A couple of days later he got his usual pile of letters from is friends at Hogwarts ands one from Neville who he had written to last time.

Dear Harry

Hey mate. Hermione's making me write a letter. I don't see why cause she's always writing at you so you know everything anyway.

How have you been? How was your Halloween? We had this huge feast/ There was so much food. Even more than Mum makes. It wasn't all good though because a troll got into the dungeons during the feast. Looking back on it, it was pretty funny, but not at the time. Professor Quirrel came rushing in half way through the feast shouting about a troll in the dungeons and then he fainted. The man is ridiculous. He can't get out one sentence without stuttering. Hope we never have to rely on him for actual defence.

I hope your Halloween was less eventful. Write back soon. Someone has to distract Hermione. She's making us revise for exams already!

Ron

Dear Harry

Thanks for writing to me. I know we only met once but it was nice talking to you. I thought about what you said about me being connected to plants and I'm trying really hard in Herbology. Professor Sprout says I'm doing really well. It's nice to be good at something.

I still can't fly though. We've been paired with the Slytherins. It's really hard not to make a fool of yourself around them. One of them tried to steal my Remembrall that Gran sent me but Madam Hooch made him give it back.

Professor Sprout was injured on Halloween when a troll got into the school somehow. I don't know how it got in but it's lucky Professor Quirrel was in the dungeons at the time.

I hope your Halloween was better than ours. It would be really nice to hear from you again.

Neville

Dear Harry

I suppose the boys have already told you about the incident with the troll. It broke into the dungeons during the Halloween feast.

Professor Dumbledore had the prefects get everyone back to the dorms and he and the other teachers went off after the troll. They must have gotten rid of it but poor Professor Sprout spent two days in the Hospital Wing.

I didn't even know there were trolls in the area of Hogwarts. You would think if trolls were so common it this area they would have some sort of protection against them. So much for the safest place in England.

Our classes are going well though it is annoying having to make Ron study. He's getting better but every time one of his brothers says something he reverts right back to being lazy. Grr that boy makes me so mad sometimes. At least Neville will study but I think he's more afraid of his Gran than me.

I hope you are doing well and doing all of your homework. Be good.

Hermione

It was a Saturday and Harry was in the common room playing gobstones with Julie, a second year he shared transfiguration with. Owen and Sara were working on potions assignments, Misha was in the library and Tia was in the Herbology greenhouses checking on the warm weather plants now that it had turned cold. Harry didn't know were the others were.

"Hey Harry did you ever write back to Dumbledore?"

"Owen no!" Sara told him sternly.

"What?" Owen shrugged innocently. "It's just one little potions question."

"One potions question on the seventh year curriculum to a very important man who has better things to do with his time than answer questions. Besides, you heard what Misha said. He can not be trusted."

"No, she said he has his own agenda. But that's okay because so do I."

"It's okay Sara, I've been meaning to write to him anyway. I want to know what things my father left me and what my fathers friends names were. So I'll ask."

"Very well." Sara said reluctantly. "But Owen will help you write the letter."

Dear Mr Dumbledore

Thank you for your letter about my letter my parents. Regarding what they left for me it you are not confident in your ability to safeguard the items then perhaps you could place them in my Gringotts vault so I can collect them next time I am in.

I have been thinking about my parents lately and I was wondering if you know any of their friends. I don't know much about them and I thought I might ask for some pictures of them. Anyone you could help me get in touch with would be great.

Also a friend of mine wondered if you would answer a question for him regarding potions. What is needed to counter the effect dragons blood on foolswart in a mix murlap leaf and essence of acornite?

Please get back to me soon as it convenient for you. I await your letter.

Harry Potter

He had just sent the letter off with Hedwig and Owen left to continue his assignment, when the days mail was delivered. There was only one letter.

Dear Harry

I cannot tell you how great it was to hear from you. I haven't been known as Moony for a long long time but I certainly don't mind being called that by you. I am surprised your owl was able to find me. She must be a very smart owl. How did you hear about me? I was surprised to see you were at the Academy instead of Hogwarts but I'm still so proud of you. Some of the best minds of our time have come from there.

You asked about your parents. Well what can I tell you? Your father was one of the best friends I ever had and your mother was the most beautiful, kind and companionate woman I have ever met.

I first met your father on the Hogwarts Express going to our first year. I was terrified. I had never expected to go to Hogwarts and had never been around so many people before. James came rushing into the compartment trying to hide from another boy he had pranked. He didn't hide very well and another boy with green hair ran in. I ended up having to mediate so they didn't get in to a fight. And that is how I met Padfoot, though he and James had known each other for years.

We were all sorted into the same house, Gryffindor. So was Lily but I imagine she could have easily gone into Ravenclaw. You definitely take after her if you were able to get into the Academy. She was brilliant. The minute James saw her on the train when they were 11 he was in love. She on the other hand couldn't stand him. James spent years trying to get her to go out with him but it wasn't until they were in 7th year they she agreed. They were Head Boy and Girls as well as being Prefects since 5th year.

They were the best friends a man could ask for and wonderful people as well. I was there when you were born and I have missed you growing up. I tried to come see you. But I am not well and I am not always safe to be around.

Please write back soon. I would love to hear more from you. You could tell me about the Academy and your friends. I will have a look around and see what pictures I can find of them and send them to you.

Moony. (Remus Lupin.)

