Simplicity

Later that night Harry snuck out of the Gryffindor dorm under his invisibility cloak. He used an audio spell to increase his hearing ability. He should be able to hear footsteps from two halls away. A vague memory popped up in the back of his mind, and he found himself praying to the Darkness that there weren't going to be any loud noises on this escapade.

He made his way toward the library, trying to make as little noise as possible, cursing himself for not thinking of a silencing spell sooner. He couldn't risk it now in the hall; Harry had checked the marauder's map before exiting the dorm, and it showed Professor Snape prowling the halls in Gryffindor territory. If he didn't know better he would have thought that Snape was expecting him, or another Gryffindor, but most likely him, to sneak out tonight.

But Harry knew that it was only Snape's regular routine that he had been watching on the map for three years now. The man swept up from the dungeons, through the Ravenclaw halls then to the East wing where the Hufflepuffs were housed then the halls outside Gryffindor tower, but never in the dungeons where he may catch those of his own house.

Harry snorted out loud. The man was so predictable, and biased. He pulled the map out. Snape was just leaving the Ravenclaw territory. If he was lucky he could make it to the library without having to deal with the man at all. He shoved the map back into his robes, and broke into a sprint toward the nearest stair case.

The library was two floors down and across the Stair Tower; at least that was what it was called in Salazar's time. The stairs themselves were not cooperating with him. They had shifted in such a way that it would take him an extra fifteen minutes he didn't have to get to the library.

Harry sighed and knelt and put his hand on the banister of the stairs. Come on girl, Salazar had always thought of the castle as female, though Harry himself thought it rather odd, I need some help here. He pictured where he wanted to go in his mind.

To his surprise it actually worked. The stairs shuddered and shifted to give him the shortest path to the library. He shifted through his memories again and was shocked at what he was supposed to say next. "T-thanks sweety." He stammered out. The castle itself seemed to thrum with pleasure under his feet and an amorphous half thought bloomed in the back of his mind. It seemed the castle was happy that he was paying attention to it again.

Harry didn't have time to contemplate the fact that the castle was sentient being before he heard voices above him. He looked up to see two prefects turn into a hall across from him. Without another thought, he darted down the two flights of stairs and down the hall the library doors.

He slipped through the doors breathing a sigh of relief. The room was dark. Only the tall windows on the fall wall casting pale light from the moon, outlining the far shelves. Harry strode confidently to the locked gate beyond which rested the restricted section. A quick alohamora later he was inside.

The shelves were more cramped in this section of the library. The portion of the room set off for restricted books did not grow with the number of books that had become off limits to the students. In the back, where the older books were kept there was barley enough room to clear Harry's shoulders. He wondered, not for the first time how his father had managed to even find the book he needed to become an animagus. The marauders had probably found that to be the hardest part of the process.

He reached the transfiguration section he was looking for and started to scan the shelves. There it was, shoved between two bulky manuscripts. Harry reached up and pulled out the thin book. It was more like a pamphlet, really, less than fifty pages. The only reason Salazar had known about it was that the militant librarian they had hired had made him reshelf this whole section after a little fiasco involving Helga, a snake and lots of explosions. Though it wasn't his fault the snake had followed him into the castle.

Harry flipped quickly through the pamphlet a small frown on his face. It may not be that big, but it sure was a lot of reading. Each page was cramped with tiny writing. He sighed. It was too late to turn back now. He had already done enough to get expelled. He stuffed the pamphlet into a robe pocket and consulted his map again.

Snape was now prowling the Gryffindor corridors. Harry would have to wait for him to make his way back down stairs. Unless… he walked over to the nearest wall. "Umm… castle? I kinda need your help one more time." The presence of the castle filled his head. He could sense its curiosity. "You know Professor Snape, right?" The castle gave him an affirmative. "Well," Harry rubbed the side of his head. Even with no one watching this was embarrassing and he didn't even know how to make the castle do what he wanted.

A memory poked its head out of his subconscious. The castle liked playing ticks on people. That is why there were so many tick stairs and doors that don't go anywhere; the castle did all that on its own without any prompting. "I don't really want to be caught out after curfew by him." Harry told the castle. "So, could you keep him going in circles away from me and the Gryffindor tower?

He could swear the castle was laughing, but he got an affirmative, and since he was still connected with the castle felt the corridors that Snape was in shift into what could only be described as a gerbil run. "Thanks again, you darling thing." Harry said with real feeling. The castle preened at his complement.

Harry could barely control his laughter during the mad dash back to the tower. He choked out the pass word to the fat lady and immediately collapsed inside the portal, his laughter filling the room.

"What's so funny?" Harry looked up from his prone position on the floor to see Ron standing above him.

"Ron," Harry exclaimed.

