Proper Life

I'm only kind of sorry to be telling you guys this, but instead of a full on series incorporating the Proper Life of Harry Potter with his parents, this'll actually be taking place in the quick shots below.

I've found, I'm not very good at writing.

Putting down people's head reaction shots to what's going on to their loved ones, no problem, comes naturally, easy peasy for me and I love doing it!

Coming up with plots and carrying them through to a proper ending for a whole book, not so much...

I tried multiple times, but apparently I am just not very good at AU's in particular as I consistently kept arguing with myself on what should and should not be kept in for the sake of the books as opposed to what should have been changed. So instead I'll just be showing the highlight real's like the one below and we'll track until the seventh year in sequential chapters. I'm still reeling this is the last Harry Potter anything I plan on posting, so I hope you all like what's come of it. 

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"This is it?" Harry said in awe as the scarlet steam engine gleamed brightest of all on the platform. He tried to run forward, to find a compartment and get this jouncy started, but James seemed more reluctant than ever to let Harry out of his sight.

He instead crouched down low, managing to block out everything around him as he kept his only sons attention, "now you remember what I said? Don't you let anyone intimidate you into talking about, about your history." He faltered as Harry's lower lip quivered again. He'd been dreading saying to Harry his whole life what he'd been forced to explain to him the day before they'd gone to Diagon Alley. After his first magical foray into his proper world he seemed to have managed to not linger on the horrible tail. Now though, at James' reminder, he glanced nervously at those around him, and for the first time caught a few looking back curiously, looking to his forehead.

"Dad," he whispered so quietly it was a wonder he heard in the crowd. "What if I can't make any friends, because of..." he couldn't bare to finish, but James understood.

"I met my best friend on that train," his father promised at once. He continued with pure conviction, a knowledge he had no hope of explaining that he shared with his son nonetheless. "A lot of people expected differently from him because of his name as well, but look at your Uncle Sirius, couldn't have a better friend. Same thing is going to happen to you son, I can feel it."

Harry flung his arms around him as the train whistle blew a warning, and Harry forced himself to release his grip and start pulling with all his might on his luggage. James helped him as far as he could, but knew better against helping load his sons things away. He made it to the steps, gave one last wave, and then he was rounding the bend out of sight.

1

"Sight for sore eyes, eh Harry?" Hagrid caught his eye as he and Ron followed close behind him, to where Harry still couldn't guess. "How's your dad?"

"Good," Harry said, before asking for the third time, "please tell us what's fixing to happen Hagrid!"

"Can't do that Harry, wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," he mock whispered as they finally rounded the bend and found a fleet of boats. As Hagrid called for four to each, Harry waved a temporary goodbye, Ron muttering to him, "how'd you know him? My brothers have told me about Hagrid, but he seemed to know you."

"He came with me and my dad on my first Hogsmeade trip," Harry said casually. "Guess he knew my dad from way before or some such."

They were joined in their boat by the toadless boy and the bossy girl helping him from the train, so Harry and Ron didn't say more as they headed to the place of Harry's dreams.

1

"Dreams do come true!" Ron said in relief as he finally sat down next to Harry out of the spotlight.

Harry took a moment to agree as he watched Sophie Roper be sorted into Slytherin with a curious feeling he couldn't explain. All of his family had been sorted into Gryffindor, but despite this his dad had sworn he'd be happy in whatever house Harry was in. He believed that, and tried to ask to be in Slytherin house. The hat had been, amused, and seemed to agree even, until the last second for all to hear where he was now.

What had changed the hats mind Harry knew not, but, he turned resolutely away and kept up the light conversation he'd had with Ron all day, instead focusing on how right his dad had been. Though people stared avidly at his scar upon first meeting them, so far Ron had still at least kept up a lively conversation with him. Now as he began talking to his new dorm mates, he found even more people to talk to, still a wondrous feeling for someone who'd only grown up with only his cousin to talk to all his life.

Dean and Seamus were chatting happily, the former apparently having loads of siblings but being the only wizard so far, and Seamus telling a rather funny story about his dad finding out about all this.

The others laughed as Ron turned to Neville and asked about him.

Neville had to swallow around a mouthful of pudding for a moment before shrugging and saying, "nothing like that. Both of my parents are Auror's so me and my sister spend a lot of time at my Gran's house, and she's something alright. She insisted I was a squib for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned -" Harry choked on his treacle tart, trying to force back a combination of laughter and concern upon hearing that.

Neville noticed all the same and gave a light smile to Harry as he said, "yeah, my Dad nearly killed him for that. But nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road.

After my parents got done shouting at everyone the way they were acting, they were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad. My sister keeps stealing him away though, I had to smuggle him on the train and he got loose."

Harry grinned at him and asked, "what's your sisters name?"

"Maybell," he said with a small smile, and Harry at once got the feeling of big brother alert. Then Neville quickly changed the subject, and Harry instead turned into another conversation.

1

Conversation was silenced as yet another new teacher entered, though at least this time Harry felt no fear of what to expect.

Professor Lupin began his class with calling roll, then smiled and leaned back against his desk as he surveyed them all and began, "Defense Against the Dark Art's will be one of the more broader subjects you will be taking. We will both be going over many of the dark creatures that you will most likely encounter in this world, as well as the majority of your more common offensive and defensive spells. If you take away nothing else from this class, know this, once you cast a spell, you can not take it back."

He then had the class go into pairs and write out what they hoped the class would go over, Professor Lupin stating he would take it all into consideration throughout the year around their actual curriculum. Harry was quite pleased with himself, he only almost slipped up once in starting to call him Uncle, and the Professor only gave a slight smile in Harry's direction more when he'd called his name on roll.

1

Rolls seemed to reverse in his other classes. He seemed to be stared at more as the days went on for his last name was continually whispered as he passed in the corridors. Friday morning came a note from his father with another promise it would all cool down though, and Harry forced himself to relax and ignore two girls seats away obviously watching him. Instead he focused on today's lesson.

Potions was a class in particular he was having mixed feelings about. He knew it was his mother's best subject, so he automatically wanted to walk in and excel at it as well. That didn't seem likely with their teacher though.

The class was held in the dungeons, and Professor Quirinus Quirrell stuttered his way through an introduction about how useful Potions could be, and then began quizzing the class on a few basic questions like where to find a bezoar. Hermione was the only one to volunteer the information. Then he started picking out students and asking them individually. When he turned his attention to Seamus, and instead asked if you should take the potion off before or after putting porcupine quills in, he answered correctly, and returned with a question of his own of where he'd gotten the turban, a source of great rumor about the school as it smelled strongly of garlic.

He told the class it was a thank you gift for getting rid of some zombies, but this story seemed rather fickle, when asked for details Quirrell tried to distract them with the weather. When that didn't work, as there were no windows down there anyways, he instead set them to the task of making a potion to cure boils.

Another reason Harry hadn't been too thrilled to get to this two hour long class, was that it was the only one he shared with the Slytherin's. Harry and Ron hadn't had much contact with Malfoy since the train ride, to which they were both grateful, but now in his Head of House's presence he seemed to be going out of his way to make a nuisance of himself, constantly speaking as loudly as possible about how he was sure he was doing his potion correctly and eyeing Quirrell hopefully like he expected praise for it. None came, and when he realized that didn't work, he instead went rather quiet and began whispering to his two friends, making the end of the lesson beginning to feel like a bad omen to Harry and Ron. Thankfully they made it out without anything too bad happening, and decided since it was Friday, they'd finally take a wander around the grounds.

Stepping out of the front doors felt like a huge relief after the mountains of homework he'd already been assigned in his first week. He and Ron spent several hours wandering the grounds, admiring the lake and daring each other to go all the closer towards the Forest. They were following a path that they noticed ended near a wooden hut when they heard it.

Near an outcropping of rocks to the side, gales of laughter, and something more muffled they couldn't make out. Harry and Ron went over to check it out, to find Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle barely standing up they were laughing so hard, with Neville on the ground at their feet, covered in boils.

Harry and Ron didn't stop to consider it, didn't even exchange a look to decide, but ran forward and put themselves between their dorm mate and the bullies, whose smile only widened.

"What's the matter Potter?" Malfoy jeered, shaking an empty vial in Harry's direction. "Did you want a makeover to? So sorry we ran out, maybe next time though."

Harry was itching to reach for his wand, but reflected he honestly didn't know any spells to use, so instead squared off and snapped, "shove off Malfoy, what's he done to you!"

Ron was bending over Neville, and Harry heard him quietly asking if he was alright, to which Harry could only hear a moan in reply. What could have happened next might not have ended well, as the two of them were still slightly overpowered by Crabbe and Goyle who were eyeing them with the highest of distaste, when they were all interrupted by a booming bark.

Malfoy flinched and took an automatic step away, which seemed like the right idea when a great boar-hound came galloping right towards them, still barking like mad. The Slytherins didn't glance back as they made a run for it, but Harry stood his ground and watched the dog curiously.

He was rewarded for this by the pooch coming right up to him and sniffing him curiously, before wagging it's tail, and Harry couldn't help but grin and scratch its ears, which at first relaxed at the touch, but then pricked curiously and the dog looked back over it's shoulder and barked again, this time in response to the man calling out, "Fang? Where did you run off to?"

Then the giant came into view as well, and quickly took over the scene, a clear frown making an appearance behind the great bearded face. "Wha's goin on 'ear?" He was clearly looking at Neville, who had taken slowly to his feet, and still looked miserably in pain.

"Malfoy and some of his group jumped Neville here," Ron explained quickly, and Neville was nodding along his agreement, though a few boils covering his lips left him incapable of agreeing out loud. "They ran though when they saw your dog coming."

Hagrid nodded his understanding, then said, "alright, well I think you should best get him off to the Hospital Wing then, you know where that is?"

"Yes," Harry agreed at once, going over to Neville's other side, and they started leading Neville back up to the school before Harry thought to look back over his shoulder and say, "thank you!"

He watched him nod and still look after them curiously before calling his dog back to his side and heading back towards his cabin.

1

"Cabin by the Forest? Must be Hagrid, good of him to step in," Madam Pomfrey kept up a string of mutters as she tended Neville.

Harry had gotten even more odd looks, though he hadn't believed that was possible, but they got Neville up to the hospital wing to a very upset Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the matron. Harry quickly learned that she was a motherly person, falling over Neville at once and giving him the proper treatment and demanding he take some bed rest until she was sure it had worked, leaving Neville stuck there for at least another hour. The odd part was that she didn't ask how it happened though.

Ron tried to convince Harry they should go to McGonagall and tell her what happened to Neville, and Harry was fixing to agree when some of the boils finally left Neville's face and he told them not to, it wasn't worth it. The two friends spent the subsequent hour trying to convince him otherwise, but Neville wouldn't budge, so instead they began talking mostly about joking paybacks they'd like to deal back to Malfoy. Harry's favorite was Neville's who said they should dunk him in the lake and see what his face comes up like.

Harry did decide to ask what had even happened, and Neville simply shrugged and muttered Malfoy had caught him off guard, clearly looking to change the subject, so Harry didn't let it linger. He'd noticed that Neville hadn't once given him a wide eyed look of admiration like every other first year, nor had he been one to whisper all week, in fact upon reflection Harry noticed Neville had been spending a lot of time by himself, so he respected that for now and didn't press on what he'd been doing out there.

Feeling almost protective at this point, Harry and Ron mutely decided to spend the rest of the day with Neville, and after dinner, found it more then worth it when he helped them breeze through their Herbology homework. He was pretty fun to talk to as well, more of a quiet boy, but clearly had a good sense of humor since he laughed at most of their jokes.

That evening while the three of them sat around the fire, Harry came across an issue of the daily prophet. The title of it was still talking about the break in Ron had mentioned, and curios to see if there was anything new, Harry briefly read the article, before noticing the date.

"Hey, Ron, you didn't say this happened on my birthday!"

"I didn't know it did," Ron said at once, craning over to double check it. "Wow, that's weird. Might have been happening while you were there."

"Not too out there," Neville agreed, watching the moving picture warily, which was a cranky goblin shutting the door on a reporter's face. "The best time for someone to pull something like that off would be in the middle of the day, in plain sight, you know, during their busiest hours."

Harry could feel a little prickling feeling going up his spine again, glanced down at his DADA homework, then announced, "you know, I'll bet Professor Lupin's still up, it's not curfew for another hour. I'm going to go ask him if he can point out another book we can find this stuff in."

The homework assignment was actually fairly straightforward, going over some of the local creatures you could find at the bottom of the lake here on the grounds, but it was as good an excuse as any, which Ron and Neville bought and hopped Harry would come back with a good answer, so he excused himself and made his way down to his Uncle's office.

Harry knocked and only had to wait a moment before his Uncle Remus opened the door and smiled down at him, chuckling, "I wondered how long it would take before you started asking me to do your homework."

He laughed back as he came in, taking a comfortable seat and looking around curiously. The only personal touches in the room were a few shelves of books, and a tank in the back corner housing some large creature with a bejeweled shell. The opposite corner held an empty owl stand where Mitize supposedly slept, though she was probably out hunting now. It was brightly lit in here, all the curtains drawn back with an excellent view of the Forbidden Forest, the Whomping Willow, and you could just make out some smoke coming from Hagrid's Hut out the edge.

