Unpredictable Life

~ Chapter 15: Glare, Glare, Ignorance ~

Wednesday, 28th August. Full Moon.

Severus was troubled. He could hear the werewolf growling loudly in another room, and were it not for the potion and Sirius changing into Padfoot, he would have left for Hogwarts long before moonrise. He was too nervous to read and finally decided to just watch his lover play chess with the brilliant young Weasley strategist. Charlie began chuckling when Harry finally yielded for the fifth time that evening. The dragon keeper had arrived in the Headquarters early the day before since he had been allotted a few days to relax.

“So that’s where you got your moves from,” Harry grumbled while looking at his best friend, who grinned widely.

The Potions Master was relieved to see that his lover’s relationship with his friends hadn’t changed. He was even more relieved that Harry’s friends treated him the same way. They would glare, leer and mutter ‘Nosy greasy git’ under their breaths. Of course, the girls didn’t follow suit since doing so would probably get them into trouble with Mrs. Weasley. The older witch was still in the dark about the newest pairing in the house.

“Ron, why don’t you challenge your brother?” Hermione suggested, idly rubbing Crookshanks’s neck.

“He’ll spear me, ‘Mione,” the redhead muttered but still exchanged places with Harry. A new game of wizards’ chess began and the raven-haired Gryffindor crawled over to sit at Severus’s feet. As always, the older wizard couldn’t resist toying with his lover’s messy hair. Harry didn’t seem to mind it either.

“Can’t you keep your hands off him? At least until you two are alone?” Bill asked curiously.

Severus repressed the sigh that threatened to escape him. “I can’t help it,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Luckily, he is just caressing Harry’s hair,” Ginny interrupted. “It’s not like —”

“Finish that sentence and you’re in trouble,” Ron said absently. “Harry, go sit somewhere else. Don’t distract the greasy git from his book.”

“I don’t want to,” Harry replied, sighing with contentment. “I only have a few hours left to spend with him without any kind of restrictions.”

“Awwww ... poor Harry’s going to be separated from his darling,” Ginny said in a teasing tone and Severus couldn’t help but grimace.

“Harry,” the beaked-nose wizard called his young lover softly, “are we that cloying?”

“Just ignore them.” Emerald eyes looked back at him fondly. Severus felt a faint touch and shivered as the Gryffindor lazily rubbed his naked feet. The simple touch reminded the wizard never to be barefoot around other people. “Everything ready?”

“Yes. The only thing left is for the students to turn up,” he answered. “Do you think we could … retire now?”

“And he asks if they’re cloying,” Ginny remarked to Hermione. “Oh, go away then.”

“Thanks Gin, you’re the best!” Harry replied mockingly and the girl made a face. The raven-haired Gryffindor pulled the Potions Master up to his feet and Severus found himself being dragged across the landing and into their bedroom. As usual, he swept his young lover up and carefully set Harry on the bed. “I wish I could do that.”

“Do what?” the Slytherin asked as he climbed atop the emerald-eyed wizard. “Sweep me off my feet?” One eyebrow arched elegantly.

“Yes,” Harry mumbled. It was quite difficult for him to speak since Severus’s lips were on his. “Uhmmm …” The Gryffindor licked his lips and looked pointedly at the open door.

The older wizard sighed and unhurriedly closed the door and locked it magically. The Potions Master placed his wand on the bedside table and stared contemplatively at the other wizard. “You’re too lean right now – at least to me – to start carrying me around. Wait until you’ve gained more muscle,” Severus said thoughtfully.

Harry made a face and sighed pensively. “At least I could carry you. It really isn’t fair for the girls. They can’t carry their boyfriends around.”

Two conflicting images sprang into mind and he began to laugh helplessly. I can just imagine Granger trying to carry Weasley. “I do think that Madam Maxime is fully capable of lifting the gamekeeper.”

“Ouch. Sev, stop laughing will you? You aren’t exactly light you know,” Harry panted. It just so happened that the Potions Master’s elbow had jabbed him hard in the waist. “Wait, did you just say Madam Maxime carrying Hagrid?” It was the Gryffindor’s turn to be incapacitated with laughter.

Severus managed to tone down his exuberance a little and he watched Harry with a sense of amazement. There was just something fascinating about the way his lover’s eyes crinkled around the edges as he laughed. And the shape of his lips. Oh, and that dimple on his chin is so irresistible, the Slytherin thought dreamily. Severus shifted a little and reached up to tuck the messy strands of hair away from his lover’s face.

At last, the raven-haired teenager stopped laughing and noticed that the Potions Master was staring at him seriously. Harry pulled him closer and Severus gave in, resting fully on his lover’s body. He inhaled; the emerald-eyed wizard lying beneath him smelled like fresh oranges. Turning his head slightly, he started nibbling on Harry’s earlobe, overwhelmed with the illogical need to find if his lover tasted of citrus too.

“Be careful on the train ride,” he whispered into the ear’s owner. “Don’t start the term by antagonizing Draco, all right?” The Potions Master felt the body beneath him stiffen at the name. “Harry?”

“Yeah, I’ll stay out of his way,” his lover answered. “But I will still hex him if he tries to annoy us.”

Severus sighed and simply enjoyed being held by the young wizard. It is odd that he has not asked about Draco — my reputedly favorite student. Harry rolled him over so that they were both lying on their sides and the smaller wizard snuggled closer. Dark emerald-eyes bored mercilessly into his and the Slytherin wondered what was on his lover’s mind.

“I’m going to miss you,” Harry said fiercely and he buried his face into Severus’s plain black shirt.

“It is only three days; you’ll be seeing me again soon,” Severus mumbled.

“Too restricted …” came the muffled response.

“You can’t be serious about flying straight into my arms,” the Potions Master remarked. Harry didn’t reply and he pulled away a little so he could look at the Gryffindor. Merlin …. His lover had fallen asleep and Severus immediately cradled him protectively in his arms. What can you possibly see in me, Harry?

He closed his eyes and did not think about the werewolf and the huge shaggy dog locked inside Headquarters. He did not think about the Headmaster or his pesky pet. His forearm started to tingle and he was determined not to wince or hiss in pain. He started to meditate and pulled his mind inwards. His agony faded. Still, he was able to feel the warmth radiating from Harry, as though the Gryffindor was determined not to leave him. Love you ….

~*~

The next morning …

Harry and Severus came to breakfast together that morning. Charlie looked up from the Daily Prophet and rolled his eyes when the secret coupled entered the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley looked at both of them in turns and shrugged before asking the raven-haired Gryffindor what he wanted to drink.

“Coffee?” she offered the Potions Master. The wizard nodded and she poured some for him.

“Anything interesting?” Harry asked the dragon keeper.

Charlie chewed thoughtfully on his pancake before his face lit up in a way that told Harry that he remembered something. He flipped the pages roughly and almost missed the tiny article on page twelve. He handed the paper to the emerald-eyed wizard and jabbed his finger at the news report.

The Boy Who Lived felt his lover edge closer so that he too could peruse the article. The young wizard braced himself lest it was more of the type of article trying to degrade him, the Headmaster, or Sirius. Instead, he felt his jaw drop when the statement flashed at him.

