Interesting

The next morning, Gohan, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and strangely enough, Videl sat near the lake, absently watching as the squid bathed its tentacles in the sunlight. The castle was practically deserted, everyone having taken off to another trip to Hogsmeade. Hermione sat with Videl, chatting away happily about her plans for the summer.

Videl nodded with a funny look on her face.

"What's wrong, Videl? Are you sick?" Gohan asked.

"No. I'm happy that Hermione has such wonderful plans…honest I am. But, I'm going to be stuck at home with dad. He's going to be a nightmare! All those jocks and bimbos…I reckon I'll never get used to it."

"I have an idea, Videl!" Hermione said suddenly. "Why don't you spend the summer with me? It'll be loads of fun! My parents are planning to go to Capsule Corporation for vacation this summer. Maybe we'll even watch the World Cup this summer."

"I don't know. I'd feel like I was imposing—"

"Oh, don't be silly, Videl. Besides, I hear you love to fight. We can swap some techniques."

Videl brightened. "Really? That would be awesome! Let me go and owl my Dad right now!" Videl sprinted away toward the Owlery.

"Gosh," Gohan said as he watched the retreating form. "She's stronger that her father…almost twice as much. I wonder what he thinks about that."

Hermione smirked. "I seriously doubt he knows, or cares. He's about to lose something special, and he's not even aware of it." She winced, once again painfully reminded of her own situation.

Ron snorted. "What's so special about Videl? I don't usually consider 'annoying' as all too special."

She scowled at him. "Hmph, if you don't know, then there's no point in telling you. I swear, Ronald, you're so obnoxious sometimes."

Ron opened his mouth to retort, but found himself overshadowed by a large mass.

"Hello, Hagrid," Hermione said absently, without turning around.

"Blimey, Hermione, how'd yeh know it was me? Lil' bit o' Gohan must be rubbing off on yeh."

"You look happy," Gohan said with a knowing smile.

"I know I shouldn't be, with Black escaping and all. But you'll never guess…Buckbeak escaped!" Hagrid said as if he was revealing some shocking news.

Harry hitched a surprised, happy look. "Really? That's awesome, Hagrid!"

"Yeah, bin celebratin' the entire night away. I asked Lupin if he saw him—"

Ron choked on his pumpkin juice. Harry spluttered. "What? Why would Lupin have seen him?" He said uncomfortably.

"Oh, didn't yeh know? Professor Snape told the Slytherins that Lupin became a werewolf last night. He's packing right now—"

Harry and the others leapt to their feet. "He's leaving? Now?"

"He resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Said he couldn't risk it happening again. Danger to the students and all."

Harry turned to his friends. "I'm going."

Hermione shook her head. "We can't do anything, harry. Lupin's already resigned."

"I'm going anyways. I have to see him."

Gohan nodded. "I'm going, too."

"We'll meet up back here."

Hermione bit her lip. "I suppose I need to owl Mum and Dad, tell them we'll be having company this summer." She placed her fingers to her forehead, but changing her mind, she trotted toward the Owlery.

...

Harry and Gohan approached the office. The door was open. Lupin smiled as he saw them.

"I saw you coming." He pointed at the map.

"We just saw Hagrid. He said you resigned—" Harry began.

"Ah, yes, well I'm afraid that's true. You see, even though Professor Dumbledore convinced Fudge that I was trying to save your lives, the fact remains that the parents won't want a werewolf teaching their children."

"It's Snape's fault. He's the one who told—" Harry said bitterly.

"Professor Snape, Harry. Well, it doesn't matter now. The deed is done, and I am indebted to Professor Snape. He's had plenty of opportunity to poison me this year. He has a point, you know. I could have bitten any of you. I hear you saved a lot of lives last night Harry…and you too, Gohan."

Harry arched a brow. "How do you know I did anything? Gohan was seen fighting the ape monster—"

"Yes. Incredibly ironic, isn't it?" Lupin said mildly. "Your tail is missing, Gohan."

Gohan blushed and chuckled. "Yeah. I know. It'll grow back though."

"Yes. Well, anyways, we both know it was your patronus that chased away the dementors. Tell me about it."

Harry did.

"I see. Yes, that's the reason we called James Prongs. He always took the form of a stag. Like father, like son." He reached for the map. "Here, as I am no longer your teacher, I feel no guilt whatsoever in returning this to you."

As Harry and Lupin continued to speak, Gohan turned his attention toward the door. He sensed Dumbledore's approach.

"Dumbledore is coming," he said quietly.

