Innocent Eyes

Innocent Eyes

Chapter 6

Dear Sirius.

"Er ... did you say Remus Lupin?" the man asked weakly. James nodded slowly. Mundungus seemed to look right through him as if to see if this were some kind of strange joke.

"So Lupin and Black weren't kidding, all those times ... holy cripes, you must be Jimmy," Mundungus half-whispered, eyes wide with shock. James could feel a lump building up in his throat upon hearing the childhood nickname his family had given him.

"That's er, that's correct ..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say. Mundungus seemed to be transfixed on him, forgetting the reason his head happened to be sitting on a bed of flames. In comprehension, his head suddenly snapped up and he spoke.

"You'll be wanting me to find the old codger then ... er, should I send him on over there?" he asked.

"Yes, I've cleared it with Professor Dumbledore, you could come too if you'd like, you seem to know him fairly well," James said haltingly. Mundungus looked uneasy.

"I would mate but I've uh ... I've got an order of cauldrons I've got to go and uh, pick up," he said, his eyes darting around nervously as if he was doing something very naughty indeed. "Hang on, he'll be there in a minute." And he disappeared. James seemed to fall back down into the couch behind him, worn out. He fanned his face and unbuttoned the top button of his collar. Kathryn took this opportunity to make herself known.

James jumped at the sudden movement that had her standing in front of him in seconds. He gulped nervously at her accusatory expression.

"Is there anything you wanted to tell me?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Harry, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you," Dean Thomas said as he passed Harry in the common room on his way up to their shared dormitory.

"Thanks Dean," he said.

"I'll see you guys tonight okay, can you remind anyone you see that the first Defense Association meeting of the year is tonight at 7pm in the Room of Requirement?" he asked Ron. The Defense Association ('DA') had really been a society that the three of them had started in fifth year, formerly known as 'Dumbledore's Army'. A group of wizards and witches rebelling against the unfair declarations by the Ministry that had been taking over Hogwarts. Since the events of fifth year, more and more students had started joining, with Harry as their leader, the approval of Professor Dumbledore and the supervision of Professor's McGonagall and Flitwick.

The Room of Requirement, or the Come and Go room was a room that Dobby had told Harry about when they were trying to find a secretive place to hold their meetings. It was a room that would only show itself to you when you really needed it. For example, that morning a couple of years back when Dumbledore said he'd walked past a wall at 5:15am and found a room full of chamber pots, it showed itself to him because he had been needing to go the bathroom! Whenever the DA had their meetings there, the room became equipped with shelves upon shelves of books detailing the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts, cushions to practice spells on, and many many Dark detectors such as Foe Glasses and Sneaker-Scope's.

Harry made his way towards the huge stone gargoyle that protected the corridors that led to Dumbledore's quarters of the school.

"Sugar Quill," he said amusedly. The gargoyle sprang to life and opened to allow him entrance. When he got to Dumbledore's office door, he rapped on it loudly.

"Come in Harry," his headmaster beckoned him. Harry opened the door only to bump into someone on the way. Draco Malfoy looked disdainfully at him, and through narrowed eyes. Harry moved to the side to let him past and the blonde Slytherin gave him another dark look as he walked out. Harry watched him until he'd gone before turning back to Professor Dumbledore and sitting down in a chair opposite.

"Good morning Harry ... or should I say afternoon?" he said, glancing at his unusual watch. "I trust you slept well last night?" Harry nodded, wondering what the purpose of this meeting was. He couldn't recall doing anything too bad lately ... except for walking out of Divination early the other day after having an argument with Professor Trelawney ... no, Dumbledore would have spoken to him ages ago if that was the case!

"This meeting concerns the Defense Association Harry," the headmaster informed him. Harry's ears perked up. The DA?

"What about it sir?" he asked politely.

"The interschool Dueling competition is coming up soon. An event that partakes all around England and never before has Hogwarts had a student capable enough to enter. Well ... not since the days of your mother," he said, his eyes twinkling. He went on.

"I thought I might think about it last year ... but due to ... certain events, I deemed it inappropriate," he said, his face turning grim. Last year had been a grim year for Harry, Ron and Hermione. Hermione's father had been placed under the Cruciatus Curse for long enough to make him permanently insane. He now resided in St. Mungo's with Frank and Alice Longbottom. It was only due to Harry's visions that they, including a few members from the Order (of the Phoenix) got there in time to save her mother who was now in a safe house along with other various muggle parents of Hogwarts students.

