Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the HP character or other things you recognize from the books.

CHAPTER 13

Reviving Friendships

Harry stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He grabbed another towel and used it to quickly dry most of his hair before he pulled on his boxers and left the bathroom.

The dormitory was empty. And he went over to his trunk that he had already enlarged, and began to dig around. He pulled out a black wife beater, a black button-up silk dress shirt, a pair of black cargo pants, and a pair of socks, his gloves, and boots.

He quickly pulled the rest of his clothes on and grabbed his trench coat, wand, and money bag before he exited the dormitory and bounded down the stairs.

The common room he saw was all but empty. Mel laid stretched out on the couch reading. He slowly made his way to her.

"Hey where is everyone?" He asked once he had reached her. She placed her bookmark into the book and closed it.

"Enshronkio..." she whispered and the book shrunk and she put into her pocket."They went to breakfast15 minutes or so ago I stayed to allow the other girls talk about how weird I am." she stated standing up and he saw what she was wearing.

"What the hell are you wearing" he asked.

Mel was wearing her usual make-up, a short plaid skirt that showed the straps that held up her fishnet stockings, a skin tight white blouse that was a quarter of the way unbuttoned as well as a pair of black high heals that looked quite similar to the shoes that Hogwarts girls wore except that they added nearly 4inches to her height and looked as though they belonged to a hooker. To top it off she put her hair up in pig-tales.

"School girl outfit." she said innocently.

"Ok but you need to at least put a tank top underneath ok?"

Mel sighed and flicked her wand; a black tank top appeared underneath. It successfully covered most of her breasts. Harry smiled and she rolled her eyes.

"Happy?" She asked as if she were offended or angry. He nodded. And she smiled shaking her head and raking a hand through her black and red hair. He noticed that her gloves matched her skirt.

"What happened? You look like a drowned rat seriously you should at least try to do something with your hair." she scolded. He smirked and shook his head like a dog after it get out of the shower. Little water droplets flew every where. Mel glared darkly at him as she cast a drying spell on herself.

"Well? Now it's spiked." he said with a smirk. She rolled her violent purple eyes.

Together they walked to and through the porthole, shrunk their coats and put them in their pockets.

Mel was amazed at how big and beautiful the castle was. Harry grimaced as he remembered running through the halls with Ron and Hermione.

It wasn't long till they were at the great hall and Harry realized that there were butterflies in his stomach. He ignored them. Harry reached out and grasped the door handle and pulled it open.

The chatter and noise died down as Harry and Mel entered. Harry took a deep breath and quickened his pace towards Gryffindor table. He saw that Ron Hermione and Ginny had saved Him and Mel a seat. Harry felt the entire halls eyes on him as he sat down next to Ginny. Mel took the seat next to him, across from Hermione who was next to Ron. Harry looked around the hall. The Slytherins were glaring at him and he smirked as new plans entered his mind.

"Harry is something wrong?" Ginny asked tentavilly. He turned to her. "It's just that you look a little ... Well scary."

"Oh I'm sorry didn't want to make you uncomfortable." He said quickly. And indeed he did actually mean it. "Look I realize you're a little uncomfortable. But can we move past that and all be friends again? I mean I am definitely going to need your help with... things." He said lowering his voice. They nodded quietly. Mel was looking at them all with amusement in her eyes.

"Yeah your right Harry it's just that it was a huge shock. You may not know but you've already had two burial ceremonies." Hermione informed him. Harry's eyes widened and a smirk formed on his face.

"Wow! I knew I was buried at Godrics Hollow but where else?"

"Here you dumbass and you do know cause I told you when you came back!" Mel said heatedly. Harry thought for a minute.

"Oh yeah after I told you to fuck off." he paused as he laughed those around him backed away.

"Ha ha... actually several times not just once you were a right basterd when you woke up." she said laughing herself. The other three stared confusedly at them.

"Err... Harry are you two together?" asked Ron nervously. Mel began to laugh even harder as did Harry.

"Me...Her? Ha ha ha...aaaaahhh...no." he said as he stopped laughing as did Mel.

"Now that would be some fuc... Messed up relationship." She said. Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yeah especially since neither of us like human contact... That'd be pretty freakin hilarious!" He exclaimed "anyways have you two hooked up yet?" He asked pointing at Ron and Hermione and raising an eyebrow. Said people cheeks reddened before shaking their heads 'no'. Harry let out a laugh and began to pile food up on his plate.

The two red heads and the brunette began filling Harry and Mel in on all of the things that went on in Hogwarts when he was gone. Harry felt almost completely relaxed during the conversation. But then again he didn't allow himself to be entirely relaxed because that was when things mistakes were made.

"Despite everything this place still looks the same..." He murmured to himself.

"Yeah... But it doesn't feel the same. Not without Dumbledore." Ginny said as she had obviously heard him.

Harry's fists clenched. Hermione noticed and told him comfortingly-

"Harry It wasn't your fault he died. That blame goes on Snape..." she never got the chance to finish her statement as Harry's anger got the best of him.

"DON'T EVER... ever say that name around me, again." He said lowering his voice dangerously as the first words had brought a lot of stares their way. Hermione looked into her friend's eyes and saw a murderous spark in them that scared her deeply.

"Harry ... What did he do to you?" she asked looking him strait in the eye.

Harry broke the eye contact and looked at his hands that were literally smoking through his gloves.

A dark smirk crossed his face as he said. "I don't remember." and laughed at their reaction. The stunned looks on their faces were priceless. "Actually I don't know... I just know that he's going to regret it..." His face was blank of all emotion as he said that in a monotone. He started chuckling again to himself as he turned towards his plate and dug into the scrambled eggs.

"Ok Harry I think there's a reason I didn't feed you till 10." Mel said taking his plate from him as he shrugged.

