Tale Chasing

As the holidays came to a close and the new term began, Gohan and his friends went their separate ways. Hermione was now spending more time in the library alone, away from not only Gohan but also Harry and Ron, who were angry at her for 'blabbing to McGonagall.' Harry was also meeting with Lupin for Dementor lessons. Gohan didn't want to distract Lupin from Harry, but he felt that protection from dementors was useful. He approached Snape.

"'Dementor lessons,' you say? Are you suggesting, Son, that you spend time with me outside of detention? I wonder what the Golden Trio would have to say, especially Potter."

Gohan shrugged. "I don't think he minds. I don't understand why you have to be so mean to him, anyways."

"I don't expect you to, Son. You're an altogether different breed than I."

"I know. But why should that make a difference?"

Snape stared before chuckling amusedly at the boy's misinterpretation. "That's not what I meant, Son. Heh. I mean we are made from different molds."

Gohan blinked stupidly.

Snape sighed. "Never mind, Son. Very well, I'll give you your 'dementor lessons.' When does Potter have his?"

Gohan told him.

"Meet me here, then. I'll have everything ready.

The start-of-term classes began on a more positive note. With Hermione helping Hagrid on his case for Buckbeak, Hagrid had prepared the best lesson since the beginning of the year: bathing pyro-salamanders in flames. Divination, however, hit an all time low.

Trelawney was teaching palmistry. She tsked at Harry's life line, telling him it was the shortest she had ever seen. She rounded on Gohan.

"That-that doesn't make any sense, Gohan. Your life line stops here, and then starts again here! That's not possible!" Gohan smirked. That's because you don't know about the dragonballs.

Trelawney turned to Hermione. She wrenched her hand away. "Don't even think about it," she said in a dangerous voice.

"Oh, Miss Granger, don't be silly!" Professor Trelawney said as she clasped Hermione's wrist and pulled her hand toward her.

Hermione gasped, pointing toward the trap door. "Oh my gosh! It's the Grim!"

Releasing her hand, Trelawney whirled at the door fearfully, Harry and Ron staring in the vicinity.

Hermione laughed amusingly. "Now, who's silly!"

"My dear, you shouldn't make light of the Grim-"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Didn't I tell you? We're best buds! Grimmy-sama and I stalk the corridors at night with Peeves, carefully watching for rodents."

Not noticing the references, Harry and Ron grinned appreciatively. Gohan groaned. What is she doing? And since when does she use address stems? Sama? Gohan grinned in spite of himself.

Trelawney shook her head. Gohan nudged Hermione. "Let me see your hand, Hermione. I'm anxious to see what you and 'Grimmy-sama' are hiding from Professor Trelawney."

She punched his shoulder, smirking. "Oh, shut up."

Piccolo watched with his arms folded as the dog tore at his daily ration of fish. Piccolo shook his head. What the hell's gotten into me…waiting on a dog!

Piccolo heard a familiar sardonic, chuckle. "Awww, what a cute puppy! I was wondering what you've been up to, Namek. Can we keep him, huh? Can we?" Vegeta gave Piccolo a look of mock innocence that could almost rival Gohan's real one.

He could almost kill Vegeta. He bared his teeth. "Stuff it, Vegeta!"

Vegeta cackled loudly. "Well, well, I always had you pegged as a softy, Piccolo. I just never knew how bad you had it. I hope it's not contagious." Vegeta began scratching his arms like he had an allergic reaction. "Oh, no! It's…it's CATCHING! ARRRGGGHHHHHHH!"

"I SAID STUFF IT, SAIYAN!"

"BWAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" Vegeta's voice carried across the open canopy. "This is priceless! Piccolo and his little puppy dog…where the hell's a camera when you need one?"

"Well, at least I don't play in a room filled with rolls of human excrement-removing paper." Piccolo replied with a smirk.

Vegeta glared. Then, he smirked. "So, what's with the mutt?" But the dog had gone. Instead, there was a man rolling around on the forest floor, laughing uncontrollably, with tears streaming down his face.

