Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.

Some of the concepts that will be in this fic are from other Fan fictions about Harry Potter with my own twist on them. So I would like to acknowledge all the Harry Potter fan writers on this site for great work and hundreds of hours of reading. This is an AU story.

Chapter 13

A Year with the Marauders Part 3

The day before the October full moon Remus was a little on edge as he waited for Harry to arrive for his Arithmancy lesson. He had scheduled a double lesson since this was one of Harry's prodigy subjects. Harry had passed the math testing with an outstanding up to grade twelve. In all honesty Remus had graded him as if Harry had been a full honors student in secondary school math. Most other students wouldn't see Harry's level of math until they entered university. If Harry was following a muggle mathematician's path his first year in university would have included advanced calculus theorem.

Arithmancy was different from Muggle mathematics in that it concerned the magical properties of numbers. All spells could be broken down with Arithmancy and the magical properties of the numbers held meaning to most wizards. Most wizards start with Arithmancy when creating new spells and most spell crafters were Arithmancy Masters, a few were prodigies but they tended to be recluse or stayed within their families house working for the family alone, creating family magic.

There had been a few spell crafters in the Potter family; most notable was Stacy Potter, Harry's cousin six times removed. She had been the one to create the Library Index Book or more precisely the spells and magic that went into it. From what Remus knew of her, she had over a hundred tomes in the Potter library filed with Arithmancy and new spells that have never been seen outside of the Potter family and even then only seen once or twice to see if the spell worked as intended, she had been an Arithmancy prodigy.

Harry arrived in the study room on time and sat down, Remus started right in on the lesson giving Harry the standard first year Arithmancy book that third year Hogwarts students received. This was going to be Remus's weak spot in teaching Harry. He had taken the course and done very well but he was not ranked as a master, he had had to work very hard to get the E on his N.E. . He knew Harry would soon speed far ahead of him. Remus was hoping that after the basics this would become a self study subject for Harry. He would still schedule it as a double each week and would sit with Harry to help him puzzle out any problems he had.

The afternoon subject Defense against the Dark Arts started with theory, Remus started him with the standard first year defense book. It covered some Dark creatures and basic spells, jinxes, and hexes. During the practical portion of the afternoon Harry found out that defense was not all about casting spells.

"Ok Harry, the best defense against any and all spells is not to get hit with it. So as part of your lesson you will be learning dodging skills which take a bit of physical exercise." explained Sirius. "We will start with a small test." With that Sirius started firing mild stinging hexes at Harry. By the end of the lesson Harry was sweating and had over a dozen red spots all over him.

"Not bad Harry, looks like you have had to do some dodging in the past." Harry gave his Godfather a dirty look before leaving. Harry vowed to get Sirius for this. At dinner that night everyone sat down, Sirius sitting across from Remus at the family table. As soon as Sirius's butt touched his chair he was back on his feet with a yelp of pain with his hands on his butt. Remus looked at him quizzically.

"Problem Sirius?" asked Harry with a straight face.

"Ummm no, no problem." Sirius sat back down, nothing happened. Livi delivered dinner and everyone dug in. A few minutes later while Sirius had a mouth full of potato, he jumped up again with a yelp, spraying potato all over Remus. Remus gave him a disgusted look as he wiped his face off.

"Sirius is there a problem that you can't sit still for more then a few minutes?" Harry asked again with a straight face. Remus moved over a couple seats.

"Sorry Remus, felt like I got stung." Sirius was rubbing his butt as he sat back down. The sting that time was slightly more painful then the first. Everyone finished eating dinner and was digging into a pudding desert when it happened again. This time Sirius literally fell backwards in his chair. "AHHHH" Harry couldn't hold it any longer and busted out laughing, a moment later as Remus figured out what was happening, joined in. Sirius looked up from the floor where he was laying on his back rubbing his butt even more.

"Ok, ok make it stop." Harry just looked at Sirius while laughing and shrugged. After picking himself up off the floor Sirius picked up his pudding bowl and head for the door. Remus watched while in a fit of laughter Harry pulled his wand out from under the table pointing it at Sirius's retreating butt and fired a stinging hex. The bowl of pudding went flying upward as Sirius screamed, the pudding landing on his head. Both Harry and Remus were now on the floor laughing. "Very goooood Harrrrrryyy," Remus started to say between laughs. "Stiilll neeeeed tto woork ooon yooour powwwerrr cooontttrrolll." Sirius scowled at the two and walked out of the room.

The Thursday classes were all very interesting to Harry, Ancient Runes turned out to be like learning another language. Harry's ancestor Charles Potter instructed him from a portrait just like Anton and Amber had. Harry learned that Runes were the language of magic. Objects carved with runes or rune structures were permanent as long as the runes were not broken and were powered in some way. Charles used the example of the permanent ward stones that protected the manor and grounds; they were all carved with complex rune structures and drew in magic from natural sources, in this case a magic lay line that ran under Potter Manor. Runes could be used for all kinds of things, from a single rune for light carved on a stone, making the stone glow to complex rune structures that drew power from ambient magic or lay lines to sustain it like ward stones.

Harold Potter, Harry's Granddad taught the next class from his portrait. He started out with the difference between Light and Dark magic. He explained to Harry it all boiled down to the intent of the user. The Potters from the days of Gryffindor considered all magic as gray but some magic worked off of emotions he explained. Where the Killing Curse was a Dark spell now and required hate and the want to kill in order to be cast, the Patronus Charm required joy, happiness, or love and was considered a Light Spell. The Killing Curse was originally a slaughter house spell for killing livestock that was going to be butchered but had been corrupted and turned dark.

