A/N: Hi guys, I am mostly back.. Things have settled down as much as they can with my situation. My upload schedule will hopefully go back to a normal routine, but I am not sure how frequent it will be. I apologise for the delay in posting new chapters. Hopefully you guys appreciate this one. I'd love to read your reviews!
Disclaimer: We all know the rules... I sadly do not own anything that you recognise. Just the plot. Blah blah blah...
MrsBlack.M
Xx
Chapter Four
October 19th, 1993. Gryffindor Common Room Hogwarts.
The past couple of months had flown past uneventfully. Ron kicked up a fuss the morning after the Daily Prophet article about Harry and Hermione ditching him for the night. Harry told him in no uncertain terms that they wanted him to come with them, but his third plate of food was more important. When Ron asked what they were doing all night Harry told him they were studying at a back table of the library knowing that if Ron tried looking for them, he wouldn't question the fact that he couldn't find them in the library because he refuses to go more than ten steps past the doorway. Harry and Hermione hadn't had the chance to explore the castle since that night because Ron would not leave them alone together for more than twenty minutes.
Defence Against the Dark Arts quickly became the favourite subject as each lesson was just as interesting if not more so than the one before, while Potions became almost unbearable with Professor Snape constantly in a foul mood since he heard about the Boggart incident as it spread like wildfire throughout the school. Severus Snape did not find it funny at all; he was bullying Neville worse than ever and his eyes would flash dangerously with pure hatred every time Remus Lupin's name was mentioned.
Harry hated Divination just as much as he hated Snape in potions. He was sick and tired of the wacky professor bursting into tears each time she would look at him. While the Gryffindor girls, Hermione not included, would speak to him in hushed tones as if they didn't want to cause him heart failure by talking too loudly.
Unfortunately for Hagrid, who had lost all of his confidence, Care of Magical Creatures had become extremely boring after their first lesson. It's almost as if he went out of his way to find the most plain and dull creatures in existence for the third years to look after.
When October started Harry had something to look forward to; Quidditch. Training had started back up three nights a week and Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor team was ruthless in their practices and yelling at anyone who was late even if it was by one minute. The team more than understood as this was Oliver's final year at Hogwarts and wanted to end his Hogwarts Quidditch career victorious.
"This is my last chance to get the Cup. I'm leaving at the end of this year and won't get another shot at this." Wood started passionately "Unfortunately due to injuries and a big ass snake the last two years Cup games have been cancelled." Harry looked down at his hands awkwardly as he knew both of those times were his fault. "We know that since Harry started we've had the best team in the school. Three amazing Chasers" he looked at the girls on the team. "Two unbeatable Beaters" Fred and George stood and bowed. "And a Seeker who has never lost us a match. Ever." Harry smiled and blushed. "And me." Wood seemed to add himself as an afterthought, but the rest of the team stood and cheered and stomped on the locker room benches for him. "Now, this is our year!"
"Yeah!" The team yelled back at him and ran onto the pitch full of determination.
XxxX
Harry came back to the common room after training to an excited buzz.
"What's going on?" He asked as he sat down next to Hermione and Ron who were seating in their favourite chairs by the fireplace.
"First Hogsmeade weekend" Ron said pointing to the notice board on the wall. "Last weekend of October. Halloween."
"Excellent." Said two voices behind Harry. Fred and George.
"Need to go to Zonko's" started Fred.
"Almost out of Stink Pellets." Finished George.
Harry felt his high spirits slip away from him. Hermione who seemed to be able to read his mind reached across to grab his hand. "I am sure you'll be able to go next time Harry. Black will be caught. He has already been sighted."
"Black isn't stupid enough to try anything in Hogsmeade. Just ask McGonagall mate. The next one won't be for ages.
"Ron." Hermione said. "Harry is not allowed to go. Only a parent or guardian can sign the form. She is a teacher."
"She won't let him be the only third-year left behind." Ron seemed so sure of what he was saying "Go on mate, ask McGonagall."
Harry knowing already what the answer would be nodded in agreement if only to shut up Ron's nagging.
Hermione just shook her head at the two of them and started to open her book again when Crookshanks leapt up onto her lap. A rat dangling from his mouth.
