Harry really wanted to butt in and remind them that they'd promised him a response to Snape's attitude towards him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He still felt too shy, the ingrained nature of never being allowed to ask questions still winning out. Clearly it was a sore subject to all, so he decided to keep his mouth shut and just hope they would really tell him.

"My turn," James said eagerly, hoping a Quidditch match would come up soon, he doubted this book would take them through a week by week of the castle after all.

Harry would never have believed he'd meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.

"I don't know," Sirius said, "I find it hard to believe that boy will do anything that will make me hate him more than that spoiled brat."

Harry was frowning, knowing full well he had a reason to be feeling like this, and yet not knowing why at the same time. He had no argument for Sirius then, so he let his dad keep going.

Thankfully, the first year Gryffindor's only had to put up with the Slytherin's during the one potion class, so they didn't have to deal with him too much. At least not until they found a flyer advertising when they would be having their first flying lesson, and found the Gryffindors and Slytherins would be learning together.

"Why do they do that?" Remus groaned in disgust.

James on the other hand was delighted, his son had natural flying abilities, and he couldn't wait to read about it, no matter who would be watching.

"What I don't understand is why they have those lessons first year," Lily said "after all, you can't even join until second year. What's the point in one lesson practically a year before?"

"It's to gauge potential," Sirius said wisely.

Harry lamented that this would be horrible, he had no desire to make a fool of himself on a broom in front of Malfoy.

"Nonsense," Sirius said, siding with James on this one, "Harry's a natural, I'll bet you anything he picks up on it first try."

Harry looked far from reassured, and Lily shot the two very disgruntled looks and said, "and if he doesn't? What, are you going to laugh along with that Malfoy?"

Both boys looked shocked and hurt that Lily could ever think such a thing, and James was quick to say, "of course not, how could you think that? We're just confident in his abilities."

Lily ground her teeth in frustration, she was sure they hadn't gotten her point that they were setting Harry up for feeling bad about himself if they turned out to be wrong, but hoping she was wrong she decided to let James keep going.

Whereas before Harry had been eagerly looking forward to this, now not so much. Ron was quick to reassure, saying how he was sure Harry would do just fine. Malfoy was probably just all talk whenever he boasted about his own Quidditch prows.

James and Sirius exchanged uneasy looks, not having thought of that. Malfoy most likely did have his own broom at home, and had been able to fly for ages.

When they had spoken with such confidence, they had been speaking as if Harry had grown up as he should have, getting his own broom for his first birthday like Sirius fully intended, playing with a Quaffle in the yard like James had always planned. For that one brief moment, they had forgotten what was going to happen, and just went with what should have been.

James shook himself hard, forcing that empty feeling creeping up again to go away so he could read about his son.

Malfoy seemed fairly confident of his abilities, telling the story as often as he could of the time he'd nearly escaped a Muggle helicopter.

Sirius grimaced in disgust, hating that this seemed terribly familiar to what he used to do as well.

Lily was just impressed he knew what a helicopter was, and quickly whispered to James she'd explain it later.

Many of the kids around school loved talking about Quidditch as well. Ron and their roommate Dean Thomas had already had an interesting sports conversation, Dean was a fan of soccer and had put up posters of his team. Ron couldn't see the appeal of a game with only one ball where no one could fly.

"See," James said loudly, "I'm not the only one who thinks that!"

"I don't force you to follow it," Lily said patiently.

Harry had seen Ron peering curiously at Dean's poster of his sports team West Ham, where the players of course didn't move as it was a Muggle poster.

Remus laughed to himself, remembering both James and Sirius doing that to many of his photos.

Neville on the other hand had never been on a broom, apparently his grandmother had never allowed it. Harry felt he understood this reason, as Neville seemed rather accident prone. Hermione, too, seemed just as nervous as Neville about the prospect of flying, since that wasn't something you could learn from a book.

"Poor dear," Lily said sadly, she couldn't blame the girl one bit, she had never been one for flying either.

Not that she hadn't tried, as she bored them all stupid with facts she'd learned from a book called Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Oh, come on now Harry, that's like the one book in that library that's useful," Sirius sighed.

"By that point I was just bored by whatever she said," Harry said, frowning to himself. The feelings he had now were of annoyance at such a know it all girl, but Harry had been so sure of his feeling earlier. Had his gut feeling been wrong, and he wasn't friends with her?

While Neville hung on her every word, hoping for some advice how to not make a fool of

himself today, everyone else was ignoring her and having breakfast. Harry hadn't had any mail aside from Hagrid's note, something Malfoy seemed to have noticed. He could often be seen gloating as his own eagle owl brought him packages from home full of sweets, which he opened gloatingly for all to see.

"Show off," James said in disgust. Yes his parents had done this as well, but he'd never gloated over the fact.

Neville got some mail as well, a note from his grandmother. He opened it curiously and

found a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. He told the others it was called a Remembrall.

"Oh, those things are so useless," Remus said, shaking his head.

"Why's that?" Harry asked.

"The smoke inside it turns red when you've forgotten something, so it's constantly red, because you always forget something," Sirius said.

Harry still looked confused, so Remus explained properly, "Whether it's something like forgetting your homework, or simply forgetting what you had for dinner last night, it doesn't tell you what you've forgotten. So essentially the smoke will always be red."

"Oh," Harry said, then he frowned and began rubbing his temple again. There was something he should remember about Neville's Remembrall, but what? Sighing in frustration he simply thanked them and then asked his father to go on.

Explaining to the others it was designed to help you remember things by turning red, and even as he was holding it, it did indeed change colors. Neville was stumped on what that could be, when Draco Malfoy came over

"Why?" All four adults said in shock.

"Those tables are at opposite ends of the hall," Remus said.