True Light and Dark spells were emotion based spells and there were not many that fell into either category. Based on Harry's family ritual he would have an affinity to Light Magic, making it easier for him to cast those spells. Harold would go over each light spell in the coming weeks, than Harry would start to practice them with Remus later.

The portrait of Gayle Potter was his history teacher. She had been married to Charles Potter four generations back. Gayle was a history nut and she started Harry right off with the beginning at least the beginning as it was known. As far as Wizards and witches today knew the earliest records of magic date back over five thousand years, those records coming from the Library of Alexandria, which was hidden from the Muggle Roman armies after the fall of Alexandria in 30BC.

The records stored in the Library of Alexandria showed that magic had existed for as long as man has had written records. The Greek mythological gods were all Wizards and Witches that ruled the area at that time. The records left by the wizards of the time showed that magic had been part of the world since its creation; even cave drawings had images of magic. While most of the records were no long readable and ancient and powerful magics had been lost to time it was a place to start. Harry took his notes and was assigned reading and homework.

The last class of the day Wizard Traditions and Culture focused more on the past thousand years or so. Again it was the portrait of Gayle but she was just giving the introduction to it. Other portraits would take over as time passed. Harry did find out that most of the Ancient and Noble houses had generations of portraits all of which were used to teach the next generation. The portraits were a way to pass on knowledge that was almost as good as having a library. In the class he was going to be taught tradition and culture but also law and politics so that when he publicly re-entered the wizarding world he would know how to protect himself.

Remus didn't attend dinner that night and Sirius was in a hurry to finish, tonight being the October full moon. Remus had gone away last month to his normal hideout during the full moon but this month he would be staying in the Manor. Sirius and Remus had spent several days fixing up a room in the basement that would be able to hold the werewolf if the wolfsbane potion Remus drank that day didn't work. After dinner Harry retired to his rooms to read. Hedwig was on her perch near the window as Harry sat down to read Salazar's Journal.

-oo00oo-

It was about midnight when Harry was awakened by something; he had fallen asleep on the couch in his room. He opened his eyes just as he felt it again. It felt like when he used wandless magic, magic that flowed through his body. Then he felt it again, a pulse of magic coming from somewhere. Harry sat up and looked around the room, his eyes finally settling on Hedwig.

Hedwig had her wings stretched out to her sides like she was getting ready to take flight and her head was held up high basking in the moonlight coming in the window; she was surrounded by the silvery light of the full moon. The feathers of Hedwig's wings that Harry had noted before as having a silver edge to them now glowed and sparkled in the moonlight. It was almost as if her wings were catching the moonlight, he sat watching her as a single drop of silvery liquid dropped down from one of the feathers toward the floor. When it hit the floor Harry felt the pulse of magic pass over him.

It wasn't more then a moment or two after Harry woke and was watching Hedwig that the door to his room quickly opened. Sirius and to Harry's complete surprise a human Remus rushed into the room both with their wands drawn.

-oo00oo-

In a back alley deep in London a creature, a werewolf crouched over his latest victim, a young girl no more then fifteen. The girl was in horrendous pain, part of her calf muscle was missing were the creature had bitten her. She was screaming but no one could hear her. The werewolf wizard had cast silencing charms in the alley earlier in the day for just this reason. The werewolf was just about to end the girl's life and feast on her flesh when a pulse of magic swept over the area making the wolf look up then howl at the moon. Then another pulse swept the area and then another. It could tell the direction the magic was coming from, the magic felt, it felt like the moon. Forgetting about the girl the werewolf started running in the direction the magic was coming from but staying to the shadows. The young muggle girl dragged herself out the alley on to the street to the screams of some passers by. The wolf didn't know how far away the magic was, its only thought was to find the magic.

-oo00oo-

Somewhere in the Scottish highlands, Hogwarts castle sat pristinely next to the forbidden forest that was nestled in the mountains. Within its walls, Headmaster Dumbledore was awake and working on the paperwork that kept the school running. He also had Ministry paperwork to do but that would get done later, Fawkes was asleep on his perch. The phoenix let out a chirp as the first pulse of magic washed over it, Albus didn't feel a thing. When the second pulse washed over the castle and the phoenix, Fawkes woke and started to sing a welcoming song. Albus looked up at the phoenix inquisitively; he had felt the second pulse and the third that followed it. Before he could visualize his question to the phoenix, Fawkes jumped into the air and disappeared in a ball of flames. Albus jumped from his seat as several portraits that hung in the headmasters office told him that everyone in the castle had felt the pulse and were starting to panic not knowing what it was.

-oo00oo-

The drops of moonlight falling from Hedwig began to pool on the floor beneath her perch. The pool of liquid had an ethereal glow and shined like liquid silver. When Sirius and human Remus entered the room they didn't know what to expect. All either of them knew was that one moment, werewolf Remus and Padfoot were horsing around in the room set up for Remus when the first pulse of magic spread through the room and Remus howled in pain. The second pulse swept through and Remus fell to the floor, the transformation reversing itself way too early. By the third pulse Remus was back in his human form and looking at Sirius with wide eyes. Sirius transformed back to himself, the next pulse swept the room and they both knew it was coming from above them in the master suite three floors up.

