Harry Potter and the Siren's Song

If anyone had told Harry that morning over his kippers and toast that he would find himself cloistered under Draco Malfoy's invisibility cloak that night, sneaking off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest to witness some sort of dangerous meeting between Snape, Velange, Lauren and a woman named Marie Priscus, he would have said that they were out of their minds.

Draco apparently felt the same way.

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?" he hissed as the two of them reached the edge of the woods. "The last time I was in this forest with you, I seem to recall seeing something that scared Hagrid's stupid mongrel half to death."

"I seem to recall that Fang wasn't the only one who cut and ran," Harry retorted, before he remembered they were supposed to be invisible. "And keep your voice down," he hissed.

"We're wearing an invisibility cloak, Potter. If they hear us, which they won't so long as you learn to walk without slapping those big feet down like you have something against the earth, they'll probably think it's just ghosts." Malfoy didn't sound as though he really believed a word he'd just said, and Harry caught sight of him nervously tugging on the cloak.

"When did you get this?" Harry asked him in a whisper.

"Right after I managed to convince Father that you couldn't be allowed sole right to all the cool toys. Future heirs to the 'big Death Eater throne' need to be able to conduct their wacky evil plans for the destruction of all that is sacred and good, after all." Malfoy didn't seem willing to discuss the matter further, and Harry decided not to press the subject - yet. He stopped, straining to hear voices that might lead them in the right direction.

"That way," he said at last, giving Malfoy's shoulder a slight shove in the right direction.

After Harry lost his footing on a tree root and nearly knocked himself out on a low-hanging branch, they decided that maybe using the cloak wasn't the best plan at the moment. "Not like anyone's going to see us out here, Potter," Draco pointed out. "This isn't exactly a spot people try to frequent." He started to illuminate the end of his wand, but Harry quickly snatched it away.

"Are you completely mad?" he asked in a furious whisper.

"No, but I'd just as soon not give an encore performance of the dance move you just demonstrated!" Malfoy snarled. The recognizable sneer in Malfoy's voice was almost comforting in its familiarity. No matter what situation we may find ourselves in, Malfoy and I can count on one sure thing: we will always loathe each other, Harry thought. The concept was somehow reassuring.

"It's practically a full moon - we can use that light." Harry closed his eyes for a long moment, and focused his attention on listening for the sounds of his teachers. "I think I hear them again."

They made their way as quietly as possible in the direction of the faint noise Harry had picked up. The path became wilder, and now it was becoming nearly impossible to move without tripping over every other root. Draco showed Harry how to feel in front of him with one foot before taking his next step. "Much experience with sneaking around at night, Malfoy?" Harry whispered.

Draco said nothing for a moment before he spoke. "Let's just say it's best to walk through the gardens at my house with extreme caution," he said finally. As difficult was it was to see in the faint light, Harry saw the hard edge of Malfoy's jaw set in a rigid line. Obviously this was not a topic that was open for discussion.

The two boys finally reached something of a clearing, and the light of an enormous bonfire allowed them to make their way to a thick cluster of trees just outside the circle of light without being stumbling - or being noticed. As they peered around the thick trunk of a particularly old elm, Harry felt his jaw drop. He clasped a hand over Draco's mouth just as the other boy flinched and gasped in reaction to what he was seeing.

Giants. A good fifteen enormous giants were seated around the fire, each at least twenty feet tall and a good ten feet wide. They were so large that their heads scraped the bottoms of the trees' limbs, even though they were sitting on the ground. Harry thought for a moment he heard the sounds of thunder, then realized it was actually the sounds of the giants talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Holy God," Draco muttered. It sounded vaguely like a prayer. "No wonder McGonagall was upset."

Harry could only nod in wonder. The giants were all feasting on what appeared to be the remains of several cows, and even now a number of pigs were roasting on spits nearby. Despite his shock at seeing the giants, Harry's stomach gave a particularly loud growl as the scent of roasted meat wafted temptingly through the air.