"I understand Professor ... but doesn't that competition require two students from each school? Who was the other one in my mum's year? Dad?" he asked eagerly. Dumbledore gave him an amused look.

"Though your father was an exceptional wizard Harry, in every aspect, he often grew lazy when it came to extra-curricular activities ... besides Quidditch that is. I believed he had the potential, but I think that James was quite happy to just sit back and allow some other to represent the school. Well, that was until he found out who it was." There was that twinkle again. Harry was intrigued to find out who had been good enough to apply for the position.

"The other competitor was Professor Snape, Harry," he said quite calmly. Harry's mouth dropped open. Snape? Snape had once been a National Dueling Competitor? No way!

"Snape?" he asked incredulously.

"That's right Mr. Potter," a silky voice said from behind. Harry whirled around to find none other then his Potions Master standing next to the door.

"Er, ..." he said nervously. Professor Snape swept towards them.

"Professor Dumbledore has asked me to assist in training you and one other competitor to qualify for the championships," he said smoothly. Harry racked his brain. He wasn't overly confident but he couldn't think of anyone in the club that truly matched his standard of wand working.

"Er, Professors, I was just wondering who the other compeititor might be?" Harry asked. He saw the two of them exchange a look before turning back to him.

"Actually Mr. Potter, your companion will be Mr. Malfoy," Snape informed him in that familiar silky drawl that Harry had grown unpleasantly accustomed too over the years. Harry's eyes nearly bugged. What? This couldn't be happening! It had to be some kind of mistake.

"But sir, aren't the Duelers supposed to ... work together during the course of the competition?" he asked nervously. Professor Dumbledore nodded whilst Snape looked at him through wickedly amused eyes.

"But ... er ... well you see ... um, the thing is ... okay ..." he trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Dumbledore clapped his hands.

"Right, that's settled, the only thing you need to do now is approach Mr. Malfoy and ask him to join the DA," he said.

"What? I'll never be able to do that! He hates the Association! You saw him last year Professor!" Harry cried, referring to an incident the previous year when Draco and stormed into a big Dueling meeting with some of the other Slytherin's and challenged them all. Unfortunately for most of the Duelers, he won out. That was, except for against Harry. Ever since then there had been much animosity between the two wizards ... even more so then when Harry played a major role in putting Lucius Malfoy in Azkaban, though it was only for a short time.

There was no doubt that Draco was an extremely good wand-man, but Harry didn't know whether he wanted him to be the one watching his back in the competition.

"I know what I saw Harry, and that was an excellent Dueler. The two of you are the best here at Hogwarts and unless you work together, the rules state that you cannot enter ... so the decisions rests entirely in your hands," the headmaster told him. Harry sighed.

"Perhaps, Professor Dumbledore, it would be possible for Draco to participate in only the training sessions that are directed at qualifying for the championships ... placing him in the Defense Association could prove to be ... a tad ... destructive," Snape interjected. Harry found himself nodding at Snape's words. He hated admitting that he was right. Things had been admittedly more hostile between the Harry and the Potions Master ever since Snape had tried to teach him Occlumency - a form of magic where you close your mind to all outside influence, that was in Harry's case, seeing visions of Lord Voldemort. This would help to keep the Dark Lord from entering Harry's mind and using it against him. It had been on one of these occasions when Harry stumbled upon Professor's Snape's pensieve. Allowing curiosity to get the better of him, he'd entered the Pensieve only to find himself back in the days of his father and had not found his father to comprise the picture he had often made up in his mind. Harry had been disappointed to see that his father, along with his best friend, Sirius Black had together been quite an arrogant duo of bullies. Especially towards a younger Severus Snape. When Snape had discovered Harry in his Pensieve, he had been unable to control his fury and told Harry never to set foot in his classroom again, that was excepted for Potions classes, which Harry had decided and had qualified to take for his N.E.W.T's, as he needed an exceptional grade to become an Auror.

"I agree sir," Harry said quickly. Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.

