"Come on Buckbeak!" Hermione dangled the dead animals in front of the eagle like creature for it to follow. Buckbeak kept snapping from the meat, occasionally biting Happy's backpack for more fish. "Ow! No!" Happy swiped a paw, barely hitting the creature's beak. Buckbeak graveled, as he sniffed the dead rodents once more and following their smell.

Harry still held tightly onto the chain, his mind so focused that he wasn't thinking, just doing. They finally approached a clearing as the almost set sun shone through the silver rain clouds. "What now?" Harry asked through pants as he linked the chain of Buckbeak's shackle to a strong branch. "We rescue Sirius!" Hermione shouted over her shoulder, her voice carrying through the clearing. "How do we do that?!" Natsu slithered through gritted teeth, his feet implanting into the dirt and leaves into the dirt hill as he climbed to follow her.

"I don't know…"

"Hey wait up!" Harry called after them after securing Buckbeak.

The three of them moved through the trees, until seeing the familiar shapes of that bent, twisted tree, moving to its own mind. "Look!" Hermione pointed, a small figure moving towards the aggravated being. "It's Lupin!"

"Immobilis!"

With a slight blink of light, the tree stopped its slight rampage, dead leaves shaking off some of its branches. It slumped into submission, giving access for the teacher to make his way into the tree's roots. The tree sluggishly moved, not even noticing its next visitor. "Now Snape's coming…"

Snape looked up at the tree, then with annoyed tic of the tongue, entering the roots after Lupin. "And now we wait…" Harry sighed, a bit of weight coming off his chest. "And now we wait…" Hermione agreed, pulling the hem of her jumper down and made herself comfortable on the ground. Harry and Natsu looked at each other with a shrug and sat down next to her.

Fog whispered through the trees as they waited. Buckbeak was snooping on the ground and nearby bushes for food as the trio continued to wait in silence.

Deathly silence.

"So…" Hermione began, rolling her palms on her jeans. Both boys looked at her, cocking their eyebrows slightly. "What should we do once this is all over?" She tilted her head, bringing her knees to her cheek and rested on them slightly. Harry shrugged, turning back to the tree. "Don't know. Didn't have enough time to think about it… What about you Natsu, going back home these holidays?" Harry asked, turning his head to the Salamander.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Just gonna keep to myself these holidays."

"Really? No travelling or anything?" Hermione asked. "Nah, just gonna stay home." Natsu said with a smile. "Right…" Harry nodded, looking back at the tree.

"...Hey guys?" Harry whispered, his friends turning their heads to him. "Back at the clearing, I did see someone. And that someone, made the Dementors go away…"

Natsu stayed silent until he looked down, remembering how he saw Igneel, or at least something that looked like him.

"With the Patronus? I heard Snape telling Dumbledore… according to him, only a really powerful wizard could have conjured it…" Hermione explained, tucking her legs into a cross. "It was my dad! It was my dad who casted the Patronus!"

"But Harry, your dad's-"

"Dead I know!" Harry cut in, shutting Natsu's mouth. "I'm just… telling you what I saw…"

Everything went silent again, until Hermione spotted movement from the tree. "Here we-" But she stopped. She thought it was them, but it was only Natsu and Happy flying off towards the school. Right, they left first to get help.

A few minutes later, the bigger group emerged, muttering among themselves. Harry noticed his past self and Sirius pulled off to the side to talk.

"Notice Sirius there? He was asking me to come live with him. I'll be free. I won't have to go back to the Dursleys… It'll just be me and him… We could live in the country, that will be wonderful after Azkaban."

Harry felt the slap of his back, Natsu smiling a warm smile for him.

"Aaarghhhhhh!"

"Harry!"

"AwoOooOOoOOoOo!"

"Stop!"

"Argh!"

Natsu watched in complete horror. He didn't know what was going on with Lupin, hard to keep up what was happening among the chaos

"Come on!" Harry called out, gesturing them to follow. They ran in the direction of the chase, stopping when Lupin and past Harry stopped. The creature crawled closer, clear intent to strike Harry.

Hermione cupped her hands to her mouth, calling in a howl. "Sjjsjs shhhhh!" Natsu immediately covered her mouth and Harry dropping her hands. "What are you doing?!" Harry hissed in her ear. "Saving your life!" She gritted back. She brought her hand to her mouth again, howling again.

The creature finally turned its head to where the trio was hiding, crawling towards the sound. "Thanks….." Harry nodded. "Yeah. now it's coming for us…!" Natsu teethed, pulling on Hermione's sleeve.

"Yeah didn't think that through…"

"Run!"

Everyone sprinted in the opposite direction, Lupin hot on their trail. Happy screamed non stop the whole time they ran, which was not helping them in anyway. Natsu pulled him off his shoulder and held him to his chest and held his mouth to muffle the noise.

With a split second of being out of Lupin's sight, Hermione pulled the boys behind a tree, backs pressed against the spiky bark. Natsu could here the monster's steps slowing down with the sniff of his nose to track them down. They moved around the tree to avoid the beast seeing them.

When they thought they were in the clear, they backed away from the tree, unaware of yellow, glowing eyes from the forest. Natsu froze, holding his breath. In turn, Hermione and Harry froze, hoping it wasn't what Natsu thought it was.