"Too busy gloating about your win over the Badgers to remember to eat, Potter?" Malfoy whispered maliciously. "Maybe if you're a good boy they'll invite you for dinner."

"Actually, I was just wondering if I could come up with a reasonable excuse for shoving you into the flames," Harry said. "Think Snape would buy the excuse of justifiable homicide?"

Malfoy snorted, and then sucked in his breath as if he could take back the noise as a giant's head inclined in their direction. After a long and rather terrifying moment, the giant returned his attention to his meal.

"You know, this doesn't really have the air of a big dark secret meeting," Draco said slowly. "I've seen dark secret meetings: this is positively amateurish. It's practically an insult to the institution of evil ideas. For one thing, the giants seem far more focused on cramming food in their mouths than they do on attacking Hogwarts. Secondly, if this were some dark magic mojo, wouldn't Moody have insisted on coming? Maybe Mc-I'm-the-Deputy-Head-Mistress-so-don't-mess-with-me was over-reacting?"

Harry frowned. "You're right - this doesn't seem to be worth the whole 'fraught with danger at every turn' air that McGonagall was so wild about. And besides, if they were meeting with giants, wouldn't they have brought Hagrid along?"

As if in answer, the female in the center of the giants called out, "Hagrid!" And their Care of Magical Creatures teacher appeared, a familiar dark-haired woman at his side.

"Madame Maxime?" Draco said wonderingly. "What's she doing here? Why isn't she at her own school?"

Harry waved a hand to shut him up, as Hagrid shouted up at the female. "Thanks fer comin'. We shoul' be getting' started here in jus' a bit - nee' to wait on the Priscus and the like."

Harry could have sworn he saw the group of giants draw back at the word 'Priscus'. "We stay," said the female, not sounding overly pleased, "'cause you asked it, Hagrid, not 'cause we want ter meet with the Priscus queen."

"Obviously the big to do is not over meeting with the giants," Harry whispered. When he received no reply, he looked over at the Slytherin boy. "Malfoy?"

Malfoy looked as though he might be ill. "Um, Potter - I think I just realized who they'll be meeting with. And I really don't want to be here to watch-"

"We heard abou' the Dementors, an' their abandonin' of Azkaban" said a male giant sitting to the right of the giantess. "An' the centaurs speak of almost nothin' else, 'cept a silly man who ignores the truth, e'en when it stares him righ' in the face. What does yer man Dumbledore 'ave to say on this, now?"

"Dumbledore suspects that Voldemort is slowly calling his former allies back to him," said a voice Harry recognized as Velange's. Sure enough, his professor stepped to Hagrid's side, and called her answers up towards the treetops in an effort to make sure the giants gathered could hear her. "That is to be expected. And to counter this, we have called for this meeting tonight. We appreciate your presence, and your patience. The Priscus should be here shortly-"

"No need to wait, cousin." A voice just to the right of Harry made him jump in surprise. Coming out of the shadowy trees was a beautiful blonde woman with two dark haired men at her side. Behind her, Harry could see the outlines of more people who had obviously chosen not to enter the warmth of the firelight. Why didn't we hear them coming? he wondered.

The woman and her two companions drew closer to the fire, and although the path was covered with small twigs and leaves, their steps were noiseless. A low muttering passed through the group of giants as she passed by them. The blonde woman looked around the fire, obviously searching for a face. She looked somewhat troubled when she returned her attention to Velange. "Dumbledore did not come?" she asked quietly.

"No, madam, he did not." Snape's voice was audible before he came stepped into view beside Velange. "He asked us to send you his most abject thanks for your attendance-" The courtly words and tone were such a departure from Snape's usual manner that Harry had to give himself a sharp pinch to make sure this wasn't some sort of bizarre dream. Draco made an odd squeaking noise, and seemed to be making up his mind to flee. Harry distracted him with a sharp kick in the shins.