Piccolo sighed as he took in Vegeta's shocked face. I guess I'm going to need to tell Vegeta.

"Lupin still looks ill," Ron remarked as they left Lupin's classroom. "What happened to him?"

Hermione tutted and scoffed impatiently. Gohan smirked.

Ron raised his eyes. "What? What are you tutting for?"

"Oh, nothing really," she said loftily, shooting Gohan a knowing look. Gohan smiled.

"Yes, you were. I had just mentioned Lupin's illness, and you-"

"Isn't it obvious?" She said in a condescending voice. Gohan stared. What was with Hermione lately?

"If you don't want to tell us, then don't!" Ron retorted angrily.

"Fine," she sniffed as she strode away.

"She doesn't know anything. She just wants us to talk to her again."

"Whatever you say," Gohan said with a knowing giggle and sprinted to catch up with Hermione.

"What is with those two?" Harry said in exasperation.

On Thursday at eight, Gohan slipped into a broom closet and teleported himself into Snape's classroom.

Snape staggered into a nearby desk, spluttering. "Son! What? How?"

Gohan giggled and scratched his head. "Instant Transmission. Father taught me."

Snape clutched the front of his robes. "Don't…do that! I thought, for a moment…never mind. I'm going to teach you how to do the Patronus Charm. First, I am going to teach you the theory.

"The Patronus Charm could be described as the exact opposite of the dementor. It consists of powerful positive energy from the caster. Patronus is highly advanced magic, Son. It's NEWT standard."

Gohan nodded. He knew that NEWT was the tests the year sevens took when they left Hogwarts.

"I tell you this so you don't become discouraged if you cannot cast one today. Now, the positive force performs a rich shield consisting of positive emotion, memories, the will to survive. Unlike you, the Patronus feels no despair, so the dementors cannot injure it. This makes the Patronus invulnerable, if you can manage to produce one strong enough. The Patronus is useful in several ways: it may be used to ward off dementors, it may be used to send messages, and it may be used should you find yourself in a situation that requires you to calm or soothe a friend."

"What does it look like?"

"The form depends on the caster. Each Patronus is unique. And Patronus can change form if the caster had experienced a serious emotional upheaval. I've experienced this personally."

"What's your Patronus look like?"

Snape smiled sadly. "I suppose it couldn't harm you to know. Expecto Patronum!" A shimmery silver doe pranced gracefully around the desks.

"Wow. Beautiful," Gohan looked back at the potions master and started. Snape was wiping his wet face.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone the shape of my Patronus, Son."

"Like a secret?" Gohan said uncomfortably.

"Not exactly. It's just…it's just that I don't often share my feelings with others. I don't like people knowing my…weaknesses. But I trust you."

Gohan stared in confusion. "Why is your Patronus a weakness?"

"You ask too many questions, Son. It's time to begin!"

Gohan nodded. "Okay!"

"Now, think of a very powerful, very happy memory. Allow it to fill your mind. Then, speak the words Expecto Patronum. Try that now."

Gohan frowned thoughtfully. His life had been filled with both happy and unhappy memories. But a very happy memory. Gohan thought back. His father always made him happy. He tried to remember the best memory of his father.

Frieza pulled his hand back, ready to deal the fatal blow to the Saiyan prince. Just then, a powerful gust of wind blew from behind. Gohan's eyes widened in shock. He knew who it was before he even looked.

"Daddy!"

"It's okay, guys. Wow, I'm really impressed! You're all still standing, this time-"

Piccolo snorted. "Well, we had a little help in that department."

"So that impressive power was Piccolo, after all. Well, leave things to me now!" Daddy had said with a confident smile. He turned and began walking toward the tyrant. Watching Daddy's back, Gohan just knew things were going to be fine. Gohan finally felt safe again.

Gohan focused on Goku's back as he shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

An odd-looking large cat romped playfully around the room. Snape stared at the foreign-looking creature. "He…must be a creature from the other planet, Gohan. Your father's home world." The silver cat batted friskily at the chairs. "I hadn't expected you to get this on the first try, Son. I'm impressed. Just a curiosity, what memory did you use?"