Ron scowled and the big cat and grunted "does he have to eat that in front of us?"
"You are such a cleaver boy Crooks. Did you catch that dirty rat all by yourself?" Hermione ignored Ron's grumbling. Crookshanks slowly ate the rat, never taking his yellow eyes off Ron.
"Just keep the beast over there. Scabbers is asleep in my bag." Not even 10 seconds had passed since Ron's words when Crookshanks launched his body hissing and clawing at Ron's school bag.
"OI!" Ron roared at the cat while trying to grab his bag out of the cats claws. "GET OFF YOU STUPID ANIMAL!" Ron started spinning the bag around in circles while the whole common room turned to watch the show. Crookshanks' claws were sunk deeply into the canvas and he was not budging at all.
"RONALD!" Hermione yelled at the boy. "DON'T HURT HIM!"
Ron ignoring Hermione stopped spinning just as Scabbers came flying out the top of the bag-
"CATCH THE CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from what was left of Ron's bag and charged after the rat. A few of their house mates attempted to catch the cat but missed. Scabbers finally ran under an old chest of drawers to hide and Crookshanks skidded to a stop in front of the drawers swiping his paws underneath trying to reach for the rat.
Ron ran over and tried to kick Crookshanks out of the way; just as his foot was about to connect with the cat he was shoved out of the way by Harry who yelled at him "What the fuck Ron? Crooks is a cat! His instincts are to chase a rat. You don't get to injure someone's pet because they are doing what is natural to them." While Harry was yelling at Ron, Hermione bent down to pick up Crookshanks and hugged the fluffy beast close to her chest with tears in her eyes.
"What about Scabbers? Am I just supposed to let that big idiot eat him?" Ron growled.
"That's not what I am saying at all." Harry shook his head. "A pet harming another pet is crap, but it does happen occasionally. But a wizard hurting someone's familiar is against the bloody law! If you had hurt Crookshanks you would be responsible for paying for all damages and a fine of ten thousand galleons. Plus, if you had actually killed him you may even go to Azkaban on top of everything else! Harming someone's familiar is seen as a horrible offence." Ron looked around the common room and saw everyone nodding in agreement at Harry's words. "Even in the muggle world hurting animals is seen as a disgusting thing and the same laws apply."
"That is bullshite." Ron shook his head and bent down to retrieve Scabbers from under the drawers. "That cat has it in for Scabbers. As soon as I said where Scabbers was the thing attacked." There were a few snickers at that.
"That's rubbish Ron. Crookshanks would have smelt him in the bag." Hermione said.
"There is something off with that cat. It heard me!" Ron was turning red from the laughing around him. "Scabbers was here first!"
"It's doesn't bloody matter whose pet was here first. Listen to my words Ron. Do some research on familiars! Let's go for a walk Hermione?" Harry turned to Hermione and stuck out his arm. "Bring Crooks and we will make sure he is alright."
Hermione hooked her arm through Harry's, and they started towards the tower entrance when Ron pulled his other arm jerking Harry back; Harry turned quick as a snake and pushed Ron off of him, causing the ginger wizard to fall back on his arse. "Do not ever grab me like that again Ron." Harry's eyes hardened, sparking like the green fire of the Avada Kedavra curse.
"Why are you taking her side?" Ron just couldn't keep his mouth closed. Before Harry could respond to his idiotic question Fred and George stepped forward and grabbed their brother and hauled him back to his feet while looking at Harry. "We will sort this out for you Harry." George started.
"We will make sure he understands the laws he has already been taught by dad." Fred finished. Harry nodded his head and the twins then turned with their brother and dragged him up the stairs to the dormitories.
Harry turned back to Hermione and held out his arm for her again. "Shall we depart milady?" Harry put on his best Malfoy impression.
"We shall. Come along Crooks" Hermione thread her arm through Harry's and they both walked out of the common room.
Harry started guiding Hermione back down towards the second floor where they had left off from their last exploration adventure. Once they had cleared the seventh floor and Harry made sure no one had followed them he asked, "Do you regret any of your electives?"
