Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any character, story element or plot item originally published in the Harry Potter books or movies that I may refer to in this story. I'm merely playing in the sandbox.

Chapter 5

Harry ate breakfast in his tent. Winky would not eat with him, but the other two adults did. They were talking about lesson plans for the day, but Harry still had to attend class. He had to laugh at the simplicity of it. Moony, as he insisted that he was no longer a professor, had inscribed a few runes on a stone disk and showed Harry how to charge it. Between his cloak and the stone, he was invisible and had a subtle avoidance field wrapped around him when moving around the castle. He'd never felt safer.

"I have classes until lunch today, but since I'm skipping Astronomy, it's homework and whatever training you want to cover."

Sirius nodded. "Physical training is a must. These Tournament events are physically challenging as well as magically challenging. I've been reading up on some of the history published on them in the past few decades. This is not a game..." Moony looked at Sirius and smirked. "Shut up, Moony. I'm not joking."

The werewolf eyed the man for a long moment, then looked back to Harry. "I would agree on the physical training. I've done some over the years to help my recovery from the transformations. I can't always keep it up, but with the new developments in Wolf's Bane, I'm better able to do so." He gestured to his employer and gave a mock bow. "Thanks to my health plan, I am well taken care of."

Harry laughed. "What did the goblins give for the basilisk?"

"Final number is going to take a few years, but let's just say you've done well. Sirius had me open a separate vault for you and established a trust for you as the Heir of House Black."

Harry nodded. "I wish I could have seen Draco when he found out."

"I heard he cursed Crabbe and Goyle a few times, then one of the Seventh years got involved." Sirius said.

Harry eyed him. "How? You're living under a lake."

Sirius smiled a wolfish smile. "You have a friend. I have hired a friend."

Harry thought for a moment. "Dobby?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir?"

Harry shook his head at the simplicity of the solution. "Is Sirius paying you?"

"Yes, I get to snoop and spy on old Bad Master's Bad Spawn."

"I…don't want to know." Harry said, lifting a piece of toast and taking a bite. "I'm good."

"You may change your mind about that. Between the map in the classroom and Dobby, I think we have some idea of what you're doing for the first trial." As he spoke, Moony pulled a pair of books from the bag at his side. "The Dracopaedia? Scales and Wings, the Dragon Keeper's Guide to…" He stopped as the pieces fell together. "I have to fight a dragon?"

"Maybe not. You may have to steal from one. The problem is that it appears they are nesting mothers." Moony said. "And we have about two weeks to prepare for it. Dobby is eavesdropping for us where he can." As though reminded, Dobby vanished.

"Remember, we just want you to survive unscathed."

"And this is normal?"

Sirius and Moony looked at each other, then nodded slowly. "Looking at the history of the Tournament, it's really no wonder people thought you may turn to the Unforgiveables to give you an advantage,"

Harry set the piece of toast down. "I think I need to head on to class. Winky will slip my assignment into the stack of returned ones when the instructors aren't looking. I still like to be there early to slip in when the door opens."

"Harry, it'll be okay."

"I hope so." Harry said, reaching for the rune stone and charging it with his wand. Soon, he faded from sight and would start up the pipe on his new travel broom. Another Remus procurement, the Comet Micro was a model that could shrink and enlarge as necessary, perfect for travel or, in Harry's case, concealment.

Ron sat at his desk and watched as Hermione walked in. "Where were you? You were almost late for class."

"I wanted to talk to Hagrid."

"About what?"

"I was curious what he thought of the announcement this morning."

"Why waste the time?" He shook his head. "Just more lies to defend the Golden Boy."

She took a breath, then shook her head. "You always say that Dumbledore knows what he's talking about. Why doubt him now?"

"He's always been on Potter's side, it's not like he's ever called him out for any of the nonsense that he's dragged us into before. Dumbledore even helped him with some of it."

Hermione openly stared at him for a moment, then looked back at the book she'd pulled out when sitting. "You benefited from that. Your family did, too."

Ron glared at her, and she ignored him, watching as Flitwick walked in. She noted that the man scanned the room carefully, looking at something on his desk, then shook his head. "How you do it, I'll never understand."

Hermione wondered what that was about, then shrugged and focused on the lesson on Summoning Charms. This was something she'd seen used repeatedly in the magical world. This would be far more useful than watching the idiot next to her play chess.

Her distraction prevented her usual feat of being the first to succeed at a spell. She sighed as Malfoy summoned a cushion, earning points for Slytherin. I've been off my game for a while.

As she packed her bag, she paused before leaving. "Professor Flitwick?"

"Yes, Ms. Granger?"

"I'm curious. Your desk was empty when I arrived, but you looked at it strangely. Did the Weasley twins prank your desk or something?"

The man smiled. "No, Ms. Granger. Despite their best efforts, there are two in the faculty that have never been touched by them in their endeavors. I am one. I'll let you guess who the other is."

She smiled at the friendly man. "No guess, Professor. The headmaster would be difficult to surprise, I think."

He merely smiled, then gestured to the desk. "No, it was this."

She glanced at the stack of assignments. "How..."