It was tense as the three turned behind them, their eyes frozen and heads craned up. It was Lupin bearing his teeth. Harry pulled Hermione in, Natsu ready to fight. But before Lupin struck, Buckbeak flew from above and fended Lupin off.

Lupin gave one last roar and ran into the woods, leaving the kids alone. "That… was so scary…. I thought we were dead…" Hermione shivered. "Professor Lupin's having a real tough night…" Natsu muttered in a half joke, rewarded with a slap on the arm by Harry.

The air dropped to a frost, chilly winds flying into them. The three looked up, Dementors gliding over the treeline towards their target.

"Sirius…."

The three ran to the lake, but Harry and Sirius were not there. It was the White Shadows, taking on the hoard. Natsu's heart stopped, seeing his friends fight from the future. It felt so… surreal. "Wait, aren't those…"

Harry nodded. "The White Shadows… they saved Sirius and I while two Zodiac spirits took us that way!" Harry pointed to the direction he remembered being taken to. "Zodiac spirits? You mean the ones Professor Scarlet told us about?" Hermione repeated, before shaking her head. "Never mind, we can talk about it later! Right now we need to save you and Sirius!" Hermione pulled Harry's sleeve, running in that direction.

"Natsu come on!"

"You guys go ahead! I'm going to stay here!"

"But-!"

"Harry, we don't have time to argue let's go!" Hermione stressed and pulled on Harry once more. Harry looked behind at Natsu one last time as he was being dragged, and looked forward again and ran forward.

"Natsu we have to help!" Happy cried, clawing at Natsu's sleeve. "I can't, I'll be breaking the rules!" Natsu hissed back. The two could only sit and pray, but Natsu knew what was coming next. Natsu readied his wand, he was sent back to this time for a reason. And he knew he had to succeed otherwise they'll all die!

"Lucy!"

That was it. The chain reaction began, all of the Fairy Tail members going down towards death. "Natsu!" Happy cried, not bearing to witness this.

"I won't let them die!" Natsu pointed his wand in the air, memories rushing through. Igneel, Fairy Tail, his friends, and Lucy. He promised he'd protect them, and even if it cost him his life he would gladly do it!

"EXPECTO! PATRONUM!"

He chanted, as a blue light enveloped his wand and grew into a strong creature. The dragon roared and flapped its majestic wings. It pulsed a barrier scaring the Dementors away into a screeching mess and flew away to find its true target.

The dragon placed its head down into a nod and disappeared, just as Natsu had witnessed before. His legs gave way, collapsing onto his backside. He couldn't believe it. He did it, he saved them. He wanted to run to them so badly and hug them, reassure they were alright. "Thank God…" He whispered.

"Lucy, what's wrong?!"

"Loke and Capricorn! They've been defeated….!"

"What?!"

Natsu watched himself run off into the direction Sirius was. He didn't have time to sit around and watch. He scrambled to his feet and ran after him. "Natsu?!" Happy gasped. "Happy stay here! We woke up in the infirmary tomorrow, meaning something happened! Protect them!"

"A-Aye sir!"

Natsu watched as his past self rushed towards them, following his nose. But his nose would no longer be needed as a blue light glowed from a nearby clearing. Natsu tugged on his cloak to make sure the hood was up as he went to investigate, his future counterpart following behind.

Harry couldn't believe it. He dropped his wand on the ground as soon as his past self fainted. It was him… not his father… his head reeled, before he turned to Hermione. She looked surprised, yet knew it would happen.

Crunch!

Both of them turned back to the pair, a white cloaked person approaching them. Their jaws dropped, eyes bulging.

"That's-"

"Guys!"

Hermione jumped in fright as Natsu appeared behind her. "Natsu are you alright?" Harry asked. "Yeah I'm fine. Followed him here. Who's he?" Natsu asked, nodding to himself in the cloak. "Not sure, people like them have been floating around the school for three years already…." Hermione whispered.

"Three years? Huh…" Natsu muttered, looking back at the scene. "Come on we need to go…" Hermione said with the tug of Harry's hand. "But-"

Thump!

Everyone gasped in fright, turning back to the cloaked figure. He just fell forward. Harry and Hermione figured he was worn out by the battle prior, but Natsu knew that he felt like he was hit by a spell. Most likely by someone who was tracking down Sirius.

"What just-" Natsu began.

"Natsu!" Happy flew in with tears in his eyes, nuzzling in his chest. "What happened?" Natsu asked, seriousness in his voice. "T-They all fell, like they fainted!" Natsu hummed, looking at himself next to Harry and Sirius. They most likely got hit with a spell too… He held up Happy and whispered into his ears. "Don't worry, they'll be alright. Remember this morning they're alive…" He reassured. Happy wiped his eyes and nodded.

"Come on if we're spotted there will be consequences!" Hermione warned, running off, forcing the boys to run after her. Of course after Harry scooped up his wand. Buckbeak waited for them patiently, stroking his feathers. Harry and Hermione swiftly jumped onto his back, Happy grabbing Natsu's back and spreading his wings.

"Come on, we have to get to the tower to save Sirius." Hermione yelled, Buckbeak jumping up and taking off into the night sky, Natsu and Happy following behind. As they soared, Natsu took one last look behind him, noticing a shadow approaching them, and gently touching Natsu's back. Natsu wondered who that was, but he couldn't worry now.

He still had a job to do after all.