Gohan told him.

Snape shook his head. "You are full of surprises, Son.

At the end of two weeks, Hermione was talking to Gohan again. She had to, of course, due to the fact that her course load had become so extremely heavy. Add the intense training on top, and Hermione was a fuse short of a complete meltdown. She had crashed on top of her large pile of books on a work table. Gohan chuckled. He had noticed that Hermione had required less sleep lately. But even she needed six hours.

Harry was also showing signs of weariness. He was practicing Quidditch five times a week on top of his normal load, and continuing his lessons with Lupin. Even though Gohan had produced a Patronus on one try, he still appeared to Snape at eight on every Thursday to try to throw of the curse Snape had called the Cruciatus...

Gohan grimaced expectantly as the beam pierced his shield and struck him, causing his bones and muscle tissue to burn. He hated that curse more than anything, but he had to beat it. He just had to.

Gohan panted, leaning against the wall. Snape approached. "I think that's enough, Son."

"But-"

"NO! You have enough on your plate without spending another night in the hospital wing." Snape slid down the wall, sitting next to the half Saiyan. "The ministry has given permission for the dementors to kiss Black," he muttered absently.

Gohan blinked in confusion. "Kiss him?"

"It's what they do to a victim when they suck out his soul."

"ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!" Gohan screamed loudly. "N-n-n-no! That's terrible!"

Snape's face twisted into a horrible smile. "I know. Black deserves it, though."

Gohan stood, glaring. "No, he doesn't! Nobody deserves that! Not even Frieza!"

Snape stared at the deeply offended child. "Gohan-"

"No! How can you even know that Sirius Black is guilty? How do you know that something else isn't going on? How can you condemn him to such a horrid fate and not know anything?"

Snape glared at the boy, and opened his mouth, but Gohan burst from the room, sobbing. Snape stared at the open door. What just happened? What does Son know about Sirius Black?

Gohan passed a group of Gryffindors surrounding Harry, who was clutching a broom. He collapsed into his pillow and sobbed wildly. Why wasn't anyone listening to him? He heard Ron come in, swear, rip something off of his bed, and tromp down the stairs. He heard Ron shrieking, even through the doors and walls.

Just then, Hermione came crashing into the room. Gohan looked up.

"Why are you crying?" Gohan asked.

Hermione had a shocked look on her face. "Why are you crying?"

Gohan wiped his face quickly. Hermione bit her lip.

"Ron's rat is missing. He thinks Crookshanks killed it."

Gohan scoffed, shrugging. "He's ran away. He's afraid of Sirius. Hermione, why don't we just tell Harry about-"

"You remember. Is he actually going to listen this time?"

Gohan glared. "I just don't get it! Harry's the one who didn't want me keeping secrets, and now he refuses to listen when I try to tell the truth?"

"Maybe he doesn't want to hear the truth right now."

"Huh? How come?"

"Maybe Harry wants someone to blame for the hurt he's feeling. Someone alive," she finished with a sad smile.

"Why doesn't he blame Voldemort?"

She sighed. "Voldemort seems so far away from Harry right now. He wants to hate someone tangible, someone like Black…or me."

Gohan blinked. "This is so confusing. I wish Dad was here. He'd know what to do."

Hermione smiled at him. "I think he is here."

Gohan's eyes widened in innocent wonder. "Really? Where?"

Hermione touched Gohan's nose with her index finger. "Right here," she said softly. She brushed hair from Gohan's forehead and quietly left the room.

Gohan sat, absently watching as Harry zoomed around the Quidditch pitch. The Gryffindors were facing Ravenclaws.

"Gohan?" Piccolo said.

"Hmm?"

Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "I said: when are you planning on coming to spar tonight?"

"Maybe next Thursday," Gohan muttered, deeply in thought.

"Gohan!"

Gohan blinked. "Huh? What?"