"What's so funny?" His best friend repeated. He went on not waiting for an answer. "You stole the book didn't you?"

Harry levered himself back onto his feet. "Yes, 'Mione, I stole the book."

Ron scowled. "You're lucky I don't wake her up. She would not be happy to hear about this. She may even tell McGonagall on you."

"Is that a threat?" Harry asked in as deep and dark a voice he could muster (his voice cracked).

"Of course not, but Harry…" Ron trailed off at the look in Harry's eyes. "Can I see it?"

Harry blinked at the sudden change in subject. "Why would I do that, you just threatened to sick Hermione on me?"

Ron turned to the stairs leading up to the girl's dorm. "It's not as if I don't want to become an animagus with you. It's that… well…"

"Hermione has you on a short leash." Harry finished for him. Ron blushed and nodded his head. "Come on Ron, she can't be that good a kisser."

"What!"

"That's what you two were doing this morning, right?"

"Um… yes, but ya know…" Ron answered turning bright red.

"Not really," Harry gave his friend a considering look. "So you really want to be an animagus too?"

"Yes, of course," Ron blurted out. He cast another long look up the stairs. "We just can't have Hermione finding out."

"Agreed." Harry pulled out the pamphlet.

"That's it?"

"Surprised?"

Ron scratched his head. "Ya, I am. And a little disappointed. It looks like one of those muggle travel things, with all the pictures."

"Ya, it does." Harry turned to the first page. "Look it even starts off with the words: So you've decided to become an animagus." Harry and Ron just stared at each other.

qqqqq

Two hours latter the boys sat back on the couch with the pamphlet on the table in front of them. Ron rubbed his itchy eyes; staring at words for long periods of time wasn't for him. "What kind of crackpot wrote this thing? Are you even sure this is for real?"

"Genius Ron, we prefer the term genius." Harry smiled at his friend's snort. "This book was actually written by a man who traveled the world looking for the best method for becoming an animagus. These are his notes. And don't say you didn't enjoy it; I saw you read it all the way through."

"It's not natural."

"What?" Harry was nonplussed. Why would Ron be here if he thought animagi were unnatural?

"What is practically a textbook being interesting and even funny, very unnatural. I mean 'The nomadic tribes of the eastern desert seem to think that one can only become an animagus after drinking twelve gallons of wine, but I think it runs more along the lines of an excuse to get drunk, then chicken out of the actual process. Though no one seems to mind, or in fact, remember the events that went on the night before… "

"You memorized part of it?"

Ron let out a low dramatic moan. "It is an abomination, unnatural and unhealthy. I am becoming, gasp, Hermione." He fell off the couch in mock horror.

Harry rubbed his temple. "Ron, you hurt my head."

"Well, someone has to; you've gotten too smart for Hermione." Ron said with a smile. "So ready to try it?" He bounced back up on the couch like a hyperactive child.

"No, no, no, no," Harry repeated over and over again, shaking his head. "I'm beat. If I tried right now I really would end up with gills."

Ron stopped bouncing and fell back against the couch. "I was hoping you would say that. We have four hours before we have to get up and go to class."

"What about breakfast?" Harry asked yawning.

"Screw breakfast; I'm going to be a walking zombie anyway. Zombies don't need food." Ron turned to Harry, who was already curled up in a ball, fast asleep. Ron nudged him. Then nudged him again, and again. Finally he slapped Harry on top of his head. There was no response. "Well, I'm going to bed." He said loudly. "And I'm taking the book with me." He said in a quieter tone casting furtive looks at the girl's dorm.

qqqqqq

Harry was jolted awake by a feeling of great animosity. To his sleepy mind it seemed that Voldemort was leaning over him, but when he opened his eyes he found something much worse. Hermione herself was glaring down at him, hands on hips.

"And just why are you down here mister?"

Harry rubbed his eyes and gave her his best kitten look. It was too early with too little sleep for him to have to deal with her now. He wondered when she had become such a pain to be around; he almost preferred Draco. "I couldn't sleep. My mind was going crazy." Crazy like a certain book, he added in his head. He looked around to see various Gryffindors heading down to breakfast. "Must have fallen asleep."

"Well," Hermione said in a superior tone. "Go get Ron and come down for breakfast."

"Yes, ma'm." Harry quickly made his way up the stairs before he hit her. She was getting really annoying. It was as if she were trying to pretend that she wasn't afraid of him. Tears filled his eyes as he realized that he had indeed lost one of his dear friends. He stopped on the landing to the room he shared with the other sixth years. When he could control himself he pushed the door open and walked over to Ron's bed. Harry bopped his friend on the head and got the standard: "Five more minutes."

"You'd better get up; the She-Dragon wants us down stairs pronto."

Ron lifted his face from his pillow, "Ya miin 'Mionee?" He slurred. "Wha haphen?"

