Disclaimers and Notes: Good Gad, you get it by now!
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The first part of this chapter (the end of which will be indicated) is the "spoiler" from last time. It has altered in some places only slightly, and in others drastically. So you might want to read it again.
This story now works sorta like the J.K. Rowling books do, where long periods of time are described rather than acted out. Like a summary of the events, rather than a full description.
Hope you like! ^__^' I'm sorta loosing fate in my stuff... I mean, I don't know if I'm getting the "feel" anymore. But for this one I did get a lot of that "feel" back.
THANK YOU for all the reviews! They mean so much! It was a real shock to see how many people were still interested! I thought I'd lost a lot of my "customers" because of taking so long to post. You're all awesome, and once again, I'd name all of you, but there are too many! ^_^'
Geuna~
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This Chapter Rated: PG-13
Summary: You should know by now. ^__~
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"..." - speech
'....' - thoughts
/..../ - with italics means a part of a flashback.
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Pranks, Plots and Planning: Part 1
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"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" She just smiled and nodded. "... Well, you're acting awfully peculiar. Where have you been?"
Something felt very wrong…
~Ron Weasley, Fanfiction "Charmed Curses", Freedom Gained?, by Lady Geuna
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The world officially knew everything (or at least they thought they did).
News of both James Potter and Sirius Black was seen on the front page of the Daily Prophet everyday. For most, the news was a hard blow to their own sense of reality. Cold-blooded murders don't suddenly become innocent for no apparent reason, and dead men don't usually crawl out of their graves and merrily walk back to joining the land of the living. Yes, it was indeed peculiar.
Harry got even more (unwanted) attention drawn to himself, though reporters were specifically prohibited from entering the Hogwarts grounds to contact with him or James Potter, for the Potters' own peace of mind. Of course Draco had attempted to get a laugh out of it. But without some sort of ammunition (a.k.a. Rita Skeeter) his efforts were altogether fruitless.
And besides, nothing could break Harry's good mood.
Hermione, for reasons unknown to even her closest friend, began to go missing a number of times throughout to week, but was often found in the library, pouring over books. This would of course seem to be a normal thing to do for someone like Hermione, but she was never actually anti-social in any way. This made Ron horribly unnerved. Drawing her into an intellectual conversation of heated debate was easier than shoot fish in a bucket (or whatever the Muggle phrase was...), but now it was harder then getting Neville to remember (anything in general). She hardly spoke a word to anyone, and declined to attend any visits to see Harry's father.
To think, she was jumping at the opportunity not long ago... Whatever changed that?
Snape had managed to "clean up" his dungeons somewhat, though one of the walls in the main potions classroom remain collapsed until further notice. But other than that, everything seemed in proper working order, including Snape usual "sunshine" attitude. He was also less than thrilled by the attention that he and his father were now getting from the rest of Hogwarts, as Snape always hated Potter popularity. The only difference, as strange as it would seem, as that Snape tried to make as little contact, verbal or otherwise, with Harry as possible. Nor did he brandish a newspaper in his face, or take off house points in order to "take Harry down a few pegs".
Harry saw absolutely nothing wrong with this little change…
The almost "freedom" of Sirius Black came at a colossal shock, as he wasn't expecting it at all. He hadn't thought of it, considered it, nor had it even occurred to him until it came (he had been far to busy worrying about others to worry about himself).
Only Dumbledore had anticipated it, but didn't try to push the subject, allowing events to take place as they came along...
Apparently on the night the news was released, a certain werewolf had to convince his dear friend not to celebrate the news until he was there to watch him (after all his classes were finished, of course). If Lupin remembered correctly, Sirius' preferred form of "celebration" was by getting drunk off his arse and doing something incredibly juvenile and utterly insane (as he had a habit of doing when plastered).
And plaster he was...
Lupin was happy for him, and just as happy to have Professor Dorrey's old items removed. Though it left the room practically barren, he didn't care in the least. He had none of his own items to fill the now empty (or even barren) space, personal or not, but this didn't deter him (he's had less...).
Though he still longed to have his good old clipped mugs back…
James had moved into a room opposite Mr. Weasley, just around the corner for the Gryffindor portal hole having left the Infirmary long before Snape did.. The Fat Lady was most delighted to see him, he being a Gryffindor alumni. James and Mr. Weasley spend a lot of time together during the last few days and got along smashingly, Mr. Weasley filling him in on everything he knew of Harry, as well as his own sons and daughter.
Mr. Weasley also mentioned of his son, Charlie, who attended his first year at Hogwarts the very year after James and his friends had graduated. Charlie had heard stories form others attending Gryffindor about James and his friends, and their reputation as pranksters.
Of course, James chose not to comment… heeh…
Other than that, life had developed a new sort of routine for Harry and the rest. Harry and Ron would make regular visits to James and spend time with him, while Hermione remained in the library, poring over research. On occasion, Lupin was able to visit James in his off-hours, and James would go to his room in order to see (a sober) Sirius. All of this was difficult, as he easily drew attention to himself, even when he try's to be unnoticed. Usually if he's seen in the halls, students would avoid him almost fearfully. However, if a Ravenclaw were to catch him they would attempt to drag him into a conversation regarding his reappearance, which he was less that eager to discuss with a stranger (oh what would he give her his Invisibility Cloak...). He got used to it quickly, though, and life went on pleasantly enough. James seemed to have a permanent spot, sitting next to Lupin at the head table, enjoying talking to the other teachers (except for Snape, he tried his best to ignore all or them) and catching up on things he'd missed.
Also within this week, a rash number of "pranks" were being pulled throughout the school...
At first these pranks were of the innocent sort, simple hexes, and objects enchanted to turn your skin a certain color when you touch them (purple, blue and orange being the most popular of which). At first it was assumed that these pranksters were a Gryffindor's doing (a.k.a. Fred and George Weasley, much to Mr. Weasley's displeasure), since the first targets were all Slytherin.
However, other houses soon found themselves targets, and then Gryffindors themselves.
