Author's Notes: The Rotten Writer, here once again, ladies and gents with another, faster, update for Soul Scars.
Now, I know I said before that this chapter would see us looking reaching Halloween, but I realized as I was writing that I had enough things to do and enough stuff to lay out that the title length was really starting to get out of hand. We're at a little shy of 12k words in length as it is and if I'd added in the extra for Halloween, I swear this thing would have topped two updates ago for longest chapter yet, and that one was almost 19k in length. So, I figured I would do the smart thing and find a good stopping point here so that it wouldn't get too unwieldy and we'll hit Halloween next time, I swear.
I know I'm leaving a lot of unanswered questions with this chapter, but hey, that kinda seems to be what I do. Some characters are going to have a very bad day in the not too distant future, I'm sure you're all looking forward to it.
Anyway, I didn't really have too much else to say before jumping into things, just wanted to address quickly some reviewers concerns. Yes, the relationship situation is… tricky, at best, at the moment. But I do have a specific reason for doing things as I have been, and I promise it WILL all make sense in the end. I understand some people are getting frustrated with the, apparently, asinine mistakes made by some of our characters here, but as mature as I've written them, they ARE still kids. They WILL make mistakes, some monumentally dumb ones to us more mature readers. But things will be worked out in the end, I assure you.
Disclaimer: I still own nothing, not even the house I live in.
With that said, here is chapter 34 of Soul Scars!
Soul Scars Part Three
The Greengrass Problem
By,
Rtnwriter
"Am I still in exile?"
Emma Granger looked up from her spot at the kitchen table to see her husband peeking around the doorway, as if worried she would throw something at him.
"You were never in exile," she said, laughing lightly at his behavior. "You just need to trust that our daughter knows her father. When she says you don't want to know, you should respect that.
He sighed, coming the rest of the way into the room and took a seat across from her at the table.
"I know," he admitted. "It's just… even if I don't want to know… she's my little girl, and if something is wrong, well, I do want to know, ya know?"
Her smile was understanding, and she reached across the table to grasp his hand. "I know, love, and that is part of what makes you such a wonderful father, and husband. But don't forget, she has two parents. This particular situation… I wouldn't say that something is wrong exactly, but she was concerns and questions and, really, this is the kind of thing she needs her mum for."
Dan did appear particularly happy with that explanation but squeezed his wife's hand.
"She didn't say I couldn't know," he tried and then had to quickly continue before she could speak. "Just, hear me out," he begged. "You've read her letter at least three times by now, I would imagine. I'd trust your judgement. I just want to know what's going on in my daughters life and help any way I can."
"I know, Dan," she said, sighing quietly before she settled back to consider his point, chewing idly on her lower lip for a moment.
"Our daughter is fourteen-years-old," she said. "She's growing up and her… relationships with the people around her are going to change as time goes on."
Dan arched a brow at that. "I wouldn't have thought that Harry would be emotionally stable enough for relationship thoughts to even occur to him."
"Not Harry."
"Oh?"
She nodded, her lips twisting into a grin. "You owe me ten pounds."
He blinked, pausing for a moment before his other eyebrow joined the first. "Oh!" He shifted a bit nervously in his seat. "Amelia was right, then?"
"Seems that way."
"So… a girlfriend."
"No."
"Wait…. What? You said…"
"She's not dating anyone, but… well, something came up and Hermione now has questions. She's not sure, and really doesn't know how she feels about the whole thing."
"And there's not a lot we can do to help her."
"Actually, there is. I'm going to do my best to offer advice, and you're going to love and support her, just as you always have. Like I said before, we're not always going to be able to help her with everything, but we'll always be her parents and she'll always be our daughter."
He hesitated for a moment before nodding, seemingly resigned.
"Anyway, unless you have any other questions, I'm going to get started on a response."
"Just one. Who?"
"It was Daphne," she replied after a moments thought. "They've had some more open discussions recently and some things came out." She decided to let Dan think that this was all a result of some feelings being expressed aloud, no reason to upset him with the thought of his little girl kissing someone.
"I like Daphne," he admitted before he took a deep breath and pushed himself to his feet. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Please make sure to tell her I love her?"
"Always," she said, smiling brightly at him before he turned and left the kitchen.
After he was gone, Emma grabbed some stationary and a pen and then picked up Hermione's letter to read through it one last time before she wrote back and, ten minutes later, she picked up her pen and started to write. She didn't really notice the passage of time, only that she went through several versions of the letter, restarting several times, before she was eventually left with something nearly four pages long that she hoped would be helpful.
She read through the letter a few times, her brow furrowed and her teeth worrying at her lower lip in thought before she nodded, satisfied with what she'd written. She folded the stacked sheets of stationary and then stuffed them into an envelope before sealing it. That done, she left the kitchen and made her way quietly through the house, keeping an ear out for her husband, who she eventually found in the living room watching a Manchester United game on the telly.
That'll keep him distracted for a bit, she thought and quickly moved upstairs and slipped into Hermione's bedroom. Across the room, she opened the closet door and turned on the light before she moved to the back and dug around beneath one of the shelves for a cardboard box she'd stashed there the day after Hermione had left to go back to school. Box and letter both firmly in hand, she went back out into the hall and listened at the top of the stairs for a moment before she crept her way into the guest room and set the box on the armchair in front of the fireplace.
"Binky?" she called to the empty air in front of her and a moment later a crack sounded as the sharply dressed Bones family house elf appeared in front of her.
"Lady Grangy calls for Binky? How cans Binky be helping?"
Emma smiled down and the little elf and dropped down to her knees so she was closer to his height.
"Yes, thank you for coming, Binky. Is Madame Bones at home? And if so, would she be available for me to come by for a visit?"
"Binky be checking. One moment, please, Lady Grangy." He snapped his fingers and disappeared with another crack. Less than a minute later a large, emerald green flame bloomed to life in the fireplace and Emma stood moments before Amelia stepped out, dressed in a casual set of robes with her hair tied loosely back in a ponytail and no sign of her usual monocle.
"Morning, Emma. Is everything okay?"
"Well enough," Emma replied, moving forward to greet the other woman with a friendly hug. "Mind if I come over and chat for a bit? I was also hoping I might ask a small favor?"
"Absolutely, I'd love some company. I was just finishing a letter to Susan and I have no other plans for the day. Is Dan coming as well?"
Emma shook her head. "No, I thought this was better kept between us women. And besides, he's distracted watching a Football game right now, anyway."
Amelia gave her a quizzical look but pushed aside her questions and led the way to the fireplace. After throwing in a pinch of Floo powder and calling out the destination, she took Emma by the arm and the two of them stepped into the flames, vanishing quickly.
When they arrived at the Boneyard, Amelia helped steady Emma, who tripped slightly over the exit, and the two of them moved through the house to the sitting room where Binky had already set out a tea service and a tray filled with biscuits and scones.
"That little guy really is amazing," Emma comments as they sat and set about serving themselves.
