Chapter Six

A/N: I STILL OWN NOTHING!

Simba lounged on the nearby sofa while Harry, Ron and Hermione worked on homework. This was the only free time his brother had, as the tall boy he was always spending time with had increased the hours Harry had to spend outside.

Stretching, Simba hopped off the sofa and went towards the Portrait hole. Harry didn't even notice him leave, which really shouldn't have bothered Simba but it did. They were inseparable, brothers, and best friends. Now it seemed as if he was just the tag-a-long that Harry tolerated.

"Well lookie here," a drawling voice said from the shadows. Simba looked around and saw a boy with green robes—it wasn't the ferrety one—emerge. "It's precious Potter's pet."

Normally, Simba would have protested being called a pet, but he didn't like the sound of the boy's voice. Being a smart lion, he decided to book it out of there; only to come across a hall with a dead end.

"We're just going to have some fun," the boy said and pulled out his wand.

"Oi!"

The boy turned around and Simba saw, to his disappointment, one of the twins.

"What do you want, Weasley?" the green boy sneered.

"What do you think, Montague?" the twin sneered back. "Didn't think you'd stoop as low as to curse another student's brother." Before Montague could say another word, the twin had cursed him and now giant bats were attacking his face. They seemed to be coming from his nose.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" the boy could be heard screaming as he ran to the hospital wing.

"You okay, Simba?" the twin asked. Simba took in a deep breath and knew the twin was Fred.

"Yeah Fred," Simba nodded. He was still a little disappointed that Harry hadn't been the one to help him out but at least he hadn't been cursed. "How'd you know where I was?"

Fred pulled out a piece of parchment. "The Marauder's Map," he said. "Shows everyone and what they're doing at Hogwarts."

"Even me?" Simba asked. Fred smiled at him, pulled out his wand and said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

A passerby snorted. Simba watched as the blank piece of parchment turned into a map. Simba saw exactly where he and Fred were standing.

"Who are Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?" he asked.

"No idea," Fred chuckled. "All I know is that this map is the key to George's and mine success. Where were you headed?"

"To Hagrid's," Simba said. "I'm starving."

"Hagrid doesn't really like hunting in the forest," Fred told him.

"I can eat grubs," Simba said with a chuckle. Fred made a face, which just made Simba chuckle even more.

"I'll walk you down there," he said. "Don't want you running into any more Slytherins."

As they walked down to Hagrid's, Simba learned that Fred had a little sister. That must have been the girl he had seen at the Platform.

"Hey Hagrid!" Fred said loudly as they approached. Simba gave a small roar, but it sounded more kitten like than what he wanted. A couple of girls who were passing by cooed about how adorable he was.

"Hello Fred, Simba," Hagrid said from his doorstep. "If yer lookin' for Timon and Pumbaa, they're in the Forest."

"Again?" Simba sighed. Fred chuckled and said "I'll leave you here. I'll check the map on occasion for you. Don't want the Snakes getting you again."

"Thanks Fred!" Simba called as Fred walked back to the castle. He walked into the forest, looking for his surrogate father and uncle.

"There you are buddy!" Timon grinned. "Look what we found!"

He was referring to the huge collection of grubs.

"Great!" Simba grinned and joined then in chowing down on them. It took about two hours, not that Simba noticed any change of time.

"I've got to go guys!" Simba said once he noticed the change in the sun's position. "The doors will be closing soon."

"Don't take so long to visit next time," Timon told him. "And relax. You seem very tense Simba. Remember: Hakuna Matata."

Simba nodded and ran to the door, where Fred was standing.

"Were you standing there the entire time?" Simba asked.

"No, I just checked the map an hour ago and saw that you hadn't moved. Thought something had gotten you." Fred replied. While he and his brother frequented the forest on occasion, he didn't like the idea of firsties going in there without an older year.

"Thanks," Simba said with a smile.

"Hey, you want to explore the castle with me and George tomorrow?" Fred asked and then groaned.

"What is it?" Simba asked.

"It's Quidditch tomorrow. Oliver would kill me and George if we missed this game, and then he'd bring us back to life and kill us again."

"Oh. What's Quidditch?"

Fred looked at Simba as if he had never seen him before. "What's Quidditch? It's our sport!" he exclaimed and then proceeded to explain everything he knew about Quidditch. All Simba took from the hour long lecture was that Harry had the most dangerous spot on the team and that the other players were worthless.

"Are you going to watch the match?" Fred asked. Simba wasn't sure. Maybe if he avoided the match, he would show Harry just how much it hurt to be ignored all the time. But Fred was the one asking, not Harry.

"Wouldn't miss it," Simba promised.

0000000000000000000000000000

Simba walked down to the pitch early the next morning, in order to get Timon and Pumbaa. They'd want to see the match as well.

