Ron was staring at it, he had been since the moment he noticed it and he really couldn't look away.

"You can see it right, Holly?"

Holly glanced up splitting her attention away from Padfoot. Her poor dog had been deeply affected by the creature she'd come to learn was called a dementor. A being of darkness that guarded Azkaban, a beast that could suck away your very soul, one that drained away happiness just by proximity. It was a being from nightmares to any that possessed a soulmate, and she couldn't fathom why they would be guarding the magical prison. Holly had learned quickly that dementors, after a certain amount of time, could steal your soulmates voice, snatching away the sound. Hearing that, well, Holly didn't blame Sirius Black for escaping. Magical prison was indeed 'inhumane,' as Hermione said.

The dementors attack had nearly ripped her soul away, and she was still feeling dangerously faint after what happened. It was hard to describe, Holly felt weak, but not physically so. She was emotionally drained, and there was an aching pain in her chest where her heart was, that wasn't going away. To get over it, Holly focused on her savior of a pet who seemed more affected than even she was. Padfoot had all but spent the rest of the ride to Hogwarts in her lap. While in the carriages, he'd climbed onto the chair to cuddle her and couldn't be budged.

Turning away from Padfoot's furred head, Holly glanced up. She noted the skeletal horses dragging the carriage to the school and nodded. "Since last year… why?"

"Wait, what horses?" Hermione looked up from her book toward the front but seemed to see nothing. Holly frowned, and Ron made a face. Both of them gestured to the creatures, but Hermione continued not to perceive it.

"Those ones." Ron pointed, "but they definitely weren't there last year, I think I'd remember that."

"They were," Holly insisted, "they're quite friendly though, I've seen them in the forest occasionally flying over the trees."

"There are no horses!"

The carriage slid to a stop, and they all clambered out. To prove a point, Holly marched to the nearest horse and planted her hand on its side, showing Hermione that there was something solid there. "See, right here."

"Holly, you're touching nothing!"

"She is! There's a horse!"

"It's a thestral actually Ronnikins." Announced George who had been waiting for them at the school entrance. He and Fred had both heard of Holly's close call from a laughing Ravenclaw. The girl claimed she'd passed out and nearly lost her soul; though no one around the girl had found it funny. The twins had been worrying terribly until she arrived looking pale, but alive. George walked past the thestral, which he was now capable of seeing and hugged Holly around the middle. "Alright, Hols?"

Holly pressed her face into George's shoulder feeling far better about hugs than the start of the summer and mumbled. "I'm okay, Padfoot protected me." Holly was getting terrible used to affection with certain people due to staying with the Weasley's; they were touchy, and Holly found she actually enjoyed the contact.

George gave her a goofy grin and patted the dog over the head proudly: "I owe you a bone. Good boy." He released Holly as Fred came in for his own hug, not noticing that Padfoot didn't react at all to the praise, the dog only stared blankly on. Fred took his hug as George embraced Ron, and they pulled back to get away from the incoming carriages.

"So, what's a thestral?" Ron asked once they were up the stairs a bit.

"A magical creature, you'll learn about them in Care of Magical Creatures and Defense this year," Fred explained well aware that Ron and Hermione had taken Care. "They are meat-eating, friendly skeletal horses that can only be seen by those that have seen death." He didn't need to explain why he, George, Ginny, and Ron could now see them after the summer they'd had. Though he was curious as to why Holly had been able to see them a year before.

Thankfully someone in their group had no filter: "So how can you see them, Holly?" Hermione asked, chasing her curiosity.

"Oh… I suppose it's because I saw Quirrel die."

"It could also be because of her soulmate," George added, trying to pull the event from her head. None of her new older brothers had been happy to hear about Quirrel or the basilisk. "Some legends say that you can see a thestral when you lose your innocence. And since you and your soulmate are connected, many theorize only one half needs to have seen death for both to see a thestral. But they haven't been able to prove it."

Ron sped up his pace a bit as the scent of cooking food hit them, his appetite was back and in full force. "I doubt that's the case for Holly, her life is abnormal with its danger. Her soulmate is probably living a normal life."

Holly shrugged. Either way, she could adjust, and she could ask soon! She had a translation to his song now, and with Hermione's help, they'd quickly learn his odd language. On top of that, her new classes would only help her reach him. Hopefully, she'd learn more about him soon with the communication opening up. She did also hope Ron was right, her life was dangerous, and she hoped her soulmate didn't have to deal with the same chaos that she did.

"Potter. Granger." The girls both turned spotting McGonagall, who was standing by the stairs. Her eyes roamed them, focusing on Holly specifically before stating: "join me in my office." Holly and Hermione exchanged a confused look but obliged, they bid a temporary goodbye to the Weasley's before the voices of the students started to fade. Following into the quieter hallways soon all they could hear was Padfoot's nails clicked on the stones of the school as McGonagall led them to her office.

"Miss Granger, please see me inside. Miss Potter, remain here a moment."

"Yes, Professor." The girls answered, and Holly quickly claimed a seat, only to notice she wasn't alone in the room even as Hermione and their Professor left. The new Professor, the one who gave them chocolate, was inside the room with her. Personally, considering the previous two defense professors had nearly killed her, Holly was wary of being alone with the man. Nervously Holly leaned away from him as she put her guard up. Automatically Padfoot leaned back, he settled his head in her lap and eyed the new guy.

Nearby a clock ticked. The man didn't say a thing as he stared at Holly and Padfoot, in return she stared right on back, daring him to act. In her robes Holly firmed up her grip on her wand waiting for it.

"He's beautiful." The man suddenly commented, "where did you get him?"

"Err…" Holly flexed her hands on her wand as Padfoot huffed a noise: "he… I mean I found him in a bramble field behind the Burrow… err, that's my friend's house."

"I see." He pushed from the wall and circled the room before hopping onto the desk, McGonagall's specifically, which made her slightly scandalized. "When did this happen?"

