A/N: Voila! Chapter 12 for you all. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Chapter 12; Talks and Damsels in Distress

The next few weeks passed Harry by quickly, as he settled into a routine filled with classes, Quidditch practices four nights a week, and homework, which seemed to be getting heavier and heavier every day. Indeed, it was a miracle Harry found the time to eat or sleep – though it was true he and Hermione, with their enormous workloads, kept each other company working until the early hours of the morning. As a consequence, Harry had barely seen Sirius or Remus since the term had started – only in classes. However, nearing the end of September, at the end of a particularly difficult lesson on advanced defence shields, Sirius called Harry over.

"Hey, Stranger," his godfather said, his lips twitching slightly. "Long time, no speak."

"Yeah, I know – I'm sorry," Harry said wearily. "I've just been bogged down with homework and stuff – the workload we're getting—"

"Well, I did warn you that they were called 'Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests' for a reason." Sirius was studying him closely. "I'd watch it – you're beginning to show the strain a little. Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Yes," said Harry uncomfortably, and quickly changed the subject. "There's Quidditch practises as well; we've got our first match against Hufflepuff this Saturday…you are coming, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," his godfather assured him. "But I want to catch up with you properly…will you come down to my quarters after dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, sure – no, wait, I've got Quidditch practice until nine o'clock, can I come down after that?"

"'Course you can." Sirius smiled, and shooed him away. "Now go! Don't miss lunch!"

Harry jumped down from his sitting position on the desk, and picked up his bag. "See you later," he called over his shoulder.

It was lucky he had something to look forward to later that day, because Snape was in a particularly foul mood in Double Potions that afternoon, and was ready to take points off Gryffindor if anyone spoke – even if they weren't in Gryffindor.

"Veritaserum," he said silkily, holding a tiny bottle up to show the class. "The most powerful truth serum there is. I doubt even a few of you will be able to brew this potion correctly – however, we shall see. Open your books at page three hundred and eighty-two and start. Please note it says only a sprinkle of monkshood…tell me, Potter, why only a sprinkle?"

Hermione's hand shot in the air. Harry wracked his brain for what he knew about monkshood.

"Er…because monkshood's really powerful, and too much of it can have a bad effect on people – also, werewolves are allergic to monkshood, and if there was too much in the truth serum, it would kill them."

Snape held Harry's gaze for a moment, and then continued. He hadn't awarded any points to Gryffindor for the correct answer – but then again, Harry thought, scanning the page in his textbook, at least he hadn't taken any away, either.

"You will need to put your cauldrons on a large flame," Snape said. "And at the end we will test…yes, Weasley's, I think…he must prove he is up to the NEWT standard, after all…but ten points from Gryffindor for looking down at the book and not at me while I am talking, Weasley. Same goes to Potter."

Ron opened his mouth to protest at this unfairness, but Harry kicked him under the table. "Shut up," he hissed.

"And a further five points for talking, Potter…yes, I think we'll take another five for kicking a student."

Harry ignored him, unwilling to rise to the bait – if he hadn't kicked Ron, it would have been fifty points from Gryffindor for arguing with a teacher.

"Just like your father, Potter," Snape hissed, as Harry shed his monkshood. "Just a bully, really, aren't you? Just like him…used to parade around the school, bullying other students just to get his fan club to laugh…Five points from Gryffindor," he added to someone else in the back row.

"But, Sir, it was Malfoy who—" Hermione began.

"Another five points for arguing, Granger." Snape didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on Harry, who was now lighting his cauldron, and adding the Kneazle blood. Snape's voice was lowered, so it was impossible for anyone but Harry – other than Ron and Hermione, who were sitting either side of him – to hear. "Yes, Potter…Black and Lupin might tell you how wonderful your father was, but then again, I suppose they would…they were just as much bullies as he was, strutted around the school just as he did…though I would go so far as to say you have a bigger head than he did…touching story there was in the paper over the summer, Potter, did you see it? About how your little girlfriend had been brutally murdered in front of you…what another hardship the Boy-Who-Lived had to suffer…I expect you enjoyed the attention, didn't you, Potter?"

