1996, 5th year

Harry let his head fall onto the table and just left it there.

He felt the careful touch of Theodore's hand on the back of his neck not long after and allowed himself to relax just a fraction.

Harry wanted to tell him. He didn't know why, he just wanted to.

Theodore never asked. Rhea did, sometimes, in that blunt way of hers, but she never pressed for answers, simply giving him knowing smiles whenever he tried to skirt around any substantial answers.

They didn't mind that he was keeping secrets. It was nice.

But sometimes – sometimes, Harry actually did want to tell them. Or tell Theodore, at least. He already knew Rhea's reaction wouldn't be of any help. (Other than distracting him from his own thoughts, but she already did that on the daily, anyway.)

The problem was – Well – The problem was that Harry didn't actually know how far he could trust either of them. How far he could trust Theodore. His father was, in the end, still a Death Eater. His housemates likely almost all on Voldemort's side. The Lémures, Harry knew, always were very careful to stay out of any conflicts, to stay neutral – something about already having a bad enough reputation as it was despite never doing anything to earn it? Harry didn't quite understand the intricacies of it all. But Theodore had never made any indication whatsoever as to which side he stood on.

Harry wanted to trust him. He really did. But he couldn't allow himself to. One mistake could very well cost him his life here.

So he didn't tell Theodore.

Regardless, closing his eyes for a moment and focusing on Theodore's touch felt good. Not having to worry, if only for a small moment, about Snape and Voldemort and Umbridge and dead Ministry employees felt … good.

When Theodore woke him two hours later just in time for Ron and Hermione to join them, Harry actually felt well-rested for once.

o

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about seeing shapes in the smoke of burning sage and mallowsweet, would you?"

"New Divination teacher?" Rhea asked.

Harry nodded, exchanging a look with Ron. "Firenze is … quite something."

"That's putting it lightly, mate," Ron agreed as he cheerfully scribbled down some nonsense about – Harry squinted – 'seeing beyond the beyond'.

"I, for one, am not surprised at all," Hermione said with her chin held high, eyeing Ron's homework disapprovingly, "that you are not learning much at all in such a flimsy subject as Divination despite finally having the fortune of being taught by someone who does actually know their subject."

"Trelawney wasn't that bad."

Hermione merely arched an eyebrow and let the silence speak for her.

"But we share Arithmancy?" Rhea gave Hermione a confused look.

"Arithmancy is a very sensible subject!"

"But it's literally just Divination with numbers?"

"Well," Theodore interrupted them, "if I remember correctly, Merlin had a soft spot for mallowsweet."

"Burning sage and mallowseet is beneficial to your health," Rhea commented, immediately turning away from Hermione and dropping her confused expression. "As is burning myrrh and frankincense."

Hermione perked up. "I've been meaning to ask – how is your project coming along?"

"Splendidly. We've been moving on to more advanced trials, though some will have to wait until we get out of Hogwarts."

"Oh? Why is that?"

Rhea and Theodore exchanged a look, then simultaneously turned to Harry.

Harry frowned. "What?"

"We want to make use of the Basilisk skin, but we do not want Professor Snape to know we are in possession of any."

Ah.

"Makes sense," Harry said.

"What do you mean you have Basilisk skin?" Ron asked. "Harry, did you take them down to the Chamber?!"

Harry ducked his head. "Maybe?"

"Harry!"

"It was magnificent," Rhea said. "You should have seen it!"

"I have and I never want to again, thank you very much!"

"Pity."

"Ron, you weren't even inside the actual Chamber."

"What are your ideas on using it as a potion ingredient so far?" Hermione asked, derailing the conversation from a genuinely asked question about homework to being nerds over potions.

Harry shook his head and looked back down at the mess of his notes.

"Rhea," Theodore said suddenly, his tone serious.

Harry looked up once more and followed Theodore's gaze. From the general direction of the entrance to the library, a Slytherin Harry vaguely recognised as Blaise Zabini was striding purposefully towards them.