It took Hermione a few moments to realise what he was doing before she responded, "Divination and Muggle Studies."
"Muggle Studies? Why on Earth would you be taking Muggle Studies when you were raised in the Muggle world?" Harry questioned.
"I chose all of the electives. Plus, I was curious. Muggle Studies is horribly outdated. I truly doubt the subject has been updated since 1945. Guess what we learned about last week."
"Er, I dunno?"
Hermione was on a roll "The electric razor! For Merlin's sake! It was invented in 1931. They still don't know that pens have been invented." Hermione sighed in exasperation.
"You might as well teach the class Mi. At least the information will be up to date."
"Don't even joke about that Harry. I doubt I would be able to deal with the idiots in there. The simple fact of flipping a switch to turn on a light doesn't make sense to them."
"Wait!" Harry suddenly remembered "what do you mean you chose all of the electives?"
Hermione's face went pale as she tried thinking of something to tell her friend, buggering shite. What do I tell him? Oh yes Harry, McGonagall gave me a Time Turner; I've been going back in time, so I don't miss all my classes because I picked every elective possible; want to see? He will think I'm losing my mind. "I spoke to Professor McGonagall at the end of last year about my electives and told her I wanted to do them all. She told me it wasn't possible to be in two to three classes at once as almost all of the class times clash at some point. I convinced her that I could handle the workload and I would be happy to have an ongoing correspondence with all the professors via owl and get all assignments and lesson notes that way."
"She actually agreed?" Harry was gobsmacked.
"Well, not right away. She told me she would need to discuss it with the other professors and would need to get back to me about it. Do you remember when she was waiting for me in the entrance hall before the welcome back feast? That is what that was actually about."
"Then why did you tell us she said no?" Harry frowned recalled the short conversation about it.
"She asked me to not tell anyone about my extra studies because other students have requested to do more electives, but they have never made an exception before. She didn't want any problems with other students."
"I guess I can understand that logic." Harry shrugged. "Just don't over work yourself Mi; if you need help ask for it."
"I'll be fine Harry."
"Mi," Harry said firmly pulling her to a stop. "I'm not kidding. I know what you are like when exams roll around. You don't look after yourself and you worry yourself sick. That was when we had only core classes and no electives. Promise me you will ask for help if it gets too much."
"I will promise, if you promise not to tell anyone about my extra classes."
"Deal." Harry stuck out his pinky and Hermione laughed, and they crossed pinkies and sealed their promise with a stamp of their thumbs.
"What about you?" Hermione asked.
"Huh?" Harry blinked in confusion.
"Do you regret any of your electives?" She clarified.
"Oh, right. I regret taking Divination and Care of Magical Creatures." Hermione was surprised about Care of Magical Creatures. "Don't get me wrong, I love Hagrid and I think he really knows what he is talking about but, since the Malfoy/Buckbeak incident he isn't really teaching us anything. He has lost all his confidence and it is ruining the class for me." Hermione nodded in agreement.
"I understand what you mean. Maybe we can help him with the syllabus?" Hermione suggested.
"That is not a bad idea actually. We can speak to the older students and see what the curriculum was like for their third year."
"Or" Hermione said sarcastically, "we can go to the library and check the old school class records."
"Well, I, but how the hell would I know that we still have those?" Harry sputtered.
Hermione just laughed at him. "We can organise a time maybe next week. I'll check our schedules."
"Your turn" Harry grumbled at his friend.
"What is something you have doubts about?"
It took until they moved up to the third floor before Harry could answer Hermione's question. "Honestly?" he asked.
"Of course."
"How honest Dumbledore has been with me."
"About what?"
"Everything?" Harry seemed unsure of what it was specifically. "Each time something has happened the old man pulls me away and starts spouting off information that leaves me with more questions than answers. After I killed Quirrell in our first year he came to see me in the hospital, and I asked him about Voldemort he started speaking about love and other things that just made me want him to stop talking." Hermione gave an unladylike snort at that. "I just can never get an answer that makes any sense to me."
