Chapter Eight

It was Snape's turn to endure having Harry called from his lessons during Potions. He had completed his potion and allowed Snape to glance at it and give him his marks before waving his wand and cleaning his work bench.

He rushed from the room, heading for McGonagall's office. He barely had thirty minutes before he would be playing Hufflepuff in Quidditch. Ginny, the team captain, had pleaded with him not to resign from the team even though he had missed team practice at the beginning of the year. Harry had to admit practice and playing were the only things offering any respite from his difficult studies and his constant worries.

He knocked on the door and opened it to find a woman sitting and having tea with McGonagall. McGonagall immediately stood and waved Harry into the room. "Here he is now, Gryffindor's very own Seeker. We are very proud of Harry," she gushed.

The woman who rose with her was a solid looking, gray-haired person dressed very oddly even for a witch, Harry thought. The woman was dressed in old Quidditch robes. She really didn't look like a player, she was stocky and appeared like she had the strength of an ox for her age; but much too heavy to be on a team. He found out immediately how strong she was when she shook his hand and almost crushed his fingers.

McGonagall was beaming at him and nodding as the woman introduced herself.

"Hello, Mr. Potter," the woman said with a deep man's voice. "I'm Portia Matisse."

"Portia is the scout for Britain's Quidditch team, Puddlemere United. She's come to watch you play Potter!" McGonagall said, her eyes shining brightly. "I will let her explain. But I can't tell you how delighted I am Potter. This is quite the honor. First, Oliver Wood and now you."

Harry kept nodding hoping McGonagall would hush up so he could hear Ms. Matisse.

"We have heard of your name, of course, Mr. Potter," she began. "We didn't know you were a Quidditch player and an outstanding Seeker at that." She had her arms folded over an ample bosom and stood in the red, white and blue robes, somewhat faded, of the Britain team.

"How did you come by the information, Ms. Matisse?" he asked, curiously.

"It was a strange coincidence, Mr. Potter," she said nodding solemnly. "I was in a shop in a little village and happened to be talking to a friend. I was overheard by this girl who interrupted our conversation and pleaded, and I do mean pleaded with me, to listen to her story about you. She said she was in a hurry and if I was coming up this way to give you something, too." The woman withdrew a large package from under her robes and handed it to Harry. It felt like a stone tablet to him. Thinking it lightweight by the way she handled it, he took it with one hand and almost dropped to his knees. What the devil is it? he wondered.

"And who was this girl, Miss Matisse?" he asked, regaining his composure.

"She didn't say or I've forgotten," Matisse screwed up her face into a frown, her chunky fingers on her chin. The blue eyes twinkled. "Of course, I have people come up to me all the time and recommend folks for the team." She laughed and pounded a meaty hand on his back. "But she was convincing. So here I am. And I understand your game is about to start any minute." Her voice sang with merriment.

"Yes, it is," Harry said. "I was about to head for the dressing rooms." He was still managing to hold onto the package and his bag and back towards the door. "Very nice meeting you ma'am."

"It was nice meeting you dear boy. Now have a good game, I will be watching," she shook an index finger at him and turned to McGonagall who was beaming broadly at her. Harry didn't think he'd seen McGonagall smile that much in all the years he'd been at Hogwarts, especially if it had anything to do with him.

Struggling out the door, he let it swing shut behind him and hurried out of the castle through melting snow towards the Quidditch pitch. He was just barely holding on to the package. The other team players; Dennis Creevey, Vincent Patrick a fourth year and his mate, Charles DeMilo, the beaters and Lavender Brown, a Chaser, Ron's substitute Reagan India and Ginny's substitute, Nigel DeCamp were all dressed and gathered to listen to Dennis attempts at a pre-game speech. Ginny was the team captain, but she wasn't there to give it and Dennis was making his best attempts.