"Looking for a fight I'm sure," James muttered.

and snatched the orb from Neville's hand.

"Really now," Lily said, "did he think he could get away with that? In the Great Hall? Where all of the teachers in the castle are?"

"Intelligence never ran in the Malfoy line," Sirius said in what he clearly thought was an intelligent tone of voice.

Harry and Ron got to their feet at once. They'd been itching for a fight with this boy, but Professor McGonagall was there in a second, able to scent trouble faster than any teacher in the school.

Lily didn't even begrudge them this, it was after all Malfoy who had picked that fight.

The other three boys had no problems with this whatsoever.

She demanded to know what was going on, and Malfoy quickly lied in saying he was just looking at it as he dropped the ball back on the table and skulked away.

Now they all snorted in disbelief, as if any teacher would believe that.

When the time came, the Gryffindor's all made their way down to the grounds where their lesson was planned and found twenty brooms waiting for them, the Slytherins students already gathered. Harry had heard older students talk about these particular old brooms, how some of them vibrated horribly or flew slightly to the left.

"Those are the nice ones," Sirius said in disgust, "I got one that rolled constantly."

Their teacher was Madam Rolanda Hooch, who briskly instructed them on what they needed to do. Everyone was to stand by a broomstick, hold out their right hand, and say up. Harry's broom responded instantly

"Yes!" James and Sirius shouted with glee, they just knew Harry would be a natural, how could he not?

James read on quickly now, wanting to hear first-hand how much his son loved flying.

but his was one of the few that did. Hermione's merely twitched, and Neville's hadn't even done that. Harry speculated that maybe brooms were like horses, who could sense fear, because the quiver in Neville's voice made it quite clear he wanted to keep both feet on the ground.

"That's a fascinating insight," Lily said, puzzling over this, "since all magical objects do at least form some mind of their own after a time, but I don't think anyone's ever conducted a study."

"More projects for you then dear," James said, grinning over at his wife.

Madam Hooch then showed them the proper way to mount a broom without sliding around, walking around and correcting when needed on their grips. Harry and Ron were pleased when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

Sirius and James couldn't help but give vindictive grins at this, that boy was clearly going to be trouble for Harry, so any victory now would be savored.

"How can you grip a broom wrong though?" Harry asked, trying to picture it in his head. "Don't you just sort of, hold on? How would she even know he'd been doing it wrong for years?"

Sirius was more than eager to explain, "there's different ways to grip a broom just as there are different ways to kick or throw a ball to get a certain spin on it. Just for the hovering you were doing, you'd only need a fairly loose grip, and for Malfoy to be holding however wrong he was, she would have known that was the grip he used for everything, meaning he must have been doing it wrong for some time."

Harry's eyes sparked with interest, he dearly wanted to sit around and discuss this type of thing for ages, but relented that they could wait for a better time.

Then she instructed the class that on her command, they were to kick off of the ground and hover for a moment. Perhaps fearing on being left behind, Neville kicked off the ground almost at once, and his broom began floating high into the air. Twenty feet later, Harry could just spot Neville's white face peering back at the ground, then a horrible smack later and he was lying face down in the grass again.

"Oh my gosh," Lily said in shock, pressing her hand to her mouth.

James gave a wince of remembered pain, he had his fair share of injuries at school, falling off of brooms were always the worst.

"Why didn't Madam Hooch try to at least slow his fall?" Remus demanded.

Harry merely shrugged, he hadn't been watching her, so he had no idea.

The broomstick was still rising, and showing no signs of stopping.

"Good riddance I say," Sirius grumbled.

Madam Hooch was bent over Neville, inspecting him to find a broken wrist and encouraging him to get to his feet.

They all released a breath of relief at that, Madam Pomfrey could fix that up in seconds, and it really could have been worse.

She told the rest of the class not to move a muscle as she took him up to the Hospital Wing, if they did she would see them expelled.

Now all four adults were pursing their lips, knowing full well that something was likely to happen with this group being left unattended.

Student and teacher left quickly, and not seconds after they were out of sight Malfoy burst into laughter,

"How is that funny?" Lily snapped in disgust.

James was frowning severely as well, there really was no way that could have been funny to anyone.

mocking him for crying. Parvati Patil stood up for him, snapping that Malfoy should shut up.

"Sweet kid," Remus said smiling. They didn't even know if the two were friends, but it was like Gryffindor's in general to stand up for each other.

A girl from Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson, turned on her, mocking her for having a crush on Neville.

"You don't have to have a crush on a boy to defend them," Lily growled.

Malfoy wasn't paying any attention, he'd caught sight of Neville's Remembrall which must have fallen out of his pocket.

"That little prat," Lily snapped in disgust. First he insulted the boy, who had done nothing to him as far as she knew, now he took something that didn't even belong to him. And for what? Just to rub it in that he had.

"I'm going to have to agree with you on that one," Sirius grumbled.

James, while as angry as the others, wasn't all that concerned. He was confident his son would stand up for his dorm mate.

Harry at once told Malfoy to hand it over, making all the other students go quite to watch.

"Atta boy Harry," all three boys said with glee. Harry smiled round at them all.

Malfoy just gave a nasty smile back, stating that if Harry wanted it, he'd have to go up a tree to get it, then he grabbed his broom and hopped into the air. Harry was dismayed to see that Malfoy hadn't been all lies, he really did know how to fly.

Now all the adults looked rather concerned for their own boy. Harry had one of two options now, to back down and look foolish, or attempt to get the Remembrall back on a broom he had no idea how to use.

It was a no win situation either way for him, and they only hoped a teacher would come along soon.

Malfoy taunted Harry from the air, provoking Harry into mounting his own broom.