"All right then Harry, you may go. Make sure you don't finish your meeting tonight too late, else Filch will have my head!" the headmaster said, his face cracking into a smile. Harry grinned back and left, giving Snape a respectful nod before exiting. Snape in turn, rounded on the headmaster and raised a dark eyebrow.

"Are you sure it's wise Dumbledore? Placing Hogwarts two most vigilant enemies together to watch each other's back?" he asked skeptically. Dumbledore smiled.

"I think it's a very good idea indeed."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry found himself making his way towards the library, deep in thought about his meeting with Dumbledore. It was still early afternoon, and he had a bit of time to look up a few new defense spells to practice at Dueling Club tonight. Opening the doors to the library, he was just about to head over to the DADA section, when he heard unusual noises coming from the back of the library. Hesitantly, he made his way to a part of the huge room that he'd never ever been before, and found himself walking towards a secretive room towards the back. When he got there he was shocked at what he found.

"Professor Lupin? What on earth are you doing here?" Harry asked incredulously. One of the wizards closest to the fireplace's face crinkled into a smile when he spotted the young man. He pushed his fair hair off his face and went over to shake Harry's hand. He seemed rather nervous about something.

"Hello Harry, I'm a bit confused myself, why don't you have a seat?" Harry looked around nervously.

"Okay Profes- wait, there's two of you!" he cried, spotting the other man in the room. They were dressed quite differently. One in a suit of tweed and one in old scruffy jeans and a leather jacket that looked suspiciously like one owned by Harry's late godfather, he saddened at the thought - but there was no mistaking the identicalness of their appearances. Harry turned to the third other person in the room.

"And you! Kathryn, what's going on?" he asked helplessly. Kathryn cracked a small smile, gesturing at everybody to say.

"I think, that there is some answering to be done."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The four of them at settled down on the couches in the back room, Kathryn, sitting next to James and opposite Harry, who was sitting next to Lupin. The man called Lupin looked to be in a state of absolute shock. He hadn't even uttered a word yet, other then that short greeting to Harry, and just stared at James in incredulousness. Harry himself seemed to be fairly amused at the situation but Kathryn didn't think it was very funny, James meant a lot to her, and this was a big thing for him. She gave Harry a stern look and he quelled.

There was silence for a few moments until Kathryn, finally exasperated, spoke up.

"Okay, what in Merlin's name is going on?" she cried. James coughed.

"Well ... I guess I, er, we'd better start at the beginning." He said, darting a look at Lupin. Lupin, seeming to come out of his stupor, nodded.

"James and I, we're twins. Our parents were divorced young and I stayed with my dad whilst James left with our mother for somewhere in Europe ... I never knew where you went. Dad wouldn't let me have any contact with either of you ... I'm sorry," he said. James nodded.

"It's not your fault. It's mum's. See, our mum was so far immersed in the Dark Arts that our father couldn't take it anymore. He kicked her out, and as punishment, she took me with her. I was at Durmstrang for a long time ... yes Kathryn, I'm a wizard," he said at her stunned look.

"Why have you been living as a muggle then? Why didn't you tell me!" she said, looking hurt.

"I'll come to that, I promise. She put me into Durmstrang when I reached the age of eleven and I fell into a dark crowd there. My best friend was ... " he trailed off, looking at Remus, comprehension dawning on his face when he thought about what he was going to say next. "My best friend was Bellatrix Black." Remus' eyes widened.

"That was Sirius' cousin wasn't it ... the one that ..." Harry trailed off, closing his mouth tightly as if it wasn't a subject that was meant to be discussed. Lupin tried to offer him a comforting glance, but there was something that he knew that no one else knew on the planet, including Dumbledore, so summoning sympathy wasn't easy for him. He then turned to James, nodding.

"Mathison was my mum's maiden name ... I was so young when she took me away, I didn't know I ever had any other family ... that was until she died. She left me a note in her will telling me about you ... and dad."

"You were friends with Bella ... Bellatrix," Remus corrected himself, "and Rodolphus? I know he was there as well. Sirius told me that a lot of Voldemort's followers came to England from Durmstrang. They were all from pureblood families and in those days it was very socially acceptable to go there. His parents wanted him to go there too but he convinced them to let him stay. When he was in his later years at Hogwarts, he finally moved out, and Dumbledore let him stay here most of the time ..." he trailed off, eyes traveling back to James.

