Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. Except where I might use some song lyrics which I will call out at the time and give proper credit. Thank you JKR for letting us play with your toys.

HARRY POTTER AND THE MUGGLE'S DAUGHTER

Ten

Part II

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"I know what you did?" Petunia Dursley shrieked and dropped the silver-serving tray.

"What the devil!" Vernon bellowed, rushing in from the parlour. "GET OUT!" he roared when he spotted the tray with Lily's undisturbed image in the mirror-like surface. Petunia ran crying from the kitchen. Lily's image stared impassively back at the red-faced man before slowly fading away.

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"Would you like to go in?" Mum asked. They'd driven into Cheltenham, the nearest large city to Bourton to do some Christmas shopping and Harry had stopped in front of the display window of a guitar shoppe.

"Can we?"

"Come on," she said, making for the door. Harry quickly followed. The interior of the shoppe had a strange quality to it. It was well lit, but at the same time seemed to have a comfortable darkness to it. It had an enveloping feel about it, warm and inviting. And there was a tension in the air, nothing frightening, it was more like potential. Each of the hundreds of guitars displayed were just waiting for the right hands to take it and create something wondrous and Harry found he quite liked it. He was immediately drawn to the electric guitars with their amazing colours and sometimes-strange shapes but eventually worked his way to the acoustic section. One in particular held his attention. It was finished in a deep burgundy and the grain of the wood was simply magnificent.

"Would you like to see it?"

Harry turned to the shoppe clerk. With his long blond hair, tattered jeans, tee shirt and converse trainers, he looked very much like what you'd expect a clerk in a guitar shoppe to look like. "Oh, I don't play. I'm just looking."

The clerk grabbed the guitar. "Kid, we're all just looking till we start playin'. Come on." Harry glanced at his mum. She shrugged and jerked her head for him to follow the clerk so Harry did. The clerk nodded at a stool when Harry caught up with him. "Have a seat." Harry jumped up and the clerk shoved the guitar in his hands. "Alright, Kid, what's your name?"

"Daniel."

"Cool, I'm Matt. You heard of Bob Dylan, Kid?"

"Erm, maybe." Harry wondered why Matt had asked his name if he was just going to keep calling him, Kid. "He's a singer right?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Kids these days. No sense of the legends. How about Guns and Roses, you heard of them?"

"Yeah, them I know."

Matt reached over and hit a button on a very expensive looking CD player. A few seconds later a song started playing. "That," Matt said, "is, Knocking on Heaven's Door. Dylan wrote the original, GnR did a remake. With me?"

"Alright," Harry said.

"Cool. Now if you've got even an ounce of rhythm in you, I'm gonna to teach you to play that in fifteen minutes. Whay'da'ya say, Kid?"

Harry glanced at his mum. "Go ahead, Love. I'd love to see if you can."

Harry grinned. "Alright then." As it turned out it only took Matt about ten minutes to teach Harry the five basic cords and rhythm of the song and after fifteen, Matt had grabbed a base to join him while his mum sang.

"YEAH, MAN!" Matt exclaimed when they'd managed to make it all the way through the song without either Harry or his mum making a mistake. He held his hand up and Harry high-fived him.

"That's so cool!" Harry gushed.

"Kid, the only problem we got is our vocalist."

"Hey!" Mum protested. "I think I did pretty damn well."

"Yeah, but it don't matter how smokin' she is, it's against the rules of being in a rock band to have your mum as the vocalist." Harry's eyes narrowed.

Mum laughed. "Yes, I suppose it is against the whole rebellion aspect, isn't it?"

"Better believe it," Matt laughed with her. "Never mind the whole problem of your mum scaring off your groupies, you gotta keep her groupies away from her."

"Trust me," Harry said, "that won't be hard at all."

Matt smirked at him. "Bit protective of your mum, are you?"

"Maybe," Harry challenged.

Matt held his hands up. "Hey now, don't worry about me, Kid. I'm gay."

Mum laughed. "Oh, Daniel, let someone pay your old mum a compliment now and then. She's not interested in having any man in her life but you, I promise."

Harry turned scarlet. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"Hey, you're just doing you job, Kid. Aint no-one who gets a free pass at your mum. Am I right?"

Harry grinned. "Too right."

Matt clapped his hands together. "So what'da'ya think? You gonna take her home?"

"Her?" Harry asked.

"The guitar, Kid. Guitars are always female."

"They are? Even for… erm," Harry faltered.

"Gay dudes?" Matt asked.

Harry flushed again. "Yeah, that."

Matt smirked. "I'm not gay, Kid. I just didn't wanna get thrashed."

Mum snorted. "Matt, you are too much."

Matt winked at Harry. "So, what'da'ya say?"

Harry looked at his mum. "Do you want to learn to play?" she asked.

"Yes, please."

"Then I guess you just found your Christmas gift, didn't you?"

Harry grinned. "Bril."

Mum focused on Matt. "Thank you. The little bugger never asks for anything. I had no idea what to get him."

Matt bowed with a flourish. "Glad to be of service, my Lady."

"We'll take it on one condition," Harry said.

"Oh?" Matt and Mum asked.

"You aren't allowed to date my mum."

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"Hello, Harry."