"No need to elaborate, warlock," the woman, who could only be the mysterious Marie Priscus said. Harry noticed her tone had grown dark. "I had hoped that he might deign to come, but perhaps it is for the best." The dark man to Marie's right leaned forward and spoke in her ear. She looked up at him and nodded. "Malaikat!" she called. Another woman stepped in from the shadows, this time flanked by two cloaked figures whose hoods obscured their features.

Snape stepped forward and took the woman's outstretched hand in his own. "Madam Shuurajou - we are most honoured..."

"Spare me the speeches, warlock." The woman's voice was like an icy blast of wind. Snape nodded and stepped back, releasing her hand as quickly as he had taken it. Even from this distance, Harry could see that Snape's sallow skin looked unusually pale. In fact, the man looked almost ill.

Harry wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. These women were beautiful, but so pale they looked as though their skin was made of porcelain. They were as haunting to look at as the Veela had been at the World Cup, and yet something about them made his blood run cold. Something about the way they moved - as silently as the ghosts in the castle...suddenly he realized exactly what he was watching, and looked frantically at Malfoy, who only nodded silently, confirming Harry's suspicions.

Vampires. The word seemed to be having difficulty in reaching his brain. McGonagall hadn't been upset over Snape holding a meeting with giants - she had been upset over a meeting with vampires. Harry couldn't blame her. Had Snape finally taken leave of his senses?

He reached out and gave Malfoy a sharp poke in the side. The gesture seemed to wake the Slytherin out of his reverie as he turned to glare at Harry. "I am sogoing to kill you for getting us into this situation, Potter," he whispered fiercely. "Bad enough we're standing less than 20 feet away from giants, but now there's vampires in the mix? Hell, if we're really lucky, maybe a manticore convention will start in the next clearing." Malfoy turned to look again at the bizarre scene unfolding in front of them. "What the hell kind of sick death wish do you have, anyway?"

"Shut. Up." Harry glared at him, and took a step nearer to the fire so he could hear the proceedings better. Malfoy grabbed at the back of his cloak.

"You want to get closer? What, you're afraid they might accidentally miss out on their opportunity to either stomp us flat, or suck us dry?" Malfoy's silver eyes were as wide as dinner plates as he stared at Harry. "Typical Gryffindor plan: 'well, we're sure as hell not going to get killed staying back here. I know, let's get closer!'"

Harry shook him off. "I want to hear what they're saying." Seeing Draco blanch, he shrugged. "Have it your way, Malfoy. Stay back here on the edge of the woods. Maybe you'll get lucky and some nice werewolves will show up next." He continued on his way silently, and bit back a smile as he heard Draco follow. More than one way to skin a cat. Or a snake.

They made their way some 25 feet closer to the fire, stopping to hide behind two oaks that were wide enough to camouflage their appearance but didn't prevent them from seeing more clearly what was happening within the firelight. "You're right - all this sneaking around does seem more like a Slytherin plan," Harry mused softly. "They must have done something to the pumpkin juice at breakfast. Dear God, I've started channeling your house, Malfoy! Quick, put me out of my misery!"

Draco glared at him. "Hope you're still laughing when that Priscus comes and rips your throat out, Potter. Or have you forgotten the number one rule when it comes to dealing with vampires: don't?"

"I think we can get started," Velange said. Both boys returned their attention to the group beside the fire. "Fridwulfa Gwomater, members of the Gwomater band, Marie Priscus, members of the Priscus clan, Malaikat Shuurajou, and members of the Shuurajou clan - welcome. We thank you for coming and meeting with us. The point of our coming together is to discuss the truth of what is happening, and to dispel any rumors. And to ask for your help."

"It is no secret that there are centuries of mistrust and suspicion between our worlds. I must ask you to set those centuries of prejudice aside so that we might work on dispelling our common enemy - Lord Voldemort."

