three corridors, and the fact that Sirius kept following me and going 'Come on Evans, you know you want to.'" James laughed. Harry grinned and moved closer.
"Was it a tough choice? Deciding whether to come or not?" James asked. Lily's emerald eyes sparkled with mirth.
"You bet your life, Potter. I was debating right up until we met up outside the castle thirty minutes ago." James grinned.
"What made you decide to come?"
"Thinking about mocking you after this." Lily teased.
"Am I that bad?" James asked somewhat ruefully.
"Hmm..." Lily said, appearing to be deep in thought. It wasn't looking too good for James when her mouth turned into a frown. Suddenly, James leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. When he pulled away, Lily was smiling. She opened her eyes and stared at him.
"Not bad at all."
Harry was grinning stupidly when he emerged from his dad's memory. He flopped back on his bed and stared at the ceiling for five minutes before putting away the Pensieve. Suddenly, the door banged open and Ron came in, flanked by Hermione.
"Hey Harry, now that you're done with watching your dad's memories, wanna go and practice Quidditch?" Ron asked. Harry noticed Hermione was bundled up and had a large book under one arm, and that Ron was pulling on warm clothes and grabbing his broomstick.
"Sure. Let's go." Harry said, threw on some warmer clothes, grabbed his Firebolt, and headed out to the pitch.
Lupin was sitting in front of Dumbledore, whose electric blue eyes were misty with thought.
"I must ask you once more, to abandon this dream, Remus." Dumbledore pleaded calmly.
"I can't." Remus said quickly.
"Lupin, I beg you. Don't do this to Harry."
"It'll help him!" Lupin pressed, rising from his chair.
"It'll cause more harm than good!" Dumbledore insisted.
"We've both lost a lot, Albus! I want something back. I've given what I have to give. Now I'm taking something that's within reach." Remus said quietly, striding over to the door and slamming it shut behind him. Albus Dumbledore rubbed his tired eyes and shook his head.
Please review! I'm not sure when I post next, I'm going on vacation for a few days. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!