Your Side, Their Side and The Truth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your Side, Their Side and the Truth

Part II - ~Their Side~ (2.45)

Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, this is a fan fiction, by a fan for the fans. No money has exchanged hands during its production.

-----

I hate to talk like this

I hate to act as if

There's something wrong that I can't say

I have this dream and almost every night

I've been dreaming it forever it's easy to remember it

It's always cold it's always there

You're always here you always say

I'm all right, I'll be okay

If I can keep myself awake

“Keep Myself Awake”- Black Lamb

-----

It was cold.

Harry didn't remember it ever being so cold at Hogwarts.

The cold wrapped around them like tendrils of vines clinging to them wherever they went. The Professors remaining in Hogwarts; Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Trelawney, Snape and Binns (who couldn't leave because he was after all a ghost) sat around with glum expressions on their faces while they took it in turns to train with Harry.

He'd never trained so hard in his life. His hand hurt, his heart hurt, his soul hurt. He hurt, and through it all he knew he must keep going. Breathing deeply, he dropped to the ground; exhausted.

“Let him rest,” he heard Professor Sprout murmur. “He'll be no good facing you-know-who like that.”

“Don't...” Harry whispered; his eyes narrowing to cold green slits.

Professor Sprout blinked. “You have to rest Harry,” she said, confused.

“His name is Voldemort. Ignoring his name isn't going to make him any less dangerous or any more scary,” Harry said flatly.

“I suppose not.” Professor Sprout still looked dubious.

“In fact his name is Tom,” Harry said reflectively; shrugging. “Tom Marvolo Riddle.”

There was a very long silence.

“Tom,” Professor Binns sighed. “I used to teach him.”

“So did I,” Professor Trelawney reflected. “Powerful boy... Very strong at divination. I liked him. He didn't quit,” she added, levelling a glare at Harry.

Harry shrugged, unapologetic.

“He's here.”

It was one phrase.

It was all anybody needed.

-----

Just as swiftly as the phrase was uttered, six other people got to their feet and silently surrounded Harry. The seven exchanged a glance and headed out to the hallway.

“Remember what I said earlier, Harry,” Dumbledore said softly, earning a quizzical glance from Professor Snape. The raven-haired boy nodded once, sharply, in understanding.

“I will,” Harry promised softly.

The hallway was eerily quiet. Their footsteps echoed as they padded along the tiled floor. It was dark and the tendrils of cold slid around them; freezing their breath on the air. Hogwarts had never been quite like this before. Harry didn't like it.

“Something's here,” Professor McGonagall warned quietly. Wands drawn, they advanced cautiously. Suddenly the floor erupted and Harry jumped in shock.

“Expectro patronum!”

Seven voices sounded in unison and seven large silver shapes bolted out of the wands to smash into the dementors blocking the doorway. Harry watched numbly as Prongs rode yet again; gleaming silver and shaking his head to brush against the closest dementor. He stared dumbly as the silver shaped stag returned to the end of his wand and watched as other shapes did the same. As he squinted, he dimly recognized the shapes... A phoenix that had to be Dumbledore's... A tiger for Professor McGonagall, a reptilian shape for Professor Snape, some kind of vines for Professor Sprout, a cloud for Professor Flitwick and a bat for Professor Trelawney.

“Sirius said you had quite improved your Patronus,” Professor Flitwick chirped into the silence. “Professor Lupin did well teaching you it.”

Harry said nothing, still shaken with seeing the vague sight of something remotely related to his parents.

“The dementors have rejoined him,” Professor Trelawney said, her voice hushed and with non of its usual extreme dramatic timbre.

“Then Azkaban is no longer protected,” Professor Snape whispered. His voice hung eerily on the air.

“Hopefully it still is, if Sirius and Remus got to the giants in time,” Dumbledore said. “Come. The time draws near.”

Harry very dimly recollected the next few events. He remembered following the adults. He remembered feeling the tendrils of ice lash around his ankles and flint against his face. He remembered dully the feeling of apprehension and fear that clouded around him and clenched around his heart. Steeling himself, he forced himself out of it by remembering all the things that made him who he was: how he felt; who he knew; what made him happy; what and who he loved...

“Keep on like that,” Professor Dumbledore murmured. “Those emotions confuse him.”

“Am I that obvious?” Harry asked; bemused.

“Something about you and him... You're both broadcasting your emotions very strongly,” Dumbledore explained. Harry flushed.

“E-e-everything?”

“It is a good thing, Harry. He's scared,” Professor McGonagall stated, smiling grimly.

“The ice,” Harry muttered. Dumbledore nodded. “So I'm burning him with my... happy emotions?”

“Hopefully,” Professor Snape muttered. “He deserves to burn.”

The memory came flooding back to Harry of the time Professor Snape was revealed as an ex-death eater and Harry shivered; he felt for a second the fire coming from Snape and was pretty glad to know that he wasn't on the opposite side.

“Most of us have had that thought one time or another over the last eleven or so years,” Dumbledore remarked dryly. Harry raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“You're sprouting your thoughts to the world, dear,” Professor Sprout explained; her face a hardened mask -- a far cry from the normally smiling jolly professor. “Awfully bad thing to happen but I've heard when it comes to the two focuses of energy of either side... It happens.”

“So... we'll be able to hear Voldemort?” Harry asked, raising his eyebrows. More scared by that single thought than anything before.

“Don't be so scared,” Professor McGonagall warned. “He'll sense your fear. Think happy thoughts. And you-know-who... I mean Voldemort is more powerful than you. He's had more time to develop and refine his powers... Only you will be able to hear his thoughts.”

“Great,” Harry sighed. Then a sudden thought struck him... The words Professor McGonagall had said... Think happy thoughts... It reminded him of the muggle movie Peter Pan when they were teaching the Darlings to fly... Dudley had broken his nose attempting to fly after watching that film. Harry snickered at the memory and then imagined Professor McGonagall as Tinkerbell and started laughing out loud. Obviously he'd broadcast this thought extremely strongly because Professor McGonagall flushed and the other teachers managed a few stark grins.

“That's the spirit Harry!” Professor Flitwick cried.. The words echoed eerily among the curiously empty hallways.

“So does this weaken him or something?” Harry asked curiously; trying to focus on happy memories like seeing his family in the mirror of Erised for the first time and learning to fly; discovering he was a wizard; Dudley with a pig's tail...

“Not physically,” Professor Dumbledore admitted. “They will help in your final confrontation.”

Final confrontation.

The words seemed so... so... Harry cursed his narrow range of vocabulary. The words seemed so damn final.

“Think happy thoughts,” Harry commanded his brain. “Happy thoughts... Ron, Hermione... Yeah... They're all right... Friends. That's a happy memory. Sticking up for me... OK... Uh... When Sirius asked me to live with him! Very happy oh dear all of the professor's can hear these thoughts... Ah well welcome to the crazy world of Harry Potter and co. Uh... Professor Snape in Neville's Grandma's clothing... Well I've failed potions now... Still it was funny... Draco... Arg no, no, no, no, no... They can hear you Harry... Bloody he—Uh... Ginny putting her elbow in the butter. Yeah, that's it. That was funny...”

Harry blinked, realizing that he had ignored everyone else while concentrating on his memories and his body has almost gone on auto-pilot to follow them. He blushed as his thoughts ran ahead without him and he struggled to keep them in control and fixate on them.

“OK, Harry, much as we all adore those flattering thoughts about young Malfoy, it's time to come back to the world of the living,” Professor Trelawney sighed regretfully; pushing up her sleeves and extending her wand arm forwards.

Harry flushed guiltily and reigned his mind back from where it had wandered. Looking up at the door he blinked. This was the door to the main hall... He shouldn't have been surprised, but in a small way he was...

It was so cold now, the iciness raged inside his body and reached up to clench at his heart. He shivered and, feeling braver than he had in months considering he was flanked by six of the most powerful witches and wizards of the time -- “That's very nice of you to think so” interjected Professor Sprout -- pushed forward his hand to open the door.

The door opened without him having to touch it and the ice swirled around his feet. He lifted his head determinedly; ignoring the sudden pain that lanced through his scar and just looked at the tableau in front of him; seemingly frozen still in the moment. Seven death eaters stood there, wands at the ready entombed in black with their hoods thrown back. Harry could recognize Lucius Malfoy among the six...

So much for train crash...

Obviously the death eaters could hear the thoughts as well... How loud was he transmitting them? Lucius Malfoy just smirked, his wand at the ready. Of course this gave Harry a slight advantage and decided to put the death eater off his ease...

“Of course it's ironic... that Lucius Malfoy's son loves me more than he loves his own father...” Harry thought, putting a lot of force behind it. He grinned triumphantly when Lucius stumbled a little. Without a word, the six Professors spread out in formation to stand against the six death eaters. Everything was equal, except... Except for Wormtail loitering the background with his silver hand.

“Harry.”

Harry knew that voice. Knew the way it slid through the atmosphere like a snake, fangs bared.

“So delighted you could all make it.”

All eyes at once moved to the hideous figure in the centre of the hall opposite Harry.

“I was so scared that you'd chicken out and go hide with your friends,” Voldemort added; the narrow slits on his face opening and closing rapidly. Breathing faster... a faster heart rate?

“Don't think I'm going to be that easy to beat, young Potter.”

Wincing at the sudden pain, Harry clamped his left hand over his forehead. That must have been the thought going straight to him... It burned, worse than before.

“I think I'd be disappointed if you gave in so easily,” Harry said, sounding a lot braver than he felt.

“Well, of course you would be,” Voldemort said sarcastically, his red eyes narrowing shrewdly. “You do realize why we're here at least, don't you? The ancient shrine of beginnings... Where magic began its course to the world... Yes, Harry, this is where you will bow down to me and surrender yourself to my world.”

Harry snorted. “No-one's going to be bowing to you, Tom,” he said defiantly. Voldemort's slits widened and he stared at Harry with loathing.

“I will not be known by that... by that... muggle name,” he spat. “Death eaters! Attack!”

Harry watched silently as the death eaters advanced upon them; deadlier than imagined, they moved with pure grace. They were pure death moving... He knew that the Professors were going to counter the attacks, but he wasn't as prepared to see the expressions on his teachers' faces and the terrible sense of power they exuded.

“Hideous isn't it,” Voldemort continued as if the terrifying battle raging around them wasn't happening. “All that positive emotion. Emotion can be so dangerous, don't you think? It can lend to us great power over the other side...” The wrinkled white figure snapped his fingers and a figure just apparated into the air; crashing to the ground in a heap. He snapped his fingers again and Wormtail scurried forwards; heckles bared he grabbed at the figure and hoisted it to its feet. Sleepy grey eyes looked up from a tousled blonde-haired figure clad in a Slytherin Hogwarts robe...

