Deceiving Magic's Child

Mrs Weasley insisted everyone break for lunch. Tom looked awkward as he followed everyone into the dining room. Perhaps he'd be better to eat in his own room? Although it wouldn't be so bad he supposed. Barty had been sticking close to him, seeming to think he needed some sort of body guard. Unarmed he might be, but he could still defend himself if he needed to.

The meal was quite a boisterous affair as everyone discussed the dementors. No one could believe that they'd actually entered the grounds. Even Tom was surprised by that. Surely, the wards should have prevented that? Well, maybe not. They'd certainly not prevented any of the other dangerous stuff from happening around Harry Potter. Someone should really get those wards checked. Either they'd been poorly maintained or someone was intentionally sabotaging them. Tom didn't trust Dumbles, but he didn't think the man would risk the entire student population like that. He had certainly seemed angry in the book that the dementors had entered the grounds.

Sirius sat quietly, toying with his meal as he thought about the dementors. Even thinking about those horrid beasts, made him feel cold like he was back in Azkaban. He hadn't realised he was shaking until a long fingered hand covered his own, squeezing it gently.

"You're no longer there, Black," Severus murmured quietly before removing his hand.

Sirius was sorry to feel the warmth of his hand go. He glanced up at the potions master and smiled his thanks. Nodding slightly, he said, "I feel cold."

"Take an extra sip of that potion I made you," Severus muttered. "It will help."

Sirius almost jumped when he heard the scrapping of chair legs on the stone floor. Everyone was making their way back to the chamber and suddenly Sirius and Severus were alone. Sirius took a sip of the potion and just as Severus had promised he felt warmth fill him, radiating from his stomach.

"You're a genius, you know that," Sirius said, sounding more emotional than he'd like.

"Yes," Severus said with a shrug. "But it's nice to hear it."

They wandered through to the main chamber together in silence. Sirius felt he ought to say something, although he had no idea what. Professor Flitwick was just starting the book when they arrived and Harry gave them an odd look.

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend.

"Of course, I did!" Poppy said, folding her arms. "You could have died."

He didn't argue or complain... he'd lost one of his best friends.

Harry sighed. He'd really had enough pity to last him a lifetime.

He had a stream of visitors... shut under his bowl of fruit.

Ginny blushed brightly.

The Gryffindor team visited again... he didn't blame him in the slightest.

"It wasn't your fault," Oliver said. "Didn't stop it hurting though."

Ron and Hermione left Harry's bedside only at night.

Sirius nodded. That was more like it.

But nothing anyone said... not even Ron and Hermione,

"You could have you know," Hermione said softly.

because he knew Ron would panic

"HEY!" Ron said. "I... yeah, all right. I'd have panicked."

and Hermione would scoff.

Hermione frowned. Would she have? Surely, she'd have been a better friend than that? But then she had been rude about Ron's uncle so maybe Harry was right. And even if he wasn't, it was upsetting that her behaviour had prevented her friend from talking to her about something that was bothering him.

The fact remained... near-fatal accidents;

Sirius frowned.

the first time, he had nearly been run over... over his shoulder for the beast?

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione looked close to tears.

And then there were the Dementors... their dying parents.

"Because the others don't have that sort of trauma in their past," Claudius, one of the mind healers said. "You're reaction is perfectly justified."

Because Harry knew who that screaming voice belonged to now.

Mrs Weasley was crying into a handkerchief.

He had heard her words... moonlight on the ceiling.

"You should have said," Poppy said. "I'd have given you some Dreamless Sleep."

When the Dementors approached him... Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her. . .

Tom fidgeted in his chair. He wasn't used to feeling guilty. It was a relatively new experience, something he hadn't felt in... well, he wasn't quite sure how long.

Harry dozed fitfully... dwell again on his mother's voice.

Harry closed his eyes. They stung with unshed tears and he couldn't bear to look at anyone. He knew he'd only see more pity.

It was a relief to return... endure Draco Malfoy's taunting.

Draco was horrified. He had never known why Potter was so affected. He should never have taunted him for that. He didn't even flinch when both his parents looked at him, their eyes full of anger. He knew he deserved it.

Malfoy was almost beside himself... Dementor imitations across the dungeon;

Severus frowned. Why hadn't his older self stopped him?

Ron finally cracked... caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.

"That wasn't the answer," Arthur said, shaking his head slightly.