"Yeah, that's right," Harry suddenly snapped. "I enjoyed seeing my girlfriend die at the hands of Voldemort…real happy time that was. Real fun and games."

"Five points from Gryffindor for sarcasm…though as I understand it, you had photos taken for the story too…no stranger to photoshoots, thought, are you?"

"There wasn't a photoshoot," Harry got out through gritted teeth. "That photo was taken on Platform 9 ¾ - Sirius was in it…"

"Oh, yes, and the werewolf too…have a certain affinity for werewolves, don't you, Potter? Wasn't your girlfriend a werewolf too?"

Ron and Hermione had completely stopped working now, their eyes flicking nervously between Snape and Harry. Harry said nothing.

"Perhaps she's better off now, then," Snape said. "Who would love a monster, after all?"

"Actually," Harry spat, standing up, and grabbing his bag, "I did. Only then your master went and killed her." He threw his potions ingredients into his bag, and, before anyone could stop him, walked out.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for walking out of class," Snape shouted after him. Harry didn't go back. He hardly noticed where he was going as he strode down the hallways, his mind spinning. Snape had known he was pushing him. He must have known that Harry would either lose his temper, or leave. Harry hadn't wanted to lose his temper – he probably would have ended blowing something up accidentally. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Remus until he heard his name.

"Harry!"

Harry stopped short, realising he'd almost bumped into the older man. "Hey Remus."

"Aren't you supposed to be in class? Or have you got a free period?"

"No," Harry said. "I'm supposed to be in class."

"Ah." Remus eyed Harry's bag and his frown. "Which class?"

"Double Potions with Snape…I sort of walked out," Harry added, almost sheepishly as Remus frowned. "He was going on about my dad, and then Jessica, and then werewolves, and back to Jessica, and – oh sod it, why am I even telling you this? You're just going to make me go back, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm not." Remus seemed surprised at the suggestion. "I have a free afternoon…why don't you come and have a cup of tea in my office, Sirius and I were saying this morning how we haven't seen you much recently."

"Yeah, I know – Sirius arranged with me today to go and talk to him after Quidditch practice tonight," Harry said, following Remus down the corridor. "I've just had loads of work, and Quidditch, and—"

"It's quite all right," Remus said with a small smile as they reached his office. "Sirius and I have been busy with classes and suchlike too…the beginning of term is always such a mad time…" He pushed open the door, and motioned for Harry to go in.

In the corner sat an empty tank - empty, save a small hedgehog-like creature which was throwing itself against the sides. When one of its needles broke off, it sat back, looking most disgruntled with itself. Remus followed Harry's gaze.

"A Knarl," he explained, flicking his wand at a pot, which immediately began pouring two mugs of steaming tea. "I do hope he doesn't damage himself too much before next week's lesson…I'd give him food to distract him, but most distrustful, Knarls are…he'd probably think I was trying to lure him into a trap…he's probably neglected to realise he's already been trapped."

Harry gave a small smile, his gaze wandering round Remus' office again as he took a seat. His office was still the same sunny yellow, but some of the photos on the wall had changed - there was still one of Remus' graduation day, which included Remus, Sirius, Harry's parents, Peter, Katherine, and another girl Harry didn't recognise. He knew Sirius had a similar photo, bur last time Harry had looked, Sirius had hexed the Peter in the photograph so badly that Peter refused to show his face. He looked over the other photos - there was one of Lily and James on their wedding day (Harry had that one too), one of a couple that could only have been Remus' parents, and then a photograph of Harry and Sirius that must have been taken sometime during the summer. Both of them was standing aside broomsticks - the Sirius in the photo kept trying to mount his broom and take off, but the Harry was pulling him back down, gesturing to the balls still in the box. The Sirius seemed to get very indignant at this until the Harry hit him over the head with his broomstick, and then took off at a run as his godfather chased him. Remus looked up at the wall.

"Oh yes," he said. "I took that one in August, when you and Sirius decided to have a one-on-one Quidditch game, only Sirius didn't seem to remember you needed balls to play…"

"I remember that. He chased me three times around the field." Harry accepted a mug from Remus, and watched the steam rise in small curls from the surface of the tea, not knowing what to say next.

