Grim Tidings

The weather continued to be dismal. Gohan sighed as he noted a small dot on the horizon through the window of his dorm. It seemed Piccolo wasn't at all faced by the depressing mood that was creeping around Hogwarts of late. The first Quidditch was that very weekend. Harry had complained to his friends about Slytherin's backing out. Gohan sighed again. If he was Seeker on any team, the game would be over in a matter of seconds, giving any team he was on an unfair advantage. Not that Quidditch wasn't interesting to watch, despite the fact.

...

Ever since the conversation with Snape, Hermione had become considerably more interested in her mother's bloodline. Gohan had surrendered his notes to her and both spent several hours a week trying to find more information about the Subaru. Hermione had gasped when she saw the picture of Sir Ellon.

"That's the transformation? Strange," she had said, but not unpleasantly. "I wonder what happened to mother. In my memories, she looked like that all the time. Maybe it becomes permanent after a while."

Gohan shook his head. "I don't think so. She was probably an emotional wreck after experiencing that trauma. Staying in the transformed state with her emotional upheaval is probably what drained her of all of her energy."

...

Harry, on the other hand, had become completely preoccupied with his upcoming game with Hufflepuff. He absently walked into a DADA class ten minutes late, surprisingly being taught by none other than Professor Snape.

After giving Harry a sound chiding with a sardonic grin, Snape turned his dark eyes on the rest of the class. "As I was saying before Potter's interruption, Professor Lupin has left no record indicating the topics covered thus far-"

Hermione raised her hand. Snape ignored her, but she spoke anyways. "Please, sir! We've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows…and we're just about to start-"

"Quiet! I didn't ask to be informed, Miss Granger. I was merely commenting on Lupin's obvious lack of organization." Snape had said her name in an ironic fashion. Hermione bent her head but rolled her eyes. Dean Thomas went into a bold defense of Lupin.

Snape scoffed. "You are easily satisfied. I'd expect first years to be able to cover the topics Miss Granger named for you." Everyone stared at him. Even they were beginning to pick up the tone he used when speaking of Hermione. "Today we shall discuss…werewolves."

Hermione frowned. "But, sir, we were just starting hinkypunks. We're not due to study nocturnal beasts for weeks-"

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Miss Granger, I believe I am teaching this class. Turn to page 394! Everyone!"

Snape smirked. "So, which of you can tell us the difference between a werewolf and a true wolf?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Anyone? How disappointing!" He said sardonically. "I never thought I'd enter a third-year class full of dunderheads that cannot tell the difference-"

"Sir, please!" Hermione said desperately. "There are several small ways the werewolf differs from the true wolf. The werewolf's snout-"

"That is the last time you will be speaking out of turn, Miss Granger. Five points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all." Hermione stared at the textbook, her eyes filling. She knew Snape was trying to get a reaction from her. She looked away. Gohan covered her hand with his and gave it a small squeeze, glaring at Snape. He couldn't understand why he was hurting her.

Ron yelled at Snape angrily, but it only made things worse. When it was all over, Ron had a detention and the entire class had two scrolls worth of homework.

Gohan's eyes snapped open, and he sat upright in bed, hearing Harry yelling. Apparently, Peeves had awakened him by blowing in his ear. Gohan looked at the clock: four thirty-two. He turned over and closed his eyes. After all, he and Hermione both had been out sparring with Vegeta and Piccolo until after two.

Gohan awoke at dawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes in time to see Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, trying to sneak into the dorm. Pulling on his robes, he lifted the cat and hauled him downstairs.

"Gosh, what is it with everyone and Ron's rat?" he muttered sleepily.

…

The weather was even worse than it had been. Everyone on the Quidditch pitch was soaked in seconds. Even Gohan was having difficulty spotting the Snitch. He could just imagine the trouble Harry was having. Wood called time.

Hermione gasped. "I have an idea!" She shot down the stairs, beaming. Gohan leaned forward to watch. Hermione had tapped Harry's shoulder, taken his glasses, tapped them with her wand, and handed them back. She reappeared less than a minute later in the stands.

"I fixed the glasses so rain wouldn't cling to them," she said happily. They looked up into the sky expectantly. But something else had caught Gohan's eye. His eyes snapped to the back of another set of stands where he saw a big black dog-

Piccolo! I see the dog!

