A/N: This chapter comes with a mild Trigger Warning for animal cruelty and suffering. If you are uncomfortable with such descriptions (mild though they may be), you can skip past the line break to avoid them.

Ever since his conversation with Padma, Harry became paranoid that he was being watched every time he and Hermione snuck off to use the Time-Turner. He double-checked over his shoulder every time they entered a broom closet or dilapidated toilet to send themselves back in time. He even made a habit of preparing "Notice-Me-Not" wards on secluded spots where he later planned to travel back to, lest they arrive near any students who noticed them crammed close together in an alcove or elsewhere.

Hermione seemed acutely aware of this, too – or perhaps she always had, and Harry never noticed it. Her face always burned bright red when he threw the golden chain over both their necks, and rapidly separated from him once they arrived at their temporal destination. He realized now just how intimate an experience it was: crammed into tiny spaces together, bodies drawn close, away from prying eyes. No wonder she'd gotten the wrong impression…

There was no discussion between them after their awkward conversation in the common room; whenever Harry attempted to make small talk, she found some excuse to depart and keep her distance. Harry wanted to tell her that he felt terribly for what happened the other day. He missed the casual banter they'd shared, the bond they'd formed over the past year. As much as he wanted to give the Golden Trio their space, he missed that camaraderie he'd taken for granted in his previous lifetime.

But privately, he wasn't so sure he should feel bad at all. Was he so wrong for liking somebody else? Was he a bad person for misreading Hermione's signals and failing to notice her affection for him? Cho gave him a pretty clear signal that she wanted him, and he responded in kind...surely that would lead to a relationship, right?

But Cho continued to give him mixed signals as well, avoiding him in the halls and clearly making snide comments to her friends about him. His other Quidditch teammates greeted him warmly whenever they saw him, offering high-fives and shouts of excited greeting. But Cho was the outlier, shirking away from him, preventing him from getting her alone to talk to her.

Why do blokes always have to be the one to initiate things? Harry lamented. His brain operated on a simple, binary 'yes or no' basis – he wished one of them would just come out and say what they were thinking, instead of making him guess. He would rather march into battle with Voldemort himself than navigate this sticky situation on his own. But unlike in real life, the battle would never come to him – he would have to be the one to act.

He was consumed by indecision in the coming days, unsure of how to resolve this issue. He was distracted in lessons, during homework, and in his free time. Which is how he found himself once again staring at the ceiling of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, groaning from the impact of a spell as his father stood over his vanquished opponent once more.

"Your shield work is getting sloppier," James chastised Harry. "You used to be able to block nonverbal spells in your sleep."

"Let's go again," Harry muttered irritably, pushing himself back to his feet.

"No," said James firmly. "I can tell your head's not in it today. What's got you so distracted all of a sudden?"

"Because Harry's in lo-o-ove," came a singsong voice from behind. Harry wheeled around; Dahlia had entered the room when neither of them were looking, sitting cross-legged atop a desk in the corner, grinning devilishly at her brother.

"Piss off, Dahlia," Harry groaned.

"Don't talk to your sister that way," James chided him. "And what d'you mean, Dahlia?"

"Everyone's been talking about how Harry dumped his girlfriend for someone else," Dahlia grinned.

"That's not true!" Harry protested. "I haven't got a girlfriend!"

"Are you seeing that Chang girl?" James asked, smirking. "Atta boy, Harry, I knew she would come round—"

"He wishes!" Dahlia guffawed. "Rumor has it he's ditched Hermione Granger to go and try snogging Cho, only she punched him in the face!"

"That's a lie!" Harry snapped. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "It was more of a slap than a punch, anyway."

"So it is true, then?" Dahlia gasped, eyes going wide with glee. "Oh, wait 'til Ginny and Tori hear about this!"

"IT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry bellowed in exasperation. "I was never dating Hermione, and I didn't try to snog Cho! If anything, she's the one that snogged me!"