"He is such a cryptic man. There are a few decisions he has made that I think are questionable at best. Mainly why he thought it was a good idea to bring the Philosopher's Stone here at Hogwarts to keep 'safe'" she used quotation marks "while knowing you were starting school that very same year and also knowing that Voldemort was after the stone. How did he even know that Voldemort was after the stone in the first place? It just doesn't make any sense." Frowning at Hermione, Harry realised he never even questioned that. He shook his head and said "I think that is something to think about on another day. I am trying to cheer you up not trying to make you question things even more."
"But Harry- "
"Nope." Harry cut her off. "Not tonight. We can worry about it another time."
"Fine." She pouted.
"Your turn to answer."
"My knowledge of the Wizarding world." Harry looked over at her with an eyebrow raised in question. "Everything is just so different. From using quills to the way blood purity seems to dictate almost everything about a person. Especially the traditions. Those of us who are raised in the Muggle world come to Hogwarts with no knowledge of the wizarding beliefs, the legal system, the hierarchy, or anything like that. Which means we get judged because we don't know any of it, but we are also never taught it."
"Breath Mi." Harry said with a smile as she ran out of air.
"Sorry. This is something I actually want to research. Professor McGonagall gave me a pamphlet but that was all after her explanation to my parents."
"Professor McGonagall came to your house?" Harry asked remembering his own introduction to the wizarding world.
"Yes. She said that all the heads of houses go to the Muggleborn and Muggle raised homes to hand deliver their Hogwarts letters and explain everything to the parents or guardians. Isn't that what happened to you?"
"Er. No." Harry shook his head and explained. "My first letter was delivered in the morning post."
"What do you mean by first letter Harry?"
"You remember when I said where my letter was addressed to?" she nodded. "That was only the first letter sent. Vernon took it from me and tore it up before I could read it. For the following week, everyday more and more letters were delivered. Vernon tore them up or threw them into the fireplace and made me watch them burn."
"That fat swine!" Hermione was glaring at the floor with her fists clenched.
"Eventually the amount got too much, and Vernon snapped. We ended up moving to a random Hotel, I dunno where, the next morning a pile of about fifty letters were delivered to the breakfast table addressed to me, at the room I was staying in at the Hotel. Vernon took them and when we got back to the room he beat me saying it was all my fault." Harry looked away at Hermione's gasp. "Next he drove us out to the literal middle of nowhere. He left Petunia, Dudley and me in the car and he disappeared for hours. It was about ten thirty that night when he came back with a key and package. He took us to the coast and told us to get in this dinky boat and took us to a creepy abandoned house on a rock in the middle of the ocean muttering the whole ride about how they will never find us there. The next couple of days went past and I was supposed to be asleep on the floor when it hit midnight and it was finally my eleventh birthday. At that point, the door was beaten down and Hagrid walked in." Harry laughed then. "The look on the Dursley's faces was priceless."
"I would have loved to see that. Maybe you can show me the memory in a Pensive sometime?" She asked smiling.
"Sure." Harry shrugged knowing she would explain what a Pensive was and how it could show memories later. "Anyway, the Dursley's tried to act up and it turns out the random package Vernon had with him was a shotgun." Hermione looked at Harry in disbelief. "I know, the idiot thought it would actually do something. Hagrid tied it into a knot. Literally. Then he sat down on the sofa and started talking about my parents and Hogwarts as if I knew what it was. I asked what a Hogwarts was and what it had to do with me and my parents who died in a car crash. I have not seen Hagrid that angry ever since. It was actually kind of scary. He lost it at the Dursley's and gave Dudley a pig tail using his umbrella. He then told me the truth, saying that a Dark wizard murdered them and then explained what Hogwarts was." Harry, not noticing that he had stopped walking in the middle of a dusty corridor just in front of a small alcove, was staring at a blank wall lost in his memories.
"Harry?" Hermione squeezed his arm, and he shook himself.
"I left with him that morning. He took me to Diagon Alley to get all my school things for first year. Hagrid bought me my first birthday present that I can remember; he gave me Hedwig. He took me back to Privet Drive that night and the Dursley's didn't bother me for the rest of summer. Then they left me at Kings Cross September first."
