Chapter 15

Minerva McGonagall was suspicious. It was too quiet. Despite it being a Saturday, normally her lions would be up by now, and Gryffindor's were known for their noise. Deciding to quickly check the common room, just to make sure everything was all right, she approached the portrait.

As she entered the Gryffindor common room she was filled with a strong amount of distaste and a tiny bit of pride. As her foot accidently kicked a discarded fire-whiskey bottle it brought her back to her school days and the parties she attended. Schooling her face she hid her fond memories with a fierce glare.

The Common room was a mess. There was no sugar coating it. The chairs and couches were scattered and several were tipped over. A couple of wooden chairs were on pieces on the ground and the banners looked as if somebody was trying to swing from the ceiling with them.

The Gryffindor's themselves were a mess. Several were still passed out on the floor and furniture, a couple were on the floor in front the fireplace looking completely miserable, and a few that happen to notice her entrance immediately stood with panic expressions on their faces.

"Mr. Lee! Could you please explain to me what has happened?" Minerva said with a snarl while secretly enjoying the expressions of all those in the room.

"I-uh-I'm n-not s-sure." Jordan Lee gulped as he looked around the room for help.

Seeing her panicked lion, she decided to help him out, "Mr. Weasleys you are Gryffindors, don't think I don't see you trying to sneak away. Maybe since this conversation so boring you could tell me what happen, since you know it all anyway."

Fred and George were frozen under the spotlight, making McGonagall love her job.

"Well you see Professor-," Fred started.

"We were all sitting here quietly-"
"-Peacefully-" George jumped in.

"-Drinking tea-"

"-When-"

Suddenly there was a commotion and a bunch of footsteps coming down the stairs from the boy's dorms, saving McGonagall from the rest of the Weasleys' story.

Neville was the first down, clothes rumpled up and right arm cradled by his left, and a pained expression on his face. Seamus was next somehow wearing a Slytherin tie looking just as terrible with a lost expression on his face, as if he didn't know exactly how he got where he was.

Following Seamus was Ron and Harry, and for one second she could have sworn that she saw Draco Malfoy behind Harry Potter, but quickly dismissed as improbable. Both the boys looked slightly tired but otherwise completely fine, not at all hung-over.

"Mr. Longbottom, is something wrong with your arm and Mr. Finnegan is that a Slytherin tie?"

Longbottom coughed and mumbled that he was fine as his friends patted him on his back while Seamus hands immediately went to the tie in utter shock.

"The uh green represents my Irish heritage," Seamus said unsteadily.

Minerva had to refrain from snorting, and then froze as she caught another glimpse of Draco Malfoy being hidden behind Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter.

"M-Mr. Potter is that Mr.M-malfoy behind you?"

She watched in shock as Malfoy's head slowly rose sheepishly.

"Hello, Professor," he said politely.

She stared at Malfoy, Ron, and Harry in disbelief.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, what is Mr. Malfoy doing in the Gryffindor common room? In fact, what was Mr. Malfoy doing in your dorm?" She paused for a moment.

"Never mind I don't want to know," She said tiredly. "Can all houses except Gryffindor leave this room."

McGonagall's jaw was close to dropping as Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zambini, and Luna Lovegood mumbled goodbyes and left the room quickly.

Suddenly done with everything, McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't want to know what exactly happened but I am taking 50 points from Gryffindor, 30 points from Slytherin, and 10 points from Ravenclaw. Clean this all up!"

And with that she left.

Remus sat in the kitchen nursing a drink. Normally he didn't drink, however he decided after the month he had been through, he deserved it.

"Moony! Its good to have you back! Its been way to dry in the crib if you know what I mean, " Sirius said with a sly wink.

Remus grinned.

"Padfoot, sit down already!"

Sirius sat down and helped himself to some whiskey.

There was a moment of silence before Sirius broke it.

"I wonder what Harry is doing right now."

Remus snorted.

"I'm sure whatever he is doing he is fine."

Another moment of silence passed when Sirius looked at him.

"You sound almost bitter Moony. Are you not all concerned?"

Sighing as he put his head in his hands he responded.

"We messed up Sirius. We messed up so badly. He was hurting so badly and we weren't there for him. We weren't even aware. And now we know, and he is so used to solving things on his own. How can we possibly help him? What can I do to help him Sirius?"

Sirius looked around the room.

"Moony you know my childhood was less than pleasant. Now that I am older and my family is dead, I can admit it. They screwed me up. They screwed me up so bad that I couldn't leave until I was sixteen when James had to convince me."

Sirius took another drink and looked at his best friend.

"Personally speaking, just the comfort of my friends was enough to help me. Knowing that you guys were there for me stopped me from my darkest thoughts. And I know that if I had dark thoughts, Harry has them also. "

Looking at his hands Sirius' voice got shaky, "When I made that horrible mistake with Snape back in school and you guys didn't speak with me, I had horrible, horrible thoughts. I felt so alone and I almost- um- well you know- wanted for it all to end. Thought you guys would be better without me, anyways. That night that we made up, I was going to-." Sirius broke off not daring to look at Remus' horrified face.

"Moral of the story Moony, even though you feel like you aren't doing anything, just being there helps. We just have to do everything in our power to make sure that we will support Harry no matter what. That we will be there for him."

Remus wiped his eyes and took another drink.

"Thank you, " he whispered.

Sirius just smiled easily.

Pansy, Blaise, and Draco all sat on a couch in the middle of Slytherin Common room. They all had fresh clothes on and each had showered; yet they looked miserable.

Nobody dared to talk to them as they drank water and slowly ate greasy food.

Feeling eyes on him Draco took lead, "Either ask your questions or let us be."

Immediately all the Slytherins at once started asking their questions.

Wincing at the noise Pansy stood up, "Hey! Shut up! What are you people? Gryffindors? Have some decorum!"

There was silence and then a nervous 3rd year stepped forward, "What did the Gryffindors do to you?"

"Was it poison?"

"Did you get to talk to Potter?"

Blaise, Pansy, and Draco looked at each other.

Blaise cleared his throat, " Gryffindor's are insane. When we went they let us into their common room, and lets just say their parties are as legendary as they sound."

Wide eyes stared back at them, "So it wasn't like a Slytherin party?"

All three of them snorted.

"You all know how Slytherin parties have calming music and everybody sips on drinks and tries to make connections and find out information right. Our parties have purpose," Pansy started.

"Gryffindor parties have no purpose other than to drink and have fun. There was loud music, chugging, a game called Beer Pong, and the music was so loud that nobody could hear each other speak."

"So you guys weren't able to make a social alliance with Potter?"

Draco coughed while the other two gave him a knowing glance.

"Since I woke up in Potter's bed, throwing up next him, sharing a couple of sentences, and that he tried to sneak me out to the common room, I think we can safely assume that we are good."

Seeing even more wide eyes a questions coming, Draco retired for a nap, hoping that when he woke up everything would be less confusing.