Harry grinned happily at his favorite teacher as he held the door open for her. "Hello, Mrs Tonks." He took her cloak and hung it on the coat rack.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. How have you been?"

"I'm quite well, very much looking forward to my daughter coming home next week. And you?"

"Really good." Harry led her to the parlour where he had tea and biscuits set out for them. "I can do Alohamora without an incantation or a wand movement now. And I did a Repario on a teacup and a picture frame at the same time without getting any of the bits mixed up." He poured tea and handed her cup to her. He then met her eyes and held them.

This had become the pattern as he had progressed with his Occlumency training. He was now expected to hold normal conversation with her and attempt to detect when she might be trying to enter his mind. He never quite seemed to be able to manage it. She was just so good she slipped into the mists he formed and he wouldn't find her till she was well on her way to his citadel, if even then. Half the time he'd find himself rushing to reinforce his walls as she launched an attack.

"And how is your Animagus coming?" And she managed to do it while finding out how his week had gone without a single Tell to let him know she was coming for him. It was frightening how good she was.

Harry grinned. For the first month, every time he Spirit Walked he ended up on top of the spire and Elitheon would come. They would fly together for a bit and she would deliver him to the beach where she would catch fish and they would eat together. He didn't see the wolf or jaguar again during that time, but he heard them quite often.

Then, one day, instead of appearing atop the spire he entered the realm at its base. When Elitheon came that day she told him her part in the journey he was on was now complete and that for then, their time together would end. He'd been hugely disappointed but there had been nothing he could do except to enjoy a last flight and meal with her. True to her words, his next Spirit Walk she had not come. It had been rather terrifying to be there alone again. Only he hadn't been alone, his Shadow, never very far on any of his visits had loomed in the cracks and crevices of the spire. And without Elitheon, he'd been unable to ignore it. And the jaguar had come.

His next visit, the wolf, his pack and his mate had come. Since then he'd spent time with the wolf, as well as the jaguar. But it was always separate. Only on that very first visit had he seen the wolf and jaguar together. His Shadow, no matter what, it was never too far.

"It's going well," Harry answered. "I'm still trying to decide which form I want to take." He thought he detected a bit of pressure within his mists and gently tried to make their swirling tendrils within that area denser.

She smiled. "Better, Harry."

"Really?" he asked, surprised. "That was actually you?"

"It was. And now that we have progressed to your being able to notice me before I enter your dreamscape it is time to begin work on allowing me to be there without me knowing that you're allowing it."

"Why would I want to let you be there?"

She quirked a brow at him. "I believe if you think about it you can find the answer to that question yourself."

Harry sighed. It was always like this with her. She would pick and choose when to answer a question and when to draw the answer out of him. It could be very frustrating, but at the same time he couldn't deny the effectiveness. "I suppose I could make you think I didn't have any defenses when I actually do," he offered.

She gave him a small smile. "That might be a fairly significant tactical advantage to have, don't you think?"

"I suppose," he agreed. Privately he wasn't particularly keen on the idea of letting someone root around in his mind.

She leaned forward. "Harry, do you remember our very first lesson and the attempt you made to protect yourself?"

Harry nodded. "The village square."

"Tell me, Harry, what do you think I found on my very first attempts to enter the minds of Hermione or her parents? Keep in mind, they had exactly the same instruction and time to prepare as you did."

Harry shrugged. "Something similar, I guess?"

She shook her head, "No, Harry, I found chaos. Within her parents' minds there were no defenses at all. It was like opening a closet door and having the contents spill out and bury you. Hermione was a bit better. She had attempted to protect herself. The best description would be that we were standing inside of a balloon with her memories outside of it. It popped within seconds, burying us both. You on the other hand created the most astounding defense I have ever seen. I don't know how you did it, but you did. What I do know, is that it was not the differences in power you have available to you, that Hermione and her parents do not, that allowed you to accomplish what you did. Power does not make the defenses; it does not affect the ability to make those defenses real, it only affects the ability to actually defend those constructs."

"Alright," Harry said.

She went on. "I have a confession to make, Harry. I'm afraid I have played a bit of a trick on you."

"You have?"

"Yes, I want you to think of the village square from your first lesson and the citadel you subsequently constructed. After all that you have learned, what is the difference between them?" Harry frowned, slowly staring off into space as he considered the question. "The answer is perception, Harry," she said softly.

"Perception?"

"Yes. It is much easier to believe a citadel is impregnable than a village square, is it not?"

Harry considered. "You're saying I could just as easily make the toy shop real and as impossible to enter as the citadel?"

"You could now, Harry," she answered.

"Ok," he agreed. He supposed it made sense, but wasn't quite sure if he believed it or not.

"Here is the thing, Harry. The goal is to help each student protect their mind to the best of their abilities. For you, who commands near unmatchable power, I began not with misdirection, but with the idea of, here it is, come and take it if you can. Power trumps all, Harry, and you have that in spades. You may not be able to keep me out of your mind, but you are protected from my invasion by an impressive defense; your walls are real and grow more so every day. Your ability to detect my attempts to sneak around or through them improves each and every time I try. There are very few sorcerers who could now get past you with guile and when it comes to a full on attack, you will beat them back soundly. This was the quickest and easiest path to protecting you.

