Disclaimer- I own as much of Harry Potter as I do of Coca-Cola company

A/N- Chapter ten finally up! Gosh, that's been a long run. Between writer's block and the internet being down I haven't had any time to post in the last month and a half, and I've only just finished this chapter. I'm on a role now. Keep an eye out for a new chapter of Seeing is Believing and, look out for a new story that's coming soon called I'm Still Here. It wasn't really supposed to be written, but my mind just won't let one-shots be an outlet anymore. Speaking of one-shots, don't forget to let me know if there is a particular one-shot you want me to write from this story or from my others! Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

The Terrible Twos – Part Two

"How is it possible that somehow, impossibly, we cannot find him on the Marauder's Map?" Hermione asked in frustration as four heads bent over the ageing piece of parchment, studying it intently.

Lupin, Sirius and Ron looked tiredly up at her as she began pacing.

"We know as much as you do Hermione," Sirius pointed out.

"There can only be two answers," Hermione said to herself, ignoring Harry's godfather. "Either that map isn't complete, or Harry has managed to wipe himself off the map."

"Wipe himself off the map?" asked Lupin, his brow furrowed in a frown. "That's impossible to do!"

"We all know Harry is powerful," Hermione pointed out logically. "If he somehow wished hard enough that we couldn't find him that he would simply… 'disappear'."

"So, how do we even know he's still on the grounds?" asked Lupin.

"We don't," said Hermione.

There was total silence for a moment as everyone pondered this. Would Harry really leave the school grounds? He may have done, but somehow they didn't think so. Harry was intelligent, he wouldn't be so stupid… right?

"I feel like such an idiot," Hermione sighed, slumping in a chair.

"It wasn't your fault Hermione," Ron tried.

"Yes it was," Hermione snapped. "I was the one who yelled at him, and said all those things to him."

"Yes, well, I didn't really do anything to stop you either," Ron said with a small grin. "Too busy trying to get out of your line of fire."

Hermione couldn't muster up even the smallest smile at that comment, she just stared at the wall opposite her. She wasn't exactly sure what she had been thinking when she had yelled at Harry. All she knew was that she had completely lost it, she was so frustrated with him, and her mind had played tricks on her, convincing her she was scolding a sixteen-year-old instead of a toddler. She had forgotten that he was not as old as he once was, and was now paying dearly for it.

Ron, however, thought that her misery was a result of what Harry had yelled at her before he had run off. While she was upset at that too, she felt that she fully deserved it. And in a way she understood, for she remembered a similar thing happening when she was younger. Her parents had been displeased with her for something she hadn't done and tried to make her stay in her room. Not able to understand why she was getting in trouble she had yelled at her parents that she hated them before they could admit that they hated her.

The difference between the situations however, was that her parents were able to sit down with her and discuss why she had said what she did. But she didn't have to chance to do that with Harry, because he was nowhere to be found.

Admittedly, though, Hermione hadn't been thinking clearly. Her frustration had built up all week to the point that they were at boiling point. She had, of course, been mostly in the line of fire because she was the one that usually asked him to do things, corrected him, or, every now and then, gave him ultimatums.

It had been Ron that had been there with the experience though. Ron who had stopped her from strangling the boy, Ron who had offered advice, Ron who had taken Harry away from her when she was getting too annoyed. She was sincerely grateful that he always listened to his mum's stories about their childhood, particularly Fred and George's.

Hermione cast her mind back over the 'conversation', for lack of a better word, she and Harry had had as the three males spoke quietly among themselves, not wanting to disturb her lest she snap at them. He had apologised to her sincerely, earnestly, as though wanting her to know something. And he had said that he hadn't meant to behave like her did really…

Her brow furrowed. She was quite sure that children did not go from being very good, to being extremely difficult over night. Though it was a stage that few passed, it, like everything else, would take time to develop and then disappear again. Harry had become difficult immediately. So, would that not suggest that perhaps something had triggered it, and when he said he didn't mean to act this way there was a hidden meaning behind it?

"We need to check all of Harry's hide-outs, the places he goes when he wants to be alone," she said finally, looking at her companions. "If he isn't there we tell Professor Dumbledore that we need help."

"Do you know where Harry's hide-outs are?" asked Lupin.

"Last I checked a hide-out was suppose to be a place a person could hide in so no one can find them," Sirius pointed out. "Unless things have changed since I was at Hogwarts."

"Shut up Padfoot," said Lupin, snickering. "Or I'll set Black on you."

Sirius glared at his friend, who just smiled smugly back.

"For the last time, Harry tricked me," he said between gritted teeth.

"It was a sad day when the mastermind behind some of the Marauder's greatest pranks was beaten by a two year old," Lupin informed him.

"Come on you two, let's get started," Hermione interrupted. "We need to find Harry as quickly as possible. He is going to need us, and I need to apologise to him."

The two men fell silent, though Sirius didn't not stop glaring at Lupin, who was looking triumphant. It had been a long time since he had something so good to blackmail Sirius with.

"Which ways should we head Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Well," said Hermione unsurely. "I was going to have Sirius and Remus start looking through the higher floors, while we did the lower ones, but…"

"Nonsense Hermione," said Remus briskly, the grin on his face positively screaming mischief. "We'll be fine, won't we Padfoot ol' boy?"

