A/N: Here's your fourth chappie for 'ya, folks. Sorry it took so long... I'm just reaching the climax of my other HP story ("Just My Luck") so I'm kinda involved with it now. Not to mention my new play with a local theatre, "The River Why."

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. *Insert funny story about J.K Rowling attacking me here after my attempt to steal HP*

Chapter Four

Paddy (or Padfoot, apparently) was responsible for his parent's deaths? The idea just didn't sink in right away. But... Paddy wouldn't do that, would he? Harry asked himself in vain, as if hoping his consciousness would answer and deny it. But, predictably, no such inner voice appeared. Remus, seeing his distress but deciding it would be best to first finish the story before consoling the shocked boy, continued speaking.

"When we learned that Voldemort was planning to attack your home, your parents - James and Lily Potter - decided to go into hiding." Harry drank this in, listening hard despite his emotional distress. "Now, they didn't just move; that wouldn't have done anything. This is Voldemort we're talking about here. They hid themselves using the Fidilius Charm - a complex charm which magically holds a secret to one person and one person only. This person is called a secret keeper." Harry had a bad feeling about this.

"S-secret keeper?" He echoed with dread. Remus nodded solemnly, and began to speak with a cracked, pained voice.

"Lily and J-James," he stuttered over his old friend's name, "-chose their best friend; Sirius Black, or Padfoot." Remus narrowed his eyes a bit, and Harry got the feeling that there was more to the story in this place. Why hadn't they chosen Remus to be secret keeper? "This was a mistake."

If it hadn't been such a big revelation into Harry's past, and a sentimental moment besides that Harry may have been tempted to make a sarcastic comment.

"Sirius Black," Remus spat the name bitterly, "-received his place as secret keeper, and no less than two days later gave it to Voldemort." Tears began to form in Harry's eyes, but he managed to hold back the salty water. At least for now.

"Are... are you sure it was him? What if they changed-" Harry began desperately, trying to find a possible crack in the story.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but Sirius really did betray us. He was found a few hours after your parent's deaths about fifty miles to the north - laughing in front of the decimated remains of our other friend, Peter Pettigrew." Harry couldn't help it. He dissolved into tears, automatically scrunching up into a fetal position. Remus/Moony clamped his hand reassuringly on Harry's shoulder, but when he did so Harry jerked violently inward.

"No! Stop!" He cried, taken for a moment to another place in the past. "Please!" Remus immediately drew his hand away, and Harry realized what he'd done. "I'm sorry!" He apologized fervently. "I didn't mean... I mean, I thought-" Harry broke off, unable to finish the sentence without admitting that he was weak enough to be bullied by a muggle. Muggles, plural, actually.

"Harry?" Remus asked confusedly. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" Harry shook his head, slipping down under his covers so only his huge, terrified eyes were visible.

"No..." Harry answered weakly. "I just don't... like to be touched." He admitted, then winced as if expecting a blow. Remus looked confused and worried.

"Why not?" He asked, hand twitching for a second towards him as if to comfort him - then thinking better of it. Harry shook his head mutely. He wasn't allowed to tell - that would just get him in even more trouble during the summer. "Harry?" Remus said again, fear seeping into his voice.

"Did someone... hit you?" Harry's heart jolted.

"NO!" He yelled loudly, causing the man leaning over his sickbed to jump backwards, holding his ears in pain - as though Harry's voice had somehow hurt him. "Professor, are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine, Harry, fine. I just have... sensitive hearing." Harry had the feeling that it was bigger than that. There was silence, and Harry hoped with all his heart that Remus had forgotten what they had been talking about before. Then,

"Harry?" The man said softly. Harry stared at him in fear.

"Y-yeah?" He answered.

"Did someone..." Remus trailed off. "Are you..." Again, he couldn't seem to finish his sentence. Then, he took a deep breath - working up his courage, and spoke. "Did someone hurt you, Harry? I won't be mad at you if it's true."

"N-n-n-no." Harry answered in his most quavering voice yet. He couldn't believe himself - these were not the words of a Gryffindor! Real Gryffindors were brave, and strong. These were qualities he most certainly didn't have. His shoulders slumped at the thought of disgracing his House. Maybe the Sorting Hat had been right - would he have been better off in Slytherin?

