Hidden Identity
13th of January, 1996.
Coming back to school had been fairly uneventful. However, Harry's eyes narrowed every time he saw Professor Douglas. Apparently, he had been missing from the castle for a good bit during the holidays and had returned hungover. Normally, Harry didn't care what his professors were up to but just a few too many things about Douglas stood out to him. The man hated Slytherins with a passion. He used pranks to get at people, and he favoured Gryffindors something fierce. Then there was the way he spoke. He had most definitely attended Hogwarts at some point, but Hermione could find no information about him. Then there was the current letter he was holding. Harry had written to Sirius about Fred and George's progress with the animagus transformation. He wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed before, but Professor Douglas and Sirius had very similar handwriting.
Now the question was should he tell anyone?
First, he had to make sure that he was right of course. It was possible that all his evidence was circumstantial. It was just that… he didn't want Sirius to know he had figured him out. He checked the map which normally saw through disguises, but not this one, however, Sirius had been one of the creators of the map so he might know how to trick it.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as she sat down next to him. Harry considered not telling her, but he didn't feel like lying.
Hermione gave him a pensive look as he told her what he had figured out and she nodded slowly. "He might be," she said. She figured that Professor Douglas could be Sirius Black, but it was a stupid risk to take. The more she thought about it, however, the more it made sense. Unfortunately, they couldn't continue down that rabbit hole right then since Tanya and Natalie assaulted them with questions about charms.
Harry chuckled and they settled down to explain as best as they could.
15th of January, 1996.
Tanya just about bounced up to her seat at the Gryffindor table. Never in a million years would she have expected to be as lucky as she was. She had a great best friend and she had a pseudo-big brother and so much fun with flying and magic lessons. She was so glad to be going to Hogwarts. Her mother had considered sending her elsewhere, but then she wouldn't know Harry or Neville or Hermione or anyone from the Quidditch team and she was so glad that wasn't the case. She ran her fingers through her hair nervously. Natalie had told her to go ahead so she had, but now she felt a little misplaced by the big table in the great hall all by herself.
"Harry!" she exclaimed happily as he walked into the hall and joined her.
"Slept well?" Harry asked and Tanya nodded. "What has you so excited?" he asked.
"I don't know," Tanya answered. "I just feel jittery." She grabbed a piece of toast and bit into it. She dropped it down on her plate and stared at it. Something was seriously wrong with her toast.
"Something the matter?" Harry asked.
"It tastes like nothing," Tanya said.
Harry nodded slowly.
"Harry?" Tanya said.
"Yes."
"Why aren't you looking at me?" Tanya asked.
Harry shrugged. "I can't see," he said unconcerned.
Tanya's eyes narrowed. This was some dumb prank, wasn't it? "This is your fault. You and those demon twins," she said.
"Maybe," Harry said.
Tanya growled. "You're impossible," she said. "I don't like you."
"Oh, no my charming angel from above how doth thou smite me so. Hath I not brought before thee all the riches of the land? What more must a poor blind knight do to win thine favour," Harry proclaimed.
Tanya hid her face in her hands and groaned. She was so glad that the hall was still mostly empty.
"I'm so glad I didn't have to hear that," Nathalie almost shouted as she sat down next to Harry. "And stop grovelling."
Harry chuckled and got back up in his seat as Hermione and Neville joined them.
"I'll kill Fred and George if this doesn't wear off soon," Hermione said.
"Blinded you too, did it?" Harry asked.
Hermione grumbled as Neville helped her sit down. "You seem unconcerned," Neville said.
"Of course, he is," Tanya said. "He knew it was going to happen."
No one argued with her about that. If this was something that the twins had done, then Harry knew about it.
"At least everyone gets affected equally," Hermione said.
The others nodded. They all remembered the disastrous first prank of the year when the poor Slytherins spent most of the day dressed in jester outfits. It hit other students too, but most of the targets were Slytherin students. It had been funny enough until they had figured that out.
Hermione gave Harry a look that spoke more than words once they could actually see once more. "At least it doesn't hold forever," she said. "Is it going to be like this for the rest of today?"
Harry shrugged. He wasn't going to answer that. It would ruin Fred and George's fun.
"You're impossible," Hermione said with a sigh.
Tanya smiled as she watched everyone else. Her toast finally tasted like something again. She had missed everyone while she was at her grandma's. Sure, she liked it there a lot, but there was something about Hogwarts. Summer was going to be so boring. Everyone else got ready to leave and Tanya joined up with them. She and Natalie were going to head to the library for the first period since it was free.