Soon this "prank" business took a turn for the worst…
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Harry and Ron had reached the stairwell, ready to head from the Gryffindor Tower, ready for the usual visit to James' room…
"Long day, eh, Harry," Ron yawned, his mouth wide with a hand half covering it. "I could drop to the floor and fall asleep right here…"
Harry said, "I won't, it I were you. A Slytherin might come along and-" He stopped suddenly… He thought he'd heard a noise. "Did you hear something?"
Ron stopped walking for a moment, his hand on the railing. "Eh?" His eyes narrowed as he listened for a moment… then, "Yeah… Someone talking? Heck, I don't know, I think it's…" He looked over the railing.
"Think it's coming from bellow," Harry asked, watching as his friend peered over the edge.
"Oh Merlin! Harry, look!"
He did.
Harry didn't like what he saw.
"SEAMUS!"
In seconds they had managed to run down the steps, about three floors down. There, they stood at the top of the steps, viewing the scene.
Seamus was sprawled across the steps, a trail of bloody coming from his hair. There were two other people there; a young student lay still at the foot of the stairs, and a girl who was trying to sit up a little ways away. She was clutching her left arm, crying softly. This is what they had heard, along with Seamus' weak calls. The boy looked winded, as those this incident had just occurred, only moments before Harry and Ron came to be in earshot.
Almost instantly, Harry and Ron began to hurry down those last step, ready to help, but before they even got close to any of them Seamus screamed up at them suddenly,
"No," he cried, coughing hoarsely, making Harry and Ron freeze so suddenly they near lost balance and instead toppling into each other, falling backwards onto the steps. "Don't come down here…!"
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Harry and Ron had assumed it was just an accident, or from how Seamus reacted perhaps fault stairs. Maybe they had slipped while the staircase was changing?
But it was far from that…
Someone had tied a length of rope (the enchanted sort, like a magical trick wire) for people to trip over. A third year Ravenclaw ended up falling down the stairwell, breaking her arm. This also took down Seamus and a seventh Hufflepuff as they had rushed to help her. The seventh year had suffered from a concussion, having fallen all the way to the bottom. Seamus had been very lucky. They each had to spend a day in the Hospital Wing to get over their injuries.
No one was sure if they should be labeled as "pranks" anymore, but people continued to use this term anyway for the lack of a better one.
The "pranks" had become violent, malicious.
And the real fear was that next time there was a prank someone might get killed…
And just when they thought it couldn't get any worse...
An alarmingly serious case happened to Professor Lupin himself....
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Wednesday evening and Lupin was already late. After about ten minutes of waiting, he finally burst forth through the door, smiling apologetically.
The second year Ravenclaws and Gryffindors of the class sat up and watched him as he made his way over to his desk, Lupin saying, "Very sorry, I had a few loose ends to tie up before I came. House pet problems, unfortunately... *ahem*" He set his case on his desk with a "thunk", raising an eyebrow as he noted how much dust floated up from the wooden surface as a result of the action. He smirked. "Well," he said good naturedly, batting at the dust filled air around his face, "seems to me that this room will be needing a bit of.... dust-... ing..........."
No one was prepared for the next chain of events.
The students blinked and gawked in surprise and confusion as Lupin stood so quickly you'd think the seat were on fire, knocking the chair down with a loud clatter and a hard WHACK! as wood hit stone. His eyes went impossibly wide for a moment before squinting in pain, watering suddenly, and Lupin raised a hand up to cover them, backing away from his desk and also falling into the wall behind him when his feet bumped into the fallen chair. He jumped with a start when his elbow came in contract with the wall, as if not expecting it to be there, looking almost blinded as his hand came up to meet it.
"I-If y-you... If you will excuse me... I need to..."
Without another word, he had dashed right out the classroom door, leaving his students to sit there, bewildered...
After a minute, a Gryffindor girl, Natalie MacDonald, got up from her seat, walked to the door, and cautiously peered out.
On the floor only a few feet away from the door sat Professor Lupin, one hand pressed firmly over his eyes and another over his mouth. "Mmmmgh..." His shoulders shook as though he was about to vomit, but he didn't.
The girl must have made some sort of noise, because he did look up.
The skin around his eyes was a horrible raw color, a ting of pink mixing in with the pain induced tears that streamed down his cheeks. He smiled weakly and said,
"I am sorry Miss. MacDonald, but I'm feeling a trifle ill all of a sudden... Would you be so good as to fetch Madame Pomfrey for me, hm...?"
Natalie didn't need to be told twice. First she ran back into the room, yelling for her friend Dennis Creevey to go fetch Madame Pomfrey. Natalie and Ravenclaw Stewart Ackerley went back into the hall to assist the professor, who was beginning to feel lightheaded and increasingly nauseous. He couldn't open his eyes without pain.
He refused to return to the classroom.
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It had been silver powder...
Someone had placed it on the surface of his desk sometime before class, though carefully enough so that it would be mistaken for average dust, and the already dimmed lighting wasn't enough to allow it to glitter and give itself away. Fortunately, he hadn't inhaled much of it, and had managed not to faint on his way to the Hospital Wing, though his eyes would be sour for quite some time. His vision wouldn't be impaired in the slightest after a few healing spells...
These sort of pranks didn't stop here.
In another instance, someone has placed some sort of potion into the food in the Great Hall. How this was managed, no one knew, but it made a few people sick, and others deadly ill… Some people assumed that it might be Peeves, though even he wasn't known to do anything to really injure anyone.
A rare few even assumed it was James Potter himself. Of course these pranks started occurring as soon as he came to Hogwarts, so that was a sort of connection, right? A common link? But that was ridiculous. Why would James Potter of all people do such things?
Perhaps even Lucius Malfoy, or Arthur Weasley? But no: Mr. Malfoy left Hogwarts after a few days stay and a number of meetings with his son, and Mr. Weasley was a Ministry man, why would he do something so risky with no chances of personal gain?