HOGWARTS STUDENT FEARED MISSING

A student and prefect of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was reported missing by close friends after the Dark Lord and Dementors stormed Azkaban Prison. Draco Malfoy, son of known Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, has not been seen or heard from in the last two weeks. His mother, Narcissa Malfoy is also said to be missing.

Ministry sources say there is no reason for panic. A thorough examination of Malfoy Manor has yielded little information as to the Malfoys’ whereabouts, however, there is no evidence that either one was taken away by force.

Harry looked up from the paper and met Severus’s eyes. There was no mistaking the shock on the Potions Master’s face. Just then, Hermione and Ginny entered, both looking slightly bleary-eyed. Ron appeared several seconds later, looking as though he too had not had a good night’s.

“What have you three been doing?” Mrs. Weasley asked suspiciously.

“Nothing … we just stayed up quite a bit last night,” Ron muttered. At his mother’s disapproving look, he quickly added that it was Hermione’s fault.

“Mine?!” the frizzy-haired girl hissed.

“Hogwarts student missing,” Ginny’s words stopped the argument before it could become full blown. “Surely he didn’t!” Her eyes immediately flew to the Potions Master.

“Good morning,” Sirius muttered and immediately sat down beside his godson. He laid his forehead on the surface of the table and sighed heavily. “I should have slept more,” he groaned. He threw his head back and glanced at Ginny. “What’s got you looking so stunned?”

“She thinks that Draco Malfoy has either been kidnapped or that he’s gone over to Voldemort,” Harry supplied. His godfather did not seem to find the news disturbing. The raven-haired wizard looked to his lover. “Is this news reliable?”

The Potions Master lifted an eyebrow elegantly, his facial expression already back to the scowling Snape everyone was familiar with. “It is suspicious that these ‘friends’ don’t have names.”

“Translated, he is saying that perhaps someone from the group is trying to make sparks fly,” Hermione mused.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Ron urged, looking slightly pained at his friend’s obscurity.

“It means, my thick-skulled brother,” Charlie smiled slyly when his younger brother opened his mouth to protest, “that someone is purposefully trying to make parents even more reluctant to send their children to school.” Severus snorted into his coffee while Harry made a similar expression of disgust.

“It does make sense, you know,” Hermione helped herself to a pancake. Charlie absently muttered a spell to warm it up and she smiled gratefully at the dragon keeper. “Half of those who are against Voldemort,” she looked pleased with herself at uttering the name without stuttering, “are students after all.”

“I don’t think it is such a bad thing though,” Sirius observed. “It means that the rest of you won’t get into trouble.”

“Being scattered has its bad points though,” Remus said dryly. The wizard looked like he’d been through hell and Harry marveled at the way the man could still be so inconspicuous, even in such a dismal state. How can he lose so much weight in one night? he wondered.

“But being together in one place is even worse,” Sirius scoffed. “And why are you up?”

“Couldn’t sleep with my non-existent bolster,” the Defense professor said mildly and Ron made a gagging sound.

“Good morning to all,” Professor Dumbledore greeted everyone with carefully contained cheer. Cerulean eyes rested meaningfully on the Assistant Defence professor. “There’s someone you need to see.”

All of their faces perked up with interest. A small-built woman wearing a simple Muggle dress stepped in shyly and bobbed her head in greeting. Tonks clambered in — still on crutches — and yawned loudly. The gentle-faced woman narrowed her eyes and the young Auror grinned sheepishly back at her.

She looks familiar. Harry frowned and saw that even Hermione wore a quizzical expression on her face. The woman turned back to them and she smiled — almost sorrowfully in Harry’s opinion —at The Boy Who Lived. The young wizard gave an uncertain smile but she was already focusing her attention elsewhere.

At least she didn’t gawk at my scar. He took a glance at his godfather, only to see that Sirius was beaming rather proudly. He’s like thirty-nine already and is still strutting? Harry smacked himself mentally at his ridiculous thought. Severus looked at him askance but the raven-haired Gryffindor shook his head to indicate that it was nothing.

“Hello, cuz,” Sirius hailed the woman merrily.

“Manners, Sirius. Why don’t you introduce me to your godson and the rest of the young ones?” she suggested mildly.

“Let me do it!” Tonks piped up. “Everyone who doesn’t know who she is … this is my mum!” At the same time, her features seemed to be blurring. Harry felt slightly dizzy as he watched her nose become sharper and her complexion start to darken. Her luminous pink hair disappeared and was replaced by wavy dark brown hair. The similarities between mother and daughter seemed much more distinctive.

“Is this how you look? Really?” Harry asked and was astonished when the Auror blushed.

“My, it does seem like there’s at least someone who appreciates beauty, Nymph,” Andromeda Black-Tonks said wryly.

“Mother,” Tonks started.

“This is her, except for the streak of blonde she insists on.” The witch lifted up some of her daughter’s hair to reveal the flaxen strands of hair. Harry noticed that those were much longer compared to the rest of Tonks’s brown hair. “Now that I have made myself known, I think it’s time I give my cousin a proper greeting.”

Compared with Narcissa and Bellatrix, she’s the plainest and shortest of the three, Harry observed as Andromeda embraced his godfather. She’s thin too.

“You look different, Sirius, and you made me so worried. I know you are a Gryffindor but you should let the Black traits run their course too,” Andromeda said quietly. Then she grinned mischievously. “Then again … I don’t think I want to be around you if you decide to mesh those qualities together.”

“You know me too well,” Sirius replied with a broad smirk.

“You’re like the brother I wish I’d had.” Her eyes grew distant. The others stood in the kitchen uneasily, watching Andromeda lost in her thoughts. Harry jumped when his lover cleared his throat loudly.

“Headmaster, are you aware of this?” He handed the paper over to Dumbledore.

“If you think the boy has gone off to join his father and mother, you’re wrong,” Andromeda interrupted. Harry stared at her.

“So he is safe?” Severus looked relieved at her words.

“I didn’t say that,” she answered, eyeing the black-robed wizard suspiciously.

“Do not worry about your student, Severus. He’s in the care of one of your own House,” Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully.

“But —”

“Not his usual company though,” the old wizard added. “I had first thought of sending him to the Goyle home but Professor Flitwick decided against it.”

“So he’s not with the Parkinsons’ either,” Severus stated. The Potions Master looked slightly baffled at Dumbledore’s nod.

He’s probably racking his brains trying to figure out who is taking care of Malfoy. Harry’s stomach growled and he decided to eat his breakfast first before worrying about anything else. Sirius offered a seat to his cousin and Andromeda thanked him quietly while Mrs. Weasley poured some tea for her. Tonks set aside her crutches and sat on the kitchen counter, pretending not to see her mother’s stern look. Their morning meal resumed and conversations died.

“Sirius, you’ll be known as Professor Edan Wulfe,” Professor Dumbledore informed Black after several minutes of tranquillity. Harry was surprised when four people — not just one — spluttered in their drinks.

