Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

A Dance With Fate

Canopus Carina

Chapter 16 of 20

All luck seemed to leave them as they searched desperately for the identity of Remedius Partromi outside the Potions Master certificate and Order of Merlin Second Class. Not even a mention of whether he attended Hogwarts was anywhere to be found. It had seemed as if he had appeared out of no where, coming from some life he did not want and succeeded in created a new one. One that was very extravagant and successful. One that seemed to mock at their search.

They were not even able to search for someone who had apparently disappeared as records were lost or misreported during the pain of the war. Any small tidbit of information alluded to some possible identity, only for them to be sourly mistaken in allowing their hopes to be raised that high.

It seemed as if they would have to go to the past and find his identity then. They only hoped they had enough time to find Partromi then.

Saturday: 5 November 1977

There was much excitement running through the castle as they made ready for the first Quidditch match of the year. Each team had trained hard for the past two months of the school year, and were ready to show off their stuff. To make things worst, the first match was Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Anyone who had even heard of Hogwarts had heard of the main house rivalry.

The hallways were a dangerous place to be for who Gryffindor considered their Quidditch stars, James Potter and Sirius Black. James had been the star player since he started in third year. While he could have started in second year, he had to admit being a reserve chaser during second year instead of playing against mostly seventh year players was a good thing. The other players didn't have sympathy for the underclassman and actually knocked him out soon into his first game. Since that happened, Sirius learned how to play the beater position to help his best buddy survive the dangerous game. Before the Black family felt it was below their blood station to play Quidditch which only encouraged him to play more. Come fourth year, both were starting players and earned a name for themselves. But they needed protection from the underhanded tricks that were up the Slytherin's sleeves.

Legs always seemed to be in the way oh-so-innocently. A misdirected spell became common place and for some reason redirected towards them. The Gryffindor House always "took one for the team" and most often needed a quick bandage or a trip to Madam Prophrey for something or other. They just laughed off the enlarging earlobes that needed to be shrunk, the lime green hair that grew to the floor, the singing toenails. Each time they just shrugged it off saying, "Very first year." The Slytherins would be very tempted to send a curse their way for such talk. The Gryffindors took it in stride.

Remus wasn't really in the mindset for Quidditch. Instead, as the preparations were continuing several stories below, his mind drifted to the dueling lesson on Halloween. Remus and the other Marauders remained with the students in the Great Hall long after the instructor left. The room didn't loose the sense of security it usually gave off as he had thought would happen. Either that secure feeling was given off with magic, or that it was felt after learning one more way of protecting yourself, Remus did not know. All he knew is that it remained the same and he wouldn't have any problems with the room or what Harry taught that night. Looking around the room, he saw that many others were coming with the same conclusions.

Many of them were actually looking forward to the next lesson, from the sound of things.

Harry was not to be seen since he walked out of the Great Hall on Halloween night when they figured out the hint about the lesson. They checked after every class on the Marauder's Map for his name and on the message boards for dueling lesson announcements. Every time the headmaster rose from his seat, they half expected for them to announce that Harry had been kicked out of the school premises for such a lesson. But nothing came from it.

Remus gave a start as it was the star of his thoughts that sat down next to him, asking casually, "So when does it start?"

"Harry!" he cried out, "we were worried that you were kicked out because of Halloween. James was so worried that his parents have been getting an owl a day with questions, but they didn't know anything about it and said to go to the headmaster. But Sirius was convinced that he kicked you out himself so he didn't want to even go near him. Where were you?"

"Nothing sinister. Where are they anyways?"

Remus found it curious that Harry didn't immediately divulge where he was for the past four days since Halloween. He knew the other boy had many secrets, even more so since the last lesson. The lesson that gave so many questions with so little questions. As much as the young instructor assured that everything was just an allusion, the fear inside him due to the troll was very much real. Had Harry really faced such a thing? And then with the giant snake and that man?

He remembered Harry's speech at the beginning of the lesson, how in his first year Halloween was when he became really close with his friends back home, he supposed that was when they faced the troll. And the second year was the snake that had attacked Sarah, the monster that was let loose in his school. The mad man was as it sounds, the madman of his third year. But what does that mean the fourth year Halloween battle was?

"Where are the other Marauders?" Harry repeated. Remus gave a start and immediately answered:

"Both James and Sirius play, Chaser and Beater respectfully, and Peter always help everyone get ready for games in the locker room. He says it makes him feel as if he's out in the field with them, though he's afraid of heights. It'll be the first time in many moons that someone has joined me."

"Many moons, eh?" Harry asked teasingly. Remus felt his stomach drop to dangerous levels. Was he just laughing about his choice of words? That they were a bit medieval or did it mean that Harry was suspecting him? And if he did, how could he come up with those inklings after being here for only three full moons? But before he could dwell deeper in the problem, Harry continued, "I had things I had to do and needed to leave the castle to do so. How did you know I wasn't in the castle? I could have just been hiding in my office and no one would have been the wiser."

He was awful tempted to tell him about the Marauder's Map, and how they had checked and didn't see a Harry Potter anywhere on its surface, but held back. As much as it would please him to surprise Harry after the other boy continued to surprise him he was sure that they other Marauders wouldn't enjoy in his short happiness. But once looking into Harry's face as he turned to watch the preparations of the match, he was given the feeling that Harry knew all about it without him saying anything. It was a very subtle change, but his lip quirked up slightly to the right and a smoldering fire lit in his eyes. It was Harry's expression of knowing.

"We have our ways."

"I'm sure you do," Harry answered just as mysteriously, not turning back to the young werewolf. "No, the headmaster didn't have me booted out. On the contrary, he was quite impressed with the initiative that I took on it. Going so far as to bring up past evils," he trailed off. He leaned forward to rest his arms on the guardrail in front of them, and then set his chin upon them. "I was gone because I need to get some things."

"To help that one friend you keep talking about?" Remus guessed, watching close to Harry's face which often spoke more than Harry did. He didn't betray any emotion, only nodded.

"I'm getting close, only a few things need to be put into place…" he trailed off again. No amount of soft prodding from Remus could get him to open up to him about what preparations were taking place or why. He remained silent, watching the field below with an expression of deep contemplation. "Digging up my friendship with them, when they could be…" he shook his head again. "I only wonder if I shouldn't have brought them up. That I didn't get the message across. That the lesson had been in vain."

"But so many people have been closer because of if," Remus argued. It was true, many people have solved frivolous arguments or petty rivalries even in the short time of four days. He was curious still about the friends he had left behind in America, the ones he held so dear. But he knew not to prod. No amount of prodding would get something out of Harry that Harry didn't want to be said. He knew from experience.

"I don't think everyone got the message. Or if they did, how much longer will it take for the message to be erased?"

He didn't know how to answer that and chose to remain silent. Far below the Gryffindor team came out to inspect the weather and little Peter followed closely behind. He couldn't think of anyone who was more dedicated to Sirius and James as Peter was. Ever since second year, that boy stuck to them like glue. Any shortcomings he had were easily overlooked due to his devotion.

It was just a little peculiar how Harry watched the rat animagus from the seat next to him with a haunted gaze.

End of Chapter 16 – 1,507 of words

Posted: 25 June 2007