Carry On

Carry On

By: Teenlaunch

Disclaimer: I wouldn't be writing if I owned it.

a/n: peeks out of hole in the ground and slinks back to the computer...Sorry just doesn't cover it, does it? Well, if you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me (unlike my Beta), here is the next chapter…maybe…just maybe the next will be out next week. (I've figured out that I can fix my stories during naptime. Go me!)

"How? How can you get two detentions in one day?" Harry sighed as he stood and stretched, pushing his homework aside.

Remus shrugged. "Dunno, but you'll be late to the first if you don't hurry."

"So," Sirius grumbled, throwing Harry a dark look.

Harry didn't argue and left quickly. But as he stood outside Lupin's office, he wished he had. Harry didn't want to face Lupin just yet, and he knew he'd been given detention so they could talk. Harry strode into the office and stepped tentatively through the mirror. Lupin was sitting across from the fire, staring sullenly into it. A plate of food lay untouched on the table in front of him. Harry walked closer and noticed Lupin's eyes were bloodshot and heavy from lack of sleep. He stood beside the chair for a few minutes before losing his patience. "I'm-"

"Harry," Lupin rasped, finally looking up at him, "the only reason you are here is to accept my apology. I am sorry for the way I acted. I wasn't myself."

Harry frowned. "What are you apologizing for? I'm the one that should be apologizing. I'm the one who dealt the blow. You didn't do anything."

"It doesn't matter. I'm the one who-"

"It does matter, Remus! I was just so angry and frustrated at everything, including you, that…that I said the first thing that came to my mind."

"I am what I am, Harry."

"I meant it in the wrong context."

"Harry-"

"I know how sensitive you are about that!"

"Harry-"

"I was stupid, and idiotic, and I felt so bad! Do you know how guilty you can make a person? I felt like dying, do you understand?"

"HARRY!" Harry looked over at Lupin in surprise. "It was my fault. You said so yourself. I'm a masochistic old werewolf, or perhaps you meant sadistic," he mumbled, giving a wry grin.

"Remus-"

"I shouldn't even be here!"

"Remus-"

"I'm a danger to everyone, especially you, Harry."

"REMUS! Would you just shut up!" Lupin growled, baring his teeth but Harry crossed his arms and glared at him. "Don't start that 'I'm tougher than you' thing, cause I'll hit you. Mark my words, I will." Lupin snorted. "You think I won't? Do it again."

Lupin smirked and leaned back. "Who are you kidding? You're all bark and no bite. What are you going to do, use the jelly-legs jinx on me?"

"I'd give you a good duel, that's what. You don't scare me with your gritting your teeth and growling and that…thing you do with your claws."

Lupin stared at him then smiled. "That actually made sense."

Harry huffed. "I've heard worse."

Lupin smiled and chuckled, the tension easing out of his face. "True."

Harry nodded and they fell silent for a moment. "Remus, about what I've been doing-"

"Harry, if you don't want to tell me, don't. I suspect I am already too late as it is." Lupin smiled slightly, the gleam back in his eyes.

Harry smirked. "I'd have to agree with you. You'll find out soon enough anyway. Just try to be patient."

"Believe it or not, that is actually one of my strong points," he paused, "just not with you."

Harry laughed and nodded, looking at his watch. "Damn, I've got to go. Sorry, but I didn't tell you. I have-"

"Another detention. I know. Go on."

Harry was almost out the door when Lupin called behind him, "And please don't get into any more trouble tonight!" Harry nodded and left for Dumbledore's office.

"Ah, Mr. Times, there you are. Please have a seat and we shall begin." Dumbledore gestured to the chair across from Slughorn, who was looking very disgruntled. Harry, who shook his head and stayed standing, hoped it was from the rather uncomfortable position he was in and not something else.

"No thank you, sir."

"Very well, instead of detention, we are going to have a small talk, Harry. However, points have been deducted from Slytherin and Gryffindor for your little duel today." Dumbledore fought back a smile. "Now, as you can see, Professor Slughorn has joined us." Slughorn nodded. "Now, Mr. Times, it has come to my attention that at least five samples of animal DNA have been stolen from Horace's private storeroom."