"Is that so?" said James, quirking an eyebrow with surprise as Dahlia shrieked with delight. "I must say, Harry, I hadn't pegged you as a womanizer so young."

"Oh, forget it," Harry huffed, turning to gather his things. "If you two are just going to take the mickey, I won't stand here and be mocked."

"We're not mocking you, Harry!" James said placatingly, putting on a straight face and throwing a significant look at Dahlia to do the same. "You know you can always come to us with these things."

"Yes, please do," Dahlia said, still overcome with giggles. "You can trust us with all of your deepest, darkest secrets."

"Yeah, I'm sure I can," Harry scoffed. "I'm going to the library to study."

"Tell Hermione we said hello!" Dahlia cackled as Harry hustled from the room.

This is why I didn't trust my immediate family for advice, Harry grumbled internally. Sirius at least had the tact not to laugh in my face about it. Speaking of which, he ought to send Sirius a follow-up letter to update him on the latest development. What would he advise Harry to do? Probably to be straightforward about his intentions...but wasn't that what got him into this mess in the first place?

As Harry trudged to the library, he heard a small mewing sound behind him. He turned to see Calvin, Dahlia's cat, sauntering up the corridor towards him. "Hullo, Calvin," he greeted the Kneazle with a sigh. "Come to scratch me up and pile onto the misery?"

Calvin instead approached Harry and flopped onto his back at his feet, exposing his belly. "Yeah, right," Harry scoffed. "You're just going to bite me as soon as I reach out to pet you."

But Harry suddenly realized that something was very wrong. Calvin was panting heavily, and his eyes were bloodshot. His body was twitching slightly, and his limbs were stiff, as though the effort to walk up to Harry had cost him dearly.

"You alright there, Calvin?" Harry muttered, kneeling down to examine him more closely. The cat stared up at him with wide, fearful eyes, as though begging him for help. His fur was slightly matted, and the skin beneath was tinged a strange shade of green. He's sick, Harry realized with alarm. He immediately scooped up Calvin into his arms and rushed off to the Hospital Wing.

He found Madam Pomfrey inside, arranging potions in a cabinet. "Madam Pomfrey!" he announced, gently setting Calvin down on the nearest bed. "Something's wrong with my sister's cat!"

"I'm not a veterinarian, dear," Madam Pomfrey huffed without looking at him. "Take it to Hagrid's."

"Look at him!" Harry pleaded, pointing at the cat, who was now foaming slightly at the mouth and twitching more violently. "He's really sick!"

Madam Pomfrey finally tottered over, and froze at the sight of the cat. "Merlin, that's not normal," she muttered, drawing her wand. She cast several diagnostic spells over the cat; numerous red runes appeared over Calvin's prone form, which Pomfrey scanned with alarm. "Someone's poisoned him."

"Poisoned?" Harry gasped. "With what?"

"I'm not sure," Madam Pomfrey, hustling over to the nearest cabinet. "I can try a few antidotes, but we can't be sure what exactly it was...oh, dear, where did I place my bezoars?"

"Accio bezoar!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at the cabinet; a small, round object flew at him from a box on the high shelf. Harry examined the bezoar; it looked like a walnut, a rough, coarse object in his palm.

"Insert it into the cat's throat," said Madam Pomfrey. "If it's not too late, it might be able to counteract the effects of the poison."

Harry approached Calvin and gently pried his mouth open, pushing the bezoar inside and forcing it deeper down. Calvin continued staring up at him with those wide, terrified eyes, as the cat's breathing intensified. After a few moments, the cat suddenly gave a great shudder, and it stopped moving entirely; its body ceased its tremors, and the rapid breathing stopped, as Calvin's eyes fluttered shut.

Harry stared down at the Kneazle in horror. Did I just kill my sister's cat? he thought with horror. He stood frozen as Madam Pomfrey hurried over, summoning the bezoar back into her palm (now coated in white foam) and casting more diagnostic charms. After a heart-stopping moment, she sighed.

