I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter fifteen

The rest of February passed quickly. With March came Ron's thirteenth birthday, which Harry snuck out of Hogwarts, and bought Ron some candy from Honeyduke's. If asked, he said Tonks got it for him. Not that anyone believed him. They had a party in the Room of Requirement. This time Ginny was missing. Luna once again told Harry bout her concerns over Ginny. The poor girl was become paler by the day.

The party didn't last long because Harry and the twins had Quidditch practice. But the guests were more than welcome to watch and have cake in the stands. They weren't surprised to see the Hufflepuff team walking out of the pitch. They exchanged some friendly banter (except for Wood who was silent during to whole thing).

Harry practiced his hardest even though he wasn't sure if the match was going to be played or not. He was going to save at least Hermione from the Basilisk's gaze. He was going to do it even it cost him the Quidditch game.

Ron was still cold towards Harry and Hermione. Neither one of them knew why nor neither of them had the guts to ask him.

The only time he seemed normal was during Animagus lessons; that was only because Sirius kept giving him looks if he didn't talk to Harry and Hermione. Ron would never admit it but Sirius did scare him a little. The man was brilliant.

But during one lesson, everything came out in the open. Ron seemed to extra angry that day for some reason and didn't care that Sirius was giving him the "Look'.

Sirius had been giving Ron a one on one tutorial since he found out that he was going to be a squirrel. Ron was slightly miffed about that but it was as though he could choose his form. And Neville was still meditating with Remus help.

Harry and Hermione were discussing Ginny. Harry was telling them that he thought there was something wrong with her. Ron knew that they were talking about her but didn't know why. Within five minutes Ron was red with angry. He turned away from Sirius and faced Harry.

"You know I don't appreciate you staring at my BABY SISTER!" Ron glared at Harry. Harry finally realized why Ron was so angry with him...

...Ron thought Harry fancied Ginny.

Harry suppressed his laughter.

"Ron, it isn't what you think." He tried to talk to Ron.

"Oh please Harry, I'm not stupid. You're always looking at her. Everyone knows that you fancy her." He glared at Harry. It was obvious that he wasn't going to listen to Harry. So, being uncharacteristically brave, Neville stood up for Harry.

"Harry doesn't like Ginny that way. We were just talking about how weird she's been acting. She's been too quiet and we're worried about her. The person she used to be shy around was Harry but that was only because he's famous." Harry glared at Neville. "Now though, she doesn't talk to anyone; not even to Luna."

"So, you don't like her?" Ron's comment was an obvious question.

"No, I don't like her. And when I do like someone you'll be the fifth person to know." That was said jokingly but Ron didn't get the joke.

"Why the fifth person?" Harry slapped his forehead at Ron's thickness. But he kept on with the joke. Neville, Hermione, and the adults understood it and were silently laughing at Ron.

"Well, obviously the girl would be the first one to know. Then I'd have to tell my Dad that I had a girlfriend or not. And since he can't keep a secret to save his life, he would tell Uncle Remus," Remus perked up and the word 'uncle', "and Tonks. Theoretically, you could be the third person but that depends on whether I find you before Dad finds Uncle Remus and Tonks. But that won't be for a long time since I don't fancy a girl right now."

Ron still didn't know that it was a joke until everyone in the room dissolved in laughter. He tried to glare at Harry for teasing him but he too ended up chuckling as well.

They all went back to practicing and Neville was still saying that he could hear Trevor. Harry had a theory and asked the other about it. When he saw everyone agreed with him and decided that it was best that Remus told Nev Harry's idea.

"Do think it's possible that your form is a toad? It would explain why you could hear Trevor when you meditate. I could be coming inside of you." He looked a little downcast when he was told that he was a toad. But Ron made him feel better.

"Just be glad that you aren't a squirrel." Ron has a rather fuzzy face. They all started to laugh again. "I'd swap with you any day."

"I'm just impressed with the progress you all have been making. It took us a year to get as far as you are." Sirius had a huge smile on his face. But that quickly disappeared.

"But you three didn't have anyone teaching you and you had to help Pettigrew," said Hermione.

"You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" Harry whispered to her. She began to flush when she realized what she said. Pettigrew was obviously a sore topic for the small family.

