Disclaimer: Harry Potter is Rowling's toy, I'm playing with it.

Warning: Less than morally-acceptable scenarios.

Beta: silverseed

Ridiculous.

That's what it was. Ridiculous.

Harry could feel her annoyance bubbling inside of her at the mere mentioning of that atrocious woman coming to visit. For she was the one woman who could grate horrendously so on Harry's nerves—enough that Harry wasn't even able to maintain even an iota of politeness for the beast. Oh, how Harry despised her and oh how Moratorium longed to kill her.

However, Harry had to remain a good girl, and as such she did nothing more than stare blankly when the dreadful news were given. On the night That Woman (Harry couldn't even acknowledge her name—names were given to creatures who were considered worthy enough to hold one, she was not) came, Harry could feel her teeth grinding together as she was forced to serve the family.

She really, really hated living with them.

The moment she was able to move out, she would. Seventeen could not seem so far away.

Finally, when the dreadful meal was over (it took every ounce of self-restraint on her part not to indulge Moratorium's wishes and off the woman the moment she started making snide comments about Harry's parents), Harry stormed off into her room, slammed the door shut, dragged her bookcase across it and let out a string of curses.

"I hate that woman. I really do. I hate this house. I really, really, do," Harry muttered, her eyes lingering a moment or two longer on the bars on her window. They really didn't bother her, she had Dobby specially enchant them so that they would bend under her specific touch. While she herself wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school, her elf was.

Harry let out a short breath before whirling around, falling onto her bed. Her eyes scanned over her neat room before resting on the clipped out newspaper photo—it was of Ron and Ginny's family on vacation to Egypt.

At first, Harry never intended to include Ginny in on her alliance. Especially when the silly girl got herself so easily manipulated by Tom, but after spending a handful of hours with her afterwards she found that she quite liked Ginny. There was something likable about the girl. Both she and Ron made sure to write to Harry all about their time in Egypt. Harry's other fri—alliances kept in touch, as well. Draco had an eventful summer on vacation with his mother and father; Hermione seemed to enjoy her summer with her parents, as well; Neville and his Grandmother actually went on their own vacation; Fred and George (like Ron and Ginny) wrote to Harry about Egypt, too…

Harry felt a small stab in her chest.

Everyone had a family.

Harry never really wanted a family. The one she had was dreadful and she couldn't really imagine having any other type of family. She never planned on wanting one, either. Her parents were dead and she acknowledged their sacrifice for her. Some part of her felt as if by wanting a family, she was ruining their sacrifice on her behalf. The other, more largely dominate, part of her warned her that having a family was not worth it. Having friends was not worth it. She was Moratorium and Moratorium could not afford friends or family or loved ones. It was too dangerous. Everyone needed to be kept at arm's length, so that when push came to shove, strings could be cut without Harry and Moratorium's heart being broken.

It was the most logical approach, the most rational.

Moratorium did not want family or friends.

For a long, long time, Harry Potter thought she did not want family or friends, either.

She admitted she enjoyed spending time with her alliances, and she very much liked the close-knit feel the Weasley family provided, but she also told herself that they could never be anything more than alliances.

It was the safest thing to do.

Harry shook her head, still feeling the sting of anger inside of her from That Woman.

Moving to her window, she opened it, bent the bars away and jumped down the short distance into the bushes below. She wasn't all that concerned about getting back up in the room—she could always call Dobby and ask him to take her back to her room.

With her wand tucked in her hands, she started walking to the park.

Upon reaching her destination, she took a seat on the swings and let out a long sigh.

Despite no longer living in the cupboard under the stairs—even having a decent sized room—she still felt cramped and trapped inside that suffocating house.

There was a soft snort in front of her and Harry looked up tiredly before her eyes settled on a stray dog.

"Yellow eyes Damn, I miss my baby," Harry gave a small sigh, turning away from the dog and reminiscing about her darling Basilisk back at Hogwarts. "Why can't I hurry up and grow, so I can bring back my darling pet home with me? Poor thing must be so lonely at Hogwarts…"

The dog gave a small snort, padding softly forward, hesitantly.

Harry turned back to the dog. "Aren't you a raggedy thing? I don't Mmm…"

Harry rummaged through her pockets before finally pulling out a small box of crackers. She had bought them a couple days ago at a vending machine when she went shopping. She had meant to eat them right away, but was distracted and soon enough forgot them in her jacket pocket.

She opened the box, pulling out some crackers and holding them out towards the dog.

Damn Hagrid. I swear I'm becoming more and more of an animal lover, Harry thought rather fondly as the dog came closer and sniffed the crackers.

Harry reached out with her other hand and ran her fingers through the dog's dirty fur. After the entire box of crackers was gone, the dog sat down on his haunches and licked his chops. Harry assumed the dog was a male, but she acknowledged it very well could have been a female. She carefully scratched behind his ears and he gave a small growl.

"Ah, don't like that, then?" Harry laughed, retracting her hands and setting them in her lap. "Fair enough, fair enough."

The dog gave another whine before setting his massive head in her lap, Harry moved her hands and gently stroked the top of the dog's head.

"I wish I could take you with me to Hogwarts," Harry told him. "I actually have the perfect place to hide you. I've always wanted a dog—I wanted a pet in general, actually, but a dog specifically. Hagrid bought me an owl for my birthday and I adore him so, but he's not all that affectionate. I have another pet—your eyes kind of remind me of him, actually—but I can only keep him at Hogwarts for the time being. He's too conspicuous."

The dog tilted his head, looking up at Harry.

"I'm sorry, I really wish I could," Harry told the dog sincerely. "I wish I could bring you back to that house, too, but I don't think I could hide you without resorting to magic and that would be asking for trouble. Not to mention that is no place for an animal of any sort."

The dog gave a small whine.

"Trust me," Harry said dryly, "for eleven years they kept me in a cupboard—a human child—and used me as little more than a servant. Not to mention the actual punishments…"

Harry fell silent, her hands curling into fists and as she fought back the strong bubbles of rage that began to rise up inside of her. "Trust me, dog, you don't want to stay there."

The dog gave a quiet snarl, stepping away from Harry to seemingly pace furiously back and forth.

Harry's rage subsided and she watched the dog in amusement. "I suppose I should be heading back there, though—"

The dog gave a sharp bark, shaking his head in a firm no manner.

"Oh?" Harry asked rhetorically. "You don't think so? What a bright dog. Neither do I, however, I must stay with them until it is time for me to go back to Hogwarts."

The dog gave another sharp bark, shaking his head no again.

Harry didn't bother to respond to the animal, choosing instead to call out, "Dobby?"

Dobby appeared in a flash of light, smiling brightly. "Yes, Missus Potter?"

Harry gave an affectionate smile for her favorite elf. "Do you think you can take me back to my room? Oh and do you think you can give this dog a bath and feed him?"

Dobby gave a firm shake of his head. "Yesses, Missus Potter! Alright doggy, be good! Dobby will be back for you."

The dog cocked his head and shook it, taking a few steps towards Harry. Before anything else could happen, though, Dobby had teleported Harry back into her room. Harry sat down at her desk while Dobby teleported away.

I suppose now would be a good time to deal with Tom, Harry thought, pulling out the diary and setting it down on her desk. I haven't opened it or talked to him the entire summer—too busy researching the correct spell needed and refining it. Thankfully, I was able to find it with enough time to refine it before school started.

Harry opened the book.

'Hello, Tom. I have some news for you.'

'Hello, Harry. It's been a while.'

'I suppose. I've been busy making arrangements for us.'

'Oh? May I ask what kind of arrangements?'

'You'll see them when I get to school and have time to return to the Chambers. I thought I would give you a warning, as this will be the last time we will converse in this manner.'

Tom did not reply for a while, mulling over Harry's words.

'Do you mean we will converse in another manner? Like face-to-face?'

'In a manner of speaking, yes.'

'You actually plan on giving me a physical body?'

Moratorium smiled.

'You will see.'

Closing the book, Moratorium and Harry gave out a chuckle of amusement—finding amusement from very different things.

Harry had her reasons for wanting to keep a hold on Tom. Moratorium had his own reasons for wanting to keep hold of Riddle, as well.

He knew, instinctively and logically, that Riddle was an intelligent and cunning person. The fact that he had risen so far was a testament to that. Moratorium could respect Riddle in that aspect. Yet Yet someone so quick—witted, so rational, was able to fall so hard and in such a way it left Moratorium flabbergasted. He had never read or researched someone who fell in such a way that did not involve some sort of chemical accident.

In a lot of ways, Riddle was like Moratorium. So the fact that he had fallen so hard...

unnerved Moratorium. He did not like it.

His reason for keeping Riddle around was so that way he could learn from his mistakes.

He was not going to fail where Riddle had. And the only way to do that was to learn exactly where Riddle fell and how.

In some ways, one of Harry's reasons was similar to Moratorium's. She wanted to know exactly how he fell, but more importantly—she wanted to know about the supposed 'Dark Lord.' After all, while she still didn't consider him a very large threat, she couldn't ignore the fact that he had been behind not one, but two nearly lethal (for her alliances) school years. She had a feeling that until she finally offed him, he would continue to be an annoyance.

Moratorium also wanted the Dark Slut gone, as he had already discovered that, so long as there were whispers of his survival, there were possible tools and investors that were out of Moratorium's reach—dedicated to the has-been.

He escaped death once—twice technically if you count Harry's first year run-in with him—and Harry was sure he would continue to do so again until she figured out how to stop him.

Who better to know his weakness than himself?

But again; she had to earn Tom's trust, or at least his cooperation.

Kill two birds with one stone. Answer Harry's questions and put an end to the annoyance, Moratorium thought.

Harry inwardly nodded in agreement.

Speaking of Moratorium…

There had been a few hiccups over the summer. With the sinful island in full swing (actually named Siren Heaven due to its apparently tempting nature, like the sirens), there had been several attempted lawsuits against it—they all failed, or died if they were looking like they would succeed. The Aurors were getting quite angry, but Marwyn was very good at his job. He was currently Moratorium's favorite tool. More importantly, though, there had been some who tried to take over Moratorium's island, small groups of wanna-bes. It was interesting to see them struggle, but mostly a nuisance. Moratorium knew it was only a matter of time before competition began arising as others started to follow his example. More brothels, casinos and bars were beginning to grow—brothels and bars that Moratorium had no say in.

Those that could not be bought out were quickly blacklisted and Moratorium sought ways to sabotage them. After all, killing them would only beg for more attention from the Aurors and it increased the chances of Marwyn messing up. It was too risky and not worth it. Besides, Moratorium was having some fun sabotaging them. His latest sabotage involved planting incriminating evidence of one of his target's murders (the target was trying to file a lawsuit at Siren Heaven the idiot), and sending his wife some photos of her darling husband with a very friendly young lady. Once the owner of the business was locked up and or ruined, his business would be left in the hands of his furious wife, who would be very displeased with him—displeased enough that if Moratorium offered the right price, the place could very easily be bought.

Aside for those minor hiccups, everything else was going smoothly. The guilds were training their recruits nicely and Moratorium was hearing nothing but positive reports regarding his latest crew in the assassins guild.

For Harry's third year, Moratorium planned on setting up and establishing more businesses on Siren Heaven—along with a few other select places. The first business was underground dueling—as dueling was apparently illegal in most places and was a very old sport. However, Moratorium felt that the glaring lack of sports in the wizarding world was a tragic shame. He knew they would never go for anything involving direct physical labor—let's face it, the wizarding world was lazy in general, but they would adore something flashy and adrenaline-pumping. Nothing was more adrenaline-pumping than an actual fight, so Moratorium went for the closest thing: dueling.

The second sport was something Moratorium was looking forward to setting up.

Mythical Creature Racing. As in, dragons, gryphons, hippogriffs—anything went, so long as it could race. Seeing how there was nothing illegal about it in the legal system —the government really only seemed to frown upon Muggles, Dark Arts, and non-humans—Moratorium planned on setting it up in a more public area as well as Siren Heaven.

You know, it's a bit strange, Moratorium mused.

What is?

The school year is so close, yet we haven't seen anything interesting or life-threatening happen to us, yet. I hope this year doesn't prove too boring.

That would be dreadful.

(◡‿◡✿)

"So this is the only car available?" Harry inquired, slipping into the slightly filled—there was one other person there, a sleeping man—car behind Hermione. Hermione glanced back at Harry, giving her a small nod.

Harry slid into the car, sitting next to the sleeping man while Hermione sat across from her, her cat purring loudly in her lap. The door of the car slid open and George and Fred squeezed inside, both sitting on opposite sides of Hermione and slinging an arm around her shoulders. Hermione gave them both annoyed glances. "You do know we were saving those seats for your brother and sister."

"We know," they chorused. "We wanted to sit with Harry for a bit. They can sit with Lee until we're finished."

"What for?" Harry asked curiously, ignoring the look Ron was giving his brothers when he noticed the car was full.

George pulled out a map. "You remember this, Harry?"

"Of course, the secret tunnels. What about it?"

"We would want to give this to you," Fred began, "seeing how we don't need it anymore. We have exactly two more years left—after this year, 'course—and we decided that we want to leave this map in capable hands."

"And we know that you can be quite devious when you want to be," George said.

"And?" Harry prompted again.

George and Fred exchanged glances. "While we told you this map told us about the secret tunnels, we didn't tell you what else it did."

They unrolled the parchment, ignoring the curious looks both Harry and Hermione were giving them when the two girls only saw a blank parchment.

"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good," the twins chorused, touching the tips of their wands to the parchment.

Harry and Hermione's eyes widened when they saw the map of Hogwarts appear and Moratorium gave an inward smirk. Not only did the parchment show an excellent map of Hogwarts—it held the exact location of everyone inside the building.

"What do you want for it?" Harry asked immediately.

"Harry, what are you thinking? This can't be allowed in school," Hermione sniffed.

"I'm thinking Voldewhore won't be able to sneak up on me again," Harry said dryly.

Hermione gave a grudging nod. " I don't like it."

"You don't have to," the twins chorused. "To get this map, Harry-kins, you have to prove to us that you can be as devious as us."

" How about I do a very elaborate and showy prank?" Harry asked instead.

"Works for us."

Harry held out her hands. "Pleasure doing business with you, boys."

They shook.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry was sleeping quietly on Hermione's shoulder, a blanket tightly around her while her frie—alliances—conversed quietly. She was having a relatively pleasant dream when she awoke to the train stopping. Blinking her eyes open, she found herself staring in near darkness, as the lights had gone out.

"Wha—"

"The train's stopped," Ginny said, frowning in confusion.

"But we aren't there yet," Hermione said, equally confused.

Harry stared bleary-eyed at the window, her eyes narrowing. "Frost. Why is there frost on the window?"

"Is it me, or is it getting really cold?" Ron asked, rubbing his arms.

"It's not you," Neville replied, shivering.

Harry gave a large yawn before standing up. "I'll see what's up. Stay here."

Exiting the car, Harry peered down the long, empty, dark hallway before making her way towards the conductor's car. However, a few steps down, she stopped when she felt a sharp chill run down her spine. With wide eyes, she turned around slowly, her eyes widening even more so when she recognized exactly what was before her.

A Dementor.

Of all the Harry thought. The one creature I couldn't master the spell to fight off. Really? Really? My best chance would be to find an upperclassmen…

The Dementor began to drift towards her and Harry took several steps back, pulling out her wand.

Or call for Dobby and leave the train, Moratorium suggested.

But then Hermione and the others would be left defenseless.

Moratorium did not reply and Harry began focusing her mental shields. While she knew there was only way to ward off a Dementor, there were ways of resisting their abilities. Occlumency was one of them.

"I know you're intelligent," Harry said, still backing away from the creature. "I know you simply choose not to be in most cases, but I will warn you now; if you attack me, you will regret it. This is a Hogwarts student train and that means that if you harm so much as one student, there will be hell to pay."

The Dementor continued to approach Harry.

"Of course you're so focused on me that you won't listen to reason," Harry muttered, her back finally pressing against a wall. The tip of her wand began to glow a bright white.

Well. I always was told that I worked best under pressure, Harry thought sardonically.

That was when a giant silver wolf came barreling down the wall, hitting the Dementor and effectively warding the thing off. Soon afterwards, the light came back on and Harry relaxed. At the end of the hallway was the sleeping man—who was no longer sleeping—with his wand held out, his eyes sharp.

Harry relaxed her stance, cocking her head. "Hello. Thank you."

He gave a short nod. "Are you alright?"

"I've been better."

He gestured towards her. "Come here, then. I'll see if I can find some, ah, chocolate for you…"

Harry nodded her head, ignoring the looks she was given from other passengers and following the man back into their car.

"I am, ah, Professor Lupin," the man said, holding out a chocolate bar for Harry. She took it with a quiet thank you, nibbling on it.

"A pleasure," Hermione said immediately. "I am Hermione Granger, and these are my friends, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, his sister, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter."

Lupin gave a nod in the direction of each name. "Likewise."

"Any idea what exactly the bloody hell Dementors were doing on the train?" Ron asked.

"That would most likely be because of Fudge," Lupin said. "He sent the Dementors in hopes of protecting young Miss Potter."

"Bloody good job at that," Ron muttered.

Lupin gave a thin smile.

"Protecting me from what?" Harry asked.

"Why do you sound a little excited?" Ginny sighed.

"From Sirius Black," Lupin said.

"Oh What's so bad about him?"

"Sirius Black is a murderer," Lupin answered, "and he's out for you, Miss Potter."

" That's it?" Harry asked, a little disappointed.

Hermione, Ron and Neville sighed while Lupin and Ginny appeared slightly startled.

Harry shook her head. "Well it won't be anywhere near as fun with all the Dementors running around. Oh well. I'll make do."

Lupin gave a small smile of amusement. "Gryffindor, I take it?"

"You would be correct," Harry replied. "Although, with all these Dementors running around, will you be teaching us the Patronus Charm in DADA—assuming you are the new DADA professor?"

"I am the new DADA professor and, no; the Patronus Charm is a very difficult charm to learn," Lupin said.

"What if I stayed afterwards to learn it?" Harry inquired. "Please. I'm willing to bribe you with chocolate. Everyone likes chocolate."

Lupin laughed and Hermione piped up, "Actually, I wouldn't mind learning the Charm, also. Especially with all these creatures running around on Hogwarts."

"Same," Neville said immediately. "Hagrid said the only way to fend them off was the Patronus Charm. I—I don't want them anywhere near me."

"I'd like to learn, too," Ginny chirped.

"I better learn it, also," Ron added.

Lupin eyed each of them, his lips twitching in amusement. " Alright. I suppose with so many of you, I can't really refuse. I'll contact you about the lessons after our first class together, hmm?"

"Sounds good to me," Harry declared.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry whistled a happy tune as she made her way through the crowd, intent on finding Draco and informing him about the lessons—as well as the rest of her Quidditch team—before she ran into a small blond haired girl. She gave a polite smile. "Excuse me, miss…?"

"Oh! Luna. Luna Lovegood, and excuse me, as well, Miss Potter, Mr. Moratorium," Luna replied, adjusting her grip on her bag.

Harry's smile slipped.

" What?"

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Luna whispered to her before heading off on her merry little way.

Harry paled significantly while Moratorium spluttered.

Before Harry or Moratorium could make a reply, however, the girl was lost in the crowd.

Mental note: contact Luna Lovegood again. Soon.

(◡‿◡✿)

After the feast—and the announcement of the new professors—everyone was sent off to their dorms. Harry decided to head straight to the Chambers, informing Hermione that she was off on a quick errand. After entering the Chambers, she extracted her bag, and called out, "Dobby?"

The elf appeared, as always, with a bright grin. "Yes, Missus Potter?"

"You've done a wonderful job with the Chamber," Harry told him, looking around.