"What was it Snape was saying?" Remus asked gently, stroking a small Niffler which had just jumped out of an open desk drawer.

"About my dad…I kicked Ron under the table to get him to shut up before Snape took away any more points - he must've taken away at least fifty points just in the ten minutes I was there - and then he started going on about how my dad was a bully - you and Sirius, too - thought you could control the school or something, and how I was just like him…"

"I see." Remus blew the steam off the surface of his tea. "James was not a bully by any means, Harry - I don't want you to get the wrong idea from a man who hated him - Severus hadn't liked James or Sirius from the beginning, and neither of them did anything to help that fact. On several occasions, Severus tried to hex James and Sirius, but both of them - being two of the cleverest students in the school - were always there to deflect whatever curse it was from the other, usually back to Severus."

"No, I didn't think my dad was a bully," Harry said hurriedly. "Just then Snape started to go on about how I have a bigger head than my dad, about how I must have enjoyed Jessica's death because it meant I had more attention…" He suddenly realised he was gripping the handle of the mug very hard, and quickly set it down on the table, not wanting to snap the handle right off. "It's not true!" he burst out. "I would've given anything to have died instead of her - I didn't even want that stupid article to be published! And then there was that picture of me and Sirius at King's Cross - Snape said it was a photoshoot - "

"Of course it wasn't. You know what Professor Snape is saying is rubbish, so why are you listening?" Remus shook his head. "Of course you didn't enjoy Jessica's death - he knows that, he's just trying to get to you - "

"I know…but it worked." Harry had enough sense not to bring up the comment about loving werewolves. His hands were shaking slightly as he took a sip from his mug. "Does he still make the Wolfsbane potion for you?"

Remus nodded and sighed. "I'm very grateful to him - Sirius of course is adamant Severus will poison it, but I'd rather take that risk…luckily the full moon falls on a Saturday this month, so I won't need any time off…this Saturday, in fact." He held up his hand as Harry opened his mouth. "Don't worry, I'm still coming to watch the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff."

"I was going to say you don't have to."

"Why would I miss it? If the match fell on Sunday, then perhaps I'd have more trouble…" Remus gave a wry smile. "How's the new team shaping up?"

"It's brilliant - Ron and Ginny work as well together as Fred and George did - Daniel's still an amazing Keeper - and the three Chasers really co-operate together…." He grinned. "I'd go so far as to say we've got the best team in the school…some of the other Gryffindors come and watch our practices sometimes - Dean Thomas comes, so do a couple of third years, though they just sit there and giggle…"

"Probably giggling over the captain."

Harry felt himself go red. "Probably over Ron or Daniel."

Remus' lips twitched. "You'd be surprised what teachers overhear, Harry…mind you, James used to get a lot of attention as well…Lily didn't like that much, I can tell you."

Harry felt his blush deepen - he had heard girls giggling in the corridor, but he usually assumed they were laughing at him. Remus gave a small laugh himself at Harry's face.

"You know…there's going to be another ball this year."

"What?" Harry's head snapped up. "What is this, some kind of annual thing now?"

Remus nodded, a smile gracing his lips. "Another Halloween one - at least you'll have no shortage of girls to go with. You'd best start thinking about it - I think the notice goes up next week, but I know what you and Ron are like."

Yeah, Jessica had to ask me last year, Harry remembered, and he felt a painful pang. How could he ask someone else to a ball he'd gone to just a year ago with Jessica? Who would he dare ask? Remus seemed to sense some of the thoughts going through his head.

"You know, Harry, I've told you this before - Jessica would want you to be happy," he said gently.

"Yeah." Harry found himself staring determinedly out of the window.

"I was terrible after your parents' death, you know," Remus said suddenly. "I'd just lost two of the most important people in my life - and then of course, Sirius got landed in Azkaban, and I believed Peter dead…Katherine moved to America…I was alone. I kept going over everything in my mind, finding all possible ways I could have prevented all this - couldn't I have worked out Sirius was the spy? Remember, of course, I went through twelve years of believing it was Sirius who was the betrayer…couldn't I have prevented Lily and James' deaths? Couldn't I have saved Peter? Talked to Katherine? Couldn't I have rescued you from the remains of Godric's Hollow before Hagrid had?