Remus looked very unconvinced and guilty. The professor opened his mouth as if to ask again, and then shut it with an audible, "Clack!" when he realized pestering Harry would most likely just drive him away.

"We'll continue this conversation later, Harry." He said curtly. Harry's heart sank; he'd hoped to just avoid the conversation altogether.

"Sure," he agreed unhappily.

"Anyways, about Sirius Black." Not for the first time, Harry noticed the level of pure disdain with which Remus said the name. "You don't have to worry about him, Harry." Harry was confused.

"Why would I worry about him? He's nowhere near here, right?" Remus looked trapped, seemingly realizing that he had said too much.

"You're right, there's no need to worry." Remus said with a forced smile. "Now! Who's hungry?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Changing the subject much?" He asked sarcastically. Remus drooped, though his mouth twitched at Harry's attitude.

"Can we talk about this some other time?" He begged. Harry looked at him for a long moment, then gave a sigh.

"Sure, sure..." he said. It looks like we have a lot to talk about 'some other time.' There was silence for a while as they sat rather uncomfortable, trying to figure out what to talk about. Suddenly, Harry began to get an evil gleam in his eye. This affect was only enhanced by the brilliant green color and lighting.

"Moony..." he began, and Remus beamed at the nickname. "So when exactly are you going to begin these 'pranking lessons' of yours?" Remus grinned. Snape's going to be mad... were both of their last thoughts before they began.

...o0O0o...

"I believe you're fit to leave the Infirmary now, Mr. Potter." Madame Pomfrey had finally admitted, though it looked as if it gave her physical pain to say it. "Your mental state after the Dementor attack has done nothing but improve, and your fight injuries," (she glared at Harry) "-have been healed." Harry's eye twitched. Mental state? Improved? Does that mean that it was bad to begin with?

"Thanks," he said, not wanting to submit himself to more hospital time. Madame Pomfrey looked pleased, though she huffed as she began her next sentence.

"I just cannot believe Headmaster Dumbledore would let those... those..." she stuttered angrily for an apt word, "-those creatures into Hogwarts grounds. Colds, depression, feinting spells... and that's only the beginning!" Harry shifted uncomfortably at her mention of 'feinting spells.'

"Yeah." He agreed weakly, not sure how to answer and keep on safe grounds. "But... can I leave now, please?" She pursed her lips for an extra second, then seemed to give up on trying to find some reason to keep him there.

"Oh, all right." She said with a sigh that implied that Harry should feel sorry for her. "But I don't expect to see you here any time soon, you hear? Keep out of trouble, for once in your life!" By that time, Harry was standing, and she accentuated her words with a poke in the chest. Harry nodded accent, unsure what would happen if he did otherwise.

Harry stood there for a second, unsure if was allowed to leave. She heaved a great, dramatic sigh. "Well, off with you! I have a case of stomach flu and a cold already..." but Harry heard no more as he was already out the door and on his way down the stone steps towards the Charms classroom.

He reached the door at exactly 8:45, and it was then that he realized that he was early. He blinked. This was the first time he'd been over four or so minutes early to a class. Harry wondered idly if that was a bad sign, and decided to take his studies a bit more seriously this year.

"Mr. Potter!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed, the epitome of surprise. "What are you doing here so early?" He tried in vain to step in a dignified manner from the teetering pile of thick volumes he was perched upon - but failed miserably and caused several to topple off. "Class doesn't start for another fifteen minutes or so. Did you want to speak to me about something?" The man sounded genuinely curious, and Harry couldn't help but feel bad that he would disappoint him by his lack of questions.

"Sorry, sir, I don't have any questions." He looked disappointed.

"Well, all right then, Mr. Potter. In that case, you can just wait for the class to start, or leave until then." He went back to his notes, then seemed to remember something. "By the way, how are you feeling? I heard of your rather unfortunate collapse on the train - very lucky that Professor Lupin was there... no?" Harry nodded stiffly. He'd been hoping that everyone would just forget the incident, but if even teachers were bringing it up he didn't doubt that the whole school had heard and would question him. He withheld a long-suffering sigh.