Harry automatically soothed Severus’s back, frowning slightly as he watched his lover trying to stifle his coughs. Charlie hesitated before doing the same to Tonks’s mother. Mrs. Weasley quickly cleaned up the spill that was caused by Remus and Sirius, although she looked a little surprised at Harry's casualness. It was so slow that it was barely noticeable, but Remus, Andromeda and Severus started laughing. Green eyes watched Sirius Black curiously. It was even stranger because his reaction to the name was the opposite of the other three.

“I’ve talked to Edan about it and he has already agreed to go into seclusion. The man needed a vacation anyway,” Dumbledore plodded right on, as if he had not heard the wheezes of laughter.

Errrr … maybe he couldn’t really hear them, Harry thought with amusement.

“I am not going to be him, Professor,” Sirius barked sharply.

Dumbledore smiled sympathetically. “I know how you feel, Sirius, but Edan’s the perfect wizard for you to impersonate. Your hairstyle is even similar to his own, don’t you know?”

“But he’s …” Sirius looked helplessly between the old wizard and his lover. He shot a furious look at Severus who was having trouble hiding an insane grin.

“Who is Edan Wulfe?” Ginny asked, her face etched with puzzlement.

“A nasty man,” Andromeda gasped and hiccuped.

“He is an outrageous seducer of young boys,” Severus added boldly.

“Now, listen you!” Sirius had started to rise but jerked away when Mrs. Weasley pinched him. “Ouch! Molly!”

“Oh dear.” Remus quickly rushed outside and Harry could hear the werewolf break down, laughing hoarsely in the hall.

“Edan does have his faults,” Dumbledore carried on, “but he was also the best in Defence, as the three of you ought to remember.”

“How I wish that I could be at Hogwarts to see you acting like him!” Andromeda was still giggling.

“No way! I’m not going to be that poor bloody excuse of a Slytherin!” Sirius bawled. His chair fell over and he stomped off. Minutes later, he returned with his lover, dragging the wizard roughly behind him. “You can stay right here with me in this goddamned house! Let that Wulfe be their Defence teacher!”

“Now you are being childish, Sirius,” Andromeda said seriously, the humor quickly vanishing from her voice. “He’s a Slytherin for god’s sake. He will not be able to withstand anything if Voldemort tries to get into Hogwarts and you are well aware of that fact.”

“Fine! You tell me if he still acts like a bloody pederast now!” Sirius burst out, glaring furiously at Dumbledore.

“No, he doesn’t, though his lovers are younger than him,” the Headmaster replied, eyes staring locked on those of Harry’s godfather. Black opened his mouth again but Dumbledore’s eyes flashed dangerously. “By several months.”

“Has he really turned out to be good-looking?” Severus mumbled absently.

And what do you mean by that? The somber wizard turned and his face flushed when he found his raven-haired lover looking at him questioningly. An old flame? Harry swore silently and turned his attention back to his half-eaten pancake.

~*~

After lunch. In the cozy sitting room.

Ron gave a loud belch suddenly and he groaned. “I’m so full …”

“Isn’t that good?” Hermione commented impishly.

“I’m so sleepy.” Harry yawned discretely and leaned back into the couch.

“Lazy,” Severus, sitting on another chair, muttered.

The raven-haired Gryffindor heard someone coming into the room and opened an eye. It was Remus. The werewolf sat down next to the still-frowning Sirius. If his shoes didn’t squeak, I might not have known that he came in. His shut his eye and was seriously contemplating a nap but remembered that his godfather and Severus were leaving Headquarters in two hours.

He forced himself to be more alert and stayed up to watch his brooding Slytherin lover. I didn’t expect to fall in love with a Slytherin. He smiled to himself. Can’t help it that I’m weird, I guess. He sat back and thought of the things that had happened during the summer. He jerked when he remembered that Remus had wanted to give something earlier but couldn’t.

“Remus?” he called and golden eyes looked at him curiously. “You told me that you had some other thing to give me for my birthday,” Harry said and hoped that it wasn’t too rude for asking.

“Oh that!” At first, the professor looked surprised but it quickly faded to mild amusement. “I’m not so sure if I could hand it to you now.”

“Damn! I didn’t give you a present!” Sirius yelled, springing up to his feet in dismay.

“Sirius, you could give that Pensieve to him, if you want,” Remus said lightly.

“Was that what you had planned to give him?” Ron questioned the golden-eyed wizard.

“Oh … I think you can give him that when I’m really dead,” the soon-to-be assistant professor said in a small voice.

“Do I detect a sense of fear?” Severus spoke lightly.

“You. Shut. Up.” Sirius glared at the Potions Master. “By the way, Snivellus, I am not going to bloody ‘woo’ you when we’re back at Hogwarts.”

“Hmmmmphf.” Severus did not look up from his book.

“Was this Edan your ex, Sev?” Harry asked in a deceptively light voice.

“We didn’t go anywhere if that’s what you wish to know. He only ‘wooed’ me,” the wizard replied. “Then, I became the Marauders’ practice target and his attention wandered somewhere else.”

“Do I detect gratitude from the greasy git?” Sirius gasped, eyes wide in mock horror.

“Stuff it!” Severus snarled.

“Sev …” Harry shook his head lightly. His lover looked slightly hurt but the emerald-eyed Gryffindor ignored it. The young wizard turned to his godfather. “I don’t know if any of the other students are aware of any tension between an Edan Wulfe and the Potions Master so don’t you think it’s time that you be nice to each other? At least on the outside?” he said, looking from his Sirius to Severus desperately.

“Not if he misbehaves,” Sirius mumbled.

“I wonder if they are aware that they’re squabbling like siblings,” Ginny whispered to Hermione.

“I doubt it,” the older girl replied without a hint of a smile.

“Really, girls! I’m shocked!” Sirius exclaimed. Then he ignored the Slytherin sitting in their midst. “Talking about siblings, hasn’t Percy returned to the family?”

Ginny uttered something harsh and Ron snorted derisively. “He can live an independent life for all I care.” The youngest Weasley nodded her head vehemently.

“But he is still your brother,” Remus pointed out gently.

“He asked for it. Bet he’s too proud to come back to us and admit that he was wrong,” Ron spat.

“Don’t look at me,” Charlie began even before Sirius called him. “I just hope he doesn’t turn out as bad as Wormtail.” He shuddered.

“Heaven forbid that happening,” the Animagus muttered darkly.

~*~

Harry had purposefully attached himself to his friends while his lover changed clothes. Soon enough, he started pacing about the room until Hedwig flew over and landed on his shoulder. I don’t want him to leave. He sighed and sat on the bed. The young wizard absently stroked his pet’s feathers while Hermione talked about the DA with Ron.

“Harry, do you think we should still have the DA meetings?”

The raven-haired Gryffindor was oblivious to his friend’s voice until Ron snapped his fingers in front of his face. “Huh?”

“Seriously … it’s not like you’re not going to see him!” his friend said. “Hermione asked, is the DA still on?”

“Oh … Yes, I think. But I doubt that we’ll need the club since we’ll have Sirius and Remus as teachers, and now that Dumbledore’s back in power. Perhaps just for extra practice,” Harry replied, though his mind was still far away from the subject at hand.

