Uh...so I realized afterwards that I hadn't intended to leave off Part 7 like that, but I had been really tired...and forgot my plans. And I was busy until now, soooo...

CONFUSED CRIMINALS (Continued)

Harry wasn't the only Slytherin to give the Great Hall a sleepily and confused, and mingled with a tinge of disgust, look as they filed into it again, even though Halloween had ended only what felt like half an hour ago. Most of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws looked fairly confused as well, but the Gryffindors appeared absolutely terrified. It took some time for everyone to quiet down and for the Headmaster to give his little speech about...well, Harry wasn't sure because he was staring at Ron who was giving him the dirtiest look a Gryffindor could give a Slytherin...and it looked like both Seamus and Dean, who were in whispered conversation with the Weasley, were in agreement with him. Neville appeared to be pretending to ignore what they were saying and Hermione kept shushing them.

Finally, the Headmaster left and the hall burst with excited buzzing as the Gryffindors recounted the tale to anyone who would listen, even if it was a Slytherin.

Apparently, Sirius Black had broken into the castle and attacked, with a knife, the Fat Lady portrait up in Gryffindor tower when she wouldn't let him in. For Harry this came as a shock because he had honestly thought (what with Dementors at the gates and Dumbledore as Headmaster) nothing and no one, not even Azkaban-escaping Sirius Black, could get onto the grounds, much less into the castle and all the way to a House's chambers! A person couldn't really sneak past the dementors, teachers, ghosts, and students, right? Harry had a go of it with an INVISIBILITY CLOAK. Honestly...was Hogwarts really that safe?

...but this little shock was nothing to compare to the surprise the Gryffindors sent his way.

They BLAMED him, Harry Potter, for Sirius Black's attack. (Malfoy said: "Go figure. Can't take the blame, so they blame a Slytherin.") As a whole, they seemed to believe Black was looking for "Potter" and had (as it was only logical) assumed the Boy-Who-Lived would be a Gryffindor, therefore had ascended to Gryffindor Tower to make a go at "Potter", only to be halted by a very stubborn portrait.

This irritated Harry, for more than one reason. Partially, it was because this idea was clearly Ronald's and was supported by his gang. Partially, it was because Harry was getting blamed for something that he had absolutely no involvement in...again. And partially because the only one who had stood up for Harry was Malfoy and...well, he never really felt like he counted. But mostly Harry was irritated because it seemed everyone knew Black was after him and, worse, knew more about it than Harry did. If Black was after Harry, didn't Harry have every right to know as much as possible? Especially if it'd help him NOT get caught?

That night was fitful, interluded by a rather strange conversation between the Headmaster and Professor Snape after the castle had been searched and Black had, of course, not been found. It seemed Professor Snape wasn't happy about the appointment of another Professor, which meant either Hagrid or Lupin. As it seemed his Potions Master appeared to dislike Lupin above all else and hardly made even a single glance Hagrid's way, let alone commenting about him, Harry was fairly certain he knew which of the two his Head of House had been referring too...and suddenly, he was very frightened of his next D.A.D.A. class.

Harry spent the next few days listening to the constant garble about Sirius Black and his mysterious break-in. He heard all sorts of rumors and ideas about it and about the current, rather deplorable, painting hung up for the Gryffindors, which Harry felt served them right. This, however, was easy to handle. The teachers who went out of their way to accompany him down corridors and the prefects and Head Boy...Percy...right? began tailing him around, no doubt on Dumbledore's orders. Then McGonagall called him into her office, looking like she was about to attend a funeral.

"There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," She said seriously. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black..."

"I know he's after me." Harry cut in. "Professor Snape already told me..." He realized he needed to amend his tale a second later, so his professor would not get in trouble. "This morning." He added rather lamely.

There was a long pause as McGonagall evaluated the change in situation and then she finally said, "So then I assume he's talked to about Quidditch..."

"I have." The silky voice of the Potions Master invaded the room and Harry jumped at the sound of it, but didn't turn around to face him as the man continued, "Please don't bother yourself with MY charges, Minerva."

"Very well." She huffed slightly and waved Harry on.

Following his head of house, Harry tried to comprehend why the man would lie to him. It wasn't as if outright lying to a teacher should be approved, after all.

"Do not lie again, Potter." Professor Snape hissed as he came to a stop in an archway where one could see out the window to the courtyard below. "Not unless you're in a much dire situation. Now, about Quidditch practice."

"Sir, I really need to practice!" Harry quickly jumped the defense. "I'm sure Black wouldn't attack me with so many people around."

"Yes, because you and your little team of Quidditch players is going to frighten a maniac murderer such as Sirius." The Potions Master snarled sarcastically. "Really, Potter, do you use your brain or is it simply a cushion for your eyes?"

"We've got our first match on Saturday!" Harry continued to argue. "I've got to train, Professor!"

"I never said you couldn't practice, Potter." His professor's exasperated tone caused Harry to quiet. "I was merely going to tell you that I have already arranged for Madam Hooch to be at practice wilst you are there. For the love of Slytherin, Potter. Do you honestly care about Quidditch more than the effort everyone is putting forth to keep you safe? More than your own safety?"

Harry's head dropped instantly at the condescending look his head of house was giving him. "No...it's just...I know the Quidditch Cup is important and all..."

"Not as important as your life." The man spat. "Nor as important as the lives others lay down for you. Use your head at least a little, Potter, or you're going to come off as selfish and arrogant, just like your father."

Blush flashed across Harry's cheeks. Professor Snape had mentioned this multiple times before, muttering about how sometimes Harry was too much like the "big-headed James Potter", which wasn't something Harry really aspired to be...and certainly not something he wanted his favorite teacher to see him as.

"I'm sorry, Professor." Harry mumbled, focusing on his feet. "Thank you for...everything."

Professor Snape gave a derisive snort, but made no further comments on the matter. Instead, he continued with: "I have spoken to the headmaster about you taking Animagi lessons."

"Really?" Harry instantly perked, eyes raising to stare at his professor with hope.

"Yes, "really", Potter." The man rolled his eyes slightly. "Can you not come up with responses of at least the most unintelligent of your age, Potter?"

Harry rolled his eyes this time. "What did the headmaster say?"

"He said it is a wonderful idea." The twitch of a brow told Harry how much this annoyed the Potions Master. "But...but he believes that you should wait until the crisis of Black is over and you have had a whole year to think on it and prepare for the extensive training."

"You're kidding!"

"I don't kid."

Harry instantly grumbled, "At least that explains the wrinkles."

There was silence as Harry realized he probably shouldn't have said that and waited for the "detention" growl. Instead, he got a tsk and a "Well, I guess, that could be considered an improvement to you're normally dull and blatantly stupid responses."

A smile came to Harry's lips as he recalled how his Professor had teased him in his first few (ever) Potion classes and Harry had finally gotten up the gall to tease the man back, poorly Harry added. It had been fun and easy to be around the man, even when Harry suspected his head of House trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Trying to retrieve the Stone himself had diminished that relationship to only a tiny whisp of what it had been.

Okay, so this had been where I had planned to leave it off before...except it didn't happen. Oh, well. Review if you like.