Well, I can't do any more chores around the house now because I cut my finger on a cake knife...which I thought was dull as a butter knife, but apparently wasn't...oh, well, gives me an excuse to come on here and post more!

"Let's go for a run." Harry told Theodore as they sat once more around a table in their Common Room while Theodore studied. At a window, first years were gasping at the silhouette of the giant squid while Draco was going on about Diggory losing his egg. Nearby, a sixth year was snickering with his friends about how he'd hexed some Gryffindor second years.

"Don't think it's such a good idea." Theo muttered lowly. "Hear three dogs have been having a night of it...every night."

"Sirius didn't turn them in?"

"Course not."

"But...they can't be out every night. They haven't got a cloak to cover them until they sneak out."

"Got a map, remember?"

"Right..." Harry groaned. "Well, we can use the cloak until we're in a safe area."

"Rely on me too much, Harry. Will be too hard."

Sulking, Harry glared at the fire and then perked. "What if we just went through the castle? There's several secret places that no one goes. I just want to turn!"

"Being pinned down by a dog wasn't enough incentive to never morph again?"

Harry peered across the table at Theodore, who was giving Harry a sullen look back. "Did it scare you, Theo?"

"No." Theodore drawled, but even Harry could tell that it was a lie. "Just didn't like it and am not keen on morphing for awhile until my leg heals."

Harry frowned. "You should have gone to Madam Pomfrey."

"You too." Theodore hissed, his voice dropping. "Lucky no one's seen those bite marks around your throat. Have thought you were spending the evenings with a vampire."

Pulling his robes tighter around his throat, Harry shrugged. "They don't hurt too badly."

"You're lucky then." Theo slammed a book shut and reached for his Ancient Runes book.

Harry watched the other boy's quill flick through the beginning of an essay and he finally murmured, "You know, I didn't think about it until today...that you dropping Care of Magical Creatures Saturday was such bad timing."

Theodore gave a snort, a small smile coming to his lips. "Thought it was perfect timing really. Made it look like I couldn't stand his blood."

This made Harry glare at his friend. "Does blood really matter that much to you? If so, how can you handle being friends with me?"

"You know the answer to that question." Theo gave Harry a scowl. "It's the same answer I'd receive if I asked you: if my belief in blood angers you so much, how can you handle being friends with me?"

Looking down at his hands, Harry saw Theodore's point instantly. "That makes us sound pathetic."

"Aren't we?" Theo asked in his bored tone. "We couldn't be friends until I saw a way to mediate the friendship, which meant blackmail. We remain friends only because we'd be alone otherwise. We keep our secrets to ourselves and throw out our prejudices and don't you dare say you have none."

"But I don't!" Harry argued.

"You're prejudiced against Gryffindors and those who claim they're Pure-blood."

"But...well, that's just..."

"No different."

"I defended you from Sirius." Harry argued.

"Only me." Theodore stated. "We only defend each other. Our prejudice is still extended over the group...we merely make exceptions to each other."

Harry exhaled haughtily and tapped the desk with irritation. "All right, fine. We throw out our prejudices."

"And we make exceptions only to ourselves while retaining our beliefs." Theodore continued. "We have nothing in common besides being Animagi and in Slytherin."

"And being good at Potions."

"Barely."

"And Potions!" Harry insisted. "I'm just as good at Potions as you are."

"Not really."

"Am too."

"No..."

"Yes!"

"Fine." Theodore rolled his eyes. "But barely."

Harry scoffed.

"And I'm a Pure-blood and you're...not...and you're also a Blood-Traitor by definition."

"Thanks." Harry muttered bitterly.

"Well, you are." Theo shrugged. "Is just how we are. Are pathetic."

Grumbling, Harry scowled at the fire again as Draco scared the first year by the window and caused a laugh to go round the Common Room.

"Theo..." Harry inquired after awhile, his voice barely a whisper. "You...like me...right?"

The other Slytherin boy raised his head slightly to look at Harry, "Yes."

"As a friend...and more?" Harry's voice cracked slightly and he cleared it.

Theodore hesitated and then nodded slowly.

"How...is that going to work? We're really...we couldn't...we think so...differently."

Theo gave a quick shrug and focused on his essay again, but he wasn't writing. "Don't know. Haven't thought about it."

"But it's something to think about."

"I don't want to think about it." Theo gave a glare and stood, grabbing at his books. "I'm going to bed."

