Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, (which I don't) I would have enough money to replace my eggbeaters. You see, I was trying to make some coffee cake. I plugged the blasted thing into the outlet, switched it on, and it exploded in my hand. After I almost dropped it into the recipe, I realized that not only was my hand completely black with soot that the vindictive little kitchen appliance had blown out, but it had also fried the poor electrical outlet which was currently billowing smoke. sighs I wish I had some coffee cake. sniffs Here, take a chapter.

Chapter Nine

Discovery

Harry wandered through his underground house for the rest of that day. To him it was really that: a house. It was certainly large enough for it. It had everything that a normal house would have. Three bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen/dining room, a living room, a small library, and what Harry considered to be a rec. room. The three bedrooms were for him and two other people who would stay with him at all times. The people varied, taking shifts, but there were always at least two. His room was the middle one to prevent anything happening unnoticed, and the only way to enter it was through the other two. The bathroom was there for obvious reasons and Harry thought that the kitchen and dining area was there because Dumbledore wanted him to stay in his little hole under the castle as much of the time as possible. The living room was there so he could visit with his security or a trusted professor when they came to visit. The library and the rec. room were to help him avoid boredom as much as possible so he would stay in one place. Harry agreed mostly with the precautions but he had only been there a day and he had read three books and was almost done with a fourth and was bored to death. He stood up, not being able to stand it any longer.

He snatched up the loathed sable cloak and headed for the door and walked out, only to be greeted by Ron and Sirius. They had left the room to stand outside so Harry could have some peace and quiet while they could still talk.

Their conversation stopped abruptly. "And where do you think you're going?" Sirius asked pointedly. "You're supposed to stay here."

"I can't take it anymore!" Harry wailed. "I've only been here one day and I'm already sick of this place! I'm on the verge of counting the bricks in my walls!" He shoved past them. "I'm going to see Dumbledore."

"Harry," Sirius objected, "you're not supposed to leave. It's for your own safety. This was all done to protect you. Are you going to throw all that away by making yourself seen by numerous students who, as far as we know, are children of Death Eaters? I know it could be considered stereotypical, but for your protection, we have to consider everyone dangerous."

"Sirius, I'm not trying to be unappreciative. I'm grateful for all of this. I really am. But if I have to stay confined in this underground vault much longer, I swear I'll go mad! I'd rather be out there facing him than in this claustrophobic tomb!" And with that Harry continued forward, his face like a thundercloud, and did not look back until he heard footsteps close behind him.

"Well, we figured that since we can't stop you short of knocking you out," Ron said matter-of-factly, "we'd tag along and make sure a first year didn't come along and do it for us. See, you can't say we don't have your dignity in mind."

"Thank you so much for your vote of confidence, Ronald," Harry muttered sarcastically. Even though it was meant to be a joke, it touched a nerve with Harry. He only had five out of seven years of education, was in a very withered state, and didn't have a wand. A beginning first year could come upon him and he'd be helpless. He made his way up the winding staircase and came to the wall. "Visedain," he muttered. It slid open to reveal the Hogwarts castle covered in darkness. Harry tossed on his cloak even though it was past midnight. He remembered his own midnight excursions and didn't want to be seen. He made his way to the gargoyle that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's study. Wait, he thought suddenly, I don't know the password. "Uh guys," Harry said, "do either of you know the password?"

Sirius said, "So it was in your best interest to have us accompany you after all, eh?" Then he walked up and spoke, "Skittles." The stone figure revealed the hidden stairwell and the three ascended, Harry foremost in the group. When they reached the top Harry stepped out and was greeted with the same familiar study that he knew so well. The only difference was that there was a little more clutter than before and some things had been rearranged or repositioned. There was no one in the study except for a large, extravagant bird with wonderfully bright plumage that had its head tucked under its wing in deep slumber. Harry whispered, "Hello Fawkes," delighted that the bird was there. He continued to look around and saw the recognizable dark detectors with some added to the collection. He glanced up and saw the tattered old Sorting Hat peering intently down at him.

"All they had to do was ask me whether or not you were alive, Potter," it mused, partly to itself. "I've been connected with your mind the whole time and I would have known if the connection had been severed."