"This… summer…"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, Holly knew exactly what a smile not reaching the eyes looked like, and his was a textbook perfect example. She tensed slightly, defensively, even as she prepared to shield at a moments notice and never allow herself to be alone with this man if she could help it. She was not getting caught in another deadly situation with a defense professor thank you very much. "And, may I ask, what's his name?" his eyes flashed almost golden? Why had they done that? Was she seeing things?

"Padfoot…" he flinched, his entire body jerking violently as Padfoot growled in the back of his throat. "my bro- George and Fred insisted on the name."

"I see." His expression looked like he was about to throw up like he was going to be physically sick, and it only grew worse as he asked his last question: "and… he's been with this entire time? How has that been? Is he a good… dog?" The dog came out after a brief hesitation like he'd wanted to say something else. Holly uncomfortable almost wished McGonagall would hurry up, she wanted to go anywhere but there.

"Yes sir, he's a good dog…" hurry up, Hermione, hurry up!

The door opened, and Holly nearly threw herself from her chair as Hermione told Holly to head in to speak to their Professor for her turn. Only for the guy to ask one final question. "Miss Potter."

"Yes." She forced turning his way.

"This may sound odd, but… have you ever seen a rat, brown in color with… a missing toe?"

Pettigrew, it had to be, but- how did he… what did he know?

"I… err…" she glanced at Hermione for help, but her friend also appeared stumped by the sudden question, so Holly was forced to blurt out: "one Uhm… my friend Ron, he owned one like that but it… well Padfoot killed it this summer. Which was for the best… err… it… bit Ginny, yup, his sister, it bit her so… good riddance."

"It was a nasty bite too! Got infected!" Hermione rushed to add detail, "and they gave him a rat funeral."

"A rat funeral, very upsetting."

"But a beautiful service." Merlin above, they sounded like Fred and George.

"Miss Potter." Holly swung toward McGonagall, who smiled kindly and handed her a paper, "your time-table. With that you may accompany Miss Granger to the Great-Hall, the matter was solved, you can be on your way."

"Oh." She accepted the parchment, "thank you Professor… I'll do that."

She retreated toward Hermione, only giving her time-table a brief glance, she had Runes and Arthimacy as Holly had asked, so she was content. Holly had chosen both after Molly helped her research the requirements for her chosen career as an unspeakable. The only occupation that had access to the portal or anything like it. It was the career she was gunning for with her whole being. "We'll be on our way then." The girls retreated, Padfoot on her heels. All three of them casting a look behind them as the new Professor entered McGonagall's office with the door clicking shut behind him.

"So, what was that about?" Hermione instantly asked, "she was stalling with me, I think she wanted Professor Lupin to speak to you?"

"He was oddly suspicious about Padfoot, and he knew about Scabbers… do you think?"

"Maybe he knows that Scabbers wasn't what he seems?" Hermione frowned as they rushed on, "it's possible, and if he did know, then maybe he knows the truth about that night. About Sirius Black?" Padfoot tripped slightly but they paid him no mind. "Perhaps George is right, maybe he is innocent."

"If he is then this is a giant cover-up," Holly mused, "it wouldn't surprise me considering my life… but why would that happen?"

"My first instinct says it's about you. Perhaps… no, that's mad."

"What? Tell me."

Hermione made a face and stopped in the empty hall. Wringing her hands slightly, she admitted: "Maybe it was to keep you with the Dursley's, Dumbledore kept insisting there was a blood protection… and if Black was your god-father; well wouldn't it make sense that if he were innocent, that he'd adopt you? And if he did, you wouldn't have that blood protection from your aunt."

Padfoot suddenly started to loudly growl, hair all over his body standing on end. Absently Holly hummed a soothing noise to calm him but kept most of her focus on Hermione while she thought on that. "If that's true… then…" her mouth felt dry, "I mentioned it to him… that they hated me…" she hadn't used the word before 'abuse,' and still couldn't, but surely she had made it clear to the headmaster? "what they did. I told Dumbledore, but he said I couldn't stay at the school… that I needed that protection, I thought… well, it made sense; no one else would take me, right?" Except that wasn't true, the Weasley's had done so much to keep her safe. They'd taken her even with the increase in cost and danger she posed to their family. Still, she wanted to give the headmaster the benefit of the doubt, maybe she hadn't been clear. "We're just jumping to conclusions right now, the headmaster wouldn't do that."

Hermione didn't look convinced: "that was my first thought too, but… I can't give you a reason to say why he wouldn't or would. We don't know him, no one does. So… it's just something to keep in mind. Sirius Black might not even be innocent." Still, Hermione wasn't going to forget it. She didn't know the magical legal system yet, but if Dumbledore was supreme Mugwump… shouldn't he be ultimately in charge of those trials? Or was that someone else? She'd need to look it up.

Nodding along Holly added: "We'll have to keep an eye on the new professor too, he's suspicious."

"Not to mention the last two tried to kill you." Padfoot tripped again and Holly gave him a pitying look. Her mad dog still wasn't healthy, and the dementor attack had not helped. She'd probably have to carry him up the stairs at one point at this rate, thank Merlin for feather-light charms.

"Exactly."

Holly shook her head slightly as they entered the Great Hall together. Ron was sitting beside his sister, he caught their eye when they appeared and waved them over to the empty seats he'd saved. Padfoot slid under the table once they were seated as the general populace of Hogwarts made themselves comfortable. Ron, the moment they were down, started to ask the questions they knew would come out.

"What happened?"

"McGonegall wanted to tell me about my classes, and the new guy has an unhealthy obsession with my dog, might know something about the rat… also, Dumbledore might be evil." Holly deadpanned as Padfoot gave a canine bark that she would swear was laughter. Ginny, at the same time, burst out laughing choking out an 'only you,' while Ron's mouth dropped open.

"You were there for barely ten minutes! How did that happen?"

"We'll talk about it out of public company." Hermione interrupted.

Agreeing to do so, Holly fished out her journal from her inner pockets. They had perhaps ten minutes yet until the sorting began, and at least thirty before they started to eat. Ron was already complaining about the food, so Holly found a way to distract herself. From her hunger and the adventure already beginning on the first bloody day of school, and from the lingering touch of the dementor's hands on her soul. Feet kicking idly Holly looked over the work she and Hermione had already started on her soulmates language and immersed herself in it.