"I can't believe Dumbledore got Hagrid to introduce you to the Magical World. That's not how it's supposed to happen. It's all in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione couldn't understand what Dumbledore was playing at. There was a reason that the heads of the houses were the ones responsible for going to the homes of the Muggleborns and introducing them and their families into the wizarding world. It was at least a three-day process including a trip to Diagon Alley to get the school supplies and even then it was difficult to get all the information.
"Well, Dumbledore has a whole set of rules just for me. I'm not completely oblivious Mi, I know Dumbledore either makes exceptions to the rules or just makes up a bunch of new ones for me."
"You think that?"
"I know that Hermione. Think about it. It's against the rules for First Years to be a part of the house Quidditch team and yet I was named Seeker without even trying out for the team or actually, now that I think about it, I wasn't even asked if I wanted to be on the team I was just put on the team. If any other student had gone to the third floor in first year after Dumbledore's 'die a painful death' speech they would have been suspended or even expelled and we did it twice. Plus, that was just some of the stuff from first year."
Hermione thought about all the times they had broken the school rules from the time they boarded the Hogwarts Express to the present and realised that what Harry was saying was completely true. If they had been any other students they likely would have been expelled within their first year.
XxxX
Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the night wondering the corridors finding a whole lot of secret passageways and little hidden alcoves they made notes about for future exploiting. Just before curfew they made their way back through the portrait of the Fat Lady. Completely ignoring Ron who was sitting in the armchairs near the fire Harry walked Hermione to the stairs leading up to the girls dormitories and gave her a kiss on the forehead goodnight much to her surprise. With a blush she turned and ran up the stairs. Harry turned and made his way up to his own dorm when he heard Ron get up and start to follow him. Harry quickened his steps to make sure he got to the dorms before the confrontation could happen. Harry turned around with his arm folded over his chest and waited for the red head to catch up. Not even ten seconds had passed before Ron burst through the door.
"What the hell was that?" Ron growled.
"What you talking about?" Harry raised a single eyebrow.
"What was with the kiss?" Ron was red faced in his anger.
"She is my friend?" Harry had had enough. "Stop being such a prick Ron. What is your bloody problem with her?"
"She let her beast try to e-"
"She did not let Crookshanks do anything Ron. He is his own being and as you should bloody already know familiars do whatever they want." Harry was rubbing his scar in frustration at his friend. Ron opened his mouth to respond and Harry cut him off. "No Ron. Stop for once and use your damn head. I wasn't even raised in the Wizarding World and even I know how sacred a familiar bond is to someone. It's the same bond I share with Hedwig. And honestly mate if you had tried to kick her I would have punched you right in your thick face and we would never be mates again." Ron's eyes widened in shock and he looked away trying to remember his lessons on familiars; those lessons along with many others were deemed unimportant and brushed aside. "You need to apologise to Hermione tomorrow." Ron turned back to Harry in irritation. "Don't look at me like that Ron, you could have hurt Hermione through hurting Crookshanks. You will apologise at breakfast." Harry turned away before Ron could say anything else and made his way into their shared bathroom to wash off the school day and quidditch training session. I bloody stink, I'm surprised Mi didn't say anything he thought to himself and he stripped off and stepped into the shower.
XxxX
October 31st, 1993. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry woke extremely depressed. Trying not to show it, he walked down to breakfast with Hermione and Ron, who had mumbled an apology to her the morning after The Familiar Incident, as their house mates have dubbed it.
Every few minutes throughout breakfast, Hermione would glance over at Harry with sadness and worry in her eyes.
"Hermione." Harry suddenly said. "Please stop looking at me like that. I'll be alright." Hermione blushed at having been caught.
"Sorry."
"You guys go to Hogsmeade, I'll be fine here. I'm going to go to the library, I want to do some research anyway." Harry started to rise.
"What the bloody hell for?" Ron spoke through his mouth full.
"Assignments Ron, I would rather not fall behind two months into the year" Harry said, rolling his eyes as he walked away.