So obviously, there were only two people to blame for it all. The Weasley twins. They were already notoriously known as pranksters (of course), even though they good-naturedly denied it on other occasions. Unfortunately, very few were willing to believe them or take kindly to their "antics" as of late, nor their now increasingly vehement denials. Harry (having known what it was like to be falsely accused for crimes he didn't comment) believed in the Twins completely, as did Ron…
Others weren't so kind or trusting…
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"Hey, guys."
Fred and George both glanced up from their research (believe it or not, but they did put some minuet effort into schoolwork). The boy who had spoken was a fifth year Ravenclaw, but they didn't know him by name; only a vague recollection of seeing him at the Ravenclaw table, and, or course, the Ravenclaw symbol embroidered into his robes. Before they could really ask, he continued speaking in an almost jabbering manner.
"Hey, heard about your pranks, really cool ("Heeh, who hasn't heard about them?")." For some reason his voice sounded very nervous, edgy. Then he leaned forward, continuing in an almost hushed manner, "I know you guy want to stay 'low profile' and everything, but it's really funn-"
"Look," George interrupted suddenly, rubbing a temple, "I think you're very mistaken here, my friend."
Fred nodded. "Seriously, we didn't do anything."
"It's someone else."
The boy's narrowed. "You don't have to lie, I know it was you. Everyone knows it's you-"
George looked very annoyed now. "It's not, really-"
"NO!" The boy slammed his fists down on the table, effectively getting the attention of every other student in the library. "My little sister could've been killed because of you!"
Fred was the first to realize... "That Ravenclaw girl, you're her...?"
"Confess," the boy cried, and before either of the twins could blink, the Ravenclaw had whipped out his wand and pointed it in their direction.
Audible gasps could be heard throughout the room as Fred and George both stood suddenly, knocking their chairs behind the. "Now wait one bloody moment," Fred screamed, more angry and frustrated than scared. "There's nothing to get hostel 'bout-what are you think you're gettin' at?!"
"We didn't do a damn thing," George shot at him. "You don't even have any proof you stupid prat-"
"Expelliarmus!"
The Ravenclaw boy gave a gasp of shock as his wand shot straight up, out of his hand, and went sailing through the air, to be caught by the caster. The said man was standing just behind him. The boy swirled around, anger etched on his features, only to have the expression drop to one that of near horror.
"P-Professor Lupin!"
Indeed it was Professor Lupin, standing with a load of library books tucked under his left arm, two wands (his own and the Ravenclaw's) gripped tightly in his right hand. His hardened, glaring eyes (lined an almost angry red from silver powder) were glaring at the unknown boy attacker.
At that moment normally mild-mannered professor appeared more cross and irritated than most students had ever seen him, and it was frightening, knowing what he was...
"Young Mr. Smith," Lupin said coolly, in a tone that spelled 'foreboding' should he go any further in his action or so much as protest, "I would very much like to see you in my classroom after lunch today to have a little chat, hm? And I will be reporting you to the Headmaster and Flitwick, be sure of it. And be relieved that I am not your head of house."
The Smith boy, who had been standing still like the classic "deer caught in the headlights" (or starring a Hippogriff in the eyes), only nodded numbly as Lupin threw him back his wand and quickly made himself scarce.
All eyes were on the Weasley twins now... Some were looking on them in pity, some in confusion, but most in cold accusation. Fred and George wouldn't take it, quickly gathering their belongings (looking both thoroughly hurt and livid) and stormed out of the library. There were eyes following them the whole time.
Lupin didn't try to stop them or console them (that would come at a late time where it was less crowded), but frowned, looking on after the boy in pity...
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Mr. Weasley, unsure of what to believe, stuck by his sons, as did Professor Lupin and the majority of the Gryffindors (and the whole of the Gryffindor fifth and seventh years). Even Seamus knew better than to blame Fred and George.
Dumbledore insisted that no one was to point blame in this case, but most didn't know what to do in order to control their fear.
The war between Filch and the student body had suddenly become the war between Filch and the Weasley twins. But even Filch was nervous that he would become a target.
So, what were they supposed to do about it now...?
Well, solve the mystery, of course (urgh, such a cliché...)!
So perhaps a certain alumni godfather Gryffindor and ex-convict could help...
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Harry was not having the greatest day... Herbology has gone less than smoothly, somehow resulting in his becoming very soiled and nearly loosing him a finger. Their latest plants to care for were these odd young versions of Venus flytrap, which looked like harmless pinkish buds until you get within reach, when they showed you their teeth. Hermione had been less than a help (though she had the easiest time dealing with the little buggers...) and Ron, who had potting duty, got off easy. Harry, on the other hand, was on clipping duty. And the Venus' were less than happy for that attention.
Class ended right before lunch, and he was late due to the multiple lacerations he had to deal with on his figures, and that he had to chance into clean clothes. Later on he had Transfiguration, and after that was his late visit to his father. Argh, and he's probably be far to tired for any sort of conversation by the time he got there!
And now! Now not only couldn't he find Hermione (which, on one hand, was pretty common nowadays...) but Ron had gone off somewhere swiftly after lunch without any sort of indication as to where he'd gone.
So now Harry was on the search for both his friends, and since Hermione (on most occasions) could be found in the library. So that's where he looked next, after already looking into the Great Hall, the Gryffindor Tower and Lupin's classroom.
"Hermione," Harry called as he walked through the library, which was nearly disserted. After all, it was late evening and most students didn't have anymore classes for the rest of the day. Lucky for them... "Hermione, you there?"
The faint sound of muttering drew his attention to the back of the room... Cautiously he followed the noise, wary of the possibility that it was the deadly Prankster(s) who had struck the school out of the blue numerous times already. But after all, he was Gryffindor...
"Hm... Fleur...," muttered the quiet, pondering voice. "Flour.... Ah, Floris!"
By the time Harry had turned the corner he knew exactly who it was. To say the least he was surprised.
"Ron?"
Ron jumped in his seat, nearly dropping the wand he held. The wand tip glowed an eire pale pink, pointed in the general direction of a bookcase. "Harry!!" He blushed horribly, as though he were caught in the act of something highly embarrassing or even scandalous.