"I picked it up from my desk and put it on top. How it got to my desk, especially since you told me the desk was empty when you entered, escapes me."

"I can promise you that's his writing. And..." She frowned. "He quoted your last class session. That line there is something you said. It wasn't in the book."

Flitwick nodded. "He has done so in the paper he turned in before and now this one. He's proving a point to us, I guess. I just want to know how. The others want to stop him and make him drop this, but I understand. I knew why he asked that question. No Ravenclaw would have let that vague statement about those curses go. I happen to know that each of my students asked similar questions of me, but privately or in smaller groups All mentioned the finals and the OWLs, though."

"I wondered, too...but the way he phrased it."

Flitwick nodded. "The worst is that I don't think any of the students are listening. I saw the argument with you and Mr. Weasley."

"I... I regret believing it, but I don't want to be dragged in to anymore. I've nearly died every year of being here. I just can't do it anymore."

Flitwick's smile faded. "That is unfortunate. I honestly thought your friendship might last." He glanced at his watch. "Well, Ms. Granger, as I did not keep you for something class related, you should get to your next class. I can't in good conscience write you a note for satisfying your curiosity."

She nodded and slung her bag, walking into the hall and rushing to Arithmancy. She started to sit, then noted a better seat closer to the board, choosing that desk. Greengrass nodded politely to her, then turned to see the Professor walk in. I've never sat with Greengrass before. She's not as bad as the others. The oddity of the seat change slipped her mind as she began to take notes.

That evening, Harry poked at his dinner. He'd done all of his assigned homework for the day, but his heart wasn't in it. I'll have to look over some of that tomorrow. I'm not sure if I did my best there and Sirius won't accept less.

"What's wrong, pup?"

"I overheard something I probably shouldn't have."

Sirius lifted his cup, taking a sip. "What did you hear?"

"You know I try to be the last one out, to make sure I don't run into anyone." He sighed. "Hermione told Flitwick that even if she knew I was innocent, she's done with me. Didn't want to get involved in everything anymore."

"Ahh." Sirius nodded. "You have to admit, you've had a bit of a roller coaster ride of a life."

Harry looked up oddly. "What do you know about roller coasters?"

"Lily loved them."

Harry shook his head. He loved those little glimpses of his parents he'd find, crumbs of the life he could have had. "I've never been on one."

"If I ever get free of this fugitive status, I'll take you on a tour one summer."

Harry smiled. "It has been something, I guess. I think my viewpoint is skewed." He turned back to his plate. "I just never thought I'd lose both of my friends. I don't have any others."

"Life is like that. The Marauders were an anomaly. As you get older, it's common to lose contact. Lily used to be friends with a young woman named Pandora. After graduation, they lost contact. Lily was sad, but she could never find her."

Harry shrugged. "I guess. I just figured we'd make it longer than Fourth Year." He sighed, then Sirius smirked. "Don't."

"If you don't stop being so..."

"I said no. I hate that joke."

"Then perk up or I'm going to start cursing your plate to pelt you with food." Sirius's smirk faded. "Maybe this will pass. Remus said you and Hermione had a falling out last year."

"Yeah, but that was just over a broom some crazed serial killer got me. This is a real danger."

"Ahh, British wit." Remus said as he approached with a letter in his hand. "Winky helped me get our mail. Nothing but hate mail for you, Sirius."

"Fair. I hate mail back."

Harry snorted, then took a relatively official looking letter. "Ah, the Ministry is displeased that I eschewed a component of the Tournament they added. Apparently, I was supposed to be at a 'Weighing of the Wands' with a reporter and a photographer present."

"Eschewed?" Harry turned the letter to show Sirius, pointing with his other hand. "They actually said...wow, pompous."

Harry shrugged, balling the letter up and aiming it for the fireplace, not even watching beyond seeing it enter the flames. "My wand seems in good condition; I think it's best we skip a reminder that the core is the same as Voldemort's. No need to add to the rumor mill."

Sirius nodded sagely. "So, Transfiguration or Defense tonight?"

"Transfiguration. I want to go over some of those Occlumency exercises you were talking about and fighting with you would leave me too tired."

"You should be able to do those while tired, Harry."

Harry turned back to Remus. "Don't you say that you ease into a new exercise?"

Sirius laughed again. "He has you there. Pup's smarter than he looks."

"Hey!"

"I said the same thing about your father. Lily loved it."

Harry smiled again at the latest sliver of information about his parents. "Okay, that's good enough for me, then."

As they walked out to the classroom tent, he shivered as an odd thought crossed his mind. Friends may grow apart and all, but no matter if we ever are friends again, Hermione almost sitting in my lap was never going to be acceptable. I need to do something in Arithmancy to make sure that doesn't happen again.

AN: Today's chapter has been brought to you by RAID SHADOW LEGENDS!

All right, rotten vegetables down…anyway….

Hope everyone enjoyed this. I realized that a later chapter would be better for this week, but sadly, it's not time for that one yet. I am looking forward to it, though. Hope everyone's enjoying and basically, I wrote this note to threaten you all with a YouTube ad. Thank you for reading!