“Ahem,” Ginny interrupted and wiggled her eyebrows. Harry tilted his head to look at her in bafflement. Her eyes darted significantly at the door. “Your lover’s waiting.”

Harry grinned and scrambled up to his feet, careful not to upset Hedwig. “Thanks,” he muttered and approached Severus. He heard voices from the hall and swallowed. They’re leaving already. The couple entered the bedroom and stared at each other for several minutes before Harry reached for his lover’s right hand.

He kissed Severus’s palm lovingly. “Have a safe journey.” Emerald eyes looked unwaveringly at the pale face lined with a few wrinkles.

“You too, lover. And keep practicing,” the older wizard murmured and he embraced the Gryffindor, owl and all.

“Severus!” Sirius’s shout rang clearly from the hall.

“You want to know something?” A smile broke out on the young man’s face. “I think I’m looking forward to going back to Hogwarts.”

“Because of the idea of seeing your Potions Master again?” Severus purred. “I thought the reason you liked going back to school was to escape the rigid Muggle life of your relatives.”

“No, it’s because of magic actually. I don’t have to pretend to fit what others want me to be,” Harry replied.

“SNIVELLUS!” Sirius shouted again, more impatiently this time. Both of them gave exasperated sighs and Harry helped his lover with the stark black cloak. Harry took two steps backward and examined the Potions Master with approval.

“You’re a nasty Gryffindor, you know that,” Severus muttered.

“You look magnificent.” Harry beamed.

“I hope that you don’t experience wet dreams when you think of me wearing these.” Severus pointed at his attire. He groaned when Harry started to blush. “One of these days, my lover, I’m going to ransack that school trunk of yours and find all of your sketches.”

“You’re mean,” the young wizard complained.

“FOR THE LAST TIME! SNIVEL —”

“SHUT THE HELL UP!!!” Severus thundered. “One of these days, heaven help him if I get the desire to kill him.”

Harry chuckled all the way as the both of them descended the stairs. “And Sev,” he spoke in a low voice, “I am really looking forward to Potions class.”

“A challenge, lover,” the Potions Master whispered. “You know you will have to compete.”

Harry gasped and stood rigidly with the rest of his friends. Only when his lover, godfather and his godfather’s mate Portkeyed did he finally shout, surprising Mrs. Weasley greatly. “Damn it Sev! That’s not fair!!!”

~*~

Saturday, 31st August 1996.

Harry tossed around in the bed and finally sat up, feeling lonely all of a sudden. He massaged his forehead wearily. His scar was throbbing lightly, giving him a slightly pinched expression. This isn’t good. I can’t sleep without him near me. He groaned and leaned against the headboard.

He absently reached out for his watch and sighed when he saw the time. It was already nine in the morning but his room still gave the impression that it was still early. Someone knocked on the door softly and he got up to open it. Green eyes flared in surprise when the caller turned out to be his frizzy-haired friend, still dressed in her pajamas. Her cat sneaked past her legs and settled quickly on the edge of Harry’s bed.

“What’s up?” he asked curiously.

“Just want to check up on you,” Hermione replied faintly and entered the room. “You didn’t sleep?”

The raven-haired teenager walked to the mirror who clucked loudly at him. “I look awful,” he muttered to himself.

“How do you feel?” she asked, her impassive face not giving her thoughts away.

“Weird,” the emerald-eyed wizard confessed. “It feels like I haven’t seen or heard Sev in months.”

“Does your heart ache?” Hermione asked with a smile.

“I guess,” he answered tiredly. “Damn it … I’m getting depressed.”

“It is unhealthy for you to be too dependent on Snape,” the girl mentioned.

“I know,” Harry whispered. “I should go and take a bath. Perhaps it might improve my mood.” Then he stared at her shrewdly. “You look stressed.”

“Of course I am,” she said. Her face saddened and she gave a long sigh.

“What’s up?” Harry blinked his eyes.

“Ron …” she mumbled. “Sometimes he’s so dense and so slow that I can’t help strangling him in my imagination.”

That confession brought a smile to Harry’s face. If I can just distract myself with something, then maybe this uncomfortable feeling I’m having will recede. “My other best friend needs some sort of bolstering before he’d dare to ask you out, ‘Mione. It’s not like you don’t know him,” he said comfortingly.

“I know … but he is still slow!” Hermione made a face.

“The twins will be coming over later, right? If I bring Ginny in on it too, perhaps the four of us can convince Ron to make his move now,” Harry mused. “Bloody hell. Thinking back on how he acted when you were Viktor’s partner during the Yule Ball two years ago ... that was just plain amusing. I thought he would have gotten the hint when you kissed his cheek last year … or was it early this year?”

Hermione smiled crookedly. “He’s brave about everything else except asking me out. What’s so hard about inviting me for a snack in the kitchen?” she grumbled.

“You know something? I think both of you might end up more cloying than me and Sev,” Harry said and quickly rushed off to the bathroom, only to bump into his other best friend.

“Owww!” Both boys exclaimed at once. Harry’s hand flew up to his forehead while Ron rubbed at his chest. “That hurt.”

“You look like hell, ‘Arry,” Ron remarked in between yawns. “Have you seen Hermione?”

“Yeah, she’s in my room,” the emerald-eyed teenager answered, then quickly took off before his friend could demand the reason for why the girl was in his room.

Harry did feel better after his shower, managing to scandalize Ginny by walking around with only a towel wrapped about his hips on his way back to his room. He randomly picked out a light blue shirt and a new pair of jeans. He was trying to make his hair look a little presentable when he suddenly found himself being dragged down the hall by Charlie.

He didn’t have to ask why once he saw Ron sitting on a chair having his hair trimmed by Tonks’s mother. When did she arrive? The witch waved at Harry absently while Charlie pointed to an unoccupied chair.

“Bill, please do not mess with my hair,” Ginny said in a tight voice.

“You’re no fun,” the oldest of the Weasley siblings muttered. “Hey there,” he greeted The Boy Who Lived.

“Hello Bill. When did you get here?” Harry asked as Mrs. Tonks summoned him.

“About an hour ago,” the wizard replied, a bit preoccupied with his current task. Ginny in the meantime was trying not to fidget but she looked more than a little apprehensive.

“You should remove your glasses,” the witch attending Harry suggested and the teenager quickly complied. He closed his eyes and let her do all the work. Just as long as I don’t end up bald….

“Would you mind if your scar showed?” Andromeda asked and the teenager shrugged his indifference.

“Wotcher there, people!” Tonks greeted them all brightly and Harry heard Hermione congratulating the female Auror at finally being able to walk on both feet. “It’s a relief to be without the cast, but I am still not quite confident about running,” the Metamorphmagus said. “And who did your hair?”

“Your mother,” Hermione replied shyly.

“Oh …” Then the Auror suddenly gasped. “Mum! Not that hairstyle!!!” Tonks screamed. “I was merely joking! You don’t really have to —” She stopped whatever she had wanted to say as Harry felt a warm heat on the back of his neck and temples. “— Wow.”

