Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.

Chapter 3 Guilty Black

"BLAISE!"

Draco couldn't ever recall seeing Blaise run or be anything more than a scary sort of calm. But there he was, chasing Pansy's cat out of the Dungeons like a mad man. He was even brandishing a shoe as Pansy shrieked and started chasing him in an effort to protect her pet. Dudley nearly dropped his chocolate bar at the sight of them.

"Oh I do hope Zeus is alright," Astoria said fearfully. "Pansy should keep that cat in our rooms. It's not fair."

Draco didn't know what was going to happen when Zeus finally died. Sometimes, especially during the summers, he thought that that rat was all Blaise had. But Pansy loved her cat too… "I think it's in my best interest to stay out of it."

Daphne snorted. "That thing kills everything. Pansy found a squirrel in her bed the other day. I wouldn't be surprised if it's not even a cat."

"What else would it be?" Dudley asked dumbly.

Daphne glared at him. "A lion mixed with a fox."

"I don't think…"

"What do you think of Professor Snape?" Draco asked before a fight could erupt. Two friends fighting like cats and dogs was enough. He didn't need Dudley figuring out that Daphne thought he was an idiot.

"He's terribly exciting," Astoria said worriedly. "Do you think he's really a vampire?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. "He's the only teacher who doesn't treat us like dirt. And the fact that he treats everyone else that way is only a bonus."

"You'd think Professor Riddle would pick better teachers," Dudley muttered.

"Not with Potter as one of the school governors," Draco said bitterly.

"I'm surprised he's still on after what his wife did," Daphne grumbled. "Bloody coward."

"Daph," Astoria hissed. For the first time in well, ever, she looked angry. Draco noted that she was also very pale. She probably didn't want relive last year, and after everything, he didn't blame her. Looks like he had to change the subject again.

"So, erhm… Nice weather we're having…"

"Professor Black," Pansy said hotly. She was hugging that giant furball to her chest. If he wasn't afraid of being late to class, Draco would have turned in the opposite direction. Blaise stared straight ahead, as if he didn't hear her. "You have to tell Blaise that he can't ban Orange from the dormitories!"

Black wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Orange?"

Pansy's cheeks colored, but she plowed on nonetheless. "He won't answer to anything else! Blaise has the first years guarding the entrance with a spray bottle!"

Black looked at Blaise, then Pansy, then back to Blaise. Finally, their head of house put all his brain power together to make a decision. "I don't care."

"What?" Pansy nearly shrieked.

"I'm responsible for my students, not their pets," Black said tiredly. "Figure it out yourself."

Pansy stuttered several times, but the bell rang, causing Black to smirk, and for once, hurry off to be on time his own class. Draco wanted to say that he was sorry that Black was such a jerk but decided it was more prudent to head into class. Blaise was one to hold a grudge.

Unfortunately, he only traded one awful experience for another. With everything that was happening, he had forgotten that there was some huge cosmic joke being played on him, and Potter was tied to his hip during Potions.

"Hey," she whispered as soon as he sat down. "Let me copy your homework."

Why are you afraid of my mum? Draco had been dying to ask, and according to the schedule, she would need the timer turner on Friday. "Black's collecting it now."

"I'll be quick!"

"No!"

"Is there a problem?" Black asked lightly, but from the look on his face, Draco knew he was going to blame him no matter what. Potter knew it too.

"Malfoy stole my homework!" she yelled. What the hell?

"It's in my handwriting!" Draco yelled back. "With my name!"

"I was just about to write my name when you stole it," Potter said innocently. "I forgot."

Black snatched the parchment out of his hands and stared at it. It was clearly Draco's. The biggest sentences more than four words. The lie wasn't even good. "I can't tell."

"Can Potter even read?" Pansy spat, still angry about the Orange incident.

Potter turned around and glared at her. "Why do you have a cat with you? Is it your boyfriend?"

Black shrugged and started heading for the chalkboard. "The both of you can redo the assignment in detention."

"Both," Potter repeated in disbelief. Draco couldn't believe his ears either.

"I saw Malfoy take it," Weasley said loudly. Great. Potter grinned.