Dumbledore appeared. "Your carriage is at the gates, Remus."

"Thank you, Headmaster. Well, goodbye, boys. We'll be seeing each other again. It's been a real honor teaching you. Headmaster, there's no point in seeing me to the gates." Lupin left.

Harry sank into the nearest chair. Gohan could tell he was disappointed. Harry sighed angrily. "None of it made any difference. Pettigrew escaped."

Dumbledore strode toward them. "Didn't make any difference? It made all the difference in the world! You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. I am proud of both of you."

Suddenly, Harry's eyes snapped up. "Sir! I just remembered! I was doing my Divination exam, and Trelawney went all funny. She…I think she predicted this!"

"Indeed?"

"She said that Voldemort's servant was going to set out to rejoin him…before midnight. She said the servant would help him regain his power. And then…she became normal again and didn't seem to remember a word she said."

Gohan blinked.

Dumbledore nodded. "I see. That brings her total prophecy number up to two. I'll have to remember to offer her a raise."

Harry stared in horror. "But, sir, I stopped Sirius and Remus from killing Pettigrew. What if it's my fault if Voldemort returns to power?"

"No, Harry." Dumbledore said gently. "Hasn't your experience with the time turner taught you anything? Time is so complex, so diverse, so complicated. I believe Mister Son here can vouch for that, considering his past experiences—" he trailed off nodding at Gohan.

Gohan gasped. "Trunks!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes. Unfortunately , the Future Trunks from the other timeline didn't possess the magical capacity required to travel back to his own timeline. The rules of time are complex and often unwieldy. Often, the consequences of our actions are so complicated in themselves that predicting the future is a very tricky business indeed. Professor Trelawney is living proof of that. You did a very noble thing, saving Pettigrew's life."

"But if I cause Voldemort to return—"

Dumbledore smiled. "Let me explain."

Hermione frowned as she followed Lupin's exit with her ki sense. She frowned. If only she could do something for him. She gasped suddenly...

"Excuse me, Videl!" She exclaimed and raced outside the Owlery. She touched her fingers to her forehead and vanished.

She reappeared inside the carriage. Lupin shouted and jumped away. "Hermione…how?"

"Oh, something Gohan taught me, sort of. Listen, do you think you could do me a favor?"

"I don't know. What kind of favor?"

Hermione smiled. "Could you go to Capsule Corporation next week? I have a theory I'd like to test. I'd be willing to pay you for your assistance."

"Capsule Corporation? That's in West City, isn't it?"

"Yes. Can you come?"

"Well, I suppose I should. I have nothing better to do, seeing as I just lost my job."

"Great, thanks! Now I need to find Vegeta!" She placed her fingers to her head and vanished.

"That's a handy trick," Lupin said aloud to himself.

Gohan frowned. "So you think that Pettigrew is bonded to Harry because Harry saved his life."

"I believe so."

"I don't want it!" Harry said angrily. "He killed my parents!"

"Ah, I'm afraid there are some powers that are stronger than magic, hate, or even death. You're a living testimony to that, Harry. Perhaps in time, you will find yourself glad that you saved him."

Harry glared and opened his mouth, but Dumbledore continued.

"You father would have done the same—"

As Dumbledore began to speak about Harry's father, Gohan quietly excused himself. He didn't want to invade Harry's privacy.

"Hey Vegeta!" Hermione called.

Vegeta jumped back in shock. "Hmph! Now it makes sense. That's why Gohan's and your ki has been hopping all over the place. Somehow you've learned Kakarot's trick."

"I have a favor to ask."

"Really? I doubt it, but what is it?"

"Can you talk to me about blutz waves?"

Vegeta smirked. "You're more like that blue-haired harpy than I ever imagined. No wonder Kakarot's spawn has a crush on you."

Hermione blushed. "Yes…er, well, could you?"

"You may want to get a notepad. Blutz waves is a long chapter in Saiyan history," Vegeta said, grinning proudly.

"Oh, thank you so much, Vegeta!" She vanished.

The entire school chattered about the escapes of Sirius and Buckbeak. Strangely, no one pieced the two incidences together, except the ones who had been there that night.

Draco Malfoy was muttering darkly about Hagrid, seething that the gamekeeper had somehow managed to trick them. When he wasn't doing that, he was silently scowling at Hermione. Harry nudged her. "It's not good that Malfoy saw …you know, whatever you did in front of him," he whispered.

She nodded. "I'll explain that once we're somewhere out of earshot."

Harry cast a glance toward Snape. Snape smirked at him. Harry looked away. Well, I guess that answers that question.

