"Get over here." said Sirius pulling Harry over to himself.

"First or second half?" said Harry.

"I'll take the last part." said Sirius.

"You'll be sorry." said Harry in sing song voice.

"Want to switch?" said Sirius. quickly.

"No take-backs." said Harry with a laugh.

In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class.

Remus blushed.

Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin. "Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house elf."

"Yet he's got more talent then your whole family put together." said Neville bravely.

But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first.

"Just imagine what being a History teacher will be like." said Dumbledore with a smile.

After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed:

"There's a quicker way of getting rid of those than the normal way." said Luna dreamily.

"What is that?" said Professor Sprout.

"Take a jar of strawberry jam and toss it in the opposite direction, they love it." said Luna with a smile.

"Fascinating, Miss Lovegood!" said Dumbledore with a smile. "I must test that out."

in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields,

"There aren't any of those things in here, are there?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"No, every year during the summer we have the Control of Magical Creatures department come in and take care of anything particularly harmful." said McGonagall. "Though, in the case of before Potter's second year, something very large was accidentally overlooked for many many years."

waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy. water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

"Which live in JAPAN!" said Ron loudly.

"Of course they do, who else told you otherwise." said Professor Flitwick.

Ron pointed to Snape.

Harry only wished he was as happy with some of his other classes.

"Want to switch now?" said Harry sheepishly.

"You said no take backs." said Sirius with a smile.

Worst of all was Potions. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why.

"God I wish I was there." said Sirius with a fond smile.

The story of the Boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire.

"Do you blame the kids?" said Nightstrike with a smile.

Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.

"Sorry about that." said Remus to Neville.

"It was worth it sir." said Neville with a smile.

Harry was also growing to dread the hours he spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at him.

"That was getting annoying." said Harry shaking his head.

He couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class.

"I tried, I really tried." said Harry to Mrs. McFinn quickly.

Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't.

"They were impossible to live with." said Hermione.

They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he were on his deathbed.

"I had to keep asking them what they were saying. Couldn't understand a word they were saying." said Harry.

Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull.

Harry froze quickly, before he had read the line. He gulped loudly.

"Uh...can I skip a line?" said Harry quickly.

"Well, no one else can, you might be able to, but why would you?" asked Speckerton.

Sirius read the line that held Harry speechless. "Yeah, I can see why he'd pass." he said aloud.

Harry swallowed loudly, and continued on, relived that he didn't need to divulge that horrible fact.

Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.

"They actually are." said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I told you Hagrid that you could show them Kneazles and Nifflers."

"Didn't think that they were safe to show." said Hagrid quietly.

"Nonsense, they are perfectly safe." said Dumbledore.

"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats.

"Ewww..." said Mrs. McFinn.

"Tell us about it." said Lavender.

At the start of October, however, Harry had something else to occupy him, something so enjoyable it more than made up for his unsatisfactory classes.

"I wasn't talking all the classes!" said Harry loudly. "Okay, this book sucks again."

Dumbledore smiled gently over to Harry. "Just like a cold, it has to get worse before it gets better."

The Quidditch season was approaching, and O1iver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.

"Come on, you guys were already the best in the school." said Ernie.

"That's cause we practice." said Angelina.

There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points.

"Do we seriously need to go through this?" said Zacharias.

Mrs. McFinn stared at him as well as most of the adults.

"I don't know about this game." said Mrs. McFinn. "And I'm happy to learn all I can." said Mrs. McFinn.

"You'll love it." said Katie eagerly.

"No she won't." said Harry.

"If it puts you in harms way, then no, I don't like it." said Mrs. McFinn worriedly.

"Told you." said Harry.

Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.

"Why is he desperate?" asked Mrs. McFinn.

"We've never won the Quidditch House cup." said Harry.

"But..." said Mrs. McFinn.

"We'll tell you about it later." said Dr. Clark.

"This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it."

"Well, isn't that dramatic." said Bill.

"Oh he gets worse." said Fred.

"Remember the book before?" said George.