"Old!" said Sirius in outrage. "Who're you calling old?"

"Right, if you say so Remus," Hermione said dubiously.

"I say so," said Remus. "Come on Padfoot, let's go. Maybe we might find somewhere no dog has ever gone before."

"What happened to the man bit?" questioned Sirius as they walked out of the room.

"Obviously the Founders would have been everywhere in the castle at least," said Remus in exasperation.

"Oh."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Where do you want to start Ron?" she asked.

"How about the dungeon and work out way up?" suggested Ron.

"Good idea," said Hermione with a sigh, not particularly looking forward to spending all that time in the dungeon… but then, she though, she did deserve it.

Harry walked around and around the large unused classroom, feeling quite bored. In a way he wished that someone, anyone, would walk through that door, even Mr Git, to keep him company.

It had seemed like forever since he had hidden up here and he was doubting that he had made the right decision. What was the point of hiding away from everyone and making them run around after you if you got so bored waiting for them to stop panicking that you wanted to reveal yourself?

Suddenly he heard footsteps and he looked out of the keyhole on the locked door. The doorknob rattled and he frowned to himself as he saw 'Mione and Won walking away, softly calling his name.

Suddenly he grinned. He wasn't so bored anymore.

"I hope Lupin and Snuffles has had an easier time then us," Hermione sighed, glancing at Ron. Then she did a classic double-take and her mouth dropped open.

"Hopefully," Ron agreed, not looking at her.

"Ron!" she suddenly shrieked. "Your hair… it's bright purple!"

Hurriedly she summoned a mirror and looked into it with Ron and screamed at her own reflection. Her eyes were narrowed like a cat's and her face was covered with scales. Her hair was no longer hair as such, but snakes. She was reminded wildly of Medusa.

"Whoa," Ron said, staring at her. "Looks like whoever did this has more of a grudge against you then they do me. My hair only changed colours!"

But Hermione wasn't listening. For their was another reflected in that mirror and she swung around to face the tiny figure of her young best friend, who had his arms crossed and was frowning at them the expression, though he would die of embarrassment if she ever said as such to him when he was older, making him somehow look even cuter.

"Harry?" she asked, biting her lip and wondering how on earth she was supposed to rectify her mistake.

Look out for- The Terrible Twos, Part Three in which the air is finally cleared and exciting revelations come to light. Could it be that, finally, everything is going to go right again? Could it really be that easy?

Reviews!

I was so overwhelmed with all the reviews, and I love it when people asks questions! So I decided to answer each review individually rather then only answering the questions, even if they are only one word answers!

deitarion/SSokolow- Thanks, I particularly like it too, though I have a bit of a soft spot for the chapter where Snape babysits Harry. That one was fun to write.

emeraud.silver- Snape will always be Snape and he serves his purpose well just the way he is at the moment. Maybe he'll get nicer, or maybe the plot will say that because he's such a mean git he can serve as Harry's target. Who knows? I haven't gotten there yet.

Becky Yuy- Well, you have to think, Hermione wouldn't really have all that much experience with younger children, so she's gone for a mixture of the stern scolding she would have briefly heard her aunt use and the sort of scolding she used for Harry when he was sixteen. Don't worry, what doesn't break you always makes you stronger. She'll learn.

athenakitty- Grins evilly Harry isn't done with everyone, not by a long shot. And about the antidote and where he'll wind up… well, that would be telling.

SpellMasters- Thanks!

dubdigit- grins I love little Harry stories, so I thought I'd write one of my own. Glad you like it!

Lurk- Again, Hermione will learn, though not without a bit of suffering first. And Ron was carefully trying to keep out of the conflict. He's seen two many arguments between his mother and older brothers to get in the middle of that particular argument. The third is the other Little!Harry, the one he was with the Dursleys. Which will play a vital part soon too. winks

Heather- Glad someone likes them. I'm not sure how parents survive them, truthfully… And don't thank me. It's a pleasure to write anyway. Thanks for your review!

imgonnadie- What happens now is going to shape him to be when he is older again. And they aren't voices. Not yet anyway.

insanechildfanfic- She'll get there… eventually.

hittocerebattosai- No, most definitely not. And, if I have anything to say about it, it shall continue not being too fun… for them anyway.

mellybellyrbc- I'll try! Thanks!

Haunt of twilight- I know, I know. I felt that way too. But she needs to be that way for the plot to progress. She'll work it out sooner or later.

PaddyWaddy- Yes, Harry is very confused. And he isn't likely to become un-confused anytime soon either. Glad you liked that, so did I! And not so much at the moment, but he will be.

BladeMaxwell-GoddessofDeath- Thank you!

Shenal- Though I would have preferred them to be in canon, I can see what you mean, and I was resigned early on that I would not get them perfect. No one can, really. Thanks.

jka1- That's really the whole point of the story. I'm glad you like it! I love that too!

Cassandra M. Clearwater- Brilliant! I was hoping for that, really. It's a bit harder to do when he's younger, but its good to know that I achieved that. Thank