"What the hell where you thinking?" Harry Potter shouted, as he paced the headmasters study. Lupin was sat in the chair behind the desk, a grave look on his tired face. Sirius, James, Cory and Nancy were standing in front of him. Professor Fiddler was leaning against the door.

"Dad, we…we didn't think…"

"That, is obvious." Harry Stopped pacing and stared at his son. "If I hadn't been at Hogwarts already, it would have taken me longer to get there. You could have been in a worse situation. Why were you in there in the first place?"

Sirius looked at his feet.

"I wonder. Could there have possibly been a perfectly reasonable explanation to why they were in the Shrieking Shack?"
Everyone stared at the large portrait behind Lupin's desk. Professor Albus Dumbledore was surveying the room with an amused expression on his face.

Sirius swallowed, then began the long story involving the Marauders first trip down the tunnel, the Quidditch Cup, and Evan Malfoy.

"Did you not think that if you had come and told me about the cup I might've been able to help? To find the real culprit, perhaps?"

Lupin stared at Sirius, who, by this point had a lump in his throat and could not continue. James took the chance and answered instead.

"We thought we would be blamed and expelled."

"Mr. Weasley, we would never expel a student without substantial evidence and hearing their side of the story."

"Oh, well, er…

"It seems," Dumbledore spoke again. "That this whole situation was based merely on confusion."

"I agree, Albus." Lupin frowned. "Sirius, James, Cory and Nancy. You will all receive a weeks worth of detentions for being out of bounds, and another week for failing to turn in the Quidditch Cup. However, you all showed immense bravery in detaining Peter Pettigrew until we arrived, and for that I award each of you fifty points for Gryffindor."

"But now I think it's off to bed." Professor Fiddler held open the door. Sirius made to follow the others but Harry took hold of him by the shoulders.

"Hold on you."

They waited until Lupin and Fiddler had also left the office.

"Dad, I'm…"

"No Sirius, I'm sorry. I didn't warn you about Pettigrew from the start and I should have, instead of you having to find out from a newspaper." Harry looked at Sirius who was staring at his feet. "You could've been killed."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Harry sighed. "How's your head?"

"Fine. Now."

"Sorry about that but I thought…well. I just had to get you out of the way."

"Um, Dad? Where's Pettigrew?"

"Tonks is holding him in Fiddler's office. Lupin and Fiddler will be joining her now." Harry ruffled Sirius' already flyaway hair.

"Bed time."

"But…"

"No buts. I've got to sort out Pettigrew, and then get back to your mother. She was having kittens when I told her through Floo Powder."

Sirius left the office, and Harry sank down into Lupin's chair.

"Go home, Harry. Rest you mind. Then you can do it all again next year."

Harry chuckled to himself as he thought about a giant chess set, frequent visits to a girls' bathroom, an escaped hippogriff and a time-turner.

As Harry left the room, the portrait of Albus Dumbledore smiled.

"Like Father, like son."