"Gather up all the crew…"

"This homework is insane, these runes aren't different 'mione!"

Sirius watched Holly's head crash to her desk and snickered. His pup had taken a problematic pair of classes for her dream job as an unspeakable. Personally, he had taken Divination and Care to spite his mother, who'd wanted him to take the same classes Holly had voluntarily taken on. Lily, however, had done the same courses as Holly did now, and James had followed with runes to 'stalk' Lily, with care as his second. Unfortunately for Holly, Sirius wouldn't be able to help her with either class, even if he decided to reveal himself.

Truthfully, Sirius could do so at any point. His mind was growing clearer each day away from Azkaban, and he knew she, her friends, and the Weasley twin suspected he was innocent yet, he couldn't do it. Every time he went to, every time he decided she had to know, he chickened out.

Holly loved her dog Padfoot, she allowed him close and told him things that she often kept to herself. But how would she react to the man Padfoot really was? The man whose mistakes orphaned her and left her with Muggles that physically and emotionally abused her for years. That was his fault, everything she'd suffered had been a result of his actions. Because he'd convinced James and Lily to go with Peter, because he'd gone after him when they died and gotten himself arrested, because he hadn't escaped earlier. It was all him, every horror story she finally allowed to lips from her lips in the dark.

She'd hate him, and he couldn't handle it.

At least as a dog, he could stay at her side; as a dog, he could watch over her and protect her from threat. In his furred form, he wouldn't bring the public eye down on her and the Weasley's who'd taken her in. Oh, he was sane enough to realize his name would never be cleared, and therefore he'd never be allowed to adopt her; and in the worst case… she'd be returned to those people, and he'd be kissed.

So a dog he remained.

Though, that did not stop him from being him. He might have more of a canine brain now, a side effect of spending too much time in his animegus form coupled with his decade in Azkaban. However, he was still Padfoot of the Marauders.

Stretching out his body, he flicked his tail against Holly's leg, causing her to glance his way. With her watching, he snuck off, ensuring she knew he was doing to prevent her from panicking. She had the first time he'd done it, though he suspected that was because of the dementors surrounding the school, which was steadily affecting everyone in the school. Even from a distance, the creatures were draining at the students, young and emotional as they were. The hormones hanging around, the growth they all had to do, the feelings and open connections to soulmates would all draw a dementor, and anyone under age would be particularly suitable to the darkness of the creature. Honestly, Lily had hated the very idea of them even being at the prison, most people did hate it. But to have around children? Sirius had no idea why people weren't rioting in the streets about it.

Regardless, with Holly aware of where he went, Sirius headed out of the common room and down the halls on a familiar path.

No longer did he walk under a cloak too small to hide his feet. James' shoulder wasn't bumping his side as Remus desperately tried to keep him quiet. There was no howling at the moon as he playing danced around four hooves. No James mooning at and serenading Lily Evans, who was well aware of who James was but who kept demanding he mature if he ever wanted to be with her.

"You sound like a drowned turkey Potter, maybe you should take lessons." Lily stood in the hallway in his memories, hands on her hips with Snivellus a step behind her. His shoulders were up and defensive now that she was close. Not so innocent a few minutes previously, when he'd been attempting to hex Sirius from behind.

"Lovely Lily!" James perked up, his eyes turning into hearts as he swooned before her. His soulmate, Lily Evans, Merlin James was obsessed and always had been. Sirius had been treated to James' poetry about the girl in his head from the first moment they met, and it only got worse when he realized Lily was that girl. A pity Lily found him wanting. Then again, James did seem to love the challenge. "I wrote you a new song, would you like to hear it?" He didn't wait for an answer as Remus loudly groaned, Snivellus cringed, and Lily… blushed? Well well wasn't that interesting.

"Don't you dare!" Lily snapped, "my ears haven't recovered from the last one-"

And James refused to listen, convinced he'd win her over through song.

"MyyyYyy gift is my soNg-"

Sirius wrenched his gaze away from the shades in the hallway and forced himself onward. He had a mission to complete and revenge to dish out on the bat that was Holly's potions professor. Snivellus was going to pay for insulting his pup. Pay in pink.

Upstairs, Holly tossed her homework done with a huff. It wasn't due yet. Still, with a combination of Hermione's insistence and her own desire to reach that distant reality where her soulmate resided, she was taking the courses quite seriously. She just hadn't expected it to be so much. Runes ironically she breezed through, something about the patterns and symbols just clicked in her head in a way only defense spells had. But arithmancy… numbers was not her thing, and learning anything about it was like a challenge. Honestly, she wished she had a damned calculator, what she wouldn't give for the Muggle invention.

"I need a break, my brain needs a break; otherwise I'm going to snap," Holly said. She'd just finish the rest later. Idly she glanced at Hermione who's hair was bushier than usual. It was only a few weeks into term, and her friend was already looking like it was exam season. Full bags under her eyes and everything. "And so do you." She decided. Standing, she stretched out her spine and rolled her shoulders, but Hermione didn't so much as glance up from her Divination work.

That in itself was beyond suspicious. Runes and Divination were at the exact same time. Yet, Ron had told Holly that Hermione had most definitely been in his class at the same time that Holly had been in Runes with Hermione. "' Mione." She nudged, reaching to poke Hermione in the side, the girl didn't even twitch.

"Soon, I'll meet you there."

Holly pressed her lips together: "I didn't tell you what we were going to do."

"Singing probably, like I said, I'll meet you there."

Well, alright, that was just a decent enough guess. Holly did tend to work nonstop on her singing and translating her soulmates language from the multitude of songs her soulmate was offering her. He was steadily rehashing every song he'd ever sung to her one at a time in English. Each one helped Holly get a reverse grasp on speaking his language but it was a slow progress for both of them. "Alright, just don't take too long."