“Okay dear. I’m done with you,” Andromeda informed him cheerfully. He put on his glasses and immediately looked upon his reflection in the small mirror the witch held in her hand. “Now, see what a good haircut will do for unruly hair.”

Harry blinked, not quite believing that his hair actually looked neat. I should have asked someone to cut my hair really short a long time ago. He wished that he could see how he looked from behind.

“A handsome young man you have turned out to be, Harry,” Andromeda complimented. “You ought to be proud of the genes you inherited from your parents.” She had that faraway look on her face again. “It is rare that someone with hair as jet-black as yours is would have a pair of the brightest emerald green eyes one can find.”

“Not if that someone wears contact lenses,” Nymphadora Tonks inserted and mother and daughter shared mischievous smiles.

“I wish I could braid my hair on my own,” Hermione complained to her emerald-eyed friend.

“‘Mione, you look extremely pretty,” the young wizard said truthfully.

“I know,” Hermione replied smugly. She scuffed her foot on the floor and muttered, “I wish he had said that.”

“He’ll come round, don’t you worry,” Harry answered without moving his lips. With that, he pulled her to him, not caring that his other best friend was gaping at him in shock.

Morning soon turned into evening. Harry collapsed on the bed with Ginny following a second later. Ron muttered about something about wind and crawled off to the hallway, shouting for his older brother. Like his friends, Harry had packed most of his stuff and he shook his head at the amount of things he had accumulated over the summer.

He had carefully filed all his sketches inside a huge drawing block and placed that at the bottom of his trunk. He winced when he saw the shards from Sirius’s old mirror and decided that he would ask someone — not his godfather — if there was a way that he could fix it. Rearranging his belongings had taken him a good three hours after lunchtime. If Fred hadn’t offered his help, Harry would still be trying to jam the twins’ merchandise into his already crammed trunk.

It was already five in the afternoon and Harry stumbled into Hermione’s bedroom. She had gone to the bathroom and the raven-haired Gryffindor decided that perhaps it was a good time for him to have a small talk with his best friend. Since Ron had disappeared off to some other part of the house, Harry spoke to Ginny.

“Ginny, do you know any guys who have a crush on Hermione?” Harry asked. “Besides your brother and Krum,” he added swiftly.

“Okay,” she narrowed her eyes as she tried to think of names, “Ernie, Zacharias and … I’m not sure how true this is but some students and ghosts heard that Zabini kind of liked her … after the Yule Ball with the Durmstrangs.”

“But he’s a Slytherin and ‘Mione’s not a pureblood,” Harry protested and Ginny shook her head.

“But Zabini is not really with Malfoy, if you get what I mean. I’ve heard that he’s a bit more flexible than his peers. He even asked Luna out once — in secret,” she said in a low voice. Ron came back with a tray of ice-cold carbonated drinks. The girl reached for a glass and took a sip. She sighed contentedly and mumbled ‘Fruitade’ under her breath.

Harry took one and drank with fervor — not because it was carbonated but because it was cold and he felt hot. Ginny’s face cleared up and she told her brother that Hermione wouldn’t drink anything carbonated.

“I know. I’ve gotten her a barley drink,” Ron answered absently. Ginny snickered at her brother’s thoughtfulness and it was impossible for the raven-haired Gryffindor to hide his grin.

“Ron, we all know that you like ‘Mione,” Harry started and moved closer to his best friend. “When are you going to ask her?”

“Ask her what?” the tall redhead squeaked, his face paling and freckles standing out even more.

“To be yours,” Ginny said impatiently. “Seriously! How long are you going to wait before you ask?”

“Don’t make it sound as if I just want her to take advantage of her!” Her brother growled, glaring at Harry and his sister. Ginny cackled maniacally.

“So you admit you find her gorgeous!!!” the girl laughed hysterically. Harry wondered how Ron could still find the energy to grab a pillow and smack Ginny repeatedly with it.

“I’d be blind not to see her,” the redhead mumbled. He stopped hitting his sister and hugged the pillow to his chest, resting his chin on its edge.

Could that be Hermione’s pillow? Harry thought in amusement. He drank down the contents of his glass and stood. He crossed the room to the study desk and placed his empty glass back on the tray.

“She likes you too, you know,” Harry said lightly.

“Yeah, I know,” Ron sighed, running his fingers through his short flaming red hair. “It’s just … I find it rather … hard … you know … to talk,” the boy said. “I mean, I want to tell her but I can’t. And writing isn’t my forte.”

“Just do something!” Ginny screamed in frustration.

“Maybe you could just give her a quick kiss on the cheek every time you see her. Surprise her with something like that,” Harry suggested.

“Harry, she’s not that helpless. What if she thinks I’m a pervert or something?” Ron sounded dubious.

“Just try it. Then maybe you can slip in some garbled sentences asking her if she would like to be your girlfriend.” The raven-haired Gryffindor shrugged.

“Will it work?” Ron asked hopefully.

“Just try something,” Ginny insisted. Ron stared thoughtfully at his sister before nodding his head, smiling a little.

“Good man.” Harry clapped his friend’s shoulder gently. “Maybe you can try it before we go down to dinner,” the young wizard whispered roguishly. “We’ll stay out of the way. Right Ginny?”

“Yeah,” the witch replied. “And how about you? Not missing your greasy-haired lover?”

Harry gave an exasperated sigh. “He is not greasy. It’s okay, nothing intense, but the night is just beginning.”

“I doubt we’ll be sleeping … much. The twins will be in tonight,” Ron muttered and green eyes lit up in delight.

“I guess I won’t have a chance to get depressed then!” Harry smiled brightly.

Ron was shaking his head. “I still don’t believe that you and Snape are lovers. Don’t his teeth scare you? Never mind, don’t reply,” he said quickly at the sly grin.

“I wonder … have you bought Hermione’s birthday present yet?” Ginny pestered her brother. Ron turned scarlet and looking slightly abashed, he nodded his head quickly. “What is it?”

“I’m not telling,” Ron Weasley growled and he was saved by Hermione’s presence.

“Hey, the three of you should wash up. Dinner’s in half an hour,” she told them.

“Right-e-o.” Ginny jumped up to her feet and grabbed her towel.

“Hey! Why can’t I shower first!” Harry protested and quickly ran into his room to get his toiletries.

~*~

Ron glowered in his dark-haired friend’s direction but looked away when Hermione watched him intently. They did that on purpose, he told himself and rose to his feet, heading straight for the tray of refreshments. Should I give her the drink or should I just go straight downstairs with the tray? His heart was beating wildly in his chest and he started to plan.

“Here – I made this for you.” Ron gave the glass of barley drink to the startled girl. “Hope it is not too sweet.” That was damned awkward!!! A mental voice shrieked.

“Oh! Thanks!” the girl replied, her cheeks reddening slightly. The two Gryffindors stared at each other wordlessly; Hermione holding on to the icy-cold glass with both hands while Ron gazed down at her dreamily.