"Connection?" Harry asked, bemused. "Do you mean when you sorted me in my first year?" Harry asked, still confused. If that were so, then the Sorting Hat would have a connection with every child that ever came through Hogwarts.

"Only to a certain extent," the Hat replied. "That connection fades as time wears on, becoming less and less distinct. I can still feel every child that has passed through here that is still alive, but each is so weakened that I can no longer tell the identities even of this year's group of first years. But do you remember when you went down into the Chamber of Secrets in your second year?" How could I forget? Harry thought impatiently but only nodded. "In desperation, you rather rudely stuffed me onto your head and begged for help and I granted you the sword. As you know, that was Godric Gryffindor's sword and I was his hat. I had a strong connection with that old man, to be sure. He instructed me to never give up any of his possessions except to the one who is worthy to carry them. In the Chamber, your mental shield was down in your panic and fear and I was able to get a good look at the real you and I gave up the sword. You passed Gryffindor's test. So as Tom Riddle is the heir of Slytherin, you are, in a way, the heir of Gryffindor.

Ron nudged him in the ribs and gave him a smug look.

Harry just muttered, "Yeah, whatever," and moved on.

"Wait," Sirius interrupted, stopping Harry's progress. "You mean to say that you knew that Harry was alive the whole time and you never told us? Do you know how much guilt and grief and pain everyone went through? Do you know how much I went through!

"Headmaster Dumbledore never thought that there was that kind of linkage between us, so he never thought to ask."

Sirius and Ron were both about to explode but Harry shook his head and continued. As soon as he reached Dumbledore's desk he heard a door slowly creak open. He looked up and saw Professor Dumbledore looking down at him in his nightgown.

"Ah, Harry," he said, not at all surprised. "You have more patience than I expected. I thought that you'd be here hours ago. But I must say that I rather thought you'd last until morning when bedtime rolled around."

Harry blushed. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to disturb your sleep."

"But of course you did," Dumbledore said with a smile. "You came here in the middle of the night didn't you?" Harry grinned. "Now, I suppose that you are wanting me to arrange some way for you to go about the castle," he said, not really making it a question. "Very well," he said, not waiting for a reply, "I grant you permission to go about the castle and grounds at any time. But," he said in a stern voice, holding up a restraining finger, ceasing Harry's attempts to stammer out his shocked thanks. "I do wish that you'd go about at night more often than day, for then it is only teachers. There are the occasional rule breakers, as you well know, but the risk of you being seen is much lower. However," he continued in a resigned tone, "I cannot stop you from going about during the day when you wish. But I must stress the importance of caution."

"Thank you, sir," Harry finally managed to say.

"I do have a few requirements for you though," Albus Dumbledore said in deterrence. "Your guards must always accompany you when you leave, for one. Secondly, you must have a wand." Harry was about to object when Dumbledore pulled out his wand and hurried on. "That brings us to our next order of business. Accio trunk!" A very familiar trunk zoomed out of Dumbledore's quarters and settled in front of him.

"My old trunk," Harry rasped, astonished. He walked up and touched it to make sure it was real while Dumbledore explained, "We found it near the body over in the United States." Harry flung the trunk open and gazed hungrily inside. "You'll find everything there." Harry reached inside and pulled out his old glasses. One lens was completely gone and the other was cracked in an intricate web. He smiled fondly at them. "Voldemort wanted to make sure that I could see everything he did to me so he gave me new ones," he whispered. He didn't know that he had spoken out loud, but Ron and Sirius shifted uncomfortably. He reached in again.

"Hey, it's my map," Sirius said gleefully, completely dismissing Harry's unnerving comment as he saw the familiar piece of parchment. It was indeed the Marauder's Map that Harry had pulled out.

"Ah yes," said Dumbledore, reaching down and taking it from Harry. "This, I believe, was how you, James, Remus, and Peter managed to get around school causing havoc and yet very seldom got caught. And how you, Harry, found your way undetected into Hogsmead in your third year, among other things."