Where, Gohan?

He's sitting in the stands-

"GOHAN!" Hermione shrieked suddenly, pointing up. Gohan felt them before he saw them. There were around a hundred of them. Harry was surrounded. Hermione stood, her intentions clear.

Gohan grabbed her, holding her back. "No! No one here knows that you can fly, Hermione! Besides, I can't even handle those things as a Super Saiyan…what are you going to do?"

"HARRY!" She screamed. Gohan turned in time to see Harry falling. Without hesitating, he jumped from the stands and sped toward the falling wizard, transforming to increase his speed, trying to reach Harry before he hit the ground-

...

He bounded fearfully on his four paws down the steps as soon as he saw the boy begin to fall. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to do something. As he exited the stair, he stopped, colliding with someone in his fervor to reach the last thing that mattered to him. But someone else had reached him first. A golden shimmering boy had caught Harry Potter and was gently carrying him toward the castle.

"What did you think you were going to do?" a calm voice asked him. Fearfully, he looked up…up at the very one he had bumped into. The man who had spoken to him was unlike any man he had ever seen before. He was tall, had pointed ears, and his skin was as green as the trees of the forest he had hidden in. What made him afraid wasn't this strange man…he had seen him hovering over the forest many times…had even seen him talking to Harry and the peculiar boy Harry was friends with. No, what he found so startling was that the man looked at him so expectantly, as if awaiting an answer from a dog that wasn't supposed to be able to respond. It unnerved him. If this man knew about him, then his disguise was worthless.

He bolted, checking behind to ensure he wasn't being followed. The green stranger remained as the dog continued to place as much distance as possible between himself and the Quidditch pitch. Once he broke through the trees, the dog stopped looking over his shoulder, completely focusing on returning to the cave he had spent so many nights-

Flash. The dog skidded with a yelp as the green man suddenly appeared in front of him. How could he escape such speed?

"Grrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!" the dog snarled, bristling fearfully and baring his teeth.

"Calm down," the green man said in a bored, calm voice. "It isn't my design to harm you, or to turn you in, yet. I want a word with you, Black. I need to know your intentions. Talk to me."

The wet dog slowly began forming into the outline of a man. The man staggered, as if unaccustomed to walking on two legs for a long time. The human continued panting wearily. "Who are you?" Sirius demanded forcefully.

"I am Piccolo." A bolt of lightning flashed, casting his green features into sharp relief.

"After Gohan caught you, Dumbledore shot some silvery stuff at the dementors, just like Lupin did. They left straight away. Dumbledore was furious. I've never seen him so angry," Hermione was saying.

Gohan was looking outside the window, frowning thoughtfully. He was sure he had seen Piccolo with the dog earlier.

"W-what about my Nimbus?" Harry asked. "Did someone get it?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.

Hermione spoke. "I'm sorry, Harry. When you fell off, it blew into the Whomping Willow."

Harry made an effort to sit up. "And?"

"Well, you know how the Whomping Willow hates to be hit," Ron said.

"Professor Flitwick picked it up before he came," Hermione added softly as she lifted a bag from the floor and handed it to Harry, spilling some large splinters on the bed.

Harry spent the rest of the weekend in the hospital. He flat out refused to let Madam Pomfrey throw away his broken broomstick. Hermione and Ron stayed with Harry the entire time. Ginny came with a self-made get well card, blushing greatly. Hagrid brought in some strange looking yellow flowers. Gohan darted in and out of the room all day, completely distracted. He still couldn't get any information from Piccolo about Sirius Black.

"Will you at least tell me you didn't hand him over to the dementors?" He asked him in unusual annoyance.

Piccolo chuckled. "You like the dog, don't you?" He didn't answer Gohan's question though.

Pouting, Gohan stalked away.

As the next week began, Harry's mood hadn't improved, either. Malfoy, evidently feeling much better, was doing enthusiastic reenactments of Harry falling off his broomstick, even agitating Gohan.

Ron became so angry that he threw a slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy's face during potions, causing Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.

"If Snape's teaching Defense again, I'm skiving!" He said hotly as they made their way to the class. Hermione peeked around the corner.