His Uncle took a seat opposite him and waited patiently, knowing Harry hadn't come up here for the view. After mulling it over for a moment, he decided against hedging anything and blurted out, "what's that thing Hagrid took out of Gringotts on my birthday? Has it got anything to do with Voldemort?"

Whatever he'd been expecting, it wasn't that. Remus winced and looked away from him, out the window as well, before releasing a great puff of air and looking back at him with steady eyes and an earnest face. "Harry, if it involved you, I'd have told you about it."

"You didn't before," he muttered, unable to stop that one from slipping out, and regretting it the moment he flinched again. "Sorry," he sighed, "I know you guys were just, looking out for me and stuff."

"We all agreed when James decided not to tell you that Harry, decided he wanted to wait and let you have a normal childhood. We all knew how you might feel about it later, but what's this got to do with that package? Why the sudden interest?"

Harry admitted how he found it quite the coincidence that it had happened on his birthday, and Remus gave him a wane smile. "I didn't find out about that until that night, then I quite agreed with you for a time, it did make my skin crawl to realize who ever had done it could have been right next to us, but no Harry. I am now positive it had nothing to do with you."

The way he emphasized the word 'you' though lead Harry to ask, "who then? Is it to do with Voldemort?"

He knew he'd gotten it the moment his Uncle hesitated, fidgeting with the cuff of his sleeve for a moment, and then shot a dirty look at his office door. He took his time before answering, "I'm not at liberty to say, otherwise I'd have done so. Just know that it's not something you have to worry about, alright pup?"

Unlike his Uncle Sirius, his Uncle Remus only used that nickname affectionately when he really needed Harry to hear what he was saying, and so for now, Harry agreed to let the matter go.

1

Going through the whole first week of school had been like a dream come true, but still he couldn't be more pleased for the first Saturday, which came bright and early, but Harry was the last one to wake. He eagerly got dressed and headed down into his common room to see Ron and Neville sitting around, playing wizard's chess. Harry walked over, requesting the time, and it took Neville a moment before he responded, "eh? Oh, it's almost lunch time. We were going to wake you after this game."

Then he made his move.

Ron only hesitated for a few moments before a wide smile broke across his face and he declared, "check mate!"

Neville blinked once, then again, before releasing a surprised breath and admitting defeat with a grin before turning properly to Harry and asking, "you ever played him? That's the third game in a row he's gotten me."

Harry was intrigued at once and admitted this had yet to come up, he was now itching to try himself. Ron had a rather smug grin still in place as he shrugged and said, "my older brother Bill's been teaching me for ages."

Lunch was postponed for one more spectacular game where Ron proceeded to take over the board and declare another win, then all three of them really did agree it was time for food.

"So what did you want to do today?" Ron asked casually.

They were walking past a stained glass window with a beautiful view of the lake, so Harry voiced, "how about we go exploring the grounds a bit more today. We didn't get much chance yesterday."

Harry caught Neville blushing slightly out of the corner of his eye, but before he could ask Neville muttered, "right well, ah, you two enjoy that. Think I'll spend the afternoon in the library, still got some homework."

"Come on Neville," Ron wheedled. "I'll need backup when the sun starts setting and Harry's still trying to drag me around."

Harry added in his own bit, and not to much convincing later plus a healthy lunch and the three boys were out on the grounds again. They spent a lot of time meandering around every inch of the beautiful lake, occasionally stooping to skip rocks into the water and see whose could go out the farthest. After a few rounds Neville managed to win, claiming he'd had plenty of practice as he lived very near a lake.

As the heat continued pounding in on them their feet started dragging them into the reaching shades of the Forest, and before they knew it they were once again near the boundaries of Hagrid's hut. They saw the man himself sitting outside on a stool, wearing a flowered apron and shelling peas. Fang was lounging in a patch of sun until they approached close enough his head perked up curiously and he gave a friendly woof.

Hagrid easily caught sight of their open approach, and Harry could just make out a friendly smile through the thick beard as he called out, "'ello there. It was Neville right, glad to see you're okay."

Neville blushed but gave his hello back, while introducing them all. He greeted them all politely and praised, "good of you two to stick up for him like tha'. Always a joy to see. Probably would have recognized you both though-" he turned his attention to Ron first and chuckled, "spent half me life chasing your twin brothers away from the forest. Plus, I knew yer brother Charlie, always a great lad to talk to about the creatures around here. An' you Harry-"

Harry braced himself for Hagrid to go on about all the stories he'd heard of the great Harry Potter, but Hagrid instead beamed as he said, "you look a lot like yer Dad, but you've got yer mum's eyes."

Instead of the sadness he usually felt when anybody he'd ever known to speak about his mother, Harry instead got a spike of excitement as he blurted, "you knew my mother?"

"Sure I did," he nodded, "one o' the smartest witches I ever did meet, shame what happened to her, cried all night I did. Watched her and yer Dad do a dance for yer's." He finished with a warm chuckle, and more then intrigued, Harry eagerly came forward and asked, "what was she like?"

Before they knew it, the sun was sinking back behind the forest, and the three of them had spent all day there. Hagrid was such a pleasant fellow to talk to, and he told all sorts of interesting stories about all three of their family members. When they realized they'd missed dinner at the castle, Hagrid even invited them to stay over for dinner at his place, which they quickly realized was a mistake when he made an inedible concoction that was supposedly some kind of stew.

Too polite to do otherwise, they managed to swallow a few mouthfuls before thanking him for the afternoon and hoping to make it back in time for dessert. Hagrid eagerly told them to come back any time they pleased, which they all agreed to both as they were leaving, then again amongst themselves over some pudding.

"Can't believe Percy once caught a whole classroom on fire. Good thing Fred and George hadn't been here yet, or they'd never let him live that down," Ron snickered.

"He's alright, Hagrid," Neville eagerly agreed, "and he obviously knows loads about this place."

Harry agreed with both of them, and determined he'd love to make another stop back there next chance he got. Never before had he been able to ask so many open ended questions about his mom, and not have to watch his dad or one of his Uncle's be so depressed. Hagrid had clearly meant what he'd said about mourning his mother, the whole time he'd spoken of her with high respect, and Harry was eager to go back again simply for the giant man's company.

1

Company was something Harry was used to with his family growing up, he felt as if he'd never really been alone, but somehow that had always felt like he was being watched to. Now he felt free surrounded by his friends, though he couldn't claim to always enjoy all the time he seemed to have outside of supervision, as that's when Malfoy seemed likely to find them.

Harry had never hated a boy as much as he hated Draco Malfoy. He'd never met a bully before and couldn't believe how obvious Draco was about it.

At first he'd seemed to find particular joy in tormenting Neville. Harry and Ron figured out why he'd been out alone that Friday, he'd been going over to the Greenhouses and Malfoy had surprised him, though apparently the trap had been for Harry as they'd been talking about putting that messed up potion in his dinner that night.

In the days that followed though, Harry had the feeling Neville would have become their friend even if it wasn't for Malfoy's interference. Quite as he was, he seemed plenty smart and more then willing to follow along with Harry and Ron's wandering ways, seeming to just enjoy the company. Malfoy tried a few more things, but once he realized he wasn't going to catch Neville on his own easily, he reverted back to verbally mocking them in Potions class where Quirrell didn't care one bit what the class seemed to do, something Harry found very frustrating, as neither he nor his friends were much good at the subject and would have appreciated a bit more help.

Thankfully though, Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't have much to do with each other except for the Potion's classes, that is until they found out when they'd be having their flying lessons. The flier they found said it would be that Thursday at three-thirty, and they'd be having the lessons with the Slytherins.

"Great," Neville groaned, "just what I always wanted, to make a fool of myself in front of Malfoy."

"Cheer up Neville," Harry said at once, "I'm sure you won't be that bad. Loads of kids have never been on a broom before." He'd already greatly missed his weekends flying his broom around home, racing his cousin and playing with an old Quaffle ball his dad had. In Harry's younger years he'd been in a little league Quidditch game, but that only ran to the ages of five to ten. His personal preference then had been the seeker, and he was eager to go to tryouts the following weekend and see some of the older players at it. He'd learned Ron had a similar upbringing, playing pickup games with his brothers all the time in an orchard they had around their house.

On the other hand, he'd learned that Neville had never done any such thing. Despite having the space, as they lived by a very large lake away from prying muggle eyes, his mother had once had a horrible accident on a broom and was leary of letting her kids have one.

Ron was quick to also reason out, "anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

Harry didn't really believe these, and was half convinced Malfoy didn't even know what a helicopter was, but he'd never stopped him to ask.

His words would be put to the test anyway as the day of Quidditch practice came around, which started with a bang.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained, though for whose benefit Harry wasn't sure, as he recognized the object. He'd never found much use in it though, since the thing wasn't ever specific enough and could mean something as simple as forgetting a jacket.

Still he could see the benefit in Neville having some kind of reminder, which Neville himself pointed out as he continued, "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "You've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Since they were at opposite ends of the hall, Harry had no doubts he was just over here looking for trouble, so Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash. She stopped the whole thing from escalating, much to all six boys chagrin.

Ron scoffed in disgust as he carefully watched the three walk away, muttering, "really wish we could get back at that jerk."

"You let me know if you come up with something that won't get us into trouble," Harry sighed, feeling another set of eyes watching, and not having to look far to find Professor Lupin watching with mild interest. His Uncle didn't really show any sign of concern, on the contrary he looked mildly proud, but hid it well and turned back to his breakfast. Still, Harry wasn't delusional enough to think he could go picking fights without some repercussions.

1

"Repercussions! My son made the Quidditch team before tryouts were even held! I could kiss McGonagall, what do you mean repercussions?"

"I only mean, James, that-" Dumbledore tried again, but the man was clearly not hearing a word.

"Oh I can't wait till his Christmas holiday, I can't believe you won't bend the first year rule of giving him his own broom! I don't care he was only put on the reserve team! I'm giving him one for Christmas you know, thinking about the Nimbus model, a Seeker! My boy, youngest in a century-"

"James," Dumbledore tried one more time. "Harry is already showing an aptitude for being places he shouldn't be, he's already been asking Remus questions. I'm only speaking out of concern that perhaps you should not be encouraging-"

"How could I not encourage him! Why are you here anyway? Remus told me the second it happened of course!"

"While I know how you feel about Mr. Filch-"

"That paranoid fool? You came here, to tell me Harry did something, because of-"

Dumbledore kept going around being ignored now, "he assures me he chased some students about the castle last night, and with recent mentioning of Voldemort's movement I plead caution against Harry wandering the corridors at night-"

James hardly heard a word of the man's warning. "Hogwarts is the safest place on Earth, there's no way Voldemort's getting in there. Harry made the Quidditch team! So unless you're finally going to tell me what you had Hagrid doing over the summer that involved him accompanying us to Diagon Alley over the summer, which of course I didn't mind as I like the guy, but I know you're not telling me something and making Remus not as well."

He paused expectantly, and was unsurprised at the silence. "Okay, so it's nothing so bad I need to know, great, that means everything's going to be fine!"

1

"- fine-James! Dang it, I told you to sit down, now stop freaking-"

"There was a troll in the castle and my son went after it! Bloody hell, he's lucky he wasn't killed! And you're sure-"

"Not a scratch on him James," Remus reassured for the tenth time, trying to convince the understandably jumpy father from not apparating up here and checking for himself. "Him and three other first years walked away from it scotch free."

Through the mirror he heard a very heavy sigh of relief. All his anxiety wasn't gone though, judging from his face he still looked half tempted to come up there, but having a feeling Harry would find that more embarrassing then necessary, he still felt rather guilty the poor boy was explaining away Remus' own reaction after he'd heard and publicly checked on his nephew.

"Remus, are you okay?" James began again sharply, making him involuntarily flinch and giving away his answer at once.

Still he tried to stall and say, "why do you ask?"

"Because I know you," James huffed with a roll of his eyes. "You've been stalling about saying something, and now that I know it's not about Harry, I want to know what it is about."

Remus sighed heavily. Dumbledore had told him not to tell anyone, but he'd also never been able to get away with not telling his friends everything. He'd have to avoid them come holiday and pretty much forever until this matter was settled, which wasn't going to happen. But he'd promised Dumbledore- "Hello, Remus! Yoohoo, you fall asleep over there or something."

He grumbled something under his breath and ran a hand through his hair before giving in and saying, "Harry's not the only one who ran into a spot of trouble on Halloween is all."

James joking and light tone vanished at once, and he listened intently as Remus admitted, "Dumbledore was understandably concerned about the troll getting in, but he was afraid it may well be a diversion, so he had me go and check on, something."

He stupidly broke off there, not even bothering to wait for his friends splutter before pressing on loudly, "well long story short we didn't find out who let the troll in," he finished while absentmindedly rubbing at his leg.

James was very clearly displeased, still scowling heavily into the mirror, though Remus was thankful that was all he could see. His tone was fairly threatening now, though not aimed at Remus himself, he knew it well as he snapped, "what does Dumbledore have going on there? You were acting weird about something all summer Remus, don't try to act like you weren't. Is it dangerous?"

Remus couldn't help but huff and made a clicking noise of agitation. He didn't want to hear if he meant dangerous for him, or Harry, and simply reminded, "I can't say James, you know I can't. If I could I would have, and that's not why I called. I wasn't sure if Harry would tell you about last night, now I know you know. Please don't do this." He finished half pleadingly.