"No," Lily shouted, "Harry, you could fall off and break much more than your wrist."

Harry gave her a smile, still not quite used to the fact that anybody cared if he was injured at all, but then gently reminded her that this had already happened, and he was sitting here fine now.

The other boys still looked just as concerned, and rather annoyed that something as important as Harry's first flying lesson had been ruined like this, and James quickly read on.

Hermione tried to stop him, reminding that Madam Hooch had told them not to, that they would all get in trouble,

"Oh, I doubt she'd punish everyone out there. Just the two on the brooms," Remus said fairly.

but Harry wasn't listening. He kicked off from the ground, and found that he seemed to have an instinct for what to do.

"Amazing," James and Sirius said with high pride. Despite the situation he'd had to learn it in, they couldn't think of many more things that would please them more than hearing Harry was a natural on a broom.

He pulled his broom around sharply, causing Ron to whoop with joy on the ground.

Both boys looked like they wanted to do more than whoop with joy, but James was too eager to read then to act on it.

Lily and Remus felt a high sense of pride at Harry's actions, though still some residual fear that Harry could get in trouble, or worse injured.

Harry himself just felt euphoric at the memories of his first flying lesson, though he couldn't help but think there was going to be more to this story.

Harry tells him to hand over the Remembrall, or Harry will take it. Malfoy's bravado was beginning to fade,

"He would be," Sirius said with glee, "Malfoy thought he was a muggle who had no idea what he was doing. Proved him wrong though!"

but he still managed to taunt Harry to come get it. Harry somehow knew what to do.

"Inheritance," James said with glee.

Harry shot towards Malfoy, who only just avoided the impact. Harry taunts him again, saying how Malfoy didn't have Crabbe and Goyle up here to save his neck. Malfoy must have realized this too, because he instead tosses the ball high in the air and streaks back towards the ground.

"Oh no," all four adults groaned, Neville's Remembrall was broken for sure. Either that or Harry would gain a severe injury trying to catch it.

Harry turned his broom down for a dive after the little object,

Lily was worrying her lip to blood, oh she really hoped Harry wouldn't be too badly injured when he slammed face first into the ground. A broken nose was the worst she could deal with right now.

The other three were simply curious how close Harry would get to catching it, having faith that any of the teachers there could deal with minor injuries, which was all Harry should get from this.

managed to catch it a foot from the ground,

"He caught it?" They all yelped in shock, turning wide eyed to Harry.

Harry was just grinning to himself, but Lily was still worried sick, so he'd caught it a foot from the ground, that meant he still had to pull up in time to avoid injuries, and it would be remarkable for him to have those kinds of reflexes without any practice.

and still had time enough to pull up and land safely on the ground, the Remembrall in hand.

"Yes!" All four cried with glee.

"Oh you'll be a shoe in next year for Quidditch!" All three boys added.

"That's what you're concerned with?" Lily said, still a little bug eyed, "I'm just happy he wasn't hurt."

"Oh, he would never had been hurt too bad from that stunt," Remus brushed off, "I was a bit concerned he might get in trouble, but I guess-"

"Not so fast Remus," James said frowning down at the book before reading aloud.

Then from behind, Harry hears his name being shouted, and his heart plummets when he realizes it's Professor McGonagall coming towards him.

"Aw," all three groaned, Harry was sure to get a detention for this.

Lily felt like it was justly deserved, hopefully now in the future he might listen to the rules, even if Harry's actions now were well intended.

Harry was now rubbing his temple in frustration again, there was something important about Professor McGonagall showing up. He didn't really think it was detention either, but what? So he asked his father to go on.

She's muttering to herself how, in all her year's at Hogwarts she'd never seen that,

"Really now," Sirius snickered, "that's the worst you've seen in Hogwarts, has she really forgotten us so easily?"

Remus had his lips pursed, trying not to burst out laughing at the genuinely offended look on his friends face.

saying how he could have broken his neck.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Lily muttered furiously.

Both Ron and Padma Patil try to stick up for Harry and tell what happened, but she silences both of them and instructs Harry to follow her back up to the castle.

All four of them frowned now, it wasn't like McGonagall to not hear all sides of the story. Perhaps she was taking Harry to her office to get the full story without an audience, that wasn't out of the norm.

As Harry followed after her, he caught the bullies all looking very triumphant, and Harry couldn't help but agree with what he was sure they were thinking, he was about to be expelled for this.

The three boys cracked up laughing at that, even Lily giggled a bit. At Harry's confused look Lily managed to explain, "Harry dear, if these four never got expelled for everything they were caught doing, let alone the things that couldn't be proven that they did, a little thing like this is not going to get you expelled."

Harry was looking around at the others smiling and said, "I'd really like to hear all of your years at Hogwarts. You seemed to have gotten up to a lot."

"You've no idea," Remus said wisely.

"We've only scratched the surface," Sirius agreed.

He could picture it now, how he'd have to pack up his bags and turn back up on the Dursleys steps.

Now all four of them frowned with disgust, more than thankful this wouldn't even be an issue, hopefully ever again.

Harry followed after her as they began marching through the school, and he wondered if they were going to Dumbledore's office.

"Definitely not a big enough offense," James said knowledgeably.

"Yeah, it took us blowing up a school corridor for that to happen to us," Sirius agreed.

Harry blinked spastically for a moment, but James was already moving on.

His mind went to Hagrid, who had been expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper, and Harry wondered if Hagrid might train him as an assistant.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"While I wouldn't blame you for wanting that job," Remus agreed, "I doubt that's going to be necessary."

It wasn't a pleasant prospect, thinking about watching his friends grow up to be wizards while Harry followed Hagrid around carrying his bag.