Piccolo shook his head. "Where are you? It's not like you to be so quiet and aloof. What's gotten into you?"

"It's not like you to keep secrets, either, Piccolo! I want to help, but I can't if I don't know what's going on!"

Piccolo sighed. "I would like to tell you, Gohan. But I know how you'd take it. You would come barreling in, trying to save the day. You're young, Gohan, and impulsive. If you make the wrong decision-"

"STOP! I didn't mean for my father to die-" Gohan said, tearing up.

"I wasn't talking about that, Gohan! But Dumbledore's right about these kinds of situations. You have to have a plan. It's better not to act at all in a time like this, if you don't have one!"

Gohan sighed. He knew Piccolo was right. "So, do we have a plan?"

"Not yet, but soon." Gohan turned away impatiently in time to see a really fat dementor heading toward Harry. Gohan moved to stand, but Piccolo held him back, saying, "Wait."

Harry pulled something from his robes and bellowed. A huge silver creature struck the dementor, knocking it away. The dementor fell into two pieces and hit the ground with a thud, landing on—its broomstick? Gohan looked up again to see Harry's hand close over a tiny golden ball and the whistle sounded.

Piccolo winced, and Gryffindors stood as one, cheering loudly. Gohan looked back down at the 'dementor' and laughed. He looked over at Piccolo, who was displaying an ironic grin. It hadn't been a dementor at all. From the looks of things Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, and Marcus Flint were all about to be in big trouble.

As Hermione shot up the stairs sobbing, Gohan glared at Ron.

"Can't you let it go for once, Ron?" Harry asked.

"No! She's not even sorry that Crookshanks killed-"

Gohan growled in frustration. "For all you know, Ron, he probably faked his…" Gohan's eyes slid out of focus. "…Peter Pettigrew," he said quietly.

Harry looked at Gohan. "What?"

Gohan smacked his head. How could he have missed it? "Peter Pettigrew!" Gohan shot up the stairs.

Standing at the bottom of the girl's stairs. "Hermione! Come down! It's important!"

"Go away," a sniffling feminine voice said.

"It's really important. I've figured it out!"

Hermione stalked down the stairs. Her eyes were incredibly red. Even then, Gohan couldn't help but notice how pretty she was. "What?"

Gohan shook his head. "Not here." He grabbed her arm and pressed two fingers to his forehead. In an instant they teleported to-

"Gohan, don't ever do that again without a warning! And…where are we?"

Gohan grinned. "Guess."

She opened her mouth to tell him it wasn't any time for games when she gasped. The sky was green. "We're on Namek?"

Gohan chuckled. Her facial expression was priceless. For a moment, a bit of his father seemed to seep from her pores as a shocked bewilderment filled her face.

She sighed, smiling. "So, what's this incredible information that the great Saiyan has come across?"

"Ron's rat-" Gohan began.

Hermione bit her lip. "Don't talk to me about Ron's rat, Gohan!"

"But—but, he's Peter Pettigrew!"

Hermione stared. "What? Gohan, that's crazy talk-"

"Didn't Ron say Scabbers was missing a toe?"

"But Gohan, Pettigrew is dead. Fudge-"

"What if Pettigrew faked his own death? What if he framed Sirius and faked his own death?"

Hermione blinked. Then, she gasped. "Are you saying…that Pettigrew was the traitor?"

Gohan nodded. "It makes sense. Especially considering that Sirius hates the rat."

Hermione bit her lip. "I think we should get back, before we're noticed missing. Gohan? I want to come here again sometime. I'd love to meet the Nameks."

Gohan's eyes shot open as his ki sense alerted him. He sat up as he saw Sirius Black slashing at Ron's draperies.

"No! He's not here!" Gohan said hoarsely, causing Black to jump.

"What? Damn it! Where is he, boy?" But Ron's eyes shot open, and they widened as they took in the feral-looking man.

"Ron-" Gohan began, but-

"! ! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! !

Sirius darted away as Ron continued to shriek.