Amazingly, it worked. James backed down, not looking any kind of pleased, but acquitted, "alright Remus, fine. Don't tell me. Thanks for letting me know though, you're right about one thing, I doubt Harry would have gone telling about that stupid stunt. His letters always contain questions about how I'm doing, ch, I'd rather know how many secret tunnels he's found."

Remus pulled up a genuine smile now as he soothed, "he's getting into plenty of the good kind of trouble, don't you worry about that. I'm sure he's building up to something that'll give you flashbacks. Take care of yourself, tell the others I said hi."

James nodded before shutting the mirror off, letting Remus slump back into his chair with relief. He only waited a moment though before slowly getting to his feet and limping towards his cabinet and pulling out some bandages he'd convinced Filch to give him, without telling him the reason either.

There was no point in telling anyone about this really. Only Dumbledore knew, and that was because he'd had to report he'd seen no one go near that three headed dog. He'd been in the process of putting it to sleep and checking over the room when he'd heard the troll bellow, he'd gotten distracted, and well... at least it hadn't ripped his leg off.

The wounds weren't healing by normal magical means, which meant he wasn't too confident with going to Madam Pomfrey as he wasn't even positive she knew about the dog. As far as he did know, only the teachers who had set up some protection knew about the Stone, and he wasn't going to be the one to say otherwise. Besides, he'd dealt with cleaning his own injuries in the past, so this was nothing new.

After dressing it and putting a numbing charm around the area so that he only had a slight limp, he managed to ignore the whole thing fairly well. Or so he thought.

The very next day, Harry came to visit him in his office again. He got right to it as well, as blunt as Sirius sometimes when he was distracted. "What's wrong with your leg, are you okay?"

He couldn't help but chuckle as he sat back down and told Harry the same thing he'd told a few others, "just an accident that happened in class, no big deal, nothing permanent."

Harry looked skeptical, which Remus didn't quite understand. As far as Harry knew, why would he have any reason to lie at all? Of course he hated lying to his nephew about anything, but Dumbledore had been very explicit Remus shouldn't tell him most of all what was going on, so despite his want, he kept his mouth shut and let Harry come to whatever conclusions he wanted.

Hoping to distract him he asked, "what's that you've got there?"

"Quidditch through the Ages," Harry showed him with a smile. "First games coming up and all."

"Oh trust me, I know. Professor McGonagall's been going on nonstop about that for weeks now. But haven't you got that book memorized?" He laughed aloud, remembering several childhood nights where Harry refused to go to sleep unless he heard a chapter from that.

Harry nodded and said, "it's for my friend Neville. I asked Dad to send it in the mail for me, and I only just got it. Figured while I had an alone chance I'd come check on you."

Remus couldn't help but laugh quietly as he appraised Harry's now earnest face. "Harry, I promise you, I am fine. It's just a scratch."

This time Harry didn't hesitate before smiling back and saying, "alright then. See you at the match?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Remus said with such sincerity, even glee for the idea of a coming Quidditch game just like he always did, Harry smiled and completely relax. He was being silly of course.

1

"-course, Quidditch matches are known for their action, but this is unbelievable! How many times can these two Seekers fake each other out? There goes Panth again, what a glorious dive by the Gryffindor Seeker, shame it's his last year here."

The Seekers flew towards the Snitch, every eye in the stadium on the silver and red blurs fighting for dominance. Making one wild grab, Panth managed to snatch his fingers around the tiny golden ball, and he flew back to the ground waving it around happily before anyone even realized what happened.

The game ended in confusion, but the wild cheers of success and moans of disgust equaled out and filled the stadium, Harry right along with them as he and his friends danced around wildly in pleasure.

"That was a great game!" Hagrid beamed, still applauding his shovel like hands as the Gryffindor team went parading back to the castle, the players mixed in with hearty pats on the back. "Not that I was picking sides o' course," he added quickly when he saw the smile on Harry's face.

"Oh no, of course not," Ron snickered.

"How about you lot come around to me house," Hagrid added as the stands continued to empty. The three boys agreed at once, while Hermione only hesitated a second before following them, clearly curious for her first visit.

They spent a pleasant evening at Hagrid's, Ron and Harry boring them all stupid as they continued analyzing every second of the game that had occurred, leading Neville and Hermione to begin a whispered conversation while Hagrid got up to go and get something out of the oven.

It was when he heard Neville whisper "-none of us have any idea, was kind of hoping you might have been thinking about that dog."

Harry stopped and looked around curiously to see Hermione shaking her head and saying, "no, I've no idea. Actually I did do a little looking into it, and I was wondering how they're even taking care of that dog. How's it getting anything to eat, or going to the bathroom. I mean it barely fit in the room-"

There was a crash and the four of them turned to find Hagrid had dropped a glass tray full of some yellow hash looking food, and staring at them in shock as he demanded, "how do you know about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?" Ron repeated faintly.

"That thing has a name?" Neville yelped.

"Course he does, he's mine. Bought him off a Greek chappie I met in a pub, lent him to Dumbledore to guard-" then he cut himself off and glared reproachfully at them as he said, "now how did you know about him?"

"Oh come on Hagrid," Harry wheedled. "We're all told not to go into a certain corridor, you don't think a few students would poke there head inside just to look."

Hagrid grunted and wagged his finger at all four of them saying, "well you should stay away from him is all I'm saying. I assure you he's being perfectly taken care of, I see to that. What that's dog's guarding is strictly between Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel."

Harry tried very hard to hide the shock and pleasure that washed over him when he realized Hagrid had let a name slip, and Hagrid realized it at the same time as he now looked furious with himself.

Ron tried to convince him to keep going, but Hagrid absolutely refused and instead told them to get back to the castle for dinner now that he'd dropped his own. They had no way to argue with him, and left reluctantly.

"Well that was nearly as fun as the match," Neville muttered.

"I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before," Hermione sighed to herself, running her hand through her hair. "Or maybe read it?"

"Same here," Harry nodded, ruffling up his brow in thought. "Not in detail mind you, just a passing comment, but I can't remember where, somewhere at home I think."

"Well, we can look into that tomorrow," Ron waved off, suddenly coming to a stand still and looking just as excited as Harry had felt upon learning a new piece to their puzzle.

"Why's that?" Harry prodded when Ron's grin only continued to grow without an explanation.

"Because Harry and I have some flying practice we wanted to catch up on."

Harry spotted it then, the broom shed where the players usually stored there equipment, and Harry's mind clicked to what Ron meant.

"Oh don't," Hermione groaned as the two boys began sprinting towards it.

"No point in stopping them really," Neville sighed. "They've been wanting to do this for ages. Now the Gryffindors are going to be up all night having a party for their victory, it's the perfect time for them really."

Hermione sighed, clearly not convinced, but the two of them followed none the less as the boys made it to the shed and eagerly looked through until they found Fred and George's brooms.

Finally, after too many months on solid ground, Harry was flying freely through the air at breakneck speeds, making as many twists and sharp dives at his hearts content. Him and Ron were racing each other around the stadium and imagining a cheering crowd below, laughing so loudly that if they'd stopped to think about it they may have been making to much noise.

It was as Harry was climbing higher and higher into the sky, determined to make one last dive before he let himself turn the broom in, that he felt it. His broom jolted once, hard, nearly unseating Harry with that one move.

Harry clutched on, holding tight and hesitating, wondering if perhaps he'd done something wrong, when it happened again. He decided to turn towards Ron and call this off, and that's when he realized he had no control of the broom at all.

"Harry!"

He heard his name being called, it may have been a combination of different voices, but Harry had no idea as the broom continued carrying him higher up and bucking so furiously that after yet another wild swing, he was only holding on by one hand.

The wood was shaking so violently that he could feel his slick fingers beginning to slide off, and just as he caught something heading strait towards him, he lost his grip completely and began plummeting towards the ground.

The dark green grass below was closing in on him to quickly, he'd have no time to cast a spell even if he did know one to help himself, then WHAM, something hard smacked into him, somehow knocking him parallel to the ground rather then into it. Before that registered he was tumbling head over heels and finally landed face down in the dirt.

Panting and trembling, it took him several moments to make his jelly like arms prop himself up and glance around to find Ron a few feet away in relatively the same position, and Neville and Hermione sprinting towards them.

"What happened?" Neville yelled, his stark white face standing out clearly in the shadows. "Are you two okay, glory Harry what happened?"

"I, I don't know," Harry panted, taking his friends offered hand and sitting up right carefully as he glanced around. The broom he'd been using was lying innocently a few feet away. "The broom, it just- is Ron okay?"

He turned his attention to the red head who was slowly getting to his feet as well and trying to shake off his own fall, Hermione hovering carefully around him until they were both stable enough to come over to Harry's side. Harry got to his feet as well, much to all of their relief, while Ron blurted out, "you okay mate? Thought I hadn't grabbed you in time, what happened?"

"You caught me?" Harry asked, blinking carefully over at him before a wide grin began creeping up on him.

"Yeah," Ron huffed, then an incredulous smile began spreading across his own face before he repeated, "yeah, of course I did. Wasn't just going to let you fall. Good thing I did, or you'd be a lot flatter."

Harry couldn't help it, he released a semi hysterical laugh, while he glanced around himself again.

Neville still didn't look to be in a laughing mood though, repeating, "come on you two, focus. What happened up there?"

"I, don't know," Harry admitted with a sharp frown now as he went back over everything in his head.

"Didn't see anything either," Ron agreed grimly, "just realized you were being tossed around, can't imagine what happened. Never seen the twins brooms do this before."

They all turned their attention to Hermione, who was being curiously silent, to see her biting down on her lip. Hard.

"Hermione what's wrong," Harry demanded, "did you see something?"

Her dark brown eyes were flickering from Harry, back to the entrance of the stands, and back to him again several times before she said hesitantly, "you, didn't you say you saw Professor Lupin heading towards that three headed dog on Halloween."

"Yeah," Ron confirmed with a shrug, "so? What's that got to do with this?"

"Did any of you figure out why that was?" she prompted when they just continued staring at her.

"Well, no," Neville admitted without any real curiosity. "Maybe Dumbledore sent him up there to check on the dog or something-"

"What's this got to do with anything?" Harry snapped, starting to feel a little testy that she wasn't answering the question he'd asked.

"Because, well, because I saw someone just now."

Harry blinked hard once, then twice, before whispering, "what?"

Hermione sucked in a deep breath before waving vaguely towards the entrance to the stands, "I saw someone standing over there, and I was worried we were all about to get in trouble, but when I looked back over they were gone."

Harry felt a prickling feeling creeping up the back of his neck as he stared at her. His first instinct was to think, so what? Okay, so they weren't supposed to be out here, but of all the teachers to catch them, he liked to think his Uncle wouldn't have even been to upset, having heard all the time growing up about how his Dad snuck into the Quidditch supplies all the time to nick their stuff and use it in their free time.

Hermione was being ridiculous, or mistaken, it couldn't- "Hermione don't be ridiculous." Neville said, his eyes so wide they looked like they were going to fall out of his head. "Professor Lupin's a teacher. It must have been a trick of the light, there's no way you could have seen him or anyone out there."

"Explain what just happened to Harry then," she fired up, rounding on him at once, causing him to take a startled step back. "Someone very powerful had to have jinxed Harry's broom to make that happen."

"It wasn't him," Harry cut in with such conviction it made her fall silent and all eyes turn to him.

Harry crossed his arms and glared at all three of them as he repeated, "it couldn't have been him. Neville's right Hermione, I'm sure you're mistaken. Come on, let's put this stuff up and see if we can't get a bit of dessert."

They put the brooms back up and began making their way up to the castle, not even regretting that they'd missed dinner in favor of what they'd just been able to do. Even with the horrid way it had ended, Harry had enjoyed his flight, but there was now a sticky silence as they walked back up to the castle with a chilly wind.

1

Wind tore threw the grounds filled with ice, the lake froze over, and the castle looked more haunted as the holidays approached, but that was nothing compared to the sudden wedge between Harry and this three friends.

Arguments ceased over the holidays though, because Harry went home instead. He didn't have to feel guilty at least, as all of his friends were too, but somehow his guilt rose when he'd first seen his dad again after months and all of the traitorous confusing thoughts surrounding his Uncle Remus went unshared.

"What's the matter Harry?" Leo asked as he plopped on the stairs beside him. "I'd have thought you wouldn't shut up about Hogwarts, yet you've hardly said a word the whole of break."

He eyed his cousin for a few moments. He looked very much like his father, so much so he couldn't bear to tell his Uncle Sirius for the same reasons he couldn't Leo. They'd either dismiss him or be even more unnecessarily worried about him than they already were, which wasn't helping Harry's suspicions at all...

"Oi, come on you lot!" Uncle Sirius came skipping into the room, holding another armful of popcorn they needed to string up. "All we've got left to do is a dozen garlands, and to feed the Hippogriff! Now, who wants to see how many chocolate chips we can spare for desert?" Sirius asked, eyeing the pile without any real expectations. His son began circling around him at once, James taking the moment to tap Harry on the shoulder and whispering, "let's go outside real quick while they finish up."