"Lupin's back!" She said, clearly relieved. But as Lupin came into view, it became clear that he was still ill. He was thinner, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. He smiled at his class, though. The entire class exploded into complaint. Lupin soothed them by telling them that they didn't have to turn in the essay unless they wanted extra credit.

Gohan looked over at Hermione as he handed his essay in. She was staring at Lupin with a knowing, antsy look. At the end of class, Lupin asked Harry to stay behind. Grabbing his books, Gohan opened the window and took off.

…

"Stop badgering me, Gohan!" Piccolo said in exasperation, his voice slightly raised over the incessant rain and howling wind. "I know you. That is why I'm not telling you-"

"But, Piccolo, those dementors are terrible-"

"I know what they are, Gohan. I assure you, I haven't done anything to warrant this kind of interrogation, especially one from a friend! Now let it go!"

The weather continued to be stubborn even into December. Then, two weeks before the end of term, the sky cleared. Gohan shot into the sky enthusiastically. It had been a while since he had had a clear sky to fly in. Hermione and Ron were going to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas to keep Harry company. Gohan decided to see if he could arrange for his friends to go to Capsule Corp. for one day. He had arranged the day to be Christmas Eve. With permission from Dumbledore, the Grangers, and the Weasleys, Gohan hopped happily with excitement when he gave his friends the invitation.

But to Harry's disappointment, one last Hogsmeade trip was scheduled the last weekend before the official start of term. He and Gohan were planning to spend the time reading in the library, when-

"Psst-Harry!"

Harry and Gohan turned to see Fred and George peering out from behind a statue. Gohan knew they had been back there. He remained silent only because he wanted to see what kind of prank they had planned.

Harry spoke first. "What are you planning? Why aren't you in Hogsmeade?"

Fred looked over at Gohan. "You know how to keep secrets, right, Son?"

Gohan gulped.

Fred continued with a wink. "Before we go, we've decided to spread some festive cheer. In here."

Harry and Gohan entered a classroom to the left of the one-eyed witch passage. Fred pulled a worn parchment with nothing on it and placed it on the desk. "Consider this an early Christmas present."

Harry stared at it. "What is it?" Gohan stared at the parchment. It had an odd energy to it. He looked back up in time to hear Harry say, "What do I need with a bit of old parchment?"

Fred pulled a face of mock offence. "A bit of old parchment? Explain, George."

"Well, back in first year, when we were young and innocent-"

Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"-well, more innocent than we are now, Filch busted us for setting off a dung bomb-"

"-hauled us straight to his office and began threatening us with the usual, he did-"

"-detention-"

"-disembowelment-"

"-thumb screw-"

"-we couldn't help but notice a drawer labeled Highly Dangerous Confiscated Items."

Harry gasped. "You didn't!"

Fred and George cracked identical wicked grins. "Don't give us that look, Harry! We both know you would have done the same. Anyways, George here distracted Filch with another dung bomb. I opened the drawer and 'filched' this."

"And you know how to work it?"

"Definitely. This little gem's taught us more than even the teachers."

"Now, you've got me curious-"

"Is that right?" George said mildly. Tapping the parchment, he said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Ink began to slowly spread across the front of the parchment, forming the words:

Messrs. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

Gohan gasped as he watched over Harry's shoulder. Not only did this map have Hogwarts mapped out in intricate detail, but also pinpointed the position of everyone within. Gohan noted that as many secrets the map seemed to reveal, that the Chamber of Secrets wasn't on the map. That means the map-makers hadn't known about it. It made Gohan wonder if there were other secrets of Hogwarts that were unknown, as well.

Fred traced one of the secret passages. "There are seven of them. Filch knows of four, but these three-" Fred continued as Gohan listened absently. "-Just tap it and say 'Mischief Managed!' and it will wipe clean."

"So, young Harry, mind that you behave yourself-"

"-and see you in Honeydukes," Fred finished.

Gohan and Harry stared at each other as the twins left. "Erm, what do you say we have a go?"

Gohan sighed. He knew he'd never persuade Harry not to. "Okay, but you'd better use the cloak and suppress your ki. I'd never hear the end of it if Piccolo caught us."

Harry grinned. "Excellent!"

...

Less than half an hour later, Gohan and Invisibly-suppressed Harry trotted up the basement stairs of Honeydukes. After completely shocking Hermione and Ron, they exited the store.

