Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

     Chapter 4

     Of OWL's and Dreams

    Not quite an hour later, the silence was shattered by an agonizing scream. Harry's hand clenched his scar as he convulsed. Low gurgling noises came from his throat as he battled the visions in his dream. Harry was in a dark stone chamber which he thought, at first, was the chamber of secrets. He looked closer but didn't see any snakes decorating the doors. Instead there was a large black bird with rubies for eyes. As the pain in his scar continued Harry realized that he was seeing through Voldemort's eyes. Then he heard his dream self speak. "We are almost there my humble slaves. We must succeed in finding the one thing that will guarantee my victory. The lost wand of Grindelwald is nearly ours. Then we shall start our attack by eliminating Harry Potter," Voldemort said while Harry was helplessly trapped in the dark lord's mind. Harry's body began to convulse again as the strain of being possessed by Voldemort became too much. Another scream tore through the air frantically.

    The portrait of Lily and James sprung to life as James bolted to his other portrait in the Headmaster's room to wake Dumbledore after listening to Harry's screams and cries for the last few minutes. The noise also woke Hermione who bolted upright in bed and tore open the door between her room and Harry's. Her face palled to sheet white as she watched him thrashing about, his scar bleeding freely. Then Hermione sprang into action. Crossing to the bed she wrapped her arms around him in a death grip waiting for his convulsions to cease.

    "ALBUS," James screamed as popped into his other portrait in Dumbledore's chambers.

    At the noise the Headmaster nearly jumped out of bed and turned to see what had woken him. "What happened to Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

    "He's having a nightmare, I think. He woke Lily and I with his screaming but there aren't any portraits in his room so we couldn't tell for sure," James said.

    "I had hoped, now that he was wearing the ring, that the dreams would be reduced," Albus said with a frown.

    "He's wearing The Ring of Merlin? Does he know what it means?" James asked, remembering clearly some of the problems that had started on his sixteenth birthday when he put the ring on his finger.

    "He does not know yet about the full legacy. Only that it may help him down the road, and that it means he is the true owner of the sword of Gryffindor which I also gave to him," Dumbledore said.

    "And let me guess, his Leglimancy skills are stronger than his Occlumency skills so instead of helping him block things out it is increasing the strength of what he sees and feels in his dream," James said.

    "It appears that way. Let us go and I'll tend to him," Dumbledore said, striding down the stairs and across the room to the door leading to the secret room where Harry and his friends now lived. James quickly popped back into his portrait with Lily to watch over the scene.

    Just after Hermione had thrown her arms around Harry she felt the room begin to spin somewhat violently. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears along with a second pulsing beat. ‘Is that Harry's heart beating?' Hermione asked herself. The colours swam before her, each brighter than the last. She could also smell that scent, Harry's scent, as if it were a part of herself. Salty tears wet her lips and she tasted each drop as she never had before. Then one more sensation burst into her mind. She could feel a myriad of emotions, including a deep fear that she knew she was not feeling. Hermione allowed herself to absorb these foreign feelings coming in waves from Harry's still trembling body in her arms. She smiled at his happiness, cried with his pain, and at long last knew that he loved her as much as she loved him. Hermione felt his love, though deeply hidden away, seep from his soul. It soon filled the room with its presence. "Why didn't you ever tell me you loved me this much?" Hermione asked.

    Harry felt someone, or something, reach out to grab him. He did the only thing he could do at the time. He screamed in pain, desperate to fight the intruder. Before his second scream could leave his lips, another swirl of light filled the room and Harry suddenly could see colour again. In his dream it had been all dark with swirls of ominous green fog. Now he saw everything in sharp detail. His ears picked up the rapid heartbeat of the person who now gently held him in bed. Harry recognized the feel of those hands, the sound of that heartbeat. ‘It's just Hermione,' Harry thought, starting to relax in her arms. He could smell her shampoo and the light scent of the body spray she liked to wear. He realized quickly that he could sense her fear and sadness and a third emotion that seemed to overpower everything else, her love for him. Harry would have opened his eyes in an instant to soothe Hermione if his scar didn't choose that moment to explode like a white-hot poker, rendering him nauseous.