Dobby had indeed done a marvelous job with the Chamber. Using Harry's and Moratorium's money, Dobby bought the necessary supplies to really make the Chamber Harry's secret home. The floors were polished to a shiny black, there was not a cobweb in sight, and the entire place was well-lit with torches. The fire was specially ordered and enchanted so it could flicker its color and die out whenever Harry wished it so.

The long tunnels were cleared and cleaned out of the bones and debris, instead they were buffed and polished. The water was properly directed through the correct tunnels and there were no excessive and unnecessary ponds. While cleaning the Chamber, Dobby had found a few extra wide-space areas that could double as rooms. They were dried out and carpeted and Harry had Dobby bring in many things from the Potter vault to them—mostly books and other magical items—and picked out quite a bit of new furniture. One room was dedicated to magical training—there were dummies, cauldrons, weapons racks, cabinets to store ingredients, etc. Another room was set up as a library and study and the final room was set up as a sort of master bedroom.

In all the rooms, however, Dobby made sure to keep into account the Basilisk, making sure there was plenty of room for him to maneuver through them with ease.

"Dobby is pleased Missus Harry is pleased!" Dobby squealed, jumping up and down.

Harry gave Dobby a bright smile. "Would you be a dear and go ahead and bring me the cows?"

"Right away!"

Dobby disappeared in a crack and was gone for only a couple of heartbeats before reappearing with five cows.

"Thank you, dear, that will be all. Go ahead and take a break for the rest of the night."

Dobby nodded firmly, disappearing again as Harry murmured the words to summon her Basilisk.

The Basilisk kept his eyes closed—he did not really need them, anyway—as he slithered out of his room—which Dobby had cleaned and carpeted with a specially enchanted carpet that would warm up to keep the room at a toasty temperature for the beast—and approached Harry.

"Welcome back, missstresss," he sighed, bending his head down.

"It's good to be back, precious one. I brought you your favorites," Harry said, gesturing to the cows.

He swung his massive head towards the beasts before letting out a soft hiss and moving towards his prey.

While he ate, Harry pulled out the diary and began to explain what she had in mind for it.

By the time he was finished eating, Harry was finished talking.

"Very well, I will do as you asssk, missstresss," he replied, his tongue flicking out and brushing against Harry's cheek. Harry gave a giggle.

"Thank you. Ah, which reminds me, before I go, have you decided on your name?"

He gave another small hiss. "I have. Basileusss. That is the name I have chosen."

It took a while for Harry to process the name. Basileus, for king. Harry gave a small laugh. "It suits you, dear one. Very well, I must be heading back to my dorms, Basileus, sweet dreams."

Basileus dipped his head before slithering away from Harry, back to his cozy nest.

(◡‿◡✿)

The following morning, after breakfast, Harry had Dobby find out Luna's schedule so Harry could track her down. It didn't take Dobby long and soon enough, Harry was skipping her first DADA class (a shame, but a necessary one) and stupefying Luna when no one was looking. She dragged the girl to the girl's bathroom and had Myrtle guard the door.

It wasn't long before Luna came to, blinking her blue eyes up at Harry. "Oh. Hello Harry. Or is it Moratorium? I can't quite tell."

"Harry," Harry replied, her eyes narrowed. "However, Moratorium very much wishes to speak with you. I'm afraid if he does, it would be unpleasant for you. I don't really want that to happen, so I would prefer it if you remained honest with me."

Luna nodded her head. "I will. I don't lie."

"How do you know about Moratorium?" Harry demanded.

"I do," Luna said. "The same way I know that the Nargles are quite annoying creatures."

Harry blinked. Wha…?

Of course, Moratorium sighed. A Seer.

"You're a seer? Wait..."

How did Nargles prove she's a Seer?

Harry's brow furrowed as she thought carefully on how Moratorium came to that conclusion. A heartbeat passed before she let out an annoyed sigh. Marwyn had mentioned the Lovegoods before—he was describing what Harry would guess to be Luna's mother—saying that Mrs Lovegood was a prodigy Seer and an Unspeakable. Divination was a very rare gift passed on through blood or chance. It would stand to reason that Luna would be a Seer, as well. However, how her gift worked would remain up for question. Each Seer worked differently.

For some, they could only tell prophecies, for others they could find lost things. Mrs Lovegood, if Harry could recall, was a Seer that could see a person's past and dreams. More than likely Luna held a similar gift—perhaps she was able to see into a person's very heart, very soul? Or maybe their dreams? Perhaps she was gifted in knowing things—she had no specific area to know, she knew.

If that was the case…

Harry sighed, sitting down in front of Luna. "I am sorry for kidnapping you."

"It's quite alright. It was a little fun, actually. I've never been kidnapped before, you see," Luna told Harry, smiling serenely. Harry's lips twitched.

"Glad you think of it that way," Harry told her. "I don't suppose I could have your magical oath not to tell anyone about Moratorium and myself?"

"I don't see why not," Luna told Harry, holding up her wand. "I hereby swear on the name of Lovegood not to inform any other living creature about the connection between Harriet Potter and Moratorium, unless given permission by the aforementioned."

Harry blinked as Luna's wand sizzled a bright blue. " That was really easy. O-Okay. I was not expecting that to be easy."

Luna continued to smile serenely.

Harry eyed her another moment before smiling back. "I like you. Thank you for making that very easy. Allow me to walk you back to your class."

Luna nodded her head as Harry helped her to her feet.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry waited patiently for the DADA class to file out before entering, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Professor Lupin?"

Lupin glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "Ah. There you are. Might I ask where you were?"

Harry winced. "I lost track of time playing with Basileus."

Lupin blinked. " Who? No what?"

"My pet," Harry explained. "Professor Dumbledore said I could keep him at Hogwarts, because I can't really keep him anywhere else for the moment, but I have to keep him away from the other students, too. I'm really sorry, and I'm willing to take whatever punishment you want and retake the lesson at your leisure."

"Do you have any more classes for the day?"

"No," Harry replied.

"Then we can start now," Lupin said. "And there will be no punishment; so long as it does not happen again."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much, Professor Lupin."

Lupin gave Harry a smile. "Not a problem, follow me, Harry…"

Harry gave a short nod, following behind Lupin as he entered the staffroom; the room was empty.

Lupin waved his hand. "Now do you see that wardrobe, Harry?"

"Yes, it's shaking."

"There's a boggart in there," Lupin said. "Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces. Wardrobes, the gap beneath bed, the cupboards under sinks—I once met one that wedged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice. So the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?"

"A boogeyman," Harry said, smirking in amusement before dropping her smirk and clearing her throat. "A shape-shifter. It takes the shape of whatever it believes will frighten its victims the most."

"Nicely put," Lupin complimented. "So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out he will immediately become whatever you fear the most.

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. Let's practice the charm without wands first. After me, please Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus," Harry repeated.

"Good, but that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. Come here, let's begin practicing. Right, now Harry: What would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Harry hesitated.

"I—I honestly don't know," Harry confessed. "I've never I—I don't know."

Lupin's eyebrows rose. "Then this might be a bit more difficult. The thing with boggarts and the spell, Riddikulus, is that you have to picture a humorous scene and say the word Riddikulus while focusing on the boggart. If all goes well, what you find humorous will then find its way on the boggart, or become the boggart, if you will."

"I can think of a few things I find funny," Harry said, "or at least mildly amusing. I'm willing to give it a try. Besides, I'm curious as to what exactly I'm afraid of."

Lupin gave her a smile. "Very well."

Her wand poised and her stance shifted, Harry waited. Lupin waved his wand towards the wardrobe and the door opened. The wardrobe stopped shaking until a black gas fell out. The room dimmed and, when the gas cleared, Harry felt her heart constrict and she felt cold in a way she did not expect to feel cold.

It was Moratorium.

Or at least, half of him. The person—creature—before her was half Moratorium, the entire left side a perfect representation, and half Tom Riddle, once again the opposite side a perfect representation. The creature smiled coldly and looked down to the floor. Harry felt her mouth dry as she saw very grotesque and horrified corpses. Parts of the bodies were turned inside out, other parts were burned and dismembered with worms and rats crawling all around them, but their faces—their faces were perfectly intact.

It was Lily and James Potter.

And then there were more of them—Hermione, Draco, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Neville, Hagrid—and more and more and the creature before her said, "Loose ends, had to be cut. You have only yourself to blame for getting too close."

It was then that Lupin stepped in front of her and the scene changed to that of a full moon, with clouds blocking it. Lupin raised his wand and cried out, "Riddikulus!"

The moon turned into a yellow balloon that popped and flew back into the wardrobe. Lupin shut the door behind it, locking it.

Harry was breathing heavily.

Silence was the only thing in the room.

Harry swallowed roughly, before turning on her heel and walking away.

(◡‿◡✿)

She stayed in the DADA room, calming her breath and heartbeat. It did not take long before the door opened and Lupin stepped in, his eyes widening in surprise at seeing her. "I assumed you had headed back to the dorms."

Harry shook her head. "I—I am sorry for walking out. I did not expect…"

Lupin waved his hand. "I suppose I should have considered that your fear would be more…"

"Stereotypical of a horror movie?" Harry offered, smiling wryly.

Lupin's lips twitched. "More unique. I must confess; I did not recognize…"

"It was me and Voldemort," Harry blurted out, her eyes widening and she instantly hated herself for the slip up. "A little different, I guess, but it was still me. I—I think the boggart changed the appearance to better match to better match Voldemort. And the boy—that was what Voldemort looked like during his fifth year at Hogwarts. I—I met him like that last year."

Lupin gave a slow nod, accepting this. "I see. Your fear…?"

"I—I think I'm afraid of turning out like him," Harry said quietly. Afraid of becoming that hollow husk that was him my first year. At least, that's part of it. "And I…"

"You're afraid of getting too close to them."

Harry's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. She did not say anything.

Lupin gave a small sigh, taking a seat on his desk. "I suppose I can understand why you're afraid. With someone as dangerous as Voldemort as an enemy it would be understandable why you would worry you would be putting your friends in danger."

Harry nearly snorted.

I'm not worried about him killing them, Harry thought. I'm worried that I will.

"That does not mean you can't have any friends, though," Lupin said softly. "Everyone needs friends and family. You are not any different in that aspect."

Harry shrugged, not liking what Lupin was saying. Unable to resist, Moratorium sneered, "Family? No. I don't need family. I don't want family. The only family I have are ones that I would not miss if they died."

"Surely you don't mean that…"

Moratorium and Harry gave Lupin a flat look.

Lupin frowned. "Family is—"

"Harmful. Poisonous. Not worth it," Harry interrupted coldly, her eyes narrowing. "It's none of your concern what and how I view family. You are not family. You are a stranger to me, so spare me your lectures."

Lupin looked away, his eyes downcast. "I I know I am a stranger. And for that I am sorry."

Harry's brow furrowed.

"And I am even more sorry that your view on family has become so tainted," Lupin finished softly.

The two fell into silence.

I can't believe I allowed my good girl charade to slip up, Harry thought, annoyed. The scene must have shaken me up more than I originally thought. I should have given myself more time to compose myself. I'll make sure to do that next time.

Harry forced a bright smile on her face. "So, Professor Lupin? Do you have any idea how I can fight off a boggart with my specific fear?"

Lupin looked back up at her, his eyes darkening on her smile before he, too, forced a smile on his face. "You could always picture everyone breakdancing. Add in a disco ball and give them some rainbow afros."

Unable to help herself, Harry snorted in amusement. "That would be quite a scene. Disturbing. But quite a scene. If you don't mind, I'd like to try it."

"Of course, of course, right this way, then, Harry…"

(◡‿◡✿)

The lesson was long, but in the end it was enough. When she pointedly asked Lupin about the extra lessons on the Patronus, he informed her he had already talked to Hermione and the others and they scheduled them after dinner every other day. She then left and went straight to the Chambers, summoning Basileus and pulling out Tom's diary.

After drawing the appropriate runes, she began the spell.

Roughly ten minutes of concentrating later, there was a small flare of light from the diary before a vapid shape began to take form. Basileus let out a small hiss from behind her—she was leaning against her precious pet—and Harry watched as the shape finally formed.

There, floating a little above her, was Tom Riddle.

Tom raised an eyebrow at her, looking down at his hands. " What do we have here?"

Harry gave him a small smile. "A projection spell. It took me a while to find the appropriate one, but find it, I did. It takes the consciousness of a magical object and projects it off the object onto an anchor. Only the anchor and the caster of the spell will be able to speak, hear, and interact with the projection."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So only you can hear and see me?"

"For the moment; correct," Harry said.

"I take it the ssspell went according to plan?" Basileus inquired.

"Yes; thank you Basileus. I will leave the diary in your care, as instructed."

Tom's brow furrowed. "You plan to leave my diary here?"

"Correct," Harry said, her smile becoming a bit more twisted. "To ensure you won't betray me."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how could I possibly do that?"

Harry shrugged. "Who can say? You're clever, though, and I don't want to take chances. I have given explicit instructions to Basileus that if I die, he will use his venom to destroy the diary, thus killing you, as well. Also, by keeping the diary here with him; you won't be able to possess anyone else."

"What's to stop me from possessing you?" Tom inquired, floating towards Harry with a smirk on his face.

Harry gave him a dubious expression. "If you could have possessed me, you already would have."

Tom gave her an annoyed look.

"So why do you have me out here, instead of writing to me in the diary?"

"Because I am assuming writing to you leads to possession," Harry said dryly. "If not, you would have possessed Lucius or Draco, or some other more important and Slytherin-ish person."

Tom shrugged.

"And you are here, so you can see first—hand what a hollow husk you've become," Harry told him. That and I would like to earn your trust so you can confide to us about your plans and mistakes and whatnot. I can't really do that without talking to you, and I certainly won't talk to you through the diary and risk possession.

Tom snorted. "We shall see. So you expect me to float around and follow you all day?"

"Well, I am the anchor, so you must be within ten meters of either me or your diary. And there's absolutely nothing going on down here, so the more entertaining thing to do would be to follow me around," Harry said reasonably. "But if you want to be bored out of your mind, go right ahead and stay here."

Tom pursed his lips. "I see your point."

(◡‿◡✿)

"I'm quite excited for Hagrid," Hermione said the next day, walking alongside Harry and Ron. "It's his dream class, isn't it?"

"You're correct," Harry said.

"So long as it's not boring," Draco muttered, walking backwards and ahead of the trio. "Where's Neville?"

"Bathroom," Ron replied. "Did anyone else figure out how to open the books?"

"Stroke the spine," Harry said absently. "Dobby knew how, I sent him to tell you guys. He said he told Fred and George and that they would tell you, Ron."

"Well, they didn't," Ron replied.

Draco snorted, turning back around to walk beside Hermione.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang at his heels, impatient to start. When Fang spotted them, he hurried over to the group, affectionately nuzzling against Hermione and Harry. Harry bent down and patted the dog while Hagrid spoke.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Go' a real treat for yeh today! Grea' lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "Tha's it—make sure yeh can see—now firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books."

The quartet easily opened their books, with the rest of the students watching them before mimicking them.

Harry gave a small, pleased sigh, idly stroking book. The book started to purr. "I quite like these books, Hagrid."

"I though' they were funny," Hagrid said, pleased with Harry's compliment.

"They are kind of cute," Hermione added.

"What have we here?" Tom asked idly, floating above the class with an eyebrow raised.

Trotting toward them were a dozen hippogriffs. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging onto the paddock behind the creatures.

"Oh, God. Draco, I'm doing this for your own good," Harry said, pointing her wand at him and sending out a Stupefy.

Tom snickered.

Draco fell to the floor, unconscious.

Hermione and Ron sighed, as Neville arrived, red faced. "Sorry I'm la—what happened to Draco?"

Hagrid looked up, confused at Neville's question before he frowned. "I don' 'Arry, what happened?"

"It was for his own good," Harry said firmly. "I regret nothing."

"'Arry, you know better."

"His mother would completely agree with my actions," Harry insisted, recalling how overprotective Narcissa was when it came to Draco's safety. Thanks to the club, Harry knew exactly how proud the creatures were, and thanks to being allies with Draco, she knew exactly how proud he was.

"It really was for his own good," Neville added softly, catching up to what Harry had done when he saw the Hippogriffs. "You know how proud they are."

"Hippogriffs are proud creatures and will attack anyone else who does not show them the proper respect," Hermione explained to Ron.

She explained it loudly enough for the rest of the class to hear and there were plenty of collective nods.

"Really was for his own good," Pansy agreed.

"Well I suppose if he's alrigh' when 'e wakes up, I'll let it slide…" Hagrid shook his head, still confused. "Bu' 'Arry, please don' do that again without my permission."

Harry hesitated. "I promise I will be more considerate next time I render Draco unconscious."

Hagrid smiled warmly. "Thank yeh. Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do. Yeh always wait for the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right—who wants ter go first?"

"Me!" Harry squealed, rushing forward.

Hagrid beamed. "Good girl, 'Arry! Right then—let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Neville was nice enough to move Draco away and prop him up against a tree in the shade.

"Easy, now, Harry," Hagrid said quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"

Tom's lips twitched and he started to hover downwards.

_I swear, if you try to startle me…_

Tom faltered, frowning at the projected words. Part of the spell allowed the anchor to speak privately with the projection. It took some mental focus, but Harry was able to do it.

"You're no fun," Tom sighed.

"That's it," said Hagrid. "That's it, 'Arry now, bow…"

Harry gave a low bow, peering up at the Hippogriff. The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at her. It—He didn't move.

A heartbeat passed before the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.

"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right—yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Excited and pleased, Harry eagerly stretched out a hand towards the majestic beast. She patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed his eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. The class broke into applause.

"Righ' then, 'Arry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might let yeh ride him."

Harry looked up, excited, and beamed at Hagrid.

"You seriously want to ride that creature?" Tom asked skeptically. "You do know how dangerous they are, right?"

_Quite. That's one of the reasons I want to ride him._

"Now I'm starting to see why the damn hat put you in Gryffindor," Tom muttered.

Harry put one foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted herself on his back. Buckbeak stood up and Harry bent down, wrapping her arms around the beast's neck and nuzzling her cheek against him affectionately. "Amazing."

Without warning, the wings flapped open on either side of Harry and before she knew it she was soaring high in the sky. It was nothing like riding a broomstick. With a broom, Harry had a firm hold and had control. With this, there was no control, no way to know when they would be going up or down or left or right. There was only the pleasant rush of adrenaline and the even more pleasant feel of the wind whipping around them. It was chaotic and risky and dangerous and stupid and Harry loved it. Moratorium hated it, but Harry didn't care what Moratorium thought.

Harry was very disappointed when Buckbeak landed.

Harry clung to his neck, giving Hagrid a pleading look. "Can I keep him? Please?"

Hagrid gave a booming laugh while the class erupted into relieved laughter.

"Very good, 'Arry! Okay, who else wants ter go?"

The class exchanged nervous glances before Neville gulped and raised a tentative hand. Hagrid smiled.

Harry still sat on Buckbeak, and Buckbeak didn't seem to mind at all. She gave Hagrid a pleading look.

"Alrigh', alrigh'. If he doesn' mind yeh up there, yeh can stay," Hagrid told her. Harry gave a gleeful giggle. Then again, without warning, Buckbeak took off into the sky.

"I—I didn' say yeh could fly again!"

Neither of the two in flight seemed to care.

(◡‿◡✿)

"My hair is a complete rat's nest from being thoroughly wind-blown, but it was worth it," Harry said firmly. Hermione gave an amused snort while Draco shot Harry another annoyed look.

"I hate you," Draco told Harry for the umpteenth time. He did wake up before class was over and Harry threatened to Stupefy him again if he so much as sneezed out of line. When Hermione explained the situation in more 'reasonable ways' he stopped threatening revenge and grudgingly—with great reluctance, but the promise of a very pissed off Harry seemed to merit truth—admitted it was for the best.

"I know," Harry dismissed, still smiling widely from her lesson with Buckbeak. "I think I'm going to buy him."

"Hagrid?" Ron asked, confused, as the group of students entered the Great Hall.