"He's still alive," she muttered. "We can't be certain the poison has been fully neutralized, but at least he's stable. I'll need to consult with Professor Snape for further treatment."

Harry gave a shuddering exhale of relief. Calvin's chest was starting to rise and fall again, more steadily this time, as the cat lay quite still on the bed. He didn't know what he'd say to Dahlia if the worst had happened...he was just grateful that he'd found the cat in time. Or rather, that the cat had found him.

At that moment, there was suddenly a great, hair-raising scream from far in the distance. It didn't sound like a student – it was low and guttural, a man's scream. It repeated itself, echoing somewhere across the grounds, as whoever the voice belonged to sounded in complete agony.

"What in Merlin's name was that?" Madam Pomfrey muttered, rushing to the window to peer outside. Harry followed her, craning his neck to see; it appeared to be coming from near the front doors of the castle, just out of view. He thanked Madam Pomfrey and hurried out of the Hospital Wing to see what was going on.

Harry rushed to the Entrance Hall, where a group of students had gathered to locate the cause of the commotion. He pushed his way forward through the crowd, freezing at the sight everyone was staring at: Argus Filch, staggering in from the grounds, cradling a lifeless Mrs. Norris in his arms.

"SHE'S BEEN KILLED!" Filch wailed, glaring accusingly around at the gathered students. "WHO DID THIS? WHO KILLED MY MRS. NORRIS?"

"No student could have done this, Argus," said an authoritative voice; students turned and scrambled out of the way as Dumbledore descended the marble stairs towards him, flanked by Professor Snape. "Someone has been plotting this for a while."

Dumbledore led the way out onto the grounds, followed by Snape and the grieving caretaker. Several students tiptoed after them, curiosity getting the best of them. Harry was among them; he heard the shrieks and gasps of the students ahead of him, and dread crept into him as he made his way towards the front. As he stepped out the great oak doors and onto the path overlooking the grounds, his heart dropped at the terrible sight.

The grounds were littered with dozens of dead cats. Where once they frolicked and played and hunted together in the grass, now they lay still and lifeless, some still twitching from the throes of whatever poison had been applied to them. It looked like a battlefield: fallen soldiers strewn across the landscape, as the staff approached to investigate them.

"Who could have done this?" a tearful sixth-year girl asked aloud.

"Pettigrew," Harry muttered darkly. Several students looked at him curiously.

"Why would Pettigrew care about a bunch of cats and Kneazles?" scoffed a seventh-year boy. "He's a Dark wizard."

Harry realized that few students knew the truth about Peter's Animagus form. It was a secret James didn't want getting out, and Harry didn't want to be responsible for starting the rumor. "Just a hunch," he shrugged. "Who else would be so cruel?"

"What's happening, Harry?" asked a frightened Dahlia, who had timidly exited the castle alongside Ginny and Astoria. Her eyes went wide at the gruesome sight around them. "You don't think—"

"Calvin's in the Hospital Wing," he reassured her. "He's stable, but still in danger. Madam Pomfrey's tending to him now."

Dahlia's eyes widened in shock, and she immediately sprinted back into the castle, her two friends close behind. Harry silently prayed that he'd been in time to save her Kneazle, even if it appeared it was far too late for much of the rest of the felines.

Harry ignored the mutterings of the students around him and hurried down the hill towards the staff members, who were kneeling beside one of the motionless cats and speaking in low tones. Hagrid had joined them, hustling up from his cabin. They all looked up at Harry as he approached.

"This had to be Pettigrew," Harry blurted out. "It just had to be."

"He is certainly a prime suspect," Dumbledore agreed. "Hagrid, would you kindly locate the food you left out for the cats and collect a sample? It will need to be tested immediately."

"Right away, Headmaster," Hagrid grunted, hustling back down to his cabin.

"This makes no sense!" Snape scoffed. "Why would Pettigrew poison a bunch of cats? They can't be that big of an obstacle for him to do something like this!"

