A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while I was almost finished with my chapter and then my disk broke in half and I lost all of my data. (Stupid fragile disk break when you step on them.) Anyway hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. As this has been one of my favorite chapters yet. It is time to spill some of what has been happening. (Evil grin spreads over my face) (Whahahaha whahahahaha whahahahacoughcoughcoughhackcoughhackhackcoughhahahaha)

Chapter 12

The Wolf and the Stag

Harry woke up this morning with a feeling of discomfort. There wasn't anything wrong with him. He wasn't sick or hurt. He was feeling a bit uneasy because it was the first time in months that he hadn't had a dream. Although he was still connected with Ginny through out the night he didn't have a dream. Ginny felt the same way he did. Not that it was a big deal just that when you are put into consistencies you learn to count on them. Even if you are the most pessimistic person in the world you will fall into the traps of consistencies. It is just human nature to find comfort in life.

Harry got dressed into his school robes and prepared himself for double D.A.D.A. The uneasiness of the dreamless night before had passed and he felt better just being able to hear her thoughts. He felt her melt the way she always did when he thought about her.

Harry met up with Ginny down in the common room where he was greeted with a kiss before there was ever a hello. To them though hello was an unnecessary form of greeting as saying hello implies that there was a lack of communication between them and there was only a lack of physical touch. That is all there ever is between them.

Harry grabbed her hand and began for the door when the announcement board caught his attention. He hadn't had much time to look at upcoming announcements in a while due to the fact that he had a relatively full schedule. There was a trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow. In fact tomorrow was Halloween. He had forgotten one of his favorite holidays at Hogwarts. It had escaped Ginny's mind as well but she wasn't as upset about it after all they hadn't missed it.

They went down to the great hall. Apparently they were the only ones who actually forgot about the trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Everyone in the room was talking about what the wanted to do while there. Harry and Ginny ate the meal and walked to class. Harry kissed her at her classroom door and made his way, ignoring the usual amount of giggling girls, to his class. His fellow students always gave him a puzzled look as he passed by. To his classmates, Harry always had the look of someone in a deep conversation with someone. The problem with the connection that he and Ginny shared is that no one in school knew much about it or even that they shared it. There had been some rumors going around school that Ginny and Harry started to use some sort of black magic to connect their powers and that was why they had always appeared to them as if in a deep concentration. Aside from their close friends and teachers no one else knew that their minds were connected.

Harry sat down in his class prepared for a long day of defensive magic. Professor Krum walked into the class through his office with a look of triumph on his face. He began writing the text, "The Unforgivable Curses," on the board. Harry had a feeling that he would be questioned about how his lesson went with professor Dumbledore. Professor Krum began to question the class on defensive techniques against the three curses. Harry was right he would be questioned about his lessons on the killing curse. He had gotten through an entire two weeks without a single question from anyone about what happened in Dumbledore's office and now he would have to face being questioned when he was sure he knew how to answer it.

It wasn't that he wanted to keep this charm a secret from the class. It was that he didn't want to have the spell reaching Voldemort's ears. He needed to have this spell be a surprise to him so he couldn't predict it coming. He also needed to keep his connection to Ginny a secret so that she would be safe. When Krum came around to the killing curse Harry tensed up.

"Don't worry about it Harry." Ginny's voice said in his head. "It's not going to kill us if we tell anyone that there might be a defense against the killing curse."

"It might be dangerous if Voldemort finds out about it. I want the element of surprise with him." "You will have that because you will have me."

"I know that Ginny but I don't want to have you involved."

"Harry even if I am not there I am still involved. I am connected to you and I will experience everything that you do. Plus it's a war I am already involved weather you like it or not. Everyone is."

Harry was pulled out of his conversation by Hermione. She had elbowed him in the ribs so he would pay attention to the question that Professor Krum had just asked. Harry, who had actually heard the question about if he agreed with Pavarti or not, stood up and stated that he completely disagreed with her, she had said that there was no known way to stop the killing curse. Harry looked at professor Krum and when he saw his approving smile he proceeded to tell the class that there was a way to stop the killing curse that he, Ginny Hermione, Ron, Luna, and professor Krum had actually found a defense against it. He went on explaining that he perfected it in Dumbledore's office and that was why there was a displacement charm on the entire school. Once Harry was finished Professor Krum started in on talking about how to perform the charm and how love for a person was not enough you needed a love for life and humanity.