Harry smiled. "If you knew, why didn't you stop me from going again and again. Especially when everyone thought that Sirius was going to kill me." Suddenly, there came a low warble and Fawkes flew over and lighted on the Headmaster's shoulder. Dumbledore reached up and tapped the songbird's beak fondly.

"Because every hatchling has to fly from the nest sometime Harry. You have had to sooner than most everyone else in the world. You will also recall that I knew the contents of the Prophecy and I therefore knew what you will have to do. I did watch you closely, however."

"Hang on," Ron said suddenly. "I thought the Prophecy broke."

"It did," Professor Dumbledore assured him.

"Then how can you know what it said?"

"I was present when it was first made."

"Made? By whom?"

"Professor Trelawney."

"You're joking. Really?"

"No, I am not and yes, really."

"So what does it say?"

"That is not for me to tell."

"Well then who can?"

"Harry."

"Harry? You mean he knows?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I told him."

"Ohhhhhh. So you can tell him but not us?"

"That is correct."

"Well, then will you tell us?" Ron asked, directing the question at Harry.

"No," Harry whispered. He had been listening quietly the whole time. "I don't want you to yet know what I will have to do. It might be for the good of the world, but that doesn't make my situation any easier or better."

"What? You mean like you gotta kill Voldemort or die trying?" Sirius asked.

Harry looked up at Sirius with an incredulous look but before he could say anything, Dumbledore came to his rescue.

"If Harry does not wish to disclose that information to you at this time, you can do him no greater favor than to respect his decision. He will tell you when he's ready." Ron nodded solemnly and Sirius eventually followed suit.

Wishing to change the subject, Harry rummaged around in his trunk, extracting everything that had ever been placed inside it. He found his countless books on Quiditch, accompanied by the schoolbooks from his fifth year. He got down to the bottom and found the last four items. The item on top was a bit of silvery material that he knew so well. He grasped the flowing cloak in his hand and pulled it out, trailing the end over the lip and spilling it out onto the ground. His father's Invisibility Cloak that he had inherited in his first year. The hint of a smile touched his lips and grew until he was beaming at it. He resisted the urge to snuggle it and reached in and took out his wand. He smiled fondly at it. "So this is the wand I am to use during my wanderings?" he quietly inquired of the Headmaster. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the distinguished man nod. He placed it down on his right side along with his cloak since everything else was on his left. He reached in again and pulled out what seemed to be a devastated mirror. At first he couldn't remember what it was, but then he recalled the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts after Sirius had died. He had found the gift that Sirius had given him. His face blanched.

"I wondered why you didn't use that when you went to the Ministry to look for me," Sirius pondered. "In fact, I still do."

"I didn't open it and I eventually forgot about it. I found it after you had died and tried to contact you, but you didn't answer. I was so upset and so beset with grief from the raw emotions that I shattered it. I wish I hadn't but …" He trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. He cleared his throat and reached in for the last item and pulled out a very familiar book. Tears came to his eyes as he opened the album in which he kept all the pictures of his parents. He tenderly opened the book and slowly flipped through the pages, carefully examining each of the moving photographs that depicted his parents' glowing faces while they waved merrily up at him.

A tear slipped down his cheek and dropped down on one of the leafs. He hurriedly wiped it off before it could stain the sheet. He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. "Thank you, Professor. This means a great deal to me." He stared out into space as his mind started off on another train of thought and his hands stroked the leather cover and binding of his album in idle movement. He suddenly threw off his ominous black cloak and snatched up his Invisibility Cloak. He picked up the other two items that he had set aside, the Map and his wand. He began piling everything back into the trunk in an orderly fashion, along with the broken mirror and the album. "Would you please have the House Elves bring this down to my room tomorrow?"

"Of course," the Headmaster replied, as stately as ever. Harry smiled his thanks and then said the first thought that popped into his head. "Would it be alright if I wore the Invisibility Cloak and used the Marauder's map? Without anyone there to accompany me?" he added the question, knowing that it was in violation with a rule that Dumbledore had just given him. "It doesn't lie, and no one can hide from it," he furthered his plea. "And it would just be on my way back to my rooms."