As they stood in the door to Harry's room both in shock at what they were seeing, a ball of fire erupted in the room followed by a Phoenix and the sound of a welcoming song. Both of them recognized Fawkes immediately but didn't see any trace of the headmaster.

Fawkes flew toward Hedwig and started circling her singing his song of greeting and welcome. Harry was standing a few feet from the perch transfixed by the sight before him. Hedwig then folded her wings, the silvery ethereal glow still permeating her feathers and body. Her feathers were now completely silver in color, as she turned her head and looked at Harry. He could see that her once golden yellow eyes were now pure silver. Fawkes sang out one last time before disappearing in a burst of flame.

Everyone in the room then heard a crow's song from the corner behind Hedwig; the evil sound made them all cower and feel like the sun would never rise again. Hedwig swiveled her head to look in the corner and firmly hooted at whatever was there. Everyone saw the puff of black smoke as whatever it was disappeared.

Harry and Hedwig then looked at each other their eyes locking. Harry could feel a new presence in his mind. 'Is this what Mr. Crandall talked about when someone or something invaded your mind'. Harry thought as he looked inward. Sirius and Remus just looked on in total wonder as they saw what only legends talked about; even the legends were myths. Looking into his mind, Harry found Hedwig flying around above his minds library.

"Who are you?" Harry called out to the owl. Hedwig glided down to land on Harry's shoulder.

"I am Hedwig my hatchling." replied the owl. Harry just stared at his owl trying to figure out what was going on. Inside his Library, books were flying around; pages were getting turned in a frantic search for answers.

"What are you?" asked Harry, unable to find anything in his library about this beautiful owl.

"I am a Moonowl. I am between the day and the night." replied Hedwig.

"I… I don't understand, a Moonowl, between day and night?" Harry look confused.

"Young one, you have heard of the Phoenix have you not? The phoenix is fire, the sun, the day, a creature of good beyond good. There are many Phoenixes in the world, but there are also many Nightcrows."

"Nightcrows?" Harry was still confused; he understood what a phoenix was but had never heard of Nightcrows before.

"Nightcrows, the blackest of hearts, the darkest night, evil beyond evil, they are rarely seen and stay hidden in the shadows never bonding; they are the opposite of their cousins the Phoenix." explained Hedwig. Harry stared at the owl waiting for it to continue. "I am between day and night. I am a creature of the night that lives within the light of the sun reflected from the moon. I am neither good nor evil, I am balance and I have chosen you to be my bonded." Harry's mind processed all the information and then promptly passed out.

Sirius had moved up behind Harry not sure what was happening. The myth that was perched before him wasn't supposed to exist. While he was young and in school he had taken a great interest in myths and legends, studying them, it was his hobby. Before him and staring intently at his godson was a Moonowl, the balance between good and evil. Sirius was shaken out of his reverie just in time to catch Harry as he started too crumply to the floor. Sirius picked Harry up and placed him in his bed. When he picked Harry up it finally dawned on him how thin and light Harry was. He had overlooked Harry's size for the past two months while getting to know him. He knew how Harry had been treated at the Dursleys, Harry had told him that first day. 'Why hadn't I had Harry looked at?'

After placing Harry on the bed he turned back to the owl. "Did you do this?" asked Sirius with no small amount of worry and anger. The owl looked at him and Sirius got the impression that Harry would be fine, just a case of information overload.

Remus was still looking at himself while also looking out the window at the full moon hanging high in the sky. "Sirius, how? The full moon?" Remus was finally able to stammer out. Hedwig looked at Remus catching his eye giving him a hoot then looked down at the silvery liquid below his perch. Remus looked down and gasped, he never thought he would see what was pooled there, Liquid Moonlight, the only substance fabled to be able to cure Lycanthropy.

He looked back at the owl receiving a nod from it. Remus ran from the room returning a few moments later with a small vial which he used to gather the liquid. Liquid Moonlight was like Phoenix tears but not exactly the same. Phoenix tears could cure wounds, disease, and most spell damage but it could not heal truly Dark conditions or Dark spell damage. Liquid Moonlight could cure Dark curses and conditions and it could also cause them. No one knew what a Nightcrow produced but it was widely believed that whatever it was was a painful curse of death. Sirius finished checking Harry and tucking him in, they both then left Harry to sleep.

Harry woke as the first rays of sun entered his room. Hedwig was still on her perch watching him intently. "Do not fear me young one." Harry heard in his mind.

"I don't fear you Hedwig. I just don't know what to do, just so much has happened recently."

"Life is full of happenings hatchling, at this moment there are things happening all around the world. Life, death, love, and hate, sorrow, and happiness, only a small part of it affects you. It is that part that makes us who we are. Will we feel love or hate, hide from death, or embrace life, what will you do with your happenings?"

Harry stared at Hedwig for a moment before looking down to the floor then back up. "I'm going to go have breakfast." Harry finally responded.

"Exactly, I will be out hunting." Hedwig then disappeared in a shower of silver sparks. Harry looked at the empty perch for a few moments longer then ran off to the bath to start his day.

At breakfast Sirius and Remus both hounded Harry with question. Harry repeated what Hedwig told him the night before. Remus was still in awe of what had happened as Sirius talked about what he knew of the myths. Remus looked better then the last time Harry had seen him after a full moon just a month before. He looked relaxed for the first time since Harry had met him. The worry lines were fading, his smile was brighter, and when Sirius came out with the "I'm serious" pun Remus's laughter was full and infectious.