About an hour later Hermione sighed heavily as her sense of touch disappeared. She turned to say something to Harry but he was just shaking his head at her. He motioned to his ears. So he had gone deaf, great. At least he caught Neville before he fell down the stairs.
"This is maybe just a bit dangerous," Neville said.
"Maybe we should warn people that they should keep away from stairs around the hour mark," Hermione said.
"Might be smart," Neville said.
"I don't know if this prank is all that funny," Hermione said. "It is educational though."
"I guess they have to test their ideas out somehow," Neville said. "But I think you are right. This is not a fun prank."
"At least it isn't mean or vicious either," Hermione said. "It is just mildly annoying or kind of interesting depending on the effect."
"Maybe they could sell it as an experience instead of as a prank," Neville said as his vision slowly cleared up.
"Sound like an idea to me," Harry said. "I'll let them know."
"Could you get rid of this now?" Hermione asked.
"I could check in with them," Harry said.
"Please do," Hermione said.
Harry cast Clairvoyance and followed the glowing trail until he found Fred and George. They were messing about with Ron, Dean and Seamus when Harry found them.
"Couldn't you just get us the stuff?" Seamus asked.
Fred studied his nails. "Now why should we do that?" he asked. "What can you offer us?"
"I'm your brother," Ron said.
"So," George said. "That doesn't mean we'll just get you booze." He looked over at Harry. "Hey mate," he greeted him.
"You might want to be a bit more careful talking about smuggling in the corridors," Harry said. "You never know who might be listening."
"At least it was just you this time," Seamus said.
"True," Harry agreed. "I think we might want to end the spells early," he told Fred and George. "Should I handle it?"
"Yeah, go ahead. It didn't work out the way we had hoped," Fred said.
Ron followed Harry as he headed off. "Hey, Harry, could you get us some stuff from Hogsmeade?" he asked.
"Depends on what you want and why you want it," Harry said.
"We just want to have a little bit of a party that's all," Ron said. "You know, have some fun."
Harry gave Ron a scratching look. He touched upon Ron's mind lightly since he didn't like messing with people's heads. He didn't find anything too nefarious. Ron wanted to get drunk. Harry avoided rolling his eyes at the sheer idiocy of that wish. "I guess I could help you," he said.
"Really?" Ron asked.
Harry nodded.
"Cool. Do you need help? We could sneak about and get the stuff we need," Ron said. "You know, like old times."
Harry shrugged. "It will be easier for me if I go alone," he said.
Ron nodded but he looked disappointed. He had hoped for a bit of an adventure. He missed that. Harry must have picked up on that because he stopped and gave Ron a pensive look. "You know I was considering doing something for Fred and George's birthday this year. I could really use some help," he said. "It would be a little adventuring and some scene setting and other cool stuff."
"Yeah?" Ron said somewhat excitedly.
"I was planning on creating a life-sized game."
"Like the chessboard?" Ron asked.
"Well, sort of but a completely different game."
Ron thought about it for a bit. He had heard Fred and George talk about this amazing game they had played over the holidays and he wished he could have taken part. "That sounds like fun," he said. He hoped it would be as fun as it seemed. He missed spending time with Harry.
Later that evening Harry headed out of Hogwarts and got Ron and the other boys what they had asked for. He knew it was irresponsible, but he might as well make sure they never wanted to do it again. He'd keep an eye on them so no one got hurt.
17th of January, 1996.
"So Professor Douglas is Sirius Black," Hermione said. "Are you sure?" She had been studying the professor the past few times they had lessons with him. Some things certainly supported Harry's belief, but she couldn't be sure.
"I'm going in tonight to check," Harry said. "I know it isn't all that nice, but I need to know. If Professor Douglas is Sirius I have to stop him. He is bullying students."
"Do you have to go digging in his head?" Hermione asked.
Harry sighed. "I guess not," he said. "Can I read his surface emotions?" he asked.
Hermione thought about it for a bit. Emotions would just clue Harry in. It would be really helpful to him. "Okay," she said. "But only surface and only because it will help you lock down the truth quicker and safer in case he isn't Sirius."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Hermione," he said. He headed out of the common room and went down the corridors and stairs to the defence classroom since the private quarters for the defence teacher could be accessed from the classroom.
No one was in the classroom. It was eerie to walk in there. The room was dark and a bit too warm.
Harry walked through the classroom and headed up the stairs. He knocked and waited. The door opened suddenly and the professor looked confused for a second. Harry could tell that he was happy to see him, but he didn't show it on his face.
"Mister Potter, what can I do for you?" Professor Douglas asked.