"I doubt that you would heed my words if I told you no. Even though you did not complete your schooling here with us, you are no longer a student. You must make your own decisions. As long as you do not place students and staff in danger with your actions, I will not hinder you."

"It's just that I don't want to break your rules," Harry explained.

"That would be a good rule to live by Harry. I dare say that it is better than running around rationalizing everything you do with the pitiful excuse of 'rules are made to be broken'. Rules are made for safety reasons, Harry, and not only for one person. The vast majority of people seem to have forgotten that there is more than one person on this planet. And the vast majority of the people who remember seem to have reverted back in time and deem themselves the midpoint of the world and universe. Do not become one of those people Harry. I once told you that it does not do to dwell on dreams. Do you remember?" Harry nodded. "That is a dream Harry; a dream so brash and unattainable that even the Mirror of Erised cannot depict it. No man will ever achieve it." He paused and sighed. He gave Harry a very level look that relayed caution. "Very well," he sighed, "but I once again must press upon you the need for care. You may go."

Harry beamed at him and then told Sirius and Ron that he'd meet them back at his rooms. He spread his Invisibility Cloak over his shoulders and placed his wand and the Marauder's Map in his pockets. He pulled up the cowl and made for the door. He walked down the winding staircase and the gargoyle jumped aside to permit him passage. He walked down the hall a ways and then pulled out the Map and his wand. He tapped the parchment with his wand and muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Suddenly, of its own will, ink scrawled across the paper. He saw various teachers roaming the corridors and wondered, not for the first time, if any of them ever slept. He quickly scanned the names and then gasped in astonishment. Wandering the second floor hallways was the name Hermione Granger. Harry gaped in disbelief. She's a professor here? he thought. I guess I'll just have to ask her some other time. He continued his examination. I see that there are some rule breakers out and about unless we have some new teachers that travel in packs. I don't suppose that it would hurt to make a side trip and investigate, he thought slyly. And so he made his way in pursuit of one of the groups of names: Joseph English, Christopher Griffin, and Randal Zimmerman. It just so happened that they were near the statue with the secret passageway into Honeydukes cellar. As he neared the area, he could hear faint murmurings and was abruptly set upon with déjà vu. He took a moment to shake his head and regain his senses. For a moment there he thought that he was back in the Void with the Whisperers, as he had deemed them. It had come upon him so suddenly that at first he had actually thought he was back in that emptiness, cold and alone. And dead, but unable to pass on.

He cleared his thoughts and continued on in the direction of the slight voices. As he drew near his destination, he could hear what they were saying.

"I could've sworn there was a passageway here."

"Well, you must be wrong. We've searched the entire area and haven't found a single thing. We should leave before a teacher comes."

"Yeah, everyone in Gryffindor is already teeth gnashing livid at us for the points that were docked off last time because of us.

"And the time before that."

"And the one before that."

"Oh hey, remember the time before that?"

"Dude, that was so awesome!"

"Guys, keep your voices down, or a teacher will come. Besides, it's got to be here somewhere."

"Oh give it up Randy. It's not here. Lets go back to the dormitory and go to bed. You've been keeping us up for the past week with your little escapades."

"Yeah man, I'm tired."

"Well then, leave. Go to bed. I'm not leaving until I've searched every nook and cranny."

"You mean like we already have? Dude, let's go. You've gotta be tired too."

"I'm not budging."

By now Harry was close enough that he could see them. One was off on his own, examining a wall. The other two were talking quietly. Harry moved closer so he could listen.

"Joe, we can't just leave him here. We're the ones that got him into this whole secret passageway thing in the first place."

"Yeah, and if a teacher comes along we can't just abandon him. We're in this together."

They nodded and then settled themselves on the floor. It was a few minutes before Randy noticed they were still there.

"What're you guys doing here? I thought that you'd be gone and in bed by now," Randy said suspiciously.

"I am offended Randal Zimmerman," Joe said. "Christopher and I would not desert a friend so readily."

"That's right," Chris supplied. "We'll stay with you until the teacher comes, and then we'll try to outrun you. But if we get caught too then we just might decide to bail you out. Again."