Harry clutched the letter in happiness. Finally something about his parents. And he was going to get pictures!
Dumbledore sat in his office staring at the parchment in front of him in deep contemplation. The ramifications of his decision of this problem would have a significant effect on the future. He did not want to give the game away too early, but he wanted to seen as accessible.

Hmm.

With a decisive nod he made his decision. His password for the week would be Skittles.

Decision made he was about to head out to the teachers meeting he had scheduled when an owl flew in his window. He removed the letter and shooed the owl away. The owl hopped back out the window with a glare he didn't notice as he opened the letter and saw who it was from.

It was about time the boy had gotten back to him. But the content of the letter was not what he would have liked. Who had the boy been talking to that he would doubt Dumbledore's ability to properly ward something? The letter was almost rude. Well he was certainly not going to put the cloak in to Gringotts without the necessary authorisation to get it back out again and the Goblins had been stonewalling him for years. The cloak was too useful. What to do about the friends though? He wasn't about to give out Lupins name. That would severely disrupt his plans without having Lupin under strict control. Perhaps he would have Minerva write to the boy.

Yes that would do. He would caution her about mentioning anything that would upset the boy, like the betrayal of his father. And of course they didn't know how would react to a werewolf. Better to just not mention it.

The potions question was worrisome. That particular combination of ingredients was very rare. It was used in highly advanced healing potions, the Wolfsbane potion and several necromantic rituals. Adding dragons blood to any potion containing foolswart increased the risk of self destruction exponentially.

He considered his options. He wasn't going to answer the question certainly. It came from an advanced potions student, a seventh year most likely, no doubt the same person who was planting doubts in young Harry's mind. He did not want to alienate anyone but he needed to cause some distance between the boy and his advisors.

He would have to word his reply very carefully.

November was turning colder as it moved on to December. Harry was spending most of his time working on his class work and what free time he had he spend flying on brooms borrowed from his friends.

He was sitting down to dinner with his friends one night listening to them discuss their holiday plans when Christie asked him what his plans were.

"My foster parents are planning to spend Christmas in a chalet in the Swiss Alps."

"No way! Drew exclaimed. "Skiing in the Swiss Alps for Christmas! Can I come?" He gave Harry his most pitiful look. Fortunately Harry was used to it. He laughed.

"You have used that look on me far too many times to get me to do your Defence homework. It didn't work then and it won't work now."

At this Sara shot him a look of outrage. "You are trying to get him to do your homework for you?"

Drew shrank back from her. His very proper American friend was a stickler for the rules and had a fearsome temper to boot. "I was only joking." He mumbled.

"You had better be." She glared at him.

"Sooo." Alex said trying to distract them. "Ever been skiing before Harry?"

"No." Harry said latching on to anything that might sidetrack Sara. "Before coming here the only places I'd ever been to was London and Surrey."

"Just make sure you don't come back with any broken bones." Misha warned.

Harry just nodded. "What are you guys doing for the holidays?"

"I'm staying here." Christie shrugged. "My dad was posted out of the country so rather than spend Christmas in some boarding house, I'll just stay here." Christies father was a member of the International Defence League who seemed to spend little time with his only child since the death of his wife at the hands of a vampire three years ago.

"Well I'd love to stay here for the holidays. My parents have called me home for the usual festivities' including the annual Ministry Ball which is always so boring." Misha rolled her eyes as she complained. Alex laughed at her discomfort and she scowled at him.

"I don't know why you're laughing. My parents have invited you and you better have a good excuse or you're not getting out of it."

Alex blanched. His family had owned and ran a Quidditch store before they had been killed by a dark wizard when he was fifteen and since then he had become close with Misha's family. They often invited him to gatherings.

"I'm just heading home to spend it with my family." Owen put in. "Since there are so many of us, Christmas is the only time we all get together. To think there are going to be about 23 people packed into a house this Christmas and there could be more if anyone had popped out any more kids."

Harry wasn't the only one who's mind boggled at the idea of so much family.

"Christmas has never been a big holiday for my family." Tia told them.

Misha nodded. "Right because New Years is a bigger holiday for you isn't it?"

"You mean you don't celebrate Christmas?" Alex asked in horror. Tia smiled at his dismay.

"We do celebrate it but New Years is a bigger holiday. There are all sorts of public festivities and parties."

Alex settled down at the mention of parties. Or it could have been the kick from Misha under the table.

"There's just going to be me my mum and sister at home this year." Drew said. "We usually spend Christmas day with my muggle grandparents and spend the rest of the time doing what ever." Drew muggle grandparents had never approved of their son marrying a witch so most relations with them were stilted.

"My family will be attending Mass as usual. I would like to recommend you all do the same but since I don't imagine you will do so, I won't waste my breath. Christmas is a time of family and my holidays are carefully planned in order to spend time with everyone." Sara's family was an old Southern family, very steeped in tradition. Fortunately Sara was very open minded about the different opinions of everyone else. You have to be to attend a school like the Academy which has students from all over the world and all walks of life.

The conversation turned to the work they needed to complete before the holidays and left Harry wondering what the Alps would be like. A thought occurred to him.

"How are we getting home for the break?" He asked.

"A sign up sheet will go up in a couple of days." Owen said. "For those people without apparition licences or people who can collect them you can ask for a portkey that will take you home."

Sorry this chapter was so late. I had a bit of trouble getting it back from my betas.

Many thanks for all the hard work of Prima and Capito Celcior.

Hope fully it wont take so long for the next chapter to come out.