"You know, just getting away from the subject at hand, where is Sirius? Bellatrix used to talk about him a lot ... but ... I don't think I ever got the chance to meet him," James asked. Harry's mouth was set into a grim line. Lupin looked uneasily at him.

"Bellatrix Lestrange murdered him two years ago," Harry cut in, his voice hard. Kathryn gasped inwardly. Her eyes flew to James. He looked remorseful.

"I can't say I'm surprised ... she murdered our mother on Voldemort's orders," he said, looking at Lupin. The werewolf's eyes flashed.

"What? When?" he asked, confusion settling on his face.

"At the last minute, she changed her mind, decided she didn't want all of that for me, and Lestrange ... it was her last murder before she went to Azkaban ... that was the same week we'd moved back to England," he told him sadly. Remus put his head in his hands. (A/N; Note, it doesn't say in OotP who her last kill was, it only says that the Longbottoms were the last people she Cruciated - is that a word!)

Kathryn was watching Harry closely. Talk of this Black person had turned him quiet. She had no idea what was going on but she felt that she was going to find out soon.

"Listen, you two, you should have some time alone to talk about things. Harry and I, we'll go practice Quidditch," she said. James nodded, looking at her gratefully. She took Harry's limp hand, and led him out of the room. She didn't stop walking until she'd made it right down to the Quidditch pitch. Selecting two of the better-modeled broomsticks from the broomstick cupboard - Cleansweeps, she handed one to Harry.

"All right Potter, you're up. Time to show me a few of those fantastic moves I've been hearing about," she said, nervously clutching her broom. Flying had never been a strong point for Kathryn; she preferred to fight her battles with her feet safely on the ground. Harry seemed to come out of his stupor.

"Kathryn, what are we doing here?" he asked her. She rolled her eyes.

"We're going to do some flying and then we're going to talk," she said. He looked at her in confusion.

"Humour me Potter, now let's go," she said. He shrugged but complied and kicked off from the ground. Kathryn took a deep breath and mounted her broom.

"Okay, you can do this," she whispered. Looking up, she tried to kick off but just resulted in her stumbling forward a bit.

"Bloody hell," she swore. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Harry finally seemed to notice that she wasn't up and about and zoomed down towards her. He had an amused grin on his face. She was glad that she'd cheered him up but not so glad that she was the butt of the joke.

"Problem Mahon?" he asked, zigzagging and circling around her.

"Shut up Potter," he snapped, and held her broom steady. With a huge amount of willpower she kicked off and soared up about ten feet.

"See, nothing to be worried about," she said to him. He wanted to comment on the white of her knuckles but decided against it. Harry zoomed off, leaving Kathryn, somewhat relieved to be able to rise higher inch by inch a little slower then Harry had. With every inch, she just kept looking straight ahead, trying not to psyche herself out. Finally, after a few hard-pressed minutes, she found herself up at Harry's height.

"Left all your problems on the ground yet?" he said, zooming towards her.

"Get out of it, I'm still getting the hang of this," she spat at him. He grinned good-naturedly.

"Hey I was no good the first time I flew either," he lied. Kathryn gave him a withering look.

"This is not the first time I've ever been on a broom before Potter," she said.

"Come on Kathryn, chase me," he said, and zoomed off. Born to be a competitor, Kathryn raced off after him, her fears left behind. After a few moments she realized that she finally understood what her dad used to tell her about what it was like to get up high on a broomstick. It truly felt as if she held the world in her hands, the wind blowing her hair around her face wildly, her eyes and cheeks glowing with anticipation. To Harry's chagrin, the dark Slytherin seemed to be gaining on him. He urged his broom faster and smirked uncharacteristically as he felt the wind rush past him. Finally after a couple of minutes of racing, he came to halt in the middle of the field and waited for Kathryn to join him.

"You've improved," he commented. She rolled her eyes.

"It's call stupidity and competitiveness," she replied cynically. Harry smiled and looked out around the grounds. There was an awkward silence for a moment before Kathryn, always the assertive one, spoke.

"So ... are you going to tell me what happened back there?" she asked him softly. Harry's face snapped back to her. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"Come back to the ground," he said, and she followed his descent. When they were back down with their feet firmly on the earth's surface, the two of them sat down and Harry took a deep breath.