Harry followed uneasily, half expecting his dad to accuse him of his traitorous thoughts the second the door closed, but instead they began walking the lawns in comfortable silence. Harry took deep breaths of the crisp air, looking about his home as a distraction for what he felt was coming.

Snow still lay freshly powdered about the ground, seemingly undisturbed by their recent Quidditch match. The two story house, loomed in the nearby mountain just as it had been when his Uncle Sirius inherited it from his Uncle Alphred, sprawled in a disjointed but friendly series of interconnected rooms that he'd grown up with, giving him and his dad as much space or company as they'd ever wanted. He'd never bothered to ask before now why the two had decided to raise their kids as good as siblings in the communal space, but suddenly everything from his past felt like it was in question. His Uncle Remus may have been around slightly less often, what with his full time job at Hogwarts, but he would no more try to hurt Harry than burn this place down.

They entered the barn, which was as warm as ever, the dust mingling with the white powder they tracked in. Buckbeak came up to greet them, clipping his beak affectionately, only a few dead ferret bones still littering the ground as he eyed the fresh hay. James deposited it in the bin, and then turned away at once, pulling a wrapped parcel from inside his robes.

"Here son," Harry watched him start to shiver slightly, and not from the cold. His tone was all but screaming with excitement, and Harry began grinning for the first time since he'd been back as he at once started to feel the same. "This has been in my family for generations. I was going to give it to you before you went to school, but I couldn't get an alone moment what with, everything," he finished with an uneasy wince, one Harry didn't need reminding of. "Me and your Uncles used to use this all the time," he stopped again with an even more awkward look, and finally said "so, you can have it now, and it's up to you when you tell your cousin."

Harry took it while beaming, and found it to be light as air. It would be like his father to give him a gag gift with nothing wrapped inside, but he somehow didn't think that's what was going on. He hadn't gotten to hear too many stories of his dads spent youth, this in fact was one of the few hints he'd gotten over the years something had happened. He eyed the parcel and wondered not for the first time what he was missing, did it involve his Uncle Remus? Surely if they'd had a fight, he wouldn't be around now?

He stuffed his questions aside and began to unwrap whatever it was.

1

Was the end of every holiday going to feel this sober? It seemed to come all too soon for Harry's liking. He knew the moment he stepped back on the train his want for the things he had now would only double. Like Hickory following him around the house, meowing to be held then purring for as long as he was scratched, before getting bored, hopping down, and repeating the whole process. Harry found the dark brown cat snoozing in his half packed trunk and didn't even have the heart to brush all of the fur away.

His dad, to, was acting much like he had before he'd started school. Nearly following his son around the house as much as the cat on their last day together and reminding his son to write more, but not to much of course because he didn't want to look lame, but to write.

It was as he finally locked his trunk did he turn to his dad, snapping his fingers as if he'd only just remembered did he finally blurt out, "oh, hey dad, do you know someone named Nicolas Flamel?"

James turned from giving Hedwig a friendly scratch to smile down at his son as he said, "not really. He's some old alchemist, think he worked with Dumbledore on, ah, something. Got his Chocolate Frog card ages ago, it's really rare now. Why do you ask?"

Harry felt excitement welling up in him like he was riding his broom for the first time all over again as he exclaimed, "because a friend mentioned the name, and its been driving me crazy to remember where I'd heard it. That's right though, you showed me that one years ago, do you mind if I have another look at it?"

His Dad was more then happy to lead Harry into his room where he dug out an old binder and began flipping through his pages worth of the treat cards before landing on the one he wanted. The man looked remarkably old, but also had a timeless appearance about him with thick white hair just gracing his shoulders and a scruffy white beard. Round rosy cheeks were currently rising and falling as the picture was asleep.

With all the carefulness he possessed, Harry removed the card from its slot and read the back, but it didn't have much to say. Just that he was famous for work on alchemy, he was married to a woman named Perenelle, and what his interests were. He wasn't sure how this could relate to what was going on at school, but as Hagrid had let this name slip, he knew this must be important, so he slipped the card back into place and thanked his dad once again.

Harry was soon loaded up onto the train and waving goodbye, and eagerly pacing his compartment for any of his other friends to arrive to share what he'd learned.

Neville was the first to find him, managing to scoot the door open while juggling Trevor in one hand and his luggage in the other, he greeted Harry slightly red in the face from exertion.

Harry was quick to help him put his trunk away, and had only just begun to explain when Ron poked his head in with a grin and demanded to know why Harry had chosen the very last compartment on the train.

"You guys, listen," Harry insisted when Neville started snickering. "I've found Nicolas Flamel."

That stopped them, making them turn back to Harry with accusing eyes as Ron demanded, "and you're just telling us this now? You've got an owl, why didn't you write and tell us?"

"I only just found out today," Harry brushed him off, almost bouncing in place as he explained to the pair about his Dad's Chocolate Frog card collection.

"An alchemist eh?" Neville said thoughtfully. "My Dad had only said he might have heard the name once ages ago, but he didn't know what it related to."

They sat around for hours, debating and speculating what this new piece could mean for what was going on at the school, before Ron finally voiced, "where do you think Hermione is? She should have found us by now?"

"She probably took the Floo network back," Neville offered with a shrug. "I hate taking that though, makes my stomach all wonky."

"Agreed," Harry smirked, "I much prefer the train, and the snacks," he added on just in time for the usual woman to poke her head in and offer them some treats. Harry and Neville took a bit for all of them to share again, and decided to change the subject to more pleasant things like their presents until they reached the castle. Harry tried his hardest not to brag about the Nimbus 2000 he'd been given and yet eagerly showed them the picture of him riding around their property on it.

Then the subject was brought up for them, as Harry was tossed one of Neville's chocolate Frog Cards, and Harry opened it to once again smack himself on the forehead and say, "Hey, I found Flamel, again!"

"What?" Ron demanded, leaning over as Harry once again read the back of his Dumbledore Chocolate Frog card, and the boys spent quite some time laughing about that. It was pretty funny that the two times they'd come across his name, had been due to chocolate.

It wasn't hard to find Hermione, who had indeed taken other means to get back to school for the holiday return. She was in the Gryffindor common room curling up next to the fire and reading, but the moment Harry reexpleind what he'd found, Hermione smacked a hand onto her forehead and ran up the stairs, actually leaving her book behind in her haste.

Hermione then in turned discovered Flamel in an old book she'd once checked out of the library, and they got as much information as they could ever want on him, and his creation of the Philosopher's Stone.

"See?" said Hermione, when they'd finished. "The dog must be guarding this! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it!"

Harry's mind began racing as he mentally agreed with her, thinking back that this explained why the Stone would have been moved out of Gringotts. "A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry aloud . "No wonder someone's after it! Anyone would want it."

Then he saw Ron and Hermione exchange a look, and Harry had the feeling he wasn't the only one not fully speaking his mind. He refused to hear them say it though as he continued by saying, "And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

Neville gave a weak laugh, frowning around at all of them as he picked up on the tension just as much.

Hermione opened her mouth, and Harry still forestalled her. "So, what do we do now? Go to Dumbledore?"

"I don't know how much good that would do," Neville said slowly. "He must already know someone's after it, that's why it's here isn't it."

"We can tell him who we think is the one after it," Ron said stoutly.

"Like Professor Lupin," Hermione finished.

Harry swallowed uncomfortably, he didn't want to hear their suspicions piled on top of his own, but Ron bounded ahead, "he's weird Harry, you can't deny that! I see him drinking this stuff all the time, and it smokes when it's empty, that's not normal! And he's always watching you, you can't deny that."

Harry swallowed painfully, the lie by omission having carried on so far now he no longer knew when it would end, or how. "We haven't got any proof," he finally spoke that at least. "Until we do, we should just, keep an eye on him," he finished lamely.

Neville readily agreed with that, and the other two stopped arguing, for now.

With it being the last day before break ended the friends spent the rest of the day enjoying their freedom, while Harry had a mental debate for his plans that night. He had yet to tell anyone about his cloak, though he fully intended to, this very first night he couldn't help but want to use it alone to travel the castle.

All he was really deciding on now was where to go with it? His greatest mystery of Flamel had been answered, so he no longer even had a want to go and visit the library. Still, when they all crawled into bed and Harry waited a bit before crawling back out, he then decided he didn't even have to have a place in mind. He slipped his new invisibility cloak back on, and went creeping back through the Fat Lady, just roaming the corridors and reveling in the castle at night.

Here, the shadows lingered and the empty corridors made the whole castle seem much larger then he was used to, he only came across his first real problem when he spotted Mrs. Norris snooping around a suite of armor, and he realized he'd never gotten around to questioning if the cloak worked on cats?

He remained as still as possible until the cat departed, but then Harry heard a new noise, voices. He'd heard nothing but the old creaking of the castle for so many hours now that it stuck out, and curious who else was up at this late hour, he began creeping forward well aware that while unseen, whoever could hear him. He stopped right behind a suite of armor and froze up when he caught some of what was being said.

"-d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet at this time Re-Remus."

It was Quirrell, but that wasn't what made Harry's heart nearly flat-line.

"I thought we'd keep this private," said Remus in the coldest voice Harry had ever heard seep through his mouth. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."

Harry had to clap his hand to his mouth to force himself not to cry out in shock at that, a million questions buzzing through him at once. Maybe he had made some noise though, because nothing else was spoken for a second before Lupin continued in a slightly lower though somehow even more menacing tone, "Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Remus, I -"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," he replied, in almost a hiss.

"I-I don't know what you-"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

When Quirrell continued to stutter out nothing though, the other's patience was clearly lost as he growled, "Fine. We'll talk again, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."

Harry didn't stick around for more, he turned tail and sprinted away as fast as he could, not even paying the slightest bit of attention which way he turned or what he ran past or through before finding himself, leaning against an unfamiliar door, but with the stinging of tears nearly overwhelming him he didn't pay it much mind as he shoved that small bit of privacy open, and finding it unlocked, hurried inside.

He stumbled towards the middle of the room, mind still spinning horribly at everything he'd just heard. He must be misunderstanding something, he just had to be missing a key to that conversation, because what he'd just heard...it wasn't possible. Surely Remus had just been telling Quirrell, to, what? Was Quirrell the one trying to steal the Stone, and his Uncle was heading him off? What had they been saying about students knowing about the Stone, how would either of them have even known he did? It just didn't line up though with that fearsome voice, and he was quite glad he hadn't seen their faces because he'd never before pictured that coming from any of his family. That cold threatening just didn't add up with the loving man he'd known all his life who hadn't ever raised his voice to any of the kids in his life!

He wanted his Mom.

That realization came so sharply he at first wasn't even aware of it, but the more he continued hyperventilating alone in this classroom, the more he recognized it to be true. He would never dream of telling his Dad or Uncle Sirius about this, because they had been friends for so many years. Harry himself still couldn't bring himself to believe, well whatever was going on, there was no way he could say it to either of them. What he truly wanted in that moment was his mother, but of course that wasn't possible.

A sudden burning hatred for his father, both of his Uncles, Voldemort, the whole world even went up in him for what he'd lost. How he'd been lied to for years about what happened to her until his dad couldn't hide it anymore, all because they'd wanted to protect him. He was sick of being protected from the truth. He held the cloak in his hands for a long time, wondering what secrets were hidden in its folds he still didn't know.

Resolve overtaking him to hide nothing else from his friends, he turned on the spot to go wake them, so they could know everything and never have to feel this pain like he was.

Then he saw her.

For the second time that night, Harry had to clap his hand over his mouth to stop himself from screaming, his heart doing a crazy jolt when he saw not only his own reflection which shouldn't have been possible because he still had the cloak wrapped tight around him, but there was a woman standing behind him.

Then he blinked hard several times, and saw that he wasn't really still looking into the room, but instead he saw a gold frame that nearly reached up to the ceiling of the classroom with Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi inscripted along the top. He only vaguely noticed those things though, out of the corner of his eye and back of his mind, as he continued staring at the woman, who had dark red hair, and Harry's eyes.

"Mom?" Never before had he whispered that with the same way he had now, but it slipped out naturally as if he was calling for her his whole life. She stood in the center, tears leaking out of her eyes, but smiling and waving happily at him as he edged closer, mouth cotton dry. She looked exactly like the pictures his dad had shown him, but never before had Harry been reflected standing at her side, his face watching her with the awe of love any child would carry for their parent. She never spoke, but she never faded. They stood there for an infinite amount of time staring at each other, until a distant noise made Harry come back with a harsh bump. He hadn't realized he'd had his nose pressed right up to the glass until he turned.

His eyes flickered back to the doorway, but went back a second later and she was still there. He didn't want to leave, but then he heard the noise again, closer, so he removed one hand, then the other from the glass before slowly backing away, and not until he hit the door did he fully turn around and leave for good.

He had some explaining to do the next day, like showing his friends his cloak and trying to describe what he'd seen.

Protective familial ties still kept him for saying the rest regarding his Uncle Remus, but for now at least they had something else to focus on.

All three voiced that they wanted to go and try to find it as well, though for different reasons. Even Hermione didn't voice the rule that they shouldn't be wandering around after hours, what Harry was describing to them seemed like a magical object that was worth checking out. The only problem was, when the four of them tucked up under the cloak the next night and spent hours wandering through the castle, when Harry did find the classroom he was positive it was to be in, the mirror was gone.