"Oh really?" Black thinned his lips, and for a moment, Draco felt a glimmer of hope. "Draco, you will receive a zero. Or, you can complete the assignment in detention for half credit."

Wonderful.

"I knew it was yours," Black announced during his detention that night. Draco jumped when he dumped a pile of second year assignments on his desk. "But I didn't feel like grading these."

"Am I still getting the fifty?" Draco dared to ask. He knew better…

Black leaned against his desk and looked down on him. After a moment of tense silence, he waved him off. "No. The last thing I need is Professor Riddle sniffing about."

"Thanks…" Maybe Professor Black wasn't so bad after all.

"What am I going to do with her?" he muttered. Never mind then. This was going to turn into a therapy session. "She's going to get me fired…"

"Is there a rubric?" Draco asked. He felt like the king of changing the subject today.

Black frowned and glanced at the papers. "If there's a lot, give them a good grade. Knock off a few points for spelling and grammar. Less than eight paragraphs is failing. Give Ginny Weasley an O."

Ginny Weasley's was two paragraphs. And the last one was two sentences! With picture of her next to a cauldron at the bottom! Draco cringed when it blew up in her face. Oh well, at least he stopped talking about Potter.

"I know about the time turner." Black rolled his eyes. "And Muggle Studies. I'm cutting you a break." This was cutting him a break? "Remember that if you ever think about announcing her course load to the world."

"I wasn't planning on it," Draco muttered.

Black nodded to himself. "Just like my ex-wife wasn't planning on taking my mother's house…"

And the therapy session continued.

Friday came before Draco knew it, and he was face to face with Potter again. He expected gruffness and for her to snatch the time turner out of his hands, only to threaten to never give it back. Instead, he found her feeding his owl, Merope, mouse treat after mouse treat.

"I want to see if owls can get fat," she told him as soon as he stepped into the threshold of the owlery.

"So you're going to feed mine to death?" he asked in disbelief before pointing to Potter's snowy white owl. Hedwig, he thought her name was. "You have an owl."

Potter shrugged and handed Merope another treat, causing Draco to snatch the bag out of her hand. "She wouldn't eat more than three." Her owl hooted, almost sounding like the two of them were in some sort of argument. "I got full credit that homework assignment."

The sight of her satisfied smirk made his blood boil. Black had him grading and practically listening to his life's story for nearly three hours the other night. "Take the bloody time turner. I'll need it back by Monday."

"Thanks." Potter smiled smugly. "This year's turning out a lot better than I thought it would, Malfoy. I think it would be in your best interest to make two copies of the essay due next week."

"You piece of—" Merope flew and perched herself on Potter's head. Professor Riddle gave him Merope. Her name was his mother's. "How very Slytherin of you, Potter."

Potter blinked in surprised. "Huh?"

"You're boggart was turning into my mother," he said quietly. His heart started to pound as she paled in confirmation. "And you thought that stealing my homework and getting me detention would make me forget?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," Potter stuttered. "Unless Hermione bears an uncanny resemblance to your mum… Do you even know what she looks like?"

"Shut up!" Draco yelled, angry with Potter for trying to deny it. It was his mother. "Do you know something about her?"

There was a pause. Then Potter coughed and shook her head. "No."

"You're a liar," Draco accused. "And not even a good one."

Potter threw her hands in the air, causing Merope to flap her wings but remain seated on her head. This caused Potter to swat at her. Merope remained stubborn, and Draco's eyes widened when he saw a white streak run down her hair. Thankfully, Potter didn't notice and said loudly, "I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy!"

Draco clenched his jaw when she snatched the time turner out of his hand and started to leave, no longer caring that Merope remained on her head. "It's my mum."

Potter stopped in her tracks with her back turned to him. She clenched her fists, and Draco heard the leather tighten around her gloves. With a sigh, she turned around to face him. "I can't."

"Why not?" Draco demanded. "What do you know about my mum?"

Potter coughed again, and he had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes when she broke out into a coughing fit. "I-I d-d-don't kn-know," she wheezed. "My boggart… Hermione."

"Your boggart was turning into my mum!" Draco shouted as she sunk to her knees. She grabbed her chest and started wheezing so fast that it looked like she was having some sort of fit. "Potter?"