"I have my reasons to suspect otherwise, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "In the meantime, we must double-check the ward schemes around the school boundaries. It is possible he will attempt another breach of the castle soon."

"Must you suggest such a thing to a student?" an exasperated Snape scoffed, indicating Harry.

"I hope he comes after me again," Harry growled. "He won't get the best of me this time."

"Pride comes before the fall, Potter," Snape glared. "Careful what you wish for."

"I must agree that caution be exercised," Dumbledore sighed. "Please return to the castle, Harry, and notify your family what has happened. And reassure them that nothing will come of this incident."

Harry obliged, stalking back up to the castle, but he had no intentions of filling Dahlia and Damian's heads with false platitudes that everything was alright. He spotted his cousin lurking near the front doors, partially hidden behind his Hufflepuff classmates, and Harry paused to address him directly.

"Keep my gift on you at all times," Harry told him warningly. "Use it often. You might need it sooner than you'd like."

Damian nodded fervently, looking stricken; his fellow Hufflepuffs also looked frightened by Harry's stern demeanor. The other students gave Harry a wide berth as he headed back up the stairs towards the Hospital Wing to talk to his sister. She would need to understand what potentially lay ahead and be ready to deal with it if he or their father couldn't be there to help.

It had become something of a cycle around Hogwarts by this point – students had a tendency to forget about the danger at their doors until Pettigrew reminded them of his presence. And as with the previous two instances, students avoided Harry like the plague, somehow certain that he was at the center of this somehow. Perhaps they didn't outright blame him like for the Chamber of Secrets, but many still saw him as a lightning rod for trouble that was to be avoided at all costs.

And who could blame them? Once again it was Harry's closest friends and family members being harmed in each instance: first Harry himself, then Damian, and now Dahlia's pet Kneazle. That poor cat has taken so much collateral damage, Harry thought grimly. Fortunately Calvin seemed to be recovering in the Hospital Wing, but Dahlia stayed by its side nearly round-the-clock, only leaving when Madam Pomfrey shooed her out to return to her dormitory each evening.

Harry had a foreboding feeling that the recent cat attacks meant that Peter would make another attempt to enter the castle by the end of the term. He was on-edge every waking moment, attempting to keep tabs on his loved ones, his wand at the ready in case of another duel breaking out at any moment. Suddenly his worries about Cho and Hermione didn't seem so meaningful anymore – he was reminded yet again that he was in a life-threatening situation here.

He spent most of his free time in the library these days, either studying for final exams or brushing up on dueling techniques. He desperately wanted to delve deeper into illusory magic, but knew it was too risky after his mishap with the Body-Mirroring Charm. The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally drain his magical core in the middle of a fight with Peter and risk passing out again – he would have to rely on his instincts and basic spell knowledge for now.

One crisp morning in late May heralded the arrival of two letters at breakfast, both of which Harry pocketed for later. He didn't want to risk either being read over his shoulder in the Great Hall. He waited until he was safely back in the dorm, closing himself in his four-poster and tearing them both open. The first was from Sirius:

Harry,

Sorry to hear about your recent 'incidents' with Miss Chang and Granger. There's good news and bad news there. Good news is you finally have confirmation about both of them being interested! Bad news is you have to decide on an appropriate course of action from here. I don't envy your position one bit (I say despite whooping with glee at your overflowing prospects!).

Let's start with Cho. She unquestionably sent mixed signals during your last encounter, and continues to do so with her passive-aggressive behavior. You mustn't discount the possibility that she kissed you as a heat-of-the-moment reaction to you saving her during the Quidditch match. Similarly, the slap could have been a reflex from her anger at you costing the team first place. As un-fun as it sounds, you will have to find a time to speak with her privately and clarify what happened between you.