Harry (confused) came closer, wanting to ask what spell he was trying to do (it was a new one to Harry), when something very off happened. The bookcase (and the books it contained) began to sprout small, pinkish tinted flower buds, as though it was some vertically planted flowerbed.
Ron, whose attention was focused on Harry, didn't notice until he saw something pink in his peripheral vision that hadn't been there before. He squawked in surprise when he saw what he'd done. "Oh, bloody hell," he hissed quietly, as to not alert Madame Pince.
'Well,' Harry thought humorously, 'didn't think he'd be here to study...' "Ron, what are you up to, now," Harry asked, going over and poking at the flowers (now in full bloom), noting that they smelled quite lovely. They looked like pink buttercups.
His red headed friend, however, didn't answer right way, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, 'Mione's been acting a little off... Think she might be depressed, you know? Going through one of those girls... things... (grimace) Thought I'd surprise her, and..." He chuckled nervously. "Well, gettin' close, at least!"
He wanted to ask, "What were you aiming for to begin with," but Harry refrained from doing so.
Harry noticed the two books set open in front of Ron at the table. It was the Latin book Hermione had before, as well as a dictionary. The dictionary was open to the letter "F" (A/N: Roots of "flower". Fleur ~ French, Flour ~ Old French, and Flos/Floris ~ Latin). So, he was trying to make his own spell, like Hermione had. No doubt something like that would impress her...
Smirk. 'So, he's finally making a move,' was the thought Harry also chose not to voice, and instead said, "I'm sure Hermione'll think it's absolutely lovely, I'm sure (Ron blushed a little more at this, look encouraged), but we need to talk about something, and..." He paused, looking at the mass of flowers, where the roots penetrated into the hardbound books and deep into the pages within. They were thoroughly ruined...
"... Erm... Let's try to clean this up and get out of here...?" The last thing they needed was getting caught doing something that could be considered a prank. Can risked getting blamed like Fred and George were...
When Finite Incantatem didn't help in any sort of reversal of the spell, the boys did the next best thing, and escaped from the library as inconspicuously as they could mange while Madame Pince was busy checking in some returned books...
"Sorry 'bout that," Ron said again as they walked through the halls, not really heading anywhere in particular, "didn't think anyone would walk into me around this time, ya know? Glad it was you, anyway."
Harry shrugged. "You honestly should be more careful. Anyone practicing magic only these days 're considered suspicious, you know?" Ron nodded in agreement, his eyes downcast the to floor in thought. "I was actually looking for Hermione again... (sigh) Anyway, that's who I wanted to talk to you about..."
"Hm?" Ron didn't sound like he wanted to know where Harry was going with this, but Harry continued anyway. This was a thought he'd had for a while now...
"Honestly, I was looking for Hermione... Ron, I'm thinking she saw something... You know that day last week? Where we couldn't find her and your dad and everyone came? Even that Mr. Malfoy." Ron eye twitching momentarily with abhorrence, but he nodded. "And now all of a sudden she won't talk to anyone, not even you (Ron bristled unhappily at this thought). Don't you think it's a bit peculiar?"
Ron eyes widened a little. "Wait, you don't think..." He glanced around quickly, then whispered, "You don't supposed Hermione is the one who...?"
"No," Harry said firmly. Of course he didn't believe such a thing. Hermione wouldn't have anything to do with this Prank business. "But I also think she's not telling us something."
"Yeah..." He frowned. "But what can we do? I mean, if she doesn't want to tell us... Do we slip a truth potion into her goblet at dinner or something?"
Harry shook his head, also noting to himself that Hermione hardly ever came to eat with them anymore... "No, but I think if she does have something to do with this. Maybe someone threaten her to keep silent? Or maybe she's working on the inside of something and we can't get involved?"
Ron seemed to be pondering something. "Or maybe..."
"Hm? What is it...?"
Ron shook his head. "Well, whoever is doing this knows quite a lot about that school, doesn't he?" Harry looked questioning, and Ron added, "I mean that they have to be able to set these traps and things without anyone noticing, right? But still, it always happens during the daytimes, too, everyday. Those are rather tricks pranks to pull. Even Fred and George wait until nightfall to pull any or the biggest stunts, and other ones are just a matter or getting close to the 'target' in order to make them eat whatever or slip whatever into their drinks..."
"You're been learning off of those two way too much..."
Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm serious! Half of the people involved aren't even in their same year, nor ours, and Fred and George usually don't target anyone but close friends or people the really don't like (Harry, 'Oh, comforting thought...') How can Fred or George get to any of them if they're never around these people. And another thing, since it isn't those two based on that, still, how would anyone know any of these places..."
"The Marauder's Map," Harry whispered finally, "that's it! Fred and George had it forever, they know every bit of it by now."
"Maybe someone else got a hold of it?"
"No, that can't be..." Ever since Harry had "loaned" the map to Barty Crouch Jr. disguised as Alastor ("Mad-Eye") Moody the year before... "That only leave Fred and George at this point, though...
"Yeah, but we know it's not them. After all, even if they do know where all these places are, they certainly can't walk around unnoticed. Not in broad daylight. They can't very well be invisible!"
"But there isn't anyone that knew all the secret passages that well... None who can wander around Hogwarts unnoticed, anyway. Even the three of us can only remember a few good ones, but certainly none of the ones this person is using..."
Ron rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Then who does... know... hey, wait... What about..."
Harry's eyes widened, the same thought occurring. "Sneaking around Hogwarts unnoticed..."
Both Harry and Ron stopped at the same, time, turned to each other, both exclaiming,
"Sirius!"
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Neither Ron nor Harry realized it, but somebody was listening to them from around the corner. Somebody who had been following them the whole time, unnoticed...
And they would be watching and listening, very, very closely....
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An hour after their discussion in the halls, Ron and Harry were now in the Transfiguration classroom for one of their late evening classes, doubled with the Gryffindor seventh years to make up for the work the upperclassmen had missed the week before. Seventh years had a lot more assignments to worry about, especially after the day missed...