Hermione didn't even acknowledge that as Holly slipped out of the room, heading randomly toward the Great Hall. She was on the hunt for Ron. He'd left far earlier in the afternoon after getting tired of his homework. It was another warning sign on Hermione's part because their homework crazed friend didn't comment at all on the abandoning of his work. Leaving, while exchanging a look with Holly Ron, had told her he was going to see about some quidditch with Ginny practice. He was secretly hoping he'd make it on the reserve team for Gryffindor. If Holly wasn't so determined to become an Unspeakable, she very well might have joined him, that and she did, in fact, find Runes highly engaging. Complicated, yes, but enjoyable? Definitely.

In the end, it was not Ron she found first, but the twins. Standing in the hallway near one of the multiple empty classrooms, the twins had their heads together over some large parchment. Likely some plot in the making. Feeling a touch mischievous Holly started to creep forward to surprise them, but it was the twins that shocked her. Abruptly, just before she cried out their names to startle her, they spun grinning and loudly cried her name.

"Holly!" She jumped slightly, feeling her heart skip a beat, then she blushed in frustration. So much for that.

She could see the forked tails waggling behind the twins as they surrounded her, they knew very well what she had been trying, and they were proud. Holly was their newest sister, but she hadn't experienced a life of brotherly teasing yet. Their little Holly was just getting her feet under her, realizing she could try to scare them, tease them, and get mad without ruining their relationship. The more relaxed she got, the better, in their opinion.

"Little sister of ours."

"How are you this fine evening?"

She glanced between them, pretending she hadn't seen them swiftly hide something behind Fred's back. "Hi, guys." The parchment was replaced behind their backs by something new, and she arched a brow, wondering what they needed a decoy to hide. What was that first parchment?

"What are you working on?" She hinted at the original parchment, which they said nothing about. Honestly, they acted as if she was blind. She was a seeker for a damned good reason, and with her new glasses, a proper prescription this time, she could see even better than she used to.

"Ah!" Fred swayed to the side, revealing the replacement. "Curious are we little sister, well come take a look!" he beckoned her forward and brandished a hand down at some sort of potion recipe. Holly furrowed her brows at it and took a wild guess.

"For your shop?"

"Got it in one!" George clapped on her the shoulder showering her with casual affection. "This one will turn your skin, and just about everything else it touches a lovely shade of fuchsia." Idly he wiggled his fingers at her revealing the tips of his nails had been slightly tinted. It was another sign that this was George as she'd correctly known, George had a better hand with potions so he'd be the one experimenting. Fred, on the other hand, was better with Runes, which was why she went to him more often than not for help with her homework. Fred or Bill, that was, who she was relaxing around finally.

"Is it permanent?" she asked as they sheepishly ducked their heads.

"For the moment, yes… we're working on that though."

Holly snorted, pulling away from George's grip: "I love pink as much as the next girl, but not permanently, you keep that away from me."

"Why, sister mine? Don't you want my love?" George made a grab for her as she squealed, ducking under his grip she was caught by Fred from behind. He held her up like a sacrificial pig as George wiggled his fingers toward her threateningly. He was, in fact, going to make full contact, which may or may not turn her pink when a boom sounded off in the distance. All three stopped and exchanged a look, but no follow up came.

"Did we forget a prank?" Fred asked George, who shook his head in a negative.

"Sounds like the dungeons." Holly wiggled free of the twins, "probably a potions accident." Thank Merlin she'd already done her potions for the week, Snape would be off to a terrible mood thanks to that. Though, thinking of lessons: "Hey, do you guys know of a way someone can be in two places at once… magically?"

"Poly-juice?" George offered, touching his fingers to her arm just to prove he could, and didn't leave pink behind. The solution was long dry, so he wouldn't spread the coloring.

"Time-travel?" Fred rolled up their recipe and tucked it away.

"Wait… you can time-travel?!"

"Alas! Our poor muggle-raised sister! So naive." Fred dropped a hand to her head, "let me educate you-"

"WEASLEY!"

All three of them flinched as a bright pink form appeared down the hall. They stared in abject horror as Snape, hook nose and cloak, billowed toward them, leaving behind glowing fuchsia footprints. He was covered in color, from head to toe, he was pink.

"Uh oh."

"Did do you do that?" George asked, hurriedly hiding his hands.

"No." Fred sounded a touch high-pitched torn between hilarity and realization that they were pretty much fucked. Even as he acknowledged this, he shoved something at Holly, parchment, and Holly smuggled it into her robes. Then she made a tactical retreat choosing not to be anywhere near there when Snape laid into the twins.

Though, she was confused as to why Fred had given her the recipe, and a large piece of blank parchment.

The universe decided to reward him for pranking the beast of the dungeons. Sirius was alone in the dorms for a well-earned dog nap; he had to catch up after all the wandering and pranking he'd set up during the night. He'd woken long enough to note Holly dropping her outer robes before rushing off again when Ron called up. An hour later, Sirius was still alone but awake. So he'd stretched out deciding to take a temporary break from his canine form to snatch some of Fay Dunbar's Muggle books. The girl had a thing for Muggle fiction and had dozens of the books on her shelf when he got the chance he read some of them, and he had to know who the culprit was.

When he got up, Sirius accidentally knocked Holly's robes to the floor and picked them up, tossing them back to the bed. When the parchment fell out. There it was, that eerily familiar work they'd spent months upon months working on. The one that had Sirius trapped for an entire afternoon as James attempted to guess passwords after he'd fallen into a wall into a new area. Their map, the map holding his, James, Remus, and Peter's magic.

Holly had their map.

His eyes flew wide in horror as he snatched it off the floor. Holly could not have this. One look at the map and she'd know who her dog really was- oh Merlin, she'd freak. Frantic Sirius twisted on the spot before making a quick plan. He didn't have the time to change the runes, so his name would remain Padfoot and not Sirius on the map, but nor could he find it in himself to destroy the map either. Therefore, he had to trick her. One more sin to add to his tally.

He stole some parchment, stashed the real map, transformed… and sank his teeth in.

Hours later, Holly sheepishly looked at the floor as she approached Fred and George with guilt dancing across her being.