"This method is similarly effective for Hermione. She is quite powerful as well and she has built a defense unique to herself to defend her mind. It is unlike anything I have ever even imagined and I truly believe only Hermione herself to be capable of it. Her parents, however, do not have magic available to them when creating their defenses. For them, the best method is subterfuge; to know they are being attacked and then divert it. This is much more difficult to accomplish than simply building a fortress, but it is the best they can do so their focus has been much different than that of the efforts you and Hermione have made. And in its own way it is the better defense to have.

"It is?"

"It is. You and Hermione have built your fortresses. You are prepared for an attack. But the fortress is the last defense of the true Occlumens. We have a bit more than nine months before you take your first steps outside the safety of your life here in Bourton. You must continue to develop your citadel. You might construct and hide something much less obvious to hide and protect your memories and knowledge within. In time, your citadel might become nothing more than a misdirection; something for an attacker to waste their time and strength trying to penetrate when there is actually nothing of value within. But your focus must now shift to learning to detect, allow, and direct my attacks. You will learn to lead me about, give me what you want me to have and not what I seek."

"Alright," Harry agreed.

"I have not lied to you, nor will I, Harry. What you have done has been difficult. What we begin now will be harder. You will not like it. I have always stopped short of breaching your defenses and viewing something you did not wish for me to see. That must change as we go forward. Your citadel I will not touch. I will give you this safety net. But for our next lesson you are to select two memories; one you do not wish me to find and one you do not care if I do. You are to hide them somewhere outside your citadel; somewhere I can find them. Your goal will be to direct me to the memory you do not care about."

Harry took a slow breath. She was right. That didn't sound fun at all. Not when he knew she would most likely find the memory he didn't want her to find. "Why can't I just pick two memories I don't care about?"

"Because memories you don't care to share have different Tells than memories you are happy to share. You must learn to make them seem the opposite of what they are."

A sudden thought hit him. "If you find the memory I don't want you to, the next time I'll have to pick a new one, won't I?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, you will."

Harry considered. "Hermione's parents are already doing this?"

"They are."

"Alright then," he agreed.

She smiled at him. "That's my, Protégé," she said proudly.

Harry returned her smile for a moment before his eyes drifted to his forgotten teacup. He was sure it was quite cold by now. "Mrs Tonks, is my mum able to protect her mind?"

She smiled again. "You needn't worry about your mum, Harry. Her mind is the most terrifying thing I've ever encountered. She is quite safe."

"It is? What's terrifying about it?"

She leaned forward and placed her hand on his. "It's empty, Harry. Stepping into your mother's mind is like stepping into a box with no oxygen. I was unconscious in seconds and, I think, lucky to survive the attempt." She shrugged. "I think, perhaps, her lack of magic prevented her from holding me in her mind when I stopped trying to be there."

"She didn't try to hurt you, did she?"

"No," she assured him. "Afterwards she said she had been trying to perform Occlumency as she had before the Heart's Shield. She was unaware I had even tried to enter her mind till I collapsed. Your mother appears immune to magic – not even the Imperious Curse affects her. Legilimency is a magical attack." She shrugged again. "We only have theories as to what really happened and neither of us is willing to explore those further."

"Oh," Harry said.

She squeezed his hand. "You really worry about her, don't you?"

Harry shrugged. "She's my mum."

"Yes, she is." She sat back in her chair again. "So tell me, have you made any progress on which form to chose for your Animagus?"

"I think so."

"And?" she pressed.

"Well, I think it'd be really cool to be a panther like my dad was, but I don't want to pick it just for that."

"That's a very wise consideration. You are considering the wolf then?"

"Probably."

"Do you know why?"

Harry fidgeted a bit. "Well, I think for two reasons."

"And?"

"Well, whenever I'm with the panther, my Shadow is always really close. I don't know if it's trying to tell me not to pick that form or if it's just trying to tell me something about it."

"And your Shadow is not there when you are with the wolf?"

"It is, but it's further away. It's like it's less pressing or something." He paused for a bit. "They're both me, you know. But it's like they're fighting for control. I think the panther would kill the wolf if it could. But the wolf has its pack and even though they could kill the panther, the price would be really high so they just kind of exist in this standoff."

"That is an… interesting observation."

Almost as if he hadn't heard her, Harry went on. "My dad picked the panther over the stag because it allowed him to help Remus. It allowed him to be with his pack. I somehow think if I pick the panther I'm choosing to go it alone."

"But you have people all about, Harry. You have Hermione, who will stick with you through anything. You wouldn't be alone if you chose the panther."

"It's not that simple," Harry said. "It's you're inner being; that's what your Animagus form represents. There are a lot of good points to both of them, but the panther is always alone. I've followed it for days. It hunts alone. It eats alone. It sleeps alone. I've never once seen or even heard another panther in the jungle. It relies on and trust no-one but itself."

"And the wolf is different?" she asked.

"It's never alone," Harry said. "It may not be quite as strong as the panther is, but it shares almost all of its strengths and with its pack it's stronger than the panther." He focused on her. "There's something important in the difference between them and I think that's it."

She nodded slowly. "You've obviously giving this a lot of consideration and I think you've drawn some very profound conclusions. Once again your maturity belies your age and you leave me wondering just where it is you have come from."