Ron and Harry had written a note for Sirius and slipped it under Professor Lupin's door earlier before they arrived for class.
"You don't suppose he'll take offense, do you," Ron whispered over to Harry as they sat in their seats, looking a tad uneasy. "I mean, wasn't that just a nice was of accusing him for it all...? I mean, if he is the one, I sure don't want be on his bad side..."
"I'm sure he'll understand," Harry said. "Besides, why would Sirius do something so stupid? There must be a logical explanation... Or if not, he can help us look out for the real guy responsible, right?"
"But there's always the professor, right? I mean, Professor Lupin would know all those passages just as well as Sirius, right? And your dad?"
Harry frowned deeply at this. "Maybe..."
A long pause...
A pause the lasted several minutes. Harry found himself wandering into an odd daydream of he, his father, Sirius and the Weasley family all playing Quidditch... Charlie was the Weasley team seeker...
"The Professor is a bit late, isn't she?"
Harry blinked. "Eh? What, Ron?"
Ron rolled his eyes, saying, "McGonagall isn't here. She's the one late for a change, you know? Maybe we should give her detention, eh?" His eyes then trailed to Hermione, he was sitting a little ways away... "Hey... Be right back." And he left...
Harry sighed and watched Ron go. Resting his chin upon his arms, frowning, wondering to himself as to whom the villain in all this must be... What if it was Sirius... (His eyes wandered over to Fred and George in a far corner.) What if it was the Weasley's twins after all...? Too little evidence to go by either way...
"Harry... Oi, Harry."
Harry blinked and looked up, only to find Ron and Hermione standing over him. "I really think you should talk to... er, Snuffles...," Ron said slowly, hinting.
Harry blinked, wondering what the blazes Ron was talking about. "How come...?"
Before Ron could respond, Harry distinctly heard Angelina Johnson talking to Fred and George... "Have you heard of it? Some people say theirs a Grim in the school..."
Fred muttered, "Creepy," though somewhat suspiciously, sharing a glance with George.
"That's impossible," Seamus countered. "It's jus' a dog, that's all."
"What's a dog doing loose at school," Neville asked. "Does it belong to someone...?"
Katie Bell, who was sitting next to Lee Jordan, frowned. "No one's got a dog in this school! And who in their right mind would keep one that size?"
"Yeah, I heard it was the size of a bear!"
"Maybe it isn't a dog at all," Sean suggested.
"Heeh-yeah right. A bear? Not that's stupid..."
Harry was starring of into space by now, half asleep and taking it all in at a snails pace...
He soon realized that Ron and Hermione were looking at him meaningful, and (oddly enough) Fred and George were starring as well... ('What's with those two...?') "That's what we mean," Ron said in a low, ominous, and ever so hinting voice.
He had an intense urgh to slap himself in the forehead, but Harry suppressed it, and internally moaned, 'Sirius.' Prankster or not, he shouldn't be getting himself caught.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Just down the hall form Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom, a huge, black dog glanced around, looking to see if anyone was coming. Seemingly satisfied, he trotted out of the dark corner he was hiding in and headed for the classroom door, tail wagging from side to side as he went. Despite his large size, his fur blended in perfectly with some of the very dark nooks and crannies in the school hallways. Students would pass, dozens at a time, and still none would notice him as long as he held perfectly still.
The note he'd received from Harry and Ron earlier that evening hadn't put him at ease in the slightest... If fact, it made him uneasy. When had they become so suspicious...?
Ah, no matter. He had a reply to the note tucked under his collar, which Lupin had given him as a precaution to being found by anyone who didn't already know what he was... It too, however, was jet-black and practically blended into his own fur.
Sirius stopped in front of the door, fully prepared to take a cautious glance inside. Though instead of the steady lecturing of Professor McGonagall, he heard the low rumbling of many voices speaking at once. Hadn't the class started yet...?
Then he heard something...
Sirius' ears perked up, sensing some sort of movement.... He turned his head quickly to the side, and there sitting about four feet away...
... was a dark-furred tabby cat...
Though there was something very familiar about the creature's scent, Sirius chose to ignore it, turning his great head back toward the classroom once more. After all, he couldn't be the only animal roaming the halls in Hogwarts...
It hadn't been two minutes later, however, when he turned his head again, and nearly yelped in surprise, finding the cat sitting directly next to him, it's eyes boring into him in a very stern and intense fashion. Annoyed, Sirius growled at it in the hopes of scaring it off. But the cat just looked at him and seemed to.... roll it's eyes???
The next thing he knew, the tabby cat had whapped it's paw across his nose, claws partially extended, and suddenly there was none other than Professor McGonagall towering over him with her hands on her hips, looking very peevish.
"Mr. Black, I do not appreciate you wandering the halls like this..."
'Oh, this brought back memories...,' he thought with his tail between his legs and ears down flat on his skull under the soul curtailing glare of Professor McGonagall...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
It was the sound of a dog yelping, followed by the sound of rapid arguing, that turned everyone's attention to the door. And almost as suddenly as it had started, the talking came to a halt.
In moments Professor McGonagall strode in through the doors, her chin held high, and looking strangely satisfied with herself. She didn't seem to feel any need to elaborate, and class went on as usual without any real excuse as to why she was late, other than that she was (supposedly) held back in a meeting with the headmaster.
It was when the class was dismissed that she called out, "Potter, come here a moment, please."
Reluctantly Harry approached McGonagall's desk, wondering what he'd managed to do this time (after all, he'd usually be expecting it). Ron waited in the doorway, and Hermione was long gone already, doing whatever she usually did these days.
But all McGonagall did was hand Harry a small folded peace of white parchment, and said, "Be good as to tell your 'pet' not to wander the halls. It's a nuisance I am more than willing to deal with if he isn't so courteous." Then she adjusted her spectacles on her nose and sniffed. "You may go now."
Harry blinked a few times, finally bringing himself to close his hanging jaw, and clumsily walked backwards toward the door, where Ron grabbed his shoulder and steered him away in the right direction toward the staircases. Ron had heard all that was said.