"Maybe Lupin had it in here to show off to one of his classes," Neville voiced, glancing nervously around the shadow filled room to make sure they wouldn't get caught. "We don't actually know what that thing was."

"Harry, can you remember what was inscribed on it?" Hermione asked tapping her finger to her chin and still trying to work it out in her head.

Harry shook his head no, he'd been a little to involved, and while he did feel disappointed that for some reason the mirror had been moved, he contented himself that he could just go back up to his room and see her photo again, just not with the same satisfaction of himself being there with her.

Ron was just disappointed they'd wasted the whole night, and told Harry the next time he sent them on a wild goose chase, to at least bring along snacks while wasting their time.

1

Time stretched on after that with nothing more of note taking place except the Ravenclaw vs Slytherin match, which Slytherin sadly won putting them in the top ranking. It kept conversation on a lighter topic though as they eased back into their usual friendship, with a good portion of their mystery solved they got back into more friendly manners.

That morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, which gave Harry a particular set of amusement as his Uncle strained by making this lesson as enthusiastic as possible while keeping his own issues out of it. Harry was well aware that there wasn't a cure for werewolf bites, and the treatments and salves they were learning would only help with scarring and not actually heal the wounds, but he and the rest of the class didn't spend long asking for details. What Harry hadn't told the others was how he'd first landed in that other room with the mirror, his shock and fear at what he'd overheard from this teacher, he still kept that bottled up nice and tight away from everybody until he knew how to process it.

Instead they were released early that day, and Neville and Ron kept up their rousing conversation of talking about what they'd buy with their own Stone. Harry was laughing along and adding in that he'd buy his own Quidditch team which pleasantly reminded them all of the coming match. It was the second week of March, and his own house was back on the playing field.

The next game of the season had arrived, Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, and Harry was even more eager to witness this game then the last since if his house team won this match, they'd be in the running for the cup!

After some debate amongst the four, they hadn't said anything to Ron's older brothers about the twins brooms nearly killing Harry, especially as they'd attended the following practice under the stands to keep an eye if it was going to happen again. It hadn't,  but they were all still a bit on edge for it.

The stands were packed full, the bright canary yellow and scarlet robes lined up, and the game began in earnest. Harry and Ron were just placing their thoughts on how this would go, when Ron received a sharp poke in the back of his head.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."

All four of them turned to give sharp glares to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle who were sitting just behind them looking quite pleased with themselves. Harry made to say something but Neville beat him by turning around and snapping, "shove off Malfoy."

Harry had to turn away to hide his grin, undeniably pleased at this Neville compared to the frightened boy he'd met at the beginning of the year allowing himself to be bullied. Harry wasn't sure if it was the run in with the dog, or more likely the troll, that had done it, but Neville had built up more then enough moxy to tell Malfoy what he thought of him now, rather then trying to edge away from the fight.

Malfoy didn't take the same opinion, laughing horribly and mocking, "coming from the idiot with no brains, Longbottom if you had as much smarts as Weasley had gold, you'd be more poor then him, and that's saying something."

Ron really did snap then, twisting on the spot and hitting dead center on Malfoy's nose, but the blondes reflexes lashed out and the two toppled out of sight. Crabbe and Goyle reacted and once, and Harry and Neville were going in just as fast.

Harry ended up going after Crabbe, elbowing him hard in the gut to get him off Neville, who was a whirl of fists against Goyle, while Ron had Malfoy pinned and was socking him every chance he could get, ignoring the fact that Malfoy had managed to headbutt him in the process and blood was dripping into Ron's mouth from his nose.

They didn't find the end results of the game until much later, from Hermione, while she scolded the lot of them for publicly brawling, as they could have gotten into real trouble. None of them cared though, not even that they'd missed Gryffindor's victory in the air, as far as they were concerned their house had done just as much good in the stands that day.

1

Days turned into weeks, and soon a few months later as school surrounded their life. Their good mood was rather hampered though, as the last few weeks of term came into sight, and Hermione went from simply encouraging them to do their homework more often, to practically breathing down their neck.

"What's it to you if we don't?" Ron finally shot back after she'd given them a twelve minute lecture because they hadn't completed their assignment the day it was given. "Our grades don't affect yours!"

She went from scowling at him to round eyed confusion as she said, "I was just trying to get through to you how crucial our studying is, our exams are right around the corner!"

"Ten weeks," Neville gently reminded, "I think we can at least take a few breaths before then."

Sadly though, the teachers seemed to be on Hermione's side, as right before the Easter Holidays their homework began piling on so much none of the four of them managed a trip home, because it wasn't much of a break. They went through so much studying they may as well have just kept attending classes.

For a change of pace they spent the last Friday of their holiday studying in the library, but this turned out to be an even worse idea when they got a beautiful view of the grounds and the clear blue skies, making it all the harder to remain focused on their books. Then they got another distraction, "hi ya Hagrid."

The gamekeeper turned around sharply, clearly trying to hide something behind his back as he spotted who'd called him and then gave all of them an unconvincing smile. "Hello there Harry. What are you doing in here, figured you'd be trying to sneak into the Forest by now." Then his face winced, and he muttered, "probably shouldn't be encouraging that." Then his face cleared and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the four of them before demanding, "you're not still looking up Flamel are ya? I told you to drop that."

Harry gave a light laugh while Ron answered, "we already found out about Flamel ages ago."

"Now how did you work that out?" Hagrid demanded.

"Chocolate," Neville muttered, causing the three boys to start snickering again. Hermione however kept her attention on Hagrid and began again in a curious tone, "though we were wondering what other things could be guarding the Stone apart from Fluf-"

"Shhh!" Hagrid cut her off with a great shake of his head and his eyes darting into the corners as he hissed, "don't be shouting about tha', people'll think I've told ya." He hesitated then, his eyes flashing to the pile of books he'd been looking through and away again before saying, "alright, how about you lot come down to me place when yer done. I'm not promising anything, but don't be lookin for tha' in here!" Then he went stomping out of view.

Three of them exchanged curious looks, but the moment Hagrid had gone out of sight Ron had jumped from his seat and went to have a look where Hagrid had been. He was back moments later, slamming down a new pile of books while whispering, "dragons. That's what he was acting so odd about, look at these."

Every one of the titles were a description of how to care for dragons, and how to identify them from their eggs and such. Hermione agreed, "this is rather curious, though I don't know why he'd be acting like this because of it. There's nothing wrong with looking them up."

Harry had a brief flashback to his Uncle Sirius going on a tyrant one day because the Ministry had set aside some lands for the wild dragons of Britain, and his distaste for the creatures. Harry had asked why several times, but he always got a little shifty and avoided the topic, and since Harry had never been around them himself but could only imagine how fearsome they must be to scare his Uncle he wasn't keen on this particular beast. It didn't stop his own curiosity of finding out what Hagrid was up to with these books.

With piqued interest, even Hermione finally stored away her own set of books and they arrived at Hagrid's about an hour later. Oddly enough the first thing they noticed was that all of the windows were closed tight with the curtains drawn, but they saw smoke curling out of the chimney as if he had a fire going.

When they arrived they knocked as usual, but instead of cheerfully opening the door he called out who it was before quickly shooing them inside. It was sweltering inside as if they'd just stepped into the furnace, and they'd been right in seeing the smoke outside, there was a merry fire going with an odd shaped log sitting inside.

Hagrid began by asking, "so, what was it you were trying to ask me?"

"What all's guarding the Stone, apart from Fluffy," Harry began at once.

Hagrid was bustling around his kitchen, but turned so they could all see the frown on his face as he scolded, "o' course I can't. I wouldn't tell ya even if I knew. Yeah shouldn' even know at all, beats me how you even know about Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. The three boys beamed at Hermione.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then all o' the teachers did enchantments, don't know specifics though, don' rightly think anyone does, think that was Dumbledore's idea, and he put up something himself."

Harry at least felt reassured, he couldn't imagine anyone getting through all of that. Instead of letting his mind wander past that, to that nightmarish scene he was still trying to explain to himself, he instead noticed his three friends exchanging a look and got the feeling they had all just been thinking of the same person.

To quickly change the subject Harry anxiously asked, "You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy aren't you, Hagrid? And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

At least that seemed to relive the others, and Ron began pulling restlessly at the neck of his shirt as he asked Hagrid if he could open a window.

"Can't, sorry Ron," Hagrid said to quickly, with a now familiar dart of the eyes to the fireplace and away. Ron took a glance over there for the first time, and froze in shock.

"Hagrid, what's that?"

Harry's eyes focused in on it as well, and he felt himself go rigid with shock as he recognized the shape this time, it was an egg.

Ron had already caught sight of this as well, as he sunk down into the hearth and whispered, "where did you get this Hagrid?"

"Won it," he said at once, now looking almost eager as he explained, "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But, but that's illegal," Hermione spluttered in shock.

Hagrid hardly seemed to notice, as he stomped around Ron and began stoking the fire to keep it at temperature as he shrugged that off. "Probably jus' a dragon dealer, maybe this one was the runt and he didn' think he'd get a good deal. I'm more then happy to take it."

"What, ah, what are you going to do with it when it hatches?" Neville asked, now taking several cautious steps back to the door as if the fully grown dragon were going to spring out any second.

"We'll take o' him o' course," Hagrid said at once as if they were all being daft, "or her." He quickly amended with a fond grin. "It's all righ' here, you see? Got this outta the library," he quickly shuffled over to his bed and scooped up a book, "Dragon breeding for Pleasure and Profit, got everything I'll be needing. You got's to keep them in the fire, cause there mother's breath on them you see. Then when it hatches, you feed them on some brandy and chicken blood every half hour. It even describes what breeds there are, see that, this one's a Norwegian Ridgeback, they're rare them."

"And ah, have you talked to Dumbledore about this?" Harry asked cautiously, though he already suspected the answer.

Hagrid definitely wouldn't meet anyone's eyes this time as he waved them off, "nah, the Headmasters busy enough, don't need to be bothered along anymore."

"Hagrid," Hermione quickly switched calm to her calm, soothing voice, "you live in a wooden house, what are you going to do once this thing hatches?"

"Oh, you lot worry to much," Hagrid was practically beaming now as he went back to the fireplace and began stoking up the flames again.

The four of them exchanged deep set frowns, but what could they do? None of them wanted to go telling on Hagrid, they were to worried he'd get into real trouble for this. Hagrid seemed happy and capable enough, it just wasn't sitting right with them that there was now a dragon's egg living down on the school lawns.

Harry lamented that any other time he would have gone to ask his Uncle Remus for advice, he knew he could be trusted to both keep the secret and come up with some reasonable explanation, but he was just so nervous around him lately because of the way he kept acting around Quirrell, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Hermione was no help, her only consistent advice was to go tell Dumbledore, but Harry didn't feel right trying that as he wasn't as sure of the Headmasters actions, and would never want to get Hagrid into trouble. Neville just made the statement he was going to be avoiding leaving the safety of the castle until this was all over.

Ron's only comment was to sigh, "I wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," as they headed down to breakfast a week since they'd discovered this. They'd barely sat down and begun breakfast when Hedwig brought Harry a note, which only had two words on it.

'It's hatching.'

1

"Hatching this plan was brilliant! If we ever meet Charlie, we've got to remember to thank him," Neville laughed as he and Harry gave crisp high fives to each other in celebration, Harry hoping on the spot at once that he never had to deal with another dragon again when Neville froze at the door and whispered, "wait, the cloak."

Harry did a double take and nearly smacked himself in the forehead, of course he couldn't forget that. He scurried back and threw it over both of them before they began winding back down the spiral staircase, and nearly running into Filch.

He stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching expectantly, as Harry and Neville remained frozen in place, to afraid to even breathe. Finally, after what felt like hours, the caretaker finally shuffled off, muttering something about tall tales, and they waited until they made it back to Gryffindor tower to speak again.

"That was so close," Hermione breathed, going ashen in shock.

"I'll bet Malfoy tried to squeal to him," Ron grumbled, looking like he wanted to smack his fist on the table in frustration, but instead still nursing his sore and bitten hand.

"Least he got his due," Neville gave one last victorious grin, the treasured memory of McGonagall pulling him along by the ear as he tried to rat them out causing him to pump his fist in the air again, while all of them shared a good long laugh about that.

Despite their fear of Norbert now gone, and the lingering joy of Malfoy yet again getting what he deserved for trying to one up them, Harry still couldn't help a lingering sadness when he spotted Hagrid again the next morning sniffling into his breakfast. Hagrid had clearly cared for Norbert, and despite his realization that he couldn't handle the dragon, he was clearly taking the loss hard. Harry wanted to do something for him, but what that ended up being he'd regret more then meeting the dragon.

The four of them were traversing the grounds, curfew was approaching and they were headed back to the castle when Hagrid came stomping out of the forest with his crossbow.

His dark eyes somehow looked darker then usual, but they still carried their normal warmth as he caught sight of them with a smile and called, "ello there, aren't you four out a bit late?"

"We're heading back to the castle now," Harry promised, not sure if Hagrid was looking to reprimand or not. He didn't really think so, but better safe then sorry considering how haggard he looked.

Hagrid merely smiled, saying, "well good to see you lot are staying out of trouble. Least you don't got a detention tonight like some."