“And your emotion will be your undoing!” Voldemort spat. “You have feelings... for this boy have you not?”

Harry swallowed. Even though the boy's eyes were still glassy from the shock and pain, it was unmistakably Draco...

“Yes I do,” he whispered. The words caught on the clash of the duelling wizards either side of him and rose up on the tempest of the sound. Harry caught a glance of a terrible ice storm, shining past, ricocheting against the wall and slamming into a death eater. He caught a glance of Dumbledore - not the benign headmaster but a terrible, powerful wizard - and he swallowed.

Harry, remember my words to you earlier!

“And that is your undoing,” Voldemort said quietly; advancing on Draco and picking him up easily by the scruff of his neck. “I will kill this boy, you know, unless you kneel to me.” Wormtail scampered to the side of his master.

Harry took strength from Dumbledore's presence. “I will not bow. Kill him if you want.”

Voldemort paused for a second; uncertain. “Don't you have feelings for him? Don't you care if I destroyed him?”

“Of course I'd care if you destroyed him!” Harry yelled. “You really don't understand the human emotion of love, do you? You never let yourself love as a child now you take it out on others? You're just jealous! You've never understood how love works, have you? That's why you were so undone when you tried to kill my parents!”

Voldemort snickered as he stayed on the spot; seemingly unfazed by the offshoots of what looked like lightning crackling either side of him. “Harry, you are quite delusional, I'm afraid. Your parents are dead. I killed them, like I will kill you after you have surrendered to me.”

Harry shook his head. “You didn't kill my parents, Tom,” he said softly; emphasizing his use of the insane lunatic's muggle name. “You were like me once. You said we were identical. We are, you know. Only one thing made us different. It hurts to think that if my life had changed I might have ended up as pathetic and weak as you... My parents aren't dead. The old part of you must remember what it was like... When your mother passed away, she wasn't dead... She existed here.” Harry held up his arms and placed his hands over his heart.

“Pretty words, Harry, pretty words.” Voldemort hissed. “They did not save your mother, and they will not save your friend.”

“Of course they won't.” Harry's voice was smooth and unafraid. “That's a clone, you know it, and I know it. The only reason I know it is that my heart won't let me be tricked. And for the fact that Draco is now a Gryffindor house student and wouldn't be seen dead in a Slytherin robe.”

Voldemort hissed in frustration and flung the Draco in his hand to the ground.

“Fine. Then you die. And this cycle starts again when I have regained more power than you can possibly imagine. You know, don't you, that I can destroy anyone who rises against me after you're dead.”

Harry instinctively jumped to the side as a blast from Voldemort's wand narrowly avoided him. Running he yelled: “Crucio!” and dashed to the side; rolling instinctively. It only give him a second of respite. That was all he needed. He swerved around the fighting, noticing with satisfaction that Professor Snape had just thrown a bag full of some kind of potion and it had splattered on Crabbe's face. Voldemort rose up again, throwing his wand out to strike again when two voices yelled out: “Expelliarmus!”

Caught unprepared, Voldemort lost grip of his wand and it clattered to the ground, long enough for Draco to snatch it and throw it to Harry. Voldemort's eyes widened and he spread his arms.

“Now destroy me,” he said softly, his voice breaking through the atmosphere. Harry was dimly aware of Draco scooting out of the way to join him and the Death Eaters breaking nervously away from the fight to flank their Dark master. He was also aware of the other Professor's flanking him. Harry tossed the two wand's in his hand nervously for a second before lifting up Voldemort's wand.

“Harry, no!” Professor Sprout shrieked. Too late.

Harry waved the wand and whispered the two words of his spell.

“PRIORI INCANTATEM!!!!!!!”

The two words echoed among the hall and Voldemort's wand erupted. Faces and people began to tumble out of the end of the wand; all of Voldemort's past victims... Just like last year... Harry saw Cedric again, his parents, Betty, the old gardener from Voldemort's old village... Scores of 'mudbloods' and muggles who had been destroyed by Voldemort in his reign of terror in the past. Voldemort laughed, a chilling low sound.

“Tricks,” he snarled.

“You call me a trick?” The shade of Lily Potter looked a little amused. “Please. This is no trick. This is everything you have done. All you are. You're nothing. That's what scares you, isn't it? You're nothing...”

“That's what scared you, isn't it?” Harry's voice broke through strongly. “You were so scared that your father left you because you were nothing that you tried making a name for yourself; tried getting some revenge... Only all the time you were trying to prove you weren't nothing... And through your lack of knowledge about emotions, your legendary status as the nemesis of all life was shattered... And you became no-one... Less that nothing. Like you always had been. And nothing we do, whether we die or whether we live, will make you into anything more than nothing.”

“You're nothing...”

“Nothing, Tom, less than nothing...”

“We could have made you someone... If you had acknowledged life not thrown it away...”

The shades of Voldemort's bad deeds took up the commentary; showing Voldemort what he had become... What he had done...

That's when Harry understood the hollowness of Voldemort's existence... Even in his worst of his days at the hands of the Dursley's... At least then he still felt emotion... Could still cling onto the hope that someone somewhere loved him.

“I don't need your sympathy,” Voldemort sneered. “Death eaters, attack!”

But nothing came forward... The death eaters looked at their master; repulsion and sympathy evident in their faces too.

“Better the life of a Mudblood with emotion, then of a pureblood without,” Lucius Malfoy quietly declared. It was the most amazing declaration in his life that Harry had ever heard. It didn't ring true. Harry felt Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder and remembered he had to take this at face value.

“You can still be forgiven, Tom,” Harry said softly. “You will have to serve time in Azkaban, but you will be able to know that some people can forgive you. Of course not everyone will... You've done a lot of things that people will never ever forget, but you can still be who you once were, Tom.”

Voldemort, for the first time in his life, seemed at a complete loss. He raised his hands again, almost seeming to strike himself down or something and then he simply collapsed to the ground.

“Why?” It was only a whisper, but everyone present heard it. “Why would you give me a second chance?”

“Because you were just misguided. I had the direction early on in my life. You didn't. You and I are the same, Tom,” Harry said softly.

“I... I feel this pain... What is this pain? WHAT IS THIS PAIN?” Harry jumped in shock as two red eyes lifted up to meet his; no longer filled with pain but filled with guilt and remorse. Finally seeing that justice to their memories had been done, the shades of his victims began to disappear.

“Guilt, remorse, of the people whose lives you destroyed. For that you will pay,” Harry said simply.

Voldemort nodded, broken, and Harry stalked over to look down. Voldemort looked up at Harry, at one moment a young, tired boy and the next something terrible. Then it all shifted and Harry was just Harry again.

“I'm sorry...” Voldemort whispered.

It was apparently the catalyst word. Voldemort howled once, before an unseen force picked him up; slamming him against the wall with a smashing sound. A heavy voice filled the air, proclaiming only one word: “DONE...”

Heads swivelled to see who had spoken, but there was no apparent speaker and the only sight that had them all drawn was a broken boy crouched on the ground sobbing his heart out, and a tall slender boy standing over him; a stark look on his face.

“Take him away,” Harry whispered, standing back. Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick moved to forwards to force Voldemort to his feet and were shocked to discover that the hideous image of before to a sallow looking teenage boy. Professor Dumbledore stepped forwards to look at the boy sadly.

“I'm sorry for everything, Tom,” Dumbledore said softly. “But you are on the way to healing... You have repented and that has stripped away everything that was done to you from your dark mind...”

Tom looked away; pain filling his eyes. “I can never make up what I did... But I can try...” he whispered. Snape looked at Dumbledore, nodded and he and Flitwick suddenly disappeared.

“He's really gone,” Harry whispered. “It's done...” The entirety of what had happened hit him and he collapsed to the ground exhausted.

“Well at least your thoughts have stopped broadcasting too,” Professor Trelawney said quietly into the emptiness. Harry looked over to where the Death Eaters knelt penitently.

Professor Dumbledore crossed over to them.

“We...” Lucius Malfoy began... “We wish to repent....as well. I don't think it will be easy...”

“It won't,” Albus said softly, the fierce wizard of before replaced by a disappointed old man. “You will do your atonement as well.”

Lucius nodded. “I am only just beginning to realize... what life means...”

Harry got to his feet unsteadily, casting one unsure glance over at Lucius Malfoy before smiling brilliantly as Draco crossed over to him; yanking off the Slytherin robes as he advanced on Harry.

“How did you know it was me?” Draco asked wonderingly.

“Because,” Harry said, grinning for the first time all day. “Because, because, because.”

Draco smiled and glanced over at his father; a saddened expression crossing his face. He looked back to Harry. The taller boy grasped hold of Draco's hand and dragged him over to where Lucius knelt.

“Father,” Draco whispered. Lucius kept his gaze firmly on the ground.

“I'm sorry for what I did,” the older Malfoy said softly. “If there is anything I can do to make up for it...”

“Just repent,” Draco said softly. “And mean it... And then maybe I will be able to accept I have a father again.”

“I was angry, I never meant to hurt you,” Lucius mumbled.

“Perhaps,” Draco sniffed. “Maybe after you've served your sentence you can visit me and my boyfriend sometime.”

“I'd like that,” Lucius said, his gaze moving to Harry. Harry stared down at him flatly, unforgiving, and Lucius frowned a little. There was a flash and Snape and Flitwick reappeared, along with Remus and Sirius.

“HARRY!” Harry had one second's notice before two arms were flung around his neck and he was being hugged rather firmly by his godfather. “You did it! I knew you could!”

“It wasn't me,” Harry said; disentangling himself. “He did it all by himself. He had it in him... After all, he is very much like me.”

“Harry...” Sirius whispered.

“Can you take them back to Azkaban?” Harry turned to Sirius before inclining his head clinically towards the kneeling death eaters.

Sirius nodded. “You'll give me all the gory details later, right?”

Harry smiled. “Of course.”

“Then it's a deal.” Sirius moved back to where Remus, Severus and Professor Flitwick stood and the four apparated again; this time with the death eaters in tow.

“Well this has been an eventful day,” Professor Dumbledore said wryly. “I suppose we'd better get ready to let the students come back,” he added.

Professor McGonagall nodded. “What a job that will be,” she said. “We also should inform the ministry what happened, and write up a report for Wizarding Weekly. The entire wizarding world needs to know it's safe now.”

“No, it's not.”