"You've heard the story about Voldemort and my parents," he began. Kathryn nodded.

"Sirius was my fathers best friend. They grew up together, went to Hogwarts together, and he was best man at my dads wedding," he went on. In an easier manner then he'd thought he'd have, he found himself telling Kathryn the whole story of Sirius and his animagus form, and how Wormtail had really been the Potter's secret keeper and framed Sirius even though they'd been close friends during their Hogwarts years. Kathryn was shocked by the end of it. She didn't know what to say.

"You know how I just said that I sometimes have visions about what Voldemort is doing, and my scar hurts when he's feeling especially murderous? Well one night in fifth year, I had a vision ... Ron's dad, he was being attacked by a huge snake ... it was such a deep vision that Dumbledore said Voldemort must have found out then that I could see into his mind." He paused for a moment, struggling to continue. Kathryn listened in silence, not wanting to stop him.

"Somehow, he must have realized that I would've risked anything, even my life, just to make sure Sirius was okay ... he must've realized how much he meant to me ... and used it against me," Harry's voice had turned hard and there were hot tears of anger prickling his emerald eyes. Kathryn moved closer and placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"One night, I got a vision that he'd captured Sirius and he was torturing him ... I saw red Kathryn, I've never felt so angered and desperate in my life ... I've already lost my parents, I couldn't bear to loose the one man that could make the loss of that seem even slightly better ... I went after Voldemort myself, the vision had told me he was down in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry. I went down there with Ron, Hermione, Ron's sister Ginny, another Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom, and a girl called Luna Lovegood and ... and we tried to find him. What we found there was a couple of Death Eaters waiting for us and a prophecy that connects me to Voldemort, Sirius wasn't even there. When Sirius found out I'd gone to save him, he and Lupin and a couple of other people that Dumbledore trusts, came after me." Harry had to stop, his voice breaking slightly.

"It's okay Harry, I'm here, you can tell me," she said softly. He nodded and took another deep breath.

"Bellatrix Lestrange was one of the most recent escapees from Azkaban ... they dueled ... there was so much going on, I didn't see until it was too late ... she murdered him. She murdered my only family and now I have nothing ..." at this point the tears really did overflow.

"I haven't had to think about it in so long, I never get this emotional, but anything that has to do with Sirius ... he was my family Kathryn. Hermione told me once that I had something in me that made me always have to be the hero, to always have to save everyone, and that's what got him killed ... I shouldn't have been so stupid," he choked out. Kathryn was stunned. Never in a million years had she expected something like this.

"Harry, how can you say that? It was not your fault! You were doing the only thing that was right to protect what means most to you ... Harry, if you blame yourself for this, then I blame myself for the death of my own family," she said, looking at him through wide eyes. Harry seemed to comprehend this quickly.

"I'm sorry Kathryn. Ok, I won't blame myself as long as you don't dare blame yourself," he said. She nodded, cracking a small smile. She was about to make another comment when her supernatural hearing picked up the sounds of voices moving towards the pitch.

"We'd better head off, I think there's a Quidditch practice on today," she said. He nodded and they stood up.

"Hey ... you know, thanks. I've never talked to anyone about that before ... not even Ron and Hermione," he said. She nodded.

"I'm here Harry," she said. He was just about to respond when a voice called out to them.

"Hey Harry!" they both turned to the source of the voice to find Colin Creevy moving towards them with five other figures clad in red and gold attire. Harry's eyes widened.

"Oh bugger! It's my Quidditch practice!" he cried. Kathryn laughed.

"I'll see you later," she called as he sped off.

"By Kat!" he cried and disappeared out of sight. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was looking at her warily.

"I don't bite you know," she said, giving them a smirk.

"What were you doing out here with Harry?" Kathryn turned to the redhead who had been making her life at Hogwarts quite unpleasant as of late.

"Actually, he was teaching me to fly."

***********************

That night, after Quidditch practice, Harry headed back to Gryffindor tower with Ron. Ron shook the dampness out of his hair - it had started to drizzle towards the end and now the flaming mop was stuck string-like to his pale forehead.

"Hey where are you going?" he asked when Harry stopped suddenly and started walking back from where they came from. Harry whirled around, as if he'd been in a daze and also, as if he'd only just realized that Ron was even there.