    In the other room Ron lay trembling. He could see darkness all around him. It was a strange room filled with ominous green fog that swirled everywhere. He could feel vague faint hints that reminded him of Harry. Short bursts of terror and fear and an undercurrent of courage flooded his senses. Something else filled the air a moment later and Ron was surrounded by colour and a sense of peace. Images of his friends in Harry's room played before his eyes. He could tell exactly what was happening without being there. Ron jumped from under his covers and raced towards the other room. He needed to be there.

    Hermione felt Harry tense in her arms as his hand clenched his scar. She could see the blood run faster from between his fingers and panic started to creep into the pit of her stomach. Hermione's hand moved his hair aside and she somehow moved his hand away and gently pressed her own small hand over his scar. She was aware that she might hurt him but she needed to help him ease the pain. She almost jerked her hand away when she first made contact. Hermione wasn't aware that it would be hot to the touch, as if the lighting bolt were charged with real electricity. She simply bit her lower lip and pressed her hand even more firmly against Harry's head, waiting for him to calm again.

    "What the bloody hell happened?" Ron asked, coming into the room. His face was extremely pale and covered in sweat as though he'd run a marathon.

    "He's had the worst nightmare yet. I had to hold him down to stop him from screaming," Hermione answered.

    "I know what happened to Harry. I want to know why I saw it all without being in this room," Ron said.

    "I think we need to see Dumbledore. Something strange happened to me as well, when I touched Harry," Hermione said, worrying her lower lip.

    "What?" Ron asked. He noticed that Hermione had her hand pressed over Harry's scar and that her hand was starting to tremble while at the same time Harry was slowly relaxing into her arms. "Merlin Hermione, you're an empath. From the way Harry is reacting, I'll bet anything that he is too. Should I go get Dumbledore?" Ron asked, realizing that neither of his friends were in a state to go anywhere.

    "How do you know, Ron?" Hermione asked.

    "My mum told me about it once. She said it was a rare magical gift, like being a Metamorphmagi or a Seer. I don't know much more than that," Ron said.

    "I believe I can answer that in more detail," Professor Dumbledore said. He was standing in the only doorway that the trio hadn't yet explored. The door that led directly to his office.

    "Please Professor. I can't wake him," Hermione said, worried as Harry's breathing became rather shallow.

    Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry and sighed. "As usual it is much worse for Harry, although all three of you now have a rather hard cross to bear," he said. He looked at Harry for a moment longer before pulling out his wand and touching it to the boy's chest. "Enerviate," the Headmaster said, waking Harry at last from the prison of his nightmare.

    Even though Harry had woken, Hermione still kept her hand over his scar. It was painfully hot against her suddenly ice cold hand. The same hand that now shook as his emotions flowed through her rapidly. Then it hit one particular feeling which caused Hermione to break their link. "No, Harry, you can't think that way," she said, tears forming in her eyes. "HARRY JAMES POTTER, HOW CAN YOU THINK EVEN FOR ONE MOMENT THAT YOU'D BE BETTER OFF DEAD!" Hermione yelled in shock. Tears flooded her cheeks as she saw what her yelling had done to Harry and she flung herself over him on the bed. "I already told you, Harry, that I don't know what I'd do without you. Oh Harry, . . . I love you. I know you don't have much experience with love but I promise you that no matter what happens I'll be here when you need me," Hermione said. She kissed his cheeks and forehead. Then she took a shaky breath and gently pressed her lips to his much as she had done to wake him up after he had been attacked on Privet Drive.

    "Mione?" Harry said, the kiss causing him to come back to reality. Then he flinched at their bodies proximity. "You're too close, Mione. He'll . . . I'll hurt you," Harry said.

    "It's not you, Harry. It's Voldemort. You have to fight what he's telling you. You would never hurt me and you know it. You also know that I'm not afraid of Voldemort," Hermione said, saying the monster's name without a tremble of fear in her voice.

    "That's good. I am," Harry said softly, tears forming in his normally bright eyes. They were a dull jade green, full of pain and sorrow.

    A tear slipped from Albus Dumbledore's wise azure eyes. His heart broke thinking how very close they all were to watching Harry turn into a mere shadow on the wall. ‘I'm sorry Harry for all that I've done. And all that I've failed to do in keeping you safe,' Albus thought to himself.

