Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Wow! I couldn't believe the overwhelming response to the last chapter. This chapter doesn't take us as far along chronologically as the previous ones, but I wanted to answer some questions that kept popping up in the reviews of the last chapter without giving the whole story away.

The Thing About Contracts Is …

Chapter 5 – We're So Sorry Uncle Albus

January 4, 1995 – Lovegood Residence

Luna woke up bright and early and looked out to see the sun shining across the forest. It was a cold, clear January morning. A small part of Luna wished that she was going to be on the train back to Hogwarts today. She really liked Professor Flitwick even though he was oblivious to the bullying in the Ravenclaw dorms.

One of the people she was not going to miss was Professor Snape. He not only condoned the ridicule she was subjected to in his class, but – if anything – encouraged it. The sad part though is she wasn't surprised. Luna had inherited her mother's journals after she died suddenly in her lab when Luna was 9. She learned a lot about Hogwarts from her mother's experiences – especially her rivalry with a young Slytherin named Severus Snape.

Selene Throckmorton was a young, brilliant student in Ravenclaw. From the first year she displayed all of the attributes of being a prodigy in Potions. In later years she showed the same aptitude for Runes and Arithmancy and made a good friend of Lily Evans – a Gryffindor who was also at the same level in those disciplines. They spent hours talking about magical theory and possible practical applications runes and arithmantical constructs that few others could understand.

Potions was a different story however. Severus Snape was a young man with issues – big issues. Selene had written to her mother about the boy who seemed to have something against her. The Ravenclaws of her year had Potions with the Slytherins from first year through fifth. From the beginning of first year it was apparent that Severus and Selene were in a class by themselves when it came to potions. Both were the instant first year favourites of Professor Slughorn and continuously sang their praises in class. However that didn't appear to be enough for Severus and he began a campaign against Selene. When he couldn't find fault in her potions he belittled her looks and her often-whimsical attitude.

Her mother's response was measured. While she was upset with the way Selene was being treated by the boy (and, in fact, most of the first year Slytherins), she also suggested that he might be insecure – theorizing that Severus needed to be the best at something and his ego needed that reinforcement desperately.

Selene tried to be as understanding as a hurt 11 year-old girl could, but as the years went by; Snape (or Snivellous as she had heard several boys call him) became more and more nasty in his attacks on her and even started playing pranks on her. By fifth year she decided she'd had enough and began to fight back. No one but her daughter knew this, but in seventh year she developed a very insidious potion to get Severus back. She was very secretive about the ingredients, the brewing instructions and even how she managed to get Snape to ingest it. However she did write the extraordinarily wonderful feeling she had the next morning when an uncomfortable looking seventh year Slytherin boy came into the Great Hall for breakfast with his robes strangely billowing out behind him. He glared over at Selene and – with a smirk on her face – she winked and raised her goblet of pumpkin juice to him.

He never bothered her again.

He did, however remember that day and seemed to take great pleasure in belittling the daughter of his former Potions nemesis. Potions became another Hell for Luna once the Slytherins and the rest of the Ravenclaws realized that Snape would not only allow the students to ridicule her and try and sabotage her potions, but that he would actively participate as well.

When she and Harry had shared their school experiences – especially their mutual disdain for Potions class – he had been livid that Snape would allow such a thing in his class. Xeno – normally a gentle and easy-going man – had wanted to forego floo-calling Albus and just head to Hogwarts to deal with the person who went out of his way to hurt the two most important women in his life.

Harry and Luna had managed to calm Xeno down. Once Harry explained his plan for the greasy git, Xeno got an evil smile on his face and settled down enough to make the call to Dumbledore and pull Luna out of school.

Luna 's current melancholy stemmed from the fact that – while she was now away from the bullying and ridicule – she was also away from Harry. Just the thought of him brought a big smile to her face. It was hard to believe that they had only known each other for a few weeks – but in those few weeks they had revealed more about themselves to each other than other couples do in years.

There was something about Harry – the vulnerable young man hidden behind the protective hard shell – that just made you understand he was sincere in everything he said. They matched each other well. Luna was smart enough to know that relationships between 14 year-olds don't normally last long. She had observed many such relationships in her time at Hogwarts. She was convinced though that her relationship with Harry was different. Most of the couples she watched at school never seemed to talk about anything of substance.

She was roused from her introspection by the arrival of Dobby with a letter. The little elf made a big scene of bowing before her and presenting the letter on a purple pillow he conjured up. Luna giggled at the sight and curtsied to him before taking the letter. Dobby bowed once more and disappeared. Luna opened the letter and began to read:

My Dearest Luna,

It's strange being back at Hogwarts the past couple of days. Since I first set foot in this castle it felt like home – at least more of a home than Privet Drive. But now, after experiencing the feel of a real home with you and your father, the castle feels different – impersonal even.