"Do you think I should choose the wolf?"

She smiled. "I will support whichever choice you make, Harry, but this is one you should make without bias or input from me… or anyone else I might add, should you have already sought the opinion of others."

"Mum and Remus said the same thing. Sirius did too, but I can tell he wants me to pick the panther."

"Sirius loves you, Harry. But Azkaban is hell on earth. He's damaged, Harry, and he sees too much of your father in you. You are not James and should not choose to follow his path to satisfy Sirius' desires. Have you spoken with Hermione?"

"She won't even tell me what her form is till after I've chosen mine," Harry said. "She doesn't want to influence my decision either."

"Friends of her quality are very rare, Harry. You would do well to guard that friendship with your life."

"I know," Harry said. "It's just really hard to decide."

"I don't doubt it is."

"Yeah," Harry sighed. He took a breath and blew it out. "Hey!" he said looking at her sharply, "I thought we were done."

She smirked. "You and I are never done, Harry." She reached for the teapot. "That was very good, by the way."

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Christmas morning found the Dursleys at a small B&B in Inverness Scotland. Vernon had thought that perhaps if they disappeared for a week or so Petunia's sister's ghost would think they had moved and would move on to bother someone who deserved it. Of course if one thought about it that made about as much sense as skydiving with an anvil. But Petunia didn't think about it. She was just happy to get out of that horrid house.

"Go on, son," Vernon said. Dudley immediately grabbed the biggest present in the pile and tore the paper off.

"A TELLY!" he cried.

"33 inches," Vernon said proudly.

A glazed expression came over Dudley. "That's—"

"Bigger than the one in the parlour," Vernon said.

"It better be," Dudley retorted.

"It is, go on and open it up." It took a bit. And the box was destroyed by the time he managed it, but Dudley soon had the new telly out. "Well plug it in," Vernon urged. Dudley quickly found the outlet and plugged the telly in. He then grabbed the remote and turned it on. Petunia screamed.

"I know what you did," Lily's image said.

"SHUT IT OFF!" Vernon bellowed. He grabbed the remote and hit the off button but it did nothing to erase Lily's image.

"You'll pay," Lily's image said. Vernon yanked the plug from the wall. "You'll pay."

"SHUT UP YOU BITCH!" Vernon thundered. He threw the remote at the screen, shattering it.

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"I've got one more," Sirius said.

"What?" Mum asked. "That should have been everything."

"This one's mine," Sirius said. "And technically, it already belongs to you, Lils." He took out his wand and levitated a fair sized box to settle in front of Harry. "But I think Harry will get the most use out of it."

"Me?" Harry asked.

"Yep."

"If it's mine, why does Harry get it?" Mum complained.

Sirius winked at her. "Well it isn't cause he's better lookin' Lils."

Mum rolled her eyes. "Harry, what are the rules?"

"However Sirius treats a girl I'm supposed to do the opposite," Harry parroted.

Sirius clapped his hand to his chest. "You wound me, Pup."

"This could go on all night," Tonks muttered.

"Don't I know it," Hermione complained.

"Don't we all," Andromeda said.

"Fine, fine," Sirius moaned. "Just see if I let any of you fly on my airplane again."

"What time are we leaving?" David asked.

"Nine a.m. sharp," Sirius said.

"Skiing," Andromeda muttered. "Of all things to engage my daughter with."

"HEY!" Tonks cried while everyone broke into laughter. She was notoriously clumsy. "I didn't see any of you out there riding the waves with me and Harry."

"You know," Remus said, "At this rate we'll never make it to the Granger's ski chalet."

"Too right," Sirius said. "Harry, go on." Grinning ear to ear, Harry tore the paper from the package and lifted the lid. "Probably best to levitate that out, Pup," Sirius advised him. Harry flipped the release for his wrist holster and his wand slipped into his hand. He levitated the item from the box. Sirius grabbed the box and tossed it aside for him. "Just set it down." Harry did as he was told.

"Oh my," Mum and Hermione gasped. "Where did you find that?" Andromeda asked at the same time.

"Is that what I think it is?" Tonks whispered.

"It would appear to be," Remus said.

"What is it?" Harry, Ted, David and Malala all asked.

"That," Sirius said, "is a pensive… I found it going thorough your vault, Lils. I've had it checked out and it's in perfect working order."

Mum moved to examine the stone basin, gently running her hands over the rune-covered surface. "James never mentioned this."

"I don't think he knew it was there."

"Didn't know it was there!" Hermione cried. "How can you not know you own a pensive?"

"You wind up the only child of a very old, very wealth family," Sirius answered. "You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I'm finding in those vaults."

"They're rare, then?" Malala asked. She had moved to examine it as well.

"They're one of the most powerful and rarest of magical artifacts," Mum provided. "A pensive is the culmination of a life's work; a combination of Runes, Arithmancy and permanent Conjuration. It was something I hoped to achieve one day."

"If anyone could, it'd have been you, Lils," Remus said.

She smiled sadly. "I'll just hope to instruct my son or daughter in it some day."

"Really?" Hermione asked. "You'd help me?"

"I'd love to."

"That would be amazing."