Just be careful with the glass ... I don’t want to ruin her shirt. The redhead took a deep breath and he slowly leaned forward. Instead of giving the girl a quick peck on the cheek – like Harry had advised earlier – for some reason, Ron went for Hermione’s lips.

His heart felt like it was going to explode when his lips were finally pressing against hers. The first thought that crossed his mind was: Bloody soft lips ... what will happen if I try to nibble on one?

He felt himself grow cold and then hot, cold and then he was in flames. He pulled away from her quickly, but cautiously enough so that her drink wouldn’t spill, grabbed the tray of used glasses and left the room. He met the twins on the landing but ignored them totally.

“Hey Ronniekins! Why do you look so red?” George called out but Ron did not look over his shoulder or respond to his brother’s inquiry.

I don’t believe I actually kissed her!!! A part of him shouted triumphantly. Did she like it? Was it her first kiss? Those thoughts continued to plague him even as everyone sat down in the kitchen for dinner.

~*~

Three in the morning. Hogwarts.

Sirius and Remus were strolling casually around the castle when the taller wizard caught sight of a black shadow crossing the grounds. He gently tugged at his lover’s sleeve and brown eyes looked at him curiously. The assistant professor jerked his chin in the direction of the moving shadow.

“I think that’s Severus,” the tawny-haired professor spoke quietly after a moment. “Do you think we should disturb him?”

“Like you had to ask.” Sirius snorted. He grabbed his lover’s callused hand and they went down the steps. “Now what can my future son-in-law be up to at this unholy hour?”

“Be quiet!” Remus hissed but the blue-eyed Animagus just grinned. Sirius’s eyes made out the Potions Master’s silhouette standing underneath the moonlit sky. The Slytherin did not seem to do anything out of the ordinary and the two Gryffindors approached the wizard cautiously.

Since Sirius was coming toward Severus from the side, he was able to see that the Potions Master was smiling faintly as his black eyes watched the heavens. The dark-haired Gryffindor couldn’t help the shudder that coursed through his system. It horrified him that his godson had managed to make the Slytherin he’d hated for nearly two decades unbend.

But I can’t change a thing without getting into trouble with Dumbledore, McGonagall and Moony. And I know Moony wasn’t lying when he said that Sni – Severus does care about Harry…. He sighed. At the slight sound, Severus turned and watched him warily. The Potions Master was rubbing his left forearm.

“If it is hurting you, you shouldn’t be out here,” Remus said softly. “It isn’t safe.”

Severus laughed emptily. “As if I would be safe with the two of you around the castle.” Then the wizard gave a wistful sigh and looked up again at the sky.

“If you sleep now, you won’t have to wait that long for Harry to arrive,” Remus said lightly.

“I don’t need that much sleep,” Severus answered.

“But you slept quite peacefully with Harry by your side,” Sirius objected. Then he paused when Remus rolled his eyes sarcastically. “It really is disturbing to think that you are actually sleeping with Harry.”

The Potions Master leered and earned himself a glare from the assistant Defence professor.

“I do hope the two of you will try not to get into trouble when the term starts,” Remus said, smiling faintly. The three wizards turned as one to go back into Hogwarts.

~*~

At the same time. In Number twelve, Grimmauld Place.

“It’s going to fall! It’s going to fall!” Fred, George and Harry chanted as Hermione shakily pulled out a block.

“Fall! Fall! Fall!” Ginny clapped excitedly.

“Shut up!” the frizzy-haired girl yelled frantically.

Thanks to the Tonks’s, the after dinner activity was keeping them all quite entertained. Tonks had conjured a number of blocks and had stacked them nicely in the room where Harry and his friends were hanging out. All the of Weasley siblings – save Percy – were taking part in a stacking game. Because of the number of people present, they had to limit themselves to five players per game. One group was made up of Hermione, Fred, Bill, Ginny and Andromeda while Harry, George, Tonks, Charlie and Ron formed the other.

There was a slight twist to this game. The loser was required to answer a question asked by the person who had gone right before the stack crumbled. Ginny had been waiting forever to get the chance to trap the older girl.

Hermione had managed to pull the rectangular block out and she heaved a huge sigh of relief at her success. Now she just had to place the piece back. “Don’t you dare tremble on me,” she muttered under her breath. It was a tense moment for everyone who was watching. The girl carefully placed the red block on the top and pulled her hand away quickly. Fred cursed when the stack remained solid.

It was Andromeda’s turn. The witch looked quite worried and she finally picked another red block to draw out. The tower began to sway gently and she sighed as the entire stack crashed to the floor. “Okay, your question is?” she asked Hermione.

“Why isn’t Malfoy under the care of the Order?”

“He isn’t ready to ask anyone for help,” Andromeda answered readily with a smile.

“You mean he’s not quite happy about being wherever he is now?” Hermione sounded surprised.

“That’s two questions!” Andromeda exclaimed.

“Oh ... never mind.” The younger witch sighed.

Tonks used her magic to set the blocks up again and her group started playing. Charlie started off first, carefully pulling out a green block from the center. On and on it went, until Tonks removed a block that acted like a support to the other blocks. Fred made taunting sounds but the stack remained steady. Then it was Harry’s turn. Still the blocks did not waver. George pulled his block out quite safely but the stack began trembling once he placed his parallel to Harry’s.

“That’s not fair!” Ron started to protest. “It’s still shaky!”

“Just go on!” Ginny hissed. The inevitable happened and George rubbed his hands together gleefully.

“When was the first time you kissed a girl? Family members not included,” the prankster asked.

“A few hours ago,” Ron mumbled, blushing furiously.

Gasps filled the room – some of them feigned, obviously. Hermione looked stunned and she was staring at her friend avidly. Her mouth moved but no sound emerged. Then she began to glow and Andromeda did not miss the change.

“So ... finally! It’s official!” Fred snickered.

“No! I haven’t –” Ron’s brothers wouldn’t listen.

“It’s as good as,” George agreed while winking flirtatiously at Hermione.

“Damn it! I haven’t asked her to be my girlfriend!!!” Ron shouted angrily, momentarily forgetting that Hermione was in the room with them. He quickly turned around and crawled over to the girl. The presence of so many people in the room, and the fact that his crush for the witch was out in the open, had bolstered his courage tremendously.

Without caring if he was going to get a lecture for his behavior from his brothers or the two adult witches, he kissed Hermione daringly for the second time. “There!” he said happily. The girl had raised her fingers and touched her lips lightly. “What do you say?”

“What did you think I’d say?” she asked in a trembling voice. Her eyes lit up with joy and happiness. Then she flung herself at Ron, hugging him tightly.

“Summer love,” Tonks commented and smirked.

“Finally, all of us can get some peaceful sleep,” Fred said teasingly.

“Yeah,” Harry agreed. “But I’m not going back to my room. Too bloody far.” He grabbed one of the pillows from the bed and immediately laid down.

“Hey, seriously, we didn’t play this game just to get them together?” Tonks demanded, looking at Harry in feigned annoyance.

“Of course not!” Fred, George, Ginny and The Boy Who Lived proclaimed in unison.

“Are you sure you weren’t part of it?” Andromeda asked shrewdly.