"If Snape's teaching Defense... "Check who's in there, Hermione. "

Minerva and the other teachers looked torn between telling Ron off and letting it go. They could understand why the boy was angry but still, he should attend his classes. Besides, if anyone had a right to be angry it was Harry and he wasn't saying anything.

Hermione peered... dark shadows beneath his eyes;

"Must have been the full moon," Sirius said.

nevertheless, he smiled... why should he give us homework?"

The teachers laughed. Homework should always be expected. When didn't they give homework?

"We don't know anything about werewolves -"

"Use your textbook or I don't know, visit the library," Flitwick said sarcastically.

"- two rolls of parchment!"... "- two rolls of parchment!"

The teachers looked mildly entertained. Two rolls might be slightly excessive but he had taught them a lesson on werewolves, why shouldn't they be able to complete the homework.

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation... You don't have to do the essay. "

Minerva sighed. "Remus, you're too kind to them."

Remus merely shrugged. He wanted their education to be enjoyable.

"Oh no,"... "I've already finished it!"

Everyone laughed.

They had a very enjoyable lesson... squelching noise against the glass.

Remus looked pleased. They'd learn far more if they enjoy the lesson.

When the bell rang... "I'd like a word. "

Sirius leaned forward. Would Remus finally tell Harry that he knew his parents.

Harry doubled back... I arrived at Hogwarts.

"More like they planted it because I arrived at Hogwarts," Remus said.

People used to play a game... No broomstick would have a chance. "

"Idiot," Sirius and Severus both said.

"Did you hear about the Dementors... let them inside the grounds...

"Why would they want to enter the grounds?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"They were most likely hungry," Albus said.

Molly looked concerned at that.

I suppose they were the reason... "It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply,

The four mind healers all nodded their heads in agreement, glad that someone had told the child that.

as though he had read Harry's mind... that the others don't have. "

"Exactly," Claudius said.

A ray of wintry sunlight... happiness out of the air around them.

Mrs Weasley looked horrified. Why had she wanted them at the school? How could she think they'd protect the children?

Even Muggles feel their presence... You have nothing to feel ashamed of. "

Harry shared a small smile with Remus.

"When they get near me -"... murdering my mum. "

Claudius smiled. This was progress. Heir Potter was sharing. And with an adult too. Without being prompted or forced.

Lupin made a sudden motion... There was a moment's silence, then -

"I imagine I wanted to hug you," Remus said. "I don't know why my older self didn't tell you, but I was something of an honourary uncle. Until... Well, I stayed away to keep you safe. Dumbledore said you were safest kept away from our world. I shouldn't have listened to him. But yes, I imagine in that moment, I wanted to hug you and promise you that you'd never have to come across a dementor again. Of course, I wouldn't have been able to honour such a promise."

"Why did they have to come... prey has dried up. . .

Several of the parents in the chamber gasped. Really, it was disgusting that these beasts had been allowed anywhere near their children.

I don't think they could resist... it was their idea of a feast. "

Several people looked like they might be sick.

"Azkaban must be terrible,"... Most of them go mad within weeks. "

"That's inhumane!" Mr Granger said. "I don't care what they've done. That's not right."

Some of the people in the chamber looked like they wanted to disagree with him.

Tom nodded though. "I always thought so."

Harry smiled sadly at the muggle. "The wixen world doesn't have a very clear view of human rights."

"But Sirius Black escaped from them,"... if he is left with them too long. . . "

"Didn't you ever tell anyone I was an animagus?" Sirius asked Remus in surprise.

"No. Never. I probably should have. I don't know if my older self did that year," Remus said with a sigh, "but it didn't feel right. My wolf couldn't do it. And I didn't want to disappoint Dumbledore. We were reckless idiots when we were in school. I didn't want to have to tell him..."

Sirius nodded. He understood. Remus had always felt indebted to the headmaster. Although, he hoped his friend hadn't put his own pride ahead of his pup's safety. But it was impossible to know without reading more.

"You made that Dementor on the train... "Can you teach me?"

"Unlikely," Remus said softly. "It's very advanced magic."

"I don't pretend to be an expert... I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill. "

Remus looked surprised. Why would he agree to teach a third year a spell that was well beyond his abilities?

What with the promise of anti-Dementor lessons... Harry's mood took a definite upturn.