"Would someone mind telling those of us who are not geniuses what, exactly, it is, or rather, does?" David asked.

"Watch," Sirius said. He drew his wand and placed it to his temple. A few seconds later he pulled it away. As he did, attached to the tip of his wand, a thin silvery strand was pulled from the side of his head. He carefully dropped the strand into the shallow bowl of the pensive where it pooled like liquid mercury. "Andromeda, would you do the honors?" She stepped to the pensive, placed the tip of her finger in the pool of liquid and the next thing anyone knew she was sucked right in and out of sight.

"Mon Dieu," Malala gasped, reverting to her native French.

"She's perfectly fine," Sirius assured.

"But where did she go?"

"She's viewing the memory I placed in the pensive."

Malala and David stared owlishly back at him. "She's what?"

Just then Andromeda tumbled out of the pensive, stumbling slightly. She had a look of amusement on her face and laughed softly. "Very good, Siri."

"Thought you'd like that," he said.

"What did you see?" Hermione asked.

Andromeda grinned at the girl. "How about we all go see together," she said.

"Can we?"

"Hold on, just a sec," David said.

"But dad!" He shot her a look and she fell silent.

"It's perfectly safe, David," Andromeda assured both he and Malala. "Come, I'll show you."

"We can go?" Malala asked, her concern changing to giddy anticipation in an instant.

"Malala," David said.

"David, these people are our friends. If we can't trust them when they say something is safe, we have no business asking them into our home or to vacation with us. Let's not forget that were are sending Hermione off to Hogwarts in nine-months time on their assurances."

"You know, sometimes it's wise to understand the ocean your jumping into just a bit before you do."

Mum placed her hand on his arm. "In the very simplest terms, it's basically a replay device for your memories," she said. "And it really is perfectly safe… far safer, in fact, than anything else you've let her do since we first told you Hermione was magical. Go with Andromeda. She'll show you."

"Why don't you come as well, Lily," Andromeda said. "I'm sure Malala will have questions I can't answer."

Mum smiled sadly. "I'm rather afraid I won't be able to," she said. She reached out and placed her finger in the pool at the bottom of the bowl. "Invisible," she said and pulled her hand back again.

"But then shouldn't that prevent us from going as well?" Malala asked.

"No," Mum said. "You'll be perfectly fine."

Harry slipped his hand into Mum's. "I'll stay with you."

Mum bent down and kissed his crown. "Don't be silly, Love. You go with the rest. I'll be here when you get back."

"Lils, I'm sorry," Sirius said.

"Don't be. I have no regrets." She kissed Harry again.

Andromeda held her hand out. "Come, Harry. I believe you, particularly, will enjoy this." Harry glanced at his mum.

"Go on, Love. Take Hermione with you."

"You're sure?"

Mum took his hand and placed it in Mrs Tonks'. "Positive," she said. She then grabbed Hermione's hand and placed it in his other. "Come on you lot, make a train," she said. In short order everyone had grabbed hands in one long chain.

"And here we go," Andromeda said. As he was jerked forward, Harry had a brief moment to notice the liquid in the pensive was perhaps more gas-like than anything else and then he plunged in. It was shockingly cold, like spilling into a bath of ice water, as he moved through the surface but it passed quickly. Still with one hand in Mrs Tonks' and the other in Hermione's they spilled down and landed on a tiled stone floor. A row of sinks ran along one wall while the other supported a number of cubicles.

"A bathroom?" Hermione asked.

"Girls' loo at Hogwarts, first floor," Sirius supplied

"The Girls'!" Hermione cried.

"Don't worry, it's haunted by a particularly annoying ghost. No-one uses it. We thought it was the perfect place to work on our Animagus forms." Just then, the bathroom door swung open and four boys walked in. "Don't worry," Sirius said. "It's just a memory. They can't see or hear you."

"Damnit, Sirius, it's not funny!" one of the boys snapped. He looked like Harry, or what one might expect him to look in another few years. And was, rather conspicuously wearing a stocking cap.

"Is that you?" Hermione pointed to one of the four boys who had entered the bathroom.

"James, Remus, Peter and myself," Sirius supplied, "Fourth-year."

"Bloody hilarious if you ask me," Sirius retorted.

"We'll see how hilarious you think it is when we get caught," James growled. He yanked his hat off, revealing ears covered in black fur. "We have to get this reversed before transfiguration or McGonagall is going to know something is up."

Harry stared with wide eyes at the scene before him. That boy, the one examining his ears in the mirror, was his father. Unconsciously he drifted closer. "James kept getting stuck transforming back from his Animagus," Sirius said.

"Relax, Rumble," Sirius said. "At least you've got the tail covered." James stiffened. "You don't!" Sirius cried. He broke into laughter. "Amy will love that!" he chortled. "She'll be able to lead you right around with it!"

James took his wand out and shot a tickling hex at Sirius. "At least now he's got something to laugh about. Mooney, give me a hand, will you?"

"Sure, James," Remus agreed. Holding his laughter in he stepped over the gasping form of their friend. Before he could do anything though there was an eruption of water from one of the cubicles.

"RUN!" the last boy, obviously, Peter cried.