"Sorry." She looked into Sirius pain filled eyes.

"Well, it's getting late. You four should get back to the castle. I'll see you same time next week." He quickly ushered the kids out the door.

It was a few days later when Harry remember the piece of parchment that he swiped from Filch's office back in October. He had an idea what it could have been but it was highly unlikely. But from reading Lily's diary, he knew that it was wroth trying. He said the password he saw in the diary and was amazed at what he saw.

The top of the parchment read 'The Flower's Guide'.

It seemed to Harry that Filch really was a packrat. Who keeps things from nearly twenty years ago? Harry shook his head of the thought. It didn't matter. Right now, he had an invaluable piece of parchment that he had go over.

He spent hours going over the parchment. He knew that his mum was a brilliant witch but no one told him that she was a genius. The things that she wrote were amazing. She created charms and potions when she was just a First Year! Not even Hermione did that.

Lily also had gorgeous still drawings. She drew everything. Hogwarts. His dad. The other Marauders. Even herself. She had a lot of drawings of the girl Harry saw only in a photo once. He couldn't remember her name but since she was standing next to Sirius in the photo, he knew that he might know her.

He would ask him later with the mirrors.

At the bottom of the page was a note from his mother.

To the one who found this Guide,

I applaud you that you were able to open this guide. Even with the password, the blood-bond on this parchment had to deem you worthy to see the contents of the Guide. You must have the qualities of all four Hogwarts Houses: bravery, intelligence, loyalty, and ambition.

I implore you to use the spell and potions with great care. If misused the consequences could be devastating. But as you have a pure heart, I trust you with the Guide.

We live in Dark times and I hope that these spell and potions can be used to destroy those who wish for these Dark times to continue.

I wish I could say more to you but I don't think anything I can say can urge you to use this Guide with care.

Use it well,

Lily 'Flower' Evans

Harry was astounded by the magic on the parchment (and his mother's vocabulary). How could an eighteen-year-old do such magic?

Harry didn't understand why it was confiscated in the first place. Did his mother plant the parchment in Filch's office? Did he catch her writing it and decided that it was dangerous? He would probably never know. It didn't even matter really. What did matter was the fact that he had it know.

He was extraordinarily proud of his mother; not that he wasn't before. She had saved his life so he had every reason to be proud of her.

It was getting late so he put the Guide away and decided that he would talk to his dad in the morning.

Unfortunately, for Harry, his friends let him sleep in. He missed breakfast and was nearly late for Herbology. He took the chance to take a peak at the mandrakes and thanked Merlin that the greenhouse had been soundproofed because the plants were throwing a rather loud (at least it looked loud) party.

DADA was nearly unbearable. Lockhart was still badmouthing Sirius. At this point even Hermione didn't care too much about his attitude but she still believed that he did the things in his books. Harry was just happy that she didn't fancy the irritating git. He once again gave them homework about himself. Harry sighed as he made up insulting answers. Lockhart didn't even look at it so Harry didn't worry about failing the class (though Hermione often did). He didn't even remind her that he was at the top of the class.

Snape gave them more homework than a Fifth Year would get all year. So he stayed up late trying to get it all done. He was amazed at how much he had forgotten for such simple potions and he monthly made Remus the modified wolfsbane

So all in all, he didn't get a chance to talk to Sirius until late Friday night.

"Harry you know that I'm going to see you tomorrow, right?" He had amused tone in his voice.

"Yeah, but I have a question about a few things." Harry however was completely professional and that threw Sirius.

"Go on, shoot."

"Tell me what you know about the "Flower's Guide."

"Harry, do you have the Guide?" Sirius wasn't expecting that.

"I got from Filch." Sirius didn't need to know that he nicked it from his office.

"When did you nick it from the old Squib?" He was once again amused.

"A few months ago but I only remember it a few days ago. I had no idea what it was when I borrowed it." Sirius snorted.

He basically told Harry everything he already knew about the Guide. But apparently, he didn't know about the drawings because he blanched when Harry mentioned the girl. But he didn't say anything about her except that she was a 'good friend'. This put Harry in full research mode.

A/N A brownie to the first person to tell me who the mystery girl is.