A low mutter rumbled from among the giants, and Harry heard the vampires outside of the firelight hiss Voldemort's name amongst themselves. It was like listening to a snake hiss just before it attacked, and the skin on the back of his neck crawled uncomfortably.

"Voldemort has done nothing to warrant my Clan's support of his destruction," Malaikat Shuurajou said in a bored tone, "whereas the wizard world continues to simultaneously ignore and abuse my Clan." While her voice held no hint of malice, the sound chilled Harry to the bone, although he couldn't explain exactly why. "The hunting of our kind has increased - why should we support those who wish us dead?"

"Voldemort can only bring further violence to our world, Malaikat. His followers are worse than the most violent of mortals we have known - they hunt and destroy their own kind for their own pleasure, and once they have regained power within the wizard world, they will turn their attentions elsewhere." Marie Priscus said sharply. "We shall hear what our cousin has to say before we make our decision." She nodded at Velange. "Continue."

"Why does she keep calling Velange 'cousin'?" Harry wondered aloud. "Velange doesn't look as though she's part vampire, does she?"

"I don't know," Malfoy said slowly. "The only creature I can think of that a vampire might call 'cousin' is a Veela, and I know she's not part Veela." Feeling Harry's eyes on him, he shrugged. "I know part Veelas...she's not one. Let's just leave it at that."

Harry frowned, and returned his attention to the group by the fire. Velange was speaking again. "Voldemort is seeking to renew old alliances among those the wizarding world has in the past shunned or persecuted. Nothing we say tonight will erase the past. But what we do tonight can help assure that such prejudices will not be tolerated in the future. All gathered here tonight have lost ones they cared for in the last war against the Death Eaters. How many deaths can we prevent by banding together against the evil that seeks to destroy the world we have created, as well as everything we hold dear?" Velange's voice broke at the end of her speech, and Snape placed his hand over hers. Harry had to fight not to look away. He was sure that Velange was not his godmother, but the sight of her with Snape made him uncomfortable all the same.

Lauren stepped forward then, and her calm, clear voice rang through the clearing. "You may shrug now and say that Voldemort has done nothing to warrant that you will throw your support behind Albus Dumbledore and his followers. But I ask you to stop and consider now what Albus Dumbledore has done that would cause you to support Voldemort?" More muttering from the giants, while the vampires waited quietly, apparently waiting on the reactions from their respective queens. Harry shot a glance at the Shuurajou. The two figures next to her had pushed back their hoods, and in their place Harry saw two more extraordinarily lovely and frighteningly pale creatures. He ducked behind the tree again as one of them looked straight in his direction.

"Dumbledore promised us before tha' he would try an' change the attitude of the Ministry 'bout us," one giant said, in a voice so deep that it seemed to make the trees shake with its resonance. "Nothin's yet come of tha'."

"Not 'cause of Dumbledore, Fyre," said the female, who Harry suspected was Fridwulfa - and therefore Hagrid's mother. Her attitude reminded him strongly of Hagrid, and he looked around the tree to see where his friend was standing. Hagrid was beaming up at his mother, and speaking under his breath to Madame Maxime. "That's 'cause of that fool Fudge. He's denyin' Voldemort's come back, even now wit' the Dementors gone." She snorted. It reminded Harry of the Hungarian Horntail he had faced last year. When Fridwulfa spoke, it seemed that the even the trees were afraid to interrupt her; the light wind that blew through the night stopped as she spoke. Harry had never heard anything that was at the same time so alarmingly loud and yet so frighteningly quiet.

"And why did the Dementors abandon Azkaban?" Malaikat asked sharply. "Because Voldemort promised them a place as equals, and not as guards over those the mortals are too cowardly to destroy! Their own worst enemies, and they are too weak to rid the earth of them. I'm sorry, Earth Mother," here she looked up at Fridwulfa, "but I fail to see why we should support these humans when they are unable to control their own. This is of no concern to us."