    "So what happened tonight?" Ron asked, looking back and forth from Harry to Dumbledore.

    "I'll start with you Mr. Weasley. It appears that you are a seer. You tuned into your friends this evening and you were able to see what was happening," Dumbledore said.

    "If I'm a seer, why did I do so bloody awfully in Divination?" Ron asked.

    "Your gift appears to have been hidden until it was needed, and it will be in the months ahead. You can train yourself to tune into your friends and sense when they are in danger," Dumbledore said.

    "Well, I'd better prepare myself to see a lot then. Harry has an uncanny knack for attracting danger," Ron said, trying to break the heavy blanket of tension in the room.

    Dumbledore smiled sadly. "That he does, Mr. Weasley, that he does," the Headmaster agreed. All of a sudden he looked much older than Harry, Ron, and Hermione remembered and it made them sad.

    Hermione sat up after her outburst and wrapped her arms around Harry's waist. She was relieved that he hadn't completely pushed her away. "What happened with Harry and I?" she asked, her voice shaking.

    "As Mr. Weasley pointed out, my dear, you are an empath. At some point you started to be able to feel what Harry was feeling. In return he felt what you were feeling. It was so strong I would hazard that even Mr. Weasley had a few glimpses of the emotions involved. As I said, Harry, you are a complex situation for not only are you a strong empath but also a seer. Not all of the visions you keep having are Voldemort's intrusions into your mind," Dumbledore said.

    "So when I could tell that it was Hermione trying to help me it was me feeling her emotions? Everything was so bright and I could almost feel her hand in mine even before she touched me. I felt her love for me and it made me come back," Harry said.

    "Oh Harry. It was the same for me. All of a sudden I could tell how much pain you were in and all I wanted to do was to make it go away. So I put my hand over your scar. It was so hot I think it burned my palm," Hermione said, tightening her hold on Harry.

    "I feel strangely peaceful. Thank you, Mione. I can tell that was your influence and I'm sorry I upset you with my thoughts before," Harry said, squeezing her hand.

    "You're welcome, Harry. You deserve some peace. I just wish you didn't feel that way, but I still won't let you go," Hermione said, leaning down to kiss him again, this time on the cheek.

    "It seems the two of you are able to use your gift fairly well. If everything is settled a bit, we should all retire for the night. I believe your OWL's will be here in the morning and you may want to consider re-taking at least one of your tests as I know there were circumstances out of the ordinary last spring," Professor Dumbledore said.

    Harry looked around the room closely watching Ron's face. "You saw my dream didn't you, Ron?" Harry asked, picking up on his friend's unease.

    "It was awful. I couldn't stop the connection," Ron said, his face losing much of its colour.

    "We can discuss the dream tomorrow. I know you've used a Pensive before, Harry, you can show your friends," Dumbledore said, standing up, preparing to leave.

    "Yes sir. Professor Dumbledore . . . does Mione have to leave me all alone tonight? I know what adults usually think, and you know we have feelings for each other, but she's keeping me calm and I don't want any more dreams," Harry said, not quite able to say that he loved Hermione, out loud anyway.

    "You know I'm not thinking that, Harry," Dumbledore said. With a wave of his wand Hermione and Harry's room became one large room with two beds, matching desks, and a two-person couch set in front of the fireplace. "There's Floo powder in the box if you need to contact me in the middle of the night. Otherwise you can tell the portrait of your parents and they can contact me," Dumbledore added, conjuring up a pretty gold and red box on the mantle with a detailed carving of a lion rampant on the cover who lazily let out a roar and went back to sleep. "Mr. Weasley, would you prefer your own room or shall I turn this into a one bedroom apartment?" the Headmaster asked.

    "I think I'll be able to see what's wrong just fine from next door. I'll let the two lovebirds rest," Ron said, smiling at his best friends. There were some situations you went through where you couldn't help becoming friends for life. Knocking out a twelve foot mountain troll at the age of 11 was one of them, Ron thought to himself.