"He is," Amelia agreed. "I honestly don't know how I'd manage without him. This house is way too big just for Susan and I, and even with Harry here they're at school for so much of the year the place just feels empty."
"Why live here then? From what you've said over the last couple of years I don't imagine you'd be unable to move to someplace smaller."
"No, that wouldn't be a problem at all, logistically or financially, at least," Amelia admitted, frowning into her tea cup for a moment. "This building has belonged to the Bones family for generations. There's a long tradition of the Head of the family residing here. Susan will be the next Head of House Bones and this place is her birthright. Besides that, the entire repository of knowledge for the Bones family magic is here and cannot be taken off the property."
Emma nodded, not really sure how to respond to that and a few moments later Amelia set down her cup and leaned back in her seat, her deep blue eyes focusing completely on her guest.
"So, what was it you wanted to discuss?"
"Well, I received a letter from Hermione this morning. Susan didn't happen to send you anything, did she?"
Amelia's lips turned up into a small smirk.
"Oh, yes, she did. She was quite pleased to inform me that she finally laid one on Daphne."
"Did she mention how that all came about?"
"She did, actually. I'm not so sure that was the best plan she could have come up with, it seems like it all could have gone south in a big way if Daphne hadn't had a moment of panic and practically attacked your daughter. But it seems like everything worked out okay in the end."
"Well, to an extent. From Hermione's letter it at least seems like they're all closer and planning to start opening up more to Harry, which can only be good."
"But?" Amelia asked in a knowing tone and Emma couldn't hold in a sigh.
"But, Hermione is now more than a little confused. She doesn't know what she really thinks of this concept of possibly being with the other girls, more than just as very close friends. She mentioned in her letter the idea that people bonded as they are isn't possible if they couldn't be, but she's never even considered the idea before so now she's questioning, if she could feel what Daphne does, would it really be her, or would the bond have changed her somehow so they'd fit together better?" Emma shrugged. "In the end, I don't know that it really matters, as long as they're happy, but she's worried and doesn't know exactly how to go about deciding for herself what she wants."
"Well, it's not for us to decide that for them. All we can do is try to offer whatever support and advice we can and let them find their own way." Amelia reached across the coffee table between them and gave Emma's hand a comforting squeeze. "Hermione is an extremely bright and caring girl. I already know she'll wonder and agonize over this issue far longer than she needs to. But in the end, I'm sure she'll make the decision that's right for her and for those people that she loves, whatever that may be."
Emma didn't answer but offered a weak smile.
"Anyway," Amelia said, briskly as she took her hand back and took up her cup of tea again. "You mentioned a favor? What was it you needed?"
"Yes, I have a letter and a package I need to… oh, shoot!" Emma turned as she started talking to pick up the box she'd dug out from Hermione's closet but paused when she noticed she'd forgotten it back at her house. "I forgot to grab it on our way here," she muttered, glaring at the empty space next to her seat as if the box would somehow materialize just because she wished it too.
"Where did you leave it?"
"On the arm chair in our… well, our Floo Access room, I guess," Emma laughed. "Can't exactly use it as a guest bedroom anymore with that fireplace in there."
"Oh, you still can," Amelia smirked. "When I got your house hooked to the Floo network I also warded the area around it so muggles wouldn't be able to see it. If your mother wanted to visit she could easily stay in your guest room and she'll never see the fireplace." She paused for a moment as a thought struck her. "By the way, if your mother or someone does ever drop by, do let me know and I'll come over and shut off the Floo temporarily. She wont see the fireplace, but someone walking out of it would appear with no explanation in the room, and that might be difficult to get around."
Emma laughed at the mental picture that conjured up and nodded. "Duly noted. Anyway, there's a cardboard box with a letter on top of it on the armchair in the room," she explained and Amelia nodded.
"Binky!" she called.
"Mistress Bonsey calls for Binky?"
"Yes, could you please pop back over to the Granger home and bring us the box and letter that Missus Granger left on the armchair in their upstairs guest room? I would greatly appreciate it."
Binky vanished with a crack and reappeared less than a second later, the box with the sealed letter on top floating in front of him.
"Cans Binky be doing anything else for yous, Mistress Bonsey?" he asked as he set both on the coffee table.
"No, thank you, Binky. This is plenty."
The little elf nodded, then disappeared with another crack.
"I finished putting together a response to Hermione just a little while ago and this box, I've been… collecting a few things, just in case, since we had that discussion during their first Christmas break from school. Ever since you said this might happen, I wanted to be prepared for the possibility," Emma explained, nodding toward the box on the table.
Amelia glanced at the box for a moment before shooting a look toward Emma who simply gestured for her to open it. Lifting the lid, she set it aside and then looked into the, now open, box, reaching in to sift through a few of the times even as a grin spread across her face and her eyes danced with mirth.
"Oh, god," she burst out, laughing. "She's either going to love you or hate you."
Emma's smirk was decidedly mischievous. "Or both," she pointed out and Amelia nodded, still laughing.
"Oh, yes, both is a distinct possibility."
After the two of them got their amusement under control, Amelia put the lid back on the box and sat back.
"Are you sure all of that is a good idea?" she asked. "She is only fourteen."
Emma shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Yes, she's still young, but these are the years when kids start to discover who they are and what they want. This is the time when their more adult personalities start to really develop, and, let's face it, our four have always been more adult than most any other kids their age."
Amelia let out a sigh at that, but couldn't help but agree.
"True enough, I suppose." She reached out and placed a hand on top of the box. "So I'm going to assume the favor you mentioned was shrinking this down so Archimedes can deliver it?"
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble. I don't want to take advantage of you just for posting things to my daughter."
Amelia waved her off, her wand already in hand. "It's no trouble at all, Emma, really. A shrinking charm is a simple enough thing and I was already going to be sending a letter back to Susan today, anyway. It's no issue to add your letter and this little package." With a quick motion and a muttered 'reducio' the box shrank down to the size of a deck of playing cards and she tied it with a piece of twine supplied by Binky so it wouldn't open while in transit and set both it and the letter off to the side. "Soon as I finish up my letter to Susan, I'll send these along with."
Emma let out a relieved sigh and flashed her with a broad smile in thanks. They chatted for a bit longer, enjoying their tea and some friendly conversation before Emma glanced at her watch.
"Well, I should be getting back and let you finish your letter. I didn't mean to take up so much of your time."
"Nonsense. Any time, Emma, you know my home is always open to you and Dan. Hell, Hermione practically lives here too."
Emma laughed as she stood and the two women started their way toward the Floo. "Yes, it has been a little more difficult than it used to be to get her to come along on our summer vacations. Maybe we should invite the other kids to join us next time? We were thinking of going to Nice next summer and maybe spend a few days in Italy as well, but we haven't really decided yet."
"Would you two be all right with all four of them? I'm not sure I could get away from work for the two weeks your trips usually last. There are some downsides to being the boss."
"Oh we'd be fine, I would think. It's not like they're toddlers that need constant supervision."