Harry dropped the package with a thud next to his bag and yanked his clothes off. He changed into his Quidditch robes and found his Firebolt in the broom closet. He stopped for a breath and listened; Dennis was still talking. Harry grabbed the package and yanked off the plain paper wrapping. He stood for a moment longer looking at what was in his hands. It was a book reaching from his waist to the top of his head, at least two and half feet tall, leather-bound and held together with a rusty iron clasp. Embossed in gold print two inches high on the cover was the title, Hogwarts: A History.

The first thought he had was: Hermione!

"Bloody hell! She's alive," he yelled and then hugged the book to his chest and glanced around the empty room.

"Harry?" a voice was calling to him. "It's time. Would you hurry up!"

He was torn between setting the book down and heading out to the pitch or opening it. With a shrug he undid the clasp and opened the book. A voice emanated from it, 'Home is where my heart is'. Harry recognized the voice; it was Hermione's. The book slammed shut and dust flew up his nose. He was sneezing and laughing all at the same time. "Yes, yes, yes." He hugged the book one more time and left it with his bag. There had to be a reason she had sent him the book and not just the message. "Hermione, I am gonna give you one big sticky wet kiss when I see you!" He laughed and headed for the pitch.

Harry was the oldest and most experienced member of the team. He found it hard to keep his concentration while the book sat in the locker room and waited for him. It was the first time he could remember wanting the game to end early and he searched the chilly air for the Snitch knowing he needed to let his team score at least twenty points. After that, he was going to catch it and win the game and hurry back to the changing lockers.

Hufflepuff had their full compliment of experienced players and the game seemed to drag on. Finally after an hour, he caught sight of it and pointed his speeding Firebolt towards his team's end of the pitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker was no match for Harry's experience and he had it in his grasp in seconds. He was at least a broom's length ahead of the Hufflepuff Seeker, Kevin Whitby. He had completely forgotten about Portia Matisse who was waiting for him when he landed.

She was shouting over the cheering from the stands and his fellow teammates. "Well, Mr. Potter, that was a good show!" she bellowed, her hand was pounding the breath from his lungs. "Not much of a stretch for a game or for your talents, I would guess" She smiled warmly at him. "Just wanted to say hello one more time before I left." Her mouth was against his ear. They were being deluged by students running onto the pitch.

"Wait, Miss Matisse?" Harry shouted, nodding at the crowd going by who were shouting their congratulations to him. "Can we talk?"

"Can't do it, dear boy!" she shouted back to him as she was swept up the hill towards the castle. "But I was impressed!" That was all he heard as he walked back to the locker rooms.

Harry avoided the revelers and headed for Lupin's office. He carried the book wrapped in his cloak. Lupin was sitting at a desk grading scrolls of parchment and listening to music.

He stopped to look up and smiled lightly. "Sorry Harry. Suppose you're here because I wasn't at the game. I just had too many things to do…." He stopped when he saw the look on Harry's face. "What is it? Did Gryffindor win?"

Harry dropped the book on the desk still wrapped in the cloak and pulled it off with a flourish. Lupin had his arms stretched over his paperwork to keep it from fluttering off to the ground.

"Hogwarts: A History," Lupin read. He pursed his lips and nodded slightly. "A very long read, Harry."

"Hermione sent it!" Harry said. "I opened it and a voice came out. It said, 'Home is where my heart is'." Harry proceeded to tell Lupin how he had received it. "Remus, only Hermione could have done it. It's like she wrote it in the sky with scarlet letters. It's so obvious," Harry was laughing. "They're safe and they're coming back here and she's bringing Nadya, I just know it."

Lupin studied his face and nodded He smiled slightly and said, "You're probably right Harry and it's wonderful news."

"Remus, why aren't you happy?" Harry asked, noticing the teacher's reaction.

"Harry," Remus laid a hand on the book, "let's look at the book first before we jump to conclusions. There may be another clue inside. I don't want to dampen yours spirits, but the closer they get to Hogwarts the more danger they are in. I think that's why Hermione went to all the trouble she did. We were right in thinking they're trying to remain hidden- if they are alone and not being coerced." He held up a hand when Harry began to protest. "Not that I think they are. Hold on!"