"But..."

"Good night."

Harry didn't follow Theo up to the dorm until much later and it was only to grab his cloak and head out on his own. He needed some time alone to think and being in the same room as Theo wouldn't enable him to see clearly.

He understood that Theodore struggled with being friends with Harry. With power like his, Theodore could intimidate most people to leave him alone and because he was a book-head like Granger Theo didn't have to deal with most people picking on him. It was being friends with Harry that had caused him so much trouble as of late. The only reason the Second Generation Marauders had attacked Theodore was because he was friends with Harry...well, and in Slytherin. And Theodore had been dragged into the Shrieking Shack adventure last year because of Harry and now he'd been tossed into drama because of Harry.

Harry was so preoccupied, he didn't notice the Golden Egg lying in the middle of the hall and kicked it, sending it skittering across the stone floor and down some stairs. Harry burst after it, but, in his rush, forgot about the trick step and stepped right into it. He lurched forward, cloak wrapping around him and fell hard on the steps, his wand flying from his hand and landing a couple steps below him as a crack spread across his glasses. Far below him the egg burst open and wailed loudly.

"PEEVES!" Filch screamed as he scrambled that direction. "What's this racket. Wake up the whole castle, will you? I'll have you! I'll have you, you'll...and what is this?"

The caretaker picked up the egg and a smile spread across his face and Harry began to hope against all hope that the cloak was covering him and, if it wasn't, that Filch didn't come his way.

"Egg?" Filch snickered. "My sweet! This is a Triwizard clue! This belongs to a school champion! PEEVES! You've been stealing!"

He yanked back the tapestry and Harry was practically praying to anyone or thing who would listen that he was covered. "Hiding, are you?" I'm coming to get you, Peeves...You've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves...Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy, pilfering poltergeist..."

He started to climb the stairs and Harry began to shake as he realized he couldn't pull free without revealing he was there, but if he didn't do something Filch was going to step on him.

"Filch? What's going on?" Snape's voice made Harry become all the more queasy as the Potions Master appeared at the foot of the stairs. By the look on his face, he was furious.

"It's Peeves, Professor." Filch hissed. "He threw this egg down the stairs."

Snape rushed up the stairs to stand beside the caretaker. "Peeves? But Peeves couldn't get into my office..."

"This egg was in your office, Professor?"

"Of course not." Snape snarled. "I heard banging and wailing..."

"Yes, Professor, that was the egg..."

"...I was coming to investigate..."

"...Peeves threw it, Professor..."

"...and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!"

"But Peeves couldn't..."

"I know he couldn't, Filch! I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break! I want you to come and help me search for the intruder, Filch."

"I...yes, Professor...but...the thing is, Professor, the headmaster will have to listen to me this time. Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be my chance to get him thrown out of the castle once and for all..."

"Filch, I don't give a damn about that wretched poltergeist; it's my office that's..."

Mad-Eye Moody suddenly was approaching them. "Pajama party, is it?"

"Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor." Filch started. "Peeves the Poltergeist, throwing things around as usual...and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his off..."

"Shut up!" Snape growled at Filch.

Moody looked straight at Harry and, able to see through invisibility cloaks, was able to see Harry. Moody closed his gaping mouth and looked at Snape. "Did I hear that correctly, Snape? Someone broke into your office?"

"It is unimportant." Snape replied coldly.

"On the contrary, it is very important. Who'd want to break into your office?"

"A student, I daresay. It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard...students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt..."

"Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh? Not hiding anything else in your office, are you?"

"You know I'm hiding nothing, Moody." He spoke in a soft, but dangerous tone. "As you've searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself."

Harry's jaw fell open, astounded at Moody's clear dislike for Snape.

"Auror's privilege, Snape. Dumbledore told me to keep an eye..."

"Dumbledore happens to trust me. I refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my office!"

"Course Dumbledore trusts you. He's a trusting man, isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me...I say there are spots that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?"

Snape abruptly grabbed his left forearm with his other hand.

Moody gave a laugh. "Get back to bed, Snape."

"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!" Snape snapped, releasing his arm. "I have as much right to prowl this school after dark as you do!"

"Prowl away." Moody snorted. "I look forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time. You've dropped something by the way."

He pointed to something right beside Snape's foot and Harry realized with horror that it was his wand. Snape had already reached down to pick it up, but stopped as he saw what it was. Recognition flooded his face and he glanced around before snatching up the wand.