"Oh I'm um, I'm going to write Sirius a letter," he told him, looking quite distracted and tapping his foot softly on the ground. Ron looked at him in suppression for a moment before sighing. He walked over to Harry and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Mate ... listen ... I know that we've never, uh, we've never actually talked about this but ... you're okay right? Like, the rest of the guys, you know, in the dorm, we think that it's just your way of dealing but ... don't you think ... don't you think this whole, writing to Sirius thing, well ... don't you think it's getting a little out of hand?" Ron asked worriedly. Harry's eyes flashed for a moment before they took on an old, wary look - it was the look of someone who had seen too much darkness, to much pain, too much death for their age. He slid down to the floor against the wall.

"It's been nearly two years Ron ... two years ... I know you and Hermione feel like I've shut you out and I'm sorry but ... it's just not something that I like to talk about ... this is my way of dealing," he said hesitantly. Ron slid down onto the floor next to him and looked at his best friend.

Ever since they had started sixth year the year before, Harry would often be found up in his dormitory, or in the library or even at the dinner table, scribbling down a quick note and sending it off with Hegwig, who seemed to always give him a wide-eyed curious stare whenever she took his letters. It had been a few weeks into term when Dean Thomas, a fellow Gryffindor sixth-year, had stumbled across a half-written letter that Harry had been writing labeled 'Dear Sirius'. He'd come to Ron immediately, worried that their friend might be losing his mind. Sirius Black was dead - everybody knew that. He'd been at the Ministry that night when the entire British wizarding community had come to realize that Voldemort was truly back - everyone knew that Sirius had been caught dead amongst his other fellow stunned or hexed Death Eaters - Fudge had told the Daily Prophet the Dementor's Kiss would have been performed immediately had they found him alive - or if they had found him at all. They never did find a body.

Hermione - usually the levelheaded, logical one had been voted to be the one to talk to Harry and that she had tried. The minute she'd brought it up, his face had gotten this fake cheery expression on it, tense and nearly trembling and his eyes had gone fairly blank and he'd pretended to not know what Hermione was talking about. That had been the last time they'd all ever brought it up - they just accepted it whenever he walked up to his room with the words 'I'm going to write to Sirius.' Everyone just assumed it was his way of dealing with his godfather's death. Only the Gryffindor boys, along with the Weasleys, Hermione and the members of the Order knew what Sirius had been to Harry. Hermione had not seen fit to inform Lavender and Parvarti - it would have been all over school by the morning.

Harry hung his head and closed his eyes.

"I don't know Ron ... it started happening during that summer ... you know, after ... and I don't think it had gotten to my brain yet, I mean ... how could he be dead? But he had to be ... I remember thinking, when I was down in the Department of Mysteries, when Professor Lupin wouldn't let me go ... Sirius had never kept me waiting before ... it couldn't be a joke, because ... well it just couldn't, even he wouldn't play something so cruel. I just started writing to him because that's what felt natural, whenever I had a problem or didn't understand something, what did I do? I wrote to Sirius, and it was the only thing I could do. I keep sending them off with Hedwig; don't know why though ... she humours me I think. Drops them off somewhere because she hasn't got them when she comes back ... I suppose she drops them in the lake or something ..." he trailed off, looking ahead of him through weary eyes.

Ron was shocked, he'd never heard Harry say anything at all about this subject before - it was hard to help your best friend when you didn't know what he was feeling.

"Harry ... I had no idea ... I'm really sorry ..." he couldn't think of anything else to say. Harry shook his head.

"Don't worry, you have nothing to apologize for, I respect and am grateful to the fact that you and 'Mione haven't pressured me into talking about it ... it's nice just knowing you guys are there ... anyway ... I'm going to go for a walk I think ... I suppose I'll see you in the dormitory later ... make sure to tell the others that I haven't gone insane," he said, cracking a small smile. He walked off leaving Ron watching after him in his wake. He was still very speechless.