"Right. So are you guys gonna help me look or what?"

"No. We thought we'd just keep you company," Chris said.

"Fine. Whatever." Randy kept on and they sat in silence for a while.

"So what did you guys think of those guys who came in here earlier today? The ones with those black cloaks on?" Joe asked to fend off the encroaching stillness. Harry's ears perked up.

Randy stopped and unbent his body from his scrutiny of where the wall met the floor. "I don't know," he said. "It was kind of weird though. I mean, there were three separate groups, each with a guy in black in the middle, with someone guiding them. It was almost like a guard or something."

"That's what I thought," Chris said. "And did you guys notice that only two left. One guy's still here."

"Where do you think he could be?" Joe asked.

"Well, he had to have Dumbledore's approval before he could stay here, or even come in the way he did," Randal said. "And you're probably right about it being a guard. Assuming that it was, then Dumbledore probably wants him to be protected."

"Don't tell me," Joe interrupted. "He's hiding in some secret room or passageway," he taunted. "You've been obsessed with this stuff ever since we heard that story about that map that shows all of the rooms and passages and people on Hogwarts' grounds. Instead of trying to find secret passages, I think your time would be better spent trying to find it. What was it called again? The Mapper's Mirage? "

"The Marauder's Map. And if it ever was here, it isn't anymore," Randy deterred. When the boy mentioned the map that Harry was holding his suspicions were confirmed. And besides, they were talking about him earlier. He thought that he would get to know them a little bit. While Randy was talking, he walked over into the shadows and pulled off his Invisibility Cloak and tossed on his black one pulling the hanging cowl over his face. Thanks Hermione. This cloak is more useful than I thought it'd be. He put the Invisibility Cloak into the crook of his arm and continued to listen.

"I've looked all over the library for it," Randy continued. It's not there, and there's no record of it having ever been. And I raided Filch's office a few nights ago. It's not there, either."

"Have you looked in the Restricted Section?" Chris implored. Joe looked on with interest.

Randy looked uncomfortable. "Well, no," he mumbled.

"Oh, come on!" Joe said unbelievingly. "How many rules have you broken at this school Randy? And you're afraid to break this one?"

"Hey, do you think if we found the map we could find out who that guy is?" Randy said to change the subject.

"I don't think that there's a whole lot of need for that," Chris put in. "Did you guys even notice who was leading the guy in the second group? It was Granger! Let's just interrogate her."

"And get a week's worth of detention for asking questions about something that's obviously supposed to be a secret?" Randy asked incredulously.

"Well, it'd sure be a lot easier than trying to track down that stupid map," Chris flared.

Harry decided he'd come to Randy's aide.

"There's no need for your professor or a map. And I'd hardly call the Marauder's Map 'stupid'," he said and chuckled when they each jumped out of their skins. But he was also impressed to see how quickly they recovered and had a wand pointed to his corner.

"There's no need for those either. I'm not going to hurt you. You can put them down," Harry said as he walked out with his hands visible. None of them lowered their wands.

"Look, friend," Joe said in a curt voice, "we don't know you so we can't trust you. How do we know that you don't have a wand hidden somewhere. You could be a quick draw."

"Well then, here," Harry said, and snatched his wand out and threw it onto the floor at Joe's feet before any of them could react. "Satisfied?"

Harry was awarded with a smile from Randy. He grinned back. Randal lowered his wand after a moment and said to his companions, "I think we can trust him."

They looked over at him suspiciously, but before they could decide Harry said, "'Course you can," and started walking over to the statue of the one-eyed witch. Immediately, Joe and Chris's wands jumped to him and tracked him the whole way. Harry grunted as he sat down against the base of the statue and eyed their wands.

"Look," he said, wanting to talk to them instead of fight with them, "you have my wand, it is the middle of the night, I am tired and very ill. You have nothing to fear from me." With a sigh he leaned back against the sculpture and closed his eyes. When he opened them Randy was sitting next to him. "So, you were looking for the secret passageway along in here?"

Randy nodded, defeated. "I haven't found it yet though." He looked down at his hands, wallowing in his loss. Harry nudged him with his shoulder and said, "Pssst," in a confidential manner. The boy looked up at him.