Harry couldn't help it, his interest was piqued at once. "Who's got detention tonight?"

"Ah I probably shouldn' say," Hagrid began, trying to wave a hand around as if it were of no concern, but he was already grinning at the curious looks on all of their faces. "Alrigh' then, if you must know, it's that blond one who tried to pick on Neville back at the beginning of school."

"Malfoy?" Hermione repeated with some shock.

"What's he doing?" Ron demanded with a little too much eagerness. "Does he have to clean the whole trophy room without magic? My brother Bill said the school loves that one."

"Nah," Hagrid shrugged "I asked Quirrell if he could help me with a favor tonight, an he said it wouldn't be a problem."

Harry was getting even more curious now as he probed, "what on earth are you going to have Malfoy be doing?"

"Got some hurt unicorns, found a second one dead this week alone. Been searching the Forest most of the year, but there's just too many trails. So I'm taking him out tonight, so long as he's with Fang and sticks to the trails he'll be alright, and I really need to find what's been doing this."

Neville had quickly lost any enthusiasm for the idea as he spluttered, "what on earth could be fast enough in there to get a Unicorn?"

"Don't know," Hagrid said honestly, and they could see the worry start to creep into him now the longer this dragged on. "S'not normal for one to be hurt at all, but I've been finding trails of blood like they're staggering around. If it was just one I'd think they were getting caught in some webs, but this many? No, there's something in that Forest that shouldn't be, and I need to find it."

"Is it really such a good idea to be taking Malfoy in there though?" Hermione asked, some worry creeping into her. It was clear even if she didn't like Malfoy, she was at least worried for what he could find tonight.

Hagrid brushed that aside, "Nah, like I said, everything in that Forrest knows not to bother the path." He seemed to fail to see his own logic that if there was something new in there, that whatever clearly wouldn't know that rule. He did seem done talking to them though, as his eyes flickered to the fading sun and he cautioned, "now you lot had better get back inside, you can come around my place this weekend and we'll talk some more if I don' find it tonight. Don't want you to be late for curfew."

He waved them off and watched for a few extra minutes as they made it back to the shadows of the school, but the moment Harry was sure Hagrid was out of sight Harry began whispering, "are you guys thinking what I am?"

"Harry no way," Hermione said at once severely, she could clearly read the kindling light of excitement with ease, though Harry wasn't trying hard to hide it.

"Why not?" Harry shot back at once. "Tonight would be perfect, we know Hagrid will be in there, so if anything goes wrong we'll know he can find us. Plus, my Dad went into the Forest all the time, it's not nearly as bad as everyone says it is! Come on guys, it could be fun!"

Hermione did not look convinced, Ron still looked paler then usual at the idea, and Neville was now eyeing the swaying trees like he feared they were all going to turn into Whomping Willows any moment.

"I don't know Harry," Ron voiced, "wandering the castle at night is one thing, but my brothers have told me some pretty nasty stories about that Forest. Even the twins don't go in there much, that should tell you something."

"Oh come on," Harry continued wheedling, "we'll stick to the path like Hagrid said, what could go wrong?"

It took another good hour of weeding, but Harry had finally convinced Neville to at least come along, though he showed no enthusiasm for it. Ron gave a weak protest that he'd love to come, really, but as his wand hand still wasn't of any use, he didn't think he should be going through the Forest. However, when Harry threw the cloak over himself and Neville, the other two made no protest about slipping in as well.

They stopped though when they came across voices too soon, and quickly distinguished them as Malfoy saying, "-thought I'd be doing lines or something."

"Think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." That was clearly Filch, and now they knew why he hadn't been spotted inside, he was clearly escorting Malfoy to his punishment.

Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks. "The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard."

Harry had to forcefully muffle a snort of amusement, rather impressed his father's idea of spreading that rumor to keep kids out of the forest during certain times of the month still lingered after all these years, even when the threat itself wasn't even in there anymore. It was even more amusing when one glance up at the stars showed it wasn't even a half moon yet, so the threat was meaningless.

Filch said none of this though, his voice nearly cracking with glee as he said, "That's your problem, isn't it? Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding out of the dark then, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already."

Filch gave one last crooked smile as he said, "well, you have fun then. I'll be back at dawn, for whatever's left of him."

The moment he had hobbled out of sight, Malfoy turned on Hagrid and snapped, "I am not going in there."

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something! If my father knew I was doing this, he'd-"

"Tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

Harry waited curiously, but then to his surprise Malfoy didn't move. He was looking at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want you takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

Harry was fixing to follow when Hermione grabbed hold of his arm, hissing, "Harry, are you sure this is a good idea?"

He saw how pale she looked, and he realized how truly scared she really was, but Harry didn't want to back down now. He watched Hagrid begin explaining to Malfoy what he'd told them earlier while Harry hissed back to both of them, "come on guys, the Forest isn't as bad as Malfoy makes it seem. My dad went out in there all the time, heck he had the place memorized better then the castle by his fifth year. I just want to poke around a few trails, maybe meet a centaur if we're lucky. Hagrid's out tonight as well, and we won't stray too far away from him."

Neville sighed, any resistance he might have had gone at those reassurances, and even though Hermione still looked like she was wavering she didn't respond as they heard Hagrid saying, "now if you run into any trouble, or Fang starts growling, just send up some red sparks, and I'll find you in no time." Harry grinned even more at that, this meant that they didn't even have to stay within range of Hagrid now.

Harry could see by the dim lighting Malfoy's pale face looked almost gaunt he was not pleased with this, but he didn't protest anymore either as the two of them, plus Fang began going into the trees. Harry gave one last pleading look at Hermione, and though her lip was trembling, she mutely nodded and they followed.

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Hagrid went one way while Malfoy and Fang went the other. Harry wavered for a moment, torn between following Hagrid and possibly getting caught, or Malfoy and his near constant petulant mutterings about how unfair this was.

Harry looked silently at the other three, to see Hermione looking longingly back the way they'd come, while Neville gestured after Malfoy with a questioning look. Ron had his eyes fixed on nothing, but was looking all around like he had a bad twitch in his neck. Harry nodded and the three of them began heading after the blonde hair, the brightest spot of light in the ever increasing blackness of their surroundings.

They were following at such a distance that they even lost sight of him quite a few times in the winding trail, and when they hit another fork in the road, they had no idea which way their guide could have went. Harry wasn't to bothered with this, he'd only come out here to explore, so he took a path at random that began leading into a slope.

Hermione was just beginning to voice how late it was, and that they should start heading back, when they heard something. All four tensed up with wands out, when out of the forest came to Harry's utter joy, a centaur. His horse half was a buckskin, leading into his human half which sported a naturally tan looking body and scraggly black hair the same as his tail. He held tight to a bow and arrow as he eyed their path, calling out, "who goes there? No one should prowl around our forest unseen."

Harry didn't even hesitate, he did not want to get onto the bad side of a centaur. He tore the cloak off of them and put his hands up in surrender while also tucking away his wand, saying, "it's alright, we're just students from the school."

Harry watched in relief as his grip loosened, slightly, as he eyed Harry, who at once now saw the familiar flick of his eyes up to his hairline with those deep amber eyes. Another beat, and he lowered his weapon altogether, saying, "students are not uncommon, though they are rarely invisible as you were. What was the purpose of your hiding?"

"Well we're not supposed to be out here," Harry shrugged like that was obvious. Then he quickly added on, "I'm Harry by the way, and this is Neville, Ron, and Hermione." Now eyeing the centaur right back hopefully.

He snorted with something that almost looked like amusement as he greeted back, "I am Geist, and feel fortunate to meet you Harry Potter, and your young friends."

Harry only blinked once, not really feeling surprised someone else knew his name, but at least getting a new shot that it was a centaur. Still, he decided to keep things pleasant and asked, "we're actually out here helping a friend, have you seen anything strange in the forest lately? Something attacking unicorns?"

Geist actually smiled this time as he returned, "if you are helping a friend, why are you not allowed out here?"

Harry opened, then closed his mouth, struggling to explain that when Neville piped up, "ah, please sir, err Mr. Centaur, um we'll get in trouble if we're caught out here, but our friend's been looking for this thing attacking unicorns and we want to help anyways."

There was a long beat of silence then, and Harry wondered if Geist was sizing them up. Whatever he was thinking, Harry couldn't have been happier when he began to say, "follow this path left until it branches into fours, take the middle left one, and you will come to the part of the forest where a new creature dwells often. I've never come across anything like it, and this concerns me. If you could possibly be of help in getting rid of it, I would be grateful."

"Thank you," Harry said at once, offering his hand to shake, clearly catching Geist off guard. When he continued to hesitate Harry explained, "I wanted to shake your hand, it's just something people do when they leave on good terms," he quoted something his Uncle Sirius had once said in a stuffy voice to a stranger on their property one day. He'd wondered on that day for ages like he was now who needed to be told such a thing.

"Ah," he responded back, eyeing Harry's fingers curiously, before shrugging and bending down his front legs so to more easily grasp Harry's hand. Their faces so close now, Harry couldn't help but notice how he couldn't hardly be much older then Harry, perhaps a teenage centaur? They grasped hands firmly and shook, before Harry shoved his friends back under the cloak and waved a quick goodbye before they went off again.

"Harry that was amazing," Hermione breathed so quietly it was like she was trying to move her lips as little as possible. "How were you able to do that?"

"Yeah," Neville agreed fervently, looking wide eyed at him as well. "I could barely string a sentence together."

Harry just shrugged, a stupid grin still plastered on his face, he was so jazzed about meeting his first centaur he was practically skipping as he explained, "I've always wanted to meet a centaur! My dad always said they weren't much for chattering, they spent too much time gazing up at stars and such and weren't concerned with human affairs, while my Uncle Sirius once got into a fight with one so he told me all the things you shouldn't do to antagonize them, but my Uncle Remus has said he's struck up plenty of friendly conversations with them once you got past that." Harry realized what he'd said a dozen words to late, as Hermione was now eyeing him with much more curiosity as she probed, "did you say Remus?"

"Err, yes," Harry said, trying his hardest to sound like this was no big deal.

"You know that's Professor Lupin's first name, right?" Ron added on, his head now cocked to the side as he finally began studying him more then the surrounding darkness.

Harry turned to them, making his eyes go as wide as they could as he feigned, "really? Nope, had no idea. How odd."

Things may have spiraled out from there in a very uncomfortable direction for Harry, but just then they reached the four way pass and Harry shushed them instead, glancing at Neville to see him watching Harry curiously as well, but his face was set in determination even if his lip was shaking with fear at what they could be possibly fixing to find. Hermione and Ron took the hint and clipped their mouths shut, as the four of them delved even deeper.

For a while Harry was beginning to wonder if they had taken the right path, because he still saw nothing of importance between this pack of trees and every other one they'd ventured past tonight, when Hermione nudged him and he spotted something silvery on the ground. Bending closer, he was transfixed at once by the luminous substance, then spotted another splash of it a few feet away. Harry began picking up the pace as the splashes began turning into puddles, and soon Harry could spot a clearing ahead.

His friends right on his heels, the three of them eased into the spacing to find the most beautiful and tragic thing in their young lives.

They found the unicorn alright, and it was dead. It's pure white legs were spread out unnaturally, there was no rise or fall of the gleaming hide, the silk like mane and tail were smeared with more silvery gray while the horn jutting from its forehead already looked like it was curling into itself.

Harry couldn't stop his feet from edging forward, pity welling up in him at seeing those empty eyes of something so purely good having fallen like this, when something stirred from behind it.

A bush shivered, and out came a dark figure crawling its way towards the fallen steed, and Harry remained frozen in place as it dipped what could have been a head into the neck and Harry began hearing a lapping noise, but all of that came several beats to late, as the moment he laid eyes on the thing, his scar began searing in pain. He couldn't stop himself, crying out in pain and clasping at his forehead as he stumbled back, successfully gaining the attention of his friends behind him calling his name in fear, and the creature's maw looking up, ivory dew still dripping.

The creature took to an even greater height, now towering over Harry and stepping over the unicorn, advancing on him with, was that a hand outstretched? Harry tried to back away, but the pain was overwhelming, his vision was blurring out, and he would have fallen to the ground if not for hands reaching out and grabbing him. Ron, Neville, and Hermione had a tight hold on him, seemed to be trying to drag him further back, but none of them were getting very far, when something new obstructed Harry's vision aside from the blackening around the edges.

A huge shape bounded over their heads and landed right in his line of sight of the creature. Whatever it was reared up, making a terrifying noise and practically trampling the thing, which caused it to whirl around and retreat.

Harry still felt like he was watching all of this from a great distance, but slowly now the pain was starting to subside, and he was blinking bright spots out of his eyes as his scar stopped burning and he was able to focus in on yet another centaur. This one looked to be the same age as Geist, but had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you alright?" said the centaur, as Harry finally managed to stand on his own two feet while his friends hovered cautiously.

"Yes - thank you - what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said. It was a statement, not a question, and Harry was far to concerned with other matters to worry about the fact this centaur knew him by sight.

"You had better get out of this forest as soon as possible. It is not safe at this time - especially for you. Can you ride?" This time he looked at all of them expectantly. "It will be quicker this way."

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that they could clamber onto his back.