"I think she means the Hippogriff," Neville answered.

Harry nodded before her eyes landed on Luna at the Ravenclaw table. "Luna!"

The blonde girl looked up, smiling. Harry gestured her over to their table and Luna nodded, moving.

Luna sat down next to Harry, while Harry sat next to Hermione, who sat next to Draco. Across from Draco was Ginny, who was next to Neville, who was next to Ron—who was across from Luna. Fred and George soon sat down next to Luna and Harry cleared her throat.

"Everyone, this my new ally, Luna Lovegood. Luna, this is Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Fred and George Weasley and—oh, there he is, Colin Creevy."

"Sorry I'm late," Colin apologized, sitting down. "Hello. Who's this?"

"Luna Lovegood," Luna introduced herself. "I can see the Nargles have infested you. I'm sorry."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, while the others shared confused looks. "Nargles…?"

"She's a Seer," Harry said pointedly and immediately the confused looks dissolved—with the exception of Hermione's.

"What does that mean?" Hermione asked.

"It means she sees things that most people don't," Draco explained.

"Kind of like Divination, only not really focused on the future," Neville elaborated.

Hermione gave a slow nod of acknowledgement. "Speaking of Divination, Harry, you're lucky you didn't take that class."

"How come?" Harry inquired.

"The professor that teaches the class does not see into the future like she claims," Luna answered vaguely.

Hermione snorted. "An understatement."

(◡‿◡✿)

"Okay, team, we won last year, and the year before that let's keep doing that!" Oliver declared fiercely. Harry sat neatly on her broom, right in between Fred and George as the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team floated high above the ground.

Oliver was 'pacing' back and forth on his broom, ranting and raving about winning, his eyes glinting madly.

Harry, while she admired Oliver, did not share his enthusiasm for the sport and thus grew too bored to listen.

" So what are your plans after graduating?" Harry asked casually, relaxing on her broom.

"We're going to open—"

"—a joke store."

"Really?" Harry inquired, finding it interesting. "That sounds like a very wise investment. You two are natural pranksters and you've come up with some ingenious ideas. May I invest in your store?"

Fred and George's eyes widened and they exchanged glances.

"Are you serious?" Fred asked quietly.

"Of course. I've made a few good investments in my time, so I've got a bit of money to spend. I think it would be wise to invest it in your idea," Harry said.

They exchanged glances again, seeming hesitant.

"What would you want?" George asked.

Harry gave them a thoughtful look. "Ten percent."

"That's all?" George and Fred asked incredulously.

"I don't need anymore, what do you say?"

"How much will you invest?"

"Will ten thousand galleons suffice?"

They looked ready to have a heart attack.

"Are—you—"

"Quite. I can have the money and a contract made up within a month. We can discuss more, later."

"Deal!" the twins exclaimed.

Oliver stopped in his pacing, distracted by the twin's outburst. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing," the trio chorused

(◡‿◡✿)

"And so begins our first Patronus Charm practice," Lupin said to the small gathering. Not only had Harry's alliances shown up, but a fair few of those on the Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch team. It seemed that Draco informed a few of his own alliances, not that Harry cared.

Flint, however, was still sore about Harry dismissing him last year, so he kept shooting her glares.

Lupin cleared his throat. "Right then. The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon—hope, happiness, the desire to survive—but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you all, the Patronus Charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."

"What does a Patronus look like?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."

"And how do you conjure it?" Draco inquired.

"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating with all your might on a single, very happy memory."

Harry and the others began sorting through their memories and the majority of them seemed content with the memory they had chosen. Harry finally settled on the latest memory of riding Buckbeak. She wasn't sure what other memories she had that constituted true happiness.

"Everyone got a memory?" Lupin asked. Everyone nodded.

"Alright, begin!"

With raised wands, they chorused, "Expecto Patronum!"

Little tufts of silvery wisps darted out of all of the upperclassmen's wands, as well as Hermione's, Draco's and Harry's.

"There's no rush. It takes practice," Lupin consoled. "We start again on three One Two Three!"

(◡‿◡✿)

"Oh, come on, Neville, you know you want to ride one again," Harry persisted. "Please? I'm not allowed to leave the school without someone with me and the others are too busy. Please?"

Neville still looked uncertain. "I don't know."

"It's to Hagrid's hut! Once I'm there, you can leave and Hagrid will walk me back, please?"

"Oh, okay," Neville said, relenting. "B-But only because I also want to go, I have more questions about Augureys."

Harry waved her hand in a dismissive manner before grabbing Neville's and dragging him to Hagrid's hut. There, she said a quick hello to Hagrid before running off to Buckbeak and proceeding to shower him in compliments.

When she was done complimenting him, she mounted him and laid on his back, completely content. Buckbeak wandered over to Hagrid's window, sticking his head inside while Hagrid poured tea for Neville.

"That's abou' all I know fer Augureys," Hagrid said, sitting down. "Oh, hullo, 'Arry, Buckbeak."

Harry gave Hagrid and Neville a lazy wave, still content with resting on Buckbeak.

"Hagrid?" Harry drawled, lightly running her finger through Buckbeak's feathers. "What's the most dangerous magical creature that you know of?"

"Why am I not surprised she asked that?" Neville sighed.

Hagrid gave a hum. "Humm I would have ter say a Nundu."

Neville's eyes widened and he shuddered. "I agree!"

Harry's eyes lit up with interest. "Nundus?"

"It takes roughly one hundred wizards to subdue a single Nundu," Tom said idly.

"Aye. They look like a muggle leopard, 'cept they're huge. Think Fluffy huge. And their breath is filled with toxins and disease—'nuff ta wipe out an entire village!"

"Damn," Harry said appreciatively. " Are they tamable?"

"I said it takes one hundred wizards to subdue a single Nundu," Tom exclaimed.

"Dunno. No one's really tried—well, 'cept this one wizard, uh Eldon sumtin' but, uh, his Nundu ate him. But he didn' really treat it real good, so…"

"Then I believe I will try," Harry declared.

"You're insane," Neville told Harry.

However, Hagrid nodded at Harry, smiling. "I'll help!"

"You're insane, too," Neville told Hagrid.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry gave a small groan of annoyance in the Chambers as she tried and failed again to get more than a wisp of smoke from her wand.

Tom watched her lazily. "I don't really see why you want to learn it so badly."

"You saw the Dementors. I'd rather not have a run-in with them and not be able to deal with them," Harry said shortly.

Tom waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "There are other ways. Their loyalties are questionable at best, and so long as you can provide them with a new target, they won't hurt you."

Harry shot him an annoyed glare. "Not everyone has pawns they can send to their death."

Tom gave her a glower. "Don't be barbaric."

"That's rich, coming from you," Harry snarked. "You would stoop so low as to kill children."

"Ginny's death was a necessity. While I would have felt some remorse; my life is more important."

"I wasn't talking about Ginny," Harry snapped. "When I was only one year old, you were intent on murdering me—for reasons I still don't know about."

"Clearly you were a hazard to me and those under my protection," Tom dismissed quickly. "Again, I would have been slightly upset at your death, but it would have been necessary for our protection."

Harry shook her head. "I disagree. You wouldn't have felt bothered at my death, at least not the future you. You certainly held no qualms about murdering me and my f—my own alliances when we were only in our first year. And you didn't even have to kill us. You could have knocked us unconscious."

Tom's lips thinned. "I'm sure I had my reasons."

"I'm sure you've gone off the deep end," Harry retorted.

Tom sneered. "If I'm so insane, why do I have such devoted followers—one going so far as to allow me to possess him?"

"Crazies attract crazies," Harry answered. "If you weren't so insane and sadistic, why did your supposedly most loyal followers defect and claim you used Imperius on them the moment you died?"

"They clearly weren't truly loyal," Tom said pointedly. "My trust was misplaced, simple as that."

"Or maybe they did trust you," Harry said. "Maybe that's why you trusted them in the first place. Because they were sincere in that trust, but then maybe, maybe, you started losing it. You pushed them and broke that trust and so you lost them."

"You're implying I abused them," Tom said, his eyes narrowed.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be ridiculous," Tom said firmly. "I'm not an idiot. My followers were meant to devote themselves to me, to trust and respect me. Not to fear me. If they feared me, that would be far too risky."

Harry frowned. "How so?"

Tom gave her a condescending look. "Everyone has a breaking point, Harry. By living in constant fear of me, by me pushing them further and further to that point, I risk them reaching that point. And when a person reaches their breaking point, when they are shattered beyond repair, one of two things happen: they're either completely useless to me, or they become a very dangerous enemy. They will either become docile vegetables, or rebellious creatures hell-bent on revenge for their torment. And if they reach that breaking point, and if they become those rebellious creatures what makes them so dangerous is that they truly would believe they have nothing to lose."

Tom's eyes narrowed. "There is nothing more dangerous than an enemy who believes they have nothing left to lose, and everything to gain from your demise."

Harry processed his words, thinking carefully. Moratorium gave a small nod in agreement.

"You're right," Harry said. "So that was your original plan, then? For them to follow you out of respect and belief, not fear?"

"Yes," Tom said blandly. "That's why I took the pureblood route—well, one of the reasons. There are quite a few witches and wizards who firmly believe in that. It was an easy belief to exploit."

Harry lowered her wand, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "If that was one of your reasons, you could have easily gone with the pro-Muggleborns. That was—is—just as popular a belief. Actually, it's even more popular than the pureblood belief today."

"I could have, and I did consider it," Tom allowed. "However I had personal reasons for choosing the pureblood route."

"Reasons, such as…?"

Tom only gave her a mocking smile.

Harry frowned.

His smile reminds me a lot of my own.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry pulled the twins aside one evening, a bag of galleons in one hand, and a short stack of papers in the other. She guided them to a secluded area in the empty common room, opened the bag of galleons and presented them with the contract.

She smiled, while they stared at the sack of galleons.

"This is the contract. Read it at your leisure, we have all night, and feel free to count the money."

The twins exchanged glances before both began to read the contract.

The deal was signed and made that very evening.

(◡‿◡✿)

"So silent spells. Teach. Now."

Harry looked up, the day after her conversation with Tom, and tilted her head. "On two conditions. One; we find some place where no one can disturb us—and I mean no one—and two; only I can invite people to the study group."

"Where am I supposed to find some place where no one can disturb us?" Draco whined.

Harry shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? That's your job if you want me to teach you."

"I hate you," Draco told Harry.

Harry only smiled, amused.

Draco gave another sigh before leaving Harry alone and back to her game of Wizard's Chess with Tom.

"Knight to B4," Tom said and Harry moved his piece of accordingly.

Harry eyed the board for a minute or two, contemplating her choices before finally moving her Bishop.

"You know silent spells?" Tom asked.

_Some. I'm trying wandless spells, and I find that I have to be intimately familiar with a spell to have so much as a smidgeon of a chance with them. You'll get to see me practice soon enough._

"I always had the most trouble with wandless spells," Tom said thoughtfully. "At the point in my life where I made the diary, I could only use two spells wandlessly."

Harry looked, awarding Tom with a smile. _That's better than what I can say for myself._

Tom's lips twitched. "Queen to D5."

_How's your aptitude for silent spells?_

"Very well, it's something I actually pride myself on. I find that in order to use silent spells—and wandless spells—all you really need is a focused mind. I know how to use silent spells for every spell I know," Tom said, pride clear in his voice.

_Very talented indeed._ Harry allowed. _However, were you doing silent spells in your second year?_

Tom smirked. "Actually, I was."

"Damn it," Harry grumbled out loud, knocking her king over. _You win this time, Tom._

"And I will the next time, too," Tom promised, chuckling in amusement at Harry's obvious annoyance.

Harry felt her lips twitch upwards.

(◡‿◡✿)

Some weeks passed before the next eventful thing occurred. Harry decided it was high time to receive that map and she wanted to do something that was well before the next Quidditch match, so nothing would get her kicked off the team. Because if she did do that and she was kicked off the team, Oliver would kill her.

Painfully.

And she did not want that to happen.

After Dobby had brought Harry all the necessary supplies and Harry finished perfecting the spells required, she then patiently waited for the evening feast. While all her friends gathered down in the Great Hall, Harry slipped into her costume.

Harry eyed it in the mirror, frowning. It was a little too mature for her tastes, but it was the only one Dobby could find in her size and Harry didn't really want to specially order a costume—as it would take too long for it to be made and it would be a waste of money on this one occasion.

It was a lioness outfit. A Gryffindor lioness outfit, complete with red tights and golden pointy cloth shoes and a one-piece swimsuit shaped golden outfit. She wore long red gloves that matched the tights and at the ends of the gloves, she wore big fuzzy lion paws. She drew whiskers on her face and colored her nose as well. Her hair was pulled up in a bun and she wore a golden colored hood with lion ears at the top. She even added a special tail.

"Not really a Griffin, but a lioness is close enough," Harry murmured in the mirror before grabbing her broom and wand. "This damn straight better get me that map."

"Are you really going to do this?" Tom asked, incredulous.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Why don't you steal the map?"

"Because—" Harry sighed, stopping herself. "That's what Moratorium would do. Right now, I'm Harry Potter, and Harry Potter would indulge her allies."

"Moratorium, Moratorium," Tom drawled, "who is Moratorium? You keep mentioning him. Is he your…?"

"You'll meet him soon enough," Harry said. "And then you can talk to him as much as you want."

"So he'll be able to interact with me, as well?" Tom asked, sounding faintly interested.

Harry nodded her head.

Harry waited a couple more minutes, until the feast was in full swing, before she then hopped onto her broom and soared through the halls of Hogwarts. She flew into the Great Hall, shooting off as many spells as she could at the tables, before casting a final one at the professors' table. She was noticed fairly quickly and she shouted out, "Gryffindor forever!"

The tip of her wand glowed a bright yellow before the entire room was covered by a light and red shower.

When the light cleared, the entire room was dripping with red and gold paint, and the students' hairs were dyed either a bright red or a sharp gold—the only exception to the mess being the food, and the professors' table.

She then let the last enchantment out of her wand, which let out a flurry of sparks before an illusion was cast of fireworks shooting out of her wand in the shapes of Griffins, each one letting out a fearsome roar that shook the entire place before erupting into a shower of sparks.

There was a moment of silence before the entire Gryffindor table erupted into applause, stomping their feet and chanting, "Gryf-fin-dor! Gryf-fin-dor! Gryf-fin-dor!

The Hufflepuff table was not far behind them, only they were chanting their own names as the upperclassmen began changing the red dyes on their hair to black, "Huf-fle-puff! Huf-fle-puff! Huf-fle-puff!"

Then came the Slytherins, changing their dyed hair to the appropriate silver and green, "Slyth-er-in! Slyth-er-in! Slyth-er-in!"

Finally the Ravenclaws, enchanting their hair to the silver and blue, "Ra-ven-claw! Ra-ven-claw! Ra-ven-claw!"

Harry waved her wand for another fearsome roar before she then floated down to her table, taking a seat in between Fred and George, who were clapping their hands and patting her back. Soon enough it wasn't them and other Gryffindor students came over and patted her back and cheered.

Harry looked up at the staff table, meeting the amused eyes of Dumbledore, the equally amused and melancholic eyes of Lupin, and the beaming and happy eyes of Hagrid. She tried to avoid the furious glare of Snape and the disapproving—yet—approving look of McGonagall.

"So, did I earn the map?" Harry asked over the cheering.

The twins exchanged glances before both of them gave Harry thumbs up.

Harry beamed.

"Such a Gryffindor," Tom said disdainfully.

(◡‿◡✿)

The punishment was cleaning up the entire Great Hall, but Harry didn't mind it so much, because her frie—alliances actually came to help. Well, most of them. Fred, George, their friend Lee, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny and Ron…

They actually had fun doing it. Making a game out of it and bickering between them and talking and laughing…

When they were done, George and Fred wrapped their arms around Harry's shoulders, guiding her away from the group to a secluded area. There, Fred presented the map.

"And here, our protégé, is the Marauder's Map," Fred said, handing it to Harry.

"To access it say, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'."

George tapped the map lightly and, as before, life came to the parchment—only instead of going straight to the map, words were appeared.

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief—Makers

are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much.

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law—breakers," said Fred solemnly.

"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it—"

"—or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.

"Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."

"So, Harry-kins," said Fried in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourself."

"See you later," George said, winking.

Harry grinned at them.

(◡‿◡✿)

Entering Transfiguration a couple weeks later, Ron nudged Harry. "Harry, don't forget to ask McGonagall if you can go to Hogsmeade."

Harry glanced at Ron, giving a shrug.

"I'll ask," Harry promised before she slid into her seat next to Hermione.

When class was over, Professor McGonagall called out, "One moment, please! As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

Neville raised a hand. "Please, Professor, I—I think I've lost—"

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Mister Longbottom," she replied. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."

"Ask her now," Ron insisted.

"Oh, but—" Hermione began.

"Go for it, Harry," Ron said.

Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed for McGonagall's desk.

"Yes, Miss Potter?"

Harry opened her mouth and said, "My guardians refused to sign the permission form, claiming I wasn't allowed to have fun. I was hoping that perhaps you could…"

"I'm afraid not, Miss Potter," McGonagall said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule. The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission. I'm sorry, Miss Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry up, or you'll be late for your next lesson."

Harry pursed her lips, not surprised by McGonagall's answer, and her face became carefully blank. "I understand completely, Professor McGonagall."

Moratorium couldn't resist adding a mocking tone at the end, before Harry turned on her heel and strode out.

Tom's brow furrowed as Harry brushed past her frie—alliances, damn it!

"What do you mean your guardians claimed you weren't allowed to have fun?" He asked incredulously.

Harry originally intended to ignore Tom, but she remembered Lockhart's lesson in gaining trust with the press. In gaining trust, period. You had to give a little trust before you expected any in return.

Harry turned around the corner, disappearing from sight and entering Myrtle's bathroom. She then went straight into the Chambers. Only there, certain no one else would disturb then, did she sigh.

"My guardians are…" she seemed to struggle for the right words, " they don't like me."

Putting it lightly, Moratorium chided.

"I…" Harry hesitated, looking away from Tom and leaning against a stone wall. "For the majority of my life, my room was a cupboard under the stairs and…"

Harry was having a lot of trouble admitting this out loud, it was even more difficult that she was admitting it to someone she didn't particularly like or trust. But perhaps that's what made it easier, too. Sometimes it was easier to talk to a stranger about things, than it was to someone you were close to.

" and I was the scapegoat for a lot of things," Harry finished quietly.

Tom did not respond, his fingers twitching and his face completely blank. "What do you mean?"

Harry's hands shook and she carefully lifted up her shirt, turning her back to Tom.

There was a tense silence.

"I see."

Harry let her shirt drop, grabbing a hold of her hands. It felt soverywrong and soveryveryweird to show someone. It was something she had kept to herself for such a long time, something she had intended to take to her grave; but, if she wanted her answers, she knew she would have to be honest. Besides, it didn't really count with him—he wasn't really a person at that moment. She could very easily imagine him as an ignorant version of Moratorium. That somehow made things easier. "I learned very quickly that I could never become a good girl in their eyes. I learned very quickly how the bad boy was never hurt. That he never lost like I—like a good girl did. You asked me about Moratorium. Moratorium Moratorium is me. I created him because I was t-tired of losing of the of the punishments and treatment. He He was is…"

Harry trailed off, her eyes falling downcast.

"Do they still…?"

"Not directly," Harry said quietly. "They're afraid of me. So they've become more passive."

Tom glanced away, his face still blank. "I see."

She cleared her throat. "It doesn't matter."

Harry turned back away, intent on heading off to her next class. "I better hurry, or I'll be late."

"Is that why you don't like adults?"

Harry paused.