"Did you check the hump on her back?"

The boy's eyes widened in disbelief. Instantly, he was up and climbing the statue's form.

"Randy!" Chris hissed. "What're you doing? Get back here!" He and Joe still had not lowered their wands. Randy didn't listen though. He was examining the witch's hump carefully and eventually cried out in surprise and excitement. The hunch had opened into a passageway.

"Wow!" they all cried out. Each looked at Harry in wonder.

"How did you know it was there?" Joe asked in amazement.

"I did my share of exploits during my time here at Hogwarts," Harry said elusively.

"You were here at Hogwarts?" Chris asked.

"Of course. It's the best school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Where else would I go?"

"Which House were you in, sir?" Joe asked. His wand was now lowered.

"Gryffindor," Harry said simply.

"I told you he could be trusted," Randy said triumphantly. "He's not some Slytherin Death Eater."

"Um, sir, would you mind telling us why you're here?" Chris asked timidly. "We all saw you arrive today and we're wondering."

"Ah, I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Harry admitted. "Hush-hush, you see. Let's just say that I am recuperating from a seven-year-long… er… sickness, shall we say. I told you that I am very ill."

"Well then can you tell us who you are?" Randy pleaded.

"Alas, your first two questions are ones that I cannot answer. And I do have a rather limited amount of time. I'm not really supposed to be, and if I stay much longer we're all going to be in a lot of rather severe trouble. And judging by your previous questions, all you want to ask of me are things that I am forbidden to answer," Harry said. "But that's how it goes sometimes, eh? Perhaps I will come upon you again." He stood up and pulled out the Marauder's Map and examined it quickly. "Unfortunately, you three have to leave too. Miss Granger is headed this way."

"What?" they all said together. "How do you know that?"

Harry smiled and held up the parchment. "With what else than the Marauder's Map?" he asked. They all drew in their breath. "Oh I almost forgot," he said. "Accio wand!" he commanded and his wand flew to his hand. He smiled triumphantly. It had worked. He wasn't crazy. But before they could react he unfurled the Invisibility Cloak and cast it over his shoulders then began walking towards his quarters. "Please don't repeat anything of our meeting to anyone. I would greatly appreciate it. Oh, and I wouldn't linger too long. She might catch you."

"Guys, he has the Marauder's Map, an Invisibility Cloak and he just did wandless magic!" Randy breathed. Harry continued walking on, listening to his footsteps lightly echoing through the corridor. Then a thought struck him and he stopped. I should say hello to Hermione. "Mischief managed."

"He's coming back," Joe whispered. "His footsteps are getting louder."

"What do you think he's doing?" Chris asked.

"I don't know, but we can find out," Randy whispered confidently. "C'mon, let's hide in the secret passageway. We can listen from there." They all climbed in, crowding together so they could listen for the stranger's passage. Soon his footsteps grew louder and then they ceased, very close to their hideaway. They all held their breath, hoping he wouldn't decide to look for them. Shortly thereafter, they heard a lighter footfall drawing closer. Randy closed his eyes, imagining the scene outside their hideout. Professor Granger was drawing nearer, her wand held high to shed light for her to see. Suddenly he heard a gasp.

"Who's there?" she cried out menacingly.

"Heh heh. I thought that'd get your attention," the stranger said.

"Harry!" she asked unbelievingly.

Randy and his friends all started at her exclamation. It was common knowledge that she and Ron Weasley had been Harry Potter's closest friends. There were rumors floating about that Harry Potter was not as dead as everyone had previously believed, but that he had been captured by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and then tortured for seven years. Could it be possible that this stranger was the famous Harry Potter? Randy, Joe, and Chris all looked at each other questioningly, and then made a silent agreement to discuss it when they got back to the dormitory. They might be overheard and discovered if they talked here.

"The one and only," Harry said.

"When did you get your Invisibility Cloak back? I thought that Dumbledore was keeping it for you."

"Was is a past tense word, Professor Granger."

"Well take it off so I don't feel like I'm talking to air. And when did you find out that I'm teaching here?"