Harry calmly responded, though he had to talk around the large lump in his throat. "And this has what relevance to me, sir?"

Slughorn huffed. "I have noticed you possess a real dislike of potions, Mr. Times, though you have exceptional skills for a certain variety, and have success at any you put your mind to." Harry almost smirked at that. Hermione had made sure that he knew how to brew the potions he kept in his private store so that he could practically do them in his sleep. But other than those few he thought his skill was average. "I thought perhaps you had taken the DNA to spite me."

Harry was surprised at this. He had never shown Slughorn any disrespect. "If I had a problem with a teacher, I wouldn't steal something. I'll admit I'm not a fan of potions, when I have to make them anyway. But why would I steal something just to spite someone?"

"So you admit to the theft!" Slughorn crowed, smirking.

"What?" Harry asked, confused as to how his explanation had translated as a confession.

"You said you wouldn't steal them just to spite me, but perhaps you had another reason, as you just implied." Harry blinked, gobsmacked, as Slughorn turned to Dumbledore and smiled jovially. "I told you I could get the truth out of him!"

"I never had a doubt," Dumbledore answered.

"And my theft locks worked, just like I said they would! I said he was the one! But, I am curious." He turned back to Harry, still smiling. "How did you manage to disable the others?"

Harry blinked and feigned ignorance. "I don't understand. What others?"

"There were various curses placed around the room. You somehow managed to disable them all, even though most of them are very advanced and of my own invention." Slughorn explained quickly, eyes bulging in his excitement. "They were on the doors, the cabinets, laced between the desks. I want to know how you figured out where they were and how to break them."

"I-" Harry paused. He had been able to break them easily. Dumbledore had explained that magic left behind a trail, and Harry had been learning how to trace it from Gryffindor's book. The question was what he had missed. He had checked and double-checked. It was no use denying that he did it, if they had already traced it to him so quickly. There had been hundreds of magical objects all around the DNA, but he had dismissed it all because none of it had Slughorn's signature. He suddenly gasped. "The bottles."

"What was that?" Slughorn prodded.

"Nothing." Harry answered quickly, but he knew it was too late.

"You said 'the bottles'. Yes. There were security charms on the bottles. When you touched them, my prized possession, the electric blue eye beside the DNA, took a photo, and a nice one at that."

Harry frowned. He knew he had recognized the eye, and it definitely had its own magical signature. There had been no way to notice it before it snapped a shot. Dumbledore chuckled softly at the putout look on Harry's face. "Horace prizes this magical eye because it has many powers, one of which is to see through things some spells cannot."

Harry smiled slightly, knowing he was implying that he knew Harry had used the Invisibility Cloak. "Mad-eye would kill me." Harry sighed. "Alright. I have one question. How do you know it wasn't James?"

"James' attitude happens to be completely different than yours when breaking the rules. You looked as though you were signing your own death sentence. And your scar does stand out quite noticeably." Slughorn pulled his great girth from the chair. "What shall his punishment be, Albus?"

"I believe a first offence may be overlooked."

"But, Albus-"

"What have you done with this DNA, Harry?"

Harry swallowed, thinking quickly. "I was planning on putting them back, but I," Harry put on an abashed look, "I kind of…dropped them and they shattered, obviously."

"Sh-shattered! Albus-"

"Thank you for your reluctant honesty. Go on, Harry."

A few minutes later Harry sank into bed gratefully, mind reeling over his idiocy. His bones ached and, as he hadn't slept properly in almost a week, he was asleep in mere minutes.

Harry sat down at the breakfast table and smiled at the Marauders. They all looked away from him quickly, talking amongst themselves. "Guys?" They didn't respond. Harry frowned. Surely they wouldn't turn on him so suddenly, not now. "Hey, Frank, did I offend them or something?"

"I don't think so," Frank said with a shrug. "You can never tell with them. They were fine before though."

"Oh, you haven't offended us." Sirius spun to look at Harry, whose stomach plummeted. "Nothing of the sort."