"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world - injuries -

Mrs. McFinn whimpered slightly and held onto Harry's arm.

then the tournament getting called off last year." Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best - ruddy - team - in - the - school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye.

"We were pretty much backing up slowly." said George.

"We've got three superb Chasers." Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell. "We've got two unbeatable Beaters." "Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush.

"Go figure." said Charlie.

"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought. "We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George. "Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.

"Well at least you support him." said Bill.

"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."

"So, I take it he thinks you can't win it without him?" said Dr. Clark.

"He's just over dramatic right now." said Harry.

Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.

"That's a surprise." said Bill.

"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred. "We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina. "Definitely," said Harry. Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish Harry's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.

"It's just a trophy." said Hermione.

"No, its the trophy." said the Quidditch players of each house, plus Charlie.

Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly. "What's happened?", he asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.

"Did you get your homework done?' said Mrs. McFinn.

"Well, no. But I had it done in no time at all." said Harry.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween." "Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

"What in the world are those?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"Something that's not allowed in the house." said Sirius. "Those are the only pranking items I hate."

"It all stemmed from when James tossed a bunch into the shower with him." said Remus. "It was beautiful."

"Shut up." said Sirius shortly.

Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind.

"Sort of hard to not know that when you told us on the train you coudln't go and we were just telling you about it." said Hermione apologetically.

"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."

"Sighted, not cornered." said Sirius with s smirk.

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron.

"Thank you, Ron." said Sirius.

"Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages -"

"That didn't work out too well." said Harry.

"Ron!" said Hermione. "Harry's supposed to stay in school -" "He can't be the only third year left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry -" "Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind.

"You've got guts, you're an idiot, but you've got guts." said Bill shaking his head.

"Stranger things have happened." said Harry shrugging.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.

"That's...gross." said Dean.

"I thought you said the he was going to stay in your dorm?" said Dr. Clark.

"I couldn't keep him locked in my room! It just isn't right!" said Hermione.

"And when he eats Ron's pet rat, what are you going to say then?" said Lionus. with a frown.

"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling. "Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.

"It's not like spiders that size can move that fast." said Ron.

Crookshanks; slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron. "Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag." Harry yawned. He really wanted to go to bed, but he still had his own star chart to complete. He pulled his bag toward him, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started work. "You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry.

"He was already dumbing down his work, might as well make it easy." said Ron shrugging.

Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced. "OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

"Well, look at that, the reason you need to keep the cat in your room." said Fred.

Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing. "Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione;

"He's trying to save his own pet." said Remus. "It's not his fault you went back on your word."

Hermione looked hurt.

the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top - "CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers. George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed;

"See, and you think I don't stand up for you." said George.

"Well...you never were much of a stand up for your siblings, kind of guy." said Ron looking uncomfortable.

Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw. Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail. "Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"

"Like you promised to do in the first place." said Dr. Nicodemus.

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"And that's why he should stay in your dorm. Scabbers was there first." said Katie softly.

"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"

"Crookshanks is pretty smart." said Sirius.

"Yeah, and he knew what Scabbers really was though!" said Hermione.

"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think -" "That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!"

"See? And you can't seem to keep Crookshanks safetly tucked away in your dorm." said Bill.

Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod.

"Made for an awkward start to the class." said Harry.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.

"Now you care?" said Seamus.

"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.

"Not a good idea." said Bill. "Those things can sprout the moment they hit the floor."

"What's wrong with them sprouting?" asked Mrs. McFinn.

"If they get get to their blooming stage..." said Charlie.

"They reek." said Bill.

"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

"And boy, did the smell bring water to our eyes." said Seamus.

They had Transfiguration next. Harry, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the line outside the class trying to decide how he was going to argue his case.

"I could have debated that for months. I wouldn't have won anyway." said Harry.

He was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line. Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

"This can't be good." said Sirius.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, and Ron went to join the group. "She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh you poor dear." said Mrs. McFinn.

"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender." "I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?" "Er -"

"Friday the thirteenth?" said Sirius.