The results of the exams came out. Gohan, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all passed their exams. Percy sat smugly with the results of his NEWTs, Fred and George managed to scrape a few OWLs, and the Grand Hall was decorated in Red and Gold, as Gryffindor had one the House Cup for the third consecutive time. Harry's mood lifted for the first time in a week. He, Gohan, Hermione, Ron, and Videl exchanged pleasantries during the loud feast.

On the train trip home, Hermione told them everything she knew about herself, Videl included.

"So you can transform, like Gohan? Wow, I'd like to see it! Go on!" Ron said enthusiastically.

Hermione shook her head. "It's too risky. Malfoy's already suspicious," she changed the subject. "I've decided to drop Muggle Studies, next year. How about you, Gohan?"

"I guess I could since I live with my mom, but we're pretty isolated in Paozu. I found everything in the class pretty useful."

"You could always just buy the books and study it on your own, or ask one of us," she said.

Gohan nodded. "That's true. I'll do it then!"

"Then we'll have a normal schedule and not need the time turner. I turned it in."

Videl smiled secretly to herself. Dumbledore had said she was getting it during the start of fourth year. She looked out the window and suddenly gasped. "Oh, look at that cute little owl!"

The others turned to take a look. Sure enough, a tiny, palm sized owl was flipping excitedly outside the window. It was carrying a letter way bigger than it. Harry pulled the window down and snatched it inside.

"Blimey, it feels like a Snitch with fur," he said as he removed the letter. As Harry opeded the letter, the tiny owl hopped, flew, and hooted excitedly around the compartment, evidently pleased with itself. Ron snatched from the air when he saw Crookshanks eyeing it.

Videl looked around at them, completely confused as the four huddled the letter. Hermione spoke suddenly. "Ha! I told you it came from him!" She said victoriously.

"But it wasn't jinxed, was it? Ouch!" Ron said as the owl nipped him.

"Well, I already knew that, Ron," she said carelessly.

"Oh," Ron said, blinking in confusion.

Harry waved a parchment happily. "This'll be good enough for Dumbledore…hang on, there's a postscript…"

Videl looked from one to the other in interest. I wonder who the letter's from.

Ron looked at the creature in his hand. "Keep him?" Suddenly, he held him out to Crookshanks to sniff. "What do you think? Definitely an owl?"

The cat purred.

Ron smiled happily. "That's good enough for me! Yes! I have an owl!"

Harry read the letter over and over, silently, all the way to King's Cross. The other four chatted cheerfully, discussing their plans for the summer. All of the families were waiting on the other side of the barrier. The Dursleys stood away from the rest, shooting awkward glances.

Dudley Dursley gasped, moving forward and pointing suddenly with his hammy hand. "Bloody hell! It's Hercule Satan's daughter!"

"Huh?" Videl said, turning her head. "Oh," She said flatly, grimacing. Muggles still believed her father defeated Cell.

Harry grinned and hugged her around the shoulders. "That's right, Duddy. Want an autograph?"

Dudley blinked stupidly. Videl looked over at Harry in confusion, until she saw a most Fred Weasley-ish grin on his face. She smiled, shaking her head.

Ron laughed. "Hey, I'll call you about the World Cup!" he called as the Weasleys strode away.

Harry grinned wider and pulled Hermione toward him. "Maybe you can talk Lady Hermione into a signature as well. She's royalty," he said innocently.

"Harry!" she said reproachfully. "What's gotten into you?"

Harry laughed in mischief. Gohan giggled at his friend. Dudley was still staring at Videl.

Forcing his greedy eye from Videl, Vernon Dursley pointed at the envelope in Harry's hand. "What's that, boy? That better not be another permission form from that ruddy—"

"It isn't. It's a letter from my godfather," Harry said in a continued voice of innocence.

"You don't have a godfather," Vernon said anxiously.

"But I do. He was my mum and dad's best friend…a convicted murderer…but he escaped from Azkaban…you remember, the one on Muggle news?"

Videl jumped in alarm. "Huh?"

Hermione nudged her. "Shh. I'll tell you later."

Vernon's eyes widened with increasing horror as Harry continued, unconcerned. "He's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me though…keep up with me…make sure I'm happy…" he trailed off and winked at Gohan and Hermione before striding past the Dursleys with a huge grin plastered on his face. Vernon and Petunia Dursley dragged a dazed-looking, Videl-gazing Dudley behind them as they fought to catch up with their blasted weirdo nephew.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Well, I think this is going to be a rather interesting summer."