"You tolerate them, but I've seen the difference. You're more wary of young adults than you are of other students and older adults," Tom said, his eyes fixated on Harry's. "That's why you were so suspicious of Quirrel—not only because of the way your scar felt, you were looking for reasons to distrust him. That's why you were disrespectful of Snape on your first day, also, weren't you? Testing him. He reminded you of them and you wanted to see how much like them he was. And today, with McGonagall, you weren't surprised by her reaction. You were expecting her to let you down.

"Any adult you encounter, you look for reasons to distrust them, or use them," Tom said, his face still blank. "You either have total power over them, and if you don't, you look for reasons to dislike them, for reasons to be wary of them."

Harry turned back around, her eyes meeting Tom's and her face carefully blank. "Then what about Professor Dumbledore?"

"You don't trust him fully, either. You like him, and that's exactly why you don't like him, too," Tom said softly.

"And how do you know this? Who are you to—"

"I know," Tom said quietly. "Because I was—am—the same."

Harry's eyes widened at the implications.

"You were—your guardians—"

"You should get to class." Tom interrupted. "You're going to be late."

Harry gave a slow nod, her eyes lingering a moment longer on Tom.

She turned on her heel and went to class.

(◡‿◡✿)

On Halloween morning, Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, completely apathetic to the upcoming event.

"I can't believe you're not going," Neville sighed.

"Do you want us to bring you anything back?" Luna offered.

"No, no. Thank you. I won't be tagging along with the rest of you, but that doesn't mean I won't be going."

"Oh, but Harry, isn't that dangerous?" Hermione asked, startled.

Even Draco looked mildly concerned. "With Black and the Dementors running around, I don't think you should leave the castle alone."

"Don't worry about me," Harry dismissed their worries. "I'm not overly concerned about them. A little annoyed, yes, but not really concerned."

"Of course you aren't," Ron sighed.

After her frie—DAMN IT! ALLIANCES!—left, Harry wandered the halls for a while, making sure to give her friends quite a head start before she took the tunnels. It was after walking along another corridor when a voice inside one of the rooms said, "Harry?"

Harry paused, turning to see who had spoken and found it was Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" asked Lupin. "Where are your friends?"

"Hogsmeade."

"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've taken a delivery of grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?"

She followed Lupin into his office. In the corner rested a very large tank of water, where a sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, making faces and wiggling its fingers.

"Water demon," answered Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

"That's a bit of a contradiction," Harry observed.

Lupin's lips twitched. "Cup of tea? I was thinking of making one."

"Alright."

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam erupted suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid."

"That's fine," Harry said, taking a seat. Tom floated over and hovered next to her, sitting on the air with his legs crossed.

There was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his eyes narrowing.

"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling while Harry's eyes remained on the potion. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

_Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that Wolfsbane?_

Tom's eyes narrowed as he studied it. "I believe you're right."

Snape set the smoking goblet down, his eyes alternating between Harry and Lupin.

"I was showing Harry my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, gesturing to the water demon.

"Fascinating," said Snape dryly. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will," said Lupin.

"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued, "if you need more."

"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," Snape said. He eyed the two a moment longer before backing out of the room.

When he was gone, Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're a werewolf?"

Lupin's smile slipped. "I beg your pardon?"

Harry gestured to the potion. "Wolfsbane."

"How did you recognize…?"

"I brewed it once," Harry admitted. "About once every month or so, I randomly choose a potion to brew to see if I can do it. It keeps me entertained. I remember Wolfsbane in particular because Basileus kept complaining about the smell."

"You can brew it? On your own?" Lupin asked, his eyes widening. "That's quite impressive."

"Not really," Harry and Tom said blandly—though Tom muttered it. Harry's lips twitched. "The thing with potions is, the only reason there aren't all that many potion masters is because it requires focus and takes a while. Most people have trouble focusing on one thing for too long, and even more have trouble following directions to the tee."

Lupin gave her a faint smile. "I suppose that's true."

"I'm not judging you on the fact that you're a werewolf," Harry informed him truthfully. "It really makes no difference to me. You're a good teacher; you aren't even really malicious or vicious. The fact that you grow more hair and fangs a few times a month doesn't change that."

"That's a very nice way of looking at it," Lupin said softly.

Harry blinked. "No. It's the way it is. I doubt you wanted to be one, so why should I blame you for something you had no say in? Why should I resent you for it? Besides, werewolves don't frighten me. And my pet can totally kick your ass, so that makes me feel a little better."

Tom snorted. "I would love to see that. A pack of werewolves versus Basileus."

_Basileus would destroy them. It would be so one-sided._

"I know. I want to see him kicking arse. I've never seen him in a real fight before."

"Your pet? The one you lost track of time playing with?" Lupin ventured. "Might I ask exactly what he is?"

"Only if you promise not to tell," Harry said, smiling fondly.

"I promise," Lupin said solemnly.

"He's a Basilisk. Last year when the Chamber of Secrets opened, I found the Chamber and inside was a Basilisk. He's my companion now."

Lupin's mouth dropped open and he spluttered, "Wh-What? How did you get…?"

"To make it fair that I know a secret of yours, I'll tell you a secret of mine," Harry said lightly, "I'm a Parselmouth."

A look of understanding crossed Lupin's face and he nodded his head, accepting the knowledge. "I see. And Dumbledore lets you…?"

"Professor Dumbledore informed me that he was all mine," Harry said, grinning brightly at the thought of her dear pet. "When I'm old enough to live on my own, I intend to buy a very large piece of land and move him in with me. Him and Buckbeak, of course."

Lupin gave a small chuckle. "Hagrid told me about him and you. He said every time your club gets together, you head straight for Buckbeak and sit on him the entire time."

"Yes. He lets me groom and shower him in affection, too," Harry confided excitedly.

"You're such an animal lover," Tom sighed.

Lupin gave a smile. "I'm glad you're happy."

Harry blinked in surprise at that. "What? Happy? What makes you think that?"

Lupin gestured to her face. "It's all over your face. You really love your pets; they make you happy."

Harry looked away thoughtfully.

"What? Haven't you ever been happy before?" Lupin teased.

"No, I haven't." Harry said softly, thoughtfully. "Not the way I am when I think of them, at least. Not so warm."

Lupin's smile slipped and he gave Harry a confused look.

Harry cleared her throat. "So tell me, I'm curious…"

And so, Harry successfully changed the subject.

Surprisingly, Harry never went to Hogsmeade, too entertained with her time with Lupin.

She found she very much liked Lupin.

(◡‿◡✿)

At the end of the feast, the Gryffindor group headed up the stairs, Harry bemoaning that she didn't go to Hogsmeade when she so clearly could, and Hermione praising her for not going.

Harry gave Hermione another dirty look, to which Hermione only smiled at, but stopped when she noticed the large group that had surrounded the Fat Lady.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" asked Ron curiously.

"I'll check," Harry said, pulling out her very small broom from her pocket before tapping her wand against it. It grew back to its original size and she climbed on it. Ron, Neville and Ginny gaped at her while Hermione sighed.

"That's against the rules," Hermione told her.

"I regret nothing," Harry replied honestly, flying above the rest of them and drifting lazily over to the painting.

_Thank you, again, for the idea._

Tom shrugged, floating lazily beside her.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he bustled through the crowd, stopping short when he noticed Harry. "Harry…"

Harry gave him a smile, winking. "There's nothing in the rules specifically against it."

Percy flushed before deciding to ignore her and continued on his way.

And then a silence fell over the crowd when Percy reached the portrait. In a sharp voice he said, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through.

Harry drifted over to the painting.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor. Great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting, his eyes somber, only to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady.

"You'll be lucky!" cackled a voice.

"Damn it, no one's banished him yet?" Tom groaned.

Peeves the Poltergeist bobbed over the crowd, looking delighted as he always did at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeve's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead, he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful."

"Did she say who did it?" asked Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh, yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see. Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Harry's eyes widened. _He did all of that to the Fat Lady to get to me? Oh my God! My baby!_

Without waiting for anyone else to respond, Harry shot off in the direction of the Chambers. Myrtle blinked in surprise at seeing her. "Something wrong, Harry?"

"Sirius Black attacked the Fat Lady—she's off hiding—I have to go check on my baby!" Harry said quickly before unlocking the way to the Chambers and diving through, still on her broom. In no time, she was in the Chambers.

"Basileus? Sweetheart, are you here?"

There was quiet hissing and Harry let out a relieved sigh.

"Isss sssomething wrong, missstresss?"

"An enemy of mine has made the first move. I was concerned for you, so I came down here to check on you."

Basileus lifted his massive head and rose high above Harry and Tom. Harry could feel the anger rolling off of him. "Sssomeone dares to threaten you? Were you hurt, misstresss?"

"No, I'm fine," Harry assured him.

"You should ssstay here. I will keep you sssafe."

"He's right. This is the safest place in Hogwarts for you against him," Tom agreed. "Remember, if he kills you, I automatically die, too."

Harry pursed her lips. "I'll ask Professor Dumbledore."

"Dobby," Harry called out.

Dobby appeared. "Yesses?"

"Would you mind asking Professor Dumbledore if I should stay in the Chambers? Basileus is worried about me and wants to keep me here."

"Right away!" Dobby squeaked before disappearing.

A couple of heartbeats passed before Dobby returned. "Professor Dumbledore requests you stay with the other Gryffindors, but he says you can visit Basileus afterwards and if he still insists, you have permission to stay with him."

"Very well," Harry sighed, relaying what had been spoken to Basileus. He dipped his head in acknowledgement.

Harry hopped off her broom, shrinking it back down to size before requesting for Dobby to take her to the group. Dobby teleported her straight to where the rest of the Gryffindors were gathered—in the Great Hall.

"Where did you go?" demanded Hermione the moment she noticed her.

"To check on my baby," Harry explained.

"You love that snake more than you value your life!" Ron accused.

"Yes, and I don't regret it."

(◡‿◡✿)

On the way back down to visit Basileus before heading off to class, Harry paused, glancing at Tom.

"Tom?" Harry asked softly, entering the Chambers.

"Yes?"

"When I told you—when I told you about my guardians, you said you were the same. I why did you trust me with that?"

Tom looked away, choosing to float ahead. "Because I don't think anyone should have our lives."

Harry faltered in her footsteps. "Are you implying that in that moment you actually sympathized with me?"

"No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know. You're the first person I've met that has a similar…" Tom trailed off. "I know that I would have certainly liked it if I met someone else like us early on in Hogwarts. It would have made the adjustment easier."

"Adjustment?"

Tom did not reply and Harry let the subject drop.

After all, it was already quite enough that he shared such information with her at all. She could understand why he would have wanted someone else with a similar background at Hogwarts with him—she didn't realize she had wanted someone like that, until he mentioned it. It was nice. Nice to know that you're not quite alone in the world, nice to know that you really aren't the worst person in the world like they say you are. That there's someone else right there who's as broken as you.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry and Hermione sat next to each other in the next DADA class, whispering quietly to each other.

"I kind of like Sir Cadogan. It's fun dueling him," Harry confessed.

"You're an adrenaline junkie who loves a challenge, it's annoying to the rest of us—to the normal people," Hermione retorted.

"Oh, hush. You love his riddles and you are not normal," Harry said, rolling her eyes.

It was then that Professor Snape strolled in with his black cloak billowing behind him, shutting the door behind him.

" Where's Professor Lupin?"

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile as he took a seat at the desk.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far—"

"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're about to start—"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best DADA teacher we've ever had," said Dean boldly and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked furious.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you—I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss werewolves."

Harry's eyes narrowed into slits.

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinky-punks—"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm. "I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394. All of you! Now!"

With many bitter sidelong looks and sullen mutterings, the class opened their books, the exception being Harry, whose eyes were narrowed even further. She felt a strong sense of annoyance bubbling inside of her.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" drawled Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence, the exception being Hermione, whose hand shot into the air.

"Anyone?" Snape asked, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between—"

"We told you," said Parvati, "we haven't gotten as far as werewolves yet, we're still on—"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…"

"Please, sir," said Hermione, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf—"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, slowly put her hand down and stared at the floor with eyes full of tears.

The annoyance Harry had felt turned into a cold rage and Moratorium stood up from the desk.

In a silky voice he purred, "Professor Snape, where's your proof?"

Snape's eyes rounded on him. "Excuse me, Potter?"

"Thirty years ago there was an incident involving a substitute teacher for the Potions class," Moratorium said, smiling coldly. "I believe you know what I'm talking about. Since then, whenever a teacher is required to substitute a Hogwarts class, proof of the allowed substitution is required. Where is your proof that you have Professor Lupin's permission? And if you have the proof, then Professor Lupin would have also informed you exactly what we should be studying. The fact that you have not presented us with this proof, and the fact that you apparently choose to remain ignorant of what we are studying, presents you in a poor light, Professor."

Moratorium's smile slipped and he gave him a flat look. "Give us proof, or get out."

Snape's face had gone thunderous and in a very quiet, yet tightly furious voice he said, "Fifty points from Gryffindor."

"You hold no proof, then," Moratorium said, completely unminding of the point loss. It spoke volumes of how much the class hated Snape that no one seemed to care about the point loss, either.

"Dobby!" Moratorium said sharply as the House Elf appeared. "It appears Professor Snape is violating a Hogwarts rule, therefore I am allowed to take the appropriate action. Dobby, take Professor Snape out of the classroom and keep him out until he gives us the appropriate proof we need."

"Yesses, Missus Potter!" Dobby chirped before snapping his fingers—and he and Snape were gone.

"Can I teach?" Tom asked suddenly.

_What?_

"Through you. Can I tell you what to do and teach the class?"

_ Sure._

Harry strode to the front of the room, smiling cheerily at everyone. "Seeing how we have no teacher, does anyone mind if I lead the class? I promise I know what I'm doing."

The class exchanged glances before shaking their heads in a collective way.

Tom smiled. "Alright Tell them to turn to page…"

(◡‿◡✿)

The class was laughing, smiles all around at the end of the lesson. Tom was beaming with quiet pride and smugness when the bell rang.

"Awesome class!" Ron exclaimed and Hermione and Neville nodded their heads in agreement.

Harry shrugged. "I can't believe Snape didn't come back with proof, though."

"He was probably too spitting mad," Ron laughed and Neville gave a nervous chuckle. Hermione gifted Harry with a sheepish smile.

"Thank you for you know," Hermione said, blushing lightly in sheepish embarrassment.

"Any time," Harry promised.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry eyed the darkening weather, shivering on her broomstick. At Tom's prompting, she had enchanted her goggles—specially made for Quidditch—to repel the water. A very neat little trick that she was very glad to have learned.

She let out a sneeze, her eyes roaming around the—

Doggy? Harry blinked in surprise at the silhouette of a very familiar dog, and her eyes drifted down to find the very same dog from that summer sitting motionlessly in the topmost, empty row of seats.

Holy shit, Harry thought.

"Snitch behind you," Tom said.

Harry whirled around, dismissing the dog for the moment and spotting the golden snitch with Cedric right behind it. Harry urged her broom forward and soon enough she and Cedric were racing side-by-side for the snitch. They flew higher and higher into the air and Harry felt colder and colder until—

"Harry. Get out of there. Now."

Harry's eyes snapped away from the snitch a moment longer before she noticed that at least a hundred Dementors were closing in on them—on her. Harry's eyes widened and she shouted over the winds, "Cedric!"

Cedric's head snapped towards her and he noticed the Dementors. Harry could scarcely make out his widening eyes.

"Get Dumbledore!" Harry shouted. "It's me they're after!"

She then dove sharply away from Cedric, climbing upwards.

_Is he going?_

"He's diving back to the field, I believe. The Dementors are following you, now," Tom said.

Harry gritted her teeth, feeling a rush of coldness inside of her. It was getting harder to grip the broom.

"Harry? Harry stay conscious—stay with me," Tom said sharply. "You need to part the clouds so Dumbledore can see and help you. Do you have your wand?"

"A-Always," Harry whispered, feeling a shudder rake through her as the Dementors continued to chase her. She dove into the clouds and zig-zagged in a vain attempt to escape their focus. Her hands were shaking as she pulled out her wand from her right boot.

"Repeat after me; Flitilis. Move your wand sharply upwards," Tom said firmly.

Harry shuddered again and a soft groan escaped her.

"F-F-Flitilis!"

Nothing happened.

"At once," Tom hissed. "Hurry!"

Harry was shaking more violently and she felt so cold; her goggles were frosted over and it took every ounce of strength she had to try again.

"Flitilis!"

All at once the clouds parted around her—like the eye of a storm- and Harry saw the sky above them. She gave another shudder, her teeth chattering and her grip loosening. She heard Tom suck in a sharp breath and could barely make out his eyes widening. Her vision was darkening and there were voices dancing around in Harry's ears.

"Not Harriet, not Harriet, please not Harriet!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl stand aside, now…"

There was a flash of gold before Harry's eyes and she instinctively reacted to it.

"Not Harriet, please no, take me, kill me instead—"

Numbness spread across Harry and she lost her grip on her broom. She barely remembered to tuck her wand back in her boot before she started to free-fall into a pit of Dementors.

They surrounded her and she struggled against their cold brushes—she kicked and punched and twisted, but there were too many of them. Their faces pressed against hers and a scream was caught in her throat, unable to escape. More memories, different memories played inside her head. The crack, crack, crack of the leather—the cry, cry, cry of her sobs all alone as she was stuffed inside the trunk of the car—the wishing, wishing, wishing, but never, ever, receiving and the silent shattering of dreams—

Through the corner of her eyes she could see white-silvery dots heading towards them, but they were so very far away.

"Not Harriet! Please have mercy have mercy…"

A shrill voice was laughing and the familiar woman was screaming and Harry was getting colder and number and then—

"Harry, stay with me, please…"

Harry knew no more.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry creaked her eyes open, her body cold, but not as cold as before. Her mouth was dry and the tips of her fingers and toes tingled. Her legs and arms were asleep and it took a while for the rest of her body to wake up. She swung her eyes over to the familiar face of Tom.

"Wha…"

She licked her dry lips; Tom looked sharply up at her, relief clear on his face.

"No one else is around. You're in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts," Tom said gently. "Do you remember what happened?"

She gave a small shake of her head, her brow furrowed. "I passed out..."

Tom swallowed. "You did. The Dementors I've never seen so many of them they were all focused on you, they swarmed to you and from the outside, no one could see you. Dumbledore all the Professors and quite a few of the upperclassmen shot off their Patronus. It managed to scare enough of them off that Dumbledore could cast a slow-fall on you They still stayed with you all the way to the ground and—"

Tom stopped himself, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"And…?" Harry prompted, her voice cracking.

"They were halfway through giving you a Dementor's Kiss before Wood's Patronus chased them off long enough for Dumbledore to reach you," Tom finally said.

Harry's eyes widened. Oliver hadn't perfected the Patronus while they trained with Lupin—the only ones who had were Angelina, Katie and Hermione—so it was impressive he was able to pull one off so suddenly. Her eyes widened at that and the fact that she had nearly died.

She swallowed roughly, silence falling between them.

"Wha What did it look like?"

"Wrong," Tom said hollowly. "Very wrong."

She swallowed again, discomforted by the fact that Dementors had come closer to killing her than the supposed Dark Slut. "How long…?"

"Three days. They were going to send you to St. Mungo's if you hadn't awoken by tonight," Tom said softly.

"Is Cedric are the others alright?"

Tom gave a snort before laughing a humorless laugh. "You damn Gryffindor. They're fine. You were the only one they were after."

"Good," Harry said softly.

"Idiot," Tom retorted, glancing away. "Call for Dobby. Tell him to bring you as much chocolate as he can. And warm milk."

Harry gave a slow nod, struggling to sit up and rest against the headboard of the bed. "D-Dobby?"

There was a sharp crack before Dobby stood on Harry's lap, his big eyes watering and he sniffled. "Missus Harry Potter! You're alright! Oh, Dobby was so worried!"

"Dobby? W-Would you please be a dear and bring me as much chocolate as you can a-and warm milk?"

"Right away!" Dobby cried out, disappearing. "And Dobby will be sure to let the others know you're awake."