"No, it has something to do with the last chapter." said Harry.

"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!" The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously.

"Well? Who could forget that first class?" said Seamus.

"Looks like she got another one right, Minerva." said Professor Flitwick.

"Another lucky guess." said McGonagall.

Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You - you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?" "Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?"

"Everyone dreads about their pets dying sweetie." said Mrs. McFinn soothingly.

"I worry about Hedwig sometimes when she's out too long." said Harry.

"Who's Hedwig?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"She's my pet owl." said Harry.

"You have a pet owl?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"Yeah, she's around here somewhere." said Harry.

"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then - "Was Binky an old rabbit?"

"Oh, she isn't." groaned Tempes.

"It appears that she is." said Firenze.

"N - no!" sobbed Lavender. "H - he was only a baby!" Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders. "But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione. Parvati glared at her. "Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today -" Lavender wailed loudly. "¨- and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock -"

"MISS GRANGER!" said McGonagall.

"Well, how..." said Hermione quietly.

"Miss Granger, you do not try and use logic when someone loses a beloved pet or family member." said Dumbledore massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."

"I..." said Hermione.

"Hermione, there's no fixing that." said Fred.

"Just let it go and say your sorry." said George.

Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other,

"You had no right to look at Ron like that." said Bill shortly. "He wasn't the one being insensitive."

and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of Harry and didn't talk to each other for the whole class.

"Again, there's something new." said Harry rolling his eyes.

Harry still hadn't decided what he was going to say to Professor McGonagall when the bell rang at the end of the lesson, but it was she who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first.

"Well that's handy." said Tonks.

"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

"And that should have told me, there was no way in..." Harry looked at Mrs. McFinn. "...on earth that I was going to get to Hogsmede."

Neville put up his hand. "Please, Professor, I - I think I've lost -"

"Typicall Neville." said Fred.

"And that's why we love you." said George kissing Neville on the cheek.

"Get off me." said Neville.

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave." "Ask her now," Ron hissed at Harry. "Oh. but -" Hermione began. "Go for it, Harry," said Ron stubbornly. Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk.

"Isn't going to work." said Sirius. "She never bends the rules."

"Except where Quidditch is involved." said Remus quietly.

"Yes, Potter?" Harry took a deep breath. "Professor, my aunt and uncle - er - forgot to sign my form," he said.

"Harry lied again!" said Fred in a dramatic pose.

"Harry! How could you?" said George.

Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him but didn't say anything. "So - er - d'you think it would be all right mean, will It be okay if I - if I go to Hogsmeade?"

"She won't bend the rules, not with a supposed dark wizard heading towards Hogwarts." said Tonks.

Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk. "I'm afraid not, Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule." "But - Professor, my aunt and uncle - you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about - about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Harry said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go -"

"Won't change anything." said Harry.

"But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission."

"Well, they aren't his parents and they can't even be considered guardians." said Dr. Clark.

She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity?

"It was that or annoyance, she's hard to read." said Harry in whisper.

"I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson." There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names

"I really really REALLY sorry, Professor." said Ron. "You're right Harry, these books suck now."

"I told you!" said Harry.

that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier, and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade.

"It was one bad day." said Harry. "Nobody was happy with anyone else."

"You didn't seem too bothered with not going." said Dr. Clark.

"I was crushed, but I could pretty much get over it." said Harry. "Sort of."

"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening." "Yeah," said Harry gloomily, "great."

"Like I said, 'sort of'." said Harry shrugging. "Your turn." he handed the book over to Sirius.

"I remember the last time you said that. That was scary." said Neville.

"What?" said Harry.

"Well, the last time you said 'Your turn' was when you shocked Dumbledore back to life." said Neville.

The Hall went quiet.

"Seriously? What happened?" said Dr. Clark.

"He had a heart attack." said Madam Pomfrey softly.

"And Harry sort of shocked him, it was scary." repeated Neville.

"You used a defibulator?" said Dr. Clark in shock.