"That's th' kind of arrogance tha' near got my kind destroyed!" Fridwulfa thundered in reply. "You'd do well, vampire, to listen to yer kin. Voldemort's not goin' to wan' you to stand idly by. He's goin' to make you chose a side, and his side's the side of evil. I don't want no more of my tribe dyin', just 'cause we chose to back the wron' side. And Dumbledore's the mos' hon'rable wizard I ever did meet. If he says he'll protect us, I believe him. If he says tha' Voldemort cannot win, I believe that too."

Malaikat looked unimpressed by Fridwulfa's argument. "I have yet to hear of a single account where Voldemort murdered our kind," she said softly. "I believe it was the wizards who did the actual slaying, was it not?"

"Only 'cause we fought along side tha' madman an' his evil devils!" the giantess roared. "My tribe lived a damned peaceful life, 'fore that bastard seduced us wit' his lies. And none o' his men never stepped in to help us when we was being slaughtered. I say we support him who ne'er lied to us, nor 'as he ever twisted the truth: Albus Dumbledore!"

Many of the giants present pounded their fists and thundered their support of Fridwulfa. Harry looked around, noting how a few of the giants sat silently watching, while the Shuurajou clan head looked sulky. "This doesn't look too good," he said in a low voice to Draco. "What if the vampires chose to back Voldemort, and the giants back Dumbledore?"

"Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll just destroy each other and spare us the bother?" Malfoy whispered back. Both boys fell silent again as the Priscus queen stepped forward.

Marie Priscus held up a hand for silence. "Those who know me know of my trust in Albus Dumbledore. He has never yet gone back on a single promise he has ever made, to myself or to my Clan."

"You give a blind eye to the wizarding world's fallacies, Marie, in your childlike trust of that ancient spell caster." Malaikat said sneeringly. "I will remember this day when your Clan lies broken and destroyed because of that faith - faith in a man whose kind seeks to destroy us on a daily basis. And I shall remember how he played you for a fool." One of Marie's men made an angry noise and started towards the Shuurajou Queen, but Marie held up a hand.

"Hold, Adam. Malaikat is entitled to her opinion. That is why she was invited tonight - to make up her own mind, in her own right." Marie looked sadly at Lauren. "I cannot dictate the actions of my fellow Clan heads, cousin, but tell Dumbledore that you have made your case. The Priscus will support you in your fight against the evil that is Voldemort and his sycophants." The giants gave another rumble of support, and Harry couldn't help but grin.

"Never thought I'd see the day when I was happy about having giants and vampires on our side," he said to Malfoy.

"Some of the vampires," Malfoy corrected quietly, his expression completely absent of its usual sneer. "The Priscus are only one of the six leading Clans in Europe. Of the two clans most likely to support Dumbledore, we've already lost one - the Shuurajou were our second most obvious ally in their Council." He looked to where Malaikat Shuurajou was speaking in low tones to her clanswomen. "I'd say we lost that vote of support tonight."

Malaikat suddenly spoke, and her voice was angry. "You speak of trust and support. Yet my kinswomen tell me you have spies just outside this place, listening to every word we say. Is this the trust of which you speak?" She suddenly pointed a finger in Harry and Draco's direction, and the two boys froze as the full implication of the vampiress's statement hit them.

"Run!" Harry yelled, no longer bothering to keep his voice down. He tore off into the dark woods. Over the sound of his own frantically beating heart, he heard Draco swearing behind him as tree branches rebounded to hit him in the face. They hadn't made it but 50 feet when Harry came to a screeching stop, seeing the circle of yellow eyes that surrounded them.

"Oh, this is not happening," Draco snapped before he whirled on Harry. "My last moments on this earth are with you?"

Harry couldn't even summon up a glare in reply. They had run from a clan of vampires - straight into a group of wolves.

The wolves lowered the heads, and Harry began backing away slowly, not wanting to set them off. A pair of strong hands suddenly grabbed at his shoulders, making him yell in surprise - and terror.