Professor Krum taught the rest of the class the basic principles behind the killing curse and why it was considered unblockable. It was easier to feel hatred for everything than it was to feel love for everything. Professor Krum excused the class for lunch and told them that he was planning a special lesson after they returned. Harry was a bit curious to see what was going to happen after lunch.

He met up with Ginny in the great hall. They sat down and ate their food, discussing what they were going to do at Hogsmeade tomorrow. They haven't been there together yet and the thought of a day out of Hogwarts to spend at their leisure was appealing to them. The only thing that Harry didn't want to do was go to that coffee shop that Cho took him to last year. He didn't want to relive any of the bad memories that happened by seeing that place. The best thing about dating Ginny was that they really were like the exact same person. They both enjoyed the exact same things. So no matter what they suggested to do they both agreed that it would be fun. After their lunch break was over and they had planned out their entire day at Hogsmeade, Harry walked Ginny to her next class and went back to D.A.D.A. When he arrived there was a note on the door telling the class to meet out in the courtyard. Harry began walking toward the courtyard wondering what this was all about and what the surprise lesson would be.

He arrived outside to see the class just as confused as he was. He stood next to Hermione and Ron.

"What this all about Hermione."

"Don't know he wouldn't tell me. He said it would be fun though."

"That's good he usually knows how to throw a good lesson." Professor Krum walked out to meet up with his class. He explained that today's lesson would be best if taught as some of the D.A. lessons were taught. They were going to have a duel. It would be a partnered situation and you would use your knowledge of spells and combat to try and win over your opponent. There would be no commands of what spell to use only that you cannot hurt one another. Other than that everything was game. Ginny started to protest in her mind that this wasn't fair. How was she going to be able to concentrate on her next class if he was in the middle of a duel? Harry spent his time trying to tell her that she would be fine and not bothering to get a partner. He finally asked Hermione but apparently Ron had beaten him to it. In fact he was the only one without a partner in the class.

Professor Krum asked if everyone had a partner and when Harry told him that he did not Krum told him that he would duel against him. Harry had a feeling that this was planned. Ginny who was now more interested in the duel than her class gave up trying to concentrate on anything but the duel. Harry bowed to Krum and faced off. An echo of spells could be heard in the background. Harry hit his ready stance and cast Accio on Krum's wand. Krum had vanished from his standing spot and reappeared behind Harry without his wand. He was not expecting Harry to cast anything but a mere disarming charm. He was mistaken. Harry threw back his wand and asked how he had apparrated. It shouldn't be possible Hermione had always said that it wasn't possible and that there was an antidisapparating jinx on the castle. Professor Krum smiled and then bowed. Harry cast another Accio charm but having already used that curse Krum was expecting it and gripped his wand tighter. He then cast Petrificus Totalus on Harry but Harry knowing what was coming redirected it back at him. Krum cast an absorbsion spell and the curse dissolved into the front of his wand. Krum was good. That was for sure. He knew his magic spells.

The rest of the class had stopped their duel to watch Harry and Professor Krum duel. Harry was spouting of every spell that he knew followed by accio to throw him off guard. Harry was so caught up in what he was doing that when he cast his last accio charm he cast it on everyone's wand standing around him. Ginny could see through Harry's eyes and could see all of the wands flying at Harry. Harry could not move out of the way to avoid being hit by a shower of wands. His reflex kicked in and he shielded his eyes with his arms. He expected the wands to have hit him by now but they hadn't reached him yet. Ginny's voice was all that he could hear. They had stopped time once again. Harry lowered his arms and looked around. He had about thirty wands just about to hit him. He grabbed Professor Krum's wand and walked around to the other side of his teacher. He wasn't sure how long time was going to stay like this but before he could even think about it time kicked back in. The wands showered the spot where he was standing and everyone was in shock that he was no longer standing there anymore. Harry had a look of triumph on his face. He was standing on the other side of the class holding his teachers wand for the second time today. Harry tossed his wand back to Krum and rejoined the class. Professor Krum called it a day and excused the class. Harry was so pleased with himself he almost didn't hear Professor Krum ask him to stay behind.