As for Hermione...you may not realize it, but the way you write about her shows that you care deeply about her. Maybe you don't see it as romantic affection, and it may not be necessarily, but someone that special in your life deserves special care. Whatever you decide to do, you have to take care not to destroy the relationship you've already built. Don't do anything that would break her trust or cause her to view you as unreliable! Passions can fade fast at your age, but betrayal cuts ten times as deep by that same token.

As always, I urge you to remember that this is only a temporary situation, and you have plenty of time to grow and make mistakes! Don't sweat it if you get things wrong and mess it all up. You're not even fourteen yet and already have your first kiss and multiple crushes under your belt – well done! You'll look back at all of this and laugh at how silly it all seems. So if you decide to just be done with the drama, walk away and have no regrets! There are plenty of fish in the sea...take it from me, as I'm still catching fresh bites twenty years later.

Your devilishly-handsome uncle,

Sirius

Harry grinned as he folded Sirius' letter shut. As always, it filled him with warmth and a reminder that it will all be okay. It didn't, sadly, provide him with much insight on how to proceed with Cho and Hermione. There were no easy answers to his many questions, and he still had to navigate this uncharted territory all on his own. At least he knew that his godfather had his back no matter what he decided.

Harry opened the second letter, chuckling as he skimmed its contents:

Dear Harry,

Hope you are doing well. Have you been practicing the mental exercises I taught you? I hope you have. Anyway, here is the recipe for pumpkin juice you asked about, as I love to brew it at home myself…

Harry shook his head at the made-up ingredients Saul Croaker had listed below, stretching the length of the parchment. He pulled out his wand and tapped it to the paper, muttering the agreed-upon decoding password: "Death's Veil." At once the letters began rearranging themselves into new words, until Harry was able to read what Saul had actually meant for him to read:

Harry,

I'm disturbed to hear what happened to the cats on school grounds. You are likely correct that Pettigrew intends to get them out of the way for his next attempt at breaching the castle. Stay alert and keep tabs on your loved ones.

As for your question about illusory magic: I wouldn't attempt anything that draining until we've had a chance to meet in person again. I know of a few potions and rituals you can undertake to increase your stamina and strengthen your magical core. It's not well-understood how closely tied your core is to your body versus your soul, which in your case is two entirely separate things I'm afraid. I will research what I can when I have the time.

I have been making discreet inquiries in the Muggle world about Tom Riddle and intend to pursue several promising leads over the summer. If you are agreeable to it, we can look into them together, though secrecy is an obvious must. If anyone knew we were digging into his past, it could seriously jeopardize our agenda and tip off the wrong people.

I have also been perusing your notes you gave me over a year ago, and you mentioned a Death Eater incident at the Quidditch World Cup in two months' time. Do you intend to travel to the match with your family? And if so, what are your plans to interfere? I must exercise extreme caution in this matter and will happily provide advice and suggestions if you need them.

Let's arrange a meeting for the last week of June at my office. Ask your father if he's agreeable to it...just don't tell him what we intend to get up to!

-Saul

Harry had completely forgotten about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. He hadn't even been tracking the tournament leading up to it...would it still be Bulgaria vs. Ireland in the final? What other ripple effects might cause things to play out differently there? Would Barty Crouch Jr. still cast the Dark Mark and frame it on Winky? He would have to settle on a course of action soon...once this Pettigrew situation was cleared up, of course.

Harry emerged from his four-poster and tossed both letters into the nearby fireplace to destroy the evidence. "Writing love letters, are we, Potter?" snickered Michael Corner from his own bed.

"I sure am," Harry quipped. "Your mum's got lovely handwriting." He dodged a shoe being hurled at his head and scurried from the dorm, chuckling to himself. The two letters may not have given him all the answers he was after, but they made him feel considerably better and less alone than he'd felt in weeks.

And that was more important than ever lately, with the continued silent treatment he received from his peers. Students remained fearful to be seen in his presence, ensuring that he went most days without speaking to anyone besides his professors when they asked questions in class. Even Hermione, whom he could usually rely on to vent his frustrations on these matters, was giving him a wide berth, albeit for very different reasons.