XxxX
Harry was definitely planning on doing some research, but it was not on any homework. He was already up to date on his assignments, he was not letting himself fall behind at all this year no matter who wanted to kill him. He wanted to see if the library had any information on his family history. He felt it was more than past the time to learn about them, he had been a part of the Wizarding World for over two years now and only knew what happened to his parents on Halloween 1981, nothing more.
Harry made his way to the library and asked Madam Pince where the section on the families of the wizarding world was. She directed him towards the back of the library near the restricted section with hardly a glance in his direction and returned to sorting the stack of books on her desk.
Harry had been searching for over five minutes for the books he was looking for when he finally spotted a thick tome on the top shelf. He pulled it down and found a small study table away from anyone else. The book looked to be at least four hundred years old and was well worn in some spots but with the perks of magic it will self-update and would not be falling apart anytime soon. After checking the index to find the Potter Family he flipped to the correct chapter; on the first page of the chapter was the Potter family tree dating back to the infamous Peverell's through the youngest brother Ignotus. Reading through Harry tried to commit everything he learned to memory starting with how Ignotus' granddaughter married Linfred Potter who was the mastermind behind the Skele-Gro and Pepper Up potions. This was the beginning of the potioneering empire that was the conception of the Potter fortune. Harry learning his love of potions was something he shared with his family meant more to him than he could have explained to anyone. He thought it truly was a shame that Snape hated him as much as he did. Harry told Hermione that Snape put him off the subject but what he didn't tell her was that he still always tried as hard as he could and did extensive research into the subject in his dorm after Ron had gone to sleep.
As he read through the list of potions his family had invented that even included the infamous Polyjuice Potion Hermione had brewed last year, he came to the bottom of the list where his grandfather Fleamont quadrupled the already vast fortune with the invention of the Sleekeazy's Hair Potion – 'two drops tames even the most bothersome head of hair'. After the detailed list of his family achievements, he finally got to the story of James and Lily Potter.
'… when Lily Potter was only two months pregnant an unidentified source informed both her and her husband James, last of their line, that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had them on an extensive list of people he wanted disposed of. They went into hiding under the Fidelus Charm and Sirius Black, supposed best friend of James Potter, was named their secret keeper…"
Harry stopped reading there as the words became much too blurry to read through his tears. "He was their friend?" Harry not realising he had spoken out loud, jumped at the responding voice that came from behind him.
"Yes, he was their friend. Best friend to be exact." Remus Lupin moved out of the dark corner he was standing in and moved towards Harry.
"Professor Lupin." Harry said, hastily wiping his eyes, hoping the professor could not see he had been crying. "You startled me."
"Sorry about that Harry. I did cough." Remus smiled guiltily.
"Did you know him?" Harry couldn't help but ask.
"Sirius?" Remus confirmed. At Harry's nod he continued "Yes, I did. I had three very close friends when I was here as a student Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter."
"You knew my dad?" Harry asked almost disbelieving.
"We were the very best of friends." Remus smiled sadly.
"Can you tell me about him?" Harry noticed Remus got a bit awkward at the request but was too desperate for some sort of information and too excited that he finally met someone who was friends with his parents. "I've never been told anything about him or my mum. The only thing I know is that they were killed by Voldemort."
Remus eyes Harry sharply "what do you mean that's all you know?"
"Since I entered the magical world, anytime I have asked about them the subject would be changed, or their murder would be brought up. Again." Harry sighed. "I already heard the story from Hagrid when he gave me my Hogwarts letter. I want to know about them as people and about where I come from, hence the book." Harry pointed to the book in front of him still open on the page about his parents. Remus pulled the book closer and flipped to the cover to see what book Harry was doing his research from. Familiae Magicis Ex Britannia, well at least it is mostly factual, Remus thought to himself.
"Harry I don't understand why you haven't been told anything. Perhaps Dumbledore-?" Before Remus could ask his question Harry cut him off.
"Dumbledore is the one who I was talking about. He always talks about their sacrifice or talks in riddles or changes the subject entirely. It has gotten so bloody frustrating." Harry removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.
"Let's go to my office and we can continue this conversation there?" Remus asked.
"Sure Professor, I just want to check this out."
XxxX
They walked to Professor Lupin's office in comfortable silence. Harry's mind was racing with everything he wanted to speak to Lupin about. "Tea?" Professor Lupin asked when they got comfortable.