"Sort of, and then again, no." said Harry.

"I want to hear all about it later." said Dr. Clark.

The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if he was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else.

McGonagall looked slightly crestfallen.

"Woah, Harry made McGonagall look guilty again." said Fred in astonishment.

"Now, I'm really jealous." said George.

Nothing anyone said made him feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form,

"After I saw his signature on his last Christmas parcel, it wouldn't have done any good. His writing is awful." said Dean.

but as Harry had already told Professor McGonagall he hadn't had it signed, that was no good.

"No way I could come back and say, 'I was just kidding! He signed it.'" said Harry with a laugh.

Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the Dementors being able to see through them.

"And that's why I said that." said Dumbledore.

"So you knew that the Dursley's didn't sign his slip?" said Dean.

"After Harry inflated his aunt, I thought it highly unlikely that they would be willing to sign anything. And the Minister told me Harry asked him." said Dumbledore. "He was actually smug about it, for some strange reason." he added thoughtfully.

Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.

"There's a big surprise." said Ron.

"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything."

"Dear Lord..." groaned Remus. "That's horrible."

On Halloween morning, Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing his best to act normally.

"Wow, you were doing a good job of it." said Fred.

"Yeah, I mean that downcast look completely threw us off!" said George.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him.

"Well, at least their looking out for you dear." said Mrs. Weasley.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties.

"Which sound really petty." said Harry. "Compared to a pet being in constant danger and the...well...the difficulty of trying to having a cat around." said Harry gently.

"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was at, offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time." He accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"The whole castle, the only third year and up left behind was Harry." said Bill. "Who else was he expecting to sneak out. They didn't even acknowledge Hogsmede in the other two books."

"Actually, there were some other people in the Dorms, they just didn't want to go." said George.

"Harry..." said Sirius slowly. "You didn't happen to sneak into Hogsmede, did you?"

"Well..." said Harry slowly.

"You never told me." said Ron.

"I...just wanted to see...how easy it was to get out of here." said Harry shrugging.

"And?" said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

"I gotta admit it wasn't easy." said Harry.

"It took you how long?" said Remus.

"Eight tries." said Harry. "Without magic, two with."

"That's sad." said Charlie.

"I'm impressed." said Lionus.

"Me too." said Moody.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?"

"Yeah, actually I never tried leaving the school that year for that reason. Well, not the ways I found out." said Harry sheepishly.

Harry ignored him and made his solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower. "Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze. "Fortuna Major," said Harry listlessly. The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first-and second-years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.

"That and they were probably broke." said Charlie.

"Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!" It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him. "Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey -" Colin looked eagerly around at his friends - "you can come and sit with us, if you like, Harry!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm still not comfortable with you, especially not since the last book, we've read." said Sirius.

"Er - no, thanks, Colin," said Harry, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people staring avidly at the scar on his forehead. "I - I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done." After that, he had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.

"Which sucks, I was hoping on just taking a nap." said Harry.

"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after him as he walked away. Harry wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there he changed his mind; he didn't feel like working. He turned around and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors. "What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.

"Walking arouind without a purpose." said Harry with a smile.

"Nothing," said Harry truthfully. "Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own - why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

"It's too bad that you can't skip over his parts." said Dumbldore with a scowl.

Harry shrugged. "Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until Harry had passed out of sight. But Harry didn't go back to the common room; he climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry?"

"Great more bodiless voices." said Zacharias.

"Not quite." said Harry with a smirk.

Harry doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door. "What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Well, he's never out of their company." said Remus shrugging slightly.

"Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice. "Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson." "A what?" said Harry.

"You didn't know what a Grindylow was?" said Zacharias.

"I did, but I don't get invited to have a chat with a teacher, without getting a detention first." said Harry.

He followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"I was sort of waiting for it to flip me off." said Harry.

"It flipped me off before you came in, I guess it censors itself." said Remus with a smile.

"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle." The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner. "Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one." "All right," said Harry awkwardly.