"So then, what is it," Ron asked urgently, eyeing the paper in Harry's hand.
Harry hastily unfolded the paper and he and Ron both read what was inside.
Meet me in the Owlery, Midnight.
S~
"........"
Harry and Ron looked up at each other. Ron looked somewhat baffled. "You don't suppose...? Do you think McGonagall read it?"
Harry shrugged, biting his lip almost absentmindedly. "Don't know, but if she had, she would've said something, right? Told us not to wander off after hours, take of points and the lot. She's always had zero tolerance for that sort of thing."
"Are we goin' then?"
Harry looked back toward the classroom, where the door had been closed, and all was silent around them except for the faint sounds of people talking along the staircases.
Maybe McGonagall knew something...? But why leave it up to two students...? ... Maybe she thought them old or experienced enough? Or maybe she hadn't read the note after all? And then again, if Sirius was responsible (or even partially so) for any of this, were they walking into trouble? Would McGonagall allow them to walk into such trouble? But they couldn't just leave it all alone...
"Yeah, Ron," Harry said, voice determined, head high. "We're going. Tonight."
Ron didn't look quite so thrilled...
They didn't know they were being watched again.....
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
'Oh, suspicious, suspicious children,' it thought idly...
Soon this game will have to draw to an end...
Very soon.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Feeling at all better...?"
"Pure bliss," James sighed, toasting mugs of hot chocolate with Mr. Weasley. His mug was a deep solid purple, while Mr. Weasley's mug was white with the print of a teddy bear on either side (it had once belonged to Ginny). Both steamed with a thick, dark brown liquid that nearly made his mouth water. "I'm glade that Harry has a friend like Ron, after all. It was always good to have friends. Though I can't say ("back in my day") we had gone through anything nearly so exciting."
"I can second that," Mr. Weasley agreed, smiling lips meeting his mug in a ginger sip (the thing was still piping hot). "Can't say that I'd ever expected it, myself. Nothing exciting happened back when I was attending Hogwarts."
James chuckled. "Afraid I can't say the same to that one. We always went looking for excitement, you could say. Being friends with Remus Lupin ("knowing what he was ("is")") always had a hand in our late-night adventures every month. Forbidden spells and all that." Chuckle. "I never expected my son to go off fighting dark lords as he did... He definitely inherited my habit of attracting unwanted attention... and his mum's stubbornness to get through all that..." He seemed to trail off at the end of these last sentences, drinking his hot chocolate in larger gulps, the taste and hotness of it almost lost to him. He half wished it was something stronger.
It was still hard to talk about her. What could be expected? It had hardly been a few weeks. He could hardly shed anymore tears... Though that didn't mean he had stopped mourning. No...
Some things take a lifetime to forget.
Mr. Weasley, however, didn't take this time to pity him verbally for his woes or try to comfort. As a husband and father, he knew that in acquired (/unusual) situations like these, the best thing to do was to act as normal as possible, so he went on with the conversation. "You will have to meet Molly and the rest of my children sometime." He picked up a biscuit from the tray laying on the table between them and dipped it in his drink before eating it. "You're more than welcome to join us during the summers, if you so wish. We do so enjoy it when he comes; it's ever so pleasant. Molly adores him ("Spoils him, too."). And the boys are always looking for more ways of getting him into a plot or two, if they haven't already."
James smiled wistfully. "I can't thank you enough for you all being there for him, Arthur. I'm sure he wouldn't 've turned out quite the same without you all." Mr. Weasley blushed bashfully, waving him off, though looking very touched just the same. James laughed lightly, picking up a few biscuits himself. "And I dare say your boys (Fred and George) remind me of someone I knew when I was younger..." Had Sirius been there, he'd be shooting James dirty looks and commenting on just how James had been just as bad in the old days. 'Not so old for me...'
"I'm afraid that's what I'm worried about," Arthur moaned tragically. "Molly would kill me if I allow my sons to corrupt poor Harry anymore than he already is..."
At this point James paused from eating, asking suspiciously, "'Corrupt'?"
"Late night scandals," Mr. Weasley responded helpfully. "Battles with the caretaker, pranks, plans, plotting; that sort of draddle."
"Ah." Great, Harry had adopted some of James' "finer" habits, even without being raised by him... 'Maybe he got it from Sirius?' "Just as well. They seem to hate their potions professor just as much as well..."
"Nooo, it's those Muggles he lives with that are really something. It's on thing to dislike a teacher, a Slytherin headmaster at that, but those Muggles, the Dudleys-"
"Dursleys..."
"Ah, yes. Met the people last year. Rather rude, I think, and I was doing all I could to be polite. I wonder how Harry's been able to stand them all these years. Most disagreeable people. Fred and George did have a bit of fun with them..." Grimace. "One of the only ones Molly well let them live down... She doesn't like them much, either..."
James starred down at his mug. Well, it was more like starring through it. "You understand that it isn't a pleasant thought to know Harry was raised by those people... I mean, Lily and I... We did everything to forget them, exclude them from our lives. All they brought was foul blessings and bad tempers." He chuckled lowly. "No one could bring out Lily's bad side like her older 'wicked' sister, that Petunia." He tilted the mug around and watched at the white foam on the top swished about. "I'd always thought he'd fall into Sirius' care should we be gone... Though Dumbledore told me..."
Silence...
Mr. Weasley pressed him on a bit. "What did Dumbledore tell you?"
"Nevermind," James said ominously. "And as for the Dursleys... Sirius and I are going to have a little 'chat' with those fat Muggles as soon as he's cleared..." No one treats his some like a caged animal.... No one.
"By the way," Mr. Weasley said in a hopeful attempt of changing the subject, making James look up. "I thought Mr. Black would be joining us this evening. Where is he off to?"
As if on cue, just then James heard a light scratching at the door, before the lock clicked suddenly, and Sirius Black sweep swiftly into the room, locking the door behind him and pocketing his wand. He looked to them, nodding as if to indicate an unspoken greeting.