"Bit melodramatic much," Lily said in amusement, Harry's offense wasn't nearly as bad as all of this.

It broke James' heart that he'd rather be Hagrid's assistant then live at home, but kept going.

Professor McGonagall stopped off outside a classroom, poked her head in, and asked Professor Flitwick if she could borrow wood.

"What?" They all asked in confusion.

"I have no idea what that's about," Remus said, when the two boys looked at him like he had an answer.

Harry was rubbing his temple in agitation again, Wood. Was that a name? He felt like that was a name, but who? Or perhaps a cane, as some form of punishment, that seemed more like what his background had taught him.

Harry's first thought was to wonder if McGonagall was going to cane him or something.

All four adults turned sharply to Harry, but he threw his hands up and said quickly this time, "The school used it as punishment once or twice, it's legal so long as they have parental consent. Which they did."

They were all still frowning but since it was a teacher that had delivered the punishment, which they still disapproved of, at least it wasn't as bad. The teacher would at least be expected to do it with restraint. James dearly wanted to ask what he had been caned for, but he decided if Harry didn't offer the information, it would just make him angrier when he found out.

Turns out Wood was another student, who came out of the classroom looking understandably confused.

"Oh," they all said, even more confused than before, but it was better than caning.

She leads both boys to an empty classroom that only held Peeves.

"Wow, she didn't even take you to her own office," James said in surprise.

"Should I be worried you know that right off the bat?" Lily asked.

"No," all three said at the same time. "Besides," Remus continued, "if there's one place in the castle Peeves has never entered, it's the Professor's office. He does have some boundaries."

McGonagall tells Peeves to get out, which he does with much cursing.

"See," Sirius seconded his friend, "maybe not much, but he does show a glimmer of respect to the teachers."

"If cursing is 'a glimmer of respect' to you, I'd hate to see you on a bad day," Lily grumbled.

McGonagall turns her attention back on the boys and tells Oliver Wood that she's found him a Seeker.

"What!" All five of them said, James and Sirius looked like they were going to faint.

Lily reached over and snatched the book away from him to read that one for herself. No way would McGonagall reward a student for breaking the rules, especially in this manner!

Harry and Remus both sat there, looking like stunned fish.

"A Seeker!" Sirius said, coming out of his shock first, "they let a first year join the team, as a Seeker!"

"Well he's got the right build," James agreed, giving himself a small shake and eyeing his son, he was even slighter than himself honestly.

"Really?" Lily demanded, "That's your response."

"What would you have them do?" Remus asked her, "be upset? No, I think this is their proudest moment yet."

Lily looked round at all three boys, then turned on Harry and said, "please tell me this isn't for real."

Harry had gotten over his stunned feeling and was now grinning as widely as the others, and responded, "oh this is real Mum. I'm positive about that."

Grunting and shoving the book away from her as if suddenly deceased, James took it back all too eagerly and read on, happier than he'd been since they started this book.

Wood went from puzzled to delighted at once, demanding to know if she was serious.

"Don't," Remus snapped at his friend "I want to hear this." Sirius, amazingly, shut his mouth and nodded eagerly.

McGonagall agreed she was, and Harry was now watching them curiously as he realized he wasn't about to be expelled.

"This is the opposite of being expelled," Remus laughed in delight.

She described how Harry had caught the Remembrall, and Wood looked elated.

"I'm guessing they didn't have a Seeker for the team then," James said, going bug eyed at this realization.

"No, Wood told me later that night that their previous Seeker, Charlie Weasley in fact, had graduated and they'd have to hold trials that weekend. Apparently looking for a new position is awful though."

"I hear that," Sirius agreed, he hated the trails.

Wood asks Harry if he's ever seen a game of Quidditch, while McGonagall tells Harry that Wood is the captain of the Gryffindor team.

"We gathered that bit," Lily muttered snidely, still not happy about this.

Wood is now examining Harry critically, appraising that he's the right build for a Seeker, and discussing the types of brooms he should use.

"Yes," James and Sirius cheered, well of course Harry would have to use something other than those school brooms, which meant that Harry got to bend yet another rule around.

"This is completely ridiculous," Lily seethed, "I swear if Harry's head swells to your size James-"

"Really now Lily, he's sitting right there," Sirius cut in.

Her eyes swiveled to her son, who was looking rather anxious that his mum was so upset, so she sucked in a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry Harry. I've just lived seven years of my life watching this lot get away with breaking school rules, and I don't want you to think that it's okay."

Harry pursed his lips and said slowly, "well since I can't exactly say whether or not I have, can you just trust me when I say it didn't go to my head if I did?" Of this he was positive, since even now he cringed at the idea of any more attention than he was getting even now.

Lily nodded and told him that yes, she would believe him with that. Crisis averted, James still eagerly read on.

McGonagall agrees Harry will have to bend that rule, how it will be worth it after the last match they'd had against Slytherin where they were flattened.

All four Quidditch boys winced at that.

McGonagall turned her attention on Harry again and said she wants to hear that he's going to be training hard, or she may reconsider punishing him.

Lily still couldn't help but gnash her teeth as she pointed out, "no one even asked you if you wanted the position! She just said you've got the gig, then says she's going to punish you if you aren't training!"

"Lily," Remus sighed at her. "I am positive if Harry had declined wanting to join the team, she still may have let the whole thing go she was so impressed."

Lily muttered something else under her breath that James chose to ignore.

Then she smiles and tells him how proud his father would be, since he was an excellent Quidditch player himself.

"I know that now," Harry said, beaming at his dad, "but it was quite a shock to hear then. What position did you play anyways?"

"Chaser," he said with pride.

"Did you play Remus?" Harry asked him, he seemed interested in the game, but he didn't seem as obsessed as his two friends. He didn't need to ask his Mum, she had made her opinions clear.