"CRUD!" James yelped. He grabbed his hat and bolted for the door with Remus and Peter trailing after him. Harry was certain he saw a panther tail swinging beneath the hem of his father's school robes. Sirius, still under the effects of the tickling hex, was left to crawl his way out the door."

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"The ghost who lives in the bathroom thought we were making too much noise. If we'd have stayed there, she would have flooded it with toilet water."

"Rumble?" Malala asked.

"That was James' Marauder name," Sirius provided. "We spent a ton of time in our Animagus forms and James would always look for a sunny place out in the Forbidden Forest to lay down in. Within five minutes of finding one he'd be purring away. Only when a cat as big as he was purrs–"

"He rumbles," Harry said softly.

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Harry was sprawled in Hermione's beanbag while she lounged on her bed with a book on advances in magical maladies. He closed the book on Shamanism in Native American cultures. There had been a number of chapters related to Spirit Animals and specifically related to wolves in the volume. For close to five months he'd been studying anything and everything he could find, magical and non-magic texts alike, relating to wolves and black panthers. He picked up a photograph of a black-furred Canadian wolf and examined it.

He was ready.

"I'm going to be a wolf," he said, turning to face his friend.

She marked her book and closed it. "You're certain?"

Harry nodded emphatically. "Yes."

"YES!" she cried. She bounced off the bed and launched herself at him.

Harry braced himself as she landed on him. "Offha," he gasped. As if driving all the air from his body wasn't enough she proceeded to crush what little breath he had left out of his lungs in a bone-bruising hug. "Hermione," he gasped. "Can't. Breathe."

She finally released him and settled next to him in the beanbag. "Ohhh, I've been hoping you'd pick the wolf!"

"You have?" he croaked.

Hermione nodded eagerly. "Yes. Don't get me wrong, the panther would be a wonderful animal and I see why it's a possibility for you, but I just think the wolf is a better choice."

"Why?"

"Because the panther is a loner; whereas the pack, family, is central to the wolf and I think that is you."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "It pretty much comes down to that… Does this mean you'll tell me your form now?"

"I'm a fox."

Harry grinned. "That's why you didn't want to tell me. You wanted me to be the wolf because it's much more similar to the fox."

Hermione returned his smile. "I did. Ohh, I'm just so excited." She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight again. "This means we can finally start trying to merge with our animal in the Spirit realm."

HPHPHP

Albus Dumbledore was a frustrated man. It had been over two years since Harry James Potter had run away from his aunt's home and his carefully crafted plans had begun to fall apart. Sirius' release from prison and exoneration had been the next blow. Sirius rebuffing his attempts to speak with him on the matter of his incarceration or Harry then followed. He was obviously holding a grudge over the events. Whether that was due to his failure to force a trial that would have freed Sirius or because he had ignored the Potters' will and placed Harry with the Dursleys, he wasn't certain. Probably both played a roll in the man's attitude. Whatever, his control over Harry had been cut off. Not that it had mattered, as he'd been unable to find the boy. How a magical child remained undetected by his tracking devices mystified him. But somehow he did.

Remus also had had no luck in finding Harry. As well, he remained on the outs with Sirius. He'd asked the man to make contact with his old school chum, but apparently Sirius was holding a grudge there as well. Remus had believed Sirius guilty and Sirius wasn't forgiving that his former friend could think he would ever have betrayed James and Lily. Never mind that Sirius himself had suspected Remus of being a spy for Voldemort. The hypocrisy, while not unexpected, was rather astounding.

He slammed his hand down on his desk. He needed to find Harry! The Dark was growing. He could feel it in his bones. And no matter what, he couldn't let Harry fall under Sirius' control. Harry had a task to perform and Sirius would ruin everything if he were allowed to assume the role James and Lily assigned him. The flames in his fireplace flared, drawing his attention.

"Albus?"

Speak of the devil, Albus thought. He schooled his features. "Remus! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have news, Albus. May I come through?"

"Certainly, Certainly." The flames flared and Remus stepped out. He quickly dusted himself off. "Good to see you, Remus," Albus said. "Have a seat. Can I offer you a sherbet lemon or perhaps some tea?"

"Tea would be most welcome," Remus said, taking a seat.

"Dobin," Albus called.

There was a soft pop from beside the great desk Albus was sat at. "Headmaster calls?"

"Dobin, would you be so kind as to bring Mr Lupin and I tea?"

The elf bowed. "Dobin is pleased to serve, Headmaster." He popped away again.

Albus stood. "Come, let's sit somewhere a bit less intimidating." He led Remus to a sitting area arranged with a small couch and three chairs around a low table.

"I must admit to being reminded of my school days with you behind your desk," Remus said.

Albus chuckled. "You did cause your share of trouble. Though if memory serves, unlike two of your friends, you avoided a visit to my office."

Remus laughed as well. "Only because Lily took pity on Peter and myself and the three of them refused to rat us out."

"She did wave a formidable wand," Albus said.

Dobin popped back in with tea service. He set it on the table and poured for each of them. "Will there be anything else, Headmaster?"

"Thank you, Dobin, no. This will suit us wonderfully."

The elf bowed. "Dobin is happy to serve." He popped away again.

Remus took a sip of his tea and got to it. "I've found him."