"Holly, dear sister." Fred turned toward her suspicions up, he knew that pose… the pose of guilt, but why was she in it? "do you have our parchment?"

"Your recipe?" she nodded, yes that she had, but… Holly set her bag on the ground in front of her, "I have it, but Uhm…" she blushed nervously as she handed the recipe to George, who was closer, "the other one, the blank one? Padfoot sort of... might have… eaten it."

"HE WHAT!?" they screamed in horror.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry! I'll replace it?"

"It's gone- the map! Our beloved map!" they flailed on the ground dramatically to her guilt moaning about a map and terrible bad dogs. Holly could only apologize again and again, unaware that the actual parchment had been hidden away in her suitcase, and a decoy had replaced it. Unaware that one pleased as punch dog was going to use that particular parchment to the best of his abilities in the coming future. And that one specific canine was desperately grateful that the Weasley twins hadn't taken a closer look at a particular dog on the map.

"Not our mapppppp."

"Noooooo!"

"Sorry!"

The 'noble' art of Divination was a giant waste of time. Honestly! She had gotten more out of Muggle Studies, and she was a Muggleborn!

Hermione should have known this class would be a mess when she'd smelled the Sherry on her professor's robes on day one. Not to mention, Sybill Trelawney seemed to enjoy targeting poor Neville with death predictions that were turning the boy into a nervous wreck due. Truthfully that might have something to do with the predictions and his unfortunately close proximity with Padfoot, who'd not so much as growled in Neville's direction. The harmlessness of Holly's dog didn't matter to Neville or the purebloods because they had become convinced Padfoot was a Grim. Defending her friend and her pet to the best of her abilities, Hermione had pointed out on every occasion that Padfoot was not a Grim, he was at best a wolf-dog mixed with Labrador. But no! The pure-bloods refused to believe Muggles had dog breeds that weren't the one-tailed crup or a grim. And as a result, Neville and just about every other pure-blood that came across Padfoot was convinced they were going to die.

She digressed; Hermione was no quitter, and she was determined to learn Divination. She was keeping up with all her other classes, from Care with Ron, to Runes and Arthimacy with Holly. Hermione was on top of her homework. Sure, she didn't socialize anymore. And technically Hermione hadn't helped Holly at all with her translations, and she felt guilty about that… but she was functional. She could handle it, Hermione was sure she could… at least, until that particular lesson.

Sitting opposite Ron, Hermione stared into the crystal ball before her and tried not to give their professor an utterly incredulous expression. "I beg your pardon?" and failed.

"Hermione it's fine!" Ron took the class because it was easy, he could admit that. He knew Hermione and Holly were both going for Runes and Arthimacy, but the idea of the classes and the workload had made him pale. Ron knew Holly picked based on her desire to become an Unspeakable to find that otherworld portal, and Hermione was Hermione. And as much as Ron loved the girls, he was not following them into that chaos. So he'd gone with Care and Divination, and oddly, he was excelling, even if Trelawney was a touch batty. Not to mention, he was often distracted like Parkinson, who sat directly behind him.

Ron secretly hated that he noticed the day Parkinson's partner Greengrass dropped Divination - and wasn't he just a little smug that Hermione outlasted the Slytherin. And when Parkinson was placed in a trio with Bulstrode and her Ravenclaw partner. None of the girls truly got alone, and since Ron sat in front of him, he knew very well that they didn't. It was hard to miss the whispered sniping between them. Ron was also secretly grateful that Holly hadn't taken Divination because she, unlike Hermione, would definitely notice his building obsession with the Slytherin girl. Of which he was entirely in denial about.

"No." Hermione snarled stomping to her feet as silence fell around them. Everyone in the class was staring now if they hadn't before. Though Ron did think Trelawney was a touch harsh with her predictive nonsense, he refused to put any stock into the woman's words anymore. Not after living with a Grim since the summer. Hermione though, she took it a bit more seriously. "How dare you! You're a teacher, you- you drunken bat!"

Their professor huffed the picture of an adult unimpressed with Hermione's 'childish' tantrum. Hermione was right though, the woman had pushed it too far, she just refused to accept it or apologize.

"Sit down, child."

Oh no.

"Child!" Hermione puffed up like an offended cat, like her angry cat. Crookshanks did the same thing anytime Snape, Dumbledore, or Lupin wandered near him. "You just- do- I-" Hermione was beyond furious, beyond words even, and Ron sank into his chair. All this because Trelawney had looked into his crystal ball and decided he was going to die in an admittedly gruesome fashion. Apparently, he was doomed to bleed out while defending his soulmate as rescue came too late. Then again, she'd said the same about Neville two months before that, so Ron didn't take it too seriously.

"-lacking the third eye-"

The crystal ball on the table was thrown off of it, and half the class jumped when it shattered. At that, Ron arched a brow, it had to be a fake then. Authentic crystal balls, ones that had been adequately enchanted, didn't break. One more reason not to think much about their professor's words, at least in his opinion.

Hermione stomped out, screaming that she quit and leaving him without a partner, at least for a few minutes.

"Miss Parkinson, as I had predicted. We would find you a partner in no time."

Oh no.

"No." Parkinson gasped out loud.

"You will be partnering with Mister Weasley, move quickly as I collect a new crystal ball for your table."

Why? Just… why.

It was time.

Holly rubbed her fingers together as Hedwig gave her a comforting hoot, which served to boost her confidence.

They'd finally reach April; it had taken her that long to prepare herself for this event. She was going to sing in her soulmates language, a song she chose explicitly for this event. After all the songs he'd sang to her, one every month or so that she memorized and sang right on back to him. Holly was ready to return the favor.

All in all, it had been a relatively uneventful year. Yes, Dementors were surrounding the school, but it had been a relatively peaceful year. Lupin had tried to kill her - yet - and seemed entirely focused on Padfoot for some insane reason. For a more mad one, Holly would swear Padfoot was messing with the man. Other than that, there seemed to be a series of pranks plaguing the school and specifically Professor Lupin and Snape that the twins pleaded innocence on.