Ignoring Harry and the others completely, he came to a halt right next to Rhea, a charming smile affixed on his handsome face.

"Antheraea, darling," he began in a velvety voice, "I believe I finally acquired what we previously discussed." He offered his hand with a smirk and a bow Harry couldn't decide was exaggerated humour or actually sincere courtesy. "If you would do me the honours of accompanying me to a more private place?"

And Rhea lit up in a way Harry had never seen before.

Giving him her sweetest, creepiest smile, she accepted Zabini's hand with the words, "Of course, love."

Harry couldn't help but gape after them. "What –"

"No," Theodore interrupted firmly. "Do not ask. You do not want to know when it comes to those two."

Harry looked at his friend in bewilderment, but before he could even open his mouth, Theodore added, "Trust me, you really don't."

Harry stared at him in silence for a moment, but then something else occurred to him.

"Wait, her name isn't actually Rhea?"

Theodore gave him one of his best looks of utter exasperation – one Harry was at the receiving end of more often than could be considered normal. To his chagrin, Harry saw the exact same expression mirrored on Hermione's face. (At least Ron looked as nonplussed as Harry felt.)

"No, it's not. Just as my name is not Theo."

"Oh."

"So are they, you know," Ron made a lewd gesture, wriggling his eyebrows, "involved?"

Theodore put his head in his hands. "I don't want to know. I really don't. Though I doubt they are. They've probably never even held hands, never mind kissed."

"Why not?" Ron glanced shrewdly at Harry. "I heard it's quite nice."

Harry stuck out his tongue at him.

"I wouldn't know," Theodore confessed with a shrug, his gaze on Harry. "I never kissed anyone before."

"I had my first kiss just before Christmas," Harry confessed quietly.

Theodore gazed at him with a soft expression. "What was it like?"

"… Wet?"

That earned him a raised eyebrow.

"I mean – she was crying."

He could see the understanding dawning on Theodore's face. "You kissed Zhāng Qiū."

Harry scrunched up his face and Theodore rolled his eyes.

"You didn't actually think her name was Chang Cho, did you?"

"Er –"

Theodore closed his eyes. "Of course, you did." He shook his head, a fond smile on his lips. "I should have known – you really do not pay much attention to your surroundings, after all."

"He really doesn't," Hermione agreed, making Harry jump in surprise.

He had forgotten she and Ron were still there.

o

"Are you sure you don't want to practise on her? It could be, you know, highly educational in your endeavour to defeat the Dark Lord to get rid of a toad first."

"Yes, Rhea, I'm quite sure." Harry sighed loudly. "I'm already in enough trouble as is."

"I never said you should do it publicly. Don't get caught – simple enough."

"It's really not."

"She'll be gone by the end of the year, anyway," Theodore said quietly. "The Jinx has never failed us thus far."

Rhea nodded. "Let us hope it will remove her from the position in the most vicious way possible rather than simply remove her to a different position."

"What Jinx?" Harry asked.

The only answer he got was two pointed looks.

Deciding to change topics, Harry straightened from where he had been slumping over the most boring Defence essay he had ever had to write, "How likely do think will the pink toad sit in on our Career Advice meetings?"

Rhea huffed a laugh. "Yours? Most certainly. Ours? Probably not."

"I never asked – what are your plans for the future, anyway?"

"Bully one of my siblings into becoming Head of House Lémure, then live the rest of my life working for the family business while experimenting on the side, maybe be lucky enough to be granted immortality upon my death and then fully devote my undead existence to coming up with bizarre inventions people didn't know they needed." Rhea paused. "And join the elders in the forest with their questionable practices of Necromancy."

Harry stared at her, then decided not to think about that at all and turned to Theodore.

Theodore shrugged. "I haven't given it much thought. But that's what the meeting is for, isn't it? So our Head of House can help us figure it out."

Harry furrowed his brows. "I thought we were supposed to already know and then discuss how we would achieve our goals. Hermione's been treating it that way."

"What are her plans for the future, then?" Rhea asked.

