A/N: Many, many people have asked me at this point whether Sirius was guilty or not. The fact of the matter is – I know just about as much as you. My muse keeps changing her mind. Suggestions with reasons are welcome, of course.

Chapter 11

Harry, I know that you never really knew your father
He was taken from all of us way too soon…

-Marked as His Equal

The Dursleys did finally settle on a dental office. It had only taken them the better part of a year and a half, but at least that fiasco was over and done with. Through some miracle Harry and Dudley's teeth were in fairly good condition. Harry was briefly curious about a bushy haired girl he saw talking to one of the dentists with a school bag on her back during one of the Dursley household's visits, but he put it out of his mind.

Another school year had begun and more and more interesting things were being taught in lessons. One in particular stood out for Harry as it reawakened an interest in the concept of changing objects into something different.

Harry was at Mrs. Figg's today although the woman herself was preoccupied in the kitchen with Dudley. This left him with only the cats for companionship, so naturally, he was addressing his excitement to the bespectacled tabby who seemed to visit every once in a while. He wasn't sure why the cat was so keen on spending time with him, but he was more than happy to spend time with her, especially now when he needed some sort of audience – even if it was in the form of a cat.

"Science was brilliant today. They taught us about the changing of matter. You know, how when you freeze water, it turns from liquid into a solid – ice? Well, that's just one example. And of course you can boil a liquid and it will turn into gas, like for water it turns into water vapor. She also showed us how some solids… I think she said what she showed us was called frozen nitrogen. Anyway, they can turn from solid to gas. The only difference between solids and liquids and gases is how tightly the matter is held together. I think she said it depends on how much energy is between the molecules and how tightly they're packed?"

Harry shook this off, pacing the room as he talked to the half surprised and apparently interested feline. The others in the room were happily ignoring Harry as long as he did not step on them.

"I asked her about it later. About what molecules were. She didn't really think I'd understand, but I started asking for supplementary material a year or so back on interesting things because most of the assignments are so easy. I like helping Dudley with his and all, but I still wanted more of a challenge for myself. So she gave in and explained that molecules are made up of atoms, and atoms are basically the smallest stable bit of matter. And matter is just… what stuff is made of. She said there was more to atoms but she'd explain it later. There are little differences between the atoms of each element and elements combined create compounds and make up a lot of what we interact with. Water is a combination of the elements hydrogen and oxygen, for instance, and there are all these different combinations that create other things."

Winding down, he smiled a little. "It was really cool. It got me thinking and I think I know what was messing me up before. I can't wait!"

Clasping his hands together, Harry just beamed as if everything made perfect sense now. The cat just mewed, moving towards him with a curious tilt of her head. Dudley chose that moment to walk into the living room where Harry was though; announcing that the cookies were ready and he better hurry if he wanted some, so any further conversation between Harry and cat was tabled for now. He certainly left the cat with quite a bit to think about now.

But Harry was now at the older and much wiser age of almost nine and he was slowly putting more things together. Coupled with a growing knowledge of the world, more of his free time would soon be devoted to magic once more.

Before now, he has taken the time to learn things of course. After much experimentation, he can unlock doors and will himself unnoticed. Harry had also found that he could cause things to burn without affecting their surroundings or simply start a fire. He could also turn lights on and off and if he concentrated hard, he could form a sphere of light in the palm of his hand that he thought of as a 'mage light'. He had also discovered, after some extensive effort, a way to warm things up or cool things down, and he could even cheer people up – although he tended not to unless someone was, say, stressing after a test to no purpose. Then the worry just wasn't helpful and he didn't feel bad about it at all. Otherwise, he didn't really want to mess with people's moods like that. It felt too invasive of their privacy.

This is not as difficult as it might seem because a year or so back his teachers had started to offer supplementary material for Harry to cover in order for him to remain challenged. With his guardians' semi support and certainly no ill feeling and Dudley's disinterest and therefore lack of jealousy, there was nothing to make Harry hold back in his efforts at schooling and he had been vastly rewarded. Well, he'd been rewarded anyway.

Given his age, he could only understand simplified concepts, but he immersed himself as best he could, acquiring all sorts of books from the local library on things ranging from chemistry to biology and – while he was by himself or with just Dudley – the paranormal. This was not to imply he slacked off in his other classes. He still put forth an equal amount of effort in all of his classes. It was simply that he had enough imagination on his own and with the help of his friends to come up with ideas, but lacked the know how to put his ideas into action. Thus far, his research was the best way he knew of to help, along with trial and error anyway.