Astronomy class that morning was considerably upbeat with Remus teaching. Harry was relieved that the class was mostly memorization of star charts, constellation names, stars and planet movements. Remus explained how some rituals, potions, and spell could only be brewed or cast under certain astronomical events. Summer and Winter solstice were two of the biggest events, full moons and the alignment of plants and stars all had a purpose to some magic. Harry listened and took his notes.

Wandless practice with Sirius turned out to be harder then he thought. After working with his wand all week Harry had lost a little of the fine control he had over his wandless ability. He couldn't make the toy blocks dance in the air like he use to without really concentrating on it. He was unable to perform any other spells wandlessly other then his summon, banish, and levitation. He could still levitate quite a bit of weight but it was slower somehow.

"Sirius, will working with my wand affect my wandless ability?"

"I don't know Harry, there are only a few people who can do wandless magic that I know of and even they still use a wand for a lot of things. We were going to use this time to help you keep up the skill, but it looks like we are going to have to do some research into it. I hope the Potter or Black Library has something on it."

So Harry spent the rest of the time before and after lunch on regaining his fine control. It was during lunch that Harry received a letter from Neville asking to come over during the weekend to see his greenhouses and to hang out. Harry thought it was a great idea and sent an agreeable reply. Harry then decided to invite Susan as well, just to keep up the good relations with her aunt. Harry wasn't really into girls; he still considered them yucky but Susan was ok he figured.

After wandless practice in which Harry and Sirius discovered that his ability so far consisted of only those three spells. Enchanter class with Christopher Potter's portrait was interesting. Christopher was the first Potter, the son of Godric Gryffindor himself. Christopher explained that being an enchanter was not so much a skill as it was ability. Christopher had been the last Potter with the ability until Harry. Christopher had inherited the ability from his father who had enchanted several item of notoriety, the most notable being the Sword of Gryffindor. Christopher explained that the sword was goblin made, making it special to begin with but Godric had added to the sword over several years.

Enchanting an object took time and power, for only an enchanter could make any spell truly permanent. He explained that even though some spells could last for decades they were not truly permanent. All the enchanter had to do was to add the idea that the spell being cast also be permanent. There were preparation that needed to be performed before casting but he would go into those later. It sounded easy to Harry but he found out that it really wasn't, it took a lot of power to do it and the right mindset. That was what Christopher was going to teach him, the way to think about what he wanted.

After the first week of classes Harry was starting to see a theme to magic, it was all about intent but that intent, what you wanted to happen was easier said then done. It took control of your magic and your mind. There were few spells to learn as an enchanter just a much deeper intent. By the end of the class Harry had a headache from trying to picture permanency. Christopher told him it would become easier for him as the ability manifested itself, until then these lessons would just help him prepare for that day when it all just clicked.

At dinner Harry handed Remus all his notes from the classes so he could go over them to see if Harry's writing skills had improved. Harry spent the rest of the night doing homework that was due the next week before going to his last class of the week, practical Astronomy.

Neville and Susan arrived just after breakfast Saturday morning. Harry took them both around the Manor and then the gardens before heading to the greenhouses. When Harry opened the door to greenhouse one Neville's jaw hit the ground. Harry showed them around the greenhouse explaining what he knew about some of the plants. After lunch Harry asked if they both knew how to fly on brooms. Susan had tried it before but didn't do so good, she was scared of heights. Neville had never even tried so Harry offered to teach them and help Susan. There were several training brooms at the Manor that wouldn't go over a few feet from the ground and went slow. Harry had Susan and Neville use those for a couple hours as he watched and gave encouragement.

It was a fun day for Harry, he even got his godfather again with a stinging hex sending Sirius running from the room screaming. Harry told his new friends about his lessons. Susan was getting home schooling as well, her Aunt wanted her ready for Hogwarts. She had a family wand she was using but wasn't allowed to bring it that day. Neville said he wasn't getting lessons but didn't have a wand yet. Harry offered to talk to Remus about Neville join him during the week. Neville liked the idea saying he needed all the help he could get. When Neville and Susan left, Harry felt better then he had in a long time, he had friends his own age, they had played around and talked, getting to know each other, a wonderful day to Harry.

Hedwig stayed quiet after the first night. Harry talked to her in his room at night and she listened hooting here and there but not really talking back. Harry asked why and she told him that it took a lot of energy to mind speak. She got her energy from the moon so as the moon went through its cycle so would she, being weakest on nights with no moon and strongest on the night of the full moon. She was building her reserves toward that blackest of nights.

Monday morning Harry got ready for class, when he walked into the dinning room for breakfast Neville was sitting there waiting for him. Harry had talked to Remus Sunday morning and it appeared that arrangements had been made.

The next few weeks pasted without any drama, Neville was taking to his lessons with as much drive as Harry was. It was in the practical lessons that Neville floundered, he could get the spells to work but only after hours of practice. It was the third week when Remus finally asked Neville where he got his wand from.

"My Gran gave it to me, it was my fathers." Replied Neville as he held the wand loosely.

"Well that explains that, that wand is not matched for you Neville. Doesn't the Longbottom family have generations of family wands to try from?" asked Remus.

"I don't know sir." Neville was looking at his feet now.

"Well we will just have to find out."