"Dunno."

"Such a great friend you are."

"I've been thinking of becoming an Auror, by the way."

"I didn't ask."

"Just wanted to let you know."

"If you want spend your days chasing after dangerous criminals and political enemies alike, risking your life for a corrupt government that will never take your side unless it's to their advantage – well, becoming an Auror is certainly the right way to go."

"Thanks for the encouragement, Rhea."

"I just assumed you'd have your fill of that once you've finally offed the Dark Lord."

"Why does it need to be me who gets rid of him?"

Rhea shrugged. "It doesn't. It just seems fitting, don't you think? As if it were fate. Then again, as things are right now, taking down the Ministry should be your first priority instead."

"It is becoming a problem," Theodore agreed.

Harry groaned. "Not you, too."

Theodore smiled. "Have fun in your meeting, Harry."

o

"This way!" Rhea hurried them on. "We can't risk being seen with you."

"What?"

Rhea threw him a look over her shoulder. "Harry, dearest. Surely you've noticed that we only ever spend time with you in the library? Politics, Harry."

"Slytherins," Ron muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Not important right now," Theodore said, urging Harry along with a hand firmly pushing on his back.

They found themselves an empty classroom and left Rhea to set up the necessary privacy spells as they all tried to regain their breath.

"What happened?" Ron asked. "Did you have another vision?"

Theodore gave Harry a sharp look at that, but Harry had other worries right now.

"Voldemort's got Sirius."

"What?"

"How d'you –"

"Saw it. Just now. When I fell asleep in the exam," Harry said and then proceeded to tell them exactly what he had seen.

His friends were trying to convince him that it was impossible, that Voldemort couldn't be in the Ministry, but Harry knew. Harry had seen it. And Sirius was in danger! Couldn't they see that?!

"It's obviously a trap," Theodore said.

"Definitely," Rhea agreed. "Whether your secret not-a-mass-murderer godfather is there or not, this entire setup is a trap to get you into the Department of Mysteries." She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "It can't be just to capture or kill you. Hm … I wonder if …"

"Rhea?"

But Rhea was too lost in thought to spare them any attention, anymore.

"That doesn't matter right now!" Harry said loudly. "Sirius is in danger!"

"Could be in danger," Theodore corrected, ignoring Harry's angry glare.

"Hello, Luna."

Four heads abruptly swivelled around to watch Rhea open the door and allow Luna Lovegood inside, followed by Ginny.

"I see you have brought a friend."

Luna smiled. "We followed the Nargles to find you."

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

"Harry had a vision of his secret not-a-mass-murderer godfather being tortured by the Dark Lord," Rhea said casually. "It's obviously a trap, but we need to establish whether his secret not-a-mass-murderer godfather is actually being tortured or not before we can decide which steps need to be taken."

If Harry weren't so stressed out about all of his friends wasting time over this, he might have laughed at Ginny's flabbergasted expression.

Luna, on the other hand, nodded solemnly.

Everything that happened next was a bit of a blur – there were more arguments – honestly, they didn't have time for this! – Harry let himself be convinced to at least try and contact Sirius, which meant they had to break into Umbridge's office again to gain access to the only fireplace that wasn't being monitored – but they were caught – and then – ("Traitors!" Malfoy hissed and Theodore's face paled. "Get a life, Draco," Rhea said with a roll of her eyes.) – and then –

"You killed her," Harry said blankly, staring down at the unmoving lump that was Umbridge.

"I did not!" Rhea said indignantly, putting her gloves back on. "She's just unconscious, same as the others."

"Does it matter?" Ron said loudly.

Rhea nudged Malfoy's cheek with her foot, then looked at Theodore. "Should I obliviate them?"

Theodore gave the pile of unconscious Slytherins a contemplative look. "It would probably be for the best."

"Whatever," Harry said, turning away from them to face Ron and Hermione. "We need to get to London. Sirius wasn't home and Kreacher said – It doesn't matter. What I saw was true – Sirius is being tortured this very moment."