     "Night Ron," both Harry and Hermione said, nearly asleep already, still perched on Harry's bed. Professor Dumbledore and Ron shared a smile. Both of them doubting that the second bed would get much use, knowing that Harry and Hermione preferred to be as close together as possible at this moment at least.

    "I will see you three in the morning, Mr. Weasley, oh and tell Harry I'll leave a miniature of the portrait of his parents in the main room to put in their room in case something happens again. His mum said something about wanting to watch over him.

    "How about I just find a place for it right now. James and Lily will want to see this," Ron said, taking the small painting and hanging it over the mantle of the fireplace. "Perfect," Ron said as he returned to his own room.

    "I couldn't have said it better myself Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore said, watching his students for a few moments before retiring back to his office. This conversation with The Golden Trio weighed particularly heavy on his mind.

    The next morning each member of the Trio woke quickly, almost as if they could sense that the other two were also awake and eager to get to the business of the day. Ron was eager for a hearty breakfast and hoped to send an owl without being caught by his friends. He scrambled into some clothes a full two hours earlier than he ever had woken up voluntarily before and made his way out to the common room. Fifteen minutes and eight drafts of his letter later he was tying the finished product to Pig's leg when he sensed his friends entering the room. "What are you sending Ron?" Harry asked.

    "Um...just a letter," Ron said, his face slowly turning crimson.

    "We can see that Ron. Are you writing to your family?" Hermione asked.

    Ron thought for a moment about lying and saying that it was for his family but he didn't want to lie to his friends. "No, please don't laugh, it's to Luna," Ron said quietly.

    "Why would I laugh? Luna is a very sweet girl . . . a little different, but very nice," Hermione answered.

    "I was hoping maybe she, Ginny, and Neville could join us before the school year starts. We'd have the run of the school. Hey, maybe we could find a way to lay some pranks for the Slytherins," Ron said.

    "It would be nice to see Ginny again. And Harry's dad did seem awfully sure we were the new Marauders," Hermione said.

    "There's no doubt there," James spoke up after listening to the conversation.

    "I'm afraid Dad is right, Mione, we've already gone on too many adventures to not have picked up the mischief title," Harry said.

    The three jumped as they heard a portrait swing open and hit the stone wall with a thump. "Hmm that was louder than I expected. I hope I didn't scare too many years off of your lives," Dumbledore said, entering the room in a swirl of majestic deep purple robes with millions of silver stars charmed to twinkle in response to the Headmaster's mood.

    "Not at all, Professor Dumbledore, we're used to loud unexpected noises by now," Harry said.

    "That you are my boy," Dumbledore said. He moderated the merry twinkle in both his eyes and his robe for a moment. "I came to discuss your dream last night. If it's easier, I've brought my pensive," he said, pulling a stone bowl from his pocket and setting it on the table.

    Harry didn't answer he simply pulled out his wand, placed it at his temple and pulled several strands of shiny silver from near his hairline, watching as they splashed into the basin and swirled ominously. The trio and Dumbledore leaned closer to the basin until they fell in with a splash.

    Instantly the air turned cold and clammy. The deep inky blackness was broken only by the evil green fog at their feet. Harry felt Hermione's hand in his as he struggled to control his breathing and remind himself that it was just a dream and nothing in here could hurt him physically. The dream replayed itself slowly as the details in the stone chamber showed themselves more clearly. Then they popped out of the pensive all a little shaken, even Dumbledore, Harry thought in surprise.

    "Grindelwald's chamber," Dumbledore said softly.

    "I was in Voldemort's head again. I . . . he was talking to the Death Eaters about finding the last piece of his power. Something about a wand," Harry said, trying to remember more clearly what he had heard since the words had mainly been lost while they had been in the pensive. Then he remembered, "Grindelwald's lost wand," Harry said.

    "I would think after he was defeated that Grindelwald's wand would have been snapped," Hermione said, rubbing Harry's hand soothingly as she sensed his fear.

    "It would have been had we found it. It disappeared during the battle and hasn't been seen since. If Voldemort gets it and combines its core with his own wand he'll gain immeasurable powers. I'll alert the Order," Dumbledore said, tucking his pensive back into his pocket and pulling out three official looking envelopes from the opposite pocket. "That's enough of that topic before breakfast. Before I go here's some mail. They came special delivery early this morning," Dumbledore said, handing them each a letter with the large, almost gaudy, Ministry seal.