"Yes, it is," he agreed. And to some extent, he did agree. He was glad Remus had been there, but not because of the Dementors. Harry couldn't hold back a small, secretive smile as he remembered the professor's admittance that he had, indeed, known his father and that he was Moony. Even if it was tainted by the revelation of 'Murderer-of-parents/Sirius Black = Padfoot.'

Harry sighed, and began to doodle idly on a scrap of parchment as he waited for class to begin. He wanted badly to see Ron and Hermione, but he wanted even more badly just to be left alone by the general populace of Hogwarts; hence staying in the nearly empty classroom.

Time passed very slowly. A glance at the clock told Harry that class was due to start in ten minutes. Had he really only been sitting here for five? It seemed as if it had been an hour, at least. If had just gotten out of anywhere else except the Hospital wing, he would've been out of that classroom like a flash. However, he just wasn't up to rebutting Malfoy's taunts right now. Oh, he had no doubt he would have to at some point, but now was not the time.

Finally, after what seemed like years of waiting, students began to trickle in, all of them looking at Harry or sometimes (if they were Gryffindor students) asking him how he was feeling. Each time someone would ask him, it made him feel worse. Did everyone know that he'd spent the night at the Hospital wing? Harry sighed. He was kidding himself. Of course everyone knew he'd been inside the hospital wing. He was Harry frickin' Potter. His business was everyone's business.

"Harry!" Harry heard Hermione squeal in happiness. He started to turn around, but before he could, he was enveloped in a mass of warm body-heat, and wavy brown hair. Warmth crept over his cheeks, and he smiled. "I was so worried! Are you feeling better? Madame Pomfrey gave you enough to eat, right?" Then she paused, and looked a bit embarrassed. "Of course she gave you enough to eat - silly me! She's a teacher." Her voice raised a bit in reverance as she said the word, 'teacher.' Harry decided then and there to break her teacher-worshipping habits.

"I'm feeling great - I didn't really need to stay in the hospital. I felt fine when I woke up!" Hermione released her hold on him (to Harry's slight disappointment) and looked at him a bit sternly, though without any real malcontent. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but Harry cut he off before she could begin. "I had enough food, and I'm all good." He smiled again, tilting his head a little to the right as was his habit. Hermione colored a bit, but Harry couldn't be sure as she whipped around a second later to take her Charm's books out of her book bag.

Harry looked around, feeling that he was missing something. He frowned, realizing what was missing. "Hey Hermione, where's Ron?" He asked, his eyebrows creased. Hermione rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Geez, Harry, don't you know your best friend well enough to know that he would never come to class as early as this unless the apocalypse was commencing?" She asked, smiling. Harry snickered, realizing the truth in this statement. But he paused half-chuckle, realizing something about what Hermione had said. He frowned.

"Hermione, both of you are my best friends - not just Ron. You know that, right?" Hermione bent her head down and mumbled something, her face colored once again. "Hermione?" He prompted worriedly, lowering his voice to protect their (now rather personal) conversation from interested ears.

"I guess, Harry," she replied, though her tone did the opposite of convincing Harry. "I just always thought Ron was, with all the adventures you two got up to, especially last year with the flying car and the spiders, and the basilisk..." she stopped mid-sentence, realizing she'd been dragging on. "Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to ramble." But Harry didn't crack a smile, worried and sad about this turn of events.

"Hermione, I like both of you guys for totally different and equally important reasons." She looked skeptical, but stayed silent. "With Ron, I do things like... say, fly a car to school or playing Quidditch. Somehow, I can't imagine you enjoying those much." Hermione laughed along with Harry this time - neither of them able to see Hermione illegally flying a car to Hogwarts.

"I guess that's understandable," she said, but Harry wasn't finished yet.

"And with you, 'Mione, I do things like talk about the more... I dunno," he trailed off, trying to put into words what he was talking about. "The more important stuff that you understand better, and Muggle-related stuff that Ron would think was related to a 'fellyfone.'" Hermione, beside herself, snorted at the reference to Ron's lack of Muggle knowledge. "Plus, you're a complete genius." Harry added at the end in a casual voice that suggested it shouldn't even need mentioning. Hermione blushed a pretty rose pink.