The Christmas holidays had been spent in the castle for once, instead of the burrow. Holly suspected was purely because of the eyes on her over Sirius Black, instead of the desires of Molly and Arthur to spend the holidays with Charlie, whom she still hadn't met. None of the Weasley's were going to admit it, so she wasn't bringing it up either. Holly had gotten them all gifts, including Charlie, and had received in return. The only odd thing about the day had been the book on runes from an unknown source. One which was highly advanced and beyond rare that had Hermione drooling over and Ron putting up half-hearted warnings about Sirius Black that neither girl had listened too.

Other than that, the trio agreed it was, in fact, a bit too peaceful considering an alleged mass murder had escaped prisoner. With his escape, there had been mention of his name plaguing the papers for weeks. But since then, there was nothing. No sightings, no word, no hint, no sign at all. Sirius Black seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. It was to the point that most of the student body was convinced he either drowned in the ocean escaping Azkaban or had run off to another country. Ironically this had Malfoy and his father demanding the dementors be removed from the school with Dumbledore.

Holly was hoping it would happen.

"Okay, I'm ready… or as ready as I'll ever be. 'Sate… Watashi-'" she stumbled and pushed on. She was singing this song, she was.

A world way, Shanks paused before leaving his room and felt his lips curl upward. His heart swelled in joy, and he dipped his head to bask in it. Months he'd been singing to her about the pirate life, about the ocean and freedom, scurvy dogs and venturing out into the open seas as he painstakingly translated song after song. One word and song at a time, she corrected his accent, teaching the actual sound of each one of her words. Truthfully he liked to say if he ever met her, he'd be fluent in the odd language of her island. Still, he wondered if she'd ever return the favor, and now she had.

"Well, I took a stroll down the old long walk."

Now he knew why she sounded so amused when she corrected his accent, he's was a disaster even he could make sense of what she was trying to say. Idly he corrected her, changing the sounds to what they'd be. When she corrected, he could see the blush in her tone and gave a fond grin.

"And I ask you, mate, what's a lass to do? 'Cause her hair was black, and her eyes were green."

Shanks strode toward the kitchens when he paused. Suddenly she cut off the song and started to sing that line a second time with clear intent in her voice, and it clicked. "Her hair was black, and her eyes were green."

Oh.

She was describing herself through the song! She had black hair and green eyes.

After the third repetition of the line, she continued while Shanks attempted to remember the word for the color of his own eyes. Then when she reached the chorus again, he chimed in startling a few members of the crew as he passed them. None of them were used to speaking another language entirely, so far as they traveled the world, they'd never encountered an island that did that.

"And I ask you mate, what's fella to do? 'Cause his hair was red, and his eyes were gray."

"I took her hand, and I gave her a twirl. And I lost my heart to a Galway girl." He truly had lost his heart to her, to his dark-haired green-eyed beauty. The laugh and joy that lingered in her voice, the stuttering nervousness that used to plague her voice. The softly whispered songs in the dark, the focus in which she tried to sing in a language she had no idea how to navigate just to return the favor to him.

The gods matched him to her, and he was a romantic at heart. He knew she was his, they'd match each other perfectly. Compliment each other and urge each other on, soulmates. The woman he'd show the world too, the one who'd enjoy every minute of it with him. Gods, he couldn't wait to meet her. To have her in his arms and know precisely how it felt to do so.

"See I've traveled around, been all over the world!" he sang loudly, picking up the lyrics relatively quickly, "but I 'aint seen nothing like a Galway girl."

They'd finally done it, they could both communicate and translate their own songs. Soon Shanks could plague her with endless songs about pirates, the ocean and sing the island songs to tell her exactly where he was. Then she could return with her own island song and he'd finally be able to find her through it. They were on their way!

Holly left the Owlery with a bounce in her steps. Padfoot wasn't long in finding her, and she beamed at him once he did.

"My soulmate has red hair and gray eyes." She announced without preamble, "and one day I'm going to find him and travel the world like a pirate." A brand new world, a world where pirates were common and magic plentiful. A world beyond that impossible portal where a completely different language was spoken and countless sights could be seen. "I'll see the ocean and new lands… I'll be free."

Free of the Dursley's and Voldemort, free of the eyes on her back and the title attached to her every step. Of course she'd miss her new adoptable family but no one said the portal was one way. Maybe she could figure out how to go back and forth so she could visit and naturally introduce her soulmate to the Weasley's and Hermione. "It'll be perfect, Padfoot… just… perfect."

An perhaps, in an ideal world, it might have very well worked out.

"HOLLY!"

Ron rushed up to her side, looking somewhat red as he gasped: "Have you seen Hermione? She stormed out of Divination, and no one's seen her since."

"Brilliant, she's been complaining the entire time-"

"Not Brilliant!" Ron snapped, "she's run off, Patil are going on and on about Trelawney's correct predictions. Neville's losing his mind again convinced I'm going to die, and I'm stuck with Parkinson as a partner because Greengrass ditched the class months ago. I'm stuck with a Slytherin Hols!"

Holly shrugged: "At least it's a decent Slytherin, they did help on the train. Maybe she isn't so bad."

Ron made a disgruntled sound: "That's not the point- just- help me find her!"

"Lead the way."

Slytherin's were one of two things, and one of those was not Pureblood, even if she was. To get into the house, you have to be Ambitious or clever but not necessarily both. Crabbe and Goyle were ambitious but moronic, so they were Slytherin. Daphne was clever with intensely focused ambitious. Blaise was a clever man-whore. Millicent was ambitious and intelligent but a half-blood - proving her earlier point. Pansy, Pansy was ambitious, and in some regards, she was also clever.

Pansy was bright when it came to appearances; she knew how to act ditsy, so people overlooked her. She knew how to bat her eyelids to get attention. Knew when to blend in and when to stand out. Pansy was also clever when it came to connections, she knew relationships. She knew exactly who to befriend to benefit the most. And admittedly, her school-work suffered because she didn't put in the proper effort, Pansy knew she'd survive regardless.

That was if she didn't get distracted.