"What else happened while I was out of it?" Harry asked, glancing towards Tom.

"Dumbledore was furious," Tom said, giving a small shudder. "I've never seen him so livid before. Bloody hell, all of the teachers were, and the majority of the students. Lupin looked ready to bite the head off the nearest Dementor and your alliances Well, let's say that any Dementor near the stadium after the almost-Kiss was in danger of going extinct."

Harry's brow furrowed. "Why…? I know I am their ally, and I suppose I can understand the annoyance of having a potential ally die before their usefulness runs out, but…"

"They weren't thinking of you as an ally, and they definitely weren't worried about your usefulness," Tom said, his eyes glinting with something Harry couldn't quite understand.

Harry shook her head. "I don't—"

The door to the Hospital Wing flew open and Harry barely had time to think before Hermione Granger threw herself at her, wrapping her arms tightly around Harry's neck and giving out a dry sob. Harry's eyes widened and she stiffened at the very unfamiliar contact of another human being. Then Ginny was on the bed and clinging to them, crying as well, and even Neville was sniffling and rubbing his eyes furiously. Draco and Ron stood on either side of Harry, clear relief on both their faces and at the front of her bed was the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Oliver was sniffling and looked a mixture of relieved and proud—Harry wasn't quite sure why. Actually, she wasn't sure why any of them were so emotional.

"You bloody stupid idiot!" Hermione cried out, hiccupping. "Go on Cedric! I'll distract them. Go save yourself. You stupid, stupid idiot!"

Harry's mouth was open, but words escaped her. What was Hermione upset about?

It was then that Dumbledore, McGonagall and Lupin all pushed through the crowd to stand at Harry's bedside and Harry continued to look flabbergasted at Hermione and Ginny's and Neville's and Luna's and the Quidditch team's and just everyone's emotions.

_I don't understand. Why is she crying? Did I upset her?_

"Yes and no," Tom answered, his face unreadable. "However, believe it or not, she's not crying because you upset her in an insulting way. She's crying because she's happy you're alive, and she's crying because she almost lost you. It's the same reason for all of them."

Harry continued to look around with bewildered eyes. _But I I don't That implies she that they lo like me. That's not possible. Harry Potter is a good girl. Good girls don't win. Bad boys do. Bad boys get the love and recognition! Good girls don't! They don't!_

"They do," Tom said with a disdainful snort. "You were simply one of the unlucky few who didn't."

"Why…" Harry whispered, her heart pounding in her chest and her desire to flee coming on strong. "Why are you…? Why are you crying? I don't…"

"You bloody idiot!" Ginny sobbed. "We're crying because we're happy, don't you understand?"

"Do you remember what happened, Harry?" Dumbledore asked gently, mistaking Harry's confusion for amnesia.

_Good girls don't they don't get loved they don't they just get broken and broken and broken This doesn't make any sense. It's wrong Right? Right?!_

Tom fell silent, knowing Harry wasn't asking him anymore.

_It's wrong. Isn't it? But why do I feel so warm?_

It is wrong, Moratorium thought. It's a trick. They must want something from you.

But it feels so warm I feel so warm inside Surely something that feels so nice, can't be…

Harry's arms shook as she slowly raised them. She was quite certain the majority of her was in shock, but at that moment she wanted something. She needed it something fierce.

So even even if it was a scam. Even if it was all a trick. Even if they did want something for that one moment, Harry didn't care. Because at that moment, Harry had never quite felt so warm and never quite felt so loved.

Her arms wrapped around Hermione and Ginny and she closed her eyes, taking in the moment.

(◡‿◡✿)

When everyone had calmed down, Dumbledore re-explained the events that had transpired and Dobby appeared with mountains of chocolate. Pomfrey had returned from her lunch break and shooed everyone off the bed to give Harry a thorough inspection, while Dumbledore talked and Harry ate.

"Wow," Harry said dryly when Dumbledore was finished. "Fudge came closer to killing me than Voldewhore."

Some of the students flinched at Voldewhore's name, and Lupin looked confused. Dumbledore nodded his head gravely. "Yes, it would seem so."

"Ah what about the game?"

"Technically it was cancelled, but technically we won—you caught the snitch," Oliver burst out with pride clear in his voice.

Harry blinked at that, unable to remember doing so. "Oh? Okay. Where's my broom?"

There were some exchanged looks.

"It it wasn't much better off," Ron said slowly and even Oliver seemed pained.

"You see when you fell off it, it got blown away," Fred said hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit—it hit—oh, Harry—it hit the Whomping Willow," Hermione said carefully.

Harry's eyes widened. " Oh, God. And?"

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," Draco added, equally as hesitant, "It—it doesn't like being hit."

"Oh my God."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back a couple days ago," Neville said carefully, pulling up a large bundle of something in a giant cloth. He unraveled it, revealing dozens of splintered wood and twig onto the bed.

"Oh my God."

"You can always buy another one," Hermione ventured.

"I cannot!" Harry squeaked. "When you have an amazing broom like this one, you have to go through a respectful mourning period and you simply aren't allowed to buy a broom for yourself for at least six months. It's disrespectful!"

The Quidditch fanatics all nodded their heads in understanding.

"It was a good broom," Oliver sighed.

"One of the best," added George.

"Certainly the best on this team," Fred remarked.

"It will be missed," Angelina sighed.

"Yes, well, if you guys are done conversing, I'd like you to leave. Harry needs as much rest as she can," Pomfrey said shortly. "She's lucky enough she woke up today on her own, any longer and I would have sent her straight to St. Mungo's."

Harry glanced over at McGonagall and Dumbledore. "I don't suppose the recent news of my near-death due to Dementors has pressured the Ministry into retracting the Dementors."

"Not entirely," Dumbledore sighed.

"Damn, and to think I actually wanted one."

Hermione peered at her suspiciously. "You still do, don't you?"

"Kind of," Harry confessed.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Draco questioned.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry laid out numerous slips of paper, face down. She then looked up at Tom.

_Pick one._

Tom blinked. "What?"

_Pick one. I've written numerous magical creatures that I want, and the moment I can, I intend to raise one from a baby and train him or her personally. Pick one._

Tom stared at the slips of paper before finally choosing one. Harry flipped it over and grinned brightly. Tom stared at it another moment before shaking his head.

"Idiot," Tom sighed.

(◡‿◡✿)

As it neared Christmas, Moratorium decided it was high time to do a little shopping. He hadn't stepped out of Hogwarts for the entire school year, so far, and he was itching to pick up quite a few things. So in the Chambers, after he finished changing, he stepped out and cocked an eyebrow at Tom.

Tom stared at him. " You changed genders."

"Superficially," Harry said.

Moratorium snorted at Harry's quick reply before shaking his head. "It's about time I did a little shopping. Come. I'll explain on the way."

(◡‿◡✿)

"Interesting," Tom admitted as Moratorium finished explaining his empire to him. "Very thorough and clever, I applaud you on that."

_I'm surprised you didn't think of it._

"I did," Tom said, drifting behind Moratorium as Moratorium adjusted his red scarf to cover the lower half of his face. He kept his black gloved hands in his pocket as he walked the dark streets of one of the lesser—liked alleys. "However, I thought it would be too dirty."

_It's a dirty world._

"That doesn't mean I have to dirty myself any more than necessary," Tom sniffed.

Moratorium gave a ghost of a smile as he entered a small shop. A bald, burly man stepped out from the counter, his face entirely blank. "Wha' can I do fer yeh?"

Moratorium pulled out a small sack—roughly the size of both of his hands put together—before he placed it on the counter, galleons spilling out. The cashier continued to give Moratorium a blank look, but a gleam took to his eyes. He gave a slimy smile.

"I'm in need of things that aren't normally sold on the streets," Moratorium purred. "I have a list. I'll give you half the payment now, and the rest when I receive the items. If I like how well you've done, I might even return here whenever I need more items."

The cashier grinned. "Understoo', ser."

Moratorium extracted a neat slip of paper and handed it to the man. The man's eyes widened and he gave a bark of a laugh. "I can do that, ser."

"Good," Moratorium said shortly before walking away from the counter and wandering the shop.

"What's that?" Tom inquired, gesturing to an old black tome.

Moratorium tilted his head before brushing his fingers along the spine. _There's an enchantment over it to hide its title._

Moratorium held up the book to the cashier and the cashier took out his wand, waving it. The enchantment dissolved away and Moratorium's eyes narrowed with interest. _A book about Parseltongue? My, my, what a naughty thing._

"A very old book, as well," Tom said, eyeing it with equal interest. "Look who wrote it."

_Salazar Slytherin?_

Tom's eyes took a gleam to it and he eyed the book with plain desire.

Harry tilted her head and eyed Tom, gnawing on her bottom lip. _You've been a good ally. I'll buy this book for you and adjust the spell so you can read it at your leisure._

Moratorium frowned. _However, I will be reading it first to make sure there aren't any spells that could assist you out of your predicament._

"Deal," Tom said quickly, his eyes wide. " You're seriously giving me this book?"

_When I'm done with it._ Moratorium insisted. _Harry seems to want you to have this._

"Thank you, Harry," Tom said quietly.

Harry smiled.

Moratorium inwardly rolled his eyes before approaching the cashier. _Let's get this over with. I want to check with Marwyn about the progress for the races and duels._

(◡‿◡✿)

Everything was getting set up nicely, the first duel scheduled some time after New Year, with the race scheduled in the summer. Moratorium was quite content with the progress—and how much money he was making, with thirty percent of all profits going into the Potter vault, and the rest into Moratorium's vault—and decided to simply reap the rewards for a while. Besides, it would take time for the next plan to even be ready to start.

Harry, on the other hand, was dead-set on going to Hogsmeade. With her wand held out before her, the tip lit with a white light and Tom floating at her side—the two conversing quietly—she made her way down the secret passage. She readjusted her invisibility cloak on her shoulders, wrapping it tighter around her for warmth.

Harry exited out of the passage into Honeydukes, her eyes taking in the scene with keen delight.

"I can't believe I never knew about these passages," Tom mused as Harry hurried up the stairs to the main room of Honeydukes. Her eyes roamed the area before settling on Hermione and Ron, who stood in the farthest corner.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione said as Harry snuck up behind them.

"How about these?" asked Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.

"Bloody hell, no!" Harry exclaimed.

Ron nearly dropped the jar.

"Told you'd I'd make it," Harry said. "Now give me the grand tour!"

(◡‿◡✿)

When the tour was over and done with, and they had bought their fair share of sweets, they left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas snow globe—a very cliché one at that—,but at the same time it was endearing and Harry found herself liking it. However, it wasn't long until a very familiar man caught her attention.

Hagrid? Harry thought curiously, pulling her hand out of Hermione's and stepping towards him. McGonagall, Flitwick and Fudge, too?

"Hmm? Harry?"

"Ah—Ah—Ron, Hermione, why don't you see if you can find the others? I will be right back."

Ron blinked in surprise. "Sure…?"

Harry then hurried off to the group of teachers, slipping into the pub and following them to a table.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked.

_Spying on Fudge. I want to know if he has any intentions of retracting the Dementors. I'm sure McGonagall will ask him about it, and I want to hear firsthand._

Harry slid to stand next to them as they crowded into a large table in the back room, where no one could disturb them.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" Flitwick asked, smiling.

"What else but Sirius Black? Especially after what happened at the school on Halloween." Fudge exclaimed. "I'm certain Black is still in the area."

"Is that why you insist on keeping the Dementors at school, despite them nearly killing one of my students?" McGonagall asked coldly, her eyes narrowed.

"McGonagall, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge said uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution unfortunate, yes, but necessary. Besides, Harriet is quite alright now, isn't she?"

"'Course she is!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Harry's as tough as they can be!"

"Oh, hello Madam Rosmerta," Fudge greeted the waitress as she handed everyone drinks. She smiled warmly at them.

"Hello, Minister. Still here about Black?"

"Of course, of course!"

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" Rosmerta echoed. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," said Fudge.

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Don't you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," Rosmerta laughed. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here—ooh they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter."

Harry froze, her eyes widening.

_My father and the serial killer?_

"Precisely," McGonagall said. "Black and Potter, ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course—exceptionally bright, in fact—but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers—"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run for their money."

"You would have thought Black and Potter were brothers. Inseparable, the two!" chimed Flitwick.

_...What? What?!_

"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily, then they named him godfather to Harriet. Harriet has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment her."

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Rosmerta.

"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and Harry had to lean in to hear. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was a Fidelius Charm."

"A what?" Rosmerta asked.

"An immensely complex spell," Flitwick squeaked, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and henceforth impossible to find—unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!"

Goosebumps rose up and down Harry's arms as she had an inkling where this was going.

"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?"

"Naturally. James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would rather die than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself and yet Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Secret-Keeper himself."

"He was suspicious of Black?" Rosmerta asked, her eyes wide.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been informing You-Know-Who of their movements," McGonagall answered.

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat," growled Hagrid. "I met him! I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me that rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got her outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across her forehead, an' her parents dead an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily and James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I comforted the murderin' traitor!"

"Hagrid, please. Keep your voice down," McGonagall reprimanded.

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid. I'm her godfather, I'll look after her—' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter her aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there…"

Harry had had damn near enough. She took a deep breath and blocked out the rest of the conversation.

_You mean to tell me, that if it wasn't for Black if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have been sent to that hell-hole?_

Tom gave a humorless smile. "It would seem that way."

Harry stayed, listening about Peter Pettigrew and giving a small nod of approval at his sacrifice before finally leaving and walking away, anger churning in her stomach.

"He betrayed them," Harry muttered out loud. "Low-life scum!"

She ignored her alliances and went straight back to Hogwarts.

_This is why you need to keep them at a distance. It's that kind of blind trust that gets you killed._

Tom did not say anything, choosing to remain silent as Harry seethed. She marched straight into the Chambers, going to the training room, discarding her cloak and punching the dummy as hard as she could. She let loose a short string of curses before she began relentlessly pounding on the object.

She did not leave the Chambers for the rest of the day and night.

(◡‿◡✿)

She was still seething and sore when she emerged the next morning. She didn't have classes until noon, and she wasn't in the mood for company. She especially wasn't in the mood for her alliances. The only class she had that day was DADA and she was hoping Lupin would allow her to play sick and she could catch up later in a private session. With that in mind, she snuck through the hallways before stopping short of his room and knocking quietly on the door.

"Ah, yes, do come in."

Harry opened the door, sliding into the room, before closing the door behind her.

Lupin looked up at her. "Hello Harry, what can I—you look terrible."

Harry sneered, feeling more self-conscious about her appearance than she did a minute ago.

"What's wrong?" Lupin asked, sincere concern in his eyes.

Again, Harry felt conflicted. She quite liked Lupin—he was her favorite teacher ever—but he was still he was still an adult and she had already learned firsthand (again) how dangerous misplaced trust can be. For a long while, Harry debated on how to reply.

"I was reminded how stupid and pointless friendships really are," Harry finally said flatly, she shifted her stance, rolling her weight to the balls on her feet, ready for flight. "Look, it doesn't matter. Do you suppose I could miss this lesson with the class for today and make it up later, please?"

Lupin eyed her carefully. "Only if you tell me what's really bothering you."

Harry gave him a glare. "It's none of your concern."

"It is because I care," Lupin corrected her.

Harry flushed.

"Please, Harry, have a little faith."

Harry stared at Lupin for a long while, before her eyes lowered in defeat. "Sirius Black was my father's best friend and because of him, they're dead. Because of a stupid friendship, I lost the chance of a-a h-happy childhood."

Lupin's eyes widened and he stared at Harry. "How did you…"

"Does it matter?" Harry asked coldly.

Lupin gaped another moment before clearing his throat and shaking his head. "I suppose in the end, it doesn't."

Lupin hesitated before gesturing Harry to take a seat in front of him. Harry slowly sat down.

"That's the price of friendship, I suppose," Lupin said softly. "There's always a chance when you love someone, when you care about them, that they'll hurt you. In some cases, worse. However, everything is a bit of a double-edged sword."

Harry and Moratorium scoffed in annoyance.

"But with friendship comes other things," Lupin continued. "Things worth the risk. Loyalty. Companionship. Love. Comfort. Everyone needs a friend, Harry. I don't know what's made you so cynical and so reluctant, but I can tell you now: you'll regret it if you don't let anyone close. Think back to when you first woke up in the Hospital Wing. Remember how everyone came to you? Remember how Hermione and Ginny held you? Don't you want that?"

Harry looked away, her hands curling into fists.

"But you can only have it if you take the risk. What they accuse Sirius of is a grave thing, and what happened to your parents was no common occurrence. Harry, you should give yourself this. For once trust in them, in your friends."

Harry did not reply.

"You trusted me with this," Lupin said quietly.

Harry shrugged, glancing away. " You're nice."

"And they are, too."

She swallowed roughly. "I know."

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry found her alli—frie—allia—frien—alliances some time later that day. She gathered them around and she told them what she had discovered and that she needed time to herself to calm down. Hermione, Ginny and Luna hugged her and all of them forgave her.

She felt very warm.

(◡‿◡✿)

"Where is everyone?" Harry asked incredulously, looking around the rather empty field with a wide yawn.

Oliver pursed his lips, frowning. "Slacking."

"Well to be fair the sun isn't even up…"

"Yet you're here."

Harry shrugged, not quite sure why she wanted to come to practice in the first place. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but she very much enjoyed practice. It wasn't so much the practice itself—or even the sport, or the flying—there was something else about practicing that Harry very much liked.

Oliver let out an annoyed cry before he started muttering crossly to himself about the rest of the team's lack of spirit, pacing back and forth all the while. Harry leaned on the school's broom, yawning again and rubbing her eyes, smirking in amusement.

"So…" Harry drawled when Oliver finished ranting. " What's your Patronus?"

Completely caught off guard by the question, Oliver blinked in surprise. " What?"

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Oh a badger," Oliver muttered. "Maybe I should run up and wake everyone up…? I bet some cold water would wake them…"

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Really? That would have been cool to see speaking of Dementors I wanted to thank you. You know, for saving my life. Thanks."

Oliver flushed. "Don't think any of it, Harry. I reacted. Now how about we head back up to the dorms and drag our team out to the field?"

"Sounds like a plan."

(◡‿◡✿)

Come Christmas Eve, after showering Basileus with love and attention and giving him quite a feast to eat on his own time, giving Dobby the week off, and showering Buckbeak with love and attention (he seemed to sense he was being adored and as such, he quite loved it. The egotist), Harry finally sat in the Gryffindor common room, curled up on the couch and attempting not to doze off. Hermione was curled up next to her, flipping through a textbook. Fred, George, and Lee were playing some sort of game with Ron, Neville, Colin and Ginny that Harry didn't really understand.

Harry gave another wide yawn as Ron let out a sigh and glanced over at her, looking up from the board game.

"Hey, Harry?"

"Mn?"

"How come you always open presents before us?" Ron asked curiously.

Harry gave him a tired look. "I don't."

Neville looked up, frowning. "But we've never seen you open a present before. Do you open them alone?"

Harry opened her mouth to retort; No. I do not receive Christmas presents, but stopped herself. She fell silent, looking away. " Yeah. That's what I do."

"How come?" Colin asked.

" Habit. My, uh, cousin prefers to open his gifts in a very loud manner that annoys me, so I, uh, sneak off…"

"Well, no promises about us not being loud," Fred chuckled.

"Or annoying you," George added.

"But that doesn't mean you should hide from us," they chorused. "We promise to behave at least until the presents have all been opened."

Harry gave a thin smile. "We'll see."

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry gave a slow nod to the only other person who woke up as early as she did. Neville glanced up at her, smiling. "Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Neville. Ah, do you know when the next club meeting is? I forgot," Harry asked, pouring herself a cup of tea from the public teapot.

"Not sure, we actually didn't set up a date. We stayed too late, remember?" Neville said.