He turned around and felt his blood grown cold, as he looked into the glowing eyes of a vampire.

"Foolish boy," the vampire spat. As he came closer Harry recognized him as one of the men who had escorted Marie Priscus to the meeting. He pushed Harry behind him and drew out a long silver sword. His partner appeared just behind Draco and mimicked his actions, while Draco appeared to be having some sort of heart attack. As the two vampires advanced on the pack of wolves, whose growls had begun to sound even more lethal sounding at the sight of the vampires, the first one yelled back at Harry, "Are you so foolish as to want to die, mortal? Run, damn you!"

Harry and Draco ran. "Have I mentioned," Draco yelled at him between gasps, "how much - I hate you?"

"Sod off - Malfoy!" Harry gasped back at him. They saw four sets of giant feet moving towards them, and darted back in another direction. "Can't you - come up with an original insult? Seeing as how - we're either going to be - eaten or well - eaten?"

Harry was now thoroughly disoriented. Were they close to woods that emptied out onto the Hogwarts grounds? Or were they heading back towards the fire - and the giants? Running deeper into the forest - and back to the wolves? He couldn't be sure. A sudden flash of red light behind them, and a women's voice shouting "Petrificus Totalus" ended his hysterical thoughts. As his body froze completely, he toppled over into a pile of dried leaves. He looked up to see Lauren and Lena Velange looming over him and Harry couldn't help wondering:

Was he better off with the Velange sisters and Snape, or the vampires?

***

"Foolish child," said a female voice just outside the line of Harry's vision. "He nearly caused his final death with his own stupidity."

"I couldn't have put it better myself, Madam Priscus." Snape's voice was all too recognizable. Harry tried desperately to close his eyes, but despite his best efforts he was unable to move. Wonderful, he thought irritably. I'm going to die unable to move, while vampires and giants throw a giant bonfire party - with Malfoy a mere 5 feet away, and Snape gloating above my head. Does life get worse than this?

He should have known better. Professor Velange was standing over him, looking eerily like Professor McGonagall might have looked in the same situation - provided she'd eaten nails for dinner. "50 points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter!" she snapped. "And from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy - for your serious lack of both judgment and brains. What on earth were you thinking?"

"Mr. Potter?" he recognized the voice of the Shuurajou queen. Sure enough, she stepped into the line of his vision, a beautiful vision with long dark hair and almond eyes. She would have been the creature of dreams, had it not been for the stark white of her skin and her voice, which reminded Harry of broken glass. Her eyes narrowed as she looked him over. "Do you mean to tell me that this is the infamous child of Lily and James Potter?"

"Harry!" croaked Hagrid. He looked more upset than Harry could ever remember him being, including when they took away his pet dragon, a vicious Norwegian Ridgeback Hagrid had dubbed Norbert. "Yeh shouldn't be here! Ye're goin' to get in such trouble! And with Malfoy, no less!"

Harry would have dearly loved to point out to Hagrid that trouble really didn't come much worse than being completely unable to move, while surrounded by giants and vampires, as your least favourite teacher composed your letter of expulsion. Unfortunately, Lauren's hex made this impossible.

"End the spell," Marie Priscus commanded. Harry didn't know whether to feel thankful or alarmed when Lauren Velange acquiesced without argument. He sat up, trying not to give in to the temptation to back away from the two vampiresses who were watching him intently.

"Harry Potter," Marie Priscus tilted her head and looked back at her guard. "Adam says you are to be commended for managing to run right from our meeting into a pack of wolves. I believe his exact words were, 'I've never seen a mortal child more determined to get himself killed.' A bit of bravery that one rarely sees in a man so young." The ghost of a smile crossed her features. "Why are you here?"

"Overheard Professor McGonagall," Harry muttered.

"That tells us how you came to know where we were, not why you came," Velange began, but the Priscus queen interrupted her.