She swatted him away and reached into her pocket with a shaking hand. The panic was clear in her eyes when she realized it was empty, but she didn't let him take her to the Hospital Wing until her lips started to turn blue.

"You weren't smoking around her, were you?" Pomfrey accused. She roughly shook an inhaler before handing it to Potter.

"I'm thirteen," Draco said flatly. Whenever he landed himself in here, she had him drug tested, and every time he reminded her of his age.

Potter inhaled deeply, and for once, defended him. "I just get them some times."

"I was informed you developed asthma over the summer," Pomfrey said stiffly. "Why are you not keeping your inhaler with you at all times, Potter?"

"I thought I had it," Potter said breathlessly. "I think it fell out of my pocket…"

"Here you go, Kat." Granger appeared seemingly out of nowhere, making Draco jump. Potter somehow became paler when her best friend's cool gaze fell on him. Almost fearfully, she took her inhaler from her. "You left it on your nightstand."

Potter started to shake her head in the negative, but stopped in the middle of the motion. "Oh…"

Granger glared at Draco. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just leaving," Draco said coolly. Potter didn't defend him this time, and he couldn't ask about his mother in front of Granger. He paused with his hand on the Hospital Wing doorknob. Potter was afraid of something to do with his mother, but it was also connected to Granger. Whatever Potter knew about his mother, Granger knew as well.

He almost turned around, but thought better of it. He couldn't start something in front of Pomfrey, and honestly, it would be much easier to get something out of Potter than Granger. Granger didn't give a hoot about his, as she liked to remind him, dead parents. Potter did. That was why she was so erratic while Granger was as cool as a cucumber. He would have to wait for another opportunity.

"Potter knows something about my mum," Draco finally had the opportunity to say in between fights.

Pansy furrowed her eyebrows. "I wouldn't believe anything she says, Draco. She's a jerk."

"It wasn't what she said." Draco sighed. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his mother's. He couldn't remember seeing them in person. "It was her boggart."

As he explained what happened during their first Defense class, he could tell that Pansy thought he was crazy. Unfortunately, Blaise was as difficult to read as always. He needed someone to believe him.

Pansy's voice dropped to a whisper. "It could have been turning into anyone, Draco. I heard that Potter's father cheats on her mother."

"Yeah right." Draco snorted at the thought. James Potter worshiped the ground that Lily Potter walked on.

"Really?" Pansy laughed cruelly. "I'm sure Potter has a blonde haired blue eyed bimbo hidden somewhere."

"Shut up!" Draco yelled. Both of his friends jumped at his tone. They were the ones who were used to doing the yelling. "That was my mum. That's why Potter won't tell me—"

"Or it's because—"

"Because she hates you." Blaise cut Pansy off. Never a good idea. "I bet Granger and Weasley know. Because they're her best friends."

"Oh yes." Draco rolled his eyes. "I'll just invite Granger and Weasley over for tea. I'm sure they'll be happy to talk once I break out the scones!"

"Don't be stupid." Blaise couldn't resist adding, "I can't stand anymore stupidity."

"Shut up," Pansy snapped. "You're the one keeping a rat in your pocket. A half dead one by the way."

"You're the one with cat shite in your shampoo," Blaise said coolly.

"You—"

"Anyway," Blaise drawled, "I wasn't talking about Granger and Weasley. I was saying Potter might tell you, if the two of you were friends. Especially if it is in fact about your mother."

The thought of such an atrocity made Pansy forget all plans of revenge. "Are you mad?"

"I could never be friends with Potter!" Draco nearly yelled.

"Do you want to know or not?" Blaise folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not saying you really have to be friends with her. As soon as you get what you want, ditch her."

"That actually makes sense." But Pansy was still glaring at Blaise. "Make sure you rub it in her ugly face though."

Draco sighed and glanced at the grandfather clock in their Common Room. Potions class was soon, and he knew Blaise was right. You caught more flies with honey than vinegar. Wonderful.

Draco watched Potter more closely during class, trying to think of a way to strike up the conversation once the note taking portion was over. He noticed that she copied his notes instead of the ones on the board, even though they both said the same thing. Weird.