"Good evening, Mr. Black," Mr. Weasley said pleasantly. "Hot chocolate?"
Sirius smiled. "Please." He took a seat on the floor next to the fire after clumsily removing his boots, looking quite chilled as Mr. Weasley walked off to find another mug. "They never did have proper heating in this blasted school..." He rubbed his arms rapidly, trying to get warmth back into them. "Bloody freezing..."
"Odd," James muttered jokingly, "I heard dog fur is rather warm."
"Well, you heard wrong, didn't you?"
James snorted. "Not very cheery today, are we? Where've you been all evening? You missed Harry and Ron."
"Indeed," Sirius muttered, eyes starring out into the fire. "I'll have to talk to you about that in a bit..." Before James could comment on that, Mr. Weasley had returned with a new mug full of cocoa. This one was blue with fluffy white clouds painted on it, which surprisingly Sirius didn't comment on. He simply gave a half smile of thanks, then asked, "So, what horrifying tales of my godson have I missed this evening?"
"Nothing too spectacular," James said absentmindedly, still trying to figure out his friend. What mood was he in? "Dark lords, corruption through school mates, illegal enchantments, that sort of thing... ("Sound familiar enough, don't you think...?")"
"Hmm..."
Mr. Weasley looked between the two for a moment, wondering what was going on between them (all those long faces...), then asked pleasantly, "Have I told you about the incident with our car? Enchanted it myself. The children said it'd worked splendidly..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Several hours later... Midnight....
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Harry and Ron has escaped from the Gryffindor dormitory and made it up to the Owlery with no problems that night. Filch and his cat had been nowhere in sigh, surprisingly. Nowadays he could be seen skulking outside the Gryffindor portal hole, watching out for Fred and George.
"Hello...?" Harry's voice echoed slightly throughout the wide space, making Ron and himself wince. They hadn't removed the Invisibility Cloak right yet, just in case, though their footsteps could still be seen and heard, crunching quietly upon the straw laden floor. It was freezing, and the fact that they'd worn their school and night robes over their pajamas didn't help much to keep them warm.
The moon was barely enough to illuminate the area, and they hadn't bothered to bring a lamp. Also, it wouldn't be a good idea to cast a lighting spell, it would easily be seen by Filch.
When there wasn't any answer from Harry's first call, Ron tried a bit louder. "Anyone there...?"
"Right here," a voice spoke up, backing them both jump and spin around.
Of course they were expecting Sirius.
But it wasn't.
Well, not just him.
"Dad?"
James Potter stepped out of the shadows. Alongside him stood Sirius in his Animagus form, looking like some sort of menacing guard dog. In an instant he was a man again, standing just a tiny bit higher than James, but not by much. Sirius wore his usual dark robes, and James looked like he'd loaned multiple robes from both Sirius and the school. Sirius said, "I couldn't not tell him this, after all." When he didn't get a response right away (Harry and Ron were still a bit shocked, and had forgotten they were still invisible), he said directly to the area in which their feet compressed the straw, "You can come out now." He began fumbling with the collar around his neck, trying to get it off.
Harry was still surprised, though he cautiously lowered the cloak from his face. "Oh... Erm..." 'This is a new experience...' "I'm not in trouble, am I...?"
James blinked; looking as though he hadn't been expecting the question at all. Then he appeared to be containing his laugher (even Sirius smirked at this). "Don't you think that would be a bit unfair, Harry? I've done worse at your age ("I'm sure.") and gotten away with it." He was looking at Ron, Harry, and also Sirius in an almost nostalgic manner before continuing, "Besides, we're here to solve a problem..."
Sirius nodded, looking very stern. "We need to set a few things straight." 'Was that a threat...?'
"Never thought we'd get adults in on this sort of this," Ron muttered to Harry.
"But did... Hey, wait a minute," Harry looked to James, "when you're Animagus.. Aren't you too big to stay hidden? How did you sneak by Filch?"
Sirius snickered something to James, who smiled and bit his lip mirthfully. But whatever was said Harry didn't catch it.
Ron did, though, since he was listening carefully enough, his eyes growing to the size of Bludgers.
Ron gapped. "Waitaminute, my Dad?"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"This way! Yes, that's it, I'm certain of it! We'll catch the culprit yet, sir! No on frames my boys, no sir. Lucky my wife isn't here-"
"What are you doing out of bed again, hmm...?" Argus Filch looked less than thrilled.
"Oh, pish posh, Mr. Filch," Arthur Weasley chided happily, leading him through the dungeons, along the endless staircases, and now back through the dungeons again. His "elaborate" tale of seeing someone suspicious around those areas earlier in the day enticed the caretaker to follow along, though he wasn't enjoying it... "I'm most certain we're on their tail!"
"I don't know 'bout you, but I see nothin'." He gave Mr. Weasley a classically suspicious look. "Are you sure you ain't leadin' me on or somethin', eh? You're a Weasley like them, eh?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Mr. Weasley said loudly, positively "shocked". "I am a Ministry official, what do you think of me, Mr. Filch? Besides, they got it from their mother's side, believe me." (Oh, how he was enjoying himself... heehee)
"Uh hmm..."
After a bit more walking, Mr. Weasley glanced back (once again) of the conspicuous cat that followed them, Miss. Noris.... That cat had an evil glint in it's eyes...
"That's, er, quite a cat you have there... (Filch rolled his eyes, thinking, 'Changin' the subject again...') Very smart. ("Almost frighteningly so") Ever thought of getting a dog? So much more cuddly. 'Man's best friend, is the Muggle term!'"
"Don' want 'cuddly'," Filch muttered in disgust. "An' they're dumb beasts..."
Mr. Weasley "hmmed" at this, holding his chin as if he were seriously considering Filch's argument. "Well, they do bite, don't they? Why not an attack dog?"
Filch sneered. "Cat's can attack... Can claw your eyes out... So much more interesting when they stumble around blind..." He smiled in almost gleefully, as though he were imagining at that moment such an event...