Amos frowned at the mention of his son's defeat.

Gryffindor were not out of the running... keeping them at their stations at the entrances.

Albus sighed in relief.

Two weeks before the end of the term... turned out to be real, fluttering fairies.

"That's sort of cool," Mrs Granger said eagerly. Her younger self nodding in agreement.

The students were all happily discussing their plans... two weeks with Percy,

"HEY!" Percy glared at Ron.

and Hermione insisted... he was very grateful.

Ron and Hermione both blushed at being caught out. Sirius sighed, perhaps they weren't so bad after all.

To everyone's delight except Harry's... Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"

"Oh, yes," Mr Granger said. "They were delicious."

Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year... he definitely needed a new broom of his own.

"Why bother looking?" Draco asked. "You're obviously going to buy a Firebolt."

"I wouldn't have bought a Firebolt," Harry said softly.

Draco scoffed. "Yeah, right. That's why you did."

On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip... a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.

Remus and Sirius eyed George suspiciously.

"What are you doing?"... beaming, to look at Harry.

Minerva glared at George too, wondering just what the twins were up to. She wasn't the only one. Both Mrs Weasleys were doing the same.

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry,"... nothing written on it.

"It isn't!" Sirius said, leaning forward in his excitement.

Harry, suspecting... patting the parchment fondly.

"The secret of their success they say," Sirius grinned. He liked that.

"It's a wrench, giving it to you,"... "And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry.

Sirius scoffed. "That's no bit of old parchment."

"A bit of old parchment!"... young, carefree, and innocent -"

"Were you ever innocent?" Ron asked.

George shrugged.

Harry snorted... we got into a spot of bother with Filch. "

"Big surprise there," Percy grumbled.

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason -"

"I wonder why," Severus sighed. He'd heard the caretaker rant about the twins plenty in the last two years.

"So he hauled us off to his office... "- disembowelment -"

Everyone looked torn between laughing at what they hoped was a joke and fear that they were actually speaking the truth.

"- and we couldn't help noticing a drawer... I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed - this. "

Minerva tutted.

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know,"... taught us more than all the teachers in this school. "

The teachers looked highly offended.

"You're winding me up,"... "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. "

Everyone sat forward eagerly.

And at once, thin ink lines... Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Several people gasped. They'd heard those names in this very chamber. They all looked at Sirius and Remus.

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers... Hogwarts castle and grounds.

The teachers were impressed. The school was supposed to be unplottable. Albus in particular, started wondering exactly how they'd done it.

But the truly remarkable thing ... Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study;

"That's impossible," Minerva said.

"Not impossible, just very difficult," Remus said. "We tied it to the wards. It took a lot of research and time to get the spells perfect."

"Not to mention hours upon hours of exploring the school," Sirius added.

the caretaker's cat... And many of them seemed to lead -

"Hogsmeade," Minerva frowned.

"Right into Hogsmeade,"... completely blocked.

Albus grinned. He loved Hogwarts. There was so much he didn't even know about the school.

"Didn't you think you should tell a teacher?" Mrs Weasley said. "If you knew ways to enter the school, what's to say that Black couldn't have used them?"

George shrugged. "I was fifteen. I wasn't about to go and spoil all my own fun."

And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one... through that one-eyed old crone's hump. "

"That's amazing!" several people said.

Minerva frowned. They'd all be trying to sneak out after this.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs,"... lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.

Mrs Weasley glared at Sirius.

"Right," said George briskly... And it'll go blank. "

"That really is quite impressive," Albus said.

"Albus! You shouldn't be encouraging them!" Minerva groaned.

"Obviously, they shouldn't break the rules, but you have to admit the magic is impressive," Albus said with a sigh.

"So, young Harry,"... a satisfied sort of way.

Minerva huffed. Here they all were trying to keep Harry safe and he was going to sneak out of the school.

Harry stood there... he wouldn't have to pass the Dementors at all...

"You can't!" young Hermione said. "It's against school rules."

"Who cares!" young Ron said.

But even as he stood there... if you can't see where it keeps its brain.

"Very sensible," Mr Weasley said. "Although, I think you're safe with this one. Not that you should be sneaking out," he added after his wife glared at him.

This map was one of those dangerous... without anything horrible happening. . .

"Fair reasoning," Albus said. "Although you really shouldn't sneak out."