Luckily he still had Luna, who was either apathetic or oblivious to Harry's outcast status around the school. She was more than happy to join him in the common room or at meals, where they either studied or talked about nothing in particular (one of Luna's specialties). It was on such a Friday evening that they found themselves at a table in the library, where Harry struggled his way through Arithmancy assignments as Luna perused The Quibbler through her ridiculous orange-tinted glasses.

Harry heard voices approaching from nearby, and looked up to see two fourth-year Gryffindor girls walking around the corner towards them. They froze at the sight of him, turning at once to hurry off to the other side of the library.

"People sure seem frightened by you, Harry," Luna remarked as the girls scurried away. "And I think I've figured out why."

"Have you now?" Harry grinned. Leave it to Luna to completely miss out on the school rumor mill surrounding the cat incident and ongoing rumors of Pettigrew's schemes…

"Most certainly," Luna nodded. "They've heard about your torrid love affair with Hermione Granger and Cho Chang and don't want to be corrupted by your seductive charm."

Harry nearly choked on his own saliva at this innocuous remark. "Who told you I was having a...a torrid love affair?" Harry asked, mortified.

"Oh, it's quite obvious," said Luna. "Both girls treat you as though you have an infectious disease. They obviously have to keep up appearances that they are not cavorting with you in secret, but the truth is clear."

Harry was torn between being deeply embarrassed and laughing uproariously at Luna's surprising insight. "I am not seeing either of them," Harry gently corrected her instead. "Though things have been...awkward with the two of them lately." And he briefly explained the circumstances that led to the present-day confusion he found himself in. Luna listened politely without interruption, betraying no surprise or scandal at his reluctant tale.

"Goodness me," she finally said. "You really have found yourself in a conundrum."

"Don't I know it," Harry chuckled. "I suppose I should just ask the nargles what they think I should do, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, they are rarely useful in situations like this," Luna said with absolute seriousness. "But you should probably begin by asking yourself what you really want from the two of them. The reason things are awkward is because neither of them know where you stand. Hermione is confused by your attraction to Cho despite your obvious physical chemistry, while Cho is confused by how close you seem to be with Hermione despite kissing her back. You have to pick a side and let both of them know in order to move forward. Otherwise, they will never be sure what your intentions are."

Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times, stunned once again by Luna's unexpected display of mature, rational logic on the matter. Her words were like a lightbulb, allowing him to see the situation clearly for the first time. Of course things were awkward, because he hadn't told either girl what he wanted! How was he to expect them to communicate clearly when he wasn't giving them the same in return?

"Blimey, Luna, why haven't I asked you for advice before?" he said in amazement. "You're rather good at it."

"No one ever seems to agree with my advice," Luna shrugged. "I advised Millicent Bulstrode once to try using pixie dust to clear up her acne, and she flushed my book bag down the toilet."

Harry was too preoccupied with Luna's previous words to register this heinous behavior. "But how do I decide what I really want?" he wondered aloud. "I mean, Cho's brilliant...a great flyer, gorgeous, and fun to be around – when she's not making fun of me with her friends, that is. Hermione can be rather boring and obnoxious, but she's also dependable and cares about me like few other people do."

"Mmm," Luna hummed noncommittally.

"I mean, if I knew for sure Cho wanted to go out, I'd ask her straight away," Harry continued on, lost in his train of thought. "But how would she explain that to her friends after teasing me so much? And would I lose Hermione as a friend if I did that? Am I taking Hermione for granted? Does she expect more from me in return for her attention? She's been rather reliable this year, and I don't know how I would have survived without her...and I always saw her as more of a sister...but I also have a real sister now, and our relationship is nothing like that after all...what do you think, Luna?"

Harry looked expectantly over at Luna, but she was not paying attention to him. Her head was bowed and she was slumped forward, and she was muttering softly to herself under her breath. It almost appeared like she was praying.