He opened the book and took out his wand. "We need to help Hermione get home safely if we can. Let's have a go here." He waved his wand over the book and the pages began to fly open. "Reveal your message."

Harry watched. This time the book didn't speak but the pages flipped over in a whirlwind until they suddenly stopped. They bent over it together, their heads almost touching. The book was open to a folded page that looked like a blueprint. Harry and Remus looked at one another.

"It looks like the Marauder's Map, Harry said.

"Yes, it does," Lupin said. He unfolded the page and stretched it out. With little skips of his wand the page stretched across the top of his desk and lapped over the sides. It remained bound to the book in the middle. "I don't recall this being in the book."

"You've read it before?" Harry asked from the other side of the map. They were at least four feet apart and staring at different parts of Hogwarts.

Lupin glanced up and laughed as he said, "I hate to disillusion you, Harry, but I haven't. I started it once when I was in school and never got the job done." He followed the map of the school corridors with his finger as he talked. "But I have gone through it and think I would remember this if I had come across it."

"I'll tell you something, Remus, I think Hermione has read the whole thing and memorized it. That's why I know it came from her." Harry said with certainty as he also studied the blueprint. "She read it before she even started Hogwarts and even quoted from it the night we were Sorted."

"Yes, our Hermione is a extraordinary witch," Lupin said and smiled as he circled the map. "I think she's probably put this map in here, although she didn't make it. This map is much more detailed than I've ever seen. It puts our Marauder's Map to shame and I didn't think that could be done."

"Really?" Harry asked, rhetorically. He had often wondered just what it had taken for his father, Sirius, Peter and Remus to make the Marauder's map and meant to ask Lupin at one time. He'd never gotten around to it. He was surprised to hear Lupin talking about it.

"It very much resembles our work. We-your father, Sirius and Pettigrew and I- drew the Marauder's map from what we knew. We did a fair bit of roaming over this old place and thought we had covered the ground very well. Here," Lupin pulled a magnifying glass from his desk, " this can help."

Harry pulled a lamp over and examined his corner with the glass as it hovered just below his face zooming to his new position as he moved. "So, do you think she's done it so we …so that we...what?" Harry looked up at the top of Lupin's head. "So that we can find her? No, this wouldn't help with that." He stopped to consider what he was thinking.

Lupin was still bent over his portion, and mumbled, "No, I don't think it is to help find her. Once she's here she would know she is safe. As I said, getting here will be the challenge and I don't see how this map is going to help us with that. We'll just have to trust that Hermione has a plan that'll keep her and Nadya safe on their journey. As for the map…" he stopped and looked up. Then tapping his quill against his chin he wandered away from the desk and along the bookshelves lining the classroom. The shelves held hundreds of books on Dark Magic and displayed instruments used in Dark Magic detection.

"The book tells me they are alive and safe," Harry said thoughtfully. "But why send a map?" He moved the lamp and continued to study the it. He realized it covered not only Hogwarts but the grounds surrounding the castle. He found the area where the old ruins were dug into the side of the granite cliffs and covered by centuries of foliage. The ruins were clearly drawn and marked.

Harry also discovered other things he had not been aware of and mentioned them as he scanned, "Remus, there's an old armory here and it looks like a crypt is built on the lower levels."

"Oh yes, Harry," Remus said, returning to the table to study the map. "I imagine there are all kinds of places no one has seen for ages. This castle is two thousand years old. Just think of all the old headmasters buried down in those crypts." He shook his head, "This castle wasn't built, as you can see, to withstand an attack from without. It was built to hold something in. I don't know much about ancient architecture, but Hogwarts is unique in its' design, I think."