"A moment, cousin." Marie looked over at Draco then, and something in her face was terrible to behold. "I recognize the Malfoy child as well. What I fail to understand is how the Boy Who Lived came to be running about these woods with any child sired by Lucius Malfoy's loins."

Harry wasn't sure how to answer this. Fortunately, Velange didn't allow him long to think on it. "My apologies, Madam Priscus, but these boys must return to the castle immediately," his teacher said swiftly. She shifted her glance to where Malfoy still lay, his wide eyes looking positively frantic now at the thought of so much attention at the hands of the two vampire queens. "Come along now, Potter, Malfoy." Velange pointed her wand at Draco and muttered, "Finite Incantatem!" She barely paused as she bent to help Malfoy to his feet before she began shooing back up towards the castle.

Harry though he saw a look of sympathy cross Lauren Velange's face as they silently passed the group and back into the trees in the direction of Hogwarts. Hagrid and Madam Maxime had returned to Fridwulfa's side, and were attempting to talk in low voices with her tribe. Harry didn't exactly have to strain to hear Fridwulfa's words, "Lil' Harry Potter? Here? But why, Hagrid?"

Snape, he'd noticed, had looked distinctly less than pleased. In fact, he'd looked capable of force-feeding poison to fairies. And Velange - well, Harry though McGonagall could have learned a thing or two from his Current Events teacher on making a student feel less than an inch tall.

As soon as they were safely out of the forest, Velange whirled about to face to the two of them. It was too dark to see her features, but her voice left little doubt as to exactly how furious she was.

"I have never been angrier with two people in my entire life," she began, her usually warm voice now like an icy blast of wind that made Harry shiver...it reminded him far too much of how Malaikat Shuurajou had sounded. "First you flout school rules by leaving the castle - an event I do not look forward to explaining to Mr. Filch and Professor McGonagall - then you head straight for the Forbidden Forest, which is also restricted to the entire student body. Explain yourselves, both of you!"

"You see, what we-" Harry winced as Draco tread directly on his foot, cutting off his explanation.

"I promise, we will give you a full explanation, Professor, but would it be possible to get up to the castle first? I think I may have twisted my ankle running." Draco sounded far too innocent, as though he were merely asking to visit Madam Pomfrey's office after tripping on the grounds, rather then attempting to explain why he had been running through the Forbidden Forest while eavesdropping on a meeting between wizards, giants and vampires.

"An accident you brought on yourself, Mr. Malfoy, with your thoughtless and ill-conceived behavior." Velange sighed and then said, "Do you need me to conjure a stretcher, or can you make it that far?"

"No, I think I can make it," Draco said, his voice full of martyr-like resignation.

"Very well." There was no more conversation as Velange led them through the grounds and up the steps, back into the main hall. Harry had started to feel remotely hopeful - perhaps Velange wouldn't be too harsh on them - when Professor McGonagall's voice rang out through the corridor.

"Potter! Malfoy! What on earth?"

"It's all right, Minerva. Mr. Malfoy has twisted his ankle, and I think he needs to get up to the infirmary as quickly as possible," Velange said soothingly.

McGonagall looked anything but appeased. "And just where exactly were Misters Potter and Malfoy when Malfoy twisted his ankle?" she asked imperiously.

There was an uneasy silence. Harry had never seen Professor McGonagall look more outraged - and he was sure he'd seen her angry far more than most of the students in school. "Professor Velange?" McGonagall said sharply.

Velange's expression was completely devoid of emotion. "They have already had 50 points taken from each of their houses, Minerva. I see no need to drag this out further."

Harry could have told her that this was not the right tactic to use against his head of House. "Oh you don't, do you?" McGonagall all but spat at Velange. "I believe I am Deputy Headmistress here, Professor Velange - not you. And I believe I am head of Mr. Potter's house, and as such he is my responsibility - not yours." Harry watched as Velange paled under the fury of Professor McGonagall's gaze. "Now, if you will see to Mr. Malfoy - I trust you can ensure that he reaches the hospital wing without further incident." She didn't wait for Velange to answer. "Potter, come with me."