"True enough. Well, I would insist on paying for Harry and Susan's travel, and I'm sure we could work out Daphne as long as her parents approve the trip. We'll figure it out as it gets closer."
"Sounds good to me." Emma paused at the fireplace, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment while she thought. "Why don't you come over for dinner, tonight?" she asked, suddenly.
Amelia blinked, a little surprised by the abrupt offer.
"Seriously. You've had Dan and I over so many times already since we met. You should come over and have dinner with us. We'll open a bottle of wine or two and have a pleasant evening. You just said a little while ago how empty this place feels with the kids gone, come spend some time with us, get you out of this house for something other than work or errands."
Amelia thought for a moment before she smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. Thank you Emma."
Emma leaned over and hugged Amelia, smiling brightly. "It's the least we can do, and you're good company, so it's no hardship at all."
They quickly worked out the details and Amelia escorted her friend through the Floo before returning back to the Boneyard where she stopped to collect the shrunken box and letter from the sitting room and then headed up to her office where her unfinished letter to Susan sat waiting. She almost wished she could be there when Hermione opened her mother's delivery, just to see the look on the poor girls face.
#####
"So… what is magic?"
Professor Lupin looked around the room at the small sea of faces staring back at him. Most of his third year students looked completely bewildered, while only a handful of them look as if they were really considering the question.
"Miss Granger?" he said, indicating the witch who had her hand raised hesitantly into the air.
"Magic is a form of energy, isn't it?"
"Correct, to an extent. Raw magic has never been fully quantified, but it is believed to be energy in its purest form. Now, why this is important to you should become clear in a moment. But first. Who can tell me what happens when a witch or a wizard is hit with a spell?"
Even more bewildered looks met that question and he pointed to Harry.
"Well… if a person is hit by a spell, whether that is a curse, hex, charm, or a jinx, then they will be affected by the intended result of the spell, right?"
"Correct again."
"That's obvious," a sneering voice came from the back of the room and Remus glanced over to Draco Malfoy.
"Yes, it's obvious enough, Mister Malfoy. Five points from Slytherin for speaking out of turn." The blond's face reddened but Remus ignored his reaction and turned his attention back to the rest of the class. "What isn't obvious is why these effects happen. When we draw on our magic in order to cast a jinx or a curse or a spell of any kind, the raw energy is changed by its passage through the magical pathways in our bodies. It is then channeled through our wands and shaped to accomplish the effect intended by the spell."
He turned, drawing his wand and quickly cast a cutting curse toward a target dummy that he'd set up at the front of the class. The blue, scythe shaped blade of energy shot across the room and a deep gash appeared across the targets torso, causing murmurs to spread through the class as they watched.
"Now, observe," he said, turning back to the class and before anyone could move, he pointed his wand at his own temple and uttered, "diffindo."
Screams erupted through the class and he noticed Harry and the Longbottom boy both surge to their feet, as if to attempt to stop him but froze a moment later when they saw their professor still standing and looking completely unruffled.
"Does anyone understand why my spell cut the target but had absolutely no effect on me?" he asked as the boys slowly sank back into their seats.
There were no answers for nearly a minute before he spoke again. "Oh come on," he said. "I've given you all the clues you need. Can no one even hazard a guess? I promise there will be no punishments for a wrong answer, I just want to see if you can figure it out."
After another couple of minutes, Hermione once again raised her hand. When he gestured to her she spoke haltingly, her brow furrowed as she attempted to work out the problem in her head.
"Is it… is it because magic is energy?" she asked and he smiled, just slightly, something glimmering in his tired eyes as he motioned for her to continue. "Well, energy and other various things have certain frequencies that they resonate at. Raw magic would resonate at one frequency and once you've used that energy to craft your spell then wouldn't that resonance change?"
"Precisely, Miss Granger. Can you finish it up now? You're almost there."
Her frown deepened and next to her he could see Harry sitting back with a small smile on his lips, watching the girls mind work.
"Well, after you've used the energy from raw magic to craft into a spell the resonance changes. The spell itself probably also has it's own resonant frequency depending on how the energy is shaped in order to accomplish whatever task the spell cast is meant to produce…" Her eyes suddenly widened and she blurted out. "Magical Signature! Every person has a unique magical signature when they cast spells, like a fingerprint. The frequency the spell resonates at is identical to the frequency of the traces of magic already in your body. By resonating at precisely the same frequency that means a spell that you cast can't hurt you since the frequencies are identical and wouldn't affect each other."
"Precisely! Twenty points to Gryffindor and five more to you, Lord Potter, for your earlier answer."
Harry raised his hand and Remus pointed to him. "Professor? If we can't hurt ourselves with a spell that we cast, then why is it that duelists can be hurt by their own spells when reflected back at them with a shield charm?"
"That is a very good question, and actually leads me to today's homework." He paused as a groan swept through the class and held back a laugh. "Oh it won't be that awful. I just want to see six inches, due next week, to answer Lord Potter's question. Since our own magic can't harm us, why is it that they can when reflected off of a shield charm? I have it on extremely good authority from Professor Vector that, hose of you in Arithmancy, might find tomorrows lesson to be helpful in answering that question."
He glanced over at the clock for a moment before turning back to his class.
"That's all the time that we have today. Everyone pack up and enjoy the rest of your day."
There was an immediate increase in noise as students scrambled to pack away ink, quills, and parchment and voices were raised in conversation as people were already discussing the lesson with each other before they all started filing for the door.
"Professor?"
Remus looked up from where he was organizing his desk to find he still had five students in his class and Harry was standing nearby while his friends waited near the door.
"Yes, Harry, what can I do for you?"
"I was just wondering if you had an idea on when we might start the Patronus lessons?"
"Well… I was considering trying to get another bogart, to see if it would turn into a Dementor for you. It would be a much better lesson to attempt learning the spell under the kinds of conditions you'd be in if faced with an actual Dementor. But you said you weren't sure that is what form your boggart would take, didn't you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I considered it, honestly. But I'm not certain that's really what it would be. I have seen plenty to be scared of in the last couple of years and it isn't exactly easy to pinpoint what I'm really most afraid of."
"Since we can't be certain, it might be best to avoid it entirely. I find myself to be a bit busy for the next week or so, but what about a week from Saturday? I'm told you all have a location where you've been doing your spell practice? I could meet you there."
"That'd be perfect, Professor," Harry said, smiling broadly. "Seventh floor corridor, across from the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy. Right after Lunch?"
"I will meet you then." He smiled and made a shooing gesture with one hand. "Go on, then. You and your friends should go enjoy yourselves and relax a bit."
Harry thanked him and in moments the five of them had filed out, leaving Remus to his thoughts.
#####
Later that night, in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry was sitting at the table near the fire with three books and several sheets of parchment spread out on the surface of the table in front of him. He was bent over, scribbling away at a letter which, once completed, he rolled up and sealed and set it aside to join another already finished letter before he pulled a fresh sheet of parchment toward him and began working on a third.