The next day Neville showed up for class with a new wand. He explained to Harry that his Gran didn't want him to try other wands at first, something about her wanting him to use his fathers. Remus had to explain to the Matron that the wand chooses the wizard not the other way around. She knew that but had to be reminded of it. Neville knew why though, she wanted him to be like his father.

During the weekends Harry, Neville and Susan would play around, fly their brooms, and try to hit the Marauders with pranks. It took a couple weeks of flying but Susan finally got over her fear. Madam Bones had even bought Susan a new broom of her own.

On Halloween the night of his parent's deaths, Sirius, Remus and Harry sat in the parlor and talked about them. It was the first time Harry had spent time remembering them on this night. Sirius was half way to drunk and Remus was not far behind him when Harry asked a question that hit both of his uncles hard.

"Where are my parents buried? Can we go see them?"

"Ummmm" Started Sirius. "I don't know where they are, they should be in the Potter cemetery, I was already in Azkaban by the time the funeral happened." replied Sirius.

"I remember going to the funeral, I know it wasn't here at the manor or the ancestral grounds. I just can't remember where they are buried. Maybe Biggly knows!" answered Remus.

Harry called for Biggly but the elf didn't know either, he remembered being at the funeral but not where it was.

"SOMEONE HAS IT UNDER THE FIDELUS CHARM!" Sirius blurted out several minutes later after everyone sat silently.

"Why would someone hide my parent's graves?" a few moments later Harry answered his own question. "Too keep me from saying goodbye, to keep me from learning of my family, Dumbledore!"

Harry looked at his uncles and could see the dark looks they were both now sporting. Harry was right there with them, this was just one more thing to heap on the old codger.

It was the following day when Harry got a surprise visit from Lynn Stuart, Mr. Crandall's daughter.

"Good morning Harry, Sirius asked me to come by and take a good look at you, sorry it took so long for me to come by but I have been working myself silly lately." The last she directed to Sirius who was sitting with Harry at breakfast. Sirius nodded and smiled as he had a mouth full of food at the time.

"What do I need to be check over for?"

"I was just worried about you; you're too small for a ten year old, to thin too. I think all those years with the Dursleys may have slowed your growth and I wanted Lynn to come take a look." answered Sirius after swallowing his food.

"Okay…." Harry then nodded and turned to Lynn.

"This won't hurt; I'm just going to cast some diagnostic spells on you." Lynn pulled out her wand and started the incantations while waving her wand over Harry. "Ostendo mihi valetudo, ostendo mihi veneficus, ostendo mihi malum"

"Didn't you do that the night we got Sirius here?" asked Harry.

"I did but I only did a mild scan. It didn't show me all that I am seeing now." Lynn turned to Sirius after scanning Harry several more times.

"Harry is going to need to go on the same potions I had you on for at least a few weeks. His magic is fine, no baby block." She ran the scan one more time before looking directly at Sirius and Harry with a frown.

"Harry, you have a leach attached to your magical core. I'm not sure what it is but it is linked with your scar. Speaking of your scar, it is a curse scar but there is something else, there is something in it." Lynn had a thoughtful look on her face.

"What? Can it be removed? How could this have been missed?" Remus asked, he had walked into the room during Lynn's diagnosis. "Madam Pomfrey ran hundreds of diagnostic spells on Harry the night his parents were killed after Hagrid brought Harry to her."

"I don't know, this would be something hard to miss. That's why I ran the scan several times. Whatever it is it has been there for as long as Harry has had the scar. The leach looks newer; I don't think it has been there that long a couple months at best and appears to be blocking whatever is in your scar. I call it a leach because it is leaching magic from you to block or lock away whatever this is." Lynn pointed to Harry's scar.

"I think it can be removed but I'll have to do some research, I can't ask any of my colleagues because they would want to see it for themselves." In a quieter voice, Lynn continued, almost like talking to herself. "It looks like a soul fragment, like part of a ghost has attached itself to him."

Both Sirius and Remus blurted out at the same time. "Like a Horcrux?"

Over the past month Sirius had been stripping the Black Manor Library. Sirius had taken over one of the study rooms, enlarging it till it was the same size as the Potter Library then used the spells Harry's cousin invented to create an index book and shelving for all the Black books. He had still not gone to Grimmauld Place where the truly Dark part of the Black Library was stored. But between Remus and himself they had pored over the library looking for ways to cheat death. Horcruxs had been mentioned several times in the books he had but never elaborated on.

Lynn looked at both of them and gasped. Harry just looked confused. "What's a Horcrux?" he asked innocently.

It was Remus that replied going into teacher mode. "It is one of the Darkest magics known. It is a way to keep your soul from passing to the next life by splitting your soul and putting a piece of it in an object, anchoring your spirit to this world. You have to want to murder someone and enjoy doing it to split your soul. Sirius and I have been looking into ways that Voldemort could still be alive like Dumbledore has said he is."

Sirius took over. "From what we have read I'm not sure it is possible to turn anything living into a Horcrux but we haven't found out the details on them yet. Looks like I'll be going to Grimmauld place sooner then later."

Remus looked lost in thought for a moment then looked up. "Could it be an inactive possession, not a Horcrux?"

Lynn pointed her wand at Harry again and started a spell. "ostendo sum possessio" A moment later she pulled her wand away.

"It is reading as a possession but it's weak, like it is not truly formed."