"This look familiar? You can't hide from it, you know?"

"The Map!" Professor Granger cried in glee.

A chilling thought ran down Randy's spine. He has the Marauder's Map. So that means that if he looks at it, he'll know that we're still here. He held his breath, praying that the stranger wouldn't look at the Map.

"What are you teaching anyway?" the stranger inquired.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts. I only started this year. It's still cursed you know. No one's been able to hold the position for longer than a year. Professor Dumbledore is starting to get desperate, since I told him I won't be staying on another year. Let's sit down. I have too many questions to ask you."

"But alas, I cannot," Harry said theatrically. "I'm not even supposed to be here. I told Professor Dumbledore that I'd go straight back to my rooms. I only came here because…" he paused. That's it; we're done for, Randy thought despairingly. He's going to tell her. "Because I remembered all the times I snuck into Hogsmeade using this passage. It reminded me of Sirius and my dad and all the fun times that you, me, and Ron used to have together before Voldemort struck again. Then I saw your name approaching and it only gave me extra incentive."

Everyone stiffened when Harry spoke the name that had never been uttered except by the very foolish.

"Oh Harry," Granger said sympathetically. "I can't imagine all that he put you through these past seven years. And I can't help feeling so horribly guilty. We gave up on you so easily. We tossed your memory aside like it was nothing; like it didn't even matter. You probably hate us for it. And if you don't you should!" she cried miserably.

"Hermione, I can't say that I'm not furious with all of you deep down. I am. And I can't say that I didn't despise every one of you after I finally accepted you'd given up on me. I did. But you know what? It's not worth crying over, so stop. It's all right. It really is. I'd die in a heartbeat if I could save someone. I've tried, but Voldemort didn't let me. And I would have told him what the Prophecy said if it would've meant saving all of you. So I guess I'm not so mad at you after all."

The professor sniffed. My gosh, she's actually crying. "I always did wonder if you really knew what the Prophecy said or not. I guess you found out, huh?"

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna tell you what it said. I still need to accept it." There was silence for a while and Randy was beginning to wonder if they were still there when the stranger spoke again.

"Well, I don't want Ron and Sirius to get worried about me. I said I'd see them back there. They might start tearing the castle apart if I'm not back soon." There was a pause and the stranger grunted. "You know, I don't know if these scars will ever really heal. There's so many of them. I'm gonna end up a crotchety old man that can tell you a month in advance when a drizzle of rain's coming." Granger giggled. "So when are you going to be my guard? I'm told that they get replaced regularly. What is today anyway?"

"Well, since it's about one thirty in the morning, it's Thursday. And I'm a guard on weekends, when I'm not teaching. This was fun Harry. We haven't talked in a long time. We should do this again."

"Tomorrow at midnight then. I'm allowed to go out during the day but Dumbledore would prefer I avoid that and stay with the nighttime hours, even though there are some rule breakers." Randy blushed. "It's a date then?"

"It's a date," Professor Granger said laughingly. "Bye."

"Bye." Randy heard footsteps echoing down the hall but waited a while before climbing out of the statue. His friends followed him and they stared at each other in awe. They climbed their way back to the Gryffindor common room. They sat down in the squashy chairs by the fireplace and continued to sit there in silence.

Finally Joe said, "Well, what do you make of it?"

"I don't know. They were speaking in riddles."

"No they weren't," Randy said. "It's Harry Potter. He's alive. He was captured and tortured by You-Know-Who, but he's still alive."

"Randy that's a good guess. I'm sure that's what we all came up with, right Chris?" Christopher nodded. "See? But that's all it is; a guess; a hunch. There's no proof."

"Did you listen to anything they said? There were white flags all over their conversation surrendering everything. Miss Granger was one of Harry Potter's best friends though school. So was Ron Weasley and Sirius Black is his Godfather. You-Know-Who was the one that ruined their relationship seven years ago. There were loads more. There's no other explanation. It's Harry Potter." Neither of his friends contradicted him. They sat in a reverie for an hour until they all fell asleep.

AN: GAAAAHHH! FINALS! must…. study…!

R&R! -Talicr