“What? Me?” Tonks looked at her mother with a hurt expression.

Harry sniggered and placed his arm over his eyes. It was not long before his mind started conjuring images of a faintly smiling Potions Master. He dimly heard Ginny asking Bill to help her with the blocks and soon, the taunts started again. He smiled to himself, sure that free time in the common room wouldn’t be as quiet as it had been a year ago.

Hopefully, Ginny won’t consider playing this Muggle game in the Great Hall …. His body shook with silent laughter as he imagined Severus’s scandalized look at seeing his Gryffindor lover yelling at the top of his lungs and trying to shake the other players’ confidence.

~*~

A quarter past ten in the morning…

Harry waited impatiently in the entrance hall and started to pace but Crookshanks started to twine around his legs. Hedwig seemed to find the sight amusing and she gave deep hoots, moving inside her cage from side to side.

“Fine! Fine! Get off me!” Harry said but the cat refused to leave him alone. The raven-haired Gryffindor shook his head and picked him up. “You’re heavy,” he puffed and sat down on a nearby stool. Crookshanks curled up on his lap and he sighed.

“All right everyone!” Mrs. Weasley called out clearly and emerald eyes watched the ginger cat in his lap. Crookshanks was hissing, digging his front claws slightly into Harry’s black trousers.

“Crookshanks! Crook — there you are!” Hermione exclaimed. “Don’t sulk,” she admonished her cat gently as the half-Kneazle started kicking in protest. He had just settled into a nice seat after all.

“Ready to go, Harry?” Moody asked gruffly.

“Just as soon as Crookshanks — Ouch!” Harry winced when a claw stabbed him through his pants.

“Sorry,” the bushy-haired witch mumbled. “You can sit on Harry later in the train. Co-operate. We don’t have much time.” Her pet finally let go of the wizard and The Boy Who Lived stood up slowly. He rubbed his thigh absently as he took hold of Hedwig’s cage and his wrapped Firebolt. That he handed to Fred who was collecting the other broomsticks. Bill and Tonks were already waiting outside and the Weasley twins were next to exit the grim house.

Harry walked quickly past Ginny then did a double take and gave her a once-over. “Merlin!”

“I look stunning, don’t I?” she asked impudently. The youngest Weasley was dressed in tight blue jeans and she was wearing a sleeveless baby blue top.

“Hah! You’re lucky Bill didn’t accidentally make you bald,” Ron snorted. He himself was wearing dark gray slacks and a long-sleeved maroon shirt. Harry didn’t bother telling himself to stop admiring the Weasley’s look since the prefect did look charming.

Ginny made a face and she turned to grin wickedly at the raven-haired Gryffindor. “You don’t look that bad either. But seriously, black boots would be much more suitable.”

“Can’t help putting comfort before fashion,” Harry replied sarcastically. Moody came to take Hedwig and Crookshanks while Mundungus Fletcher helped the ex-Auror with the rest of the luggage. Mr. Weasley finally came out dressed in a casual style.

“All right! All of you ready?” he called out gaily. At the students’ nods, Mrs. Weasley held the front door open and the group stepped out.

Harry squinted his eyes to adjust to the bright sunshine around him. He didn’t have to fake the smile on his face as he descended the steps to join Tonks and her mother. It felt like a crowd to the Gryffindor and he wondered what they looked like to the Muggles walking around them.

We probably look like a family going out for a picnic or something, he mused. Two families consisting of brunettes and redheads. He grinned crookedly. Since he was walking ahead of Mrs. Weasley and the wind was blowing in his direction, he heard the older witch gasp.

“Now Molly,” Harry heard Mr. Weasley speak, “you can’t expect our children not to grow up.”

“It’s not that. It’s —”

“Hermione knows how to take care of herself.”

Harry wondered why they were talking about Ron and Hermione but he got the shock of his life when he saw his two best friends holding hands as they walked, flanked by Tonks and her mother. Andromeda Black-Tonks was looking about warily as they walked and the emerald-eyed Gryffindor wondered about her role. As far as he knew, the witch wasn’t in the Order. Maybe there are others in the Order that weren’t in that picture. Or maybe she’s just joined.

He jumped slightly when Ginny casually linked her arm with his and looked at her questioningly. The girl just smiled brightly at him and they continued to walk. He chuckled deeply and started to pay attention to his surroundings once again. However, he was unable to see any outward activities of being watched.

They reached King’s Cross with no incident. The group strolled casually to the magical barrier and when there was a lull in Muggle traffic, Bill, Tonks and her mother stepped through the platform. After a few minutes, Ron and Hermione went in, still hand in hand. Mr. Weasley gave a nod and Harry went in with Ginny. Their belongings were already unloaded and soon, everyone in their group appeared.

“Hope the journey to Hogwarts will be a safe one,” Moody grumbled and shook his hand. “Be careful lad.”

“Yeah, I will,” Harry said quietly. The Gryffindor quickly went to hug Mrs. Weasley — she seemed surprised at first but recovered fast. Harry listened patiently to her advice — about owling and other stuff. He and the twins exchanged friendly hugs, and it was then that he saw Andromeda talking to a tall girl wearing a Slytherin scarf around her neck.

The latter nodded shyly before hurrying off and in her haste, she nearly tripped on her robe. Her curses could be heard as she boarded the Hogwarts train and the raven-haired Gryffindor thought he heard someone told her to calm down.

“I shouldn’t have listened to my brother or you about wearing these bloody fashionable, irritating robes … they are just too bloody long!” the girl yelled back. Harry wondered if she was a cousin to Tonks but berated himself for associating clumsiness with the family name.

“Off you go!” Nymphadora Tonks said cheerfully. “Study well and don’t get into too much trouble with the new professors!” Harry felt considerably happier as he and his friends boarded the Hogwarts Express. They still had ten minutes to get to a compartment before the train left the platform.

“Hey there!” Dean rushed toward them. He gave Ginny a quick hug. “The last carriage’s empty.”

“Okay, Ron and I will dump our stuff in the Prefects’ carriage first,” Hermione said and pulled the redheaded prefect along. Dean surveyed their retreating backs in amusement.

“Did something happen?” he asked both Ginny and the emerald-eyed teenager.

“You wouldn’t believe just how much,” his girlfriend replied.

~*~

Three hours later…

The entire carriage broke out into laughter — Luna half-heartedly — as Ginny recounted how Ron had ‘wooed’ Hermione, but they quickly fell silent and pretended to busy themselves with their own things when the new couple stepped in. Harry decided to divert their attention from the sheepish looks that were evident on Neville’s and Dean’s face.

“Who are the Head Boy and Head Girl?” the green-eyed Gryffindor asked curiously. Hermione and Ron shuddered. “No way!!!”

“Hannah’s Head Girl but Malfoy’s it,” Ron muttered gloomily and sat across Harry.

“NO WAY!!!” the others shouted in dismay, echoing Harry’s earlier cry. They started bombarding the prefects with so many questions that Ron had a hard time discerning what they were asking about. Finally, Hermione had had enough and she broke out into giggles.