1

Back in the tower, adrenaline was keeping them all awake as the night crept on even later. Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking. "Someone wants the stone for Voldemort and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought someone just wanted to get rich..."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Harry wasn't listening. "Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must show that Voldemort's coming back."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is for someone to steal that Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Ron still flinched at that name being used so many times, but then Harry noticed something else.

They were all staring at him. Harry tried to ignore this, he was still feeling slightly panicky and kept twitching every time he passed a shadow. His father's story that night before he came to Hogwarts now crossing his mind every second in painful detail, the thought of his mother never having pressed so heavy on his chest.

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort. "Harry, why don't you try writing to your father about this? I think it's high time we told someone something's going on."

"You think they'll believe us?" Neville muttered, still more gray in color then anything.

"I think we should tell someone what's going on, and who we think is up to it," she stopped to give Harry a suggestive look, but he tried to remain as impassive as ever, the look clearly failing when she tried a new tactic. "Well, let's not forget Dumbledore. Don't forget Harry, everyone says he was the one person You-Know-Who wouldn't challenge."

Harry took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down as he said, "yeah, only problem with that is we've got proof of nothing, and the only real suspect is Quirrell, and I don't see him pulling this off."

Finally though, Harry couldn't take the starring anymore, and demanded, "what?"

"Harry," Hermione began hesitantly, "I really think we do know who that someone is, and I don't think it's Quirrell."

"Think about it," Ron insisted, already understanding Harry's look to argue, "Lupin's been here for years hasn't he? I'll bet he's got all the other teachers trusting him enough they've told him their own thing they did to protect the Stone, or he's worked out how to get past them all, except Fluffy it seems."

"And I know what I saw when you were kicked off that broom," Hermione insisted to Harry's scowl. "Who else have we seen acting oddly this year, like the same teacher who went sneaking up to the dog that night on Halloween."

"You're wrong!" Harry insisted, turning to Neville for backup, but he was biting at his lip, hard, before saying hesitantly, "I don't know Harry, we saw something in that forest that wasn't human, and have any of you guys noticed how sick Lupin always looks. Like sometimes he's so pale it's a miracle he's making it to classes without passing out. The guy kind of just feels like he's hiding something."

This was to much. Harry had grown up fully understanding why once a month his Uncle looked so sickly, had been explained that he shouldn't just throw around the term werewolf because some wizards would curse his Uncle on sight for that. He also knew that consistent years of taking his Wolfsbane potion had helped to build up some tolerance to those monthly problems, and while he was still ill rested, it always took a lot out of him, especially during the school months when his animagus friends couldn't be there and he was left to his own devices in a secure locked room somewhere in the castle even Harry didn't know.

His rebuttal was on the tip of his lips, finally losing his patience with that stupid secret and willing to explain all of that to his friends just to make them understand his Uncle couldn't be this person they were painting him as, when the words froze in his throat and he finally realized why he'd been keeping that secret. It wasn't for his benefit of having his relation to a teacher revealed, it was the fear of their reaction to him. Harry wouldn't forgive himself if they reacted badly to finding out his Uncle was a werewolf, and if they went around telling anyone else? Harry really liked his friends, he trusted them, but enough to reveal a secret that wasn't even his? Finally, he just sighed and turned away from all of them, muttering, "right, well I don't think we should be throwing anyone under the bus until we have some proof, so let's just drop it for now."

They wouldn't drop it.

In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment.

Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.

That dog still wasn't his friends biggest concern though, but the person they thought was trying to get past it.

Harry never thought he'd be so grateful for exam times, but as the sweltering heat pounded on their necks as they poured over their essays, all three of Harry's friends stayed plenty distracted that the topic hardly ever came up.

This didn't stop Harry from being near constantly stressed out for an entirely other reason than exams, but he still kept that firmly to himself.

Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because Harry couldn't sleep, but that wasn't it, Harry was just having a problem explaining what his problem was. He had a foreboding feeling, like a lingering cloak sitting on his shoulders accompanied with the pain in his scar now, warning him that he was forgetting something.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"I'm just impressed you remembered one guys name," Neville sighed, "let alone the whole Code."

Ron groaned, as this only seemed to encourage her to go on explaining how she'd memorized these. Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree.

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..." he let his mind trail back, to the last time his scar had hurt this badly, and that had been at the start of term feast. What on earth could be happening right now that had been going on then, to make this pain turn into a constant? He was so sorely tempted to go to his Uncle it was making him nearly as anxious as his scar, but he hadn't forced himself for two reasons.

One, it was exam times, and he knew his Uncle was swamped with work. That was the sad, not really usable one though, as he knew his Uncle, or even his Dad if he wrote to him, would respond in a heartbeat, no what was really stalling him was the lingering doubts and suspicions he could no longer shake. He still had no fear that it was his Uncle trying to steal the Stone...but he couldn't come up with anyone else either. What if his Uncle was in it with Quirrell? He found the second such a bumbling fool he doubted that man could be pulling this off on his own, and then there was that meeting right after Christmas. The one where his Uncle had spoken in such a terrifying voice, threatening that Quirrell had better do, something. Harry still couldn't shake how scared that had made him, so he kept putting off the confrontation.

The worst part still, was that he couldn't share this with anyone. His friends instead remained focused on his immediate problem that they knew about.

Ron kept his eyes closed as he spoke to Harry, unable to get too worked up about anything, it was to hot. "Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Lupin's found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Neville gave an acknowledging laugh of agreement and gave Harry a nod with wide eyes, silently pleading him to laugh along and relax a bit. Harry forced out a chuckle as he instead let his eyes travel skywards, still thinking.

He couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."

Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but -

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet, startling Neville into doing the same thing without seeming to realize he'd done it.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

1

Before he confronted anyone else, Harry wanted to talk to Dumbledore. Harry realized right then it didn't matter anymore, he didn't care if he didn't have a real suspect, because whoever was under that cloak now had everything they needed, except Dumbledore out of the way. He didn't understand why the Stone hadn't been stolen already, maybe they were waiting for something else, but Harry now knew he couldn't stand waiting around for it anymore to find out what.

They got lucky, or unlucky in a perspective, to run into McGonagall instead, and got just as quick a dismissal.

"Why's it even going to take him so long?" Neville muttered once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "He can apparate there, or use the floo, what's going to take him a whole day to get there?"

"We'll worry about that later," Harry huffed, "because it's happening tonight. Whoever's doing this is going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we -" Ron began, before Hermione gasped, causing all three of them to look wildly around and find Lupin.

He was stepping out of the Great Hall, and watching all of them with mild curiosity. "Now what are you four doing inside, on a day like this?" He asked pleasantly.

"We, we were," Harry began, having no idea how he was going to finish that.

His Uncle Remus' smile grew, and Harry wondered if he was either having a flashback, or just indulging them, either way his voice was still more easy going than anything as he said, "well whatever it is, you should probably be doing it outside. Skulking around inside on a day like this, people might think you're up to something." He finished with a pleased smile before sauntering off up the stairs.

Harry couldn't help but smirk, an expression he quickly tried to smother when he turned back and found his friends giving him calculating looks. Before anyone could say anything he kept them on topic, "look, if McGonagall won't believe us then maybe we should take some other precautions until Dumbledore comes back. Ron and I will head up to the third floor, and hang around there. That way if anyone shows up who shouldn't, we can run and tell McGonagall and she'll have to investigate. Neville, you and Hermione go skulk out Quirrell, we know at least he's involved."

Neville was still eyeing Harry, like he was trying to size him up on how much use this plan was, but Hermione pipped up, "oh, and what's our excuse for following a teacher around?"

Ron offered, "stay out of sight until you see him going to the staff room, then go up to him and try to ask him about your exams or something." He put on a high pitched voice, clearly trying to do a failed attempt at her, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong...'"

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and keep watch, grabbing Neville's sleeve and hauling him off.

Ron waited until they were leaning against Fluffy's door to ask, "Harry, is there something you're not telling us?"

Harry knew he hesitated a beat too long when he responded, "no, why do you ask?"

Ron was still eyeing him, not quite with suspicion, but more confusion as he said, "don't know, you've just been so adamant about Lupin for so long now, but I've realized you never gave a reason. Why do you think it's not him?"

Harry's mind took an automatic back turn to the time he got the flu for a week and his Dad had been losing his mind with worry because 'was it supposed to last this long, oh crap he's going to die, we have to take him to the hospital!' His Uncle Remus had come around and convinced James to calm down all while cooling Harry off enough he could finally nod off to sleep. How could he explain that to Ron though, to any of them?

Harry still hadn't answered, had no idea what to say when Professor Lupin rounded the corner. This time he definitely had a suspicious air about him as he eyed the two and asked, "now what are you doing up here?"

"Um, uh, we were," Ron began going wide eyed, but then Professor McGonagall arrived, and this time she was not pleased. Her nostrils flared at the sight of them, "I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" She stormed. Harry wasn't watching her though, but instead saw his Uncle do a double take at Harry, the door behind him, and his Head of House as she continued, "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take fifty points from Gryffindor! Now get back to your common room!"

The two boys slunked off, and Harry could feel eyes on the back of his neck.

They'd just made it back to the common room where Harry was trying to change the subject to the fact that the other two were at least following Quirrell, when they came in as well.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Professor Flitwick came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I wanted to ask about my exam, and I've only just got away, but Quirrell slipped out while we were talking and we didn't have a chance to follow, now we've no idea where he is."

Harry looked quite pale now as he gazed out the window towards the Quidditch pitch. The common room was mostly empty, it was still early in the afternoon and most of their tower was enjoying the sunshine, not realizing something terrible was coming tonight.

Harry knew what he wanted to do, what his first reaction was saying. He needed to go down there and get the Stone himself, make sure no one got their hands on something that could help Voldemort.

Voldemort had killed his mother! He couldn't stand the idea of him winning, of him getting the Stone! Yet the truth was, he was scared. He didn't know what to do, had no real reason to think he could get past all of those enchantments on his own. Let alone be a match up for whoever was helping Voldemort, maybe the Dark Lord himself. He wanted help, and he finally knew who to confront for it.

He felt a weight lift off his shoulders, but settle into his stomach as he came to a decision. No more waiting around, he would go talk to his Uncle after dinner, demand some answers, and if he didn't get them, then down that trapdoor he would go.

1

Going the rest of the evening in tense silence was hard, especially as the rest of the school was in such jubilation for exams being done. Dinner was a very tense affair that night. Harry had no idea what his friends were thinking, but he knew that he was on the edge of his seat and hardly touching his food, with eyes on him all night.

He wasn't even entirely sure who it was watching him. He caught Professor McGonagall throwing him suspicious looks all night, Professor Lupin occasionally eyeing him curiously, and was he being paranoid or was Quirrell also throwing him one to many looks?

He had no idea what was on his friend's mind either, but they all remained quiet and distant as they scraped away the last of their dessert without enthusiasm.

Harry spent the majority of the meal trying to figure out how to get away from his friends to confront his Uncle without them realizing what he was doing. He knew it would be extra difficult tonight of all nights, they'd all be glued to him thinking that he was going to try and pull something to protect the Stone without him. His point was proven when dinner ended, and Harry tried to make a side-pass into a boy's bathroom, and Ron decided to go with him. The answer came in the form of the man himself.

As they were stepping out of the bathroom, Professor Lupin beckoned him over and Harry couldn't really marshal any other expression except a grim face as he followed him to his office. Only a single glance behind showed his three friends exchanging a very worried look.

Harry decided he was done with suspicions, so the moment the door was closed he demanded, "What were you doing up there by that three headed dog today?"

He watched his Uncle raise an accusatory brow at him, and Harry realized how sharp his tone had come out, that he was still talking to his Uncle and a teacher, so he tried again, attempting to sound more normal.

His Uncle Remus still looked more sharp with Harry then anything as he said, "guess I'm not really surprised you found out about Fluffy, though I don't want to know how. If you must know, it's my job to make regular checks on that dog all the time, and Professor McGonagall told me that she'd gone up there to ask me if I'd seen anyone suspicious around lately. You did at least pique her interest to double check it out."

Harry huffed, couldn't she have just said that instead of telling them off? Then his mind spun, and he realized that if McGonagall had asked him that, had she told him everything? Harry went from accusatory to sheepish in seconds as he now eyed him warily, waiting to be told off.

Instead his Uncle sighed, slumping down into his chair and rubbing at his brow for a moment before watching Harry steadily. "Look pup, I'd be a right hypocrite if I told you off for half the things I'm sure you've been up to this year, but what's with this obsession about Fluffy? How did you even find out about the Stone? Why on Earth have you been looking at me like that since before Christmas?"

Harry watched that last question come out with a lot more burn than he'd thought possible, and Harry now felt shame more then anything. Had he been treating his Uncle so off? He supposed he had been avoiding him, but had he perhaps not been as subtle about it as he thought about his friends nagging suspicions?

Finally, Harry couldn't take it anymore. He'd been so quiet for so long now, that everything that had happened this year spilled out of him. He told his Uncle Remus everything, even forcing and mumbling out the part where he'd overheard that confrontation between him and Quirrell, and the only time he was cut off was when he'd mentioned the part about the broom.

"What? You fell off a broom, when did this happen?"