I miss you. I thought this would be easier, but I find myself spending every free moment wishing I were back in your home with you. The castle and school hold nothing for me now and I'm looking forward to leaving once I'm done with the tournament.

Sorry, I got called away but I'm back now. I just looked back to the first part of this letter and I can't believe how sappy I sound. See what you do to me?

Anyways, our plans are moving ahead. 'Uncle Sev' hee hee is starting to avoid me. Yesterday he avoided all the meals in the Great Hall. I think he's still smarting from our shopping trip. I can hardly wait for Potions tomorrow afternoon. It's the first time I've been happily anticipating a Potions class since the first class of first year. There are still a few clauses in the contract that Sev doesn't know about and I'm sure certain Slytherins will wish he never found out about them.

I'm a little bit worried about 'Uncle Sev' snicker though. Almost every time we talk, his veins pop out on his head. I think I'll talk to Madam Pomphrey later to express my concerns – after all, I don't really want to lose my first official Magical Guardian to a coronary. That would spoil all the fun. grin

Can you check with your Dad to see if he's free tomorrow during first period? Albus doesn't know yet, but we're going to have a chat. I've invited another journalist and also Amelia Bones to join us in the Headmaestro's office. The topic I want to discuss with him tomorrow is of interest to the public so that's why I'm inviting certain people to join us. I'm looking forward to the 'chats' we're going to have over the next little while. Somehow I don't think he will, but then again he had a choice and chose to agree to them. It matters little that he didn't know he was agreeing to them.

I miss you a lot.

I've kept my distance from everyone. It will make leaving that much easier. The only person I really talk to with any regularity is Hermione. Since I got back on New Years Eve, we've talked about things for a couple of hours after curfew. I'm actually glad she's building a relationship with Victor. The combination of his viewpoint as an outsider and that he is two years older than her and considered and adult had forced her to reevaluate some of her long-held beliefs around whom she trusts. That being said, we're still not where I think I can trust her with everything. We're good friends – perhaps we're even the best friends we each have here – but until I no longer feel hesitation in telling her certain things, she won't know the extent of what I'm planning.

We talked about the letter I sent her and she's still not convinced we have to leave Hogwarts. I'm not going to argue this point with her anymore. She'll find out I'm leaving when everyone else does. I hope I'll be able to keep in touch with her whatever she decides to do, but I'm not going to risk pushing her to the point where she gets scared again and reveals too much to the wrong people. I do, however, know that she will not place her trust blindly in Albus Dumbledore again after my letter to her and the subsequent follow-up conversations we've had. She also knows about the Guardian contract and she's glad that someone has finally imposed penalties on him for his behaviour. She even thinks it's hilarious that I'm doing my best to make the Albus think I'm growing closer to the greasy git just so that he becomes the one they put in the lake for me to 'rescue'.

She is a little worried that she will most likely be there too. However the TriWizard Champions have invited me to join them in planning the second task. The three of them were shocked when they figured out what the task entailed and that it would most likely involve innocent people who were not part of the contest to begin with (gee that sounds familiar). So they've decided to work together on the task – scores be damned. Hermione is feeling better about it for that reason and also because of Victor's obvious infatuation with her.

Did I say already I miss you? I really do. Sometimes I wish you will be on the train today, but it would tear me up inside to know that you would be returning to the bullies in Ravenclaw. Not to mention that you'd have to be exposed to the greasy pathetic excuse of a Potions teacher. Even though we are apart right now, we'll be together soon, and Albus will hopefully be looking for a new Potions Master.

Merlin I love contracts!

I just reread this letter and I miss you even more now. Please make sure you take care of yourself and keep up with your preparations for our next step.

Love,

Harry

P.S. I miss you.

Luna smiled sadly as she reread the letter for the third time. "I miss you too," she said softly as she stared out the window again. She sat in quiet contemplation allowing the emotion from the letter to enhance her thoughts about Harry. There would be time to write back later.

January 5, 1995 – Hogwarts – Great Hall

Harry walked into the Great Hall for breakfast and saw the two people he most wanted to see sitting at the front table. He walked over to the Potions Master first. "Uncle Sev! Where have you been the past couple of days? I only saw you at the feast last night and you disappeared before I could talk to you."

Severus noted the grin again. The veins in his head got another work out. He decided to remain silent.