"Ginny I am going to meet up with you in the common room. Ginny?" Harry could no longer hear her voice in his head. He had not felt this alone for quite some time. Professor Krum gave him a concerned look and then asked him how he did what he did. He told him that he stopped time again. Krum gave Harry a satisfied look as he had just found out that Harry only won by a lucky chance. He passed the look off by telling Harry that he was glad that his ability to stop time was coming in handy. Harry was still worried about why he could hear Ginny's thoughts. He tried to will himself back into her head but he had no luck.

Harry excused himself from Professor Krum's presence and walked to the Common Room. He sat on his favorite chair and waited for Ginny to show up. After what felt like days the Portrait opened up and Ginny walked in. She didn't look worried at all. Harry walked up to Ginny and kissed her. He could feel Ginny's presence reenter his mind. He was once again calm. Ginny looked at him and told him that it was all ok that the two of them separating for a minute or so wasn't that big of a deal. Harry tried to act like he agreed but he just didn't and now that they were in each others minds again Harry could hid that he didn't like being separated from her. She hugged him and told him that she missed him. That everything was better.

Once he felt back to his normal state they walked down to the Great Hall to eat dinner. They didn't have any homework to do and their afternoon was free so Harry and Ginny took the time to go down to the quidditch pitch and fly around playing tag. Harry enjoyed this a lot because it was great practice. They would have to fool each other on three levels. Actual flying skills, reading body language, and knowing what the other was thinking. It was, all in all, very difficult to do. Harry and Ginny finished playing around and called it a night. Flying took a lot out of them. They headed back for the common room.

Harry sank into his favorite chair to relax. Ginny squished in next to him and made herself more comfortable. Her actions reminded Harry of how Crookshank acted when it wanted to sit on you. She glared at him and began to wiggle herself more comfortably into the chair. Harry laughed to himself and then gave a sharp yelp when he was jabbed in his ribs by Ginny. She glared at him again and then curled up against him. His ribs hurt a bit but he knew that he deserved a bit of it. Besides she doesn't hit that hard it was really just that quickness of her doing it out of instinct that caught him off guard. He didn't even have time to hear her thinking that she was going to hit him.

The rest of the night crept by as slow as possible. It appeared as if time knew that everyone was watching it and it froze in the spot light. The excitement in the air was growing as each minute passed. Harry couldn't take it. He got up from his seat with Ginny and decided to turn in for the night. He was actually tired and could feel that Ginny was just as tired as he was. Harry went up to his room after kissing Ginny good night. He laid in his bed and trying to will himself to sleep. His body was exhausted but his mind was racing with fantasies about his day with Ginny tomorrow. He sat back thinking of the events that were so close to him and somewhere in the middle of his flowing thoughts he drifted a sleep.

Harry and Ginny dreamt together as they did. Their minds bounced around one thought to another. While they were used to being in each others dreams, they usually had control over them. Now to feel the world swirl under their feet and carry them to places they've never seen before, freaked them out. The last time that Harry had been carried off to places he'd never seen before Voldemort was trying to lure him into a trap.

Harry sprung up in his four poster bed breathing heavily. His scar tingled a bit and he was soaked in sweat. He took in a few deep breathes as Ginny was trying to calm him down at the same time she was trying to calm herself down. They had shared the dream and they had both been frightened with it. There was nothing in the dream to indicate a reason of fear. But it was the total lack of forward movement and coherent events that had freaked them out. They hadn't had a dream that didn't make any sense in so long that to have one know shocked and frightened them. Harry's scar gave a slight throb on his head and he began to rub it just as Ginny began to rub her head in the same place.

"This had something to do with Voldemort, Ginny."

"I know it's weird though I didn't get that feeling in the dream."

"I didn't sense it either just that something wasn't right."

"Same here." Harry looked at the window and saw the sun was up. He started to get dressed and then went down to meet up with Ginny and the others, except the others where not in the common room. They headed down to the great hall to eat breakfast and sat down with Ron and Hermione who greeted them with a good morning. The excitement in the Great Hall was steadily increasing with each body that entered it. It was Halloween and third year and above could take a trip to Hogsmeade as long as they had permission to due so from there parents.