Hermione was arguing passionately. "-But Sirius Black-"

What are you up to, Gohan? Piccolo's voice asked suspiciously.

Oh, er, we're just in Hogsmeade-

With Harry Potter? I can't sense his ki up at the school. I know he's with you, Gohan! Tell him to stop suppressing his energy. If you're going to break the rules, at least do it safely! I'll hide among the trees to make sure nothing happens.

Gohan blushed, muttering to Harry. Harry started in surprise, and then snorted at the naiveté in their plan. Piccolo had seen right through it.

...

After a few more rebukes from Hermione, the four settled for a few butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks. Gohan ordered Muggle strawberry phosphate. The four sat and sipped their beverages. Suddenly, Harry choked. Gohan looked up. Professor McGonagall, Cornelius Fudge, and Flitwick had entered the pub, shortly joined by Hagrid. Harry lowered himself under the table, being half pushed down by his friends. Hermione magicked a tree in front of them to hide them from view.

Gohan gasped. Accepting an offer from the minister to join them, Rosmerta joined them for a full discussion on Sirius Black. Now Gohan and Hermione had already known the connections between the Potters and Black, but they hadn't known how close they had supposedly been. According to McGonagall and Fudge, James Potter and Sirius Black had been inseparable during school, James even naming Sirius godfather to Harry. Gohan heard that Sirius had betrayed the Potters to Voldemort and had murdered thirteen Muggles and a shy, portly wizard named Peter Pettigrew. Nothing had been left of him but a finger.

It can't be! Sirius can't be the one who did all of those horrible things! He just can't be! He only seemed interested in the rat! No! I can't believe it!

But Gohan continued to listen, his stomach filling with dread. As the increasing evidence mounted, there was little doubt that Sirius had done those things. Gohan was confused. Piccolo wasn't the sort to be fooled by anyone. How come he trusted Black? Something else had to be going on. Piccolo had to know something. Gohan frowned. It wasn't like Piccolo to hide something from him. Now he understood how Harry had felt last year. His stomach clenched with guilt as he looked at Hermione. He was still keeping secrets from his friend.

Piccolo dropped the ki-broiled fish in front of the dog, who attacked it ravenously with his teeth. Piccolo sighed. With the dementors around, Sirius felt more comfortable in dog form. Piccolo frowned as he watched the hungry dog, hoping he was doing the right thing.

None of the four ate at dinner that night. Harry disappeared shortly before it had begun. Gohan, Hermione, and Ron finally found him in one of the group study rooms, similar to the one in which Hermione had first revealed to Ron and Harry that Gohan had defeated Cell.

Harry was glaring at the table.

"Harry?" Hermione inquired softly.

"Go away," Harry muttered darkly.

Gohan knelt in front of Harry. "Listen, I know you don't want to hear this, but-"

Harry looked up at Gohan. Hermione held her breath, fearing he was going to tell Harry about her.

"I don't think Sirius Black is after you."

Harry growled in exasperation. Gohan was always assuming the best about people. "Gohan-" He began in a voice that threatened the beginnings of a fight.

"No, listen. I think something else is going on here."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You are so pathetically clueless, Gohan! I hope he comes for me! Because when he does, one of us is going to die…and it's not going to be me!" Harry pushed around Gohan and stalked toward Gryffindor Tower. Shooting Gohan a reproachful look, Ron followed.

Hermione looked at Gohan quizzically. "What do you mean, Gohan? What aren't you saying?"

Gohan returned her gaze. "Close the door. Do you remember what Trelawney said about the Grim?"

...

"So, you think Piccolo is protecting Sirius Black, that Black is innocent, and somehow this all has something to do with Ronald's rat? Gohan, you do realize that sounds completely insane."

Gohan nodded. "I know. But why not? If Sirius can become a dog, then surely the rat can be a human."

"But it doesn't make any sense, Gohan. What does Scabbers have to do with Sirius Black?"

Gohan sighed. "I don't know. We're obviously missing something. And I intend to find out what it is!"

Hermione sighed. Why do I have the feeling I'm never going to catch up on my sleep?

"You needed to see me, Piccolo?" The headmaster said to a tall form lurking behind a statue.

"Yes," the Namek said. "It's regarding Sirius Black. I'm afraid I have some disturbing news."