James turned too. "We just don't associate with Death Eaters. Oh, sorry we didn't wake you this morning, Times. You looked so happy we didn't want to disturb you."

Harry gaped, ignoring the last jab about his nightmares. His mind was trying to grasp the fact that they had used Death Eater and Harry in the same sentence but with the wrong context. "What did you call me?" He asked, unsure he had heard right.

"Times. That's your name, right? Or is that false too?"

"You called me a Death Eater," Harry pressed.

"So? You are, aren't you?" Sirius asked.

"No!"

"See, you denied it! That's the first sign! And we have a lot of information pointing to your involvement with Voldemort."

"Such as what?" Harry bellowed.

"You're always sneaking around after hours," Peter pointed out.

"And so are you. Need I remind you?" Harry retaliated, wanting to strangle the rat.

"You've been doing a lot of extra reading," Remus went on.

"You would too if there was something you found interesting enough."

"You even infiltrated the school for him." Sirius hissed.

Harry stood up. The Marauders scrambled to face him. "I-am-not-a-Death-Eater!"

"Liar! Go back to your own kind!" James pointed to the Slytherins. The entire student body had looked up when Harry had yelled. No one seemed to have heard the previous argument.

Harry was seeing red. He found his breathing was extremely labored and he couldn't get near enough oxygen. "Just because someone's different than you, there's a reason to shun them, is that it? Just because you have some information that doesn't add up?"

"You're mental!"

"Maybe I am! But I doubt anyone could blame me!"

"Slither back to the snakes that bore you, Parselmouth!" Sirius yelled, drawing gasps from the surrounding students.

Harry, not pausing to think, swung his fist and slammed it into Sirius' nose. Harry watched as Sirius sank to the floor, yelling in pain. "Never insult my parents. Call me what you will but never wrong my parents, if you value that pretty face of yours, Black."

Harry ran out of the hall without looking back.

"Today our lesson will cover some dark creatures, just very briefly. I would like to start with basilisks. Can anyone tell me about the basilisk?" Century asked, a smile on his face. He was having a wonderful morning. He had asked the house elves to deliver his breakfast (as there was only so much he could make without the possibility of something going horribly wrong) and he had actually eaten everything. Being off the Wolfsbane potion was causing a lot of changes, even in his eating habits, but he wasn't complaining. Now the students just needed to cooperate. He had been meaning to touch on dark creatures for a while and had just not gotten to it. He was hoping that he would learn more about Harry's second year by asking about basilisks. He had only been told that Harry had 'learned' about basilisks a little too extensively.

Only Lily raised her hand. "The basilisk is the king of snakes."

"Correct. Anyone else? What about Mr.-" Century frowned, eyes falling on his younger self and the empty chair beside him. "Where is Harry?" Everyone turned to the Marauders, who feigned innocence extremely well. "I will ask again. Mr. Lupin, where is Harry?"

Remus opened his mouth to answer but James interrupted. "I don't believe Remus knows a Harry."

Century pursed his lips. "Mr. Times?"

"Oh, him!" Sirius exclaimed, looking murderous. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since he ran out of breakfast crying."

"I think you were the one crying, Black." Lily scowled. "You're lucky Madam Pomfrey fixed it for you. I would've left it broken."

"What happened?" Century asked, confused.

"You didn't see?" Lily asked, managing to look amused and worried at the same time.

"I was in my office, Miss Evans. So, please explain."

Lily nodded. "From what I understand, Potter and his friends accused Harry of being a Death Eater, with no proof at all. Black then told him to 'slither back to the snakes that bore' him, and Harry hit him."

"Harry hit you, Mr. Black?" Century asked, disbelief written on his face. "Where?"

"He broke my nose!" Sirius roared.

"Did you see where he went?"

"No." James grumbled. "He could jump off the astronomy tower for all I care!"

Century stood quickly, panic flaring, only to quickly be quashed by his more reasonable side. "Class is dismissed."

"But, Professor-"

"I said class is dismissed, Miss Evans. Marauders, report to Dumbledore. Tell him I sent you regarding Mr. Times. I will meet you there shortly."