"Sure." When the tea was served Remus looked at Harry. "Now, Harry what would you like to know?"
Harry needed to stop and think. There was so much he wanted to know about his parents that he was not even sure where to start. "Anything. But I have a question about class first."
It had been bugging him since his first Defence Again the Dark Arts lesson. "Why did you stop me from facing it?"
Remus was waiting for this question and was a little bit surprised that it had taken almost two months for Harry to bring it up to him. "When I was in third year the Boggart was a lesson that taught teenagers to face and fight their fears. However, the thought that children could have true horrors in their past and fears other than simply snakes or spiders was improbable. Yet, there are a few students every couple of years who's Boggarts are the stuff of nightmares and unfortunately, are a part of their memories. Our first lesson began the way I thought it might until it was your turn, I had assumed it would take the form of Voldemort; obviously, that was not the case. Dementors are one of the foulest creatures on Earth, they infest the darkest places in the world. They quite literally suck the happiness, peace and hope from those around them and if left too long doing that to any animal, humans included, they will suck the very soul out of that being, leaving them alive but there is nothing left within them only a shell with their very worst memories."
"But why wouldn't you let me fight it? Did you think I couldn't do it?" Harry was confused by the story and not getting the point of it.
"Not at all Harry." Remus shook his head in denial. "When the Boggart took the form of the Dementor I remembered your reaction on the train, and I didn't want you reliving that night again. It was an automatic reaction I'm afraid, and I do apologise if you felt like I did not believe in you."
"Automatic reaction?" Harry asked.
"Yes, due to who you are to me I did not want to see you in danger." Harry thought he understood.
Before Harry could respond there was a knock on the door. "Come in" Remus called. The door opened and Snape walked in carrying a goblet. Whatever was inside had blue smoke wafting from it. He came to a stop in front of Lupin's desk and narrowed his eyes at Harry.
"Ah, thank you Severus." Remus smiled brightly. When Snape did nothing but look between Harry and Lupin, Remus continued. "I am speaking with Mr. Potter about the recent essay I gave the third years on the Grindylow." Remus pointed at the tank in the corner of his office.
"Fascinating." Snape rolled his eyes. "You should drink that as soon as possible."
"Yes, I will."
"I have a full cauldron if you require more." Snape continued.
"I should probably take some more tomorrow if you do not mind. Thank you Severus."
"Not at all." Snape turned on his heel and marched out of the room slamming the door closed behind him. Remus shook his head at the other man's behaviour and cleared his throat and picked up the goblet. Harry was looking at the goblet curiously when Remus smiled and answered his unasked question. "Professor Snape has been kind enough to put together this potion for me. I have been feeling a bit off colour and this is the only thing that helps. I am not exactly good at potions and never really have been. This potion in particular is quite complex." Remus sniffed at the smoking goblet in his hand and pouted "it's truly a shame that sugar makes it useless." Remus downed the potion in one. Shuddering and grimacing when he finished "tastes like shite." Harry bit his lip to keep at laughing at Remus' final comment about the potion.
After a few minutes of silence Harry spoke. "Who am I to you?" he was looking down at his hands unable to look his professor in the face.
"You are the only son of my best friends. You are the closest thing I have to a nephew. You are the only family I have left." Harry looked up mouth agape and Remus smiled warmly at him. "What would you like to know?" Remus asked for the second time that day.
"What were they really like?" Harry said the first thing that came to his mind. "All I have heard is how brave they were and how good they were, how in love they were. I want to know something real."
Remus sat back in his chair. "Your mother could not stand your father. She absolutely hated him." Harry looked up in shock to see his professor grinning. "At first. It took almost seven years of James chasing after her, trying to impress her and all of his ridiculous marriage proposals, for her to actually see him as anything than a spoiled, arrogant idiot." Harry laughed and asked, "marriage proposals?" Remus smirked at the young boy and nodded. "They started in our third year after Lily punched him at Kings Cross at the end of our second year. He transfigured part of the Quiddich pitch into the words 'marry me, Evans' all spelt out in white lilies, during a match against Ravenclaw. He flew towards her after scoring a goal and handed her a tiger lily the same colour as her hair. She set the flower on fire in his hand and put a static jinx in his hair, which was as bad as yours."