"Luna?" Harry asked, gently shaking her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Luna remained hunched over the table, swaying slightly in her seat. Then, she gave a shuddering gasp, and her head snapped back upright. She opened her eyes, and Harry saw with horror that they were milky-white and unseeing, staring blankly ahead.

"The Dark Lord's servant shall claim his prize tonight," Luna said in a hoarse voice quite unlike her own. "Guided by the path laid out before him, he shall be crowned victorious…"

"Luna, what's gotten into you?" Harry asked, a chill running down his spine. "You're scaring me—"

"The innocent shall be caught in the crossfire," Luna continued on, as though Harry wasn't even there. "Those who defy him shall be consumed by the blinding light of rebirth…"

Luna gave a deep shudder and slumped forward in her chair once more, her head lolling forward and nearly colliding with the table. Harry watched her, stunned, as she took several unsteady breaths and slowly lifted her gaze to him. Her eyes were back to their natural blue, blinking rapidly in confusion.

"Oh my, I feel dizzy all of a sudden," Luna said in her usual dreamy voice. "Is it warm in here to you too?"

"Luna...are you aware of what just happened?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Oh yes, quite aware," Luna nodded fervently. "As I was saying, you ought to follow your heart in these matters. Neither Hermione nor Cho will begrudge you for—"

"Not that," Harry interrupted her. "You just spoke in an odd voice. It sounded like you were delivering a prophecy."

"Well, that's preposterous," Luna chuckled. "There are no Seers in the Lovegood family. Father has always said so."

Maybe not on her father's side, Harry thought grimly. He remembered his suspicions about Luna's mother, and now wondered if she had passed it along to her daughter. "You said something about 'the Dark Lord's servant'," Harry continued. "You don't remember that?"

"I think you might want to lay down, Harry Potter," Luna said patronizingly, putting a hand to Harry's forehead as though checking for a fever. "You might be hearing things. I think I would remember saying something like that."

Harry's mind was racing. It was eerily similar to the prediction Trelawney had made in his previous third year, and that very same evening was when Pettigrew escaped and they had to break Sirius free. Was tonight the night, then? Was Peter about to strike once more, and claim whatever it was that he was after in the castle?

If so, he couldn't afford to waste a second. "You're right, I think I will go lay down," said Harry, springing to his feet. "Just, erm, stay here, will you Luna? Where Madam Pince can keep an eye on you? I have a bad feeling about tonight."

"Have a good rest, Harry!" Luna beamed, clearly not comprehending his grave warning. Harry hastily departed the library, hoping that Luna would be far down Peter's hit list this evening. There were several other people he had to ensure the safety of first.

Where were Dahlia and Damian? Harry wished he had the Marauder's Map on him so that he could locate them more quickly. He wracked his brain, trying to think about where they might be on a Friday evening. Dahlia was likely with Ginny and Astoria, but Damian could be anywhere, especially with the Map on hand to guide him through the castle. If only he could check on both of them at once…

But what if he could? He remembered Dumbledore sending a message to his father via Patronus earlier that year...perhaps James could aid him in his search. Harry drew his wand and pictured his family, all together and enjoying one another's company. "Expecto patronum!" he shouted.

The silver thestral Patronus burst from his wand, galloping once around the room before turning to face him expectantly. Harry cleared his throat, unsure exactly how to proceed.

"Erm...send a message to my father," Harry instructed the thestral. "Tell him I believe Peter Pettigrew will attempt to breach the castle tonight. Find Dahlia, and I'll find Damian, then we'll meet in the Defense classroom."

The thestral stood there for a moment, staring stoically at him. Then it took flight once more, rearing its head before disappearing through a wall and out of sight.

That's Dahlia hopefully taken care of, Harry thought. Could he send another Patronus at the same time? He wondered if he could have two Patronuses active at once, or if the one he'd just sent would be canceled. Harry didn't want to risk that happening. He would just have to find Damian himself, then hopefully the family could all hunker down together in James' office until the danger passed.