Her mother had taught her from a young age about soulmates with a chip on her shoulder. Her mother had not married her soulmate, but she had found the man in the middle of a war. A muggle Pansy's mother had whispered to her in the dark. Hair like the sun, a smile that made the darkness parts of her light up, eyes as blue as sapphires. He'd been beautiful, kind, a wonderful soul, and entirely without magic.

"Oh, Pansy… he sang like the angels."

But at the time, her mother had been engaged, promised to Pansy's father to continue their blood-line. To create one more pure-blooded child. At the time, her father had already been a death eater - oh yes, she knew what he was Pansy couldn't deny that. And the war had been in full swing.

Pansy hadn't needed more information than that to realize how the story ended. A dead muggle with blonde hair drenched in blood, a victorious father who won his prize covered in the blood of his wife's soulmate. A pregnant woman forcing a smile who, in the dark hours of the night, whispered to her too young daughter.

"Ignore that voice in your head Pansy. They hold the promise of the world… but they'll only bring you pain."

Ignore him, her mother said. Ignore then as Pansy stared around the Great-hall three years in a row hearing the school song in her head as hundreds of students sand at the same time. Ignore him, even though he had to be a first-year just like she was since they started singing the song on the same night at the same time. Ignore him as she caught Potter, Granger, and Weasley singing in some strange language that didn't exist and couldn't be copied all the while matching that boy in her head.

Pansy was bright, but it didn't take an intelligent person to put two and two together. Ron Weasley, the blood-traitor, the girl who lived's best friend, was her soulmate. And she'd known it since she was eleven years old.

She avoided him, heeding her mother's warning. Pansy saw it in her head, the one picture her mother had of her soulmate, a man frozen in time. A moving picture as Pansy's mother introduced a Muggle to what magic could do and the utterly awed expression on his face as he reached up and kissed her mother. Merlin, her mother had been so happy in that picture.

And yet she kept almost running into him!

In the hallways where he was walking with the two girls, and she'd been forced to abruptly change direction lest she run into them. Or when Draco decided he needed to fight Potter and Pansy had to act her part and laugh at all the proper places because her father was in Draco's pocket. Or when, Merlin forbid, they ended up in the same bloody compartment when a Dementor attacked! How was that her luck!? And then she'd done the stupidest thing in her life and sang in front of him. Pansy blamed the unsettled feeling from the Dementor's attack on that impulse. Thankfully Weasley was too stupid to notice she was his soulmate… which some secret part of her was rather upset about.

She was grateful when things went back to normal after the attack. She avoided Weasley, and he ignored her. It worked. Pansy would marry whoever her father decided, and she'd never become a blood-traitor because Weasley happened to sing her her head. He'd never be a bloody stain on the ground because she'd given it like her mother had. She was fine without a soulmate.

"Miss Parkinson, as I had predicted. We would find you a partner in no time."

Perhaps Pansy should put more stock in how determined the universe was to place soulmates together. Her avoidance tactics barely lasted two and a half years, and now Ronald Weasley was her literal partner in class, a class she'd taken on a whim. Because somehow both their original partners quit. Pansy doubted she'd forgive Daphne for this any time soon.

So so she stared anywhere but at her Divination partner and he stared anywhere but at her. They had a project to finish together. But neither of them were all that confident they'd get it done unless, of course, they started talking. Which they refused to do. Pansy did not want to destroy her reputation for the red-haired moron, who might very well realize what she was when they actually spoke. Ron was convinced she was hatching some wicked plot with her 'snakey' brain.

The group project lay between them, and still, they refused to talk.

Sybil sighed at the pair. They'd have to get over it eventually, as Albus had told her, cooperation between Slytherin's and Gryffindor's was a must with the uncertain future before them. They'd adjust, or they'd fail… and she'd simply put them on another team project together. It could be fun. Perhaps a prediction to that effect? Yes, that would help.

"My children! I have seen! Cooperation between you is crucial to the future!"

Pansy rolled her eyes, and Ron huffed both sarcastic in the face of their professors nonsense. But no, they definitely hadn't agreed on that. They hadn't!

"Bloody hell," Holly swore when she came too. Fuzzy shaped jerked to attention, a furred head perked, and someone handed over her glasses. Holly shoved them onto her nose and glanced around at the ragged members of her family. "What happened." She deadpanned at their expressions.

Ginny sitting on the end of her bed, explained calmly: "the dementors swarmed when we started the pick-up game started. They targeted you almost instantly."

Holly remembered suddenly and exhaled. She'd been the one to suggest the game feeling a bit too claustrophobic in the school since she couldn't go to Hogsmead. She'd dragged together several people, and they'd grabbed more from other houses to create a fun quidditch match to relax. And then the field had been swarmed when it hadn't at any other game before.

"Freaking Diggory didn't even care, he was right there and didn't even attempt to catch you when you fell." Groused George, who had a nasty gash across his face.

"Pretty sure that was because he was behind her and didn't notice-" Hermione trailed off and hurriedly said when they all glared her way: "-I mean, that… rat- no not rat… uh… cockroach! What a terrible person…" The group ignored Hermione, who trailed off with a faint blush.

"Thankfully, you fell past Fred, and I saw your hair and lunged."

"Was one of the most wicked things I've ever seen." Ron said grinning ear to eat, "George threw himself from his broom to grab you out of mid-air, then Fred caught up and grabbed him."

"Might've dislocated your shoulder." George glanced away, "Sorry about that, Pomfrey fixed you right up, though."

"Ah," Holly rubbed the back of her head, "better than a shattered spine and death… thanks, guys, for saving me." She flopped back onto her pillow as Padfoot climbed up, trying his best to avoid Madam Pomfrey's gaze, animals weren't allowed in the hospital wing after all. Her family covered him well enough, Ginny and Ron shielded him with their bodies and the twins spoke loud enough to hide any whines he might have given off. They'd truthfully all started covering for the dog, especially since Padfoot insisted on attending her classes, Potions and defense specifically, which had given both Lupin and Snape fits.

Snape had actually kicked her out the one time he'd spotted him, and Lupin had turned a fascinating shade of white.