Somewhere in that time Neville and the girls approached and quietly took their seats, pulling books and parchment from their own bags as the silently began their homework. After another twenty minutes spent on the letter Harry sat back and read through it a couple of times before seemingly satisfied with what he'd written and he set down his quill and stretched as he straightened up in his seat.
"Holy crap!" he blurted out when he saw the four of them sitting there in their usual seats and Neville burst out laughing. "Jeez, when did you four get here?" Harry demanded.
"We sat down about twenty minutes ago, Harry," Hermione spoke, a grin in place as Susan snickered behind her hand at him.
"Well, I'm gonna have to hang a bell on you guys. Give me a heart attack why don't you."
"What was that you were working on?" Neville asked after they'd stopped laughing at him and Harry waved the question away.
"Just some letters I've got to send out later. One for my Account Manager, one for Amelia…" he paused and glanced at Daphne. "And I've got one to send to Lord Greengrass, as well," he admitted.
Everyone's expressions became more somber at that but Daphne quickly moved them past it.
"Nothing more to be said. Discuss it with them later but for now we should get to work. Harry, did you still need a little help with Arithmancy?"
"You'd be a life saver," he admitted. With their elective classes, Harry found that he was right in thinking that Arithmancy and Ancient Runes would be fascinating, but he had to say that Arithmancy was giving him the most trouble. Runes, he almost found easy and it was fascinating. But the numbers and charts common in Arithmancy gave him a migraine and Daphne appeared to be nearly a prodigy in the subject, easily grasping concepts that even gave Hermione pause.
As they worked, conversation was light while each of them focused the majority of their attention on their own assignments until Daphne and Harry finished up with Arithmancy and started packing away their materials for that particular class.
"Harry," she asked while he was digging around in his bag for his charms text.
"Hmmm?" he hummed, questioningly.
"What was it you wanted to talk to Professor Lupin about, after class, today?"
"Huh?" Harry blinked and looked up, surprise etched on his face to see that the girls and Neville had all stopped their own work and were looking at him, curiously. "I never mentioned?" he asked and the four of them shook their heads.
He frowned at that, thinking back over the last few days. "Huh," he muttered, frowning in thought. "Well, I went by his office and we talked for a bit on Saturday afternoon when I went out for a walk." Susan and Hermione nodded to that but Daphne and Neville had both been in the village so simply accepted the explanation and waited for him to continue. "I guess with what happened Saturday night and then yesterday, I must have forgotten to bring it up."
He was far too lost in his musings to notice how Hermione blushed when he mentioned 'that' night, as she had come to think of it, and by the time he focused his attention back on them, the color in her cheeks had faded enough that it drew no attention.
"Well, it's not like it's a big secret or anything," he said with a casual shrug. "Moony said that he'd teach us the Patronus Charm and I was just confirming when he wanted to start those lesson. Keep your afternoon free a week from this Saturday, by the way."
Susan, Daphne, and Neville all blinked in surprise while Hermione leaned forward eagerly at the thought of learning something new.
"What is that?" she asked.
"It's an extremely difficult charm," Neville explained, "beyond NEWT levels, really, and the only known method of fighting off Dementors."
"Yeah, difficult is an understatement," Susan muttered. "Something like only 25% of adult witches and wizards can even cast it."
"Why is that?"
"Focus and power," Susan explained. "It requires focus under extreme conditions and more than a fair amount of power. Auntie has always complained how their are so few of her Aurors that can actually do it. It's been an ongoing concern of hers for years, even back when she was still a Auror Second Class."
"Well, that explains the what. The why is pretty obvious, what with the Dementors all around the school. But just who is this Moony?" Daphne asked.
"Oh, that's Professor Lupin. Moony was his nickname when he was a student here. I forgot you'd already left the compartment when that came up on the train ride here."
"Harry, you shouldn't be so familiar with a professor!"
"He said I could, Hermione," he defended himself. "He and my parents were friends so when we talked he said I could call him Remus, or Moony in private."
"Uh… Harrykins?"
The five of them turned from their discussion to find the Weasley twins approaching, a curious expression of shock on their faces.
"Did we just hear you use the name Moony?"
Harry felt a wave of confusion at their odd behavior, but answered the question, anyway. "Uh… yeah, I did. Why?"
The two of them glanced at each other before turning back to Harry.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"It was in my mum's journals from when she went to school here," he replied, looking back and forth between the two, very focused, red heads. "Guy's, what's this about?"
"Just a sec, Harry," Twin one said.
"Are you familiar with Wormtail, Padfoot, or Prongs?"
"Well… yeah. They were the Marauders, along with Moony."
The twins jaws dropped and they rushed over to kneel on the carpet by the low table between where Harry and Neville sat.
"You know about the Marauders? Your mum actually knew them?"
"Do you know who they are? We're been trying to figure it out for years, now."
"How do you two know about them?" Harry asked, even further confused by their continued strange behavior.
Fred and George look at each other again, an in moments seemed to have an entire, silent conversation in that way that only twins are truly capable of doing before they turned back to the group of five younger students.
"If we show you something," one said.
"You guys have to swear to keep it a secret," said the other.
"Why are you two staring at me?" demanded Hermione as the rest of them broke out laughing at her offended expression.
"Because you, dear Hermione."
"As lovely-"
"-brilliant-"
"-beautiful…"
The game of twin pong trailed off into silence for a moment before one of them leaned toward the other.
"The scary one is glaring at me," he said in a loud whisper that did nothing to prevent them from hearing him, and, indeed, Daphne had an icy glare on her face as Hermione sat, blushing, next to her.
"Indeed she is, brother mine. Should we get to the point?" responded the other twin in an equally loud whisper as Susan, Neville, and Harry snickered quietly.
"Please, do," Daphne growled out in a frigid tone and both boys shuddered theatrically.
"Anyway. Hermione. As wonderful as you are, you-"
"-are still one of the biggest sticklers-"
"-for the rules that we know, and actually still like."
"As long as no one is hurt," she said, frowning worriedly.
"You wound us, dear lady," they burst out, holding their hands to their chests as if someone had driven a knife through them.
"Pranksters, we may be, but out pranks have never harmed another. That just wouldn't be good business."
"Anyway." One of them reached into his robes and withdrew a tattered, old looking piece of parchment, which he unfolded and laid out flat on top of their spread out books and parchments on the table.
"Forge? Would you like to do the honors?"
"It would be my very distinct pleasure, dear Gred."
The twin in question, Forge, apparently, touched the tip of his wand lightly to the parchment, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
At once, thin ink lines spread like a spider web across the parchment from the point his wand had touched. They joined together, crisscrossed back and forth, and fanned out to every corner of the parchment before words appeared across the in curly, emerald green letters.
Mssrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief Makers
Are proud to present
The Marauders Map
It was, as the heading stated, a map of Hogwarts, showing every classroom, corridor, office, and secret passage in the school. More amazing, however, were the many tiny ink dots moving across the map's surface.