"You fed him as well?" Ginny asked. Mel nodded.

"Yup I was basically his maid. But he taught me a lot in return so I guess it's a pretty close trade."

"Yeah I mean she did help me figure out how to heal most of my injuries..." Harry started.

"What do you mean most?" asked Ron. "You seem perfectly healthy other than how pale you are and the scar we saw earlier... You didn't do that to yourself did you?"

"No... I don't cut myself... on purpose anyways. And what I mean by most is that some injuries just aren't reparable even with magic... Mostly due to the fact they were caused with magic. Not to mention that they were healed terribly and then ruined again." He said rather quickly and calmly even though inside he was shifting un comfortably.

Harry looked around and saw that people were leaving for the Hogsmeade weekend. He pulled out his 'mini' trench coat and whispered "engorgio" as he waved a hand over it. The coat returned to its normal size and Harry stood and pulled it on.

"Ready to go Mel?" Harry asked as he played with the collar. She nodded as she flung her enlarged coat over her shoulders and began buttoning the buttons from the waist up. The Chinese styled, shiny black coat clung to her body.

"Ready." she said. Harry nodded and they walked up to the staff table where Lupin and Tonks were talking quietly with each other.

"Moony!" Harry said rather loudly with a smile spread across his face as he looked at his last link to his parents and godfather. His cold hard eyes softened as he saw the weariness in the werewolf's eyes. There were lines around Lupins eyes. As well as red lines in the whites of his eyes.

Guilt pain and sorrow that he had willed away so long ago filled his very being as he realized what horrors the weary man before him had been through. As he realized that it was his entire fault. Anger flared in him, not directed at anyone but himself. Silently he vowed that he would make everything right... one way or another.

"Well are you ready to go?" Tonks asked politely. He saw the two adults before him rise and walk to join Mel and himself. Harry shook his head and stared at the ceiling where you could see the sun fighting the clouds to be seen. He looked down at his pocket and reached his hand in for his small note pad. He ripped out a piece of parchment and muttered "portus" before he tore it into 4 pieces and handed them out to the two adults and Mel saving one for himself. A pull behind the navel later and they landed in a corner of the leaky cauldron.

"You know Harry that's illegal." Tonks said. Harry nodded thoughtfully

"Yeah... but I didn't feel like walking to Hogsmeade just to apparate away. And floo would have gotten my clothes dirty." Harry whined. Lupin chuckled softly at the agitated look Tonks gave Harry.

"Harry your clothes are black! The soot wouldn't show!" she said before laughing because Harry smiled sweetly at her.

"Yeah can we get some drinks first before shopping?" Mel asked. Harry flicked his wrist and reached into his pocket pulling out a bottle of Fire whiskey. He took a long draw from it before he handed it to Mel.

"Harry where'd you get that?" Lupin asked cautiously

"I just conjured it." Harry said moving towards the back door that would bring them to the brick wall that hid Diagon Alley Once they reached the brick wall Harry stopped and turned to the adults.

"You guys need to calm down and relax... I'm still Harry. Ok? I'm not gonna kill you or hurt you." Harry said

"We never thought you would..."

"So why are you so uptight?" He asked accusingly. "I'm sill the Potters' boy. And I'm still Sirius' godson... And you are still Moony. One of the three great marauders..." He sighed as he tapped the bricks with his wand.

"Harry there were four Marauder's..." Lupin started.

"The rat don't count." Harry said sternly they laughed and walked inside to shop...

------A few minutes later-------

"Can we PLEASE go where we want to go?" Mel practically begged the adults before her

"You aren't going to go get more tattoos or piercing's!" Lupin stated sternly.

"Look we're going and there's nothing you can do to stop us... Now you can come and make sure all goes well or we can go alone... Your choice." Harry said with a grin as they asked for the coordinates.

"Ok... Mel why don't you go buy what ever you wanted in Hot Topic while I go get my tattoo as it'll take longer than your piercing." Harry said they nodded and left to the different stores. Mel went with Tonks while Lupin went with Harry.

Harry walked into the tattoo parlor and handed the heavily tattooed man a drawing.

"Can you do it?" Harry asked. The man nodded.

"Where do you want it?" he asked

"Back"

"Kay, lay down on that table and I'll be with you in a second." Harry nodded and obeyed. The man returned and Harry heard the needle turn on and felt it as it set to work.

"How does he needle know what to do?" Lupin asked

"Well, the guy puts the drawing into it and tells it the size and what not that it should be. And the needle goes to work..." He said some what enjoying the pain from the needle.

"Harry How's it goin'?" He heard Mel ask.

"Pretty good I think. How's it look?" Harry asked her.

"Wow! It looks great!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Hey sir can I get a belly piercing..." Mel asked as she walked farther away from Harry towards another guy behind the counter...

-----------

"I can't believe that you thought of then drew that! What is it anyway?" Tonks asked as Harry's back was being wiped off by a wet rag.

"It's a Phoenix in a fire-lily. Or in other words lily on fire." Harry said. As he stood up and walked in front of the tall mirror. Mel held up another mirror so that he could see the tattoo. It was just like his drawing. The flames were Green and black along with the lily. Although he did notice that the phoenix was not present. The tattoo covered most of his back and didn't touch the words above it.

The guy Harry talked to earlier flicked his wand and a large bandage attached itself to his back covering the tattoo.

"Now keep that on for 24 hours as it has a water repellent charm on it to keep it safe. And come back this time in two weeks and I'll put the phoenix in. right now there would be a good chance of the needle messing up or piercing the skin." The tatooer said before Harry left after paying him. The four of them apparated back to a drenched Diagon Alley and attacked the stores for school supplies.

Unfortunately there was another attack but of a different sort that would cost many their lives... and some their very sanity.