"Okay," Ron said. "Okay. But how do we get to London?"

"We could fly," Luna said.

"First of all," Harry said irritably, "'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so –"

"I've got a broom!" Ginny interrupted.

"It would take too long anyway," Hermione said, "even if we all had brooms at hand."

"And you're not coming," Ron said to Ginny.

"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!" Ginny exclaimed, her jaw set.

"You're too –" Harry began and then it all dissolved into an argument about who was coming and who wasn't – and when had Neville even joined them in the first place?

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Harry said, frustrated, "because we still don't know how to get there –"

A roar from the fireplace made them all turn. Rhea gave them a pointed look as she loudly said, "Ministry of Magic!" and then stepped into the green flames and vanished.

o

"I want it."

"Rhea, no!"

"But look at it!" Rhea exclaimed, gesturing excitedly at the creepy old stone archway with its tattered black veil. "It leads to the Other side!"

"How would you even transport it?" Theodore asked in fond exasperation.

"I will help you," Luna said seriously.

"We need to go!" Hermione called. "Come on, let's go!"

o

"Aww, now I went through the trouble of obliviating Draco and the others for nothing!"

"I think we have bigger problems right now," Ron replied.

"You think?" Theodore said, going for dry, but the shaking of his hand in Harry's betrayed his fear.

"Theodore?" one of the Death Eaters pushed forwards and Harry could feel Theodore flinch next to him.

o

"Can we please talk about this?" Harry yelled, ducking another spell thrown his way.

"Don't be silly, Harry. The man obviously can't be reasoned with," Rhea said, casually deflecting a jet of red light.

"Confringo!" Theodore shouted.

"Theo!"

"What?! He attacked us first!"

"But he's still – Protego! – He's still our headmaster!"

"That's what you care about?"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Honestly!" Rhea threw her hands up, then turned away from them. "You there! Get up and help."

Harry leapt to the side, catching his fall in a roll (an excellent roll, if he might have said so!) and threw a quick glance in the direction Rhea had pointed. Harry almost ran into a pillar when he saw the Death Eater with the twisted neck rise from the floor and lunge at Dumbledore.

Right. Necromancer.

Dumbledore didn't even spare the dead man a glance before setting him on fire.

Rhea, to Harry's horror, began to cackle.

Harry didn't have time to worry about that, too busy avoiding Dumbledore's attacks, trying desperately to convince the Headmaster to stop and talk about this, for Merlin's sake!

He didn't know how long they fought – three students against Albus Dumbledore – or two, because Harry refused to attack the Headmaster, darn it!

Then Rhea whispered, "Got you!" under her breath as several previously dead people came running into the atrium, charging at Dumbledore.

Harry didn't think. He saw the Headmaster hesitate. It was just a split second. A small opportunity.

"Expelliarmus!"

The Headmaster's wand went flying – Harry didn't pay it much attention, though he caught Rhea going after it in the corner of his eye.

Standing there, keeping his own wand and eyes trained on Dumbledore, trying to catch his breath, Harry mustered up all of his exasperation and put it into his voice, "Now can we talk this out?"

o

"If you wish, I can bring your secret not-a-mass-murderer godfather back from the dead," Rhea said matter-of-factly. "In return for a favour."

Theodore breathed in sharply, the soothing motion of his hand against Harry's back faltering.

Harry turned to stare at her, tears still freely running down his cheeks. "You can? You really can?"

"He won't be quite the same, of course, but that's to be expected when one dies."

"Rhea. You can really bring Sirius back?"

"Well, yes. I don't see what's so hard to understand about that."

If Harry hadn't already been on the floor, his knees would have given out under him.

"Miss Lémure, must I remind you that Necromancy is highly illegal?"

"I have decided," Rhea proclaimed, completely disregarding anything the Headmaster had just said. "I'm going to find a way to steal that archway."

AN

No, don't mind me, I don't know how it came to this, either. I'm just sipping my tea, watching it all go up in flames.