Draco smirked as Professor McGonagall forcibly dragged Harry away. It took him a few minutes to realize that they were heading in the direction of her office. He was understandably distracted, as McGonagall began her lecture the second her feet had begun moving.

"I doubt you've much interest in hearing that the entire castle has been uprooted in an attempt to find both you and Mr. Malfoy! Miss Weasley was beside herself when she found out that we couldn't locate you-"

Ginny. Harry thought to himself miserably, tuning out McGonagall's continued harangue. She was likely never to speak to him again - a quick look at his wrist told him it was nearly 11 o'clock - long past the time he'd promised to meet her.

"I don't know when I've been more disappointed in a Gryffindor prefect! You should know better; you're supposed to be setting an example and instead you're gallivanting around the countryside-" McGonagall was still going. Harry was too lost in his own gloomy thoughts to hear a word of it; so focused on what was likely to happen to him that he didn't notice Professor McGonagall had stopped until he walked straight into her. "Do watch where you're going, Potter!"

"Sorry, Professor," Harry said quickly, as he looked about. As well as he knew the castle after four and a half years of living there, this particular door was unfamiliar. "Erm, where are we?" he asked.

McGonagall threw his a disdainful look. "So now I can add 'not paying attention' to your list of foibles? I told you, Potter - you have a visitor. Professor Dumbledore insisted that you meet with him here." She tapped her wand against the ancient looking oak door and said "Paralda," which was clearly a password. As the door creaked open and Harry began inside the room, she laid a firm hand on his shoulder. "I am only going to say this once, Potter, so I do hope you're listening. For you to trample on the rules is bad enough - for you to do so as prefect is almost an insult to the House and the school - but for you to push aside regulations that have been set up for your protection and the protection of those who live here is an outrage. Don't step off on your own again, or you'll be losing far more than a mere fifty points for Gryffindor."

Her meaning was all too clear. Expulsion. Harry nodded, then trudged inside the dark room. Within seconds, something heavy and hairy had knocked him flat on his back. Harry blinked, as he recognized the enthusiastic snuffling.

"Sirius?" he asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

***

A/N: Many thanks to all that have reviewed at Schnoogle.com and FF.net so far - your encouragement and critiques mean a lot:

Alpha Wolf, Lily Vance, Erised12, Firecracker, Venus4280, Elizabeth Culmer, driver8, lilahp, Luigi, Vying Quill, StuFFedTIger, Dark Phoenix8987, ADJ, SeaS, Princess Fiona, ninnoc, little*, padfoot1979, Liz, Morwen Langan, Opaleye, Maria1314, sk8reagle, skirt, WerghofTur, ALEX, EliCa, Beci, Princess Kattera, floramorada, Papercut, Alison, Tituba, Summer Thyme, aldalindil, Cathy, strangelypotty, amalthea, Kyle, makulit, Tamz, Duke, Tabitha B. Potter, Victoria Weaver, Jesse, Piper D, Elektra, Anna Black, §ämäÑhä, Erinyes, Johnny V, holly, tima, azriona,Phenomonous, canadian chick, unregistered2, QuidBrm, sara ane, Zelda, SweetBttrfly1, MarchoftheDemented, Albus Dumbledore III, Lori McCloud of Clan McCloud, Gobbling Fire, Lilia, Starlite, baby norbert, Alyssa Potter, Majorca, Ennacie, H. Sanders, Lidder Deed, Lolli Potter, Green Eyed Knight, Kranberries, Curry Spice, chibbleworthy, gilaesther and the prodigious Unregistered. I KNOW, I KNOW - You want to know who the Siren is. Ok, I'll make you a deal: next chapter we found out exactly WHO Harry's godmother is. (I promise)

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