"No," he admitted, "but I did start commentating the games starting my fifth year. So I will admit I got quite into it."

"He's being modest," Sirius chuckled, "Remus got quite the vocabulary during the games."

"Just keep reading," he said, blushing slightly.

An unknown voice declares 'you're joking!'

"No she wasn't," James said, frowning at the text, "I was Captain for two years! That's no joke."

"I'm sure he doesn't mean you," Lily said, "just keep going."

Then the narrative returns to state that time has passed, it's now dinner.

"See," Lily said patiently.

James was still frowning, why would Harry say that McGonagall was joking?

Harry had been telling Ron what happened when he'd been taken away, and Ron had been the one to exclaim that Harry was joking, then repeated Harry's new title as Seeker.

"Oh," James brightened, "Ron said you're joking' about not getting in trouble, and making the team."

"I wish Harry was joking," Lily grumbled to herself so that the boys couldn't hear.

Harry agrees with his surprise, stating how it had been a century since a first year had made the house team.

"Oh yeah," Remus nodded, "I remember reading that somewhere. Another first year made it onto the team, he was a Hufflepuff I think, and he did something on his school broom" he trailed off from there, still puzzling out the details.

James said with real curiosity, "I'm sure you read it somewhere, so let us know when you remember."

Harry informed his friend how he was to start training next week, but Ron shouldn't tell anyone else, because it was supposed to be a secret.

Now all four adults cracked up at that. Keep a secret? At Hogwarts? The only secret that they knew for a fact had been kept was Remus', and even then rumors abound had floated around him.

Then Fred and George made their appearance, praising Harry for making the team, and informing him that they were Beaters.

"Sweet," Sirius grinned, "these two just get better and better!"

Lily kept it to herself that she had been thinking about bringing Harry around to the Weasley's soon, she didn't want James or Sirius coming and encouraging what was obviously mischievous behavior.

Fred is now convinced that they would win the Quidditch cup this year, they hadn't won since Charlie had left.

"I thought Charlie only left the year before?" Remus asked.

"He did," Harry explained, "I asked about that later, they didn't win the last year Charlie was there, but his sixth year. That's what they meant."

Then the twins excuse themselves because their friend Lee Jordan claimed to have found a new secret passageway.

"Oh," the three boys said indulgently, they sincerely doubted it was new to them.

His twin returns that it was probably the one they'd found their first week there.

Now all three were chuckling, oh these twins were perfect substitutes for the Marauders.

The twins had only been gone for a moment when Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle made an appearance.

"Come to gloat over a failed victory," James grumbled to himself.

Malfoy wants to know when Harry's going to be sent out of school, and Harry notes that Malfoy was a lot braver now that he had his little friends back with him.

"That's right pup," Sirius cheered, "don't you take his crap."

Harry reflected there was nothing little about Crabbe or Goyle, but since they were in a room full of teachers, no one could do much. Malfoy however seems offended, snapping he'd take on Harry, and challenged him to a wizard's duel.

Lily was pursing her lips with distaste, while the other three were just curious at Harry's response.

Ron says yes at once, declaring he'd be Harry's second.

"Ron," Lily balked in annoyance, "what if Harry had wanted to say no?"

"Oh I didn't," Harry said, "I was actually very pleased he'd stepped in." Then he hesitated and asked, "What's a second?"

All three boys looked like they were going to crack up laughing at any moment, but Remus said, "It's your backup person in case one of you dies."

At Harry's bug eyed look, Sirius really did lose it and started rolling around laughing, causing the baby in his arms to giggle up a storm as well.

James was quick to say at Harry's startled look, "oh don't worry, you lot probably don't even know any defensive spells at this point. It's more a matter of honor that you show up and, honestly, you'll probably just start punching each other."

"You approve of this?" Lily snapped at him.

"Sure," he said with a shrug, "if Harry had said no, he'd look weak. At least this way, Harry will be able to build a bit of character."

"Character my arse," Lily snarled, "he just got away with breaking one rule, now he's going to sneak around the castle at night. He probably thinks he can get away with that as well."

"Mum," Harry said in exasperation, "I promise, I'm not going to go around and start breaking every rule there." He was too afraid of being expelled and sent back home honestly. "Dad's right. Malfoy had it coming to him, and this was a way for me to show him up." By the end of this he was frowning and rubbing his temple again. There was something important about this night. Something about a dog? But what? Fang perhaps? Lily still didn't look particularly pleased, but Harry just sighed and asked his father to go on.

Malfoy agrees and tells them to meet him at the trophy room at midnight, since that place was always unlocked.

"True that," Sirius agreed, a little reluctantly.

When Malfoy leaves Harry asks what a wizard duel is, and what's a second? Ron explains that to him, and then Harry asks what he should do if he waves his wand and nothing happens. Ron suggests Harry should just punch Malfoy.

"Liking your friend more and more," Sirius chuckled, having given James that advice on more than one occasion.

Then from behind the boys, they are once again interrupted by Hermione Granger. Ron exclaims how they can't eat in peace.

Remus was chuckling a bit at that, he did have a point. Who got interrupted three times in one meal?

"The answer to that is no by the way," James told Harry.

Hermione ignored Ron and instead told them how she couldn't help but overhear them talking to Malfoy.

"Bet you could," Sirius muttered, he hated nosy know it all's, having dealt with a few of those himself.

Ron muttered 'bet you could.'

Sirius blinked and James and Remus busted out laughing at this parallel.

Hermione still ignored him and told them they shouldn't be doing it, that they'll lose points for Gryffindor when they get caught.

Lily was smiling to herself, privately agreeing with this girl, but as all four boys in the room were grumbling about her, she decided to keep quiet.