"I'm possessed?" Harry finally blurted out. He had been listening to everything and trying to come to his own conclusion. 'This all started the night my parents were killed and that curse bounced off me.' Harry thought. He was in his own mind now looking around. He didn't know what he was looking for but figured he would know when he found it. Then it occurred to him, 'The book that was following me around in my mind, the memory of that night, it was like it had a mind of its own.'

Coming out of his mind he looked at the three people who were watching him. "You said the leach was feeding a block of some kind and that it was only a couple months old?" Lynn nodded her head to him.

"When I first started Occlumency, I sorted my memories into books in my mind. I had trouble with one memory book. I would put the book on a self but it wouldn't stay there. It was like it was following me around in my mind. I eventually got sick of it and locked it away in its own room with heavy locks. It was the memory of the night my parents were killed and until I locked it away it would give me nightmares, haven't had any since."

Lynn, Sirius, and Remus all looked at Harry like he had two head for a moment.

"So can it be removed?" asked Sirius. Everyone left that question unanswered not knowing.

Harry started his potion regiment that night. Lynn told him he would be on them for at least a month. The potions would make him hungry and he would eat more than normal as he recovered his normal and natural height and weight.

Again after talking to Mr. Crandall it was decided that they had to wait before forcing Dumbledore to take Harry's parents out from under the Fidelus Charm. Mr. Crandall also informed Harry that the goblins now knew who it was that wrote all the books about him and who had provided the images of Harry. Mr. Crandall suggested waiting until an opportune time to take care of the problem. From what Mr. Crandall told Harry, Ragnok had gotten a very predatory grin on his face when they found out who the person was.

-oo00oo—

The house was just like all its neighbors a Georgian terraced house. Unlike all its neighbors no muggle could see it. Number twelve Grimmauld Place was the home Sirius had grown up in. Black Manor was the ancestral home but Number Twelve had been in the family for over a century. It was the home provided to the Heir apparent of the Black family when he reached his majority. That had been Sirius's father, Orion Black, before he died some years ago. Sirius's Mother had died a few years later after Sirius was sent to Azkaban.

Sirius was not looking forward to visiting the old house. He had left there while he was still attending Hogwarts to go live with his best mate James at Potter Manor. The place looked the same as when he left, a little more run down but still the same. The door to the house had a snakehead knocker and door handle.

Sirius approached the door with only two things on his mind, getting the part of the Black library that resided here and any other artifacts he felt should not fall into the wrong hands. After that all he felt like doing was burning the place to the ground. Sirius place his hand on the door to unseal the lock down he had set on all the Black properties.

"Open in the name of Lord Black" the door swung open to a dark, musty, and dirty hallway. Sirius walked in closing the door behind him.

"Whose there, Arcturus is that you?" Sirius walked further into the hall to see a portrait of his mother hanging on the wall.

"No mother, Grandfather has pasted the family on to me." Replied Sirius as he walked to where his mother could see him.

"BLOOD TRAITOR, FILTH….." She kept on screaming obscenities at Sirius who just stood there with an evil grin on his face.

"SHUT-UP, YOU ARE BURNED FROM THE FAMILY; YOU ARE NO LONGER A BLACK." That shut the portrait up. Sirius quickly closed the curtains that hung to the sides of the frame.

"Kreacher!" Several minutes later an old, worn out, and dirty looking house elf walked into the hall.

"Vile, filth, blood traitor, son has returned. Not worthy to enter the ancient and noble home of Black…" Kreacher would have continued but Sirius held out his hand with the Black family Lords ring. "NOOO…. Foul son can not be Lord, foul son must die."

"Stop!" commanded Sirius. "You will stand there, do not move, speak, or use magic unless I tell you to." Kreacher immediately froze in place, the magic of the elf bond taking control. The look on the old elf's face was murderous as he watched Sirius walk past him.

Sirius then started moving around the house; he had a multi compartment trunk with him that he used to clean out the black library. He also used one compartment to store all the dark objects he could fine in the house. In all it took Sirius almost twelve hours to finish. He had help from some of the other Black Family elves that worked at Black Manor. All the furniture in the house was taken and stored in the Black family vault after being cleaned by the elves.

Sirius packed his old bed room himself. As bad as life had been for him in the house he still had a few good memories. Regulus, Sirius's younger brother had been his best friend until Sirius went off to Hogwarts, by the time Sirius came back for summer holiday Regulus had changed. Regulus became a Death Eater by the time he was sixteen. Sirius missed his younger brother; it was this family that had corrupted Regulus at least that was what Sirius believed in his heart. Regulus died a few years later, no one was sure how he died or who had killed him only that he was with Voldemort at the time it happened.

After finishing everything Sirius walked back to the front hall. "Kreacher you will stay in this house no matter what happens. You may not move or use magic." Whit those last commands Sirius turned to the front door and opened it.

Turning his head back over his shoulder he called out. "Good-bye mother…" Sirius had left the portrait hanging on the wall.

-oo00oo-

Auror Johnson was sitting at the ready desk in the Ministry when the alarm sounded. It was an old fire alarm that had not gone off in centuries. Wizards just didn't need to worry about fire in their homes, they could put it out with a flick of there wands. The alarm indicated that it was a magical fire and that the local Muggles could not put it out. He assigned two Aurors to go investigate the issue.

