Disclaimer: It still all belongs to JKR, still her sandbox.

Chapter Two

Hello Hogwarts

As Ginny lead the boys back towards the Entrance Hall, they cast cleaning charms on each other until they were almost in the condition they left the house in. As they walked into the Entrance Hall they could hear through the doors that lead to the great hall a clipped Scottish accent demanding to know where the boys where. "I think she noticed" Harry suggested to Archer "well Toxin my friend, it was nice knowing you."

"I mirror the sentiment good friend; these were the greatest years of my life brother." And with that they pushed open the doors with the help of a couple of subtle banishing charms, got to make an entrance after all. "Hello Hogwarts" Archer called out, "greetings and salutations, look what we found" giving Ginny a little shove in the back motioning her forwards further into the now silent hall.

"GINNY!" A voice shouted followed by a few more surprised calls of "Ginny"

"Ah yes Miss Weasley, it's good to see you alive and well." Professor Dumbledore's voice could be heard over the racket that he hall was making as rumours where traded back and forth as to who the mysterious boys were and why they had a filthy looking Gryffindor first year with them. The trio made its way towards the head table and the furious Professor McGonagall who, while she hadn't taught at Hogwarts in recent years had taught enough parents that her reputation preceded her.

"Why hello there Aunt Minnie, what a coincidence meeting you here." Archer tried in desperate hope that some humour could defuse the situation. It was not to be.

"AND WHERE EXACTLY HAVE YOU BEEN" she seethed "I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE ENTRANCE HALL"

Harry looked up gathering all the courage he could, "We were told that a girl had been taken, so we tried to help?" it was a rather meek voice but it carried across the hall as every student and staff member was trying to listen in.

"Harry James Potter", With that a round of gasps went round the hall as they recognised the saviour of the wizarding world. "Why exactly is it your duty to save young damsels?"

"well we were there, it seemed like a good idea at the time?" Harry tried, he was let down by a snort from his side as Archer let him down.

"what do you have to say for yourself Mr Pittman?" McGonagall asked turning on him,

"well," Archer started before pointing to his side and declaring "it was all Harry's fault". At this Harry sighed deeply. Brothers in all but blood that mean sibling squabbling, petty rivalries and fearing the wrath of a truly angry Minerva McGonagall.

"is that right?" Minerva asked Harry and he wished the ground would swallow him but alas it was not to be.

"We saved Miss Weasley though, that has to count for something, right?" Harry asked hoping that it might divert the attention of the staff.

"Indeed I would like to ask how you young boys did that, if we could head up to my office and discus that." Tried Professor Dumbledore trying to exert some control on the situation.

"Oh Albus, I think just here will do," said Archer picking up where he left of in belittling the Headmaster. McGonagall seemed to agree with Archers and she turned and gave a pointed look to Harry clearly saying "explain".

"Errrm," Harry started, fully aware of every eye in the room on him. "So we heard that some student had been taken into the chamber of students, I wanted to help them so we went into the chamber and got her back, we don't really need any more details do we?"

"You found the Chamber of Secrets? What of Slytherin's monster?" McGonagall asked not quite believing what these two got up to but having heard that indeed Miss Weasley had been taken into the Chamber she was resigned to the fact that these two could find or cause more trouble than their fathers, adopted or real.

"That monster is mine now; I claim spoils" interrupted Archer making his claim quite clear.

"So yeah," began Harry "we found the Chamber, the entrance was in some bathroom if you believe that, there was a tunnel that lead way down and a bunch of doors then this huge cavern, that's where we found Ginny. I'm sure we can stop now."

"I think not."

"Well there was this Tom Riddle guy, who claimed to be Voldemort" gasps were heard around the hall as Voldemort's name and identity was said. Even Dumbledore paled. "Anyway I was trying to help Miss Weasley and didn't notice him come close," at this there were groans around the hall as people wondered how he could make it away from the darkest wizard in a century, again. "Then we chatted for a bit before he called on the monster. Archer hexed him to the floor and disarmed him before we dealt with the monster. Really I don't think Riddle was Voldemort even if the name worked 'cause really Archer shouldn't be able to beat him at twelve if he really was as scary as everyone says. Then having slayed the beast we rescued the damsel and we came back. Took us ages to get out the tunnel though, who'd a thought about just asking for stairs?"

"What do you mean the name worked?" McGonagall asked now curious. Harry drew out his wand and wrote out the name just as Tom had then, like Tom he rearranged them. At this McGonagall gasped. "I went to school with that monster."

"Yes, quite, now if you don't mind what was Slytherin's monster?" asked Professor Dumbledore.

"We do mind Professor, its not a problem, I do promise it is dead and mine to salvage, as such I request access to the school over summer with a crew from Gringotts" Archer answered.