He didn't like to admit it, but he'd honestly thought Harry might be going nutters these past years. Ron had never had to experience pain like Harry had, he often felt like Harry and Hermione had more of a connection now that they'd both lost people that they'd truly loved and cared about. He remembered comforting Hermione after her father had been registered in at St. Mungo's - he hadn't known what to say and wished that Harry could say something to her - like, he knew how she felt, or anything ... but he hadn't. He had hugged her, and whispered 'I'm sorry' and then kept to himself. Ron had told Hermione it might be a good idea for her and his other best friend to talk about it together, but she had refused. It didn't seem like Harry really wanted to talk about things much lately.

Ron picked himself off the floor and headed back towards Gryffindor tower. Maybe he'd have a little chat with Hermione - she always knew what to do.

***********************

When Harry reached the lake he spotted a shadowy silhouette reflecting off the lake's smooth surface. When he got closer, he recognized the long, silky auburn hair and elegant pose of the girl he had given his heart to. He stopped for a moment, considering his options. He could go over there now and get yelled at or he could talk to her later and get yelled out. Oh well, better get it over and done with now - he felt that if he didn't tell her what he was feeling this very moment, he would burst - it was something he'd never felt before.

Harry approached her graceful form quietly and leaned his arm against a tree she was sitting under.

"We've got to talk Zabini," he said. She whirled around in surprise. Harry thought he saw her eyes soften for a moment but when he looked again, they were as hard and cold as usual.

"Clear off Potter," she hissed. He rolled his eyes and sat down next to her. She scowled at him.

"I'm not leaving until we've talked," he said simply. He could have sworn she growled!

"So talk," she spat out. He turned to face her but she stubbornly kept looking out towards the water.

"You are a stubborn, selfish brat," he started, her head whipped around in unwarranted shock. She jumped up angrily.

"Excuse me? WHAT?" she near yelled. Harry got up, his six-foot frame towering hers. She stared at him defiantly. Taking her by surprise, he curled his fingers into hers and pulled her towards him gruffly.

"And that's why I love you," he said huskily before sweeping her lips to his and kissing her passionately. Blaise shoved him away angrily.

"Sod off you stupid Gryffindor! You have no idea what you're talking about - exactly what I said last week, your a bloody idiot, just GO BACK TO YOUR TOWER!" she ended up screaming. Harry looked slightly shocked for a moment before his face turned into an expression that could have nearly matched hers. He brought his nose right up to hers, his eyes flashing angrily.

"Fine," he hissed and stomped off. Blaise watched him until he'd reached the entrance to the lake area, her arms wrapped around herself. He was just about to step over the threshold into the safe, warm walls of the castle when she made a quick decision and careened over to him. Harry was surprised to hear heavy footsteps steaming towards him from behind. He turned around just in time to see the red whirlwind jump up into his arms, knocking him to the ground and kissing him with all the fire that she had. It was moments later, when he had nearly been sucked dry of air and she had nearly become delirious with oblivion that they pulled away and she connected her intense gaze to his.

"All right Potter. You win, let's give this relationship a go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Late that night, when Remus Lupin had settled into James Mathison's sleeping quarters (his space included two bedrooms, a common room, and bathroom) he waited until his formerly estranged twin brother went down to the Hogwarts kitchens to get them a nightcap. When he finally heard the door shut, he walked quietly over to the fireplace and ignited it with his wand. He threw in a handful of powder and requested a name.

Lupin waited a few moments, tapping his foot impatiently. Where was he? Was he even still there? Finally, just as he was about to give up, a head popped into the flames. The man's long black hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and his face was alight with a ruggedly handsome smile although the shadows in his eyes told a lot more.

"What is it?" the man asked. Lupin looked at the door quickly before turning back.

"James. My brother, remember? He's here, he's alive!" Lupin whispered urgently. The man's dark eyes widened in bewilderment.

"What? You're kidding ... but ... Merlin," the other man said, shaking his head. Lupin nodded slowly, still taking it all in himself.

"Look, it's almost time ... you've got to come out of hiding soon ... I need you here ... Harry needs you here," Lupin said, giving the other man a meaningful look. The darker man nodded soberly.

"Give me a date, I am itching to get out of this place ... there are ... there are things that I need to do, that I need to say," a longing, wistful look in his eyes. Lupin nodded.

"Goodnight Moony," the man said. Lupin nodded again and the man's head disappeared. He stared into the bright green flames, which were still crackling with power.

"Goodnight ... Padfoot."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~