"Don't blame you." said Fred.

"It's not normal to have a cup of tea with a teacher." said George.

"Though..." said Harry. "Nevermind."

"Finish it." said Sirius.

"Lockhart kept asking me in for tea." said Harry.

"Sweet lord." said Remus. "I didn't need to know that."

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"That's cheating." said Mrs. McFinn with a smile.

"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid - but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?" Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"Never lost your touch for inside humor." said Sirius shaking his head.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked. "Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea.

"Why would she tell you?" asked Colin.

"Cause of who I was to his father." said Remus.

"You're not worried, are you?" "No," said Harry. He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog he'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to.

"That wouldn't have gone well for me." said Sirius.

"I would have demanded you to tell me the next time you saw the dog." said Remus quickly.

He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think he couldn't cope with a Boggart.

"I was wrong." said Lupin quietly.

Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Harry?" "No," Harry lied.

"We can't consider that a lie, he always says he's fine." said George waving it off.

He drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing a fist at him. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?" "Yes," said Lupin slowly.

"I didn't quite know where he was going with it." said Remus with an embarrassed smile.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly. Lupin raised his eyebrows. "I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised. Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

"Wasn't exactly obvious why you didn't let me fight it." said Harry.

"Why?" he said again. "Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." Harry stared.

"That stare made me feel like an idiot." said Remus with a laugh.

Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself) was Professor Dumbledore.

"I didn't really care about the boggart at that poing." said Harry.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"Yeah, but would the kids even know what that guy looked like? Yeah, Ron, Hermione and Harry know what he looks like, but none of the other kids." said Tonks.

"That's a good point, there are no pictures of the Voldemort, or illustrations." said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "Though the pale skin and red eyes might be a bit of a give away."

"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I - I remembered those Dementors."

"And to be honest, a dementor in a room full of kids isn't any better." said Sirius.

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well...I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is - fear.

"So you fear...fear?" said Neville.

"And pink fluffy things." said Harry.

"Don't blame you." said the twins together.

Very wise, Harry." Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some more tea.

"It felt really awkward." said Harry.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.

"And did you think he'd be able to fend of a Voldemort Boggart?" said Sirius just as shrewdly.

"Well...no." said Remus.

"There you go." said Sirius.

"Well...yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors -" He was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," called Lupin. The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, that doesn't look suspicious." said Ron.

"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?" Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin.

"I had thought that you were telling him fascinating tales of his father's past travesties." drawled Snape.

"I was just showing Harry my Grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank. "Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Whatever it is, don't." squeaked a first year.

"It was fine." said Remus kindly.

"Didn't look that way to me." said Harry.

"Yes, Yes, I will," said Lupin. "I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more." "I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Were you worried about that?" said Ernie.

"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled. "Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Come on! You know he's going to ask questions about it!" said Sirius.

"Why -?" Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question. "I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

"The second clue." said Harry.

"What?" said Remus.

"Don't tell me..." said Sirius. "You had him figured out?"

"I had an idea..." said Harry.

"And you didn't say anything?' said Remus.

"It wasn't any of my business." said Harry

He heard a loud thumping and stomping around, he looked up and saw Umbridge thrashing about so hard that the chair was bounching around in fury.

"Do you want to do it?' asked Tempest.

"I don't want to hear it." said Nightstrike.

"Might as well let her talk." said Dumbledore darkly. "Or she'll just keep bouncing."

Nightstrike sighed and pulled the gag away from her mouth.

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS?" she shrieked. "THAT MONSTER COULD HAVE KILLED EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL! HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED YEARS AGO!"

"That's enough out of you." said Nightstrike, he slapped her hard across the face and put the gag back on her.

"Anyway," said Harry continuing. "and from the potion smelled, and from what you said, narrowed it down to a Werewolf Relaxant potion. Or a Dragon Pox Resistance potion, though that seemed a bit unlikely." said Harry.

Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands.

"Good boy." said Sirius.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out.

"Thanks for trying to protect me." said Remus.

"Really?" said Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.