When he covered his parchment with his arm, she lightly kicked his leg, but he ignored her. Then she kicked him a bit harder, causing him to grunt in pain. Blaise glanced at him over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows. Be nice to Potter. Right…

After a moment, Potter gave up and tried to look at the board. She leaned over and squinted. And then scribbled the word pedals instead of petals. Draco leaned away from his parchment.

"You can't see?" he whispered.

"Shut up!" Potter hissed.

"There's nothing wrong with glasses," he mumbled.

"I don't need them!" she yell-whispered. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. What a way to get on her good side.

She tried to strike up a conversation once, Draco thought as she went back to copying him. What did she ask? She wanted to know how his summer went. Great.

"My summer was boring," Draco said as they took out their cauldrons. "I didn't have much to tell you the other day."

Potter glanced at Black, who was having a meltdown because Dudley's potion exploded all over his robes. To his surprise, she smiled, looking a little rebellious. "I bet you get to have the sweet and spicy drink!"

"Soda," he said flatly. Potter snickered as if it were funny. "Sometimes…"

"Mum says Muggles are all really fat." Her eyes fell on Dudley, whose father was a Muggle. "Because of the sweet and spicy drink and the food that cooks fast. Is it true?"

"No." Draco winced at his own tone. "Let's just get to work…"

Being friends with Potter was going to be impossible.

When Peter was younger, he realized that fun with his friends wasn't as fun as he liked to pretend it was. After graduation, he started spying for Riddle. Hiding from Muggles made more sense than killing and enslaving them. If James knew, he would have called him a sneaky, sniveling, snake, but Peter didn't care. When he looked back on his childhood, he had to ask himself: Was he ever really happy?

Lately, he had been seeing the same skittish confusion in Kat. James was too busy dealing with his crumbling marriage to notice. Sirius noticed too, and with his brother's escape, he was starting to break down. He had begun to crack ever since Remus had been sent to Azkaban all those years ago. Peter often wondered if any of his friends were truly happy.

"Kitty Kat!" he exclaimed when he found her in Honeydukes. "C'mon. I've bought enough sweets to give us both diabetes!"

Kat smiled weakly as she took a chocolate frog from him. "Don't you already have diabetes?"

"It's my cheat day," he said, earning himself a laugh. "Your dad is sorry that he couldn't see you off at the train."

As expected, Kat's face fell. "It's all her fault."

Interesting, Peter thought. "Have you spoken to her?"

"No."

"Do you want to?" Silence. Kat was so much like Lily, too stubborn for her own good. Peter almost smiled. "Your happiness is more important than your parents' pride, Kat."

"Easy for you to say," Kat grumbled with a mouth full of chocolate. She kicked a rock as they walked throughout Hogsmeade.

"Not entirely." He smirked when she scowled. Teenagers tended to think adults had it easy. "You have to put yourself first sometimes. There's nothing wrong with being selfish."

"I'll tell that to Dad the next time I eat the last piece of cake," she said, sounding a bit more like her old self.

"You know what I mean," he muttered, even though she didn't. Lily instilled in Kat what her own mother instilled in her. Family always comes first. "Life is too short to make yourself miserable for the sake of others. You have to take risks sometimes. If things don't work out, at least you can go to sleep at night knowing you tried."

"KAT!" Ronald Weasley yelled in the distance. James hated him, even though they were so alike Peter could barely keep a straight face around the two of them. Hermione waved.

Kat bit her lip. Before running off to her friends, she confessed, "I'm taking Muggle's Studies."

Peter's eyes bugged out as she ran, yelling to her friends that she stole his candy. Professor Greengrass had better watch her back. Lily wasn't going to be so subtle this time. Perhaps it was time he had taken another long vacation…

Why Pansy and Blaise wanted to go to Hogsmeade without him as a buffer, Draco would never know. Someone was going to come back hexed, and it was likely to be Blaise. And when Blaise enacted revenge… Well, it was just plain scary.

His aunt and uncle laughed in his face when he asked them to sign the form. Then, Dora snatched it out of his hand and drew a picture of a penis on it in permanent marker. There was no way he was going to try to turn in a forgery after that.