Heads turned to see Harry stood there; clutching almost unconsciously to Draco's hand. “Peter Pettigrew has escaped... And I don't think he'll be too happy with events as they are.”

Professor Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. “I'll put out a warning for Pettigrew too. He's more dangerous than he seems.”

“You two however...” Professor Sprout appeared quite close to the two boys stood there. “Have some explaining to do about how Draco got here and you both have to get some rest for tomorrow! Full school again as usual tomorrow!”

Pushing the two boys reluctantly along in front of her, Professor Sprout ushered them to the Gryffindor dorm while Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore exchanged a wry glance before setting up to do the many jobs required to be done for the next day.

“Something tells me,” Minerva said regretfully, “that this isn't all over by a long shot.”

-----

People tell me that I feel too much

But I don't care I don't care

People tell me that I need too much

But I don't care no I don't care

“I Don't Care”- Savage Garden

-----

Harry yawned and stretched as he sat up in his bed sleepily. He stretched out for his glasses and slid them on, blinking sleepily. He swung his feet out from under the warm covers and instantly regretted it; the cold of the morning hitting him in a wave. Pulling a face he reached for the curtains and paused, yesterday's experiences hitting him like a cold slap.

The young wizard pulled a face and started to yank the curtains out of the way. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had performed a highly sensitive magic sweep of the school, and all the dementors had now left. The school was safe again. Harry didn't really understand how they had got into the school in the first place. Perhaps he'd find out later. He smirked; remembering Professor McGonagall's expression when she realized they'd moved Draco's bed into the chamber Harry normally shared with Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville and how they had sworn vehemently nothing would happen.

Professor McGonagall nodded, knowing they wouldn't try anything. Both of them might get into some mischief but they always kept to their word. Besides, having the other there would keep them both calmed down. Well, as calm as possible considering what happened yesterday.

-----

Harry stumbled wearily to the bathroom, both enjoying and feeling a little weird from all the emptiness. Professor Sprout had renounced her earlier declaration of school all day today. The other students were due back sometime early morning and lessons would begin again after lunch and a special assembly.

Harry leant forwards, removed his glasses and bent down to the sink to splash cold water on his face in an attempt to sort his muddled brain out. He leapt upwards with shock when two arms wrapped around his waist gingerly. Flushing, Harry turned in Draco's grip and smiled. Draco leaned past Harry and picked up his glasses before placing the glasses back on Harry's nose. The Harry wrinkled his nose, staying firmly put.

“Morning,” Harry said, feeling a foolish grin spread across his face.

“Morning,” Draco returned, winking at Harry before leaning out of the embrace to wash his face. The two stayed comparatively quiet as they brushed their teeth and finished washing themselves up in time for breakfast. Harry turned to go back to the dorm to get changed but was stopped by Draco pulling on his arm.

“Harry.” Draco's tone by itself was enough to give Harry goose bumps. “About yesterday,” Draco said nervously. “How did you know it was me and not a clone?”

Harry shrugged. Then bit his lip. “At the beginning... I wasn't sure... It was when he flung you to the floor I guess I just knew.”

“Would you...” Draco seemed nervous. “Would you have let him kill me rather than betray your morals?”

Harry stayed silent for a moment. “Yes I would... but I think one part of me would have died too.”

Draco grinned. “Good,” he said finally. “That's the only answer I would have accepted, you know.”

“I'd hope you'd do the same for me,” Harry added. Draco looked at him as if to say Harry was, as usual, being stupid by think he wouldn't. Harry felt Draco's eyes burning into him, and he turned away; busying himself with his hair again. “Come on, or we'll be late to breakfast.”

-----

The main hall was set up again as it usually was, the four house tables set up in parallel with the four house banners waving and the ceiling bewitched again to represent the sky outside. No trace at all remained of the devastation from yesterday, but Harry remembered the near empty hall with its cavernous ceiling and stench of death and he shivered. The sky was brilliantly blue, with not a hint of clouds at all. At the teachers table there were eleven places set up, one for Hagrid who had returned earlier this morning. The half-giant saw Harry and instantaneously burst out into tears, wailing into a large red-and-white checked handkerchief. Harry rolled his eyes, shrugged at Draco and crossed over to comfort the gamekeeper and teacher.

“Come on, Hagrid, it's all right, everyone's fine,” Harry comforted awkwardly; leading Hagrid back over to the table and sitting next to him and grinning when Draco followed cautiously and sat the other side of Hagrid.

“I'm just 'appy you're al'right, Harry,” Hagrid sniffed, his large face screwed up.

“We're all all right, thanks to Harry,” Draco said, then paused. “Hagrid, do you --“ Draco looked to the floor and fiddled with his fingers before looking up fearfully at Hagrid. “Do you think you could ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Hagrid's eyes widened and he turned to stare at the fidgeting blond. “Whatever for?”

“For being a slimy arsed git to you and everyone for the last sixteen years of my life,” Draco said softly. “I've been so horrible to everyone.”

Hagrid looked like he was going to burst into tears again as he enveloped the boy in a crushing hug. Draco squeaked in shock. Harry stifled a laugh.

“Hagrid, would you mind not squashing one of our students?”

Hagrid let Draco go apologetically, a wide smile crinkling his features. “Sorry, Professor McGonagall, got a little over excited and all.”

“I think that's the rest of the world's reaction... The news is all over the wizarding community, Harry. You're even more famous than you were before,” she said; shrugging as she gracefully took her usual place.

“Oh great,” Harry sighed. “Fantastic.” It was obvious he was not trying to withhold any of the sarcasm.

Professor McGonagall cracked one of her rare half-smiles and turned to see the other Professors come in, all dragging Professor Dumbledore behind them. The Headteacher looked slightly disgruntled, but dropped to his seat eventually after a few stern glances from Professor Flitwick. Harry decided not to cross the tiny Charms teacher ever.

“Well, we'd better dig in,” Sirius said; turning to the food that had just appeared on the table. After a small pause, everyone had dug in quite voraciously, somnolent after yesterday's events.

“Albus, are you glad we dragged you out of your office now?” Professor Sprout said, humour colouring her voice. Dumbledore smiled faintly.

“I do have thousands of owls to respond to, I really don't have the time... But I must say these sausages really are excellent,” Dumbledore finished, chomping down on one of the thick pork sausages. “How are you boys dealing with this all?” He asked suddenly, his eyes boring shrewdly into Harry's own.

“We really could have done with the whole day off school,” Draco murmured morosely. Harry nodded in agreement. Dumbledore frowned, confused.

“But you do have the whole day of school,” he started; pausing when Professor McGonagall let out a small giggle. Harry raised his eyes at the unusual behaviour of the strict transfiguration teacher. “Minerva, have you been teasing them?”

Professor McGonagall nodded. “I thought they could do with some humour after what happened.”

Harry grinned.

“Looks like it's working too,” Sirius remarked dryly.

“How's Azkaban?” Professor Snape asked suddenly.

“It's good,” Remus Lupin remarked from his side. Harry blinked. He hadn't noticed the werewolf among the other teachers. He must have stayed the night after yesterday.

“The giants agreed the animosity had gone on too long. They are now guarding Azkaban even more fiercely than the dementors. They've realized the people they have most to be wary of are inside the prison, so they're helping us guard it. The ministry of magic will be forced to issue a statement how they're really helping us and how they must be good after all. Which,” Sirius added reflectively. “Is what we knew already.”

“Good, good,” Professor Snape said, semi-distracted. Harry looked up from his breakfast to see the Potions teacher's gaze linger on him, and as their gazes met, Professor Snape looked away quickly. Harry frowned slightly, but shrugged it off and listened to what Draco was saying.

“When are the rest of the students returning?” Draco asked, looking up from his bacon curiously.

“In an hour or so, which will give you plenty of time to hop off to the infirmary when you've finished your breakfast. Madam Pomfrey returned early this morning too, so there's no excuse. You are both going to be looked over,” Professor McGonagall said sternly over her glasses. Harry grinned suddenly. He was glad to be back. Draco noticed the grin and cocked an eyebrow curiously.

“What's the smile for?” Draco asked, leaning close to Harry and keeping his voice low so the others wouldn't hear.

“Nothing,” Harry said, the grin still clear on his face. “Everything. I'm just happy I guess.”

Draco smiled back softly. “We'd better finish so we can get checked over then.”

Harry pulled a face. “I suppose we'd better.”

Some things really did not change.

-----

Madam Pomfrey had carefully checked over the boys for the last twenty minutes, chiding the amount of bruises both of them had received from the tumbles they'd both taken but nothing much more. She busily handed them chocolate, a soft expression on her face.

“Well done, you two, I never thought it was possible. Reverting you-know-who... Well, I never. No-one else would have even thought of doing that! They would have just killed him!”

Harry blinked and nodded. “It had to be done. He wasn't completely evil... everyone just assumed that.”

“I suppose so,” Madam Pomfrey conceded, standing over them and forcing them to eat the chocolate. “And you! How did you get out of Durmstrang!”

Draco swallowed the piece of chocolate in his mouth and blinked innocently.

“I don't know exactly, but Seamus and Dean said to say they had nothing to do with it,” Draco said innocently. “Oh, and this might have been some help.”

Draco reached under the Gryffindor robes he was wearing and pulled out Harry's cloak. Harry grinned as the blond returned it to him.

“Thanks,” Harry said, taking back his invisibility cloak.

“I should have known those two had nothing to do with it,” Madam Pomfrey said ruefully. “Although it was a good thing they didn't help you.”

“Isn't it,” Draco said lightly. He nodded his head towards the cloak. “I almost had a heart attack when I found that and your note saying 'This may come in handy!'.”

Harry nodded. “I figured where I was I wouldn't need it and besides you'd be able to find some things out about Durmstrang.”

“I'll say we did,” Draco said softly.

“We?” Harry prompted curiously.

Draco grinned sheepishly. “Let's just say, thanks to this, Ron doesn't hate me so much, Seamus and Dean know a couple of extra tricks and now I'm getting extra tutoring from Hermione. Morganna knows my grades need it. Your friends aren't half bad,” he finished reflectively, nibbling at the last square of chocolate. Sticking his tongue out, Harry ate his last chunk of chocolate and looked around.

“Madam Pomfrey, we've finished our chocolate,” Harry called, looking around for her. “Can we go already?”

The homely matron bustled over to them and frowned. She reached into her apron pocket and put two more bars of chocolate on the bed next to them.

“They're your last ones, eat them up now,” Madam Pomfrey instructed before returning to her small cauldron which was bubbling merrily in the corner. Draco pulled a face as he reached for the chocolate.