Harry ignored the silence, "Don't worry Uncle Sev, we can talk later after Potions. I'm really looking forward to the class today."

More veins popped up. Harry got a worried look on his face, "Uncle Sev, are you sure you're alright? That throbbing forehead looks bad. You should see Madame Pomphrey. She's always been able to fix me up. Anyways, I've got to go talk to the Headmaster about our appointment this morning. See ya later Sever-gator!"

Severus was surprised about the appointment with the headmaster, but the snickers from the Ravenclaws and Slytherins sitting close enough to hear the comments stopped abruptly when they heard the menacing growl again. Severus got up and stormed out of the great Hall with his robes billowing behind him. He didn't see the cringes from the occupants at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables as he left. Harry had voiced his theory to the Weasley twins his first night back and the rest was history.

Undaunted, Harry reapplied his grin and walked over to the Headmaster. "Good Morning Sir!"

"Good Morning Mr. Potter," Albus said cordially. He was finally able to sit this morning without discomfort. He wished the Goblins had told him there was a 1 Galleon surcharge for lubricant to be used for the search before he submitted to it.

"I just came by to ask you about the password to your office so that I can come up for our meeting after breakfast."

"I was not aware we had a meeting scheduled. I'm afraid I have other engagements. And, if my memory serves me well, you have History of Magic right after breakfast."

Harry continued to grin, "Headmaster, I don't know what else you may have scheduled but our contract states that we will meet in your office during the time that the Gryffindors in my year have History of Magic and that I am excused from class for these meetings. Was that clause one of the ones you didn't read?" The grin was beaming now.

Albus sighed. The damn contract had him over a cauldron and it would be late March before he even got a chance to read it. He sighed again and said, "Very well. I will see you right after breakfast. The password is "Gummy Bears"."

Harry nodded and went over to join Hermione for breakfast.

January 5, 1995 – Hogwarts – Headmaster's Office

Harry walked into the Headmaster's office at 8:55 as the rest of the students were heading to their first class of the day.

Albus activated the twinkle in eyes and put on his most grandfatherly appearance. "So Harry, you have me at a bit of a disadvantage here. I wasn't prepared to have these meetings. What is it you would like to talk about?"

Harry grinned staring at the older man's nose, "Well Albus – I hope you don't mind if I call you Albus – in these 90 minute sessions we'll take time to discuss matters of mutual interest and it will also allow me to find out more about my family from someone who knew them best. I'd also like to talk about recent wizarding history and find out more about the war and Voldemort in particular. The format is simple, I'll ask questions, and you'll answer them."

Albus feigned enthusiasm and clapped his hands together, "A truly excellent idea Harry. However you do have to understand that there are some answers I can not give and some information that will have to remain secret for the greater good."

Harry, in turn, feigned a look that showed confusion and worry, "But Albus, you agreed to answer every question truthfully, completely and without reservation to the best of your ability."

Albus lost control of his emotions and pure shock came over his face, "I did?"

"Yes, it's in the contract. I don't want you to lose your magic because of a contract you find yourself bound to. My recommendation is that you comply and make the best of it. After all, you did sign it."

"But Harry, can't we negotiate this?"

"Albus, I will only say this once. I really don't want to be at odds with you. My questions will pertain to information I feel is relevant to myself and those close to me. As for the contract, you had the opportunity to read it and sign it, which was more than the opportunity you and all the other organizers afforded me for the TriWizard contract. Actually that's my first question – Did you know that I could have backed out of the contract at any time before competing in the first task and, if so, why didn't you inform me?"

Albus started to sweat but he could not refuse to answer – his magic would not let him. Straining to say as little as possible he forced out an answer, "Yes, I knew. I needed you in the tournament to try and draw out whoever put your name in the cup. I knew if I gave you the chance not to compete you would have backed out of the tournament."

"You were using me as bait?"

"That's a very strong term. We needed to see if the tasks would be tampered with either to kill you or allow you to advance more easily. You were in no danger."

Harry wanted to explode at this but time was running short. "We'll come back to this later Albus. Right now you are going to be getting a couple of Floo requests from people I invited today." Seeing the look on Albus' face he continued, "it's one of the allowed sub-clauses in the contract. Either one of us can invite observers, but they can't force either of us to answer any of their questions. Now, Amelia Bones, Xenophilius Lovegood, Albacore Dewey and a young junior investigative reporter from the Daily Prophet named Penelope Clearwater will be requesting access by Floo. Please allow them in.

By 9:05 everyone had arrived. Harry spoke up, "Thanks everyone for coming. As I explained in my invitation, Professor Dumbledore will be providing us with pertinent information considering a great injustice that has been perpetrated." He turned to Albus who was starting to pale.