"After that first match, Ron and I went out to the pitch while everyone was at dinner. We used Ron's older brothers brooms to fly around a bit. Hermione swears she saw you-"

"Well yes because I was there," he answered, looking paler himself now as he eyed Harry like he expected to find a misshapen limb now. "I heard you two, you were hardly being quite, and I poked my head in to watch, but I never saw that!"

"Why were you out there at all?"

Remus sighed heavily, and was quite for a long time before he finally seemed to decide on something and said, "I've been meeting up with Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest frequently through out the year, to keep an eye on him. Are you alright? You never went to the hospital wing, what happened?"

Harry briefly explained that Ron had caught him, nothing really happened that night, which marginally relaxed his Uncle. Harry wasn't paying much attention to his words though, now coming to the silent conclusion that it must have been Quirrell himself who'd cursed him like that. He decided against saying that, figuring that Quirrell wouldn't be safe for long when his Uncle realized himself that it had to have been him who'd knocked Harry out of the air like that.

Instead, Harry realized that his Uncle was actually answering all of his questions, so he now eagerly asked, "we are right though, right? It is the Philosopher's Stone beneath Fluffy."

Remus snorted, but his turned almost fond as he told Harry, "yes, I'm still blasted at how you figured it out, but yes."

Harry shook himself, and forced himself to stay on topic as he finished off by explaining, "and now Professor Dumbledore's gone, and I know that whoever's trying to steal the Stone is going to do it tonight!"

His Uncle Remus just sat there for a long time, staring at him. Harry wanted to ask what he was thinking, but he remained quite and simply hoped that he believed him!

Finally, he gave a deep sigh and said, "alright Harry, I believe you, and thank you for coming to talk to me. I suppose with the way I've been acting this year, I can't really blame you for waiting so long." His face twisted, and Harry was sure there was something bitter he wanted to add, but he held that in and quickly said, "how about I write to Dumbledore, tell him what's going on, will that calm you down?"

"No!" Harry yelped sharply, realizing that even if his Uncle believed him, he wasn't taking the threat tonight seriously. "Someone's got to go down there, to make sure no one gets their hands on that Stone! Who's Quirrell working with, have you figured that out?"

Remus' frown deepened as he watched Harry, trying to say as gently as possible, "alright Harry, relax. No, I still don't know for sure Quirrell's end game, but if it will calm you down, I'll go down there tonight to do a check myself."

"What, no! Not by yourself," Harry yelped, this was the opposite of what he wanted. "Can't I come with you?"

"Absolutely not," Remus snapped right back, now frowning severely down at Harry. "No matter who's down there, it's going to be dangerous. I'm just thanking my lucky stars whatever convinced you to come to me now before you tried that."

Harry was still frowning in agitation though as he said, "but you shouldn't go down there by yourself either. Please, at least take Professor McGonagall or something!"

"Okay Harry, relax," Remus sighed. "I'll go down there, make sure nothing's happening, okay?"

It wasn't okay. Harry stayed in his office the rest of the night, wound tighter than he'd ever been in his life as he kept half expecting McGonagall to come stumbling in the door and tell him his Uncle was dead because Voldemort himself had been down there.

When that door he was watching so steadily did something new though, he nearly fell out of his chair, at a knock.

He hesitated, having no reason to call out and invite anyone in when it wasn't his office, let alone explain his own presence in here. He didn't get the choice when the door cracked open of its own accord, and Hermione poked her head in saying, "I'm sorry for interrupting Pro- Harry!"

She came barreling in, checking every corner of the room like she thought someone was hiding in the corner, Ron and Neville right behind her. She began explaining before Harry could even begin to ask, "we got so worried when you didn't come back, what are you doing in here?"

"I talked to Professor Lupin," Harry explained, quickly shoving past their protests, "and he believes me, but now I'm thinking something bad's happened, he shouldn't have been gone so long. What time is it?"

"It's way past curfew," Ron explained, "we had to bring the cloak to sneak down here."

"Harry, we should go to McGonagall," Neville persisted. "Tell her about this, now we have proof at least Lupin's gone down there-"

"No," Harry said stoutly. "After the last time, she won't hear a word from us. It's up to us, we'll have to go down there."

He expected more protests, for someone to tell him he was being crazy, instead he saw all of their faces set, like they'd walked in here knowing this.

"Well come on then," Ron was the first to speak, his freckles standing out more than ever on his too pale face, but still digging the cloak back out as he said, "let's get a move on."

"Hang on," Harry said, his mind coming to a snap decision. He didn't know who to trust at this school anymore, who knew what about Quirrell, if Remus had been doing this on Dumbledore's orders or if he was just being suspicious. He didn't trust sending a letter to the Headmaster who might write it off as a prank, but he knew one person who would see this for what it was.

Uncle Remus has gone after something bad, and no one here believes me, and it's my fault so I'm going after him. Go up to the third floor corridor on the right hand side, play some music for the dog, can't give further instructions from there because I don't know, hurry!

The ink on the paper came out so messed up, he'd be lucky if his dad could even read it, let alone recognize who it was from, but he hadn't the time to rewrite it, he hadn't even bothered to sign it.

There was currently a hinkypunk in one corner, and thank Merlin Mitzi was in the opposite corner preening her feathers instead of out hunting. Harry had attached the letter to her leg and sent her off before giving anyone a real chance to ask what he was doing, and when they threw the cloak over them to begin the journey to the Stone, they were so wrapped up in being quite no one brought it up as they walked out the door.

1

"Door number four, right? So what have we got left?" Neville whispered, trailing so close to Harry he was nearly stepping on his heels.

"Well we had Sprout, Flitwick, and McGonagall, so all we've got left is Lupin's and Quirrell's," Hermione murmured back, having ticked all of them off on her fingers.

"Quirrell's should be the easiest," Harry muttered, "have we actually learned anything from him this year?"

"He's a two faced, useless-"

Hermione shushed Ron as they continued down the slope, and wound up in front of a door. They waited tensely, hoping to hear some noise behind it, but couldn't hear a thing. "Well, come on then," Harry sighed, finally being the one to push the door open to a horrible sight.

There was a troll, larger than the last one, though thankfully this one seemed to be asleep. They edged carefully around the room holding their breaths, the place smelt worse than Fluffy's breath, and closed the door gratefully behind them on the other end of the room.

"You think that was Quirrell's, or Lupins?" Neville asked.

"You would think Lupin's," Hermione offered, "that is a Dark creature."

"What are the odds we'd be dealing with two trolls this year," Harry grumbled as they followed along to the last door.

This time Harry forced himself not to hesitate and pushed it open with all his might, wand drawn and prepared to barge through this last obstacle to find his Uncle already, but at first glance there seemed to be nothing in the room at all.

Before anyone had even registered the room, there was a soft hissing noise Harry just knew couldn't be a good thing, and then the door across from them was suddenly surrounded in a thick layer of misty green light.

Then his eyes focused in the dim, and he found a simple table with only two vials on it, and a slip of paper.

"What on earth?" Neville whispered as he inched forward, like he expected the table to come to life any moment and start attacking them; or for the fog to continue to fill the room and envelope them all, but nothing was happening.

Harry came forward as well, and after a prod from his wand and nothing happened, picked up the paper, and groaned miserably.

"What, what is it doing to you!" Hermione began screeching in fear at once, but then Harry flipped the page around and said, "it's a riddle. Bloody hell, my Uncles riddles are hard, I've never been able to figure one out without him telling me the answer!"

"Well what does it say?" Neville asked without any real hope.

Going on will lead to the end

On your left will fix that deed

Right to the glory land

Going back will bring safe heed

On your right will sharpen this bond

No your poison left uncured

Harry finished with a sense of doom, while Neville's mouth opened with a little pop of horror.

"Give me a moment," Hermione insisted, plucking the paper out of Harry's hands, and staring at it for a long time. Then she looked back at the bottles. Both were exactly the same size and shape without a spot of difference, and their insides looked disturbingly like congealed blood.

After several moments Hermione went back to studying the paper, muttering to herself the whole while, until finally she looked back at them, and Harry couldn't believe the smile he saw.

"This is brilliant! It's a riddle, one of those bottles is poison, and the other I'm sure is some sort of curative you have to drink to get through that." She nodded to the thick haze of fog covering the next door.

"How is it that whoever's already gone through hasn't drank all of it?" Neville asked. "I know I would have."

"The bottles most likely magical refill after the person leaves, just like the fog appears," Hermione brushed him off as she tried to keep going.

Harry cut her off though with a longing look at the door, "this is insane. Alright look, I think one of us should drink from one, and someone from another. One of us will realize it's poison and drink from the other bottle, then that should fix everything."

"That's way too risky Harry," Hermione scolded. "You may not even realize which was the poison until you're dead. Harry, we just don't know."

Harry frowned rather than argue with her, still staring intently at the letter being held tightly in Hermione's hand. Then his eyes flickered to the green fog, the two bottles, and an idea sunk into his mind slowly. "No."

"What?" She asked in concern, Neville staring at the two intensely.

"No, not know! The riddle, no your poison left uncured. He said no, it's not the one on the left, because blood from a gorgon on the left is poisoned!"

"Gorgon, what-" Hermione tried to keep up, but Harry decided he'd explain the rest later. "I know which one it is, you two go back to Ron now, make sure he's okay."

"What are you on about this time," Neville asked suspiciously. "We're still going with you."

"No," Harry shook his head at them, then had to speak a little louder as they continued trying to protest. "No guys, I mean it! You've got to get back, help Ron!"

To their credit, they did still try, but Harry stamped his foot down. "Guys, I mean it! Voldemort killed my mother," he gestured needlessly at his forehead, "and now my Uncle could be in there with him and it's all my fault! He can't hurt me though, he tried once and it didn't work, so that'll happen again, but not if you're there!"

The two stood there, and while he couldn't decide who had a more shocked face, they did stop arguing. Hermione instead threw her arms around Harry, nearly squeezing his head from his neck as she whispered in his ear, "you're a great wizard Harry, you'll beat this."

She stepped back with too bright eyes, while Neville came forward, and hugged Harry just as tightly. "See you when you get back then." It wasn't a question.

Harry took one last chance to smile at them both, before taking the vial on the right and swallowing it in one gulp. The taste was like if he'd bitten his tongue off, pure copper flooded his system, but his senses were alive like an electric shock. A tingling feeling surged through his limbs, he could walk through fire now, let alone whatever that fog was.

Not yet though. "Well go on then, get out of here."

Neither did so happily, both began taking cautious steps back, still watching Harry like they expected him to burst into flames any moment. Not until they'd stepped out of sight did he take one last steady breath, step through the green hued fog, and open the door.

Perhaps it was because he was looking for him, but the first person Harry spotted inside the room was his uncle, lying in a pool of blood.

1

Blood lingered in his dreams for months after the fact, leaving him to wake up gasping and screaming for his Uncle, and quite grateful to have spent so much time in the Hospital Wing where both he and his dad could be there without it being so obvious to the majority of the school.

Come summer he'd probably appreciate much less the near constant watching he was getting, not to mention his enforced grounding would set in where his dad couldn't now at school, but for now he fell back asleep in his Uncle Remus' arms and tried not to worry about all he'd seen in that final room. The Mirror holding his Mum sat innocently in the middle, with only a pile of dust in front of it, his dad bursting in seconds later and taking care of them all. The whispered conversation between Dumbledore and James sussing out Voldemort must have fled when Remus arrived, leaving Quirrell to die as well as his Uncle. He'd burrowed even tighter into his Uncle's still unconscious form, the idea of what Harry had nearly caused...

School was a blessing in comparison. The populace was not happy with him. Dumbledore had been very clearly displeased at Harry not going to someone else for help but rather going down there himself, and had taken sixty points from him, making them lose their lead in the House Cup.

At least his friends stood by him, promising they understood why he'd kept to himself one of the teachers being his uncle and no one around school seemed to know of that tid-bit at least.

They sat together at the end of the Gryffindor table, trying like everyone else to ignore the green banners and the smug expressions of Slytherin house. Dumbledore stood up and gave a speech, congratulating them for their win two years in a row now.

At least the train ride room helped them all to laugh again, promising they'd see each other over the summer, and hoping nothing like this had to happen again the next years of Hogwarts.

HPHPHPHP

I didn't expect this to be so long when I started...

I'm sure in a better authors hands this could have been a really epic AU, delving into each chapter and highlighting, poignantly changing, and colorfully paralleling each sentence of the original and making it their own with this new premise, but I'm just not good at that. I've accepted that.

The changes I made to Harry's backstory kind of means that he would have some different approaches, no? Harry at the Dursleys was unloved, which grew him into a pretty tough little kid ready to take on the world with full confidence given the slightest encouragement which Hogwarts gave him. Harry with his father and Uncles though, much better recognizes that he is just a kid, that he really did want someone to ask for help and so when he hit his breaking point he threw away any doubts and fears and went with that instead. Hope you don't hate this too much.

Second year will actually not be focusing on Harry nearly as much, because I didn't have as many changes to that story to be found. Instead, we'll be getting a lot of looks into Ginny's story, something I've always wanted to do, and warning for some OC's.

Also, just so you know, pairing's are going to start playing a bit of an important role come book five, but not in the way you're thinking. I have a poll on my fanfiction profile, or you can just tell me here. Nothing will come of it until book five except some ground work for all the possibilities, but I'd love to start hearing opinions now.