A/N: Hi! Please don't hate me for the long wait! I promise it has a good reason! I found a part time job and it was taking majority of my time! I promis that the story won't ever be abandoned!

Also, thank you so much for all the allerts and favourites. Also thank you to the reviewers. :)

Obligatory disclaimer: I would like to own Altair... But so far, the only thing I own is the silver in the eagle vision and coppies of the books and games.

Part 4

Altair stood near the portrait hole and observed the common room. It was full of chattering witches and wizards. Close to the fireplace he spotted the bushy haired girl and the redhead that were with Harry before.

On a far side of the room were two redheaded twins showing their inventions to a large crowd. And Altair smiled for a bit when one of them turned into a yellow cannary.

Then he turned to the stairs and went up to the dormitory.

There he came to a shouting match between Harry and another boy.

It appeared that the boy was one of those that believed the Prophet.

When the boys were done screaming at each other, another one spoke to Harry. It was the one that was sharing the compartment on the train.

"If it means anything, me and my gran believe you and Dumbledor," the boy said.

"I wouldn't be so sure about the headmaster," Altair decided to join the conversation.

"So you believe the Prophet after all?" Harry asked him, a bit sadly.

"No, I said I don't much trust the headmaster, but I believe you. And, like I said before, I have it on good authority that Voldemort is really back," the last part was said quietly so that only Harry could hear. He was not about to explain it all to the other boys right now. It was not necessarry for them to know, yet. And maybe never.

The only thing Altair was sure about right now was that Albus Dumbledore was up to something and it probably wasn't anything good.

And with that, he went to the only bed that didn't have a trunk and after removing his weapons and putting them within easy reach, with the exception of his hidden blade, he kept that strapped on, he crashed on the bed and was soon asleep.

.

Next morning, Altair was the first up and soon, he was out of the dorm and walking down the stairs to the comon room and then out of the portrain hole. As it was still, early, he decided to do some exploring of the castle. And after a while, he knew where the library was and also most of his clases.

And then he decided to go exploring the dungeons.

Maybe there's something interesting there.

Walking down a flight of stairs, he came to the entrance hall and then continued across and into a corridor leading down. Aother flight of stairs had him in a dark and dunk corridor lit by a single torch.

"Well, that's lame..." he muttered and wandlesly cast Lumos. Not that he wanted to broadcast that ability, but as there was noone present...

"And what are you doing down here?" came a smooth voice from behind him.

"So now it's a crime to explore the castle, professor Snape?" Altair asked and turned, while slipping his wand in his hand. He wasn't yet ready for anyone to know about his wandless abilities.

"That depends on what is a gryffindor doing in slytherin teritorry?" drawled Snape.

"Merely exploring," shrugged Altair, disinterested.

"You, mister Ibn-La'Ahad, are a mystery, that's for sure," Snape said; the corner of his mouth twitching.

"And you're the first one not to butcher my name," was Altair's cheeky response. And then he was running down the corridor deeper into the slytherin teritorry.

Harry's morning was vastly different from Altair's. Even though Altair's words from the evening before were still loud and clear in his mind, it didn't stop him from snapping at his friends even though they were just trying to help.

But he did apologize and even went as far as ignoring all the muttered coments from Seamus.

And now, he was sitting at the gryffindor table, eating breakfast and wondering where Altair was, because the man just wasn't there.

Good thing McGonagall didn't yet go about distributing their timetables, otherwise, Altair might be in trouble for not being there...

Meanwhile, Altair was having a conversation with Malfoy of all people. How did that happen? Well, let's just say, that Altair managed to find the secret entrance to slytherin comon rooms.

"So you're saying you were exploring the castle and the fact you found the entrance to our comon room, is pure coincidence?" Malfoy asked increduously.

"Well, that would be it, but professor Snape played a role in it. If I wasn't running away from him, I wouldn't have even turned down this corridor..."

"And what did you do to need to run from him?" Malfoy raised his perfect eyebrow.

"Was just being me..." Altair laughed.

"And now, I think I will go back and get some breakfast, if you don't mind," he continued and before Malfoy had a chance to answer, he disappeared.

Harry's head snapped up when someone sat next to him. Looking up, he realized it was Altair.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked.

"Exploring," was his simple answer.

When Harry kept looking at him, he continued: "Were you worried about me?"

Harry felt heat rising to his cheeks and turned back to his breakfast while mumbling something unintelligible.

Altair was about to reply something, when he registered a movement behind him and his hand moved almost subconscieusly to intercept the smack he would have recieved otherwise.

"That won't work," he smirked at Malfoy.

"Problem, boys?" sounded McGonagall, before Malfoy could make a comeback.

"Not at all, professor," Altair answered almost bored.

"Very well, then. Here are your timetables," she handed each their own and then moved down the table to distribute the rest of them.

"What was that all about? With Malfoy, I mean," Harry asked, his cheeks back to normal, now.

"Just a bit of good old teasing," Altair replied and then started to study his timetable.

"Transfiguration, defense, potions and runes... that sounds like a good workload," he comented, more to himself than to anyone else.

"You take runes?" Hermione butted in the conversation, interested.

"Yeah, runes, aritmancy and creatures," he answered.

"Are you the male version of Hermione?" Ron asked warily.

"Excuse me?"

"No sane person takes three electives!" groused Ron.

"I think it's wonderfull!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Of course you would," muttered Ron darkly.

"Guys, maybe we should move to transfiguration?" suggested Harry.

"We should," agreed Altair. "There's not much time left before the class starts."

And so they went to the first class.

A/N2: Coments?