"I don't understand why we have to get up so early!" Pumbaa complained.

"If we want good seats, we have to," Simba told his almost-uncle for the thousandth time. "I promised Fred that I'd come."

"You didn't promise that we would come," Timon pointed out. Simba shook his head and left.

Five, four, three, two, one…he thought and sure enough there was the grunting of Pumbaa right on his tail.

"Thought you weren't coming?" Simba asked innocently.

"Are you kidding? We wouldn't miss a chance to support Harry," Timon said with a smile; not noticing that Simba seemed to grow a little depressed at the mention of Harry.

A couple of hours after they had gotten their seats, Ron and Hermione came up to the stands—along with the rest of Hogwarts.

"Hey, Simba!" Ron and Hermione smiled. "Come to see the match?"

"Your brother invited me," Simba said.

"Which one?" Ron asked.

"Fred."

"Oh."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair of them. "Who are you two?" she asked Timon and Pumbaa.

"I'm Timon," Timon said.

"And I'm Pumbaa!" Pumbaa told her.

"Who's the favorite to win the match?" Timon asked.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Dean and Seamus yelled from behind Ron and Hermione.

"Merlin, Seamus!" Ron yelled. "You're going to give me a heart attack!"

Everyone settled down in their seats as Lee Jordan, the commentator for the match, started speaking.

"Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season! Today's game: Slytherin vs. GRYFFINDOR!"

As Lee said that, seven scarlet blurs sped pass the stands. Simba roared out in approval.

"Seems Gryffindor has a live mascot in their stands today," Lee chuckled, having heard the roar, which still sounded kittenish.

"Now I want a nice clean game. From all of you!" the referee said, and from what Simba could see she was saying that mainly to the guys in green. Simba watched Harry, making sure he wasn't going to get hurt. Old habits die hard, he guessed. Gryffindor seemed to go quickly into the lead, but Slytherin just played dirty to score.

"Look at Harry!" Timon exclaimed and Simba tore his eyes off of Wood, who was motionless on the ground, to his brother. It looked as though he had lost control of his broom.

"Someone's messin' with Harry's broomstick!" Hagrid exclaimed. "That's been tempered with, that has!"

"It's Snape!" Hermione hissed. "He's jinxing the broom!"

"Jinxing the broom?" Ron repeated and Simba would have snorted if he hadn't been worried about Harry.

"Leave it to me," Hermione hissed and left. Simba began praying to the Great Kings of the Past that Harry would not fall off his broom, that Hermione would be able to stop Snape in time.

"Come on Hermione," he whispered as Harry was now holding on with only one hand to his still bucking broomstick. Suddenly, the bucking stopped and Harry climbed back on.

"Phew!" Timon sighed in relief but Simba tensed back up when he saw his brother go into a dive. Did Harry want to give him heart failure?

"Ooh, that's going to hurt," Pumbaa winced, when Harry fell off his broom at maybe a foot off the ground. Harry began heaving once he got back up.

"Looks like he's gonna be sick!" Hagrid exclaimed. Harry coughed and…

"HE CAUGHT THE SNITCH IN HIS MOUTH!" Simba roared, but anyone else who wasn't close enough would only hear a roar of approval.

"Harry Potter has caught the snitch!" Lee exclaimed. "Gryffindor wins!"

Simba rushed down to the pitch before anyone could stop him, but somehow the crowd of Gryffindors had beaten him to the punch. They had lifted Harry on their shoulders and were taking him to the Common Room. Even Timon and Pumbaa were in the crowd.

"Wait!" Simba cried. "What, what about me?" he said softly to the empty pitch. He could always go up to the Common Room and join the party he was sure had started up, but he didn't want to. He didn't really want to face Harry right now.

Tears streamed down his face as he realized another person he loved had left him and it was his entire fault. If he had stayed on that rock, and not practiced that roar, then his father would still be alive. If he was human, then Harry would want to be with him.

"Simba?" a voice called out. Simba blinked; there was Harry!

"Thought you'd be up at the party?" Simba said a little coldly.

"Noticed you weren't there," Harry said with a smile. "Wondered why you hadn't joined us."

"Maybe I didn't feel like getting ignored every time I see you," Simba hissed.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You're being ridiculous."

"I'm being ridiculous? You all left me in at the pitch for an hour before you realized I wasn't there!" Simba shouted, and tears began to leak from his eyes again. "Just leave me alone Harry! I don't want to see you right now!"

Simba ran into the Forest, not knowing if Harry was following him or not. If Harry was going to follow school rules, then of course he wouldn't follow Simba.

Little did he know that his brother had the same tears running down his face, for the same reason Simba had his.