Harry told her it wasn't any of her business.

"Well they've got a point," James agreed with the pair.

Harry lay awake that night in his dormitory long after Dean and Seamus went to sleep, Neville hadn't come back from the Hospital Wing yet.

"What?" All four adults said.

"Did Madam Pomfrey leave the school?" Remus asked with real concern.

"Any decent medical wizard should have been able to fix a break," Lily said, worrying her lip, "he shouldn't have been gone this long."

James and Sirius were both exchanging worried looks as well. Hoping that Harry would find out why, James quickly read on.

Ron had spent the whole day giving Harry fighting advice such as, if he tries to curse him, Harry should duck, because he didn't know the counter curse.

"Well he's not wrong," Sirius laughed.

Harry did acknowledge there was a good chance they would be caught out of bed, and felt like they were pushing their luck breaking another school rule that day,

'At least you acknowledge this' Lily thought.

but Harry was not going to pass up the opportunity to get back at Malfoy. At half past eleven Ron whispered that they'd better get going.

"Good," all three boys agreed, at Lily's still sever face Remus said, "since they're going, they might as well get there early and have the advantage."

She rolled her eyes at this while James and Sirius were privately laughing in agreement.

The two of them slipped downstairs, but didn't even make it to the portrait hole before someone whispered behind them that it was unbelievable they were doing this.

"Who's that?" Sirius asked in concern, remembering at once Percy the Prefect.

"You're not going to like the answer," Harry muttered to himself, still rubbing his temple a bit, he really should remember something about this night.

It was Hermione Granger.

"You're right Harry," James said, "we don't like the answer."

All three boys were frowning. This girl was reminding them more of Severus then Malfoy was.

Malfoy may be a bully and an obvious git, but he was harmless so far.

This Hermione on the other hand was very clearly nosy, and for a group that had some very private secrets, nosy was the worst trait you could have. It was one of the reasons they had hated Snape so much, he was always trying to poke into their business.

Harry was still feeling rather defensive of this girl, yes right now she seemed awful, but he really thought that there had been something. A recognition in her name that meant the same thing to him as Ron's name. Friend. Had he been wrong? It seemed that way, he would just have to wait it seemed.

She tells them that she almost tattled on them to Ron's older brother Percy.

"Thank Merlin she didn't," James muttered, "or this would have been even more of an offense."

Harry and Ron decide to just ignore her and go outside the portrait hole, but Hermione continues following them, hissing at them like an angry goose.

"Too bad you couldn't turn her into one," Sirius grumbled.

Going on about how they were going to lose all the points for Gryffindor, when she'd just gained some for knowing about something in class.

"And now she's bragging to boot," Remus said in disbelief.

When they continue to ignore her, she finally gives up and tries to go back inside, but turns to find the Fat Lady's gone.

"Now that's sweet justice," James cackled, unable to count the times this had happened to them, "now she'll be caught out as well."

She changes her mind and decides she's going to tag along with them,

"Oh," Sirius deflated, "hadn't thought she'd follow them."

"Really, she's never gone to long, it would have been better if she'd just stayed behind," Remus agreed.

Through all of this, Lily did agree to an extent that this girl was being just a bit overbearing. Yet, she still felt Hermione had the right intentions, and she most likely would have done the same thing given the chance. Not to the Marauders, she would have let them get in trouble without batting an eye, but to a lonely first year, sure.

and if they get caught, they can just back her up that it wasn't her fault.

James balked at such blatant pig-headedness.

Sirius actually put his face in his hands in disgust.

Ron began to shout at her that she's out of her mind, but Harry snaps at both of them to shut it, that he'd heard something.

"Who?" The three boys said sharply, despite their blasé nature about this little act, they still didn't want Harry to get caught.

It sounded like snuffling.

"Snuffling?" Lily asked, she didn't know anyone at the castle who snuffled.

Ron asks if it was Mrs. Norris.

"Mrs. Norris doesn't snuffle," Sirius said in surprise, "she sneaks up on people," but then again, he couldn't think of who did snuffle.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris, but in fact Neville.

"Is he alright?" Lily asked with high pitched concern, what on earth was he doing.

James read on quickly.

He was on the floor, apparently asleep until they reached him.

"Was he really so tired he couldn't make it back?" Remus asked, part concerned, part amused.

He'd fallen asleep in some pretty random places around the castle too.

He exclaimed how happy he is to see them, that he'd forgotten the password and couldn't go in.

"Oh," all four said in surprise, but at least this cleared things up, and they knew he wasn't in trouble.

Ron tells him the password, but then informed him that the Fat Lady's gone and they've got to get. Then Harry asks how Neville's arm was.

All four adults smiled at this, Harry was such a sweet kid.

Neville shows them how Madam Pomfrey had mended it, saying she'd done it in seconds.

"Then why didn't he go to dinner, and go to the common room with everyone else?" Lily asked.

Remus snorted in amusement and told her, "she may have fixed it in a minute, but Madam Pomfrey is the biggest worry wort at that school. She would have kept him there for at least two hours checking him all over and making sure he didn't have any side effects, like shock, I could go on."

"I'm sure you could, considering you practically lived in that wing once a month," Sirius laughed.

They begin to leave, but Neville exclaims that he wants to come, he didn't want to be there by himself. Ron glared at both him and Hermione and tells them if they get them all caught, he'd learn the curse of the bogies and use it on both of them.

"That's an easy one," Remus smiled, "but very useful."

James snorted before he kept going.

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell him how to do that curse,

"Oh, I hope she did," Sirius laughed.

but Harry told them all to be quiet and they made their way up a staircase and to the trophy room in silence.