    "Our OWL scores," Hermione said nervously.

    "You did fine, Mione. I'm the one who has to worry about getting into Potions to become an Auror," Harry said.

    "Well come on then, they won't open themselves you know," Ron said, starting to break the seal.

    "I should be going," Dumbledore said, his eyes and the stars on his robes back to full twinkle.

    "Wait, Professor, please stay," Harry said, slowly unsealing his letter and pulling it from the envelope. He began to read it aloud.

Dear Mr. Potter,

    Congratulations on surviving one of the toughest OWL sessions in recent (and not so recent) memory, and on tying for first rank amongst all Hogwarts students of your year. Here are your results:

Ancient Runes: N/A Arithmancy: N/A Astronomy: 75%-Acceptable-1 OWL Care of Magical Creatures: 100%-Outstanding-1 OWL Charms: 93%-Outstanding-1 OWL Defence Against the Dark Arts: 150%-Double Outstanding-2 OWL's Divination: 70%-Acceptable-1 OWL Herbology: 95%-Outstanding-1 OWL History of Magic: 70%-Acceptable-1 OWL Muggle Studies: N/A Potions: 90%-Outstanding-1 OWL Transfiguration: 98%-Outstanding-1 OWL

RESULTS: 10 OWL's* (out of 12 possible) *Includes extra OWL for Highest DADA score in 50 years.

Congratulations you have the necessary OWL's to pursue a career as an Auror. You must have five OWL courses. We recommend the following: Potions, Charms, DADA, and Transfiguration plus one Elective. The course selection sheet will be sent out in two weeks time.

Respectfully, Griselda Marchbanks Head Wizarding Examiner Ministry of Magic

    "Oh Harry, that's wonderful. We got the same number of OWL's, although you beat me in DADA again," Hermione said, throwing her arms around Harry's neck and kissing him briefly.

    "How did you do, Ron?" Harry asked.

    "Ten, the same as you. I can't believe I got a Double Outstanding in Care of Magical Creatures," Ron said.

    "I got my Double Outstanding in Arithmancy," Hermione said.

    "Wait. Mione, didn't you take the Ancient Runes exam? You should have 11 not 10," Harry said.

    "I was taking it independently so no, Harry, I didn't sit the exam. We were halfway to the Ministry when it was being held," Hermione said, squeezing his hand.

    "Well Miss Granger, as I said before there were some unusual circumstances during the exams. As such, any student who wishes is encouraged, especially this year, to retake certain exams they feel they could have performed better in. Also allowed is independent course work leading to additional OWL's being placed on your records. Ah here they are," Professor Dumbledore said, materializing three books which he had summoned from his office. These books will allow you three to write down whichever courses you wish to pursue OWL's in regardless of whether you finished the class or not. It may help to remove those zeros from your record, Miss Granger, the ones you are so ashamed of in Muggle Studies and Divination. If you proceed correctly, you could be the first three students with 13 OWL's that we've had for nearly a century," Dumbledore continued.

    "That would be one more than Percy," Ron said.

    "I would like to see what I learned in Ancient Runes, and we don't have any summer work for the year as we haven't picked our classes yet," Hermione said.

    "Well it would give us something to do besides the plans we already made. Most of it shouldn't take too long since we would just need to improve most of our scores. Muggle Studies will be easy, we'll help you, Ron, and Hermione can teach us Arithmancy and Ancient Runes while we teach her Divination. Maybe we'll get to use our new found Seer powers," Harry said.

    "Why not, we might get bored otherwise and then look out Hogwarts," Ron said.

    Hermione couldn't believe that Ron just agreed to study, but smiled. "Watch out indeed. I think now with three projects for the last month of summer we won't be bored," Hermione added.

    "So we just write down all the courses we either didn't get an OWL in we didn't get the grade we wanted in and we'll be able to study them and then take the OWL?" Harry asked Professor Dumbledore.