“If I eat much more of this I'm going to throw up,” Draco announced loudly.

-----

Twenty minutes later and Draco's complaint had unfortunately come true. The ex-Slytherin sat numbly on the end of the bed, looking paler than usual while Harry rubbed his back.

“See, I told you,” he said sourly to Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips.

“If you hadn't gobbled it down like that you wouldn't have brought it back,” she said finally with a sniff.

“Can we go now?” Draco asked, with a whine in his voice only he seemed to be able to put across so plainly. “The air will do me good,” he added.

Madam Pomfrey frowned. “All right. Professor Dumbledore said something about meeting him in the main hall or something. Perhaps you'd better go there.”

Harry nodded and kept by Draco's side as Draco got to his feet.

“And you can take your robes off too, I don't want you overheating yourselves... It's not a school day, no-one else will be wearing them,” Madam Pomfrey said sternly. “Leave them here, I'll have them taken up to your room.”

Harry nodded and struggled out of his robes, leaving him in his slightly baggy jeans and t-shirt before helping Draco out with his.

“I just threw up, I'm not an invalid,” Draco sniffed indignantly. Harry rolled his eyes to the ceiling and tossed the two robes into the corner before pulling the other boy to the door before Madam Pomfrey could order them to do anything else.

-----

Draco persuaded Harry to let them go the outside route, still feeling queasy from throwing up before. They walked in comparative silence, enjoying the silence of the gardens between the two buildings. Somewhere in the middle of the walk both of them had moved closer together, instinctively and without even thinking about it.

“Draco-“ he started; but the other boy lifted up his hands brushing his fingers over the other's lips.

“Shush,” Draco commanded softly, reaching out one arm to pull the other boy closer. Harry found himself being mesmerized by the deep grey eyes locked with his own and was about to protest more when Draco's lips brushing against his own. Harry's eyes widened slightly before slanting and he pulled away slightly to lock eyes with Draco again. They remained locked like that for almost a whole minute before Harry brushed his hand against Draco's cheek for a second. Draco closed his eyes briefly; his skin tingled from the contact. Harry started finding it hard to breathe or concentrate as the face with the grey eyes closed forwards on him and Draco's lips met with his own once more. It was a lot gentler than the first kiss on the cold night, where Draco had pushed the other boy to the ground in self disgust. This time there was no more pushing away. Electric shocks seemed to course through both of them as the kiss was gently deepened. Arms reached for the other and soon the kiss was almost savage; two bodies pulled up against each other as they fiercely joined together for a few desperate moments.

The annoying need for oxygen forced them finally apart and Harry found it hard to speak. Draco put it the best way, Harry thought.

“Wow,” Draco murmured faintly.

“Wow indeed,” Harry echoed softly.

“Hall,” Draco added and Harry broke away, a stubborn blush inhabiting his pale features.

“We need go to the hall,” Harry added firmly, his expression wide and almost-vacant. “Damn,” he added thoughtfully.

Draco laughed, a clear gentle laugh that touched Harry strangely. Grey eyes sparkled thoughtfully. “Come on,” he repeated, grabbing Harry's hand and tugging him after him. “Don't want to keep Dumbledore waiting do we?”

Harry shook his head in mock horror. “No! I dread to think what he'd do!”

-----

It was curiously silent as the two boys re-entered the school, no longer hand-in-hand but still close to each other. Harry approached the hall first; frowning.

“That's weird, the door's usually open,” Harry noted raising his eyebrows in confusion.

“Maybe the wind pushed it shut,” Draco suggested. Harry blinked and turned back to the door. He pushed it open carefully and it swung open. Harry was hit with a tremendous sound of clapping and cheering. In shock, Draco stepped forwards to join Harry and craned his neck to see the sight. All four houses were assembled in the hall, sitting on their trunks and carrying bags under their arms, but all clapping and hollering at the top of their voices.

Harry found himself grinning as Hermione and Ron clambered over everyone to launch themselves at him.

“It's all true, isn't it,” Ron said wonderingly, clapping his friend on the back before looking at Draco. “You two defeated him.”

Draco nodded. “It was mostly Harry,” he said, struggling to make himself heard over the thunderous noise. Ron shrugged and pulled both of the two boys into a hug which Hermione joined.

“I'm so glad you're both all right, I was so worried,” Hermione whispered.

“So was I!” Harry admitted, with a laugh.

“Come on, you two!”

Harry and Draco looked up to see Crabbe and Goyle standing there with Seamus and Dean and both of the boys frowned - confused for the moment before they were grabbed and hoisted onto the boys' shoulders.

“What the hell are you doing!”

“Put me down!” Draco added; his face pale.

“Ah, shove it Malfoy,” Seamus said reflectively. “Seeker got a problem with heights? Never!”

Draco pulled a face as he was deposited on the floor next to the Gryffindor table and Harry was put down a moment later. Both of them couldn't help smiling in the euphoria of the applause. Seconds later, the two boys were almost drowned under a sea of students; hugging them, clapping them and cheering their heads off.

“Calm down!” Professor McGonagall rapped her knuckles against one of the tables.

“Let them celebrate,” Dumbledore said quietly to the frowning Professor. “Heaven knows we've had precious little to celebrate over the last sixteen years.”

The cheering continued for a full minute after that. Harry thought he was going to have to go back to Madam Pomfrey to deal with the bruises from all the people that had clapped his back. Still excited, all the Hogwarts students clambered back to their seats when Dumbledore rose to his feet. Silence fell and Harry and Draco took two of the free spaces next to Hermione and Ron.

“Yes, all the rumours you've been hearing are true,” Dumbledore said, lifting up a hand to stop the few cheers that had started up again. “Voldemort was here... And he is now in Azkaban... repenting for all he has done. It just goes to show that there is good in everyone.”

“Even Professor Snape!” Someone catcalled. Professor Snape smiled thinly, mentally reminding himself to make it hard on the Ravenclaws for the rest of the term.

“Yes, yes, even Professor Snape,” Dumbledore relented, smiling at the venomous look Snape directed at him. “Well, I think we will all be grateful for Harry and Draco's help in subduing our lifelong nemesis, but I must remind you to be respectful of them. They're still human, and I'm guessing still want to be treated as such.”

There were a few murmurs and all heads were nodding, even amongst the Slytherins.

“However,” Dumbledore added. “The world is still not yet safe. One of Voldemort's more powerful henchmen has escaped, and there are still death eaters loyal to the Dark side out there. I would remind you all still to be careful and keep up your practice and studies to the highest level. Dark powers and the Dark Arts still exist, and you may be amongst those who must fight against them.”

There was a heavy silence amongst all the students, broken embarrassingly by a few hoots from some of the owls owned by students.

“But for now, we have reason enough for celebration, and for this fact the house elves have been up since early hours preparing a feast!” Students turned, surprised by the plates that had appeared in front of them piled with foods and different sweets and drinks. “Please enjoy yourself while you can! And remember, lessons start again tomorrow!”

There were a few groans then a lot of clattering as the starving students started attacking the feast.

Harry had possibly never felt so happy. He helped himself to some of the food next to him, all the while trying to answer the questions people from all sides were plastering them with. Thankfully Draco was trying to answer as many of them as he could for him.

“Wish I'd had these memories yesterday,” Harry reflected into a mouthful of pastry. “More fun to plaster Voldemort and his death eaters with.”

At Hermione and Ron's' confused expressions Harry tried to explain.

“Something about the confrontation yesterday... I was broadcasting my thoughts and emotions all over the place. Quite embarrassing actually.”

Draco grinned. “I know I heard one or two of them in fact,” he said innocently, smirking abruptly at Harry's expression.

“I'm not sure I'm going to get quite used to you going out for a long time,” Ron admitted, nibbling at a beef burger and surveying the two with a candid expression on his face.

“We're not,” Harry said with a shrug at his friend, before focusing on his pie again.

“What?” Draco and Ron asked at the same time.

“We're not going out.” Harry looked up from his plate. “What? Why are you staring at me like I've grown two extra heads and turned into Fluffy?”

“Well I'd like to know what the hell we were doing earlier if we're not going out.” Draco folded his arms and narrowed his eyes petulantly.

“Harry! Consorting with the enemy. I'm thoroughly ashamed of you,” Hermione admonished, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably. Harry had the decency to blush, and Draco looked a little annoyed with himself.

“Too much information there!” Ron pretended to throw up under the table and re-emerged with a smile.

“I am right though, Draco. You haven't asked me out,” Harry said philosophically. Draco's mouth opened. Then shut. And opened again. And shut.

“I'd stop the goldfish impressions and ask him before he gets mad at you,” Hermione advised the blond in a loud stage whisper. Draco pulled a wry face.

“Thanks for the advice, Granger.” Draco sniffed outlandishly to protest against the situation. “Fine! Harry, will you go out with me?”

Harry choked on his drink. Going bright red, he covered his mouth with his hand and laughed silently.

“You didn't expect me to ask?” Leaning back, Draco rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Idiotic Gryffindors!”

“I'm going to take this chance to remind you that you are a Gryffindor,” Harry said primly, tearing up a bread roll with his hands and laughing.

“Exactly. I know Gryffindors are idiotic from a personal experience.” Draco stuck his tongue out at Harry.

“You really are an asshat, Malfoy,” Harry said eventually, flicking a pea at Draco's head. Draco frowned and threw a bread bun at Harry's head. Unfortunately it bounced off the young wizard, sailed through the air and hit Lisa Turpin squarely in the head. She turned around, eyes narrowed, and quickly threw a peach back across to the Gryffindor table.

It wasn't long after that until the whole of the hall was filled with flying food; the Gryffindors - naturally -- winning it by a long shot.

-----

The Gryffindors returned as pack laughing about the food fight. Ron still had the remains of a bowl of crisps in his hair and most of them had some kind of stain down their t-shirts (the entire school was out of uniform considering school wasn't on.) Harry began to feel thankful towards Madam Pomfrey for making sure they kept their robes off. The common room was still full of people late at night, despite the fact Professor McGonagall had been up to their common room several times already -- probably disturbed by the raucous sound -- to warn them to go to bed because they had lessons in the morning. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Seamus, Dean and Neville had grabbed the isolated couch furthest away from the fireplace. It might be the coldest sofa, but it was the most private place in the common room. Harry yawned and Draco wrapped an arm unconsciously around his new boyfriend's shoulders.

Harry, of course, had said “yes” in the middle of the food fight, much to Draco's relief.