Stare... "Erm... indeed..." Mr. Weasley made a note to himself to not to try and pet the little devil...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Elsewhere...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A figure cautiously moved through the darkened hallways of Hogwarts... There was no one around. No one to see him. It was no big crime if he was found by Filch (wherever he was) or anyone else. He was a Hogwarts professor, after all.
He walked along the stairway where the three students had fallen the week before. His hands moved along the walls, looking for something. It didn't take long, and his figures found the right spot. He pressed his palm into it.
"click"
The wall swung inward...
He peered within the hidden room... After which, he only uttered three words.
"I knew it..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Time ticked by after the midnight hour... The air grew colder.
They had made themselves as comfortable as they could manage as they continued their discussion in the Owlery. White Sirius paced and Ron stood leaning against a wall playing with pieces of straw. To his left Harry sat against the wall, his father to his left, and they both watched above at the sleeping owls, and those late-night flyers who had just come in from a long-distance delivery or midnight hunt. Perhaps the moon wasn't any good for lighting, but it created a spectacular effect on the owls' feather as they can in and out through the high windows.
Sirius paced along through the patches of fresh straw. His cloak and hair blended in perfectly with his surroundings, giving him a mysterious sort of air. "So, who would you consider suspects, besides myself?"
Harry blushed at the barely noticeable hint of hurt in his godfather's voice, but spoke anyway, "Well, we do consider Fred and George suspects..."
"Sort of," Ron said quickly, glancing down at Harry.
"I also understand you have some other suspicions...? Myself. Mr. Weasley. Hermione."
"Yeah, but Mr. Weasley never knew about the map," Harry pointed out. "And Hermione only knows a bit..."
"Ah, yes..."
"How about Snape," Ron said hopefully. "He's always out to get everyone. I mean, I wouldn't put it past him."
James shook his head. "No motive, no time, and no imagination. (Sirius "hmpfed" at that.) I'm afraid Snape hasn't ever been one for practical jokes..." Sirius snorted, and James shot him a look that read "stuff it." "Besides, he was confined to the Hospital Wing half the time. Pomfrey wouldn't let him out or her sights, and he never knew anything about any of the hidden passageways. In all the years he'd follow us around we were too careful. He never got close, except when Sirius told him about the knot in the Whomping Willow." Sirius declined to comment on that...
"Maybe Mr. Malfoy," Harry suggested. "I mean, he was only here for a short time, but still. He could've laid a hex on the school or something. Or something equally devilish." To Ron he mentioned, "Remember the diary?" Ron grunted crossly in response.
James' eyes narrowed. "He'd better not of..." He shook his head. "But I seriously doubt it. He wouldn't do anything that would target Purebloods and Slytherins as well. He'd be more specific, wouldn't he? Lucius seems like the type."
"What about Professor Lupin," Ron asked, flicking away the piece of straw he'd been toying with. "He knows quiet a bit about the Marauder's Map, too, right? If you all were in on it as you were."
Sirius nodded, crossing his arms. "He helped a great deal in the making of the map, but he never studied it like we did, and over the years he hasn't really bothered to remember. No need to, and I'm sure he wanted to forget the pasting, believing was he did at the time..." Sigh... "But..." He exchanged a quick glance with James, who frowned darkly.
When Sirius didn't continue, Harry frowned, pressing him on. "But what?"
Sirius sighed, raising his right hand and pressing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index figures. "The Marauder's Map wasn't lost, Harry. Dumbledore found it before the Ministry did last year and left it in his own keeping."
Ron and Harry looked at each other, eyes wide, then back to Sirius. "You mean he's had it this whole time," Ron gapped. "Why didn't he tell us!?"
Sirius gave a little smile. "It practically useless to question Dumbledore's ways, my lads, as peculiar as they might be. And knowing him, he probably knew exactly what it was and what it does."
"Do you think he knows how to work it...?"
"I have no idea," Sirius admitted. "I only found he had the map recently. Or had the map."
"'Had'," Harry asked, confused.
James sighed. "He told Sirius and I he'd returned the map to Remus, Harry. Remus has it..."
Pause....
"Then... Lupin...?"
Sirius frowned, as did James, and they once again shared a quick glance at each other. "We aren't ready to doubt him now," James said slowly. "We can't... We've wrongfully pointed blame at him before, and see how right that was..." He looked meaningfully at Sirius, whose eyes were downcast to the floor in shame.
The gears in Harry's head were turning.
So Lupin had the map...? Why hadn't he told Sirius about it, then? Or James? And again, Lupin now knew where all the passages were. "Could he have-?"
Ron and Harry nearly jumped out their skins when James suddenly stood and Sirius held out silencing hand, hissing, "Shh!" sharply. He whispered, "Someone is here with us..."
James moved forward, in front of the two boys (who were standing as still as statues mostly due to the cold). James and Sirius had both reached into their pockets/robes of pulled out their wands. Both took attack/defense positions, wands ready. Harry and Ron quickly followed in suite, eyes showing with weary determination and panic at the same time.
Harry gulped. 'Oh no... who could it...?'
Two, TWO silhouettes immediately became visible in the darkness of the Owlery, standing close to the shadows of the entrance.
Though Harry and Ron would never know, they where the same ones who had been listening to them in the hallway before Transfiguration. Who'd been following them...
And at late, the shadows stepped forward into the light of the waxing moon...
"Good evening. Harry. Ron. Mr. Potter. Mr. Black..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
To be continued in Pranks, Plots and Planning: Part 2
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Next Chapter:
Secrets are out, enemies revealed, and more than one life may be put on the line... The plot thickens and old scores are put to rest (???), and allies are made, but in the end nothing is as it seems, and the fate many may lie in the hands of a strange darkness that no one can touch...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
I didn't mean for this to end so suddenly. I have most of the next part finished, and hopefully I will be able to get it out soon. I thought it was perfect place to end. ^__^ You certainly can't guess who it is!
Once again, if you want to be on my mailing list, PLEASE send me your email address via email or in a review.
Geuna~
NOTE: Email addresses: and , do not "exist." , , and "don't work" also.