    "Yes. The books will fill with a study guide for each subject and you have all the books you need in the library and in your own trunks. When you pass each of the year end tests, it will grade them automatically on the OWL scale, and when you achieve the grade you desire you'll pass to the next year of information. You may want to study each subject one at a time and get the OWL out of the way before moving on to the next subject," Dumbledore said smiling. So the Golden Trio were the top students of their year. He couldn't wait to see how they did on their projects.

    "We'll need to make a schedule to get this and our other main project done by September 1," Hermione said.

    "All right, but let's have breakfast first please," Ron said, his stomach rumbling loudly just at that moment.

    "The bottomless stomach has spoken," Harry said.

    "On that note I'll leave you, but would you three mind company for breakfast? I hope not as Remus and Sirius are very eager to spend some time with you," Dumbledore said.

    "You're welcome to join us, Professor," Harry said, happy that his godfather and Remus were there to talk to. He had a million questions for them.

    "Maybe at another meal. I have some business to attend to. Oh and Ron, Luna, Neville, and Ginny are more than welcome to stay here for the week before school begins, I know you sent them a letter. Rooms can easily be added to your haven for your friends," Dumbledore said. He smiled at the trio once more, seemingly twinkling louder than ever before, and then walked back to the portrait of a phoenix in the corner that led to his office.

    "Well that was interesting," Ron said.

    "Now we know where the last door leads to anyway," Harry said.

    "Come on you two let's feed the monster and then get to work on one of our projects, we have less than a month," Hermione said.

    "Let's not keep Remus and Sirius waiting too long. They're probably telling mum and dad all sorts of stories about us," Harry said.

    "We were not," Sirius said as they entered the dining area which had been warded off from where they had been conversing with the Headmaster.

    "Were too, Padfoot, and you cut off a very interesting story. Something about a 12-foot mountain troll," James said.

    "How are you Harry?" Remus asked.

    "I'm fine. How are you? The last full moon doesn't seem like it was as hard on you," Harry noticed. For once the older man's face didn't seem so drawn and his robes weren't as shabby as they had been after previous transformations.

    "I had Padfoot to keep me company this time," Remus said, a faint smile on his face.

    "Moony is sharing Grimmauld Place with me and I had a room prepared for the full moon. It's much easier on him than the shrieking shack," Sirius said.

    "So I hear from Prongs here that you three are taking over the Marauders," Remus said.

    "We might as well with as much trouble as these two drag me into anyway. If this hurts my chance for Head Girl next year though you'll both hear about it for the rest of our lives," Hermione said.

    "Down lioness. My dad still made Head Boy and you are a shoo-in especially with your grades. No one will be able to beat you once we have 13 OWL's," Harry said.

    "13," Remus and Sirius said in unison.

    "I think you two have spent too much time together. You even sound alike now," Harry said with a laugh.

    "Well we're both your godfathers now. It takes both of us to watch out for you, knowing all the trouble a true Marauder can get into," Sirius said.

    "You . . . You're both . . . " Harry said, trying to speak.

    "Look, Moony, he's speechless," Sirius said with a barking laugh.

    "Well, Sirius named me godfather in his will and when he came back he didn't have the heart to take the title away. So we're both living in Grimmauld place and fixing it up for you to come home to. You and your friends of course. We've heard that you three are best kept together," Remus said.

    "Home," Harry said, thinking of all that word meant to him. "I'll have a home outside of Hogwarts," he whispered softly. Remus's eyes filled with tears as his enhanced wolf hearing allowed him to hear his godson clearly, including the emotion present in his voice.

    "Yes you'll have a home," Remus said just as softly, reaching out to pull Harry gently into a hug.

    Harry accepted, almost desperate for the contact from one of the few people he trusted. "Thank you both," Harry said, wiping tears from his eyes. A long-held dream of Harry's was coming true. He had a family and Hermione loved him. Before he could get too lost in his thoughts Harry's stomach gave a rumble and he pulled away from Remus. "Maybe we should eat," Harry said.

    "Of course," Remus said, sitting at a place to Harry's right. Harry sat at the head of the table and pulled Hermione into the seat to his left. Sirius found a place next to Remus and Ron nearly threw himself into the seat next to Hermione. Harry noticed that the utensils were a duller stainless steel since Remus had joined them. Usually they were gold-plated sterling silver which of course would have been deadly for the werewolf. They all ordered their meals and started to eat in silence.