"Are you serious?" Harry couldn't help but laugh at his father's misfortune.
"That was only the first proposal." Remus laughed with Harry. "She was spitfire and James loved it. At first he never understood why she reacted the way she did when he would do things like that but the older he got the more he understood what the problem was, but he just did not really care, and he would try to make her angry on purpose."
"But why?" Harry was confused.
"He said he liked the way her hair sparked when she was riled up." Remus rolled his eyes.
"Mi's hair does that when she is angry too." Harry couldn't help the blush that reached his cheeks at his mumbled words. That is something you definitely get from Prongs Remus grinned at Harry knowingly. Harry cleared his throat "thanks for the story Professor, and the tea. I've got, um, homework to do." Harry stood, still embarrassed and wanted to get out of the teachers office.
Remus let the lie slide. "Anytime Harry. If you want to hear anymore I am happy to tell you about them." Remus stood and put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Harry nodded his thanks and left the professors office to make his way back to the Gryffindor common room.
XxxX
Hermione and Ron got back from Hogsmeade at dusk looking like they had the best day of their lives. They had brought him sweets from Honeydukes and some stuff from Zonko's Joke Shop. They told him all about their day, from the Shrieking Shack to the post office.
"How was your day?" Hermione asked him looking nervous "did you get your research done?"
"Some of it." Harry shrugged. "Lupin made me tea in his office, and we spoke about the Boggart. Snape came in and gave him some weird potion-"
"He bloody drank it?" Ron's mouth fell open. "Is he loopy?"
Hermione completely ignoring Ron's comment, checked the time with a quick Tempus charm. "We should make our way down. The feast will be starting soon."
They walked through the corridors still talking about Snape. "If he was – you know – trying to poison Professor Lupin, he would not have done it in front of Harry." Hermione dropped her voice making sure no one else could hear.
"Maybe." Harry shrugged as if it wouldn't have made much of a difference.
The trio had reached the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table in their usual seats towards the back of the hall. It had been decorated with hundreds of carved pumpkins filled with candles, live bats were flying around the hall in small groups. It truly was beautiful, and Harry couldn't help but stare in wonder at everything as if it were his first year all over again. Harry was in such a good mood thanks to Lupin and his story; not even Malfoy could ruin it with his shout of "The Dementors are sending their love, Potter!"
Harry, Hermione and Ron followed the rest of their house back to their tower, but when they reached the final corridor to the Fat Lady's portrait the flow of students had stopped, and no one could move.
"What's going on?" Ron asked.
Harry tried looking over the heads in front of him and could tell the portrait was closed.
"Move please, Head Boy coming through" Percy was pushing people out of his way. "I am Head Boy!" he growled at a fifth year who didn't move. "What is the hold up here? You can't all have forgotten the-" Percy had finally gotten up to the front of the crowd. "Someone go get Professor Dumbledore. Immediately!"
As if summoned by his name alone, the headmaster rounded the corner and moved through the crowd like a duck gliding through water. Harry, Hermione and Ron followed close behind him to see what was going on better.
Hermione gasped and grabbed onto Harry's arm.
The Fat Lady was missing from her portrait and the painting had been ripped so much, parts of the canvas were in a pile on the floor. Dumbledore turned around to see professors McGonagall, Lupin and Snape join him in front of the destroyed portrait.
"We must find her." His voice was grave, and the twinkle was gone from his eye. A cackle sounded over the crowd and Peeves, looking delighted at the chaos, said "good luck with that. She is hiding."
"What do you mean Peeves?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Saw her running through the portraits up to the fourth floor. Crying while looking around for him. The poor dear." Peeves was trying to be sincere, it convinced no one.
"Him? She knows who did this?"
"She sure does your headship." Peeves gave up on his act. "He got very angry when she didn't let him inside." Peeves started cackling again and continued dramatically. "Got a nasty nasty temper he does, such a naughty naughty boy too, that Sirius Black."