“I have a question,” Harry said suddenly, in the middle of a rather abrupt silence. They'd been discussing Quidditch, and Seamus had just shot down Dean rather rapidly in a discussion about the Appleby Arrows versus West Ham United. “You mentioned something about Polyjuice potion and your father pretending to be me earlier and coming into the Slytherin dorm?”

Draco nodded. “But I knew it wasn't you...”

“That's what I wanted to know, how did you know it wasn't me?”

Draco paused for a second, pulling a face at Seamus. The Irish boy grinned lopsidedly. “I knew it wasn't you... Because... Because you said I couldn't have a second chance.”

Harry raised his eyebrows.

Draco shrugged. “I completely understand why you thought that letter was from me. It was rather clever of him. He must have known you'd probably never seen my handwriting...”

“That makes sense,” Dean commented sleepily. “And the first bit was definitely right, Harry. You're the type to give people a second chance.”

“Like you gave Tom Marvolo Riddle,” Ron added softly.

“That's who you are, Harry, you give people the opportunity to change,” Hermione said simply.

Harry blinked, then slowly smiled. “Change can be bad,” he said doubtfully.

“Some changes can be good,” Draco said, moving his other spare hand to grasp Harry's.

Ron, Seamus and Dean pretended to throw up and Draco pulled a face.

“Eurgh, just don't, please.” Draco looked like he was going to be literally sick.

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

“Madam Pomfrey overdosed him with chocolate,” Harry explained. “Let's just say the results were disgusting.”

Neville pulled a face too. “She overdoes it with the chocolate sometimes.”

“Some changes can be weird,” Ron reflective. “I dunno, I just don't think I really was expecting you two to get together. Even though Draco is, I suppose, an almost decent person.”

Draco raised an eyebrow. “Thanks Weasley. I think you're an almost decent person too.”

“I guess it's almost the work hard, play hard concept...” Hermione interposed quickly to avoid an argument. “Those who fight the hardest love the hardest. It's an appropriate cliché.”

There was silence as the new information was digested before Seamus broke in, grinning cheekily.

“Does that include you and Ron too, Hermione?” He asked slyly. Hermione blushed and Ron started protesting furiously. Harry tentatively leaned closer to Draco and was surprised but contended to feel an arm slip around his waist.

Yes, it seemed Hermione was right. As usual. Some changes were good.

I wanna be somebody

I wanna make a difference

For we are the children of the mother

“Be Somebody”- Paula Cole Band

-----

Harry awoke with a start. Fumbling around for his glasses he blinked hazily around at his surroundings. Sighing in frustration, he collapsed back down on the bed, trying to wipe away the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand.

This was the fifth night in a row...

He shook his head in a last-ditch attempt to clear it, but his headache remained stubborn.

It was the fifth night in a row since Voldemort had been defeated that he'd been tormented by the dreams... Or nightmares as one might put it.

Harry stared at the ceiling, examining the scarlet hangings distractedly. A lot of questions were plaguing him, questions only some people could answer.

That was it. He couldn't stand it any more. Slipping out of bed, he got to his feet and put on his invisibility cloak, returned by Draco after he'd used it at Durmstrangs. Harry tiptoed past the sleeping Gryffindor boys, pausing only once to look through a gap in one of the curtains fondly. Draco hadn't closed them fully and Harry could see the newest Gryffindor at complete rest.

Harry smiled softly, then took a deep breath and left the Gryffindor dorm. He managed to make it down to the common room before he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Your toes are poking out,” Ron yawned sleepily. Harry sighed and dropped the cloak.

“Hey Ron,” Harry said regretfully. He'd really wanted to go out on his own to see Sirius.

“You going to see Sirius?”

Harry sighed. “Yes. Do you want to come with me?”

“I guess, if he's up,” Ron said, shrugging.

Harry nodded. “He's always up around about now,” he explained. “But maybe we should try and get Hermione to come too. You know, the three of us.”

“How about Draco too,” Ron suggested. Harry had to stifle a laugh at how funny it sounded coming from the redhead's mouth. It was almost like hearing him say 'Harry, guess what? Snape was happy today!' “We'll not all fit under the cloak, but if we're caught we can just explain what we're doing I'm sure they won't mind.”

Harry coughed as he realised Ron was still speaking. “Ah, yes, of course. You really don't mind Draco then?”

Ron shrugged. “He's all right. Now he's a Gryffindor and semi-permanently attached to your side, he's uh... decent.”

“Thanks for not being mad at me or anything.”

“Why should I be mad?”

Five minutes later and both Hermione and Draco were awake. Both wanted to go as well, and they exited the Gryffindor area. The Fat Lady frowned reproachfully, but let them through all the same. Surprisingly they made it all the way to Sirius' room without meeting any teachers. Of course they 'didn't' see Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbott and they 'weren't seen' by said 'unseen' people.

Hermione blinked sleepily. “Are you sure he's up at thi-“ Hermione stopped as the door opened and Sirius stood there, grinning at the sight of all four students standing there.

“Come on in.”

Harry blinked when they all crowded into the small study and sat down on armchairs (curiously there was enough for them all) as he realized Remus Lupin was sat there, smiling at him.

“Hello Harry,” Remus said, a little nervously in Harry's opinion. “Glad you developed that Patronus of yours. I heard it came in handy.”

“Yes, extremely.” Harry smiled thankfully at his old teacher. “Thanks for teaching me it.”

“ And Hermione! Still getting those abnormally high grades?”

Hermione blushed. “Yes sir.”

“I don't teach here any more, it's just Remus.” Remus smiled. “So, Sirius, what are you doing getting all these students out of bed like this? I'm ashamed of you.”

Sirius laughed shortly. “When you get Harry, Remus, Hermione, Ron and Draco aren't far behind. They'll call them the new inseparable four.”

“Who were the first?” Ron scratched his nose, looking confused and intrigued.

“Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs...” Sirius and Remus exchanged a sad look and there was silence as the names hung in the air.

“That's what I wanted to ask,” Harry said suddenly.

“About Peter, right?” Sirius eyes suddenly darkened with a fury Harry had only seen on Professor Dumbledore's face before.

“Why did he clear your name, and then was back with Voldemort again?”

“They're good questions,” Sirius replied thoughtfully, after a second's though. “I don't know if we'll ever get a satisfactory answer though.”

“I wish we...” Ron blurted out. “I wish we knew how Pettigrew's mind worked, so we could find out what he's up to!”

Sirius paused thoughtfully. “There may be a way, I wonder if it would help... Remus, we were both there, we have the memories do you think...”

“Yes, I guess it would... Then they'd be able to see everything we saw...” Remus nodded contemplatively. “I'm sure that would help them. Besides, it would nice to see them again as they were.”

“And if we both did it, yes, I suppose we'd be able to uncover more...” Sirius trailed off and reached behind his desk. He pulled out the basin of water. Harry and Hermione weren't surprised at the appearance of it; Harry having experienced one last year and Hermione having researched it vigorously as usual. Draco and Ron though blinked at it cautiously.

“Is it...” Ron gulped loudly. “Is it safe?”

Sirius laughed and both he and Remus got out their wands.

“It's safe,” Sirius said. “Now hold onto each other and we'll try it.”

Hands were taken and two wands are tapped on the side of the pensieve.

“Here we go,” Sirius said softly and moments later Harry felt the familiar sensations of the pensieve as they all disappeared inside Sirius and Remus' memories.

-----

“What in the hell is going on?”

Ron blinked as he watched two people literally passed through him. He turned stuttering to Sirius. The black-haired professor seemed lost in his thoughts. When he noticed the redhead blinking at him confusedly he shook his head to clear his mind and grinned. “They're just memories, Ron, we can't do anything or change anything. We're here merely to observe.”

“Weird,” Draco commented. “Hogwarts hasn't changed much at all!”

Remus smiled once suddenly. “This way. I know when we are.”

Sirius chuckled as Remus pulled Harry and Hermione back from staring wordlessly around at everything and forcibly managed to get them all to follow him.

“Oy, Longbottom!” Harry stifled a laugh as a couple of burly Gryffindor guys went up to a klutzy blond boy currently entangled in a pile of netting on the hallway floor.

“That'll be Neville's dad Frank, won't it?” Hermione surmised.

“A huge family resemblance there too,” Ron commented.

“And there,” Draco pointed. All four of the younger students turned to see a flaming redhead Gryffindor fifth year drop his book in surprise and a pretty ginger-haired girl stoop down to help him pick them up.

“Isn't that your mum and dad?” Harry grinned as the redheaded girl started to walk alongside the redheaded boy.

“No!” Ron laughed. “That's my dad and my aunty June!”

Hermione giggled a little.

“Come on, you four,” Sirius said, his eyes drifting over to where they were watching.

“Where are we going?” Harry asked as they crossed a few more hallways and tripped up some stairs. They passed Amanda Turpin (Lisa's mother) Lee Jordan's dad (Thomas) and several more of the parents of the current fifth years of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.

“You'll see,” Remus said mysteriously. They followed on without comment until they reached the Charm classrooms.

“We used to hang out here all the time,” Sirius explained, holding the door open while the others walked nervously through.

Harry stared transfixed at the scene, tears shining unshed in his eyes as he realized that in the corner were his mother and father -- talking animatedly. He couldn't take his eyes away from it. Overwhelmed he clung to Draco's hand.

“We could go up closer if you want,” Draco suggested. Harry nodded and padded over and sat on one of the desks to listen to his parents talk as they were.

“...so you're entering the singing competition, right?” James looked at Lily intently, passing one hand through his mess of black hair which Harry had so obviously inherited. Draco couldn't help looking between Lily, James and Harry, marvelling at the similarities between them.

Before them, Lily nodded, blushing. “Yes, obviously.”

“I always would have loved to have a musical talent,” James mused.

“Well, why don't you do what I've done?” Lily asked gently. James raised an eyebrow and Lily blushed again before continuing. “Made a promise that any child of mine would be taught some kind of music when they're young, because music is the best kind of magic there is.”

James grinned rakishly. “Well any child of yours would be a child of mine too,” he said cheekily. Lily flushed as James winked at her and hopped off his desk to where a younger version of Sirius and Remus sat arguing. James opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by the door opening.

“Slytherin alert!” All heads in the room -- both real and the 'ghosts' -- turned to see a slightly chubby boy breathless from running enter the room waving a piece of paper. Peter flushed a little at Sirius' outburst, and muttered something about crazy Ravenclaws.

“The map! It's finished!” The younger Remus yelled; crashing to his feet and hugging the startled boy around his neck.

“Come on, let's try it!” James said excitedly.

“What map?” Lily asked, wandering over curiously.

“Inseparable four business, sorry,” the younger Sirius said, grinning.