Albus stilled. "Harry?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

"He's with Sirius." Dumbledore sipped at his tea. "I've kept trying to make amends with Sirius and it finally paid off. I've just come from meeting with him. Once we talked a bit he seemed very happy to let the past be in the past. He told me he'd found Harry about two months after he was released."

Albus set his cup down. "I did wonder," he said. "The one time I spoke with him after he was released, he seemed maniacal about finding Harry. But since then it seems he's more interested in tying our minister up in court than in finding Harry. If he already had Harry in his care, his lack of urgency is explained."

"I did think he was rather focused on Fudge and Crouch," Remus said.

"And did you actually see Harry?"

Remus nodded. "I did. Sirius introduced us. We talked a bit. He seemed very interested in anything I could tell him about his father."

"And you are certain it was Harry?"

Remus tapped his nose. "If the eyes being a dead giveaway of him being Lily's son weren't enough, then his scent was."

Albus smiled and nodded knowingly. "Ahh, yes, Wolf Sense."

"It's had its uses," Remus said, "Rarely, but it has."

"I can only imagine." He picked his cup up. "Well this is good news, yes? The boy is well I trust?"

Remus sipped from his cup. "From the little time I spent with him, I'd say he seemed well enough."

"Do you have concerns?" Albus asked, lacing the question with just the right amount of surprise to his voice.

Remus shrugged. "Well, Sirius has never been the most responsible. And yes, it was a travesty of justice that got him put in Azkaban, but he did play a role in it. He should have left Peter to the Aurors and gone straight to Crouch with the story. Even without Peter in custody, he'd have gotten a trial and the truth would have come out. Throw seven years of keeping company with the Dementors of Azkaban in there and I don't know how stable he is." He shrugged again. "I got the sense he saw James as much as Harry when he looked at the boy."

Albus slowly nodded. "I can see your point… Still, it is good news that he's been found. And perhaps with your reformed friendship with Sirius, you can lend a stabilizing influence if it's needed."

"I can only hope."

"Did you get any sense of why Harry might have run away from his Aunt's care?"

"Remus shook his head. I only spent about an hour with him. And Sirius was always present. It felt a bit soon, trying to dig into all of that."

Albus nodded. Things were far worse than he thought. He shuddered to think what damage Sirius might have wrought over the last two years. Still, not all was lost. Hopefully, once Harry was at school and away from Sirius, he'd be able to ascertain the level of damage done. He'd need to be careful though. He couldn't give any signs that he thought of Harry as more than just another student. He would need to work through Severus. The man was a master Occlumens. He just hoped Severus' old grudges wouldn't prevent the man from doing what need be done.

"Yes," he agreed. "You're of course correct… Well," he said brightly, "this is good news. Harry is safe and sound and will be taking his place at Hogwarts this coming fall.'

"Yes," Remus agreed. He smiled sardonically. "I'm sure the wizarding world will give him a hero's welcome."

"Indeed," Albus agreed. "It is, at least, partially why I placed him with his aunt. That kind of fame and adoration is very hard on young people."

"I don't disagree," Remus said. "Obviously something went wrong with where he was placed, but I don't know what you could have done differently."

"It is a decision I have questioned many times," Albus said. "I trust Harry is safe wherever Sirius is keeping him?"

Remus shrugged. "We haven't found him yet; so I'd have to say it is well warded."

Albus bobbed his head. That Remus hadn't been taken to Harry and didn't actually know where he was staying was a bit of a surprise. "Very true."

Remus clapped his hands on his legs. "Well, I'm certain you have much you need to attend to."

Albus chuckled. "I believe I need to deal with pair of young Gryffindors who, but for those found within Gryffindor tower, seem to have vanished all of my toilet seats."

Remus blinked a number of times. If Tonks' stories were to be believed, he knew just who the pair were. "All of them?"

Albus' eyes twinkled. "Quite. In fact, I do believe a few of those seats may have been in use when they went missing."

Remus chuckled. "I don't know if I'm amused by the visual you've just given me or horrified."

"For myself, I will claim a bit of both." He stood and Remus followed. He offered his hand and Remus shook it. "I do thank you, Remus. That you did not find him yourself does not matter. I'm just grateful to hear young Harry is safe."

"As am I, Albus. As am I."

"Very well then, good day to you."

"Good day to you as well." Remus moved to the fireplace but then turned back. "If I learn anything regarding why Harry left Petunia's care would like to be apprised?"

"That would be most kind of you, Remus. Thank you."

"Alright then. Good luck with your toilet seats."

"I fear the school may not survive these two. They're well on their way to dethroning James and Sirius."

Remus gave a little shiver. "Better you than me."

"Indeed."

Remus turned and was nearly in the fireplace before he turned back once again. "Oh, one other thing," he said.

"Yes?"

"Harry seemed particularly interested in anything to do with his father. I know James had lent the Order his Invisibility Cloak. I'm sure it's given up the ghost for invisibility by now, but I really think Harry would like it just because it belonged to his father. If you still have it, I'd very much like to present it to him."