"Up?" Lily asked, "Gryffindor Tower's on the top floor, what on earth were you coming up from?"

"We found a secret passage and wound up on the fifth floor," Harry told her distractedly, there was something about going to the trophy room that was really bugging his mind, like he should be angry about his visit. Perhaps Malfoy insults him more than duels him?

When Harry entered he took out his wand, in case Malfoy jumped in and started dueling at once.

"That'a boy!" James said with pride, still grinning like a fool.

As the time goes by, Ron whispers how perhaps Malfoy had chickened out.

"Oh I hope so," Sirius snorted "that's teasing material for the rest of his life."

Then they hear a noise, and it's definitely not Malfoy. It's another voice, telling someone to sniff around the corners.

"Why that little-" Lily began before cutting herself off and hissing under her breath. The boys couldn't decide what they were more shocked at. This utter display of an underhanded deed, or Lily cursing him out for it.

They were quick to get over their shock though, and added several other words in agreement.

Harry was looking around at all of them, mostly his mum in confusion. "I don't get it, you said you didn't want me out at night, why would Malfoy doing this bother you?" True he was as mad as them, but he never would have expected this.

"It's the principle of the matter," Lily snorted, "if you're going to break the rules, fine, but at least have the courage to face them. That was the most cowardly thing I'd ever seen."

James was now smiling to himself, realizing this was one of the many reasons she had ended up in Gryffindor.

Sirius verbally agreed with Lily, adding on, "yeah, even Snape would never amount to this. At least that git would show up."

Remus was shaking his head in disgust and said, "honestly, I half expected him to show up with both friends to try and outnumber you, but never this."

Still disgusted, James quickly read on, hoping Harry would have the sense to hide and sneak away, then again, with Mrs. Norris there, that would be even more difficult.

It was Filch with Mrs. Norris. The four of them quickly backed out of the room before he could catch sight of them, trying to hide.

"Anyone would hide from your ugly mug," Sirius huffed.

Harry tried to lead them in the opposite direction of Filches voice, but Neville managed to trip and crash into Ron, the pair falling into a suit of armor.

"Oh no," all five of them said, wanting dearly to strangle the pair of them, but James read on quickly before anyone could say this.

Harry lost his mind and yelled run at the top of his lungs.

"Oh, I'm sure that helped," Remus muttered.

The four of them make a run for it, tearing through corridors and secret passages without paying any attention to where they were headed, and wound up outside of the Charms classroom on the third floor.

"Very clever," James breathed, "accidental I'm sure, but still good use of the secret corridors all the same."

"Let's just hope Filch didn't manage to follow them," Sirius agreed.

Lily had her lips pursed, unwilling to admit that she was very pleased indeed her son had gotten away with this.

Harry hopes that they'd lost him, while Hermione pants that she told them so.

"Is this really the time for 'I told you so's'?" Remus demanded.

Ron urges that they should all head back to the tower now, while Hermione insists that Malfoy had tricked them.

"Yes I gathered that for myself thanks," Harry grumbled to himself, not really liking this pointed out to him now any more than the 'I told you so.'

Harry knows she's right, but doesn't say as much out loud.

"Good idea," all three boys agreed.

Instead he begins leading the way back to their rooms, when they run into Peeves.

"Oh no," Lily groaned, unable to stop herself this time.

"So you really don't want them to get caught?" Sirius asked slyly.

"Certainly not in this manner," she told him, going a bit red in the face.

"Well they still might not," James said bracingly, "it all depends how you handle Peeves."

The Poltergeist catches sight of them at once, and Harry begs him not to make any noise.

"No," Sirius was the one to groan this time, "that man will forever do the opposite of what you ask of him."

"Well I didn't know that," Harry defended himself, still not feeling right. Could it be Filch caught up to them, and they were still going to get in trouble? No, this felt like something worse, but what?

Peeves cackles, telling them that they shouldn't be out of bed, and Harry repeats how they'll go right to bed if Peeves doesn't say anything.

"He still might not," Remus said slowly, "he'll get bored if you just go along and say 'Oh we don't care if we're caught' and stuff like that."

"This is Harry's first encounter with him though," James said slowly, "let's see if he thought to do that."

Ron loses his patience and takes a swipe at Peeves.

"No," all three of them said at once, oh now they were in for it.

That was the wrong thing to do. Peeves began yelling at the top of his lungs that there were students out of bed down the charms corridor.

This time Lily really did facepalm.

The four of them made a run for it, running into a locked door. Ron exclaims how they are now done for!

Lily was far more concerned with them not getting caught to comment on how that was a bit melodramatic.

Hermione uses a charm called Alohomora, which unlocks the door, and they all slip inside. Filch has arrived and demands to know where the students Peeves was shouting about are, quickly! Peeves says Filch has to say please.

"Oh thank Merlin," James sighed in relief.

"Peeves isn't going to tell," Remus explained at Harry's and Lily's confused looks.

"Why on earth not?" Lily demanded, not willing to admit how relieved she felt.

"Cause he hates Filch more than anyone else in that school," Sirius said, "so he can't pass up the chance to mess with him."

"Though he may have told another teacher, maybe even Filch if he'd come up and said something besides 'Quick'," Remus agreed.

Filch snaps at him to get a move on, but Peeves says he won't say a thing until Filch says please. Filch cracks and says please, and Peeves' response is to say 'nothing', just like he promised. Filch cursed him while the sound of Peeves going away could be heard.

"Forever love that poltergeist," Sirius laughed.

Harry had been listening to all of this so intently, he'd been ignoring Neville, who had been tugging insistently on his sleeve. Now that the threat of being caught was gone, Harry turns his attention around to see what Neville was so upset about, which turned out to be a living nightmare.