"And you lie to me." said Harry with a smirk.

"Some people reckon -" Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

"This piece of info didn't surprise me." said Remus. "That was one of the few classes he was right up there with us in the ways of grades."

Snape scoffed.

Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face. "Disgusting," he said. "Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later." "Right," said Harry, putting down his empty teacup. The empty goblet was still smoking.

"Had to be the Werewolf Relaxant." said Harry. "There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry." A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.

"You know, being observant sometimes really sucks." said Harry with a smirk.

"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps.

"What are those like?" asked Mrs. McFinn.

"They make you breathe fire for a bit, scariest thing that ever happened to me here." said Dr. Clark with a laugh.

"What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

"You already knew what it was like!" said Ron. "And you never told us!"

By the sound of it - everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides. "The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

"But they really need to put their owl pellet box somewhere else." said George.

"Out in plain sight is just nasty." said Fred.

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look -"

"Ron ate most of it, there was only a sliver of it left." said Hermione.

"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks -"

"An oger?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"You'd be surprised what you will see around here." said Dumbledore kindly.

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up -"

"You could have gotten it in bottles." said Dumbledore. "She sells them at the bar."

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?" "No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..." He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open. "Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

"Has to be." said Sirius with a laugh.

Hermione checked her watch. "We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape. "But if he - you know -" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to - to poison Lupin - he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."

"What could I have done? Wave my arms and he'd be healed in a heartbeat?" said Harry. "I'm not a miracle worker."

"You could have gotten help!" said Hermione.

"And look for who? Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, Dumbledore and McGonagall were down in Hogsmede. Madam Pomfrey's office was several flights of stairs away, he'd never get help in time." said Harry.

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

"I can't wait for Halloween!" said Dr. Clark.

"Next Saturday, I think we will have a special sort of celebration for Halloween this year." said Dumbledore.

The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher.

"Worried about me?" said Remus with a smile.

"Do you blame me?" said Harry.

Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?

"We were sitting at the very end of the table! How the heck did you see his eyes?" said Ron in shock.

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

It had been such a pleasant evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The Dementors send their love, Potter!"

"You are such a little..." said Bill.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"That's unusual." said Charlie.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously. Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed. "Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy -"

"That only made his work a bit tougher." said Fred.

"People just packed tighter together." said George.

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

"That's not a good thing." said Bill.

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe. "What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived. A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was. "Oh, my -" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

"It wasn't good." said Ron.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor;

"What the heck made you do that?" whispered Remus to Sirius.

"She wouldn't let me in." said Sirius. "But I went up during the last break and apologized. It took her a while to stop running away from me thought."

great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him. "We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady." "You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

"Has to be Peeves." said Dr. Clark.

"That little ghost man?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"You've met him already?" said Fred hesitantly.

"He's a little charmer." said Mrs. McFinn with a smile. "He keeps bowing to me and bringing me flowers."

"Anything wrong with those flowers?" said George slowly.

"No, they were lovely red roses." said Mrs. McFinn.

"I don't believe it, Peeves has a crush on somebody." said Fred shaking his head.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry. "What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore.

"Well, at least he's knows when not to piss around." said Remus.

Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.

"Well, maybe not a all around charmer." said Mrs. McFinn with a smile.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly. "Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

"You destroyed a living painting?" said Mrs. McFinn pulling Harry back towards her.

"I just cut around her!" said Sirius, "and I paid for the restoration!"

"You terrified her nonetheless." scolded McGonagall.

"And I apologized!" said Sirius.

"We told you, you were dead." said Fred.

"Who wants to read?" said Sirius quickly.

"I will." said Katie.

She took the book and sat down between her fellow chasers and read aloud.

"Grim Defeat"

said Katie.

"Oh no." said Fred and George together.

"I think we will take a break before we start. I need to send an owl." said Dumbledore standing up and walking out of the Great Hall.

"I wonder what he's going to do?" said Sirius.

"He's sending an owl to the Diggorys." said Harry sadly.