Albus hesitated; hiding his thoughts behind a mask that he hoped conveyed he was trying to remember the cloak. He of course had the cloak. It was sat on the shelf next to the sorting hat. Remus obviously didn't know the truth of the cloak and that there were serious implications to giving it to Harry. He could say he needed to look for where he had placed it and keep it in his possession, but he would just be facing the same question the next time he met with the man. And giving the cloak over now would be a show of goodwill; one that covered Remus, Sirius and Harry.

"Oh-ho!" he said and strode purposely to the shelf. He pulled the brown paper wrapped parcel tied with string down and handed it over. "As you said, whether it works or not doesn't really matter. And perhaps there is still some magic left in it. It would not be unheard of."

"Wonderful," Remus said. He took the parcel and stepped into the fire. "Thank you again, Albus."

"You're most welcome." Albus said to a rush of green flames. He quickly took out his wand and cast a spell on the fireplace. "Diagon Alley," he mused. "Nothing to be learned there." If Remus' friendship with Sirius continued to evolve, he might have to consider placing a tracking charm on the man. It would be good to know where Harry was staying.

After flooing to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, where he checked himself for any sort of tracking charm, Remus flooed to the Kracked Dragon, another wizarding pub in Manchester. Leaving the pub he quickly made his way to Stretford Mall and the food court where Sirius was nursing a cup of coffee. Without a word Sirius stood, handed him a cup and they set off again. At the end of the corridor to the toilets there was a service door they ducked through. Once certain there was no-one else about Sirius pulled his wand and once again checked Remus for any sort of tracking charm or device. "All clear," he said.

"Andi's then?" Sirius asked.

"Yep." Two sharp cracks later they had apparated to Andromeda's and Ted's place. They grabbed cloaks, pulling the hoods up to hide their faces and then flooed to the Golden Phoenix; yet another wizarding pub near Cheltenham. No-one paid any undo attention to their arrival or their departure as they quietly left the pub. Another quick apparation to a safe point they'd set up in Cheltenham itself and they were climbing in Lily's red Nissan S130. James had bought it for her for their wedding; and, what could Remus say, it was much more enjoyable to drive than the Peugeot 604 she'd acquired after she had woken and they'd retrieved Harry. He started the car, wheeled it out of the car park and mashed the throttle.

"Man I love this thing," Remus said.

"Well?" Sirius asked.

"He bought it."

"You're sure?"

"It's Albus."

"No shit," Sirius muttered. The man wasn't as subtle or delicate as Andi with the Mind Arts, but he was still damn good. And he had power she could only dream of to go with it. Fortunately, going the method of brute power was a dead giveaway."

"I'm sure, Sirius. Andi's been drilling us relentlessly and this isn't the first time I've spoken with him. Unless it was a Muggle area, we've been very careful not to be seen together. He's got no reason to suspect me of anything."

"Well, now that he knows you've reconnected with me, we should probably allow ourselves to bee seen together on occasion."

"Probably," Remus agreed. He downshifted for the corner and mashed the throttle as he came out and headed up the hill. At the crest he let off and pulled the parcel from his jacket. He tossed it in Sirius' lap.

"Are you serious?" Sirius blurted, "he gave it to you?" Remus just smirked and dove into the next corner. Sirius groaned, turned and beat his head against the window. "Man, I never used to do that." Remus just drove on and eventually Sirius stopped giving himself a concussion and opened the parcel.

"Bugger me!" Sirius blurted.

"Pass," Remus said.

"No, look, you piss-ant."

Remus glanced over, a good section of Sirius' legs, middle, the car seat and door had disappeared. "On second thought," he said, "you can give it to him."

"Oh, no," Sirius said. He bundled the cloak up, reached across and stuffed it in Remus' open jacket. "You go right ahead."

"Coward."

"Prudent. She's still upset about the last memory I gave Harry for the pensive."

"You gave him a memory of you and James trying to peak in the girls' changing rooms!"

"We never saw anything!"

Remus wheeled the car into the drive and shut it off. "I don't think she cared. And I'm pretty sure Hermione has decided you're a pervert of the highest degree." He unbuckled himself and climbed from the car. "Which is perfectly the truth."

Sirius followed him. "Just cause you're happy leading a monk's life, doesn't mean the rest of us are." They entered the house and closed the door.

"We're back!" Remus called

"Mum's in the barn!" Harry shouted from his room.

Remus discretely pulled the invisibility cloak from his jacket and waited. Sure enough, he heard Harry exit his room a second later. He tossed the cloak over Sirius just before Harry appeared at the top of the stairs.

"HEY!" Sirius shouted.

Harry stopped dead. "Where is he?"

"I thought I heard Sirius," Hermione said.

Remus reached out and tugged the cloak from his friend. "He's right here."

"COOL!" the two preteens cried. They clattered down the stairs and cornered Sirius while Remus slipped away, leaving his friend half covered by the cloak. He was just going in the kitchen when Lily came out.

"I tried to tell him he shouldn't," Remus said.

"Shouldn't what?" Lily asked. Remus jerked his head and she moved so she could see. "AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK!" she shrieked.

HPHPHP

Author's notes: I guess the only thing to note is I obviously do not own the song Knocking on Heavens Door. It belongs to Bob Dylan and or Guns and Roses.

Other than that, It's mostly just life, but I guess we do get to see that Dumbledore doesn't have Harry's best interests at heart.