"That's right. Hagrid was beside himself with worry we'd get in trouble for returning so late, thankfully, we weren't caught," Harry said thoughtfully.

Neville smiled and nodded his head. Harry cocked her head as she took a seat next to Neville. "What are you reading?"

"A botanist book," Neville answered, holding it out for Harry. "See, after learning so much about creatures with the club, I realized I wasn't quite so afraid of them. Don't get me wrong, if I see so much as a hint of a Hell-Hound or Basilisk coming towards me, I'm running, but I'm not so nervous about them. I thought I'd have the same luck with other things, you know?"

"You're scared of plants?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Not really, but I'm scared of potions with Professor Snape," Neville muttered. "I figured I figured if I knew some of the ingredients real good, then I wouldn't get so flustered working with them and in consequence I wouldn't be so flustered with Snape…"

Harry awarded Neville with an appraising look. "That's a very thoughtful way of dealing with your phobia. Kudos for you, Neville."

"Aw, thanks, Harry Are you going to open your present?"

Harry blinked in surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

Neville gestured. "You got a present. I'm curious to what it is. Do you mind…?"

Harry blinked again, still surprised.

"He's right. It's addressed to you," Tom observed.

Harry waved her hand towards it, using a silent Accio.

"That reminds me Draco wants to know when we can start the lessons with you," Neville said.

"When we can find a place to train without interruption," Harry murmured, unwrapping the gift. "I already told him that. I don't want the professors coming in and interrupting us, and I don't want any more students joining us than necessary. If we use a public place, more than likely they'll notice and bug us."

A Firebolt rested in Harry's lap and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"I don't believe it," Neville breathed.

"You and me both," Harry replied, looking for some form of card and finding nothing.

Could it have been by the same person who sent me the cloak? No, no Dumbledore wouldn't have spent so much money on me. If not him, though who…?

"Who sent it?"

"It was anonymous," Harry replied, her fingers brushing along the broom.

Crookshanks gave a soft meow and Harry stooped down to pick him up. With one hand she sent the broom against the wall nearest to her and adjusted Crookshanks so he laid in her lap. Idly, she began to pet him.

"If Ron sees you with that cat, he'll think you're fraternizing with the enemy," Neville said, chuckling.

"Yes, well, I'm actually taking Crookshanks' side in this. That rat creeps me out," Harry said shortly. "It's not natural for a rat to watch someone change, unblinkingly. It's not."

Neville only chuckled in response.

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry made sure to write to Oliver, informing him of the new Firebolt—as she knew full well he would want to know, seeing how he had given a very hysteric speech to her the other day at how she could still kick arse on a broom that wasn't anywhere near as good as her previous one She knew he was lying and he knew he was failing stupendously at trying to motivate her again—before heading off to the Chambers. She had every intention of spending her Christmas breakfast with her beloved Basileus.

After breakfast, she went down to Hagrid's hut, bringing along more meat to give to Buckbeak. After showering him in affection and love—and actually eating her lunch with him—she finally headed off to the Quidditch field to practice on her new Firebolt.

And that was how Harry Potter spent her Christmas day.

(◡‿◡✿)

"You flew the broom?!" Hermione shrieked that night as Harry got into bed.

"Of course I did," Harry retorted.

"What if it had been sent by Sirius Black? Oh! I wish you'd told me sooner, I would have asked Professor McGonagall…"

"It's perfectly fine, Basileus checked it out for me," Harry assured Hermione, giving a yawn. "For how long he's been around, he's gotten to be quite a sensor when it comes to jinxes, hexes, enchantment and curses."

Hermione still pursed her lips, but relented in her lecture.

"Good night, Hermione."

" Good night, Harry."

(◡‿◡✿)

The Gryffindor Quidditch team walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, decked out in blue, were already standing in the middle of the field. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on their team and she smiled at Harry. Harry returned the smile with a polite one of her own.

"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Hooch said briskly, and the two Captains shook hands.

"Mount your brooms on my whistle three—two—one—"

Harry soared up higher and faster than anyone else on her team and she circled around the stadium, her eyes squinting in her goggles as she tried to find the snitch. Tom drifted to float beside her, appearing to actually be leaning against her broom.

"They're off! Would you look at how fast Harry flew up, looking mighty fine on that even finer Firebolt. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship—"

"Mister Jordan, would mind actually talking about the match?" McGonagall interrupted, sighing.

"Right, you are, Professor—just giving a bit of much desired information to all the Quidditch Fanatics. Here we have Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for the goal, and oh so close, but the ball's been stolen—oh and it looks like…"

Harry dove towards the opposite field, her eyes still roaming.

"Chang is following you, odds are she thinks you'll find the Snitch before her," Tom pointed out. Harry glanced back, her lips twitching.

"Does she now?" Harry asked, amused. "She's a good flier and all but nowhere near as good as me."

With that said, Harry dove towards the ground in a sharp motion, giving the impression she had found the Snitch. Chang dove right behind her, making a sharp turn. Harry slowed her speed down, enough so Chang could catch up, and as Chang's nose was tied with the tip of Harry's broom, the ground was a few meters away.

Using the precise skill only a Firebolt could possess—a broom Chang obviously didn't have—Harry made a sharp one—eighty turn, and avoided the ground before soaring right past Chang. Chang veered, attempting to avoid the ground—now that it became clear it was only a ruse—but due to her less agile broom, she was forced to crash into the ground.

Harry peered down at Chang, still rising up in the air and making sure she was well enough to continue playing. Chang spat dirt out of her mouth and shook her head, but she stood back up and got back on her broom. Harry gave her a smile and called out, "Trust your own eyes, Cho Chang, definitely not your enemies'!"

Chang flushed and Harry giggled as she flew off to Gryffindor's side, drifting by Oliver.

"Nice," Oliver praised, pleased Harry had thrown off the other team's Seeker.

Harry flushed at the compliment before continuing to circle around the field, her eyes still scanning for the Snitch.

"And it seems like Harry's certainly showed Cho how it's done! I would expect nothing less from the beautiful—and single, boys—Gryffindor's star Seeker!"

"Can you at least try to be objective?" McGonagall asked.

"Nope!" Lee Jordan laughed.

Harry's eyes roamed the stadium before they settled on—

Doggy? Again?

_.Tom? To my right, upper corner in the shadows do you see a black dog, or am I hallucinating?._

Tom's eyes followed her directions. "I see it. Whose dog is that?"

_ I I don't know. I think I know that dog. I think it's the very same dog I met back in the Muggle world what's it doing here?._

"Watching you play," Tom suggested.

_.Very funny._

"Snitch, nine-o'clock."

Harry shot off in the direction Tom had said, and sure enough her eyes latched onto the Snitch. She sped after it, using every bit of the Firebolt's speed to catch up. Her hand outstretched and her fingers barely grazed it—

"And Harry's caught the Snitch!" Lee Jordan exclaimed as the whistle blew.

Harry drifted to the ground, and the moment her feet touched the ground she was whisked away into the arms of her teammates. Alicia, Angelina and Katie all kissed Harry's cheek and the twins ruffled her hair while Oliver picked her up, swinging her around again…

Is he going to do this every time I get us a win? Harry thought, her eyes drifting back up to where the dog was and not finding him there.

Hummm…

(◡‿◡✿)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Harry bolted up from her bed at the familiar scream and, not thinking, grabbed her wand from under her pillow and sprinted out of the room. The very first thing she saw moving, she immediately shot a Stupefy at—it was another student, whoopsie—before hurtling herself up the stairs to the boys' room and blasting the door open, her wand raised and poised to shoot the nearest thing.

She was greeted to the sight of a frantic Ron who was hyperventilating while Neville, Dean and Seamus tried to calm him down.

"Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!"

"What?"

"Here! now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!"

"You sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?" asked Dean.

"Look at the curtains! I tell you, he was here!"

Harry rubbed her eyes, relaxing as she ascertained there was no more danger. She gave an annoyed glare as she looked at the curtains which were indeed slashed.

"Come on, Ron let's get some hot chocolate in you to calm you down," Harry said, both tired and annoyed as she placed an arm around her ally—friend—ally—friend and guided him down into the common room. The other boys followed. The common room was mostly deserted—with the exception of a student, unconscious—a first year if Harry remembered correctly, Now that's a silly place to sleep—but others were slowly walking in.

"What's with all the noise?"

"Did someone scream?"

"I thought McGonagall told us that the party was over?"

"Everyone back upstairs!" Percy exclaimed, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.

"Perce—Sirius Black!" Ron exclaimed faintly, looking very pale. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Me! Curtains!"

The common room went very still.

"Nonsense!" dismissed Percy, though he still looked slightly unnerved. "You had too much to eat, Ron—a nightmare—"

"No, it wasn't—"

"Now, really, enough's enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and glared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor! I was telling them to get back to bed. My brother, Ron, had a nightmare—"

"It wasn't a nightmare!" Ron roared. "Professor, I woke up, and Sirius Black was standing over me, holding a knife!"

Everyone stared at Ron.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" Ron exclaimed, gesturing madly to Sir Cadogan's portrait. "Ask him if he saw—"

Glaring suspiciously and grumpily at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened carefully.

"Sir Cadogan, did you let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.

There was stunned silence, both inside and outside the tower.

"You—you did? But—but the password!"

"He had 'em!" Sir Cadogan exclaimed. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper."

McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait, white as chalk.

"Which person," she inquired, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person, wrote down this week's passwords and left them laying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of squeaks as Neville slowly raised his hand.

Harry grinned approvingly at him. "Nice."

She high fived his raised hand.

The students stared at her.

McGonagall placed her face in her hands. "Oh my God."

"What?"

Hermione placed both her hands on Harry's shoulders and looked her in the eye. "There is something wrong with you."

Harry gave a sheepish smile.

Her smile slipped as something occurred to her.

"Wait he went into the boys' dormitory?" Harry asked, glancing over at Ron, a look of outrage on her face. "Oh my God! I know I don't have much boobs yet, but seriously?! Seriously?!"

(◡‿◡✿)

Much to Harry's disappointment, security had doubled. Throughout the following day, everywhere they went they saw the signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything; Sir Cadogan had been fired and the Fat Lady was back—if still very nervous and only returning on the condition of more security around her—surly security trolls had been hired to guard her, as well.

Harry showed her disappointment by moping about—bemoaning how the school year got significantly more boring—while her friends, starting to get used to their risk-loving, adrenaline-addicted, danger-seeking friend, gave her chocolate and patted her on the head in hopes of comforting her. Neville was ashamed of his actions and McGonagall was furious with him—enough that she had banned him from Hogsmeade's visits for the rest of the year, and given explicit orders for everyone not to tell him the passwords, so he had to wait outside to be let in (although Harry gave them to him anyway, in hopes of a repeat) and worst of all, his Grandmother sent him a Howler.

Harry, again much to her disappointment and horror, was forbidden from going anywhere without at least two people with her. Which meant her visits to her darling Basileus were against the rules and she had to go the extra mile to sneak out to see him. It was very annoying.

On the next Hogsmeade visit, only she and Neville were left alone in their year. She patiently waited for her friends to have reached Hogsmeade before grinning at Neville and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, no, what is it?" Neville groaned.

"I'm sneaking off to Hogsmeade, and I know you so want to join me," Harry said, still wiggling her eyebrows.

"No! That's—that's against the rules! What if we get caught?"

Harry snorted and gave Neville a very unimpressed look. "Do you honestly think I would get caught? I've been doing this all year."

Neville had the grace to look sheepish. "Well no but it's still against the rules. What about Black?"

"What about him?"

Neville backtracked his reasoning. "Okay, while you are addicted to danger, I am not and I actually care about your well-being. I don't want you getting hurt, and I don't think anyone else does, either."

Harry pulled out her wand, staring blankly at Neville. "Are you going to try and stop me?"

"Well no."

"So then wouldn't it be better if you joined me? To 'keep an eye on me.'"

"Fat good an eye would do with you," Neville muttered. " I don't like it, but Okay…"

Harry beamed. "Good boy!"

"Not really…"

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry finally took off her Invisibility Cloak at the outskirts of the Shrieking Shack. Neville shivered in his coat, his hands buried into his pockets. Harry, however, gave a pleased sigh. Pleased that she was no longer in Hogwarts. Pleased she had disobeyed some sort of rules for the day. Pleased she had not been caught. Pleased that she would soon be sipping hot chocolate and eating her favorite Lava-Chava Cookies.

There was a bark.

She whirled around and she gave a delighted squeal. "Doggy!"

Neville gave her a blank look as she sprinted over to the shaggy black dog, dropping to her knees and hugging him tightly. The dog seemed very happy to see her, but he didn't seem overly happy to see Neville.

"Oh, you're such a smart doggy," Harry cooed, kissing his cheek. "I can't believe it really is you. You followed me all the way from Privet Drive?"

The dog seemed pleased with her attention, and if Harry didn't know any better, the way he nodded his head seemed to be answering her question. Harry took off her Gryffindor scarf, wrapping it around the dog.

"Oh, God, that thing's filthy," Tom sniffed, eyeing it with distaste. "It suits for him to wear a Gryffindor scarf…"

_.Go to hell._ Harry retorted, but with no real malice.

"Do you know if there's a dog equivalent to a Kneazle? I swear this dog understands me," Harry inquired, both to Neville and Tom while she started picking out burrs and twigs and other things from the dog's mangy coat.

"Uh…" Neville trailed off.

"Yes," Tom answered.

"Okay. Thank you," Harry murmured. "I'm guessing he's one of them, then. Dobby?"

Dobby appeared, smiling. "Yesses?"

"Would you please bring me a nicely cooked steak for our very smart doggy? Make that two. Oh, and some water, if you would please Oh, and actually a brush wouldn't hurt, either."

The dog barked and gave a soft whine, eyeing Neville.

"Oh, don't mind him. The rest of my friends will be here very soon, so you'll get to meet them, as well," Harry told him, frowning slightly when she found a tick. "Hmm I'll have to check with Hermione if she knows any tick-removing spells."

Speak of the devil…

"Harry! Oh, I can't believe you actually came," Hermione said shrilly, hurrying over to her friend and glowering.

"Of course I did, dear. Did you honestly think I wouldn't?"

Draco snorted, moving to Harry's side and handing her some beloved hot chocolate and Lava-Chava cookies. Harry gave a loving sigh and gave one of the cookies to the dog—who ate it all too happily before sipping on her drink.

"What's with the dog?" Ron asked curiously, staring at Harry's scarf around him.

"You won't believe it," Harry exclaimed. "This dog has followed me all the way from Privet Drive. I think he's imprinted on me—he was very ragged when I found him and I gave him food and a bath. He must be a—"

"They would be called Grimvels," Tom supplied.

"—Grimvel," Harry finished.

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Ooooh? Really? They're so rare! I heard you can't breed them in captivity and when they find an owner to imprint on, they'll stay with them even after their owner dies!"

Even Draco was staring at the dog appreciatively. "Most Grimvels actually die of starvation by refusing to leave their owners' side after they have already been buried."

Harry wrapped her arms around the dog, kissing his cheek. "Aren't I lucky to have found one, then?"

"I wonder if Dumbledore would let you bring him into Hogwarts," Neville pondered.

"Probably. She is the Girl-Who-Lived and having a Grimvel for a familiar would be very difficult to deny them being together," Draco mused.

Dobby reappeared, placing the food and water bowl before the dog—Grimvel. Harry patted Dobby on top of his head affectionately. "Thank you, dear."

Dobby handed Harry the brush before disappearing with a snap of his fingers.

"I can't take him back to Hogwarts with me so soon, though," Harry sighed, as she began to brush the Grimvel's fur—while he very happily ate the steak—and finish picking out the twigs and whatnot. "It would beg the question of how I ran into him and I don't think I could lie to Dumbledore, and I would rather not be caught quite so soon. Taking him to the Chambers is out of the question—Basileus would either accidently kill him or eat him if he gets annoyed enough. Far too risky…"

"Well, he's been on his own for a while, perhaps he'd be willing to stay here a while longer—at least until you can come up with something? You could have Dobby bring him food and water to this exact spot, so he doesn't starve," Hermione suggested helpfully.

Harry and her friends shared collective nods. "I think that would work. Now to think of a name…"

The Grimvel, finished with eating, sat on his haunches and licked his chops. He tilted his head, as if raising an eyebrow, and gave her an expression that was best described as a smirk.

"Black," Neville suggested.

" Don't talk," Draco said.

" Grim?" Ron threw out.

"Napoleon," Hermione said brightly.

The Grimvel and Harry exchanged glances, both seeming to agree on a big fat no.

"Well how about in honor of my favorite Map-Makers—who I wouldn't be here and thus be able to name him the first place if it weren't for them—I name him after one of them?" Harry asked rhetorically. She then looked him in the eye. "Nod to the name you want."

"Prongs." Nothing.

"Wormtail." A growl.

"Moony." Nothing.

"Padfoot." A nod.

"Alright. Padfoot it is," Harry declared, frowning when she found a particularly nasty knot. Padfoot gave a yelp when she yanked and whined pitifully.

"Sorry," Harry automatically apologized. Padfoot nudged her hand with his snout and nuzzled her affectionately. She smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"Well, now that we're all here what do we want to do?" Ron asked.

"Snowball fight," Neville immediately said.

"Hermione and I will be kicking all of your arses, you do know that?" Harry asked, smirking.

Draco sneered. "I'd love to see you try."

"H-Harry? Harry Potter?"

All eyes whirled around to find Lavender Brown giving Harry a shocked expression. "What are you doing here? I-I have to get Professor McGonagall, it's too danger—"

Without thinking, Harry shot out a Stupefy and the girl fell over, unconscious.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked. "You can't go around knocking students unconscious."

"I regret nothing," Harry told her, standing up and grabbing Neville's hand. "Alright. We better head back before she wakes up. Padfoot, stay here. Dobby will bring you dinner at sunset, I promise. Be a good boy and I'll try and sneak out to see you next Hogsmeade, alright? Let's roll, my accomplice!"

"A-Accomplice?!" Neville squeaked. "B—But I didn't knock her unconscious! Oh, no, if Grandmother finds out that I was an accomplice to attacking another student—another Gryffindor—a-a girl Gryffindor—"

Nonplussed nor bothered, Harry covered herself and Neville under the cloak and the two snuck back to Hogwarts undetected.

When Lavender came to, it was Ron who told her that he and Draco had been having a wild magic fight and one of the spells backfired and hit her—she dismissed seeing Harry and Neville as a hallucination when Hermione didn't dispute Ron and Draco's claims. And so, Neville and Harry had yet to be caught.

Although Hermione's lecturing that night was worse than receiving a Howler, in Harry's completely objective opinion.

(◡‿◡✿)

"Remember, Harry," Oliver was saying to her a couple weeks later after practice. He had both of his hands placed firmly on her shoulders and was looking her straight in the eye. "You can only catch the Snitch if we're twenty five points or more up. Okay? Twenty five. No less than twenty five. Otherwise we win the match, but lose the Cup. Got it? T—W—E—N—"

Harry slapped Oliver across the face. Not hard, but enough for the sound to echo in the Quidditch storage room. The rest of the team glanced up from polishing their brooms at the sound. Oliver stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Better? Got ahold of yourself now, right? Remember all the times I've won us the Cup? Yes? Good. Now shut the bloody hell up, dear."

Oliver nodded his head, still appearing dumbfounded. The twins exchanged glances, grinning slyly.

"That's our—"

"—Harrykins, always so—"

"—blunt with her opinion."

"Poor Oliver, so hyped up for the Cup—"

"—but too hyped up for Harrykins' taste!"

Harry merely raised an eyebrow at the two snickering twins.

(◡‿◡✿)

The day of the final match, Harry was being dragged to the field by a frantic Oliver, who refused to release her hand simply because she made a joke about skipping the entire match and going off to play with her pets. Oliver had made a very odd (funny) noise before grabbing her hand and proceeding to drag her to the field. Harry was too busy snickering about his reaction to care and, by the way the twins were snickering right behind her, she could tell they were amused too. The girls merely rolled their eyes, but they were smiling as well.