His next words had Albus turning as white as a sheet, "Let's talk about …"

Had his magic not been enforcing the meeting, Albus would have fainted and cut short any questions at this point.

January 5, 1995 – Hogwarts – Potions Classroom

Harry was waiting with Hermione and the rest of the fourth year Gryffindors outside the Potions lab in the dungeons. He was riding on a high feeling he had ever since his first period this morning, He was looking forward to the Quibbler and Daily Prophet issues tomorrow. Madame Bones had also told him she would be contacting him within days.

Hermione had asked him a couple of times and he had told her she would have to wait like everyone else but that the results would be worth it. It showed how much Hermione was trying to change that she let it drop and moved on to other topics without pestering Harry or even rolling her eyes and sighing.

"Well, if it isn't the blood-traitor Scarhead and his pet Mudblood. Tell me Pott…"

"Twenty points for each insult directed at a fellow student Mr. Malfoy and detention for the next week with me from the end of Dinner until curfew."

There was dead silence. Everyone in the hall was stunned by what just occurred.

Draco Malfoy, a high-profile member of Slytherin just lost points and got detention for insulting two Gryffindors.

In an instant the balance of the school year changed.

Draco was stunned. Even the normal retort of when my Father hears this was suppressed as he saw the look in the man's eyes and knew he wasn't kidding. His Head of House after 3 and-a-half years had punished him for insulting these two? His blazing headache came back as once again paradigms shifted without proper warning.

The rest of the fourth year Slytherin didn't know if this was a joke or not. Seeing that they had never even seen their Head of House come anywhere near to cracking a joke in all these years most began to realize the severity of the incident.

All the Gryffindor students knew was they had to get this story out as fast as possible and there would probably be a party tonight.

Severus was angry with himself but he had to take it out on Draco. There apparently must be "fair teaching" clauses in the damn contract because he was initially going to berate Potter and felt the pain in his chest. He didn't like this one bit and would have already renounced guardianship if Albus hadn't convinced him it was a necessary evil for now.

Harry, on the other hand, felt the day was getting better and better. He turned to Hermione and said in a voice loud enough for Uncle Sev to hear, "Have I told you how much I love contracts?"

The Potions class was amazing. He could tell Severus hated the entire time. 'Uncle … sorry … Professor Sev' had started the class with brewing instructions on the board and prepared to sit and glare at the class for the whole three hours until Harry asked him to explain the benefits of the potion and also the role of each of the ingredients and how they interacted with each other. That led to Severus giving his first real lecture on Potions since he took on the position. The Gryffindors were in awe of the fact that they were actually being taught and that the 'greasy git' really knew his stuff. The Slytherins were just in shock and most were convinced their Head of House was either under the Imperious curse or he was an imposter using polyjuice.

When neither theory seemed to pan out (he was not glassy-eyed and an hour had gone by without him drinking anything) they were completely baffled. The fact that their professor appeared to be in one of his worst ever moods (as shown in his face and body language) and yet still lectured in a respectful and almost pleasant way had some of the Slytherins and even most of the Gryffindors wondering if this was all a dream.

The only two people who seemed to accept the situation were Harry and Hermione. In fact Harry wore his big-ass grin throughout the entire lecture.

When they got around to brewing, all the students felt more prepared because of the lecture and confidently set their cauldrons and other equipment up. Even Neville managed to avoid a cataclysmic event because for once he was able to relate his frighteningly vast knowledge of plants to Potions and added the correct number of tentatcular pustules to counteract the extra Devils Snare nerve endings that somehow got in his cauldron.

Nearing the end of the class, Draco could not take anymore. He had created a putty from mixing powdered Erumpant dung with Mountain Troll snot knowing that this would create quite the explosion and light show when it mixed with Potters nearly-completed 'nameless' potion to relieve the pressure, bloating, and fullness commonly referred to as gas (that the students referred to this common fourth year assignment as 'Anti-fart Juice' was conveniently ignored by the professors. However, quite surprisingly, Ron Weasley had been given weekly 'supplements' since first year by Madam Pomphrey that looked remarkably like this much to the relief of his dorm mates).

Seeing that all the Gryffindors were concentrating on their cauldrons in anticipation of all preparing a perfect sample for the first time in their Hogwarts careers, Draco lobbed the disgusting putty in a perfect arc aimed at Potters cauldron. The look of glee on his face was priceless and proceeded to disappear when the putty suddenly reversed course and flew back at him lodging in his nasal cavity.