The Marauders exchanged glances and trudged slowly to the Headmaster's office.

Harry sighed as he watched the potions, making sure they didn't boil over or start spewing sparks, before they were supposed to anyway. He'd stir one occasionally, swirling his finger through the air and watching the ladle mimic his motion as the potion bubbled merrily. His eyes slid shut gradually. He was tired and his little tantrum after he'd left the Great Hall had sapped the last of his energy. His head fell forward on his chest as he dozed.

Suddenly, something pounded on the door straight across the room. Harry moaned and cracked open an eye. He waved his hand lazily and the door became transparent on his side, but on the other it still looked solid. Lupin was pounding on the door. He stopped and sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Harry? Harry, come out. Come on, Harry. I want to talk." He paused, listening, "They didn't mean what they said. You know they didn't."

"Yes, they did," Harry growled, knowing Lupin couldn't hear him because the room had a silencing charm built into its magical structure. "And I'm not apologizing for hitting Sirius."

Lupin sighed, resting his forehead against the door. "Harry, I'm not asking you to face the Marauders. I'm asking you to talk to me, at least let me know you're alright."

Harry picked up a large stone he'd wished for, knowing he was being childish, and chucked it at the door, giving it more momentum with the twitch of a finger, not noticing that he didn't lose any energy. The room dropped the silencing charm for a moment and the stone clanked loudly against the door, startling Lupin enough so he sprang back. "Fine. But I'll be back."

Harry watched him walk off and returned the door to solid oak. Harry had already decided he wouldn't leave the Room of Requirement until he could transform properly. Unfortunately, that would just give the Marauders time to cook up some nasty prank for him. "Oh, joy."

"I don't get it. Dumbledore wouldn't listen to our explanation." James huffed, pacing around the small room off Dumbledore's office.

"We're the culprits here," Remus sighed. "Will you please stop pacing?"

"I can't." James groaned. "I want to know where Century went."

"If you'd stop pacing long enough we might hear him when he comes in."

A door slammed in the other room. "Like that?"

The Marauders rushed to the door, quickly fighting over spots. They froze when someone stifled a frustrated scream.

"Any luck, Professor Century?" Dumbledore asked.

"I found him, but I couldn't get him to talk to me." Century sighed. "Sorry about the door, by the way."

"It has done that for some time now. Tea?"

"Yes. Thank you." They heard glasses clinking and then a low groan. "I don't know why he won't talk to me. He's not usually so…reluctant."

"Are you sure he could hear you?"

"Positive." Century chuckled. "He chucked something at the door, probably would've liked to hit me instead though."

"He is very angry?"

"More…upset."

Dumbledore must have nodded and went silent for a moment. "The boys were here earlier."

"Yes. I sent them to you so I could deal with Harry."

"They were adamant in their suggestion that I confirm your identity. I must admit, I never did use veritaserum on either of you. This could be a clever trap, as the boys have pointed out."

There was silence for a moment. "I would rather have Legilimency used than veritaserum. If my…demonstration on Halloween was not enough, I will allow it."

Again there was silence. The Marauders stared at each other, wondering what Legilimency was. Remus mouthed, 'Mind reading.' The others gaped but snapped back to attention when Dumbledore's soft laughter came from the office. "Ah, that was one of your more eccentric pranks. I have not laughed so hard in years."

"Thank you, sir."

Their Defense teacher, the Death Eater accomplice, had been a prankster? Sirius' eyes were about to pop out of his head.

"Alas, a more sobering note: Unless new methods have been developed to duplicate memories, only one person could possess that conversation some six years ago, twenty-seven for you, I believe."

"Yes, Albus."

Dumbledore hummed quietly. "Do you suspect Harry will rejoin his dorm mates tonight?"

"I don't know." Century sighed again. "He has been known to act rashly, if the situation involves only himself."

"And classes?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"If Harry does not show up for class these last three days of term, will he show up again at all?"

"I believe he will show in about two weeks or so. He wouldn't dare miss Christmas."

"Is there a reason you think he will need so long?"

"He just needs a little…time."

Isaiah 50:8 He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me!