A lot of the parents and a few of the teachers thought that it would be a good idea to cancel the trips to the town but Dumbledore quickly put a stop to their worries. He had a charm cast on the entire village to prevent apparating in or out of it. He also had highly trained aurors stationed throughout the village to keep an eye on them. It wasn't so much that there was an excess of aurors in the grounds that comforted Harry, more that Dumbledore had a way to communicate with everyone of them and could be there in a blink of an eye, that calmed him. After breakfast was over attention was called to all third years and over that where able to go to Hogsmeade. Harry walked to the front gates of the school with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Viktor Krum caught up with them as they were entering Hogsmeade. Harry, Ginny and Ron split up from Hermione and Viktor when they entered the town. They entered Zonko's joke shop where Ron met up with Luna and left for the leaky cauldron.

Harry and Ginny were left alone or at least alone in the sense that none of there friends were there. It was just Harry and Ginny in a joke shop (that had substantially lost business since Fred and George had opened there joke shop) with a bunch of gawking third years that hadn't seen the shop before. They left the shop and decided to walk towards the end of the town. Deciding it would be best not to go further than the auror that was stationed outside of the last shop, they sat down at a couple of benches in front of the post office. There really wasn't that much for them to do on this end of town but it was better than being in a shop full of third years. They made conversation about nothing in particular passing the time that they got to be alone before they decided that it would be best to walk to the leaky cauldron themselves. They entered the pub and sat down at a table that Ron had waved them to. Harry ordered two butter beers and sat back in the chair with a feeling of glee. It was actually good to be out of school and still not have to worry too much about an attack on them. The butter beers were brought out to them and Harry took a big gulp from his glass. The warming feeling of comfort spread over him as he sank further into his chair.

They sat around for a couple of hours talking about school work and discussing all the events that had happened to Harry and Ginny. After a bit of talking and laughing and maybe a bit too much butter beer Harry and Ginny got up and left the pub. They had the rest of the day to do stuff that they had planned out. They wanted to go and check out the selection of sweets that was at Honey dukes and maybe find something they hadn't tried yet. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and headed down the road towards Honey Dukes. They barely moved two steps when someone grabbed his shoulder. In an instance without a thought on what they were doing everything froze in motion. They didn't even realize what was going on. Their instincts forced them to stop time this time not just there love for one another. Harry turned to face the man who had grabbed his shoulder. He was shocked to see who was standing in front of him. Remus Lupin was standing in front of him with a slight look of relief on his face. His arm still out stretched with a grip on an imaginary shoulder that was there when he out stretched it in the first place. Harry just starred at him before Ginny finally broke the immobile silence.

"He's dead he can't be here."

"I know Ginny it has to be a trick. It's a polyjuice potion more than likely. He thought it might fool me."

"What do we do with him?"

"Well we should take him to the castle so Dumbledore can be informed. I don't think that Dumbledore would want us to kill him until we found out who he was. Besides I want to know who it is before I kill him." Ginny stared into Harry's eyes but she already knew that he was being serious. Harry knew that who ever he was he was the one who killed Remus and he wanted to know who it was. Harry cast mobilus corpse on the imposter and directed him back up to the castle this was definitely not the way they had planned to spend there time at Hogsmeade today.

Harry and Ginny walked up to the castle to Dumbledore's office. Harry turned to the imposter took his wand and tied him up with his. They waited until time started back up which was about the equivalent to five minutes.

"Harry," Remus started then looked around and noticed that he was bound and floating standing in front of Dumbledore's office. "What's going on? How did we get here?" He asked. Harry and Ginny gave him no response just said the password and walked up the revolving stairs. Harry knocked on the door. He didn't look at Remus because hearing his voice was enough to make his skin boil with pure hatred for this person. Why is this person still pretending to be Remus? They waited until Dumbledore opened the door and invited them in. They went into detail about what had happened and how he thought that this person had killed Remus.

"But Harry I am Remus," He stated.

"No you are not Remus. Remus is dead I saw him in the other world with Sirus and my mom." "You saw Sirus and Lily."

"Don't say there names." Dumbledore interrupted Harry by standing and asking for silence. "Now I must get this story straight Harry. So I ask for some silence right now. Remus..." "That's not Remus."

"Will you allow me to look into your head?"