"Look," Neville said, pointing to Gryffindor tower. There, in one corner of the tower, were seven dots bunched together, precisely where the seven of them were sitting, and each dot had the corresponding persons name written next to it in tiny lettering.
"Ah, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Twin one said, patting the heading on the map, almost lovingly.
"This, ladies and gents, is the secret to our success. This map shows everything, even a few passages leading out of the school."
"But you have to clear it when you're done, otherwise anyone can read it. To do that you just tap it and say-"
"Mischief Managed."
All eyes turned to Harry as he cut the twins off, his eyes suspiciously wet and glued to the map in front of him.
"Yeah, Mate, exactly that. How'd you know?"
"Harry?" Hermione asked, gently. "Prongs… didn't you say…"
"Yeah," he whispered in a thick voice. He finally looked away from the map and at the twins again. "Where did you find this?"
"Filched it from Filch's office, back in our first year," one of them replied in a quiet tone. Nearly constitutionally incapable of taking anything seriously, even the twins could understand that something unusual was going on, and now was not the time for their usual flippancy.
Harry cleared his throat while Susan stood and moved over to stand beside him, gently squeezing his shoulder.
"Prongs," he said, leaning forward to tap the name with one finger, "was my dad. James Potter."
Fred and George's eyes widened to comical levels as their mouths dropped open, working up and down for several moments before one of them managed to stutter out, "A-and the-the others?"
"Wormtail was Peter Petigrew and Padfoot is Sirius Black," he said, not noticing how their faces twisted in disgust at the name.
"And what about Moony?"
At that, Harry smirked in a manner that reminded the two boys disturbingly of themselves. "Would it really freak you two out to learn that you already know Moony?" he asked, his smirk widening into a grin at their dumbfounded expressions.
"Who!" they demanded.
"Professor Lupin is Moony."
Both of them sat back on their heels, staring blankly ahead for several moments and as the silence stretched, Neville leaned over and waved his hand in front of one of the twins faces.
The boy didn't even blink and Neville laughed, loudly.
"Good job, Harry. I think you broke them."
"They betrayal!" Twin one blurted out.
"The absolute indignity!" burst out the other.
"For one of our idols."
"One of the great Marauders to be…"
They shuddered again and finished the next sentence together, "a figure of authority!"
One of them fell to the side into his brothers arms and cried out dramatically, "hold me!"
The rest of them burst out laughing again and a moment later both twins sat up, once again holding a quick silent discussion before they cleared and folded up the map. Turning, one of them held the map out, as if presenting it to Harry.
"Oh, Prongslet, son of the Great Prongs. This, rightfully, belongs to you. Use it well."
Harry's mouth dropped open and he hesitantly reached out to take the map but paused just before his hand reached it.
"You guys… are you sure?"
"No, we're Fred and George."
"Yes, we're absolutely sure, Harry. Your dad helped make this, it should go to you. Besides, we've got it mostly memorized, anyways, so it's no huge rub for us to turn it over to the son of one of the Marauders. Just… well, maybe you could let us borrow it, once in a while?"
Harry's grin was as bright as it had ever been as he took the map and cradled it, almost lovingly in his hands.
"Guy's, if I'm not actively in need of it, for some reason, you can borrow it any time you want."
The twins spent a few minutes showing Harry which tunnels leading out of the school were either blocked off or already known to the staff, even pointing out one they'd never used because the Whomping Willow tree that grew on the grounds stood right above the entrance, before they stood, brushing off their knees.
"Well, we're off to go harass a professor," one said, a cheeky grin in place.
"Don't wait up for us, kiddies."
With a wave thrown over their shoulders the two of them hustled off, leaving the five friends once again alone with their work. Harry touched a finger to the map and quietly said, "mischief managed," watching as the ink faded away, leaving it once again looking like nothing more than a blank, tattered piece of old parchment, before he folded it up and carefully tucked it away into his robes.
After that, they returned their attention back to their interrupted homework, though Harry seemed more than a little distracted, one hand constantly straying to pat his robes over where the map was tucked away in an inner pocket until they, eventually, packed up their belongings and headed off to bed.
#####
The next day was Tuesday, and at breakfast, Harry noticed that Hermione kept scanning the ceiling, as if looking for something. He nudged Susan gently with his elbow and jerked his head in their bond mates direction when the red head turned to look at him, but she only shrugged in response after catching Hermione looking up again.
Moment's later the sounds of hundreds of flapping wings filled the Great Hall as the morning post owls swarmed in through the windows set high up in the walls and Hermione sat up even straighter than usual in her spot on the bench, her eyes fixed intently on the cloud of owls.
Hedwig swooped down, her talons clear of any letter or package and landed in front of Harry's plate, barking out a greeting before stealing a piece of bacon and a moment later Hermione let out a squeak as Archimedes came in for a landing, two letters and a small packed tied to one of his legs. He presented his leg and Hermione eagerly relieved him of his burden, profusely thanking him and presenting him with two pieces of very crisp bacon, to which Hedwig let her displeasure known and Harry grinned as he fed her some more of the fried treat his familiar loved so much.
"What's all that, then?" he asked as Hermione was looking over the letters.
One was a scroll, rolled tightly and sealed while the other looked to be a regular muggle style envelope. He could just make out Hermione's name written in neat cursive on the front of the letter when she suddenly reached past him, holding the scroll out to Susan.
"Susan, letter from Aunt Amy," she muttered, most of her focus on the small package that she was inspecting. Once Susan took the letter she pulled her wand from her robes and cast a quick 'finite' at the package, which rapidly grew into a medium sized cardboard box with a lid on top. She lifted the lid up and to the left for less than a handful of seconds before she suddenly let out a loud squeak and slammed the lid back on the box, her face flaming as brilliantly as any Weasley had ever managed. He honestly didn't think he'd ever seen her skin turn that particular shade before and he, along with the rest of their friends suddenly found themselves immensely curious.
"What's in it?" he asked and Hermione jerked in her seat, spinning to face him for a moment before she spun back and shrunk the box back down again, shoving it deep into her robe pocket.
"Nothing," she muttered, extreme embarrassment leaking across the bond as she scooped up the letter and stood. "Just a delivery from my mum."
Without another word she practically ran from the Hall, leaving the rest of them blinking in astonishment at her, very strange, behavior.
"Don't look at us," Daphne said when he turned in their direction, looking just as lost and confused as he felt. "I haven't the foggiest notion what's gotten into her."
"Me neither," Susan agreed.
Eventually, the rest of them finished their breakfast, though Harry kept glancing toward the doors leading into the Great Hall, wondering where Hermione had run off to. Before they left, he grabbed four pieces of toast and used them to make two bacon and egg sandwiches that he then wrapped in a couple of napkins. Once he was done with that, they made their way out onto the grounds, heading for Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class.
By the time the four of them reached the fenced in paddock next to Hagrid's hut, Hermione was already there, waiting for them, her cheeks still slightly pink. Wordlessly, he held out the napkin wrapped bundle and she took it, thanking him profusely for his thoughtfulness.