The investigating Aurors arrived on the scene of muggle firemen dumping hundreds of liters of water on the multi story house but it was having no affect. From the shadows of the park across the street one of the Aurors pulled his wand out and cast a detection spell at the fire. What he found confused him. He looked to his partner, "Get some re-enforcements here, its magical fire and the wards have dropped."

In the end the house was a total loss. What confused the muggles was that the fire didn't spread to the homes on either side of it. Just that one house burned to the basement. The Aurors and obliviators had worked hard all night. The investigation in the muggle world was stopped at the conclusion that it was accidental. The Aurors could not find anything to link the fire to anyone. They didn't find much in the remains of the house, they did find the remains of a house elf and a badly burned portrait but the fire had destroyed the magic in it. A letter was sent to the own of the property and then everything was forgotten about.

-oo00oo-

Remus made the comment the next day that the combined Potter and Black Libraries were together bigger then the library at Hogwarts. Sirius was spending all his spare time going through the black library looking for information about Horcruxs and inactive possessions.

Over the weeks since Harry had started learning magic at the manor Mr. Crandall had yet to try and break into Harry's mind. They had spent all of there time together going over the books that Harry had read. After Sirius returned with the books from Grimmauld place Harry found two more books on the subject of Occlumency but Sirius had forbid him to read them. He told Harry that he wanted to go through them first to see just what they contained. Harry, in all his time reading had not found a book that he was forbidden to read. He understood the why but for some reason he didn't like it.

This week was different; Mr. Crandall was going to take a look at Harry's defenses. Neville had been joining Harry in all his classes even the Occlumency lessons. Neville was trying, he had read the first introductory book but was still trying to find his inner mind as Harry called it.

"Ok Neville why don't we start with you. I know you haven't found that place in your mind yet but it's still possible that you have formed some shields without knowing." Neville looked like a dear caught in the headlights. He nodded his head but on the inside he was terrified. Mr. Crandall raised his wand, pointing it at Neville. "legilimens."

Moments later he lowered his wand. "Well you do have a very weak shield. Could you feel me when I knocked on it?"

Neville looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "I think so; it felt like… no, it sounded like someone walking on dried leaves. Does that make any sense?"

"For you it most likely does. Every Occlumens is different because we are all different people. What works for Harry wouldn't work for me or you. I'm not saying Occlumency is different for each person because it is not but how we build our mind is. Harry has told me that his mind is a library, which fits in with his personality and what he loves to do. From what I'm told you love Herbology, maybe the dried leaves have something to do with that." Mr. Crandall turned to Harry to see if he had anything to add.

"Maybe you need to look for a greenhouse in your mind Neville." Harry suggested.

"That's not a bad idea Harry, thank you." replied Neville. Neville then moved to the back of the room and closed his eyes.

"Ok Harry, it's your turn. I'm going to be a little more forceful with you because I know you have your shields." Mr. Crandall waited until Harry was ready. When Harry finally nodded his head Mr. Crandall snapped his wand up. "Legilimens."

Mist, more mist, Scott looked all around him. He could see light coming from every direction through the mist. It was almost as if he was in the middle of a moor on a foggy morning. He started walking in the direction he was facing, pushing his way through the mist. Laughter… "Where did that come from?" he asked himself. He turned in the direction he thought it came from.

It felt like he had been walking for hours. He would hear the laugh every once in a while and try to follow it but he was getting tired. "OK I give up Harry." He looked around him to find his link back to himself. Nothing. 'I need to pull out. I've never gotten lost in someone's mind before. Where is my link?' "HARRY, please show me the way out, I'm lost." In front of him a door appeared, Scott opened the door and found himself back in his own mind.

Mr. Crandall was breathing hard and had sweet running down his forehead. He opened his eyes to see Harry sitting in the chair watching him carefully. Harry didn't even look stressed, just a look of concern on his face. "Are you alright Scott? Do you need something to drink?" Scott nodded his head; he had a headache coming on. After Tula brought Scott something to drink and he had a few moments to close his eyes he turned to Harry.

"I'm not going to ask if you felt anything."

"I knew you were there the moment you cast the spell. I was watching you. You passed within a short distance of finding my library so I lead you away."

"That mist is only your first line of defense?" asked Scott getting a nod from Harry. "Very effective, I was completely lost. I couldn't even find my way out until you showed me the way." Scott checked the time. It had only been about fifteen minutes since he tried to enter Harry's mind but he felt like it had been hours.

"I think that will be all for today. Harry I don't think there is anything that I can teach you about Occlumency. We'll start you on Legilimency next week and continue with Neville's Occlumency. I'll be heading home I need to rest, to me it felt like I was there for hours."

"Okay, you could stay in the guest wing if you like Scott."

"No, I'll be alright by tomorrow. I just need rest. Neville keep practicing and we will try again next week." Scott got up and headed for the door. "Harry, you did great, don't worry about me, it just took a lot out of me." With a smile to Harry and Neville, Scott walked out of the room.

Herbology for Harry and Neville was both a joy and a chore. Since Terence had taken over the Potter greenhouses, he had managed to get all but the night greenhouse back to normal and he was well on his way to sorting that one out as well. Just about every potions ingredient grown could be found in the Potter greenhouses even plants that grew underwater at the shoreline or bottoms of lakes. Greenhouse four had a large pond in it that took up three quarters of the building and was deep enough to grow all the underwater plants and a few of the non-harmful aquatic animals. Terence told Harry many time how happy he was to be there and how much even he was learning from Amber's portrait.