What if Luna was wrong? Harry thought as he made his way to the Entrance Hall. What if it wasn't a real prophecy? It certainly sounded like one, but he didn't actually know that much about what constituted a 'real' prophecy. Could they ever be wrong? He knew Dumbledore and Saul Croaker didn't put much stock in them, for instance...did that mean they could provide false information?

Still, he had to be sure. If there was any risk of his loved ones being in danger, he would take no chances. He quickened his pace through the castle, intending to search the Great Hall for Damian or Cedric before somehow forcing entry into the Hufflepuff common room to ensure their safety.

But he stopped short at a stairwell, suddenly hearing distant cracks that made the hair on his neck stand on end. He strained to listen – it sounded suspiciously like spellfire. He heard a distant shout of alarm, and immediately knew something must be wrong. It sounded like he was coming from somewhere above him, so rather than head down towards the castle entrance, he went up, emerging on the third floor to investigate the disturbance.

The sounds of conflict grew louder as Harry approached. He sprinted down the corridor, skidding around a corner and nearly getting struck by an errant Stunner. He spun around and aimed his wand, prepared to raise a Shield Charm, but realized he was not the intended target of the spell. Two people were dueling down the hall; one had his back turned to Harry, and the other was further away, furiously dancing and dodging spells. Harry realized with a jolt that it was Neville Longbottom.

"Neville!" Harry shouted in alarm.

"Harry?" the boy yelped, spotting him for the first time. But the distraction cost him. The next spell sent Neville's way caught him straight in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards to the floor with a loud oomph.

The assailant turned, and Harry once again found himself face to face with Peter Pettigrew. Peter's eyebrows raised with surprise as they stared each other down. Then, just as Harry was about to raise his wand against the man, Peter grinned maliciously at him.

"Thanks for the gift," he smirked, waving coyly at Harry. He was brandishing something small and yellow in his off-hand; Harry realized with a jolt that it was the Marauder's Map. But just as he was processing this, Peter turned and ran, disappearing down a side corridor and out of sight.

Harry made to chase after him, but he heard a low groan from down the hall. He turned to see Neville struggling to get to his feet, wincing in pain. Harry rushed to his side, kneeling to check on his condition. "Don't try to get up, Neville," Harry said gently. "He's gone."

Neville slumped onto his back, panting heavily. "I'm sorry, Harry," he sighed. "I thought I could take him."

"You did great, Neville," Harry reassured him. Then, remembering what he'd just seen, he asked, "Did he steal the Map from you?"

"Map?" Neville repeated, bewildered. "What Map?"

That confirmed Harry's worst fears. He didn't get the Map from Neville, he realized. He must have apprehended Damian already and used the Map to find Neville. And what if he's not done? Harry realized with a jolt. What if he's after Dahlia next, now that he has the Map for himself?

Harry left Neville and ran down the corridor after Peter, but he was long gone. He was at a complete loss for what to do. Should he head to the Great Hall to find a teacher? Head to Gryffindor Tower to find his father and/or Dahlia? Or somehow locate Damian and check to ensure that he wasn't gravely injured in the process of losing the Map? There were too many dangers and not enough time.

Time.

Harry plunged a hand down his robes and withdrew the Time-Turner. Time was something he had ample of. He could go back two, maybe three hours and stop Pettigrew before he could harm anybody at all. He could hear a multitude of footsteps running in his direction, and knew Neville would be found and cared for. There was only one thing left to do.

No time to waste, Harry thought grimly. He turned the hourglass over three times in his palm, and felt the familiar tugging sensation as he was yanked into the past to hopefully stop Peter in his tracks.

No one in his family was getting hurt if he had anything to say about it.

A/N: I hate to leave you all on a nasty cliffhanger, so I'll break my every-other-week upload schedule just this once. Next chapter coming in the next couple of days – I've been building towards it all year long and am excited for you all to see the payoff!