The moan she let out with her first bite was damned near indecent and, strangely, sent his heart rate soaring. Something he tried very hard not to think about.
"Y-yeah, I noticed y-you hadn't actually eaten much before you ran out of the Hall like your hair was on fire," he said, stammering slightly while Hermione nearly choked on her next bite.
He noticed her blush becoming more pronounced, though it was nowhere near as bad as it had been earlier, and was offset by the fierce glare she directing toward him. At that moment, Harry exhibited the wisdom men only learn when in the extended presence of women.
He kept his mouth shut.
Susan, however, had no need of such wisdom, and cheekily asked, "so, what was it the mum Granger sent that had you in such rare color?"
Hermione grumbled quietly under her breath, but didn't answer the question and instead focused on her breakfast, finishing just as the last of their class walked up and Hagrid came around from behind his hut.
"All right you lot," he boom out, cheerfully. "Gather 'round, gather 'round. Right up ter tha fence here. Got something' special fer ya today."
The first part of the lesson went as well as one might wish, with Hagrid bringing four hippogriffs out from the forest for them to study. His lecture was intriguing and engaging and Harry and his friends gave him frequent smiles and nods to encourage him whenever he chance a glance in their direction.
Somehow, and he really wasn't sure how exactly it happened, but somehow, Neville found himself being volunteered to be the first to approach the intimidating looking Buckbeak. A glance around showed his friends, the rest of the class, Hagrid, and even Snuffles, who was sitting on the steps to Hagrids hut, all watching him expectantly.
He was pretty sure that Snuffles was laughing at him again.
"Laugh it up, fuzzball," he muttered under his breath before he approached and bowed to Buckbeak, his eyes already burning as he fought the urge to blink. His relief was almost a visible thing when the hippogriff gracefully bowed back, and, before he knew it, Neville found himself being hoisted onto the creatures back for a quick flight around the grounds.
Later, Harry and Neville would both agree that the school year had been going too well, and it had been high time for a disaster of Malfoy proportions to strike.
The arrogant Slytherin strutted his way up toward Buckbeak, nose in the air and a sneer firmly in place on his face. "If this great ugly chicken will bow to someone as stupid and useless as the near squib," he sneered, "then it'll probably worship the very ground I walk on."
Half the class suddenly screamed as Malfoy walked right up to the large hippogriff, not even bothering to bow, and Buckbeak reared back, squawking angrily as his fore claws raked the air in front of him. Malfoy screamed, falling back with his arm raised to catch the incoming blow and before anyone else could think or react Harry held out his right hand.
"Accio Malfoy's Robes!" he bellowed.
The spell took hold and yanked the boy back, out of the way of the flashing talons only for him to tumble to the ground and roll painfully toward Harry as Slytherins and Gryffindors drew their wands.
"Buckbeak! Get back!" Hagrid bellowed, barging in front of Buckbeak to restrain the creature.
Amidst shouted insults from both houses in the class and others attempting to get everyone to calm down, Malfoy rolled over onto his stomach and pushed himself to his feet, his wand already in hand, his face red with a mixture of anger and humiliation.
"How dare you attack me!" he roared at Harry who honestly gaped at the boy in complete shock for a moment.
"Are you out of your damned mind?" he snapped. "I just saved you from a mauling at best because you were too stupid to listen to our Professor and do as you're instructed."
"There is nothing that idiotic oaf could ever teach me. I am a Malfoy."
Harry growled under his breath, decided it was pointless to try to argue with the little idiot and turned to walk back to his friends.
"Fine," he threw back over his shoulder at the incensed blond. "The next time your own stupidity gets you in danger I'll just let you deal with the consequences on your own instead of saving your ungrateful arse."
Harry noticed the girl's eyes widen and Neville lift his arm to eject his wand from its holster when a voice snarled out a word from behind him.
"Incendio!"
Harry spun, knowing that if he moved the spell would be heading right for his friends and for half a moment he hesitated as he turned. If he used his wandless skills, he'd advertise to everyone what he could do. They hadn't seen him summon Malfoy without a wand but now all eyes were on him. If he used his wand blank, it would take a couple of extra seconds to channel the magic through the length of wood.
His debate was solved for him though as he turned and just barely managed to lift his right forearm up in front of his face to intercept the ball of magical fire speeding toward him like a runaway bludger.
A loud growl erupted from nearby and the sound of feet pounding on the ground reached them moments before Malfoy let out an ear splitting scream as Snuffles leapt at him, his jaws clamping down on the blonds wand arm. Blood spurted and the loud snapping of bones was clearly audible to all.
Harry, noticed none of that as he frantically beat at the flames flowing up the sleeve of his robe, already nearly reaching to his shoulder.
"Auguamente!"
Water suddenly sprayed across him and Harry turned toward it, shoving his arm into the stream as more voices shouted out spells nearby.
In a matter of seconds, the fire was out and Harry knelt on the damp and muddy ground beneath his feet, cradling his arm close to his body as Snuffles leapt away from Malfoy just before a disarming charm, a bludgeoning charm, boil curse, and a stunner slammed into the Slytherin, throwing him bodily through the air as his wand flew from his hand, his nose shattered, boils erupted all across his body, and consciousness left him, even before his body slammed into the ground.
"Just try it!" Neville snapped as he and Daphne turned their wands toward Crabbe and Goyle who had barely managed to take a single step forward as they saw their boss pummeled into the ground.
For a wonder, the two showed a level of intelligence they had yet to ever exhibit and stepped back, both of them raising their empty hands into the air.
Harry looked up from his arm just in time to see a streak of red light heading right for him and then he knew nothing more.
#####
When next Harry became aware of his surroundings he could hear people talking around him in low voices.
"Okay," he said, without opening his eyes. "I'm pretty sure the last thing I remember was that I was set on fire. That doesn't usually include being knocked out, so what happened?" With that he opened his eyes, turning his head to look to where his girls were sitting in their usual spots on the left side of his bed. Daphne looked slightly amused, Hermione, scandalized, and Susan looked like someone had just kicked her puppy.
"Susan, what's wrong?" he asked, reaching out toward her but she shrank away from him instead of taking his hand.
"She stunned you," Hermione supplied, sounding a touch irate as she frowned at the red head.
Harry blinked at that.
"Okay," he said, drawing out the word slightly. "I'll bite. Why'd you stun me, since I know you would never do something to try to hurt me."
"Your arm was set on fire," Susan explained. "Burns hurt. A lot. I thought it'd be faster to levitate you up here and, maybe, I could save you some pain by knocking you out before shock were off and the pain kicked in."
He nodded a few times as she talked thinking over her words carefully before giving her a gentle smile.
"Makes sense to me," he said.
"And makes perfect medical sense as well, Lord Potter," Madam Pomfrey interrupted as she walked up an exasperated expression on her face. Susan looked decidedly more comfortable after that bit of reassurance from the matronly Healer and sat up a bit straighter in her seat.