“What’s wrong with you!” Ginny waved her hand at her. “How can you be laughing when that obnoxious, pompous, air-headed devil gets the position?!” she railed, squirming in her seat in agitation.

“We’re joking!!!” Hermione gasped, her eyes filled with tears. “If he was really the Head Boy, you would have heard Ron’s voice echoing throughout the train.” She cracked up again with laughter. “Come on guys! Only the seventh-years can get this position! I thought you all knew!”

“HERMIONE!!!” several voices thundered at once.

“That wasn’t funny!” Seamus glared at her. “Bloody hell!”

The old witch with the snack trolley finally reached their carriage and Harry and his friends swept off most of the Chocolate Frogs. They bought other sweets too and Ron promptly began chewing on fruit-flavored Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. He suddenly made a sound of disgust and quickly opened the window to spit out whatever he had been chewing before looking about his seat for the package that he had opened up. Hermione looked at him with a frown.

“Urgh! That’s the last time I’ll ever eat anything durian!” he exclaimed after reading the writing at the back of the candy package. He quickly gulped down some of the pumpkin juice he had bought earlier. Harry and Hermione exchange curious glances.

It happened so suddenly that the others didn’t realize what was happening at first. Harry was biting off the tip of a liquorice wand when something smacked him sharply on his forehead.

“OWWWW!!!” the raven-haired Gryffindor yelped and clutched at his scar.

“Harry! Harry!” Ron hastily stood up, some of his beans spilling out of the packet. “What happened? Is it your scar?”

Harry’s eyes were watering heavily and he found it quite hard to think. Bloody hell! He groaned. It’s not my scar though. He gestured to his concerned friends that he was all right when he was smacked a second time on the back of his head. The brutal force pushed him out of his seat.

“Something is hitting him!” Luna yelled and everyone sprang to their feet, wands immediately in their hands.

“Shut up!” Harry shouted and immediately got his friends’ cooperation. His head was throbbing painfully and he took out his eleven-inch holly wand. He took a deep breath and watched the insides of the compartment carefully. The next attack was coming from his left and aiming at his cheek. “Protego!” Something thudded against the metal wall of the train. Hermione, Ron and Harry followed the sound but there was nothing on the floor.

“You’re a poor bloody excuse of a Slytherin!”

The angry hiss-like exclamation drew the carriage’s occupants to the empty doorway. Seamus was curious enough to step into the doorway to investigate when a tall, frowning blonde Slytherin pushed him back roughly. The Gryffindor fell backwards and landed unceremoniously on Luna.

Harry’s lack of attention resulted in a solid hit on the chin this time. This is not good! His head spun and he tried to focus on the furious face belonging to Draco Malfoy. The Slytherin’s stormy gray eyes narrowed as the prefect scrutinized the area. What the hell is he waiting for?

The emerald-eyed Gryffindor stepped forward to tell the blond prefect to leave. “Manifesto Novus!” Malfoy commanded calmly. Harry’s eyes widened when a thick hardback novel appeared, already preparing to charge. “Finite Incantatem!” Green eyes observed as the book fell to the floor with a loud thud. Ron was already yelling at Malfoy to stop bothering them and was calling the Slytherin names. The silvery-blonde teenager acted as though Ron or the Gryffindors weren’t present at all.

“Accio book.” Draco waved his yew wand slightly and the book slowly drifted forward to him.

Harry sensed that something was not quite right when the Slytherin appeared troubled by the torn pages. He was smoothing the surface gently when his fiery anger manifested once again in his eyes. However, it was not directed at the Gryffindors. His silver hair became messy as the Slytherin whirled around and fired off several hexes. “Don’t ever touch my belongings again!” Draco hissed dangerously at someone in the corridor. With that, the prefect left the scene, dark emerald cloak moving elegantly about his lithe form as he stalked off.

Harry absently massaged his chin and Ginny whispered to him that he had quite a vivid bruise on his forehead. Hermione motioned for him to sit while Ron examined the corridor. “Ouch. Gently ‘Mione.” The emerald-eyed teenager winced when the girl tapped her wand hard against his skull. The tingling receded and he smiled gratefully at the witch.

“You know,” Dean was looking out at the walkway with great interest, “whatever Malfoy was warning might have just fallen on deaf ears.”

“Yeah,” Ron agreed. “Hermione, what do we do with the bodies?”

“What bodies?” she asked sharply.

“Take a look for yourself,” her boyfriend suggested. That made everyone eager to look, including Harry who still felt dizzy. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle lay sprawled on top of each other, out like a light.

“Oh dear,” Hermione said meekly. She looked thoughtfully at her housemates and asked the others if they thought the Slytherins should be revived.

“Let them stay that way for the rest of the journey,” Seamus piped up, smiling maniacally.

Harry looked at the unconscious Slytherins in consternation. Draco Malfoy had totally ignored him, which was surprising and disturbing at the same time. He was livid when his father was captured. I had expected him to be either missing — like what the news had said — or to utter some insults about me or about Sirius’s death. At the moment however, he was glad that he had been ignored by the Slytherin prefect.

His group settled back into their seats and soon, they were all chatting about the DA, who would be teaching them Defence — those who were in Grimmauld’s Place acted as though they were clueless — and who was going to be Quidditch Captain of the Gryffindor team. That caused multiple butterflies to start flying in his stomach since his housemates were giving him odd glances.

Afternoon slowly passed into evening and Harry was leaning unconsciously against Luna — she and Ginny had switched places — as he napped. Neville looked at Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione in puzzlement, wondering why the four of them were so tired that they dozed off. He didn’t disturb them since the quartet was already wearing their school robes, almost as though they had sensed that they might fall asleep during the ride. The sky darkened and slowly the lamps lit dark corridors. Hermione jerked awake and she prodded her boyfriend lightly. Harry slept throughout the journey, dreaming of Draco Malfoy holding a white mask in his hand, Severus kissing him in front of a stunned Divination professor, and the girl he had seen tripping on her robes earlier that day.

The train slowed when it neared Hogsmeade station but it wasn’t the reduction of speed that woke him up. He had been dreaming about a mirror, but it didn’t hold his reflection. Instead, it was as though as he was Voldemort, coolly watching himself in the full-length mirror. Voldemort smiled and he was writing something on the reflective surface in blood. Curiously, as the Dark Lord’s fingers wrote on the surface, his dark red eyes became slightly glazed.

Harry started to feel a strange pull and it seemed to be coming from the mirror. By now, after all his sessions with his grim-faced lover, he knew not to get carried away with anything. He withdrew, slowly at first, and then he increased his pace with each moment. Voldemort was frowning and almost instinctively, Harry pulled his consciousness back within his own mind and erected a world of blackness.

“Potter!” The Dark Lord snapped to attention, his deep eyes alight with fury. Voldemort disappeared behind a black curtain and Harry breathed easier, finally awake.

“Good timing mate!” Dean said cheerfully. “We’ve arrived!”

A smile stretched his lips and an image of a Potions Master waiting in the Great Hall warmed his heart. Yeah, we’re back. Back to school, back to magic, back to Sirius and back to my lover.

~*~