Harry didn't go home for Christmas break. Zach and Justin had bade him goodbye, with invitations to their houses. Justin had been very annoyed when Harry declined, but it would be hard to explain to his friend's parents' why he wasn't at his own. Zach merely accepted it, being the more relaxed one of the pair. But what really worried Harry was the way his Slytherin friends+ Pansy had been acting. They hadn't at all questioned his decision to stay at Hogwarts. Were they growing distant after he was sorted into Hufflepuff? They hadn't exactly had much time together.

Shaking those thoughts off, Harry took his seat at the breakfast table with Ron Weasley. The boy had been surprisingly good company after they got over the whole sorting drama.

"Your brother's acting weird," Ron said out of the blue, putting down his fork and gazing down at the lumps of scrambled egg on the silver platter. Harry put down his porridge too.

"You still keep in touch with my brother?" His eyes were skeptical.

Ron just waved it off.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry. But its kind of different for me 'cause of the wacky sorting, you know. Anyway," Ron glanced away, "Luka's been kind of distant lately. He's constantly sneaking off on his own. And his letters from home were so..."

"What?" Harry prodded, but Ron had changed his mind.

"Nothing."

The next day, Harry snuck into the Slytherin dorimitory by wearing his invisibility cloak and following Ron through the door. He was startled by the bright, homey shades of green and emerald. This was way more comforting than the dreary hufflepuff dorms. Once Ron had seated himself in front of the fire in a plush armchair, Harry snuck into the dorms upstairs. Slytherins had individual rooms, so Harry could easily find the one with the place card, Ronald Billius Weasley. Pushing open the door, Harry carefully maneuvered around the mess of clothes and crumbs that the house elves were yet to clean up. He let his invisibility cloak fall to the floor as he sorted through the mess. When it seemed like it would be impossible to locate the letters, Harry used a spell he'd heard his father use all the time around the house.

"Accio letters from my brother,"

Hastily ripped letters came flying into Harry's fingers.

Pulling out the first one, with Luka's messy scrawl and crumpled parchment, Harry's eyes skimmed through the page, but stopped when he read the familiar words that had haunted his dreams.

"I can't do this anymore-"

The poster covered door swung open, "What are you doing, Harry?"

Ron started towards him in anger, but stopped when he saw the letters Harry was holding.

"How-how much did you read?" Ron asked, shakily. Never be it said that Harry didn't grow up around Slytherins.

"I've read enough," But Ron had been sorted to Slytherin. He could tell when people evaded him. Even if it were skillful evasion.

"Yeah, right," he scoffed snatching the paper from Harry's grip.

Appearing to be at a loss for words, he settled on the cliche, "If you come back here again-"

"I won't," Harry promised, from half way to the door. It was true, after this incident, Ron would probably hide the letters better. Harry didn't hear the muttered words, "I liked the other twin better."

Neither of them knew just how much that was true.

The rest of break passed by quickly, and soon, they were back in the rhythm. Classes sped up, and homework piled on.

Harry had been finishing up his potions essay on the origins and uses of burtlap when Professor Sprout called him to her office.

"Ooh, what did you do this time, Harry?" teased Justin.

"Did you traumatize any more Ravenclaws this week," Zach asked, only half joking. In his pursuit to tear down the point system, Harry had been slightly overzealous in his arguments, and one of the Ravenclaw's who was known for taking all arguments too seriously, had broken down crying when Harry had successfully countered her 'Keep the point system' argument. Harry was getting very good at gaining support for his cause, so it was no surprise that Professor Sprout had changed her mind about the system.

However, when Harry walked into her office, Professor Sprout gave him some sickening news. What was even worse was that a small part of Harry was happy about the news.

But yeah.

James Potter had committed suicide.

A/N: Dun Dun Dunnnn... So, just warning you guys, this story is gradually getting darker, which you probably figured out through that last line. Please read and review people! I know this chapter is a bit late, but the more reviews I get, the faster I update. So even if you just review to say 'Toodles' then type 'Toodles' in the review box so I know you care.

War out!