"What are you doing?" Professor Black asked when he found him sulking in the Common Room.

"Nothing." His aunt and uncle never let him do anything fun for school, even when it was free, because they couldn't stand to see him happy.

"Well do nothing somewhere else," Black said coldly. "I have a meeting with my solicitor."

"In the Common Room?" Where first and second years were likely to show up.

Black looked at the fireplace longingly. "She's very beautiful."

Draco was out of there before he could say Quidditch.

"What are you doing?" Professor Snape asked when they crossed paths as he was making a run for it out of the Dungeons. He sounded merely curious, not annoyed like Black.

"N-nothing." Draco did not want to see Black kissing someone. Or worse, being rejected for trying to kiss someone. Pansy would think it was hilarious, but Draco sometimes thought Professor Black was just plain pathetic. He used to cry in the Common Room at two in the morning after his wife left him.

"Hmmm…" He glanced at the Dungeons but dropped whatever was on his mind. "I have a Grindylow in my office. Have you ever seen one?"

"A what?" Draco shook his head quickly. Professor Snape didn't tolerate stupidity. "I mean no, sir."

Professor Snape chuckled. "I'm guessing your friends are at Hogsmeade?" Draco nodded. "C'mon. I'm already sick of being so close to Professor Black."

Draco had never heard one professor talk about another like that. He tried to keep a straight face. He almost felt bad for Professor Black.

There were so many books. So many books that clearly belonged in the restricted section. He almost reached for something called the Chattel Curse but thought better of it. Professor Snape was not one to cross.

"We will cover that seventh year," he said, not seeming to mind. "If I can ever catch up. Who would hire Frank Longbottom after someone like Emily Vance?"

Draco opened his mouth to defend Vance, but well, she tried to kill him… He quickly closed it. She was decent until he found her trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone. And then when she took off that head scarf… He shuddered at the memory.

"Exactly." Professor Snape pointed at the tank. "There it is. It'll drag you under the water, given the chance. Luckily, its fingers are very brittle."

"Do you think you'll let me fight it?" Draco asked rudely before he could stop himself. Professor Snape raised his eyebrows at his tone. "Sorry…"

"I didn't want the boggart to turn into Dumbledore," he said with the same nastiness. "So you will be participating, Mr. Malfoy. Unless Grindylows have a penchant for turning into mad men."

"Dumbledore," Draco repeated. He had never heard anyone call him by his name except for Professor Riddle. "I thought… Those monsters are much worse than Dumbledore."

"Interesting." Professor Snape took a moment to study him. "So you thought that I assumed you were weak?"

It had crossed his mind, but he was more focused on his mum. However, Professor Snape probably didn't know the boggart was turning into his mum. Draco looked away and shrugged. What would his mum have said? What did her voice sound like?

"If I thought you were weak," Professor Snape said slowly, "you would be fighting the boggart until you passed out. Darkness feeds on weakness."

"There you are!" Before Draco could say anything, Professor Black came bursting in with a smoking goblet. "I had to clear out the whole Common Room, only for you not to sho—" Black cleared his throat at the sight of Draco and handed the goblet to Professor Snape. "Here."

Professor Snape carefully took the goblet from Black. "I could have brewed it myself."

"Well yeah but…" Professor Black scratched the back of his head, looking uncomfortable. "I figured I might as well. I have the equipment and the ingredients…"

"Yes, you are very fortunate," Professor Snape drawled.

Black coughed awkwardly. "I have a lot, so… I would prefer to talk to you privately, Sev—Professor Snape."

The look on Professor Snape's face told him that he preferred not to talk to Black at all. "You may leave it at my seat at breakfast tomorrow. Thank you, Professor Black."

"Alright." Professor Black nodded to himself. The guilty look on his face reminded Draco of the time he let a cauldron explode in Daphne's face, and she lost a tooth. Then, she punched him in the stomach out of embarrassment, and Black took her tooth and called them even. It still sat on his desk. "It will be there."

Draco watched Professor Black go, looking a bit like a kicked puppy. Then, he turned to Professor Snape and watched him drink the potion in horror. He was actually a little afraid when he saw the man grimace at the taste.