"Ron, what're you-" Harry muttered sleepily.

"Black! I saw Black! It was Sirius Black!"

Harry grinned stupidly. "Very funny, Ron."

Ron looked indignant. "I'M NOT BLOODY JOKING! He was here, with a knife! Look at my drapes! Gohan saw him, too!"

Harry shifted his eyes at Gohan, fearfully. "Is that true, Gohan?"

Gohan snorted bitterly. "Oh, so you want the truth now, huh? What a shocker!"

"What's your problem, Son?"

"Nothing! I'm going back to sleep!" Gohan punched his pillow and plopped his head on it, ignoring the fact that the stuffing had instantly evacuated it as soon as Gohan's fist had struck it.

Hermione raced up the stairs as soon as she heard Ron's scream. She stared at the crazy scene, and Ron's insistence that it had been Sirius Black. Hermione gasped. Sirius had come looking for Pettigrew. She balled her fists angrily. Reckless! How could he be so reckless! She moved toward Gohan and shook him. Gohan glared at her before realizing who she was.

"Oh," he said. "Sorry."

"((You have to tell Piccolo about this, Gohan. He might not be aware that Sirius tried to break in.))" She said in a low voice.

Gohan's glare returned. "((Why? He isn't telling me anything-))"

"((Gohan! This has nothing to do with that! Sirius can't be breaking into Hogwarts! That's incredibly reckless! He could get caught and kissed before the truth is known!))"

Gohan's eyes widened. He hadn't thought of that.

Piccolo.

Gohan? It's late. What are you doing awake?

Sirius broke into Hogwarts again-

WHAT?

-and he was seen. Ron saw him. Everyone in Gryffindor knows! The teachers are likely to know-

What was he thinking? Did he get Petti—the rat?

No, Piccolo. Pettigrew is gone. It looks as though he was killed by Hermione's cat.

Gohan heard Piccolo scoff. That's likely. Wait, Gohan. Did you just say-

-Pettigrew? Yeah. How long did you think I'd remain stupid?

I never said you were stupid, Gohan! When did Pettigrew escape?

It's been a few days. Ron's really mad at Hermione-

I guess I'm going to have to have a talk with the dog…and the cat.

WHAT? CAT?

Never mind, Gohan.

Gohan broke the connection in frustration. He nodded at Hermione, who understood that Gohan had just informed Piccolo.

Ron frantically shouted at Professor McGonagall. "I AM NOT MAKING IT UP! ASK GOHAN! ASK THE PORTRAIT!"

McGonagall approached Gohan. "What does he mean, Mr. Son?"

Gohan sighed in annoyance. "I saw Sirius Black," he said in a flat, bored voice.

"What is with that tone, Son? Most normal children would be shaking if they proclaimed what you just did."

Hermione held her breath.

Gohan sighed. "In case you haven't noticed, Professor, I'm not normal." Several students giggled.

McGonagall stepped outside and questioned the portrait. She reappeared shortly, seething. "Which abysmally foolish child left a list of passwords lying about?"

Neville timidly raised his hand.

Gohan sat in the bay window as the sun began to rise.

"Gohan?"

Gohan stared out the window. He was still annoyed at Harry for not listening to him.

"Gohan, what did you mean, I finally wanted to hear the truth?"

Gohan snorted. "I've been trying to tell you for weeks, but you just won't listen. So why should I bother anymore?"

He heard Ron's voice. "You can tell me."

"No, I cannot. You don't believe in your friends either."

Ron became angry. "If you're talking about Hermione-"

Gohan whirled. "Of course, I'm talking about her-"

"Did you see the bloody sheets-"

Gohan scoffed. "It's not like he hasn't faked his own death before! But don't take my word for it! Go ask the big, black dog! Besides, Harry would really want that, I'm sure!" Gohan stalked away angrily.

Ron shook his head, muttering, "Mental."

But Harry stared at the door Gohan had retreated behind. "Gohan's seen the Grim, too?"

Ron whirled on his friend. "What?"