When they reached the field, Oliver paced up and down it—still refusing to release Harry's hand, as he was too distracted. "Okay—no wind to speak of—sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it—ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kick off—"

"Oliver, you can release my hand now," Harry said patiently.

"Twins, don't let her out of your sight," Oliver replied absently, still pacing as he released her hand. Then Fred and George both wrapped their arms around Harry's shoulders, grinning widely.

"Okay—locker rooms—girls, if you would please make sure Harry doesn't run off—"

Harry rolled her eyes in exasperation, but allowed herself to be herded to the locker rooms. When everyone was dressed and ready, the Gryffindor team walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd were wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor emblem on them, or brandishing banners with cheerful slogans. The one quarter that was not cheering for Gryffindor was Slytherin, of course—decked out in green and silver.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee, who was acting as commentator as per usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years—"

Lee's comments were drowned out by a tide of boos from the Slytherin end.

"—with some of the most attractive girls on the team—Hullo, Katie! Angelina! Alicia! Harry!—"

More boos erupted from the stadiums—only not from Slytherin's side.

"And here comes the Slytherin team, lead by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill—"

The rest of his words were drowned out by boos on the Slytherin's side.

Harry, however, thought that he was right on cue. Harry's lips twitched in amusement.

_.I wonder how many I can knock off their brooms?._

"Such a vicious thought, and if it were any other House but my own, I would be delighted to encourage it," Tom said dryly.

As Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hands very tightly (it looked like they were trying to break the other's fingers), Madam Hooch declared, "Mount your brooms! Three two one…"

Harry kicked off into the air, adjusting her goggles with a silent charm to better shade them from the sun. Her eyes roamed the stadium and there—in her scarf—was Padfoot, sitting perfectly content in the shadows, his tail wagging. Harry gave a grin.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goalposts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no—Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field—wham!—nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by—Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina—nice swerve around Montague—duck Angelina, that's a Bludger!—And she scores! Ten—zero to Gryffindor!"

Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight—

"Ouch!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her—"

Flint was interrupted from his apology as Harry rammed into him and did knock him off his broom into the cheering—and laughing—crowd.

"Sorry!" Harry called out, giggling. "Sorry! Didn't see him…"

The crowd roared their approval and Angelina high-fived Harry while Madam Hooch shouted. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for deliberate damage to their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

Harry rolled her eyes, but drifted below into the crowd, guiding Flint's broom back to him. He sneered at her when she handed it back to him, smiling sweetly.

"Better watch where you're going, Flint," she called out as she flew back up into the air, ignoring his rather rude retort.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee. "Yes! She's beaten the Keeper! Twenty—Zero to Gryffindor!"

The crowd roared in approval once more and Harry laughed, feeling the absolute glee and cheerfulness radiating from the crowd. It was hard not to feel excited in such energized air.

"Gryffindor in possession, no Slytherin in possession—no!—Gryffindor back in possession, and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field—that was deliberate!"

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle, had grabbed her head. Katie cartwheeled into the air, managing to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Keeper.

"Thirty—Zero! Take that you dirty, cheating—"

"Mister Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way—"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

Harry's eyes lit up when she found the Snitch and she sped off towards it—it was on Slytherin's end. As she flew towards it, one of the Bludgers came whizzing past Harry's right ear—and another one—and another one—each one barely grazing her and leaving her more and more irritated as Slytherin's Beaters closed in.

She turned her Firebolt upwards sharply at the last second, for the two to collide with a sickening crunch.

"Ha! Too bad boys, you should know better than to mess with the devilishly gorgeous Harry Potter! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle—"

Harry lost focus of the commentary, her eyes locked onto the Snitch. However, she lost focus of it the moment she heard Lee swear out a very naughty word—a word that actually made Harry blush deeply in embarrassment and the crowd erupt into laughing giggles as McGonagall tried to wrestle the magical megaphone away from him.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again. So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty to ten now Gryffindor in possession…"

Harry's eyes roamed the field as she watched the last game turn into the dirtiest game Harry had ever played in. Enraged that Gryffindor was in the lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he actually thought she was a Bludger. George elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Hooch awarded both teams with penalties and Wood pulled off another spectacular save—as if he would do anything less—making the score forty—to ten. Katie scored. Fifty—ten. Fred and George were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrik took advantage of their absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood—and they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom—

"Bloody hell, no!" Harry shrieked, speeding off to Oliver and grabbing hold of him, before he lost his balance. Oliver gave an airy cough while Madam Hooch shrieked at the Beaters. Harry patted his back, and stayed while he regained his balance.

"Good?" Harry asked.

"Good," Oliver coughed. "Snitch?"

"Lost track of it when Lee swore. I'll get it. And revenge. Definitely getting revenge."

"After the game. We don't want to give them anymore penalties."

Harry pouted. " Fine."

She sped off and away, and Alicia looked up at her with a curious face. Harry nodded her head, confirming with the Chaser that their Keeper was alright. More scores were made as the match dragged on and Harry searched for the Snitch until—finally—!

Harry sped off, urging her Firebolt at its maximum speed as she chased the Snitch into the clouds above, not caring if Draco had noticed her and was following her, her Firebolt could outshine his old broom any day. High up into the clouds, she raced, shivering slightly from the sudden shift in temperature. Her fingers outstretched as she reached for the speeding golden ball—

She grasped it.

As she flew back to the field, she held up her arm and Lee shouted, "Harry Potter's caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

Harry soared above the field as the crowd shrieked with joy and she flew to the ground in a gentle slope. Dismounting her broom, she held up her caught Snitch proudly, a warm feeling blooming in her chest. Then Oliver was speeding towards her, half—blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into her shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George collided into her, knocking the trio to the ground into a makeshift dog pile and then Angelina's, Alicia's and Katie's voices were chanting, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team piled onto the ground, yelling hoarsely.

Wave upon wave of scarlet supporters were pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs and Harry was starting to feel a little suffocated, but then she and the rest of the team were lifted up into the air, as the crowd threw them up and up into the air and she saw Hagrid cheering, and Percy jumping up and down (dignity be damned!) and McGonagall was sobbing even harder than Oliver and her friends were beaming so proudly at her and Padfoot looked even prouder and—

And, yeah, it wasn't the first time she won the Cup.

But But it was the first time she won the Cup with frie—with—with friends.

If only there was a Dementor nearby, Harry thought as a sobbing Oliver lifted the Cup into the air, because at this moment, I feel like I could produce the world's best Patronus.

(◡‿◡✿)

The exams were long and tireless and by the time Harry was finished with them, she was beside herself with pent up energy from sitting still for so long. And she wasn't the only one; she managed to rope Neville, Ron and Hermione into heading outside for some fresh air, after, of course, they visited Hagrid (Harry really wanted to visit at least one of her pets, and she needed to ask Hagrid about Grimvels).

Into Hagrid's hut they filled in, as Hagrid poured some tea.

"Oh, Ron 'ere I foun' this fer yeh…" Hagrid handed Ron a squealing rat—Scabbers—and Ron glared at his pet.

"There you are, you stubborn thing. I don't know why you keep running away…" Ron trailed off, sighing and holding on tightly to his rat.

"How were thah exams?" Hagrid asked.

"Dreadful!" Neville exclaimed. The rest of the students nodded their heads in agreement and, one by one, each launched into a tale of their least favorite exam.

"I swear Snape seriously hates me," Harry exclaimed, finishing her tale of Snape's horrible grading skills.

"Well," Hermione said reasonably, "I doubt it helps how you acted when he tried to teach DADA."

"I regret nothing."

Ron snorted. "You never do."

"Well, it's getting late," Hagrid said, peering out the window. "Nearly dark. Yeh better start headin' back, now, alright?"

"Alright," the quartet chorused.

Harry gave a longing sigh, climbing out the window—doors were getting boring—and latching onto Buckbeak.

"I want to kidnap him," Harry sighed longingly, as Hermione grabbed her by the ear and started hauling her away and up the hill. Harry gave a small whine.

"That hurts, 'Mione!"

"Climbing out of windows no regard for safety severe lack of self-preservation," Hermione muttered crossly. "Honestly. What am I going to do with you?"

Ron and Neville snickered at Harry's annoyed expression, and full out laughed when Hermione finally released their friend's ear and she cringed, rubbing it. "So mean!"

As they started up the hill, Ron gave an annoyed grunt, causing the rest of them to pause and turn back to him. "It's Scabbers—he won't—stay put—"

Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking and squealing, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.

"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot," Ron snapped. "Ouch! He bit me! Scabbers—No!"

Too late—the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground and scampered away. Ron didn't hesitate and pelted off into the darkness.

"Idiot," Hermione sighed and the trio followed after him.

When they finally caught up to Ron, he was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was held tightly in his hands. Before either of them could make a sound or movement, there was a low growl.

"Padfoot?" Harry inquired, as the Grimvel leapt and his jaws fastened around Ron's leg. Harry's eyes widened in disbelief as the dog proceeded to drag her fri—fr—friend away and then, out of nowhere, something hard hit Harry on the back of her head.

Her wand snapped out, the end lit up with Lumos and she realized—

"The Whomping Willow," Tom observed, as Harry noted she could no longer see Ron or Padfoot.

_.The Map said there was a secret entrance over the Willow…_

The tip of Harry's wand glowed a dark red and fire erupted from it, scorching the tree's branches. The tree's branches snapped away from the fire and Harry smirked.

"What was that about?" Hermione demanded.

"Grimvels only attack whenever their owner is in danger why would he attack Ron…?" Neville asked, his brow furrowed.

Harry shrugged. "Doesn't matter. We have to go help them, so let's go."

(◡‿◡✿)

In the Shrieking Shack, the trio climbed up the stairs, Harry leading. They reached the last room at the top, where the door was left open. Slowly, carefully, Harry entered the room, her eyes settling on Ron, who was clutching his leg painfully.

"Ron, are you alright?" Hermione rushed towards him.

"Where's the Grimvel?" Neville asked.

"Not a Grimvel…" Ron panted. "Harry—it's a trap—"

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"He's not a Grimvel he's an animagus…"

Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder and Harry whirled around, finding herself face to face with none other than Sirius Black, her scarf still wrapped firmly around his neck. She stared at him, a mixture of annoyance and grudging respect bubbling in her. Annoyance she had been so easily fooled by him, and grudging respect he had so easily fooled her and lured her into a trap. It was that respect alone that stopped her from immediately sending out a Stupefy.

"Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.

Immediately, the trio lost their wands and Sirius caught them.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as if he had lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful it will make everything much easier…"

Harry flushed at the remark about her father, feeling a rising rush of anger. Her hands clenched tightly into fists and the only reason she did not outright attack the man who stole everything from her was the sharp remark from Tom.

"You better use your head in this one, Harry. If you were able to out-wit me, you better do the same for your other enemies," Tom snapped.

"I will not allow you to hurt them," Harry said lowly, positioning herself between the threat and her fr—friends.

She held out her hand with a silent accio, and her wand flew back into her hand.

"How dare you," Harry said softly, "how dare you take away my family, how dare you ruin my childhood. I will kill you. Slowly. Painfully. And I will have my revenge."

"Listen to me, Harry, you need to know the whole story," Sirius rasped. "I swear I swear to you if I could undo it I would…"

The sincerity in his voice was enough to give Harry slight pause, but her rage kept building and building. It wasn't the rage at him—it was at everything that had happened to her because of him. Every little fuck up in her life happened because he stole away the two more precious people in Harry's life—stole it all away in a single, heartless night. She was seeing red and her hand shook as she gripped her wand, but she tried very, very hard not to snap. She wanted it to be long, his suffering. She wanted it to last for as long as she had suffered.

She wanted that, very, very dearly.

So she kept her rage in check, kept her face perfectly blank and her voice perfectly even, but she knew—she knew that if so much as one little thing was taken from her—one more poke or prod—she would snap.

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor—someone was moving downstairs.

"We're up here!" Hermione shrieked. "We're up here—Sirius Black—Quick!"

Sirius made a startled movement, but the door to the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around and found Lupin hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready.

"Expelliarmus!"

And Harry's wand flew out of her hand and she was left, stunned, speechless, and frozen.

Her heart constricted and she felt a bitter stone drop in the pit of her stomach as she stared at Lupin with wide, wide eyes.

"I trusted you," Harry whispered, taking a step back as her mind went blank. Lupin's eyes shone with an emotion Harry couldn't quite place for the moment and she watched as Lupin caught Harry's wand.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Lupin asked in a quiet voice.

"You were the one who told me to—to—" Harry shook her head, unable to process what was happening. She trusted him. It was because of him that she trusted—her eyes wandered over to her allies. Was it wrong, then? Was she right all along? That had to be the case. Of course it was the case. She knew she knew good girls never won. And she had fooled herself into thinking that she could play the good girl—but she was so very, very wrong and now Harry Potter was going to pay the price.

Moratorium wanted to take over at this point. Wanted to put an end to Harry's suffering, but Harry denied him. She wanted this to end. She needed it to end, because she needed to confirm her resolve in never trusting—never opening—never allowing—never permitting—

She needed her resolve into why she had Moratorium in the first place.

So she stood, perfectly still, her mind perfectly blank, as Harry Potter.

"Something's not right," Tom observed, his dark eyes flickering between Lupin and Sirius. "What does he mean by he? Found who?"

Sirius's face was as blank as hers. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed at Ron. Confusion took hold of numbness inside of Harry and her brow furrowed as she stared at Ron.

"But then…" Lupin trailed off. " why hasn't he shown himself before now…? Unless unless he was the one unless you switched without telling me…?"

Lupin's eyes were wide as Sirius nodded his head. Then Harry watched, her eyes wide with disbelief as Lupin then walked to Sirius's side and hugged him like a dear brother.

"I don't believe it!" Hermione shrieked.

"You…" Harry trailed off, revulsion churning in her stomach. "I don't fucking believe it!"

"At least you're not in shock anymore," Tom said sardonically.

"I trusted you! You and him! Him and you! It was you who encouraged me to—to—that they were worth it—you—you were nice and all this time you've been leading me on?"

"You're wrong," Lupin said quickly. "I haven't lied to you. I meant what I said earlier, and we weren't friends before—we are now, but…"

"Liar!" Hermione snapped. "I trusted you, too! I've been covering you for ages—Harry don't trust him—he's a werewolf!"

"I know," Harry said, while Ron and Neville grew pale. "I don't give a shite about that. being a werewolf doesn't make him untrustworthy, Hermione. I thought you of all people would understand that."

Hermione flushed, but was still fixated with a loathing glare on Lupin.

"And how did you…?"

"The boggart and your illness," Hermione said quietly. "I saw that Harry seemed she seemed fond of you and I was worried you would you would take advantage of her. Harry's my friend and I know she has trouble, sometimes, connecting with others. Don't give me that look, Harry I wanted to make sure you were alright. I made a misjudgment of character by trusting you with her."

Harry's eyes were wide and she stared at Hermione with no lack of shock. "You You were worried about…?"

"Of course I was," Hermione snapped. "I'm not a bloody idiot, Harry! I know when I'm being kept at arm's distance and I'm glad that I'm not being so pushed away now, but…!"

"I never said you were an idiot, Hermione. I'm not good at…"

"I know. I don't know why but I know," Hermione said softly.

"Please, listen to me," Lupin pleaded, handing each wand back to its owner. "That rat—that rat that you hold, Ron that's not who you think it is. You see, part of being a werewolf, you get some enhanced features—sight—strength—smell—and when I first smelled you, Ron, I thought I was insane. It was so faint, but I could still smell him—the very same scent I had spent the majority of my life in Hogwarts with. It's impossible to forget a friend's—or what I thought was a friend before—scent. When I came down to Hagrid, he said he had found your rat and I wanted to get a closer look at him, and Hagrid said you four had already left with the rat…"

Lupin took a deep breath and let out a small sigh. "That rat is not a rat, Ron. He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Sirius, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

Harry's eyes widened and she whirled around to the squealing rat.

"But you killed him…?" Harry asked faintly.

"I meant to," Sirius growled, baring his teeth, "but little Peter got the better of me not this time, though!"

"Sirius, no!" Lupin exclaimed, holding Sirius back as he tried to move towards Ron and Scabbers(Peter?). "Wait! You can't do it like that—they need to understand—we've got to explain—"

"We can explain afterwards," Sirius snarled.

"They've—got—a—right—to—know—everything" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Sirius, who was apparently rather strong, despite his state. "Ron's had him as a pet for years, and there are parts even I don't understand and Harry you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

Sirius stopped struggling, his hollowed eyes still on Scabbers, but for a moment, they flickered to Harry.

"All right, then," Sirius allowed. "Tell them whatever you like, but make it quick…"

"You're nutters, both of you," Neville said, positioning himself between them and Ron.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," Hermione said faintly. "A whole street full of them…"

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Sirius snapped.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," Lupin said, nodding. "I believed it myself—until tonight. My nose doesn't lie."

"But Professor Lupin Scabbers can't be Pettigrew it can't be true…" Hermione said quietly.

"Why not?" Lupin asked calmly.

"Because because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework—the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards and when I looked them up, there had only been seven Animagi in this century—"

"Those are only the ones that register. I bet Sirius Black wasn't on that list," Harry said quietly.

Hermione shook her head.

"We We were all unregistered," Lupin said quietly, glancing at Sirius. "We based our Marauder's names off of our Animagi forms. I was Moony—although I wasn't an Animagus, I was a werewolf, Sirius was Padfoot, for his dog form, James was Prongs, for his stag, and Peter was Wormtail, for being a rat.

"Wait you're the…" Harry trailed off and she nodded her head. "Okay Okay."

There was a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord and all six stared at it. Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.

"No one there…"

"This place really is haunted," Neville whispered.

"It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door with a curious expression. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted the screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me. That's where all of this starts—with my becoming a werewolf. None of this would have happened if I hadn't been bitten if I hadn't…"

He looked suddenly very tired.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days, there were no cures. The potion Snape makes for me is a very recent discovery, it makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding to the full moon, I keep my human mind when I transform. I am able to curl up in my office as a harmless wolf and wait for the moon to wane again. Before the potion, however, I became a fully—fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible I would be able to come to Hogwarts—no one would want their children exposed to me. But then Dumbledore became the headmaster and he was very sympathetic. He said as long as we took precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…"

Lupin gave a long sigh. "This house the tunnel leads back to the school and once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The Whomping Willow was placed at the tunnel's mouth to stop anyone from coming across me while I was dangerous. My transformations in those days were—were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and screaming and thought they were hearing ghosts Dumbledore encouraged the rumor even now with the house being silent for years the villagers refuse to approach it but still, I was happy. Why? Because I had three genuine friends.

"Now, my friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month and came back with scratches and scars. I made up all sorts of stories because I was terrified they would abandon me the moment they found out who I was but of course, like you, Harry, Hermione, they worked out the truth. And they didn't desert me at all. Instead they did something that would make my transformation not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi. It took the better part of three years—but they did it."

"How did that help you?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals. A werewolf is only a danger to people. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up," Sirius hissed.

"I'm getting there, old friend I'm getting there There were close calls—calls that still leave me haunted by the possibility of giving this curse to anyone else. For a long time, I struggled with the thought of telling Dumbledore about Sirius's Animagus form, but in the end, I decided against it. I suppose in the end, Snape was right about me all along…"

"Snape?" Black said harshly. "What's Snivellus got to do with any of this?"

"He teaches here. He fought very hard against my appointment as the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons you see, Sirius here played a trick on him that nearly killed him, a trick which involved me—"

"Probably served him right," Harry snorted while Sirius sneered, "It served him right."

The two exchanged glances and Harry looked away stubbornly.

"So that's why he doesn't like you?" Ron asked. "Because of a trick?"