“I forgot what a ponce you were,” the real Remus said, smiling softly.

The real Sirius scowled and refrained from answering.

Lily scowled.

“Oh come on, Siri, you know James will just show it to her when we're not around,” the younger Remus said, grinning. The younger Sirius stuck his tongue out.

“Now, now, don't do that unless you intend to use it,” the younger Remus said cheekily. The younger Sirius flushed, Peter suppressed a little giggle and Lily rolled her eyes.

“Let's try the uninitiated thing on Lily,” Peter suggested. Lily raised an eyebrow.

James glared at Peter softly before shrugging. “It won't hurt you,” he said earnestly. Lily rolled her eyes and tapped the parchment with her wand.

“Reveal your secrets,” she whispered.

“Mr Moony would like to welcome Lily Evans to this place.”

Lily blinked and bent down to look at it closer.

“Mr Prongs would like to add that Lily Evans is incredibly cute.”

James started to blush and Lily giggled a little.

“Mr Wormtail would like to say that Mr Prongs is blushing like an idiot,” the parchment continued.

Peter laughed shortly and James tried to cool himself down a little.

“Mr Padfoot would like you to know that he has had nothing to do whatsoever with the Christmas concert.”

“Huh?” Lily blinked, confused. The younger Remus grinned and pulled the parchment away.

“Hey guys, can I try the next part?” Peter tried softly.

“Watch this,” James said, rolling up his sleeves.

“Guys?” Peter prompted; starting to look a little upset. Lily bent over the table to watch, blocking Peter's view of the parchment.

“I solemnly swear I am up to no good,” James said, a smirk on his face. The younger Sirius could hardly stop a giggle, the younger Remus hurriedly clamped a hand over the younger Sirius' mouth.

“Can't I see at least?” Peter asked plaintively.

“Oh, wow, what's that?” Lily asked, peering at the map in amazement, watching the title cross the top of the page.

“It's a map it shows you where everything and everyone is in Hogwarts,” Peter said.

“It shows you where everyone is, and every secret way out of Hogwarts you could imagine,” James explained. Peter frowned, then something crossed over his face.

“Oh you four will pay for this someday, yes you will,” he muttered and stalked off.

“Oh, Peter just left,” Lily said, frowning. “Why?”

Three heads turned to see the room empty.

“I don't think we should worry about that, Lucius and Severus are headed to the room now!” The younger Sirius said. Whipping out his wand. “Mischief managed!” The hissed words made the map suddenly clear and they whipped it off the desk just in time as a younger version of Lucius Malfoy and a younger Severus Snape came round the corner. Severus was kind of cowering behind Lucius and peeking out shyly at the other four.

“Well, well, what are we up to,” Lucius said, his voice thick with heavy humour. “Not getting up to any trouble as usual?”

“Oh please, Lucius, bugger off,” James said, rolling his eyes.

“As you will,” Lucius said, bowing low. “But Professor Hedley knows about the things you stole from his supply cupboard. I'd say Gryffindor stand to lose a lot of points if they find whatever you did with the ingredients.” Lucius laughed thinly. “Come along, Severus.”

The black-haired boy with the pronounced hook nose stood behind him blinked, blushed and walked away.

“Well that was weird,” James commented.

“Yeah,” the younger Remus breathed.

“Time to go, I think,” the real Sirius said.

“But --“ Harry started to protest then gave up when he saw his godfather's pained expression.

“Come on,” the real Remus said softly, and moments later they found themselves back in the office.

Sirius carefully placed the Pensieve back where it was kept and sighed softly as he dropped to the chair.

“At least we know why Peter resented us. He thought we didn't care about him,” he said regretfully.

“You four should go to bed,” Remus said wearily. The experience had taken a lot out of everyone involved.

Harry nodded and held the door open.

-----

Once out in the corridors, the four discussed what they saw in broken whispers.

“So we know why Peter had a grudge against them, but how could he turn so bad? I mean he already gave your parents to you-know-who.. sorry, Voldemort, so what else could he be so narked about?” Ron wondered.

“I don't know,” Harry said softly. “There's a lot about this whole business that has really been plaguing me. “Like why Voldemort gave up so easily. And why he reverted to Tom when it all was over. And why the death eaters gave up so easily.”

“What are you saying?” Draco asked nervously.

“I see what you're getting at,” Hermione said, troubled. “And I don't like it.”

They approached the fat lady and Ron said: “Gillyweed”. The portrait hole swung open and the four collapsed through and sat on the sofa nearest to the fire.

“What?” Ron asked, bewildered at Harry and Hermione's dual serious expressions.

“I...” Harry bit his lip. “I don't know, exactly, but I have this theory. Tom was just a... a kind of vessel for something bigger... Something more evil than we could imagine...”

There was silence as the words rung in the common room eerily.

“That sounds scary,” a small voice echoed through the air. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco turned to see Ginny Weasley standing there, looking pale and tired as she walked over. She sat next to Ron and her older brother instinctively gave her shoulder a small squeeze.

“It's only a hypothesis,” Hermione countered quickly. “We don't know that for sure.”

“I think it's right,” Ginny declared staunchly. “When I talked to Tom in the diary at times he didn't seem evil at all, then this... kind of force took over and then he was really evil...”

Again there was silence.

“You! What are you doing out of bed?!” Ron's eyes widened as he suddenly realized his sister should be in bed and he glared at her menacingly. The short redhead glared back.

“Hypocrite!” Ginny sniffed and folded her arms, refusing to move.

Ron laughed a little.

Hermione stifled a yawn then frowned. “Well I don't know about you guys but I'm really tired.” She rose up slowly and smiled crinkly at the boys and at Ginny. “Good night.”

“'Night, 'Mione,” Ron said sleepily. “Ginny, now would be a good time to go to bed before I tell Percy you've been out of bed.

Ginny's eyes widened and she scrambled to her feet hurriedly.

“Good night!” Ginny smiled swiftly and ran to the girls' dorm stairs.

“I think I'll go to bed now too,” Ron said, yawning and getting to his feet. “You two coming or what?”

“I'm not really sleepy,” Harry said. “But you two can head on up if you want.”

“I'll stay,” Draco offered instantly. Ron rolled his eyes and set off for the stairs.

“'Night,” he offered sleepily before heading up the stairs.

There was silence between Harry and Draco as they realized how deserted the common room was at about two o' clock in the morning.

“Are you all right?” Draco asked softly, grey eyes boring intently into Harry's own green eyes.

Harry shook his head. “Not really... Seeing my parents like that, so care-free and unassuming of what was going to happen... I just wanted to tell them, but it wouldn't have made a difference, that wouldn't have happened.”

Draco fell silent. “It was funny seeing my father as he was though...” He laughed softly. “Gods, I was exactly like he was! Arrogant prick!”

Harry laughed a little. “Well I wasn't going to say anything...” he said cheekily.

“Bitch,” Draco said good-humouredly.

They fell silent again and Harry just rested his head against Draco's, breathing softly. Draco rested his head on Harry's then laughed a little. Harry raised his head to look at Draco, frowning.

“What's so funny?” He asked.

Draco took a deep breath to regain his composure. “It's just...” He laughed again then stopped as Harry blinked at him; confused. “It's just if anyone had told me I'd end up with as a Gryffindor, being friends with Granger and Weasley and going out with the famous Harry Potter I would have broken their nose.”

Harry laughed a little. “It is rather funny. What the hell happened? I mean we were bitter enemies and now...”

“Yeah...” Draco trailed off. “Guess something got into us too.”

“So you think it's something external? Like with Peter and Tom? An external force?” Harry asked, unsure of how to take that comment.

“No,” Draco said sincerely. “I think whatever that would have happened, this would have happened.” He waved his hand indicating them.

“Why?” Harry asked sleepily, letting his head drop onto Draco's shoulder again.

“Because...” Draco grinned. “Because there was too much emotion... Because even at the beginning I was obsessed with you... Just because.”

“Because is a good reason,” Harry said sleepily.

“Very good reason,” Draco said, pushing Harry off his shoulder. Caught unprepared the raven-haired boy slid to the floor with a clunk, glaring at Draco exasperatedly.

“We should go to bed,” Draco said ruefully. “Don't want anyone to catch us up.”

“'Spose,” Harry said ruefully.

-----

“No, please... Don't...No!!”

Draco was awakened by a few muffled shouts barely a few hours later and she stumbled out of the scarlet-hung bed sleepily. Pushing aside the curtains, he noticed Harry's curtains pushed slightly apart and Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron all inside the area. Curiously he went to see what was the matter. What he saw caught in his throat. Harry was tossing and turning; his face twisted in some kind of pain.

“What's the matter?” Draco asked quietly.

“I don't know,” Ron replied, his voice low.

“I'll go get a teacher,” Neville offered, turning and starting to run. Draco bit his lip as he saw Harry in so much pain, frustrated that he couldn't do anything.

“Should we wake him up?” Seamus asked, concerned for his friend.

“I dunno,” Dean replied, a little startled.

“We should try,” Ron said softly, leaning down to shake his friend. “Harry?”

Harry grunted in pain and twisted away from his friend.

“HARRY!”

All four boys tried yelling.

Nothing was working.

“He's not waking,” Draco said, obviously out of his mind with worry as he gripped the edge of his night clothes -- his knuckles turning white from the force he was clutching his palms with.

Seconds later the door opened and two people came crashing through -- Hagrid and Sirius. Neville reappeared moments later. breathless.

“Harry? HARRY!” Hagrid yelled boomingly in the boy's face. No response. The half-giant looked as worried, if not more, than Sirius and Draco.

“He's in a plagued sleep,” Sirius said; his tone low and troubled. “Hagrid, get him to Madam Pomfrey. I'll need Professor Snape with some help for the counter-charm... Yes, and possibly Hermione too... Hagrid, Ron, go NOW!”

Ron blinked fuzzily, realizing he'd been commanded to go get Hermione. An irrational thought blazed across his mind that he was going to be literally fried alive for going into the girls' dorm but the urgency of the situation took over and he turned and pelted down the stairs. Seconds later Hagrid was following, Harry in his arms, Sirius pelting down after him.

Draco stood there in the dorm, he dropped to the ground in disbelief, faintly aware of Seamus supporting him as he fell. He'd never felt so helpless before in his entire life.

-----

“Hermione!”

Hermione shot awake, prompted by the hand shaking her shoulder and high-pitched squeals.

“Ron?”

The bushy-haired girl lurched upwards, staring at the redhead in complete shock and disbelief.

“Get him out!” Lavender squealed, hugging a large eiderdown around her thin nightshift.