"well," started Dumbledore,

"I mean it is mine by right of conquest, you wouldn't happen to be blocking me from my rights would you Professor?" Archer asked, leaving much of the school confused but Dumbledore blanched. Archer had been filled in on the details of Dumbledore interfering in the Potter's will and the route to which Harry had come into Minerva's care, however it was not common knowledge. "anyway, I think we're done here and I'm feeling peckish so shall we head home?" Archer then turned and he and Harry walked off leaving a disgruntled Headmaster as they tried their best not to laugh at what they imagined his face to be. McGonagall sighed and headed after them and the student body became utterly confused by this boy who had the nerve to be borderline rude to Dumbledore. They knew he was a friend of the Boy-who-lived but other than that who was he?

As the terrible twosome arrived back in France a big shaggy dog bounded towards them and tackled them. Minerva looking on disapprovingly. Once inside, seated and cups of tea in hand the boys told Sirius and Minerva the day's tale in detail including the diary and the monster being a basilisk. The adults, or well Minerva and the thirty-odd-year-old man-child swapped their teas for firewiskey.

"This diary though, I have never heard the like before." Began McGonagall. "Voldemort was great, evil but great. If it was indeed Tom Riddle who became Voldemort then he was brilliant, almost unmatched as a student, Riddle was able to beat most of the school records, even those set by Albus. Only transfiguration was he behind."

"Either way it was destroyed, great job boys now bed" Sirius said earning a disapproving tut from Minerva as the boys wandered off to their rooms,

"We do not know if it was the only such diary though. Others could be out there. Anyway I agree we should move on to happier topics. Albus has offered me my old job back. With the boys as old as they are now I think a return to England maybe in order. I also recommended Remus for the defence against the dark arts post."

"After a decade of sabbatical you're going back" Sirius asked "I know you were a great teacher, and by the way these two are turning out you still are, I just thought you might be enjoying the quiet life?"

"Quiet? With you and those two, even Remus while a quiet person only encourages you three."

"Fair enough" conceded Sirius.

The news was broken the next morning which sent the boys of into spirals of delight. The idea that they were going back to Hogwarts was exciting. Though Harry was annoyed as he would be seen as The-Boy-Who-Lived instead of Harry for a while at least he'd have Toxin there with him, who was expecting to be some kind of cult hero by the time he returned.

Later in the afternoon the boys were once again lounging on opposing sofas in the living room. "Hey" called Archer, Harry put down the journal of his mother's that he was reading in attempt to understand potions better.

"Yes?" Asked Harry wondering where this was going?

"Duelling Today has the months under 17 European rankings, want to guess who is number one?"

"Can't be one of us, we got banned from the circuit."

"True but either nobody told Dueling Today or they just don't care, I'm one you're two."

"Still don't understand how we got banned for tickling charms. They are not on the list of banned spells."

Archer pondered for a moment, "you don't think it's to do with the fact we've not lost to anyone but each other in eighteen months? You know, just trying to mix things up a bit, getting bored of us on those podiums event after event."

"Padfoot!" Harry called seeing the man walk past the doorway.

"Yes pup?" Sirius asked sticking his head into the room,

"do you know why the dueling circuit banned us?"

"The officials said that you two standing their firing nothing but tickling charms at each other every final until one of you dropped your wand was demeaning and insulting the spirit of the circuit. I thought it was hilarious."

"Well I thought killing a basilisk was hiss-larious, but not one else thought so" muttered Archer.

"No, you're not allowed that pun, it's not even good." Harry said turning to his friend.

"spoilsport"

"Anyway, if you two are done with me I have a few more things to pack up before the move to England." Called Sirius.

"Wait, when you and Remus next get together can we work on a new set of maps?" Asked Harry hoping to have his very own piece of marauder history.

"Maybe pup, depends on timing, anyway he'll be over tomorrow for the full moon anyway".

The next night found a brown snake with an inly black mouth, a black wolf with a strange lightning bolt shaped tuft of white fur mirroring Harry's famous scar and a shaggy dog traveling through the woods around the property chasing a werewolf. It turns out when living with two animagi its only so long before you can crack them and get them to teach you. The next morning found the four tired males reminiscing about their time in France.

"Just remember when we found Archer, scrawny little boy, a seven-year-old who's parents were so scared of the things he could do they took him to a specialist in France." Started Harry, "Just imagine how different things would be if he wasn't a squib who you'd been drinking with the night before who trusted McGee enough to let you adopt him for his own good. We'd never have our Toxin."

Sirius joined in, "I still remember when I came out here the first time. I'd just got out of Azkaban. Minnie had been sent a copy of your parent's will which listed Peter as the secret keeper, enough to get me a trial and they started a manhunt for Peter. Rat hunt too I guess, anyway he's rotting away where he deserves to be. I invited Minnie to bring you out here while I recovered and we never looked back."

Remus added his piece "The first time I was invited out here was a strange time, I'd just got over the shock of you being innocent, I hadn't been sober in weeks. When I arrived I remember being torn between apologising for ever believing you could betray James and Lily or your firewiskey. Merlin that was a rough time. Now look I'll be a Hogwarts Professor soon."

As Archer shock himself out his stupor, "enough of the emotional crap here, I'm too tired let's just go so I can meet my new bed."