"Built to keep something in?" Harry frowned. "Hmm. What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's plain to see. There is no moat, no battlements. Those are things built in the old days to defend a fortress. Of course, Hogwarts was built as a school- in a way." Lupin rocked his head back and forth as he usually did when considering something. "It was certainly built to last. Over here there are old buildings that were used as workshops and stables, as guard rooms and kitchens. They're no longer there, just the stone ruins. There are markings for underground galleries and tunnels leading from the kitchens, that used to be much farther away, leading to the main hall." He ran his finger along a line. "I'm sure they are long since collapsed or buried."

Harry joined him and surveyed that end of the map and asked absentmindedly, "Have you been all over the castle, Remus? Have you seen most of this?"

"Well I don't think anybody knows this castle the way Dumbledore does. Even he hasn't been over every square inch. I think that would take several lifetimes to accomplish."

"That's true," Harry nodded. "They searched for the Chamber of Secrets and no one found it for fifty years." He thought about his rock climbing on the exterior and how he recognized the castle changed unpredictably. Doors would suddenly appear, like the one on the seventh floor, to the Room of Requirement, and then vanish. How could anybody know this castle at all? he thought, Let alone find every room, or for that matter the grounds. Harry thought of the whole city of merpeople under the lake.

"Until you found it," Remus said, interrupting his thoughts.

"What? Oh yeah. Remus why is the Guardian at Hogwarts?" Harry whispered the words. He and Remus had a conversation about the secret nature of the Guardian and his Protector months before. Over the course of the summer Harry learned he was a Protector and Neville was chosen as a new Guardian. Harry scratched his cheek and stood straight. "The Guardian protects and defends the source. Voldemort wants access to the source."

Remus looked up at him and gasped, "Voldemort's trying to get in! Harry that's it!" He straightened and looked again at the map. "It can't be!" They both stared at the paper splayed across on the desk. "The castle is too well protected for him to just walk in."

"Remus, Voldemort got inside the very first year I was here. He possessed Professor Quirrell. He was looking for the Sorcerer's Stone and he found it after he passed through all the traps and charms the teacher's put on it." Harry was suddenly staring at the map with renewed interest. "Hermione knew that." Harry smoothed out the creases, "How did she ever get this map? Is that what she's trying to say- there's a danger Voldemort can find a way in?"

"If he is trying to get in then he must be nearby," Remus said, looking like he had swallowed something hard. He was holding his chest and frowning, staring at the opposite wall with an expression of horror on his face.

"Hermione would not reveal herself if she were being followed by a Death Eater or if she managed to find Voldemort and follow him." Harry said.

"Maybe the message, 'Home is where his heart is" really does mean Hogwarts!" Remus gasped and leaned over the map once again.

"It's always about Hogwarts," Harry said, doing the same. "He never is away from here for long. He always returns. It's like me Remus, it's the only home I've ever known, the only place that is bearable." Lupin looked at him and Harry added, "If the Source is here, this is where he'll return and the Guardian protects the Source. He may not be after Dumbledore or the new Guardian at all."

"I think Harry, Hermione is very bright. She might be saying we aren't as well protected as we think." Remus looked up at him again and said, "Which means I'm right. Hermione is in greater danger than we could ever imagined. She may not be trying to et Nadya here to find safety. She may be trying to get here to warn us."

"Remus, where was Percy's body found?" Harry asked.

"Not far from here." The man's pale face whitened as he spoke. "Katlana's, too." He swirled his wand over the map and it folded instantly. "If you don't mind, I think I'll go and discuss this with Severus and Dumbledore."

Harry looked at the huge book in his hands and hesitated. He really wanted the chance to study the map himself. "Remus, let me go with you."

Lupin sat the book on the desk and came around it to place a hand on each of Harry's shoulders. "Harry," he intoned, "I know you think we have stood in the way…kept information from you. Do you know why that is?" He looked steadily into Harry's eyes.

"No Remus, I don't." This time Harry felt angry. "Hermione is my friend. My wife is in danger. You know I wouldn't act on my own if someone would just talk to me. Last night was the first time I've been treated like an adult. Don't you think I deserve to be treated that way all the time?"