"It's not my fault!" he immediately blurted out causing the rest of them to laugh.
"I think we are all aware of who is at fault in this instance, Lord Potter," she said, glaring at a bed near the far end of the Wing that had a set of privacy screens in place around it. A moment later she shook herself and dragged attention back to her favorite, and most frustrating patient.
"You, Lord Potter, continue to present me with mystery after mystery."
Harry groaned.
"What impossible thing have I done this time?" he asked, ignoring how his friends snickered quietly around him.
"Your friends tell me you were hit with a flame spell, is that right?" she asked instead of answering his question.
He nodded. "Yeah, I was stupid and turned my back on Malfoy. I heard him say it and turned back just in time to catch it on my arm instead of letting it hit me in the face."
"Sit up for me, if you please, Lord Potter," she said. He could tell by her tone of voice that it really didn't matter if it pleased him or not, he was going to be sitting up.
So, with that in mind, he complied and, with a flick of her wand, she vanished the right sleeve of his stripped pajama top. Expecting to see a burned mass of flesh, Harry was startled when he looked down and found his arm looking just the same as it always had, scars and all.
"What the…"
Madam Pomfrey sat as Neville moved to make room for her and, gently, she took hold of his arm with both hands.
"Does any of this hurt?" she asked as she pressed her fingers into his skin, working her way from the burn scar on his shoulder all the way down to his hand.
When he denied feeling any pain or discomfort she looked over to the girls, who confirmed his claim.
"Hey," he protested, frowning. "I just said I was fine."
"Yes, but for you, 'fine' can mean anything from perfectly healthy, to on the brink of death but not dead, yet," Hermione pointed out.
Harry huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, muttering something about not being that bad, which just made his friends laugh again.
"Can't you people just believe me when I say I'm all right?" he grumbled. A moment later five voices chorused out a resounding, "No!"
He sulked his way through the rest of Poppy's examination after that.
"Well," she said after she'd finished bending his hand at the wrist, arm at the elbow, and having him rotate his shoulder several times. "Here is where we reach the great mystery you've presented me with. You, are completely unharmed."
Harry blinked.
"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked, obviously confused.
"Yes, it is indeed a good thing. But it shouldn't technically be possible. Your entire sleeve was engulfed in magically produced flames. There's no way you should have escaped without some degree of burns, but there's nothing."
Harry thought about that for a moment before he finally gave up and simply shrugged.
"If I'm not hurt, does that mean I can leave?" he asked, hopefully.
She seemed to consider that for a moment before letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Oh, very well. Since you're not hurt I can't exactly keep you here for no reason. Go ahead and get dressed and then the Headmaster wishes to speak with you in his office." She stood and moved around to the foot of the bed before flicking her wand in his direction.
"There," she said, a grin firmly in place on her lips. "That is much better." With that cryptic statement she turned and made her way back to her office, leaving the five of them in bemused silence.
It started with Neville, a quiet snickering that he tried to hold in but quickly grew to loud guffaws as Hermione started giggling behind her hand. Daphne was managing to contain her amusement, though her eyes danced with it while Susan was the least reserved of them all. She was actually slumped across the side of his bed, one balled fist pounding the mattress as she practically howled with laughter.
"What is so damned funny?" Harry asked after looking himself over to see if Madam Pomfrey had done something to him.
He turned, following Neville's pointing finger to look behind him and his eyes widened.
"Oh, bugger."
There, mounted at the top of the railing that served as the head of the bed was a bronze plaque that read:
This bed is reserved for use by
Lord Harry James Potter
#####
The four of them continued to laugh at him the entire way to the Headmaster's office, though Hermione did try to be sympathetic to his feelings on the matter. The effort, as appreciated as it was, was ruined by the constant grin that twisted her lips.
"You guys are all heart," he groused as they reached the gargoyle that guarded the entrance, which moved aside as they approached. By the time they reached the door at the top of the spiral staircase, their amusement had faded, largely helped by the booming voice they could hear, even through the thick door.
Squaring his shoulders as he realized that this was not going to be the simple meeting he had been expecting, Harry raised his hand to knock. He actually had to knock three more times before he was able to make himself heard over the noise generated by the room's occupants.
"Come in," Dumbledore called and Harry glanced to his friends for a moment before he grabbed the latch and opened the door.
"Potter!" Snape snarled out before the five of them had even made their way into the room. "I don't know how you managed to almost convince me that you weren't just as dangerous and arrogant as your idiot father but I assure you I will not be making that mistake again!"
"Severus," the Headmaster admonished, attempting to rein in his Potions Professor.
"I will see you run out of this school for this you idiotic brat. Blatantly attacking students is grounds for expulsion."
"It is?" Harry asked, keeping as tight a grip on his temper as he could while affecting a surprised tone. "That is very good to hear. When will Malfoy be leaving the school then?"
"You are the one that attacked my student!"
"That's the biggest load of dragon dung I've ever heard," Neville snapped, drawing himself up angrily. "Malfoy was the one that threw a flame spell at Lord Potter, yet you are going to accuse him of attacking your student?"
"I have multiple witness statements to the fact that Potter attacked Mister Malfoy, unprovoked and from behind in a clearly cowardly attack. So much for your vaunted Gryffindor courage."
"And are any of these witnesses from Gryffindor? Or perhaps Professor Hagrid?" Daphne drawled in a deadpan tone.
"I have no need for the word of people that would lie to protect their golden boy."
"So, what you're saying is, that you did no actual investigation into the event, and are simply taking the word of your students without listening to anyone else that was involved," Hermione stated clearly, glaring at Snape.
"That will be fifty points from Gryffindor-"
"ENOUGH!"
All eyes turned to the Headmaster who had stood behind his desk, palms placed flat on its surface as his hair and beard stirred in a nonexistent breeze, his eyes glowing slightly with a dim light. It was the first time that Harry had seen the effect that others had described happening around him in the past, and he had to admit, it was absolutely terrifying.
The Headmaster held their attention for several long moments before, like flicking a switch, it stopped. The breeze faded and the light in his eyes vanished and, once again, he was the venerable old Headmaster of a prestigious school of magic, not a powerful sorcerer ready to rain down destruction.
"Now," he said, in his usual grandfatherly tone. "I understand tempers are high, but we will discuss this all calmly so that we may acquire an accurate picture of events before deciding what actions should be taken."
He gestured to a series of chairs that appeared in front of his desk and the students sat while Snape made his way over to his usual corner of the room where he preferred to lurk and stood against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Headmaster? I was wondering why Professor Snape was here?" Susan asked in a politely curious tone of voice that fooled none of her bond mates.
"His students were involved in this incident so he is here as their Head of House. Professor McGonagall should be on her way right now as your Head of House, so we shall wait for her to arrive before we continue," he replied. With that settled, he lifted a crystal bowl from his desk and held it out toward them in invitation. "Sherbert lemon?"
Most of the students declined the usual offer, but Hermione, after a moments thought, reached out and plucked one of the hard candies from the bowl before popping it in her mouth.