"Well, I was considering the latest assignment. Moony…" Harry smirked as the Professor's emotions spiked at the mention of Remus. "… told me that Snuffles was fairly immune to Demetors since he was an animagus. So you can defend against them by turning into your animal form. Is that true?" he watched Professor Douglas fight with himself. Even though he couldn't tell what he was thinking, Harry could tell that the professor was contemplating telling him something.
"I mean I guess that the Atlantic is a bit cold to swim in but at least it is a possible way to escape Dementors," Harry said.
Professor Douglas sighed. "Is it obvious?" he asked. "Dumbledore said it would be near impossible to see through this disguise."
"It would have been if you hadn't targeted the Slytherins the way you have," Harry said. "I really wished you would stop doing that."
"But they are snakes," Sirius said.
"They are children," Harry countered. "You are a professor and it is your job to guide them, not bully them."
"But they are little Death Eaters," Sirius said.
"No they are not," Harry said. "They are children and we can keep them from becoming Death Eaters by showing them that there are other ways to do things. We can make them strong enough to resist."
Sirius sat down with a sigh. "I think you are a better person than me, Harry," he said.
"That might be true, but you can be better than you are right now," Harry said.
Sirius nodded slowly. "I guess you might be right," he said. Then his face twisted. "I have a prank in the works. I don't think I can go in and stop it though."
"Then tell me what it is and I'll make sure it spreads," Harry said.
Sirius nodded. "Okay."
18th of January, 1996.
Hermione woke up early. She yawned and stretched. She grabbed the comb that Harry had gifted her and ran it through her hair. Then she put her hair up and headed into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and took a shower before getting dressed and putting her shoes on.
~Could you not tie us so tightly.~
~Yeah, it hurts ya know.~
Hermione looked down at her shoes. She considered cursing Fred and George as she got up and headed down the stairs.
~No, please take us off.~
~Your feet stink dude.~
Hermione snorted out a laugh. Maybe her shoes weren't so bad after all. She passed by her unfortunate housemate and headed out through the portrait.
~Ouch.~
~Stop slamin' yer feet.~
"Oh, I'll slam if I want to," Hermione grumbled. She hurried down the stairs and headed into the Great Hall. She sat down opposite Harry determined to adopt his blasé attitude for the day. She filled her plate and started eating. Neville came walking up to them sometime later.
~Man up, dude.~
~Back straight kid.~
Hermione's eyes met Harry's and they muffled their laughter as Neville sat down. "You have a pair of bossy shoes," Hermione said.
"Yeah, they keep giving me advice," Neville said. "I don't know why."
Fred and George sat down with them. "This isn't one of ours," they said.
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she looked at Harry. "I take it that things went well last night," she said.
"It went well," Harry said. "I was right."
"Oh, right about what?" Fred asked.
"Snuffles is the defence teacher," Harry said. "He had this set up for the Slytherins only and I went in and fixed it so it wouldn't be single target. I was a little rushed."
~Hey wash your feet, man.~
~Yeah, your feet stink.~
A Hufflepuff student passed behind Hermione and their group had to keep from laughing.
"I think we might need to show the Marauder that he has been surpassed," Fred said.
George smirked. "Oh, I think so," he said.
"I guess we need a battle plan then," Harry said.
"I guess I'm in," Hermione said.
"Yeah why not," Neville said.
"Let's get Gryffindor in on it. He favours us so let's get the whole house in on it," Harry said.
Hermione looked pensive for a moment. "Oh, I think I get what you are putting down," she said. "Let's do that."
"We need to call a house meeting tonight. Let's not show anything until then," George said.
"What do we tell them?" Hermione asked. "We can't tell them who he is."
"Let's just tell them that he is one of the pranksters and that we want to prank him," Harry said.
"Simple and true," Neville said.
Harry stood up.
~Not again. Can't you just sit down for a bit longer?~
~This one just won't give us a break.~
Neville started laughing. Of course, Harry's shoes would want him to stop moving about considering he had probably already been out running that day. He chuckled as Qozul looked out from behind Harry's collar. The little dragon huffed before hiding again.
"Let's go to History," Harry said.
Hermione and Neville joined him and they headed off.
…
That evening all of Gryffindor house gathered in their common room. Harry had explained to them that Professor Douglas was the one who had pranked their shoes for the day.
"So you have a revenge plan right?" Seamus asked.
"We do," Harry said.
"We had the failed sensory prank from a little while ago," Fred said. "We were considering having our entire house act as if we have issues like that only in his class."
"Sounds good," Ron said.
"It would be amazing if at least third year and up could help us with this," George said. "There is an Easter party in it for you all."
The cheer was ear-deafening.
"At least we have that going for us," Fred said.
"People like us," George said.
"Yeah, because you can get them stuff," Harry teased them.