"Enough with the back stories," Harry said swiftly, discomforted she had agreed on something with Sirius. "I'm tired of all of this. Explain. Now. How do you know Scabbers is really Pettigrew? You've been in Azkaban this entire time.

"That is a fair question," Lupin remarked, frowning slightly. "How did you find out where he was?"

Sirius pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his robes and held out to show the others—it was the Daily Prophet, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"How did you get this…?"

"Fudge. When he came to inspect Azkaban, he gave me his paper. There was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder I knew him at once how many times have I seen him transform? Look at his paw…"

"My God. His front paw…"

"He's got a toe missing," Harry said blankly. "What of it?"

"Of course So simple so brilliant he cut it off himself."

"Just before he transformed. When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed them. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back and sped into the sewer with the other rats…"

"The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger," Harry remarked, realization crossing over her features and, once again, she found renewed anger bubbling inside of her. She turned to face Ron.

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right—"

"Twelve years, in fact. Far past the normal rat's lifespan."

"We—we've taken good care of him."

"Not looking too good for the moment, though, is he? He knew Sirius was coming for him."

"Why why would he be so worried…? The Aurors would protect him if…" Harry trailed off and she gave a strangled sound. "No. That's what you meant? Switching? Switching Secret-Keepers?"

"Such a smart girl," Sirius said softly.

Harry gave another choked sound and she felt her anger burst inside of her. My Godfather—he didn't—he was trying to protect me—he came for me—Hagrid didn't give me to him—and he's been suffering like I have—my only family—my—my—

Lupin hadn't betrayed Harry, after all, either.

Her eyes trained on Scabbers and her face twisted into a snarl. "Give me the rat, Ronald."

"Don't tell me you believe—"

Her wand flashed out and she summoned the squealing rat into her hands. Her hands shook and she squeezed the real one who stole everything from her. Peter squealed in pain.

"Reveal him to us. I don't know any spell to force an Animagus to turn back into human," Harry said tersely, holding the rat out to Lupin.

Lupin gave a slow nod and a flash of blue—white light erupted from his wand as she dropped Peter. Peter froze in midair, and when he hit the floor—

"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly. "Long time no see."

But Harry did not allow for pleasantries. She had tried to keep a cool head. She had tried to keep calm, but the revelation that she had yet another chance at happiness even after her parents were taken from her—yet again stolen away from her, by the same fucking man She Was Furious.

Blinded by rage, she flew at Peter, as he struggled to stand up. She drove her fist straight into his face, and he fell back to the floor, blood pooling out of his nose. She raised her wand to his legs and black light flew from the tip. Peter screamed in agony as the bones in his legs were completely shattered.

"Harry!"

Harry wasn't sure who reprimanded her, only that it was someone close enough to her that she did not proceed to hurt Peter anymore. At the very least, he would not be escaping.

"Good girl," Sirius croaked approvingly.

Harry felt her rage bubble and boil inside of her, and Peter's whimpers did nothing to soothe her. She wanted to destroy every last bit of him.

"Why…" Harry croaked, her voice shaking with tight anger, "why did this never come to light? Why was this not revealed at your trial?"

"I never received one," Sirius said quietly.

Her anger spiked and the shack gave a groan as the wood around Harry splintered and flew away from her from her unchecked magic. Her stomach churned and she felt sick with loathing in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't Peter's fault, then. It was the Ministry's fault, as well. Because of them, she was—because of them, Moratorium had to be born.

She wanted to kill them.

Desperately.

Her fingers dug into the palm of her hands, her nails digging in hard enough that the skin was split and blood dripped out. She was doing her best to even her breathing.

As she tried to calm herself, she could hear Moratorium whisper what to do next.

"Dobby," Harry called out suddenly, her voice eerily calm.

Dobby appeared. "Y—"

"Bring Fudge and Amelia Bones to Hogwarts, tell them and Dumbledore it concerns Sirius Black and that it's an emergency."

"Harry what are you—"

"Ron, can you walk?" Harry asked, ignoring Hermione for the moment.

"Not—Not well," Ron admitted.

"Sorry," Sirius apologized.

"Neville, or Hermione, please use Wingardium Leviosa on Ron, so we can take him back to the castle," Harry instructed, lifting her own wand on a whimpering Peter—whose nose still bled—and using the aforementioned spell. "Sirius, please return to your animal form so they do not recognize you. Professor Lupin, have you taken your potion?"

"Oh. No—"

"Please stay here."

As Harry walked away—Sirius right at her side and a whimpering Peter high up in the air above them—the others followed, the exception being Lupin.

(◡‿◡✿)

As Harry entered the school, she was immediately greeted by Fudge, Amelia, Shacklebolt, Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"Miss Potter! There you are, what's—"

The moment Harry saw them—saw Them—her control snapped and she threw Peter down to the ground, cracking his skull into the marble floor and rendering him unconscious, before she sprinted forward and dug her fist straight into Fudge's face.

"YOU SELFISH FUCKING IDIOT!" Harry shrieked, having every intention of beating him to a pulp, but at Sirius's bark, she restrained herself.

"What is the meaning of this, Potter?" Amelia demanded.

"Shut up, you filthy whore!" Harry snarled, shaking with fury.

"Harry!" Dumbledore admonished.

"You…!" Harry whirled on him, itching to kick his arse, as well. Hermione must have sensed this because she said Harry's name sharply, causing Harry to retain focus.

She pointed at unconscious Peter. "Can someone who's not a bloody idiot tell me who the bloody hell he is?"

"Peter? Peter Pettigrew?" McGonagall gasped.

Immediately, all eyes rested on him. Fudge—who was on the floor, clutching his nose—had his eyes widen in surprise, too.

"Now can someone please tell me," Harry asked, her voice thin, "what my godfather was accused of?"

"Sirius Black—" Amelia began, but Harry shot her a venomous look.

"It was rhetorical, you idiot," Harry snapped. "This, however, isn't. Someone tell me the exact date my godfather received his trial and sentence to that hell?"

"Sirius Black was sentenced—"

"His trial, first."

Silence met her response.

" So we can't name the date, I fail to see what you're so angry about," Amelia said flatly.

Harry was very close to attacking the older woman, the only thing that stopped her being Neville and Hermione placing a hand on her shoulders, gripping them tightly. Harry took a deep breath.

"Three days," Harry said shortly.

"Three days until what?" Shacklebolt asked skeptically, he had had his wand out and ready the moment she had punched the blundering fool, but made no move to stop her.

"You all have exactly three days to set up a trial—a legitimate trial—for Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. I want Pensieves, Veritaserum, an objective judge. Three days, or else," Harry warned.

"Harry, please, explain…" Dumbledore pleaded.

"Three bloody days, or else."

"Or else what?" Fudge demanded.

"I go straight to Rita Skeeter and I tell her all about how sweet Harry Potter was raised in an atrocious home because her Godfather was falsely accused, something which would have been found out if he was given a trial in the first place, and how despite all the time the fucking fools in the government had to give him a legitimate trial, none of them got around to it, and how even though Harry Potter asked ever so nicely for a trial for her beloved Godfather, they still chose to ignore her," Harry spat.

At her threat, the majority of the faces in the room paled.

"Falsely accused?" Amelia asked faintly.

Harry whirled on her, jerking out of her friends' hands and snarling, "Falsely accused, you fat-ass shite. Something which you would have known IF YOU HAD DONE YOUR JOB!"

At her roar, her magic flared again and the portraits and windows shook fiercely.

"Harry," Hermione said gently.

Harry wasn't listening; she was shaking with rage and teetering on breaking down and firing off Crucios at everyone around her. "This This is why…! Every one of them I meet! All incompetent moronic fools! Too scared and worried for your own selfish being—to save face that you would hurt someone else! Too jealous, too petty, too, too…! You stupid adults!"

Harry swallowed. "Three days. You have three days."

She turned on her heel and stormed away. And after a moment of pause, Sirius followed behind her.

(◡‿◡✿)

She slipped into the Chambers, Sirius right behind her, eyeing the area curiously. She went down the long tunnels before going into the bedroom, climbing into the bed, grabbing a pillow, curling up and letting out a dry sob.

All this time. All this time I could have been happy, but I wasn't because of more stupid adults. Why? Why did they do this? Who did I piss off so much the moment I was born, that I was given this stupid life?

Sirius crawled up onto the bed, giving a soft whine. Harry looked up, feeling hesitant and unsure.

"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly. "I I lost my temper. Severely. Just seeing them again and knowing that they all knew and still did nothing about it it it infuriated me. I'm sorry if I scared or worried you."

Sirius shook his head, inching closer.

"I'm not very good at this sort of thing," Harry told him. "I'm not used to having to be conscious of others. I'm sure you were angry, too."

Sirius seemed to shrug, moving a bit closer in the process.

"He's trying to comfort you," Tom said.

_.How?_

"He's already recognized you feel more comfortable with animals than you do with humans. That's why he's remaining in this form," Tom replied, slowly floating away. "I'll head back to my diary."

Unsure of what else to do, Harry moved a bit closer to Sirius. Hesitantly, she tried to picture him as a dog and what she would do if he were Buckbeak or Basileus. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his fur and sniffled. Harry did not cry a single tear, as that was something she had refused to do a long time ago. But she did cling to her Godfather, and she did shake, and somehow, somehow, she felt a little bit better.

Is this what a family is supposed to be like?

(◡‿◡✿)

Harry chose to remain in the Chambers, with Sirius, until the day of the trial. Dobby acted as her messenger, and she allowed no one, save her friends, in the Chamber. Dobby teleported them to her, sometime the next morning—along with lunch. Hermione had quickly grabbed onto Harry, holding her tightly, before Ginny pulled her away and hugged her, then so did Luna, followed by Neville, then the twins, and Draco patted her on the head.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper yesterday," Harry apologized.

"It was understandable," Neville assured her.

"I would have been as furious," Hermione added.

"We wouldn't have been so nice, though," Fred said, to which Harry had to smile at.

Sirius padded into the room, yawning and taking a seat at Harry's feet. Harry's smile widened a bit more at seeing him.

"We explained everything we know after you left," Neville said.

Draco gave a small nod. "They've set up the trial, too. I take it you'll bring Black?"

Harry nodded.

Hermione pulled out a small bag and held it out to Harry. Harry took it, examining its contents. "Homework?"

"I assumed you wouldn't really be up for well, really anyone else and that you would be skipping classes until the trial," Hermione explained. "McGonagall and Lupin thought the same, so we brought you what you would miss."

"Tell them I said thank you, please," Harry said quietly.

"Wood wants to know if you're going to practice tomorrow…" George added.

"I will," Harry said quickly.

Her friends exchanged glances.

"Really?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"I don't want Oliver getting on my case when I do come back," Harry defended, blushing.

There was a contemplative silence.

"Yeah…"

(◡‿◡✿)

It was a long day, the day of the trial. Harry was allowed out of school to vouch for her Godfather and accuse Peter (she would have left school, even without Dumbledore's permission). The trial was a huge deal and Harry had already sent a letter to Lockhart, requesting for him to deal with the press on their behalf. Lockhart—all too willingly—obliged and Harry wrote out the all the facts he needed to know, so that way when the doors opened and the cameras and reporters came a-blazing, Harry and Sirius didn't need to respond or deal with that drama, leaving it up to the golden idiot.

After the trial, Sirius and Harry sat quietly in the courthouse, conversing quietly to each other.

Sirius was smiling brightly at Harry. "Thank you."

Harry shrugged, blushing. "I just It was the right thing to do."

"I know. Thank you. I, uh Listen I, uh, I know you mentioned you didn't like who you were living with and if you ever if you want, I mean, when this is all over I have a flat in London you can live with me," Sirius offered, giving an almost shy smile.

Harry's eyes widened and she blurted out, "Yes! Please!"

Sirius beamed. "Excellent!"

It was then that Dumbledore entered the conversation, "Excuse me…?"

The duo looked up at Dumbledore, and while Sirius was still beaming, Harry's face went carefully blank.

"A word with young Harry, if you don't mind, Sirius…"

"Of course, of course!"

"Afterwards, I would like a word with you…"

Sirius nodded his head, giving a wink at Harry, before leaving.

Dumbledore sat down across from Harry. "Harry, I don't quite know what to say."

Harry did not reply.

"I am sorry, very sorry, Sirius had to go through that, but you have to understand, all the evidence pointed towards him."

"All the shallow evidence," Harry sneered. "A trial. You, who is held so highly as such an honorable man, could not give the time of day for someone who was wrongfully accused."

Dumbledore's eyes were hollow and reflected great remorse and he—in an all too sad voice—said, "I know. I was blinded by my anger and I could not see reason. It is one of the greatest regrets I shall carry for the rest of my life."

Harry stubbornly looked away, feeling her anger soften slightly at Dumbledore's sincere sorrow. "Good."

Dumbledore nodded his head, accepting Harry's anger. "I will not ask for your forgiveness, as I feel I do not deserve it, but I want you to know that I am sorry."

Harry looked back at Dumbledore, biting on her bottom lip. " I do not know if I can forgive you, Professor. I I am, too, sorry about my temper. It was very irrational and immature of me to do so, and I should have handled myself better. I am sorry."

"No need to apologize, Harry, you were very much caught up in the moment," Dumbledore said gently.

"That's it," Harry said quietly. "I don't get caught up in the moment."

"Yes, well, if it makes you feel any better, Miss Bones doesn't blame you in the slightest," Dumbledore said lightly. "She's actually quite furious with herself, her predecessor was the one in charge of Sirius's trail, and the fact that she did not go back and examine his records infuriates her."

"How's Fudge's nose?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"It was broken," Dumbledore chuckled. "And he's quite terrified of you now."

Harry felt her lips twitch in amusement. "I I will apologize to Miss Bones. I do feel like I stepped out of line with her, at the very least."

"I think you will find that Miss Bones disagrees with you on that one," Dumbledore said. "I believe she mentioned that she would have done the exact same thing, had she been in your place, only she would have gotten violent with everyone."

Harry actually chuckled at that.

"Good day, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "I wish you the best endeavors."

" Good day, Professor," Harry returned.

(◡‿◡✿)

The rest of the school year went by without much notice. Much to Harry's disappointment (severe disappointment), she wasn't allowed to live with Sirius for a while longer. Due to Sirius's horrendously long stay in Azkaban, there was actually a law on what was required afterwards. Apparently, Sirius wasn't the first one to have been falsely accused of something. He had to wait exactly one year before he was permitted to even work—granted, the Ministry would pay for anything he needed during that year—and during that year, he also had to undergo multiple physical and psychological therapy sessions (much to his horror). All in all, Harry would be stuck with the Dursleys for one more summer.

Which sucked arse, but was better than being stuck with them until she was seventeen. On the bright side, that didn't mean Sirius couldn't visit her—well, he wasn't allowed in the Muggle World, so actual visits during the summer were going to be non-existent—and Dumbledore was all too happy to allow Sirius and Harry time together every weekend (along with Lupin!) for the rest of the school year. Harry could remember the absolute joy she felt when Dumbledore allowed that—she was actually happy enough that she hugged him. Granted, it was a short—very short—hug and she flushed afterwards, but it was still a hug. Something she was still unused, yet strangely starting to get addicted to. It was all Hermione's fault—it was Hermione who consistently hugged Harry and Harry found herself growing more and more fond of the action. It was strange and awkward but Harry still very much liked it.

It was, however, during one of those visits with Sirius, that Harry made a very very important decision.

"And then—and then—James starts howling in pain, doubled over, but he's laughing at the same time, too," Sirius laughed, finishing another grand tale of the Marauders. "Oh, oh it was something. As soon as I get a Pensieve, I'll show you."

Harry was giggling, covering her mouth to the best of her ability to retain her laughter.

"Please, that was nothing to the time James, your father, blew up Dumbledore's stash of lemon drops at the Order," Lupin dismissed, but he was still smiling.

"Now that's a good tale," Sirius said appreciatively.

"Tell me?" Harry begged.

Sirius grinned, lapping up his goddaughter's undivided attention. "Always. So we're at an Order meeting—"

"What Order?" Harry inquired. Tom glanced up from his reading—as promised, Harry enchanted the book so it could project in a manner similar to Tom's predicament. However, because there was no consciousness attached to the book, it ended up being a projection of the book, a projection that Tom could actually read. He seemed to be enjoying it very much.

Sirius and Lupin exchanged glances.

"The Order of the Phoenix," Sirius said, still grinning. "It was an Order established by Dumbledore to fight off Voldewhore."

Tom gave an automatic snort of disdain at the name—the moment Harry had said the name, Sirius refused to stop using it—and automatically gave Harry an annoyed look. She ignored him for the moment.

"What? Who's in it?"

"Doesn't matter for the moment," Lupin said quickly.

"It was an Order for only the best and the brightest—only for those Dumbledore completely trusted," Sirius went on. However, Harry wasn't listening anymore.

"Sounds like Death Eaters," Tom commented idly. "Well, it sounds like my original intentions for the Death Eaters."

_ Do all powerful witches and wizards have their own group?_

"It would appear that way, yes. Merlin's Circle, Sun and Moon, Eye of the Magi, Order of the Phoenix, Death Eaters…"

Sirius and Tom were cut off when the door to the DADA room burst open and Draco strode in, smirking confidently. "Harry!"

"Draco," Harry returned.

"If you don't mind, Sirius…" Draco trailed off.

"I'll bring back more food," Harry promised.

Sirius waved his hand. "See you soon, then, little Pronglet."

Harry flushed at the name. "Don't call me that!"

"Until I see your Animagus form, or your Patronus, I have little choice…"

Rolling her eyes, Harry turned away and followed after Draco.

(◡‿◡✿)

Hermione, Ron, Draco, Neville and Harry all stood at a dead—end hallway.

" Okay. Seriously. What is it?" Harry asked, a little annoyed at having her time with Sirius interrupted.

Draco smirked before gesturing to the wall—which then held a door. As the door opened, it revealed a very big and very professional training room. Harry gaped before eyeing it appreciatively.

"What is this place?" Harry asked, glancing around.

"The Room of Requirement," Draco said, preening. "Flint told me about it this morning, when I was telling him I needed some place to train without interruption. Said the room was designed to become whatever the person needed the most—and no one will be able to interrupt us in here."

"Very good, Draco," Harry said appreciatively, awarding the boy with a smile.

"Well done," Hermione agreed.

While her friends all glanced around the room, each of them finding new and useful things, and each getting more and more excited for the lessons to begin (they would have to begin next year; there was too little time left in this year and all that time was taken up with exams), Harry thought carefully back to what was discussed previously.

She cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention to her. She smiled.

"Everyone, I would like to start an Order, and I want you in it."

(‿⊙✿)

Anyway, yes. This chapter was actually a Harry-actually-developed-as-a-person chapter. Probably the only chapter that will really focus in on that. The reason Moratorium kind of took a back seat was because Moratorium's plans have a very long-term effect. Or well, plans that will take time to bear fruit. There will come a year, not next year, but probably the one after that, where it's mostly Moratorium and him using his power.

To clarify:

1.) Yes, Harry came from an abusive home. I found it a little hard to believe that people who openly loathed Harry in canon to the point of locking him in a cupboard on a regular basis, wouldn't take that abuse to a physical level. Or maybe I'm cynical.

2.) Yes. Again, I made Tom way more rational, and yes, I have plans for him. And yes. He's still trying to manipulate Harry and gain Harry's trust, hence why he shared a little, as well.

3.) Blood-wards be damned. I doubt Dumbledore would try and keep Harry at that home with Sirius perfectly capable of raising her and defending her, especially when she would fight him tooth and nail on the subject. She and Sirius.

4.) Yep. Moratorium was born in the first place as a defense mechanism for Harry. Whether or not he's because of a certain soul-fragment or is purely another personality, remains to be seen. However, his first priority is Harry's well-being, it's what he was created to do.

5.) Hectic updates, but the next chapter is already roughly 83 pages long and I haven't even reached the Yule Ball. Yep...

Reviews are love!