Harry sat on the edge of the bed. "Well, if I understand the question, Hermione is being quite antagonistic toward me?"

"Antago…?"

Harry sighed; Ron was useless without at least eight hours sleep. "She's being mean to me, and I think she suspects what I did."

"Tha naw goo'."

"No, its not." Harry stood up. "Come on zombie boy time for breakfast."

"Scew brefas."

"'Mione said."

Long pause, "Fam i'."

Harry, taking pity on Ron, did the only thing a good friend could do and gave the boy a helpful shove off the bed, onto the floor. Ron landed with a loud plop on the thick carpet. He groaned, but levered himself up and stumbled into the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Ron had his arm draped around Harry's shoulders. They stumbled down the stairs to where Hermione was waiting. When she saw Ron she shook her head. "Honestly, you two." She glared at Harry. "What's wrong with him?"

"Not enough sleep, I suppose." Harry replied nonchalantly. Stumbling forward under Ron's weight. He made it to the portrait before Hermione caught up to him. He ignored her as he lugged Ron's slack body to the opening and chewed his lip considered the half foot step up you had to take to get out of the dorms. Shrugging he shoved Ron head first through the portal making sure his head didn't crack on the hard stone floor, then picked up his feet to drag the comatose boy out.

Harry knew that he could solve this predicament easily with a simple levitation charm, but dragging his friend around gave him an excuse no to talk to Hermione. In fact, the plan worked better than he thought it would. Hermione snorted in disgust and stormed by the two of them without looking back.

Harry looked down at Ron and cast a reviver spell on him. It was a spell usually reserved for hangovers, so he figured that it would be strong enough to keep Ron awake for a few hours.

Ron sneezed as the spell washed over him. Slowly his eyes began to focus, he looked around in puzzlement. "How did I get out here," he asked.

"I dragged you out here."

Ron's jaw dropped. "Well…um thanks, I think." He looked up and down the hall way. "Where did Hermione go?"

"She got thoroughly disgusted and stormed off."

"Why would she do that?" Harry couldn't believe he actually sounded puzzled.

"Because I was dragging your corpse down to breakfast."

Ron winced. "Harry, I know you have to tell the truth and all, but couldn't you kinda soften it a little?"

"Not this early in the morning. Come on Let's eat."

qqqqqq

Breakfast was not the enjoyable meal Harry would have preferred. With everything that had been going on lately he only wanted to sit in peace and actually eat before having to go to class. He had hardly sat down before Draco stormed over and slammed the Daily Prophet on the table in front of him.

"Look at this," he hissed through clenched teeth. "My reputation is ruined because of you. Not only that but I got a very angry letter from my father this morning. I will reiterate; I really hate you."

Harry looked at the paper. On the cover were separate pictures of him and Draco with a Headline that read "Boy Who Lived Gay?" He looked back up at Draco. "We knew that this would happen. Truthfully, I'm surprised that it took them so long to print this. Usually they can hardly wait a day to print some falsehood or another about me. More importantly, how did your father react and what did you tell him?"

"I never said that I told him anything."

Harry tsked. "You didn't have to say. He started to load up his plate. "Well?"

"I told him the truth," Draco grated out. "We were fighting; you in you boorish way got physical like a dirty muggle, and a stupid third year Hufflepuff with excess hair for brains mistook our intentions."

Ron, who had been watching the exchange with horror and a mild fascination, finally spoke up. "You mean you two are actually talking to each other?"

Draco turned to Ron and looked him up and down, and then he turned to address Harry. "Is it just me or have the Weasel's intuitive skills improved?" Ron turned red with rage.

"Not now Draco, I've had a long night; I'm not sure I can be polite." Harry told the blond, "And apologize to Ron."

"I'm not going to apologize to the Weasel," Draco said in his haughtiest voice.

Harry pursed his lips; he was fast loosing his appetite. "Then go away, because people are staring." He had hardly finished his sentence before Draco turned on his heel and strode away. Harry giggled. "Just like taming a wild animal."

Ron stared at Harry. "So, you don't trust him?"

"No," Harry said with a snort. "He will stab me in the back as soon as he gets the chance."

"Then why…"

"It's fun, and, of course…" Harry stopped as Snape came storming in through the side door by the teacher's table. He cast a glare around the room that could be tracked by the waves of cringing students it left in its wake. Harry also ducked down with the other students, but it was only to laugh.

Snape must have been trapped in that maze all night. His smile broadened as he gave the castle a mental "pat on the back." The whole room brightened, and Harry dug into his breakfast with gusto.

"Why are you smiling?" Ron asked.

Harry looked down the table a little ways where Hermione sat with her nose in a book. He shook his head and motioned Ron closer. Some things just had to be shared no matter who was listening.