Remus and Petunia noted Harry's growing interest in studying, but neither said anything about it, not wanting to hinder any progress he made.

Eventually, a day did come when Remus pulled Harry to have a heart to heart, but it was over a completely different matter. The guilt had overwhelmed him at this point and he truly thought Harry was old enough to understand. He also knew that this talk would be one of the more difficult things he had ever attempted.

It started innocuously enough. Harry had stopped by for one of his regular visits. After a short side conversation with Peter, he had convinced his friend to run interference for him in case Petunia or Vernon showed up early to pick the boy up. Then, he had walked outside. Harry had long ago started spending time outside before he would come in. Remus wasn't sure what he did, having always let him have his time alone uncontested before now.

So Remus was understandably surprised when he realized Harry was actually talking to something. Whispering really, all he could make out was a faint hiss. Not wanting to intrude he cleared his throat to announce his presence. Remus heard something drop – which was odd given he had not thought Harry was holding anything. There was also a slight flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye, but Remus didn't turn to see what it was, his attention was focused on his pseudo-godson.

"We need to talk, Harry."

The young raven haired boy just turned to face him. There was intelligence in Lily's eyes as they peered up at him from James' face.

"Alright, Uncle Remus."

Suddenly, Lupin felt tired already, wondering if Harry would ever call him that again. He hadn't wanted to lie to him, yet wasn't that what he was doing?

Deciding to get a handle on himself, he led Harry into what served as his study, casually gesturing to the chairs once they were in the room. Once Harry had chosen one, sitting on the edge so his legs didn't dangle, Remus allowed himself a small before sitting down himself.

"I'm not precisely sure where to begin," Remus admitted, looking a little frayed as he ran a hand through his hair. "I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but you were too young, and I'd made promises. I still have those promises to keep."

Harry had been watching him silently throughout this, and chose now to finally speak again.

"Then why am I here, sir?"

Remus sank back into his chair, closing his eyes momentarily.

"Because you deserve to know. I'm going to be as honest with you as I can, but I want you to understand, I cannot tell you everything. I'm sure you have noticed by now that some people put great stock in appearances."

Harry nodded slowly to this, thinking of Mafalda and Piers as well as quite a number of adults he had met.

Seeing Harry understood what he was talking about, Remus gave him a half smile.

"Good. What you have to understand, Harry, is that your aunt and uncle are that sort of people. They like very much to pretend that there isn't anything strange and unusual."

Remus gave Harry a mysterious smile.

"But I think we both know better than that, don't we?"

Harry's eyebrows shot up at his adoptive uncle's last sentence, a jitter of excitement filling him.

"You mean magic?" He asked excitedly. "That's why you never told me when I asked? Could my parents do it too? Is that why you always told me I would learn more when I was older? Why don't Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon like it, I think it's absolutely brilliant –"

Harry would have quite happily continued firing questions if Remus hadn't shushed him gently.

"Easy there. I can only answer so many questions at once."

The messy haired boy at least had the grace to look contrite as the older man tried to gather his thoughts before starting his answer.

"Strictly speaking I'm not allowed to tell you the answers to most of those questions. Yes, it is why I never told you and why I, like your aunt and uncle, always told you we would tell you more when you were older. I'm sorry to say your uncle still does not think you are old enough, although I believe your aunt has other motives for wanting to keep it a secret."

Amber eyes searched green before Remus spoke again, "However, seeing as you seemed to have discovered magic for yourself, I feel no guilt whatsoever in telling you that your assumptions are quite correct. Now, is there anything else you want to know?"

It took only a split second for Harry to decide what he wanted to know most of all.

"What happened to my parents? They didn't really die in a car crash, I know, but… how'd they die? Why did they die?"

Harry watched Mr. Lupin's expression turned grave, and for a moment he worried that he would be told he had to wait yet again.

"That's a bit of a long story, Harry," Remus spoke slowly. "And I'm afraid I cannot yet tell you all of it. What I can tell you is that they were murdered by the leader of a… terrorist group of sorts. He thought that you would one day be a threat to him and so sought to destroy you. Your parents, understandably, were rather against this. They died, Harry, so that you could live."