A few seconds later, she noted the absolutely dumbfounded look on every face, even Professor Snape was looking at her as if he wasn't sure what she was.
"What?" she was compelled to ask.
"My dear Miss Granger, I do believe you are the first person to accept that offer in over twenty years," Dumbledore said, beaming at her as he popped a candy into his own mouth.
Hermione flushed under all the attention. "Well, Sir, you offered one the night you came to my parents house when I was little. Mum wouldn't let me try one at the time and I guess I've been curious since."
Silently, Dumbledore and Hermione enjoyed their candies while the rest of them gathered their scattered wits until a knock at the door signaled the arrival of their Head of House.
"Now that we are all present and accounted for, Professor Snape, would you like to begin?" Dumbledore asked after Professor McGonagall had taken up a position standing near her cubs.
"I have several eyewitness accounts that have Potter and his friends attacking Draco Malfoy in an unprovoked attack during their Care of Magical Creatures class," he snarled. "Including setting a dangerous animal on the boy and grievously injuring him."
Neville snorted, causing several pairs of eyes to turn in his direction. The sudden weight of the gazes caused a slight reddening in his cheeks, but he forcefully reminded himself, he was Lord Longbottom, and he would not back down.
"You disagree with Professor Snape's assessment of the situation?" the Headmaster asked, calmly.
Neville took a deep, calming breath before plucking up every ounce of courage he possessed to answer the question.
"Considering the Professor's version of events is a complete fabrication, yes, I do disagree."
"How dare you, you insolent little-"
"Severus Snape, that is enough!" McGonagall cut in, glaring balefully at the sallow complexioned Potions Master.
He met her glare with an equally ferocious one of his own before he waved a hand, dismissively, in the student's direction.
"By all means, let us hear whatever fantasy they have concocted to justify their criminal actions."
They did so, quickly and without embellishment with each of them taking the story in turn ending with Harry waking up in the Hospital Wing. Snape's contempt of them was clear as the disgusted sneer never left his face throughout the entirety of their retelling.
"You cannot honestly believe this drivel," he scoffed.
"I find it much easier to believe that bully of a student that you protect could get himself into hot water, and then dare to attack the only person that did anything to help him, than I find it possible that five of my students would attack anyone without provocation," McGonagall thundered back, her Scottish brogue coming in nice and thick with her growing ire at the entire situation. "You go out of your way to protect and enable your students and all you are doing is teaching them their actions have no consequences."
"It is not I that panders to students as if they are something special to be held above the rest," he shot back, glowering in Harry's direction as the messy haired teen just sat and glared furiously at him.
"I was attacked. I was attacked, not the other way around," Harry shouted, suddenly surging to his feet as small knickknacks around the room started to rattle in their spots on various shelves and tables.
Snape opened his mouth to fire back but they were all suddenly shocked into silence when a loud cannon blast tore through the air and they spun to look at Dumbledore, still seated behind his desk and without the usual twinkle in his eyes.
"I have had more than enough of this behavior," he said in a low, angry tone. "Minerva, you will investigate this incident, starting with questioning those students that were present during the altercation, regardless of their house. Severus," he added, interrupting the professor before he could speak, "you will stay out of the investigation and you will adhere to whatever punishments that are handed down to any students."
He held the professors gaze for several long moments before Snape slowly nodded his head, once, and Dumbledore turned his attention back to Harry and his friends.
"Lord Potter, I believe you and your friends may leave, at this time. I would like to arrange a time for us to meet again, however, to discuss the promise you made last year?"
It took Harry a moment to remember what the aged Headmaster was referring to, but eventually it clicked as he thought of the conversation he had in the Chamber with the Sorting Hat and he nodded quickly.
"Absolutely, Professor. My friends and I have discussed that a few times, actually, and we've got a few ideas I'd love to go over with you.
"Excellent," Dumbledore beamed and clapped his hands together sharply. "Then please, enjoy the rest of your day."
The five of them stood and started for the door but Harry stopped just as he reached the threshold, thinking for a moment before he turned and looked at Snape.
"Professor?"
"What, Potter?"
"You should remind Malfoy, that he has now attacked the Head of a Most Ancient and Most Noble House. He, an Heir Presumptive attacked a Lord. He should be expecting me to contact his father to discuss reparations for his actions in the very near future, and should he accost me or my friends again, I will call his debt due or challenge him to an Honor Duel myself."
With that, Harry stepped through and closed the door behind him as Snape's face purpled with rage and he began to splutter incoherently.
"That arrogant brat-"
"For the last time, Severus, there is neither arrogance or a lack of intelligence in Harry Potter," Dumbledore interrupted in an even tone. "Your continued enabling of your Slytherins, however… that will have to stop…"
#####
By the time evening fell, the five Gryffindors had been catapulted to a new level of celebrity status amongst the students. More than one student, from every house, even Slytherin, stopped them throughout the rest of their day to thank and congratulate them for taking Malfoy down a peg or two, lending further credence to Blaise's statement that not even the other members of his house could stand the blond braggart. Though few had any real belief that the self-proclaimed prince of Slytherin would actually learn anything from this latest encounter, they were still delighted by the story, and expressed their relief that Harry had somehow managed to avoid serious injury.
At one point, during dinner, Cedric Diggory, with a few other upper year students even swung by the Gryffindor table to offer their services with some dueling practice. Wide eyed, the five of them accepted the offer, but decided they would likely wait until after the Christmas Holidays before arranging a practice schedule.
The one downside to the entire incident, that most could see, was that Snuffles had vanished. Neville was particular saddened to hear that and his friends did their best to reassure him that the great beast of a dog had certainly earned their loyalty, and he'd survived for some time on his own already, apparently.
"If we come across him we'll help the pup out," Harry assured his friend. "I still think that we were right in our guess on Hagrid's naming system, but the pup obviously hates Malfoy as much as we do, and I'll call that a win."
That night, long after everyone else had gone to bed, found Harry lying awake, staring up into the shadowed canopy above him, his glowing eyes the only points of light in the darkness.
"How did it happen?" he muttered, turning on his left side and closing his eyes as he tried to sleep.
Thirty minutes passed before he gave out a frustrated sigh and threw back his blankets as he sat up and slipped out of his bed. With a robe pulled on over his pajamas, he padded silently from the dorm, closing the door carefully behind him before making his way down to his armchair by the fire. With a wave of his hand the embers banked in the fireplace quickly stirred up into a merrily crackling flame as light filled his corner of the Common Room. Reaching into a pocket of his robe, he pulled out a candle. A simple, fat, white candle that he secure to the table in front of him with a simple sticking charm before, with a snap of his fingers, the wick burst alight.
For some time he sat there, his eyes moving from the brightly glowing tongue of flame to the scars that dotted his hand and forearm. Back and forth, back and forth.
Eventually, he sat up straight in his seat, his eyes fixed intently on the candle before he slowly, but deliberately, reached out toward the flame.