"Potter..." He murmured.

"What's that?" Moody asked calmly.

Snape glanced at the egg and then at the wand in his hand and then at Moody and finally snarled, "That egg is Diggory's. I've heard he's lost it. It should be returned to him as soon as possible...Moody...if you could."

"No!" Filch gaped at the Potions Master. "This is evidence of Peeves' treachery!"

"It's the property of the champion he stole it from." Moody growled. "Hand it over, now."

With disgust, Filch passed the egg to the ex-auror and started on his way, muttering to Mrs. Norris about how he was going to tell Dumbledore in the morning.

"Best get that to Diggory as quickly as possible." Snape snarled. "I am going to investigate my stores and see what kind of potion the students are up to now. If you'll excuse me."

"By your leave." Moody started to walk away as Snape descended the steps. As soon as Snape passed him, Moody gave Harry a wink before finally disappearing down the hall.

A moment later, Snape returned up the steps and glared down at the ground. "It's safe to come out now, Potter."

Pulling off his cloak, Harry gave his professor an apprehensive look.

"Oh, yes. You are in trouble." Snape growled. "But only for your safety. You do realize that someone is trying to kill you?"

"Yes, sir..." Harry pulled his foot out of the missing step.

"And that wandering around the castle alone at night could put you face to face with your latest enemy?"

"Yes..." Harry stood, cloak in hand, but eyes still downcast.

"And that you're insulting your mother's sacrifice by your complete lack of self-preservation."

Blush rushed across Harry's face. "Sorry, sir."

"Don't apologize to me." Snape spat. "Apologize to her."

Silence filled the corridor and Harry finally whispered as tears pricked at his eyes, "Sorry...mom..." He meant each word.

"Now," Snape snarled, glaring at Harry. "You didn't happen to see who broke into my store room."

"No..." Harry shook his head.

"You don't have that map anymore?"

"Ronald has it."

Snape smirked. "Well, we'll have to see about confiscating it, won't we?"

Harry smiled weakly. "You'll have to keep an eye out for it, sir. It passes between him, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom."

Tsking, Snape shook his head slightly. "Won't that be a pity. I'll have to spread out my...dislike. Oh, how terrible."

Harry's eyes lifted finally to see the gleam of excitement in his Professor's eyes. "Sir...can I admit something to you and not get...and you won't laugh?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Please, don't tell me it's another confession of your like for blokes?"

Eyes widening, Harry gaped, "What?"

"Oh, it's been circulating the school since this evening. I guess Rita Skeeter's been having a day of it."

A sick feeling filled Harry's gut. "Uh...no, it's not that. It's...the Gryffindor gang."

"What about them?" By the chill that had entered his professor's voice, the man wasn't going to be happy by what Harry was about to say.

With a sigh, Harry pulled down the collar of his robes and showed the bite marks around his neck. "Most of them have learned to become Animagi...they've...they came after Theodore and I."

"That explains his limp." Snape snarled, his eyes becoming malice-filled. "I will talk to the Headmaster then and see about getting them caught. I assume you don't want to report them, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded solemnly. It was sort of an unspoken Slytherin policy not to tattle unless it was life-threatening, otherwise they'd look weak. Draco was the only one who didn't seem to like upholding this policy as he instead used tattling as an advantage.

"Well, then off to bed, Potter." Snape stated sternly. "And I expect you in my office tomorrow night for detention. I ought to confiscate that cloak as well."

Harry gulped and looked pleadingly at his Professor.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Dumbledore won't let me confiscate it, Potter, otherwise it'd have been taken from you a long time ago."

Sighing with relief, Harry turned to start up the steps, only to walk right into the missing step again. Snape came to assist him this time and Harry hissed in self-disgust.

"You'll want to be careful." Snape's sardonic tone was one of the last things Harry wanted to hear right now. "Off you go before Moody catches you."

"Sir." Harry suddenly dared to ask, "Why did he search your office?"

"Old habits die hard." Snape replied sharply.

"But...you're not evil."

Snape's jaw tightened, his eyes wandering up to Harry as if it had been the last thing he'd expected the boy to say. "Some think otherwise. Now, go."

Harry nodded and started away through the castle, pulling on his cloak as he went. When he returned to the dorm, he went to wake Theodore, but found the other was gone. Confused, he changed and crawled into bed, determined to stay up until the other returned.

He failed.

And this is the next part. More later tonight!