This was rather much for Harry, and suddenly he knew why his questions had been deferred for so long. He almost thought he would really rather not know, but he found himself asking one last question in a hoarse voice as his emotions overcame him.

"Why me?"

Remus' expression turned concerned. Leaning over to Harry, he grasped one of the boy's hands in his own.

"Harry, I want you to listen to me, okay?"

When Harry nodded, he continued.

"Their deaths were not your fault. We were in a war, and they made a sacrifice to protect you. Your parents loved you very, very much, as do I. We all would have died for you, because you were our future. You did absolutely nothing to make them a target. Okay?"

Remus searched the young boy's eyes for a moment before pulling him into a hug.

"I wish there was more I could tell you, Harry. I hope you can forgive us for trying to protect you from the truth."

Harry said nothing and did nothing other than to cling to his adopted uncle as the new revelations slowly sunk in for him.

"What happened to him? The man who killed them?"

Harry barely caught Remus' whisper, "He hasn't been seen since. Something stopped him from killing you, and people think he's dead. But the truth is, he's still out there. He's weak and alone for now. I dread the day he returns."

Harry emerged from that conversation much more introspective than he had gone in. He was briefly glad it did not appear that Uncle Remus had noticed him talking to the snake. Or perhaps Mr. Lupin had only thought he was talking to himself. Harry knew Dudley couldn't understand the snakes, but perhaps it was a magic thing. Whenever the snakes actually addressed him, they would call him Speaker, so perhaps it was a gift on top of that. He wasn't sure, but it didn't really bother him anymore. Harry was used to speaking to snakes at this point. The idea of his parents being murdered… of dying for him, that was. Sure, he might have entertained the idea over the years, but this was reality, and it was rather sobering.

He had not missed Mr. Lupin's last words either. Their killer was still alive. In hiding for some reason, but alive, and he'd be back."

The small boy tightened one hand into a fist, a determined glint entering his eye.

He would have to be ready.

Only a few people would understand when Harry started to take his studies so much more seriously. He would join in with Dudley on coaxing the older boys for boxing tips and would often wrestle his cousin. While he was a full participant in their football matches, he seemed to above and beyond, actually doing some of the exercises Vernon had wanted to start them on for whatever insane reason all of those years ago. For the most part, this meant that Harry had started to jog regularly and did a routine of sit ups and push ups and the like. He didn't touch the weights at all, just did a few exercises a day and made sure to stretch (he had been painfully sore the one time he hadn't).

Yet despite this, Harry truly did delve into his studies, seeking out help from Uncle Remus or Aunt Petunia whenever he had a question. Knowledge was power, after all.

He confided in Dudley one day, and his cousin soon joined him to an extent. He would chase after Harry whenever the younger boy went out on a jog, making a game of it. If he caught Harry, they had to wrestle. If Harry completed his jog before Dudley could catch him, Harry got to use the old toy room for magic practice.

And that brought them to another change in their lives. Petunia had decided it was far beyond time they each had their own rooms. She had moved all of their old toys to the cupboard under the stairs and had let the boys decide who was getting what room between the two.

Given that most of the things hidden under the loose floorboard involved Harry, the decision of who was moving out, so to speak, had been an easy one. It did not make it any easier to get used to the concept that the old toy room was now his room. Well, at least he got the desk. Vernon had wanted to get rid of it, but together Harry and Dudley convinced otherwise.

Once he had adjusted himself, Harry would later confide what Uncle Remus (he told himself firmly that after having had that sort of talk with the man, he was not going to think of him as 'Mr. Lupin' ever again, that was far too formal) to his cousin. Dudley had been aghast as well, but promised to help as much as he could.

To this end, the children of the Dursley household were currently browsing the local public library under Uncle Remus' supervision. Technically, this was their revision time, but he had always encouraged them to expand their horizons, as it were.

Walking side by side, Harry inspecting the books and Dudley trailing his fingers across the spines, they had just caught a glimpse of fiery bright red hair that could only belong to Mafalda when their attention was diverted by a book that fell from the top of the stacks – right on top one of their heads. There was a simultaneous yelp, more from sympathy at the idea of a book falling than it actually hurting – like when someone stubs their toe and you, although you aren't involved at all, still say ouch.

Naturally, after all this they simply had to inspect the book. And then yet again, not quite able to believe their eyes, for in between the two boys lay an otherwise ordinary looking book with a rather extraordinary title – So You Want to Be a Wizard.