“Ron, what are you doing in the girls' dorm?” Hermione asked sleepily.

Ron looked scared for a second then swallowed. “It's Harry. Something's wrong.”

Seconds later Hermione was on her feet and Ron was leading her down to the infirmary at breakneck speed. They passed Professor McGonagall in the transfiguration corridor on the way, both were going so fast running barefoot that they knocked her glasses off accidentally.

“What in the --“ was all she got to breathe out as she stared at the two running down the corridors as if their lives depended on it.

Maybe they did.

Where to go heart ever hounded

Coward no, spirit confounded

Always hoping belief will bring release

God alone can give me peace

Watching me scream and hate

Only choosing when it's too late

“Choosing When It's Too Late”- C. Richard and O. Newton-John

-----

It was about two hours after they had discovered Harry was in the plagued sleep, and Ron and Draco were pacing outside impatiently. Sirius -- no longer needed inside the infirmary -- was leaning against the wall, his face clouded.

“I hate this,” Ron said suddenly, savagely kicking the wall.

“Ron --“ Sirius started, sighing as Ron slumped to the floor. Seconds later Hermione appeared at the door, slightly shaken but a faint smile on her face.

“We're almost finished,” she said softly, a pained expression in her eyes.

“Can we -- can we come in?” Draco asked gently, getting to his feet unsteadily. She nodded. Draco extended a hand to Ron and the redhead took it quickly. They entered the infirmary unsure of what to expect. Professor Snape was clearing away his potions with a faintly disgruntled look on his face. Draco was suddenly reminded of the younger Snape they had seen in the past... A stark contrast from the shy Slytherin boy to the harsh and bitter teacher stood before them now and it saddened Draco tremendously. It didn't catch his attention for long though, the pale boy lying still on one of the beds took up most of his attention.

“Is he all right?” Ron asked Professor Dumbledore, ashen-faced. Draco blinked. He hadn't noticed the wizened professor stood there, looking extremely concerned.

“He'll be all right,” Professor Dumbledore conceded. “When he wakes up.”

“And when will he wake up?” Ron pressed, worried for his friend.

“Well that's why we needed Hermione,” Hagrid spoke up gruffly. Hagrid had not left Harry's side the entire time despite Madam Pomfrey's gentle persuading that he would just get in the way.

“Why?” Hermione asked curiously.

“Well this is a very old charm... Very old..” Dumbledore explained. “And has a very traditional final counter-charm as well as the potion... It requires a kiss from the closest to him. And we figured Hermione is the closest girl to Harry, so...”

“WHAT!”

Hermione shrieked out loud and diverted everyone's attention to her except for Dumbledore; who winked surreptitiously at Draco before turning away. Suddenly getting it, the blond blushed, turned around and deposited a gentle kiss on Harry's prone form.

Quickly dropping back to where he was stood before, Draco tried to stop blushing as Hermione scowled.

“Mean,” she said softly, suddenly getting how Dumbledore had tricked her.

“Well,” Ron said slowly. “I suppose it is to help Harry. It's the only way to wake him up.”

“Idiot,” Hermione sniffed. Ron's cheeks burned shamefacedly and then he frowned.

“What's so funny?” He asked, scowling at Hermione. Hermione made a hand gesture for Ron to turn around and look. Ron whirled around and he saw Harry open his eyes slowly, blinking furiously as he tried to prop himself up on one elbow. Sirius immediately rushed to his godson's side, smiling, while Ron blinked curiously.

“So you already kissed him?” Ron asked, completely befuddled.

“No,” Hermione said, sighing. “Dumbledore used me as a distraction so someone else could without too many onlookers,” she explained slowly.

“Oh,” Ron said. “Oh.” Ron looked over to where Draco was fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of his dressing gown.

“What am I doing here?” Harry said, in a completely dazed voice.

“You were in a plagued sleep,” Sirius explained. Harry looked concerned, then mystified. “What's one of those?” He asked, his words slurred.

Sirius laughed. “It's something people do to plague someone's sleep with nightmares,” Sirius explained. “I suppose you have been getting nightmares recently.”

Harry nodded dumbly. “Yes.” Frowning, he blinked fuzzily, unable to see.

“Here,” Draco said, softly. He had brought Harry's glasses down from the dormitory for him about an hour back when Madam Pomfrey had told him to go get something to eat. Hagrid accepted them gingerly and passed them to Harry, who balanced them on his nose.

“Thanks,” he whispered shyly. Then he frowned, puzzled. “But who would do that to me?”

Dumbledore coughed softly. “I think I can explain that... I think it's Peter. Just reminding you that he's around, he's dangerous and he can get to you at any time. A plagued sleep isn't too serious, unless a time-frozen spell is cast at the same time, then it can last for... Well, the last time it happened, it lasted for almost a hundred years... But thankfully Time-Freeze Charms are notoriously impossible to cast.” Dumbledore frowned slightly, realising he'd gone slightly off-topic. “Anyway, it was most likely a warning that he's still around.”

There was silence in the infirmary for a few unsettling moments.

“Sir...” Hermione said softly.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“I...” The bushy haired witch frowned gently. “I... We, that is... Were wondering if it wasn't... Peter or even Voldemort who was doing all these bad things. We... We think it's someone... Or something else.”

Sirius gasped slightly. “I never thought of that,” he admitted, looking worried again.

“It's... an interesting idea,” Dumbledore admitted. “It would actually explain a lot... Well, if it is a something or someone else then they could not have chosen a worse host than Peter to manifest itself in.”

“Why's that?” Draco bit his lip in confusion. “I would have thought with that metal hand of his, he would be quite a good host.”

“You weren't there two years ago,” Harry said softly, struggling to a sitting up position. “When we first found out the truth about Peter and Sirius... I kind of saved his life.”

“So his life belongs to you, in a way,” Hermione said simply.

Harry nodded. Hagrid laughed suddenly, a booming sound in the silence and stillness of the infirmary. “It is funny, though, you have to say that. The bad side has chosen someone whose life belongs to our champion!”

“Funny or whatever it is,” Madam Pomfrey piped up sternly. “My patient needs his rest. Everyone out!”

-----

No amount of protesting helped anyone stay in with Harry and Madam Pomfrey had steered everyone out of the infirmary to let Harry get some rest. Hermione, Ron and Draco were given breakfast in Professor Black's study; the other teachers were off in a meeting with Professor Dumbledore so yet again school was suspended for the morning. The three students were in a slightly lightened-up mood -- Seamus and Dean had stopped by a few minutes ago informing them they had painted Mrs. Norris in the Slytherin colours.

Ron sipped thoughtfully at a goblet of pumpkin juice while he sat on one of the comfy low arm-chairs, his still-bare feet grazing the thick carpet. He looked at Hermione curiously.

“Hermione, why did you react like that at the thought of kissing Harry?” He asked suddenly. “If it got him back to normal I'm sure Draco wouldn't have minded.”

“I wouldn't,” Draco said ferverently. “I'm just glad he's all right. I'm still worried that Peter... whatever his name is... can get him like that any time. I've never seen him in so much pain... Actually scratch that... The only other time I've seen him like that was in the Pensieve when he saw his parents.”

Hermione grinned impishly. “If I could get a word in sideways!”

Draco blushed sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“That's all right,” Hermione conceded gracefully.

“Hermione,” Ron warned softly. Hermione rolled her eyes.

“All right,” she said. She grinned. “Professor Dumbledore explained that I had to react like that. He said he'd heard enough of Harry's inappropriate thoughts about Draco in the conflict against Voldemort to actually witness anything live.”

“I don't believe you,” Ron said, concentrating on a bread bun stuffed with a banana.

“Believe whatever you like,” Hermione said airily.

Draco chuckled softly, looking at the two of them curiously.

“What?” Ron asked, his eyes narrowing. “What's with that look?” he clarified.

“Nothing,” Draco said, then paused. “No... I was just thinking about how lucky I was for you two to forgive all the beastly things I said and did to you in the last four years... And how lucky I am you're my friends.”

Ron blushed to the tip of his ears and Hermione laughed.

“It's nice not to be teased by you any more... Besides,” she added, “we gave as good as we got a lot of the time.”

Draco smiled softly, remembering. “You're a ferocious girl when you're mad, Hermione. Remind me to duck next time you're going to slap me again.”

They sat there in comparative silence as they attacked the food, ravenous after the events of the last few days.

“So, what do you guys think that music is?” Ron asked conversationally.

“Music?” Hermione frowned. “What?”

Draco raised his eyebrows. “What? The multi-talented Miss Granger hasn't heard the rumours about the music down from the Ravenclaw dorms?”

Hermione rolled her eyes sarcastically. “Oh, those rumours. I really wasn't paying attention.”

“The Ravenclaws mostly think it's ghosts,” Ron said, taking a sausage absent-mindedly and blowing on it to cool it down.

“They'd be on the register, and I don't know any of the Hogwarts ghosts could play instruments,” Hermione said. “There's not many on the students list who can play instruments come to think of it.”

“It's weird,” Draco said; shrugging. “The Hufflepuffs, mainly Hannah Abbott, have a theory that it's a kind of recording from the past of some people playing some instruments.”

“Wow, this sounds like a pretty much decent normal Hogwarts conversation,” a voice laced with dry humour said from the doorway. Three heads swiftly turned to see Harry standing there in an infirmary gown, grinning at them. He quickly closed the door and smiled at his friends before dropping down to one of the chairs close to Draco. Draco immediately offered him the plate of food and Harry took three sausages and began ravenously tearing at them.

“Harry you shouldn't be out of bed!” Hermione exclaimed, looking horrified.

Harry shrugged reflectively. “It was driving me crazy. Couldn't sleep.”

“So how did you get out?!” Ron stared at Harry in shock.

“A black dog dropped off my invisibility cloak while Madam Pomfrey's back was turned,” Harry said, grinning like crazy. “I pout it on and ran for it, basically.”

“I'm glad you're better,” Draco said sincerely. Harry looked at Draco, blushed and smiled.

The door was opened gently and Hermione, Ron and Draco watched while Harry dived for cover behind one of the armchairs, scared it was going to be Madam Pomfrey on a rampage.

To Draco's surprise a large, black dog pushed it's way in and then closed the door behind himself.

“What in the world-“ he started as the dog suddenly transfigured back into Sirius. Draco's eyes were wide.

“You're an animagi?”

Sirius blinked at Draco uncertainly as Harry got back up from his hiding spot and then nodded, remembering.

“We've got a lot of details to fill you in on all the stuff you missed from the last five years,” Sirius said ruefully. “You're not going to believe half of the stuff Harry's been through.”