Harry traced the secret passage... 'Dissendium. '

"That is truly amazing!" Flitwick said.

"Dissendium!"... both excited and apprehensive, he set off.

Sirius grinned. He probably shouldn't encourage Harry in this but really the boy deserved a little fun. Even Severus had had more fun at Hogwarts than Harry seemed to. And he'd always had his head stuck in a text book.

The passage twisted and turned... his feet very cold.

"The village is further away than people realise," Albus said. "Although I imagine the passage ways take a more direct route than the road."

Ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps... his head hit something hard.

Someone sniggered at that.

It seemed to be a trapdoor... peered over the edge.

"I'm surprised the owners of Honeydukes never noticed a secret tunnel," Minerva said.

He was in a cellar... impossible to tell it was there.

"Well, that explains that I suppose," Minerva huffed.

Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase... somebody was about to come downstairs.

Everyone held their breath.

"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear... and then straightened up.

"Would have been easier with your cloak," Sirius said.

"Don't encourage him!" Mrs Weasley said.

"I'll encourage him if I want to," Sirius retorted. "He's my godson."

Honeydukes was so crowded... if he could see where Harry was now.

"That would be brilliant!" Ron said.

There were shelves upon shelves... exploding bonbons.

"Just think of their teeth," Mrs Granger groaned.

Harry squeezed himself through a crowd... they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"Why were you looking in that section?" Draco asked. "Everyone knows Harry likes pumpkin pasties and sugar quills."

Everyone looked at Draco in surprise.

"What?" he asked. "It's true. Everyone knows."

"Do they?" Harry asked, bewildered. He was surprised Draco knew his favourite sweets.

"It was in Witch Weekly," Draco muttered, turning pink.

Theo patted his friend on the back. He'd always wondered if Draco had a crush on Potter. Although he totally got why. Potter was hot.

"How about these?"... "you've learned to Apparate!"

"You can't apparate in Hogwarts!" Hermione complained.

"'Course I haven't,"... "I'm their brother!"

"Harry's need was greater than yours," George said with a shrug.

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous.

"You don't get to just decide that!" Sirius growled. "That's Harry's legacy. If we hadn't had it confiscated, James would have given it to Harry when he first started school." The if he wasn't dead, went unsaid.

"He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

Sirius glared at the girl. While he understood why she thought he should, that didn't mean he agreed. Or even that he liked the way she had just presumed that Harry would do what she thought was right.

"No, I'm not!"... Fred and George had nicked it!"

George smiled at Harry. He knew he could trust him.

"But what about Sirius Black?"... The teachers have got to know!"

"She has a point," Remus said with a sigh.

"He shouldn't be in Hogsmeade at all!" Mrs Weasley huffed.

"He can't be getting in through a passage," ... so unless he knew it was there -"

"Which I did," Sirius said, "but how were you to know that."

Harry hesitated... every night after sundown.

"How unpleasant," Narcissa said with a shiver.

This measure has been put in place... Merry Christmas!

"Well, that's cheery," Sirius said.

"See?" ... They live over the shop!"

"That's a fair analysis," Remus said, sighing. It was no wonder Harry was always getting into trouble.

"It doesn't change the fact that Harry is breaking school rules!" Mrs Weasley grumbled.

"Yes, but - but -" ... he'll be in so much trouble!

"I think this is one of those times where you just have to accept that you don't agree with what your friend is doing," Mr Granger said, giving his daughter a pat on the shoulder. "Sometimes that happens. It's his life. Not yours. You share your concerns and you let it go."

And it's not nightfall yet... Harry deserves a break. "

Sirius laughed. Harry should never have been forced to stay at the school in the first place. In the future, he'd make sure Harry's permission form was signed.

Hermione bit her lip... but honestly, Harry -"

"You didn't really think I would?" Hermione asked.

"Not then," Harry said with a shrug. "Later in the year, yeah, I did."

"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?" ... Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"

"Not likely," said Fred.

When Ron and Hermione had paid... he didn't have his cloak.

Poppy gave an exasperated eye roll.

They headed up the street... "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"

"That's a definite must," Sirius said excitably. "Butterbeer is the best. Well, until you're old enough for firewhiskey," he told the younger Harry. Older Harry nodded his agreement.

Harry was more than willing... entering the tiny inn.

Mrs Weasley looked ready to explode. But luckily the book didn't give her a chance before it continued on.