The pain from the burning sensation caused by the Erumpant dung made him nearly miss the vindictive howling of his Professor. Severus Snape had been forced to behave by the damned contract in which he apparently agreed to teach any of Harry's classes fairly and answer any course-related questions to the best of his ability as a teacher. When he saw Draco lob something towards Potter he had to act quickly to protect his young ward and banished the offending substance back at the Malfoy scion.

At this point he didn't care whom his ire was direct against, but there was no pain warning him off venting at a person who probably wanted to cause an explosion in his class. Magic considered this a fair reaction and Severus Snape was not going to ignore this opportunity.

He was still yelling at Malfoy in the dungeons as dinner started in the Great Hall. For the first time Slytherin was in negative point range based on points taken away by their Head of House. By the time Draco got to see Madam Pomphrey, he had lost most of his sense of smell and Poppy was unsure whether it would ever return to normal.

Severus, on the other hand, felt better than he had for days.

January 6, 1995 – Hogwarts – Great Hall

Harry entered the Great Hall for breakfast feeling happier than he had in a long time. Between Dumbledore's unwilling – but highly detailed and accurate – confessions yesterday, and the most amazing double Potions class he'd ever had he thought life could not have been any better. He was corrected after dinner when Dobby returned with a letter from his girlfriend.

Reading the letter from Luna had topped of the perfect day. She missed him as much as he missed her and had started her preparations. She had begun lessons with her new Tutors and now had an idea where she needed to focus on in order to catch up to Harry.

As Harry sat down for breakfast the morning owls came in delivering the morning papers and mail. Three owls zoomed in on Harry dropping complimentary copies of the Daily Prophet and Quibbler and Harry received a letter from the Ministry of Magic.

Opening up the Prophet first, Harry saw a picture of his godfather on the front page and he read the accompanying article:

Justice Denied:

The Conspiracy Against Sirius Black

By Penelope Clearwater, Sr. Investigative Reporter

Harry smiled at the byline. Obviously this story got Penelope a promotion.

Questions are being raised today about just how safe we are from the people we trust to run our government and judicial system. Yesterday, this reporter was part of a group who were present when Albus Dumbledore revealed a conspiracy to keep the Boy-Who-Lived away from his rightful guardian – his godfather Sirius Black.

Yes, THE Sirius Black – convicted murderer and betrayer of the Potters on that fateful Halloween in 1981. However none of this is true. Information revealed by Albus Dumbledore himself sheds light that Mr. Black was none of these:

He was never convicted because he never had a trial. Sirius Black spent 12 years in Azkaban prison without trial or even being questioned by aurors.

He is not a murderer because one of his supposed victims – Peter Pettigrew – is still alive and, as it turns out, cast the spell that killed 12 muggles to hide his escape as a rat animagus

He didn't betray the Potters because they switched secret keepers at the last minute to the same Peter Pettigrew

All of this came to light as Dumbledore answered questions posed by Harry Potter on the fate of his godfather. Mr. Potter met his godfather last year and assisted in his escape from a locked office at Hogwarts because Mr. Dumbledore was going to allow Minister Fudge to submit Mr. Black to the dementors kiss without a trial or even questioning.

Also present at this meeting was Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE. She promised Mr. Potter to look into the records and, if there had been no trial nor official questioning of Mr. Black, that she would arrange for him to have a trial if Mr. Black would agree to submit to questioning under Veritaserum.

The Prophet will continue to follow this story and not let it be swept under the rug by those in power who would rather condemn an innocent man than answer potentially embarrassing questions.

(Continued on page 2 with additional stories on pages 3, 5 and 11)

Harry's twinkle joined his big-ass grin again. He opened up Madame Bones' letter and found out that she had gotten the Wizengamot to agree to hold an open, public trial for Sirius Black; She also guaranteed his safety to stand trial if Sirius turned himself in to her. She ended off her letter asking Harry to contact his godfather if he could in order to make the arrangements.

Harry was the happiest he'd been in, well, so long that he may only have ever been happier when he was living with his parents. He looked around the Hall at the chattering students who were reading the articles and looking over at him. At the head table, Uncle Sev looked like he was passing a kidney stone and the Headmaster looked like he had a bad case of billowing robes.

Harry looked around again and exclaimed the first thing that came to mind:

"Merlin! I love contracts!"

A/N – OK I took some literary license here. Any time I'm mentioning potions or ingredients, I'm just making it up as I go with whatever sound right – or funny to me. Please do not try them at home without proper supervision by a certified Potions Master. Now that I've explained a bit more in this chapter, the next one should move along the timeline a lot faster – but then again I haven't written it yet so who knows.