    "Professor Lupin?" Harry asked nervously a few minutes later.

    "Call me Remus," Lupin said.

    "But if you're going to be our teacher again I'll have to get into the habit so I don't call you by your first name during class," Harry said with a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

    "How? Oh never mind I know how. James, you could never keep a secret. What did you want to ask Harry?" Remus asked.

    "Well, we um . . . have access to the Restricted section of the library for the summer and Dumbledore told us that Wolfsbane is in the book Moste Potente Potions, and I was wondering how we would know it was made properly, without testing it on you. We wanted to make a few batches in case Sn...Professor Snape decided not to or wasn't able to for some reason," Harry said.

    "Harry, the ingredients are dangerous and hard to come by. But I appreciate your concern. I have some stored at Grimmauld. It's enough to last for two months and Severus can make another batch in that time," Remus said.

    "We know where to get the ingredients, and what if Snape is called by Voldemort and can't escape. We'll lose the only useful DADA teacher we've had so far," Harry persisted.

    "How will you get the ingredients? I've thought of Snape being called and I guess I would have to face the risk and brew it myself," Remus said.

    "But you can't come in contact with the Wolfsbane in its raw form, it will kill you nearly as quickly as silver," Hermione said.

    "There's a catalogue you can use through owl order that has a section for the apothecary. I've set up an account and can have the ingredients sent here. I just want to be sure it isn't poison before I give it to you," Harry said.

    Sirius looked at Harry in surprise. He couldn't believe how much his godson seemed grown up. But then there were the scenes like the one a few minutes ago where he seemed like a lost little boy. Remus finished his last sausage and took a sip of tea to clear his throat. "There is one test for wolfsbane. You take one hair from a werewolf and test the potion on it. If the hair burns, then it is wolfsbane poison. If the hair grows then it is the correct strength for the potion. I will give you some of my hair before I leave," Remus said.

    "Don't worry I'll have Hermione help. She's better at the more dangerous potions," Harry said.

    "Nonsense, Harry, you'll be fine. We'll each brew a batch, it will be a good test of our skills since it's well past NEWT level," Hermione said, thinking about their revision work. "I wonder if the books Dumbledore gave us would allow us to continue our studies in the subjects we aren't taking through to NEWT level, once we get the rest of our O's on the OWL's that is. We could take the other seven subjects and work through sixth year work this year and maybe even part of seventh year and then take the NEWT's for those as well," Hermione said.

    "Well if it works for our OWL's I don't see why not," Harry answered, and Ron nodded his agreement.

    "So that's how you are getting top marks on OWL's," Sirius said.

    "But how are you getting thirteen when there are only twelve subjects?" Remus asked.

    "We each got a Double Outstanding in a different subject. Mine was in Care of Magical Creatures, Hermione's was in Arithmancy, and Harry's of course was in DADA," Ron said.

    "Well, I may not have to teach much in that case, Harry. Maybe you can show me some of the things you taught the DA last year. Are you continuing the club this year?" Remus asked.

    "I don't know. I did it last year mostly because I didn't have quidditch anymore, thanks to Umbridge. Now you're back, so I'm not sure," Harry said, scowling at the memory of last year's wicked witch. Hermione and Ron shared similar scowls.

    "Well, we should let you three get studying then, we'll just pop upstairs and have a chat with the Headmaster," Sirius said, grinning broadly. None of them had suspected that he would also be teaching here this year.

    "Bye Remus, Bye Sirius," Hermione and Ron said.

    "Thank you both," Harry said, his voice back to a small whisper. Both men reached out to hug Harry who lost control of his emotions and cried. Hermione took one look at the scenario and wrapped her arms around Harry to help him regain his emotions.

    "You are welcome Harry," Remus and Sirius said as they opened the portrait door to Dumbledore's office.

    "Well now what should we study first," Hermione said, eager to get started.

    "How about Divination, get it out of the way first thing," Harry said.

    "And then History of Magic," Ron added.

    "Come on boys," Hermione said, turning to the study area.