"He's actually a decent brewer," Professor Snape informed him. "Do not let him fool you. Professor Black is one of the most intelligent people in this castle."

"I'll keep that in mind," Draco said, and added to himself, the next time he corrects my spelling incorrectly.

Professor Snape snorted, sensing his thoughts. He didn't explain the potion, and Draco was too afraid to ask. "If you will excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, I have a few papers to grade."

Draco yawned as he headed back to the Dungeons after the Halloween feast. He ate way too much candy. If he had to listen to Blaise and Pansy fight for much longer, he'd be rolling down to the Dungeons instead walking.

"Draco!" Astoria was running towards him. Hopefully Daphne didn't join the cat vs rat fight. "Potter was staring at me the entire feast!"

"She was probably daydreaming," Draco said, dryly. If Potter started picking on her… Their fake friendship was going down the toilet. "She's pretty stupid."

Astoria shivered. "That's not it. She's…"

She choked on her own words as Potter started heading for them. Draco reached in his pocket for his wand. When she finally reached them, Potter opened and closed her mouth several times. Poor Astoria was shaking like a leaf.

Potter's eyes flashed with hate, but it was gone as quickly as it came and was replaced with sadness. "I…"

She left without another word.

"It's because of her stupid mother." Draco was angry, and Potter didn't even do anything. He was angry with what he assumed she wanted to do.

"Yeah." Now Astoria was staring at Potter. It almost sounded like she was sad too, not scared. "I'm going to bed."

Draco sighed in his pretend sleep. Only Peeves would help Regulus Black destroy their Common Room and tell on Black as soon as he left. Poor Astoria was a nervous wreck. She was the one to find the mess. Three hours later and she was whining to herself in her sleep.

"Are you sure he wasn't after me?" Professor Black whispered. Draco tried not to tense when he and Professor Riddle stopped by him. "Narcissa absolutely doted upon Reg. To think he would do anything to her son…"

Draco strained his ears as Professor Black started to walk away. Everyone seemed to know his mum but him. Professor Riddle didn't move. Did he know Draco was awake?

"He didn't take it well when Narcissa and Lucius graduated," Professor Riddle said quietly. "I don't think he ever forgave them."

Professor Black snorted. "For being older?"

"She was his family." WHAT?! Professor Riddle sighed. "I'm sorry, Sirius."

"No, I get it," Professor Black grumbled. "Regulus was always trying to impress me. And was never able to. That's why he…"

"You feel guilty?" Professor Riddle said with a surprise so close to genuine that any Gryffindor would fall for it.

"Of course I do." Professor Black growled to himself. "He was always trying to copy me… And that's why you hired me. Isn't it? The boy doesn't belong with Andy, and you wanted me to see that he doesn't belong with Andy. Why else would you hire a Gryffindor to head Slytherin's house?"

"It was the only position available when you applied," Professor Riddle said smoothly.

Professor Black laughed bitterly. "He's just like me. Only good."

"A good Sirius Black? Our school governor would say that is an oxymoron." This had to be the closest thing Draco could ever recall to Professor Black and Professor Riddle having a pleasant conversation.

"You know what I mean," Black mumbled. "And you know what I'm saying. Over the past few years, seeing him so sad to go home, it's made me want to… adopt him."

Draco's eyes snapped open. What the actual fuck?

Thank you for the reviews Captain CV, gr8rockstarrox, and Gabriel2015!

gr8rockstarrox: Nope! The Lestrange brothers are Muggles. I don't think I'll give up many clues to who he is. Yes, Kat knew he was hugging Draco. That's why she was so nasty to him afterwards. Sirius isn't as bad as Snape because he isn't in love with Narcissa. Also, he feels bad about his brother going dark. AND the Peter scene leaves a bit of a clue as to why Sirius is more grown up. He's ruined a lot of lives in his youth and feels like he can never make up for it. Oh and cheer up! I posted this chapter to help you feel better! :'(

I'm working on my other stories and only have a few scenes left in each chapter. Oh and DM: BWL fans, it's starting to win in my polls by one vote!