"Don't tell me you walked into a teacher's midnight grading," Remus groaned, that really would be too much.

Harry now saw quite clearly why the room they'd been trying to get in was locked. It was the forbidden corridor on the third floor,

"What?" All four of them yelped in shock, okay that they hadn't seen coming.

and it contained a three headed dog the size of the room.

The longer James went on, the paler the whole room got. This was very clearly not one of Hagrid's animals like Fang, an overgrown puppy. No, this was a real beast, something that would surely eat their little Harry if he didn't get out of there, now.

"RUN!" Sirius yelled so loudly, he startled the baby. Remus got up and moved to sit beside Sirius, making goofy faces at the kid to calm themselves both down, while Sirius bounced him up and down.

James and Lily shrunk in a little closer to their Harry, taking what little comfort they could that he was alive and with all four limbs between them.

There was no mistaking what those threatening growls meant as three pairs of eyes glared at the four students,

"Cerberus," Remus muttered, unable to stop himself, he even kept mentally listing facts about the mythical beast, until James managed to continue with a shaking breath.

Harry blindly went for the doorknob, deciding between death and being caught, he'd take being caught.

Such was the fear in the room, after all just because Harry was okay didn't mean his friends were, and they had no guarantee that their boy didn't just witness a death at age eleven, no one could muster up a comment to that.

They made it out of the room and began running, not really paying attention to where they were going,

James kept reading in a hurried tone, wanting them all to get back to the magically protected common room before he could relax again.

but didn't stop until they'd made it back to the painting hiding their dormitory. The Fat Lady is very startled to see them, demanding to know what they'd been up to,

Sirius let out a bark like laughter, unable to contain his relief any longer, at their startled looks he explained, "oh, just surprised she would still bother asking that after the many times all the students have snuck out."

James shook his head, but began relaxing a bit. If that monster had somehow managed to chase them, it would have caught up to them by now he was sure. Now he just wanted a head count.

but Harry ignores that and gives the password, leaving them free to enter. They collapse inside on large chairs, all sweating and in shock. Neville looked like he'd never speak again.

Remus grimaced with sympathy, yeah he could understand that.

While the other two seemed more relaxed now, still on edge at such a near death threat, but more at ease, Lily and James weren't. It hadn't yet mentioned Hermione, had she somehow been left back there, had the dog gotten her? Despite her attitude, they did not want to hear that she hadn't made it back.

Ron was the first to come back around, demanding to know what the school was thinking keeping a dog like that here. Hermione turned on him,

"Oh thank goodness," both parents breathed.

The other three gave them odd looks, but Lily then surprised them by rounding on Harry and saying, "swear to me right now you never went near that thing again."

Harry went bug eyed at this, backpedaling away from her more in fear that he couldn't answer her then anything.

James clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder in reassurance before giving Lily the stank eye, "really love, I know you're as worried as the rest of us, but you know he can't do that."

Lily deflated at once and apologized, Harry accepting it instantly.

Remus was now frowning a bit, rubbing his jaw as he truly thought that over, "Ron has a point though, what on earth was Dumbledore thinking, keeping such a thing in the castle."

"Oh no," Sirius said, going as white as before, "oh Merlin no."

"What?" The other four said in real fear, he looked about ready to pass out.

"Think about it," he said in a whisper, after all he'd been calm the longest, so he'd had the most time to actually think on this. "Why would the dog be there? I was wondering that to, and the only thing I can think of is, what's new this year? Remember that grubby little package Dumbledore had Hagrid pick up, well did Hagrid ever say who it was going to be delivered to?"

"You're not suggesting-" Remus began, feeling a little sick himself.

"Oh you can't be," James blurted, looking from the book to his friend and back again as if wishing someone had lied to him.

"Dumbledore would never put the student's in danger like that," Lily began weakly.

"Got any other ideas?" He demanded of the room.

No one was noticing that Harry was going very pale himself, though for a different reason. No, he had promised he wouldn't continue digging into his memories, but oh how they were trying to force their way to the surface now. Sirius was right, his gut told him that, and he would just have to ignore the onslaught that was trying to shove its way forward for now.

The other four were still sitting there in stunned disbelief, so Harry said quietly, "I'm sure there's gotta be some reason for the dog being there. How about we just keep going, and if the dog's still there next year, then we can be more worried, yeah?"

"Next year," Lily said faintly, "I never want you going onto the third floor again, let alone in there next year to check on that thing."

Harry kept quiet in fear that his gut would blurt out that he was going to see that dog again, maybe even sooner than that.

pointing out that they hadn't noticed what the dog was standing on. Harry simply states 'the floor?' They hadn't been paying much attention to its feet, as they'd been looking at the heads! Hermione snaps at them that the dog had been standing on a trapdoor, that it was obviously guarding something.

"No," Remus groaned, placing his face in his hands and shaking it, "no, no, no, no-"

Sirius reached over and put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "It's alright Moony, I'm sure Harry will be fine."

"Oh it's not that," he said, without looking up, "I know for a fact Harry's just fine. No, I just can't believe you caught on to something before I did!"

At this, all tension finally left the room as the family on the couch burst out laughing at Sirius' face.

She stood up then and declared that she was going to bed before something worse happened, like them getting expelled.

"Run that by me again," Lily asked.

Only after James had reread that sentence, did she look to the ceiling in disbelief, while Sirius came out of his shock and said, "she really needs to sort out her priorities. Really, expelled is worse than being killed now? How highly does she put her education?"

She marches off to bed without a backward glance. Harry however wasn't paying much attention, putting together that the package Hagrid took out of Gringotts, seems to have landed at Hogwarts.

"I really wish you hadn't just tried to confirm this," James groaned, tossing the book over to Sirius for his turn.