Draco raised his eyebrows and Harry sat back into his chair, letting out a thankful deep breath.

“Thanks for getting me out of there,” Harry said to his godfather. Sirius smiled.

“Least I could do,” he said grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Sometimes I think that place is worse than Azkaban.”

“Speaking of Azkaban,” Hermione said her voice full of worry. “Did Professor Lupin go back to sort it out or something?”

Sirius flinched slightly at the sound of Remus' name and nodded. “Yes. The relationship between wizards and giants has to be fully sorted out. Thanks to your tip, we're getting Rita Skeeter to write the articles for “Wizarding Weekly” -- I'm pretty much assured she will write everything we tell her to for fear of her secret being disclosed. They should help mend the divide.”

“Yeah, I can't believe how some people can get away with being unregistered animagi,” Ron said cheekily, grinning at the tall professor. Sirius rolled his eyes.

“You know you should make things up with him, don't you,” Harry said simply into the silence. Sirius looked pained for a moment. The other three were confused for a moment until the events from the past flooded back to them...

“You made a good couple from what I saw,” Draco offered. “It'd be a shame for all that passion to go to waste for the want of a few apologies.”

Sirius' face softened. “I don't expect you to really understand...”

“Understand?” Draco burst out laughing. “You do know what happened in our case do you know how hard it was to admit I had feelings for Harry Potter of all people? Oh come on, it's weirder than you and Professor Lupin even if he is a werewolf.”

Sirius sighed ruefully. “I suppose... I could give it a try...” he said doubtfully. “What do you think Harry?”

The four other people in the small study turned to get Harry's opinion but all they got in reply was a shallow snore. Harry, tired from his latest ordeals, had fallen asleep on Draco's shoulder. Draco's eyes widened and he stared at the pale boy affectionately, noting with dismay Harry's tired features.

“He needs to rest,” Draco said softly. The others nodded and began to rise. Draco watched them leaving then returned to the sleeping form of the boy on his shoulder. He watched affectionately and tried to gently blow a few unruly strands away from his face, smiling as they floated back onto his forehead. His hair just didn't lie down... The blond just sat there for what seemed like hours watching the love of his life sleep and could only think in wonder how it all happened... What they were saying yesterday was completely true. If someone had told him he'd end up like this with Harry, he would have laughed and socked them one. But now... Now he couldn't even remember why it didn't happen earlier. The sensible part of his mind kicked in and told him it was because he was a stubborn git, and he laughed.

“Whatzofunny?” Harry mumbled. Draco blinked, and lifted up one hand to wonderingly stroke Harry's cheek.

“Nothing. Go back to sleep,” Draco said in a hushed tone, more than a little surprised when Harry shut his eyes and complied with his order.

-----

No one was really sure when everything somehow drifted back to normal. After Madam Pomfrey had stopped trying to headhunt Professor Black for helping Harry escape the infirmary, things had just kind of drifted back to normal; except for one thing puzzling Draco. Sometimes, not very often, but sometimes when he awoke in the early hours of morning Harry would be missing, and so would his invisibility cloak. Whenever the blond asked him about it, Harry did this quirky grin and promised to tell him later. Draco supposed it was some secret training or something and trusted Harry enough to leave it well alone.

Ron, however, was having an extremely hard time. Professor Dumbledore had requested that Harry's plagued sleep episode remain among the few who knew. Unfortunately this had Ron branded as a pervert among most of the girls and a hero among most of the boys. The Slytherin girls were quite giggly around him, though, and the Slytherin boys just teased him worse than most of the other girls. Being caught in a girls toilet in his second year really didn't help things much.

Hermione did her best to defend Ron, and soon the incident was mostly smoothed over and forgotten. In a while you would have almost forgotten the defeat of Voldemort, if it wasn't for the hundreds of letters both Harry and Draco were receiving each day. Harry, noticeably, was getting the most. He could hardly sit down for breakfast until all the owls swooped in and dropped the letters on his head. Or in his breakfast. Harry got so mad he accosted Professor Dumbledore and begged for him to do something.

The next day it had obviously worked. The only letters Harry got were one from Hagrid asking him to come down for tea that day and one from the Dursleys'. That was the one that got his attention.

“To Harry. We have recently received the letter from your godfather Sirius Black. He seems very nice. We are sorry to hear you won't be staying with us any more. Drop by as much as you want (just please don't bring that ruddy owl.) Love Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.” Harry read it out loud and in shock dropped it into his bowl of milk and cornflakes. Ron blinked furiously and Hermione looked quite pleased.

“They seem friendly,” Draco said, confused, as he absently poured orange juice over his rice krispies. “I thought you said the muggles weren't very nice to you.”

“They weren't,” Harry said dazedly. “I'm confused...”

“Bet he threatened them to be nice,” Ron grunted into his breakfast.

“'Spose this means you get to live with Professor Black now,” Draco mumbled through a mouthful of orange-soaked cereal.

Harry sat there quietly; absent-mindedly knocking over his glass of milk in the process.

“Harry?” Hermione prompted; smiling softly. “Your sleeve is drenched with milk.” Harry blinked violently and lifted his sleeve up; wincing as he realised it was drenched through with the milk. He pulled a face and Hermione whipped out her wand and cleaned it up quickly.

“What have we got next?” Ron asked conversationally.

“Herbology,” Hermione said while piling the rest of her eggs into her mouth and getting to her feet. “The only lesson we have apart from Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts that we actually have together.”

-----

“OK, students, we're in Greenhouse Four today,” Professor Sprout called directing the students to follow her. Grudgingly the mixed Gryffindor and Hufflepuff class followed the literally green-fingered Professor into the greenhouse and stood around the main table in the centre. On the table were a long shallow tray and several bulbs ready to be planted. The bulbs looked quite normal as far as magical bulbs go. Sure the colours were weird (blue and green) but they looked like normal bulbs.

“These,” Professor Sprout, “are bulbs of a plant I know three of you have encountered before.”

There was a quit murmuring as a few people tried to guess what it was.

“Silence, class,” Professor Sprout commanded softly; annoyed. “Ron Weasley should be able to tell you what it is.” Everyone turned to Ron and the Weasley in question thought for a few seconds. Of course it didn't help having Hermione bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet as usual and waving her hand in the air.

“Devil's snare,” Ron said softly, remembering softly.

“Oh,” Harry said, also remembering and grinning.

“When did you three encounter Devil's Snare?” Draco asked the one question that was on everyone's minds.

“It was Professor Sprout's contribution to the protection of the Philosopher's Stone,” Hermione explained gently.

Professor Sprout laughed gently. “Yes, I heard how you three dealt with it too.”

“'There's no wood'”, Ron mimicked. “Honestly.”

Everyone else looked confused as Harry and Hermione giggled and for a moment it was like they were back in First Year.

“Quieten down,” Professor Sprout commanded, trying to stop from grinning like an idiot. Unlike the other students she did know the full story of what happened down there and was suitably pleased her students had remember about the plant enough to deal with it. “If you can cast your mind back to when we first dealt with Devil's Snare, you will be able to tell me how to deal with it... And not you, Ron or Harry, Hermione.”

Neville raised his hand slowly. He might be a bit clumsy in the ordinary things and especially clumsy in Potions, but Herbology was his specialty. “It grows best in dark damp conditions and is a carnivore so it eats anything it traps. It traps things by looking just like normal vines and then curling itself around you so you can't get out. To... to destroy it or at least scare it away from you, you should use a lot of light or heat such as conjuring a wizard's fire.”

“Take ten points for Gryffindor,” Professor Sprout congratulated. “Now this is the right way to plant them. If you look at the shape of the bulbs carefully, you --“

Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and suddenly everything was deathly silent. In shock, he stared at the teacher. She wasn't moving. No-one else was moving. What on earth was going on?

Stepping backwards reflexively he snapped out his wand. Everything had just... stopped. There was even a fly just sort of sticking in the air.

“Who's there?” He asked; feeling someone else's presence.

“Harry, Harry, Harry,” the thin, familiar tone threaded through the air. “It's been such a long time since we've talked one-to-one, isn't it?”

“Peter,” Harry hissed gently.

“Yes, Peter was my name wasn't it. I prefer Wormtail now. It has a nicer ring to it, don't you think?”

“Aren't you going to show yourself?” Harry challenged, disturbed by the frozen montage of his friends and classmates.

“Do you think I'm stupid enough to be in the area?”

“No, I suppose you're not,” Harry conceded. “I have a question to ask though.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why? Why are you doing this?”

The other voice took a while to reply, then a curious sigh filled the air.

“You have no idea of the joys of absolute power, poor innocent uncorrupted Potter... Once you've tasted it you can never go back... It's a drug, Harry, power is a drug. And it's all mine... You shall know the consequences of everything you've done... Everything you do.”

“You can't be this bothered by a few mistaken words back when you were at Hogwarts,” Harry protested. “Besides, I know why you're here. Your still disgusted because your life belongs to me.”

There was a very pregnant pause in which Harry became even more distinctively nervous. “Yes, I suppose it still does. You were a fool to save me back then. Then again, all you Potters are fools...”

“Next time you won't be so lucky,” Harry hissed, his fists clenching.

“Oh, but Harry, I will be so lucky...” Peter's laugh filled the still atmosphere. “I thought I had come some way to clearing that debt by clearing Sirius' name for you.”

Harry's eyes widened slightly. “Only a small way,” he conceded. “But you will still pay for murdering my parents.”

“But Voldemort killed them,” Peter laughed again, a chilling sound that reminded Harry of his mother screaming. He flinched and shook it off quickly.

“You were responsible for their deaths,” he repeated firmly. “And whatever killed my parents is now inhabiting you. You will pay. You can't run forever.”

“So, the little rabbit isn't so dumb,” Peter's voice thinned out; a harder edge gracing his reedy tones. “Well, well. You're growing some teeth Potter... I look forward to the final confrontation. I shall enjoy watching you and your friends die one by one.”

Then as suddenly as it all had happened a click seemed to fill the air and everyone and everything started moving again. Harry blinked and stared open-mouthed as everyone began stirring again and all he could was stand there -- looking shocked.

“Harry, how in the world...” Professor Sprout blinked as to her it had appeared he had just instantaneously moved to the back of the greenhouse. His expression told her all she needed to know. “You want to go see Professor Dumbledore?” Harry nodded dumbly. Draco looked at him concernedly but he mouthed 'it's all right' and with a nod of thanks to Professor Sprout exited the greenhouse and ran up the main castle as fast as he could to find Professor Dumbledore.