"Yes, Harry," Remus replied, dropping his hands, "I do. But…" he shook his head and turned away. "We aren't really standing in your way Harry… we're trying to protect you." The sigh was audible.

"Protect me!?" Harry laughed. "I've faced Voldemort three times and I've survived. I faced Jeremy Potter and Lucius Malfoy, his Deatheaters and I've survived! You sound like Albus now. He didn't protect me by keeping secrets or keeping silent. He put me into more danger. I'll tell you Remus I won't stand for it, not with Hermione and not with Nadya!"

Lupin slid onto a student's bench and rested his folded hands on the desk. "Harry let me tell you some reasons- not excuses- just reasons we keep you outside the circle." He was speaking quietly and Harry always found himself calming down when Lupin spoke.

"You can't imagine what it was like when Voldemort was coming to power. At first, it was little things; people disappearing, wizards doing the most extraordinary, horrific acts all under the Cruciatus curse of course; people dying. It was all hushed up by the Ministry because of their fear of panic." Lupin laughed dully.

"I wasn't very old- well, the same age as your parents. Unlike Sirius and James, after I left Hogwarts I lived on the fringes of society because there were few people, and still are, who will tolerate a werewolf." He shook his head and brushed his hair back with his hand, chuckling, "It also lent me an aura of respect among the disrespected."

Lupin stared at the books on the shelves and mused, "Like the vampire you met, Demitri Kaldensky." He glanced at Harry as he spoke. "No, I don't know him but I know many who are like him, such creatures who crawl from the earth and dwell in the sewers. They are frightening, Harry, unbelievably frightening. The things they are capable of doing to people! And, then, give them a leader; someone to focus those energies. A dark and evil master who has no heart, who doesn't care that entire families are wiped out. Voldemort was so formidable, he had one foot in our world and one in the muggle world. He presented a grotesque monster in the muggle world and a… indestructible one in ours."

Lupin stood and walked to the shelves again, talking softly as he went, "People refuse to use his name because, at the time, there was no way to destroy him. How do you deal with something you can't destroy, Harry?"

Lupin ran his hand along the old books, touching each gently. "And then he met you and he was stopped. That day there were celebrations….." Lupin laughed softly. "You cannot imagine! The day was saved! Wizards and witches danced in the streets and celebrations went on for days. Only a few didn't celebrate, those of us who had lost someone we loved."

He turned and said, " Nobody wants him back again. So many people died because of him. What do you think the world would do if they knew you weren't here, that he had somehow managed to kill you?" Lupin held up a hand when Harry started to speak. "I know, I know Harry. It's not fair to depend on you to save us. But we need to give the world some hope. As long as you live-The Boy Who Lived is still with us- then the world feels safe."

He slipped his hands in his pockets, turned to look at him and said, " In the meantime, Severus, Albus, myself and others- the Order- want to give you the best possible chance in the world. Voldemort is coming after you, Harry. He hasn't acted…hasn't indulged himself... in the killing frenzy he did seventeen years ago, because you are still alive. We don't know why but we want to keep it that way."

Harry felt nauseous. He knew everything Lupin was saying was true but he'd not had it put into words. He was unconsciously nodding.

"Harry," Lupin spoke and Harry didn't hear. "Harry!"

Harry could feel for the first time in a long time a tear escaping and running down his face. He wasn't even sure why it was there. He touched it and looked at it with surprise.

"Harry!" Lupin was at his side in minutes and speaking gently, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said…"

"It's okay Remus, really," Harry said backing away from him. "I know the prophecy… by now, I'm sure you do as well. I know I have to kill Voldemort, I'm the only one that can. That's what it says; that's what Dumbledore thinks."

Lupin spoke earnestly, "But you don't understand Harry. You might be destined to kill Voldemort, but you will have an army standing in front of you. You will not be alone!" Lupin reached for him, drew him in and hugged him. Harry stayed in his embrace for a moment longer. "I for one, will be there right beside you," Lupin murmured.

10