"T-Thanks, Harry," she stuttered out, smiling at him.

"No need." Harry answered, then frowned once again. "So, where is Ron? Class starts in three minutes!" Hermione gave a disapproving, exasperated sound, and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Well, I most certainly don't know. Last I saw of him, he was gobbling sausages down like they were crackers, and talking to Seamus at the same time," Hermione said. Harry snorted in amusement, knowing fully well that Hermione wasn't exaggerating at all.

"He's going to be late," Harry predicted, trying to keep the hint of laughter out of his voice at the mention of Ron's 'eating habits.'

"You would think his parents starved him over the summer!" Hermione commented, and Harry's heart lurched unpleasantly. He nodded rapidly in agreement, trying not to let on that he knew all to well what it was like to be really starved over the summer. However, Hermione (who was retrieving her Charms textbook and some parchment from her bag) didn't seem to notice.

A few minutes later, Charms class had started without Ron, and so it was no surprise to either of them when (five minutes in) he came barreling through the double-doors - panting as if he'd just run a marathon, and grabbing at a cramp at his side.

"A-am-" (pant) "-I-" (pant, pant) "l-late?" (Pant, pant, pant.) He asked, though the question wasn't really needed.

"Indeed, you are, Mr. Weasley," Professor Flitwick answered in a flat tone. "That'll be five points from Gryffindor for your tardiness. Now please be seated next to Mr. Potter and Mrs. Granger, would you?" He nodded, and sat down next to them, looking annoyed at the loss of House points.

"Whoa!" He said, still gasping for breath. "I just-" (pant) "-ran up two flights of s-stairs," (pant, pant) and down three cor-corridors to get here on t-time," (pant) "-and I'm late!" He finished, looking outraged. Harry smiled at him. Ron never changed. "Why didn't you t-tell me you were leaving for Charms, Hermione?" He asked, looking annoyed at her. Harry frowned. Why was he annoyed at Hermione? He couldn't honestly think it's her fault he's late?

"I did tell you!" Hermione exclaimed loudly, her surprise messing up the Switching Spell she had been working on. Flitwick glanced at her, and she muttered a, "Sorry, Professor." Ron and Hermione continued to bicker furiously, and though Harry was glad to see Ron, he was more than a bit hurt that he hadn't even welcomed him back from the Hospital Wing. Also (unusually) Harry was fully on Hermione's side in this particular fight. He didn't doubt for a second that she had told Ron that she was leaving, and he doubted even less that Ron had absentmindedly replied with:

"Mmm-kay," and continued talking with Seamus.

Class continued mostly as normal - Ron remembering that Harry had been Hospitalized halfway through and apologizing fervently (for him, anyways) - and Harry had finished his Switching Spell. With the help of Hermione, of course. Ron had nearly completed it, though it appeared that his quill had feet. Hermione, needless to say, had gotten it on her third try.

Across the classroom, Malfoy was looking sour - mostly likely at the fact that he wasn't close enough to tease Harry about his absence yesterday without getting in trouble. However, Harry was still braced for Potions class, and the trouble it would certainly bring. Harry grimaced at the thought of what Malfoy, and even scarier, Snape would have to say on the matter.

"-arry!" Came a female voice from beside him, and he felt a small push on his side.

"Wha?" He answered in what was not his most intelligent voice.

"Charm's class is over, Harry," Hermione said. "C'mon, we have to get to Potions!" Harry blinked. Is class really over already? He thought. Harry looked around at the nearly deserted class. Apparently so, he deducted sardonically.

Only then did the repercussions of what Hermione had said sink in. It was time for Potions Class.

Bloody Hell.

A/N: Sorry this is so late! I'm getting to a crucial part in "Just My Luck," and (I know this excuse is SO over-used) Finals week starts tomorrow! EEeEe!

Anyways, as always,

R

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JUST PRESS THE GREEN BUTTON TO THE BOTTOM-MIDDLE OF THIS WEBPAGE. (If you do, I'll give you a cookie! _ )

~Aquahina