"What did Dumbledore say about it? How'd you get rid of the dementors?"

"Lupin was passing by, he used that shield of his again," Ron explained, "came out as some sort of four-legged thing this time… Hermione called it uh-"

"The Patronus charm."

"Yeah, that, we agreed that we'd all try to learn it… you in?"

"Of course." Anything to keep those creatures the hell away from her and her soul. "When we do start?"

"What is that animal doing in my hospital!"

"Uh oh."

Shanks ducked under Rayleigh's sword and brought his own to match. His haki flickered along the blade before failing to his ire. Observation haki he could handle, but armament continued to give him trouble, especially in a combat situation.

Behind him, Buggy was sliced to pieces again, and the parts caused havoc to his haki. Shanks grit his teeth as Buggy screamed in anger and distress as he tried to rebuild his body while curious out Shanks and his name. Shanks valiantly attempted to keep focused on his training-

"All Shank's fault-" a piece of Buggy's ass dropped right in front of him, and Shanks tripped. Truthfully he avoided Rayleigh's next attack as a result as the first mate took advantage of his distraction.

"Oi!" he swung around toward Buggy and kicked the piece back toward his friend: "keep that to yourself! I need to bleach my eyes now!" especially since Buggy couldn't control his clothing either.

"This is all your fault! If you hadn't-"

"You're the one who-"

"Well if you-"

Around them, the crew sighed as another argument explosively built up. Thankfully this time, it didn't last as the skies opened up, and enormous elephant-sized pieces of hail started to fall toward the ocean. It caused the crew to launch into action to keep the ship safe, especially the vulnerable sail. Rayleigh, already knocking aside the larger of the pieces, noted the location of their youngest members and discovered Buggy covering and Shanks laughing in pleasure as chaos reigned.

Rayleigh heaved a sigh; the boys were entirely too different. Buggy was the type to panic when something went wrong. While Shanks found it more and more amusing the worse things seemed to go.

"They liven the ship up," Roger told him, reading his thoughts as he leaned on the helm, sending them away from the storm as Rouge casually knocked aside a chunk of ice, getting a touch too close to her. "I know you, Rayleigh, you'd be bored out of your mind if you didn't get to toss them around each day."

Rayleigh didn't answer that, even if it were true.

"Oh look." Rouge leaned over the railing with a squeal: "a starlight shower!" they glanced to the port side and watched as the sky cleared. In the distance, the falling hail glittered like shooting stars in the dark. The pieces fell to the ocean splashing into the water, making it look as though the sea itself had become the night sky. Rouge watched in pleased awe all the while Roger watched her.

Rayleigh excused himself quickly after taking in the view. He knew what would come next with the affectionate pair, and he had no need to see his captain like that a third time.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Then again, perhaps the obnoxious displays of affection would be better than the two brats and their arguing.

Hermione collapsed into bed, and Holly lifted her gaze from her homework to peer at her friend. Her soulmate sang in her head as she did, a random jaunty in his language that sounded new to her, he was likely only just learning it. Personally, Holly was a bit surprised that what he sang came across relatively clear to her. She was learning his language and quick, hopefully, she'd be fluent one day soon.

Setting aside her homework Holly tossed her legs over the side of the bed. Briefly, she caught a glimpse of Hermione's new necklace and mentally patted herself on the back, she'd figured it out. Striding toward Hermione's bed, Holly dropped onto the end and casually leaned back till she was on top of Hermione's legs.

"Soooo." She drawled, "how told you not to tell us about the time-turner?"

Hermione shrieked launching off the bed, she kicked Holly in the shoulder as she scrambled back and frantically flipped over: "who told you!" she rushed to say.

"No one." Holly confessed, "Ron and I guessed after you were in both our classes at the same time. McGonagall gave it to you, right?" Holly reached forward, and Hermione allowed her to hook her fingers under the golden chain to pull it from her shirt. Holly took a moment to inspect the small time-piece that had literal time-traveling powers. "Never give this back."

"Holly!" Hermione snatched it back and swatted her hand; "it's not to be abused! Terrible things happen to those that travel in time!"

"Terrible things happen to people even when they don't." Holly pointed out shrewdly. "And… Voldemort is kind of running around as a shade right now, it's only a matter of time until he shows up again." Holly wasn't stupid, she knew Voldemort was a wraith, and she'd done plenty of research on them. Dumbledore might be trying to let her have a 'childhood,' but Holly knew it wouldn't last; besides, thanks to the Dursley's, she hadn't had a childhood in the first place. "So, if we have this… maybe we can change the future?"

Hermione gaped: "That's… that's not its intended use!"

Holly didn't look at her as she added: "and also, you should use it to get some sleep. Your bags have bags right now." Holly might blame the Weasley's a bit or her pirate of a soulmate, but the rules were really beginning to not matter to her anymore. It wasn't like they'd done anything for her in the first place. The rules and laws hadn't gotten her away from the Dursley's,

"Holly, I can't!"

Holly made a face returning to leaning against Hermione's legs before she confessed the truth: "Ron and I are worried Hermione, at this rate, you'll be sent to the hospital." She tilted her head, "but if you really can't use it to sleep, maybe you should drop a few courses? Do you really need Muggle studies?"

"I DO!"

"Then…" Holly shrugged helplessly.

"But… I can't… I'm not allowed… I…"

Holly huffed an annoyed breath when she felt the bed dip and glanced to the side. Padfoot had returned. Her dog tilted his head at the chain in Hermione's hands, chuffed at them, then dropped into the blankets with little care. Holly frowned at his paws, which were covered in some unknown potion and pressed her lips together. She really was beginning to suspect- a bang and twin groans sounded nearby, and the girls jumped slightly when she heard a pair of familiar voices frantically yelling.

"We're innocent! I swear it!"

Holly rolled her eyes, once again the twins pranked someone and were faking innocence. It had been happening all year. Holly dismissed them as McGonagall's voice pitched in fury and refocused on Hermione, who definitely needed sleep. Now, if only she could convince her friend to abuse the power she'd been given.