"Yes." Harry could see the slight hesitation in his answer. Harry kept quiet and allowed Dumbledore to see into Remus' mind. Dumbledore sat back and looked shocked, amazed, and saddened at the same time. Harry took notice to the time and saw that an hour had almost passed since he had left Hogsmeade.

"So who is he Dumbledore?"

"It isn't my place to tell you that Harry."

"What? Why not? It doesn't matter anyway I will see who he really is in about two minutes once the polyjuice potion wears off." Remus laughed at Harry. It wasn't that what he said was really comical just wrong. Remus started to explain to Harry that he was not taking a potion that this body had been his for a long time. There was something eerie about the way he spoke to him. He sounded and spoke just as he did when he first met Remus but this was impossible Remus is dead.

"So how long have you been pretending to be Remus Lupin?" Harry asked. Remus was taken aback by this statement. He seemed to be studying Harry's face to see if there was a point in which Harry would start laughing but Harry didn't laugh. This wasn't a matter to laugh at. Harry wanted to know who this man is and how long he had been Remus Lupin. When he saw that Harry meant the questioned he heaved a sigh. What was he doing was he going to let him know that it was all a dream. That it was time to wake up. That none of this had happened. What was going on? Remus looked at Harry and started to answer his question.

"Sixteen years Harry I have been Remus Lupin for sixteen years. Or at least I have been in Remus Lupin's body for sixteen years I still like to believe that I am myself." Harry couldn't believe his ears. Had he never actually met Remus Lupin? This was absurd. He had to have met the man that he thought he met. How could this be a lie? But then again Ron's rat had turned out to be Peter. Then who was this man and why was he here?

"Who are you?"

"Do you really want to know that Harry?"

"I think that I deserve it after all if you are telling the truth then I trusted you and now I find out that you have been lying to me all this time."

"Harry it that wasn't the time for me to let anyone know who I am."

"Who are you?!" Harry screamed. He took notice to the time. He was at least telling him the truth with the polyjuice potion. He had not taken it to transform into Remus but then how was he doing this? He could not be Remus because Remus was dead.

"Harry I am James Potter." Harry didn't say anything. He could feel his anger starting to boil up inside of him. How could he start to tell him this? Hatred burned in his throat and stung at his eyes. Nearly at tears from anger Harry swallowed. How could he expect Harry to believe this? Harry stood up and stormed out of Dumbledore's Office. Dumbledore tried to stop him from going but Harry's anger had gotten the best of him and as Dumbledore started to slam the door shut it stopped in the process and swung back open. Ginny got up and followed Harry. She yelled after him begging for him to go back but he didn't need to hear what they had to say. She didn't catch up to him until he had reached the Gryffindor Common room. It was empty because it was Halloween and third years and above where spending the day at Hogsmeade and first and second years where out roaming the grounds and enjoying the castle.

"Harry!" Ginny shouted. Harry didn't turn around. He wanted to be alone. He headed up to his room. Ginny didn't care that he wanted to be alone she wanted to talk with him. She wanted to make sure everything was ok. She was genuinely concerned about what he was going through. Harry was so furious with the events that had happened that he just wanted to be alone to think about it. It was absurd to think that he was to believe that Remus Lupin, or whatever he was, was his dad. There was just no way that that could be truthful. He had seen his dad come out of Voldemort's wand at the end of his forth year. He heard this imposter state that he didn't know that Harry's dad had changed from Sirus as his secret keeper. There just isn't any possible way. Ginny entered Harry's room and sat next to him on his bed. He had his back to her and had no intention of turning over to face her. She didn't mind that he felt like this because she didn't need to see his face to talk with him anymore. Ginny reached down and absentmindedly rubbed her hand over his back.

"Hey," she said to him feeling the awkward strain of trying to find the right words to say. Harry already knew what she had to say. Ginny's thoughts were easy to read and hear. Harry's thoughts had been so scrambled that the same could not be said for him. He tried to focus on what she needed to hear but this was hard. His mind kept bouncing from one thought about Remus to another and how this man had lied to him and was now expecting him to believe that he was his dad. What was he playing at? Everyone knew that James Potter was dead. Why would he expect for him to believe this? Ginny curled up with Harry on his bed trying to bring him comfort.