For there lessons, they helped and learned about whatever Terence was working on that day. Terence always planned his Monday around having the kids there so he wouldn't be working on anything to dangerous. After Halloween, Susan starting joining them for Herbology lessons at the request of Madam Bones. It was the one subject that couldn't be practically taught on the Bones Estate because they didn't have any greenhouses. Susan would floo in for the lesson and then leave again right after.

The November full moon came and went without Remus transforming into a Werewolf. He went to his cage in the basement with Sirius just after dinner that night but was surprised to see Hedwig perched on one of the bars.

'Why do you come here tonight?' Remus heard in his mind.

"It's a full moon tonight…" Remus started to reply but was cut off by the owl.

'I know what night it is. I ask again, why do you come here to lock yourself up in this cage?'

"I'm a Werewolf…" replied Remus again being cut off.

'You have not been a Werewolf since the last full moon. I am between day and night. I control whom my moonlight touches. Use what I have given you to cure others afflicted as you were." With that Hedwig disappeared in a flash of silver moonlight.

When Lynn came the next morning Remus handed her the vial of liquid moonlight.

"What's this Remus?" she had asked.

"A gift from a friend, liquid moonlight." replied Remus. Lynn almost dropped the vial at his words. She looked at the substance in the vial for a minute before starting to laugh.

"Good one Remus, you almost had me, there hasn't been a known source of liquid moonlight in, well ever. It's a myth, just like the fabled Philosopher's stone, Master Flamel has never confirmed its existence even though he is over six hundred years old."

"This is liquid moonlight…" Just as Remus was about argue the fact Hedwig flew into the room and perch on the back of Harry's chair and spread her silver wings that were still glowing from the full moon the night before. Lynn looked at the Owl then down at the vial in her hand and back up to the owl, there was no more argument.

Lynn pocketed the vial after talking to Remus for several minutes. She then gave Harry his physical. Harry had grown three full inches in the past month and put on about forty pounds. He didn't have the scrawny arms and legs he came to the manor with. His ribs were not as visible as they were before even with all the exercise Sirius was putting him and Neville through during the week. Sirius had started having Harry do a run every morning before breakfast so that he wouldn't just gain fat from the potions and extra food he was eating; he also did pushups and sit-ups.

November pasted into December, Harry worked hard in his classes and in his own studies. History turned out to be Harry's favorite subject both magical and muggle. It was just so easy for him to memorize dates, facts, and people that he could follow it fully.

"Harry lets go to Diagon Alley and get our Christmas shopping done before Hogwarts goes on holiday." called Remus from the main room. Harry jumped up from where he was reading in the master study.

"Okay Remus. Where's Sirius?"

"He thinks it would be better for me to take you. Too many people know his face and just because Dumbledore hasn't mentioned anything lately doesn't mean he doesn't have something going on."

Harry grabbed his coat since it had been cold out lately before he took the floo to the Leaky Cauldron with Remus. Remus and Harry who had his knit cap on walked around Diagon Ally getting Christmas presents for everyone in Harry's life. Harry was able to buy Remus a present on the sly. After a couple hours Harry and Remus returned home without any trouble.

-oo00oo-

"Why am I just now hearing about this?" Albus asked the five people in the room. He had received a floo call just minutes ago and had left his office. Ever since the events of Halloween of 1981 he had kept all of his plans to himself and a very select group of people. Even those people he trusted completely didn't know everything about what he was doing or why. At the moment all that his people knew was that Voldemort hadn't died that night and that Harry Potter was going to play a critical role in his final downfall.

"Albus, with all the secrecy you have us working under its hard to get fast information." replied Kingsley Shacklebolt. "We have people looking out for Sirius, Remus, and Harry. I got the call about an hour ago and went to Diagon Alley to confirm it was Remus that was spotted. When I got there he had already left. I tried a locator spell for Werewolves and came up with nothing."

Arthur Weasley then spoke up. "I got a call from a shop keeper that knows Remus and I confirmed it was him that was there and there was a young boy with him but he didn't match the description of Harry you gave us, the kid was too tall."

"Albus I have been talking to Arabella about Harry's time at his relatives and let me tell you that if what she tells me is true as I suspect it is, you have done more harm then good for that boy. Arabella was sure he was being mistreated even abused, when we do find him he needs to come live with us at The Burrow." injected Molly.

Arthur and Molly Weasley already had seven children but all of them knew what love was, adding Harry would not be much of a burden on them. They both felt that they should have taken Harry that night and raised him as one of there own.

"He has to go back to his relatives, he is safest with them." 'Once I find them that is!' Dumbledore thought to himself.

"The blood protections his mother gave Harry will make it impossible for Voldemort to harm him as long as he is with a blood relative."

"So we missed again, you should just wait until he comes to Hogwarts to straighten this out. He will be there in less than ten months." commented Alastor. Dumbledore had finally told Alastor the truth of Harry Potter and not just the watered down truth. Alastor had been Albus's friend and second hand man for a long time, the only reason it took this long to tell him was that Albus thought Alastor was going a little too paranoid and could have taken things to far. After telling Alastor about his plans Alastor had shot hundreds of holes in them to the point that the only thing they both agreed on was that Harry needed to be protected at all costs.

The meeting continued for several more hours with nothing more being accomplished. Albus returned to Hogwarts to pace around his office for several more hours after that.