"I tried, of course, to get to see you, tried to get custody of you, but no one would have it. Dumbledore said it was for the best you stayed with your aunt and uncle, and the whole Ministry was against you living with a werewolf…I can see their point now, of course…

"But it didn't stop me blaming myself for anything. I only truly began to recover when I came to Hogwarts to teach in your third year…when I met you, and you told me what you heard when the Dementors came close…what right did I have to blame myself when you , at just thirteen, heard your parents pleading with Voldemort…" Remus had stood up now, and was staring at the photographs up on the wall. "I don't know exactly what is was that helped me move on…learning the truth about Sirius helped, of course, and realising I wasn't alone anymore…" He turned around and looked at Harry suddenly. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I spent twelve years blaming myself for deaths that weren't my fault - I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

"But - but you weren't there, were you? I saw Cedric and Jessica die…both of them, dead, because of me…"

"Harry," Remus shook his head, "they didn't die because of you - they died because of Voldemort. Jessica died -"

"Because Voldemort knew I cared about her!" Harry said, jumping to his feet. "You weren't there - he asked me if Jessica was my girlfriend, and if I wanted him to kill her…she died because I cared about her!"

"Harry," Remus put a hand on Harry's shaking shoulder, "Harry, you still can't blame yourself - it's not your fault you care about people - it's all Voldemort's doing…don't blame yourself for something that's beyond your control…even if you pretended not to care about people, Voldemort would know, they'd still be in danger, and then you'd blame yourself for not caring enough to stop it…Harry, if you blame yourself, if you continue to blame yourself, you make yourself more of a target…Jessica would not have wanted you to blame yourself, I know everyone's said that to you a million times, but it's true - she would have wanted you to move on - just as I realised, twelve years too late, that Lily and James would have wanted me to move on…I wasted twelve years of my life being alone, Harry, you don't need to do that. Don't make the same mistakes I did."

Still shaking slightly, Harry sank back down onto the chair, putting his head in his hands. In his mind's eye, he could see Voldemort pressing his wand against Jessica's temple, a blinding flash of green light, and then Jessica's dead body…She wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself…She would've wanted you to be happy…She would've wanted you to move on…Harry had heard them all. Yet, was there any truth behind them? He looked back up at Remus, who looked at him with sad eyes.

"It doesn't do to dwell on the past and forget to live, Harry."

"That's what Dumbledore said to me in first year."

"You'd do well to remember his words."

It doesn't do to dwell on the past and forget to live…Jessica would've wanted you to be happy…

Harry stood up, picking up his bag, and walking to the door. "Thanks, Remus," he said quietly. Remus nodded to show he understood, and, with a last small smile, Harry left.

"To Emma!"

"SCORE!"

There was a cheer from down below in the stands, and Harry looked down from his broom to see again, Dean Thomas with some of the third years sitting in the stands, watching the Gryffindor practice. There were more, though…he squinted, and saw Parvati and Lavender also sitting there, talking quietly to Dean, who seemed to have his eyes fixed determinedly on the team as they flew around. Harry looked at his watch, and realised, with a jolt, that it was quarter to nine already. He reached out and grabbed the Snitch, which had been hovering beside him for a few minutes, and blew the whistle around his neck.

"Let's call it a night!" he called. "Ron…Ginny…can you two get the Bludgers…Emma, if you can grab the Quaffle…"

The team landed, and Harry wrestled the balls back into the small chest. "All I'd say, Chasers, is not to call to each other - it tells the other team exactly what you're doing, and you're better off having the element of surprise…if you all want to shout out names you're not going to pass to, though, and confuse the other team…" He grinned. "Be my guests. Ron and Ginny…play like that on Saturday…try and knock as many Hufflepuffs off their brooms as you can…" He grinned again, putting his thumbs up. "We've got one more practice before our game, so that's our last chance to smooth out any problems. Good job, though; I'll see you at the next practice."

Most of the team started walking back up to the castle. Dean came running out from the stands.

"Ginny! Ginny, can I walk you back up?"

Ginny turned from where she'd been waiting with Ron for Harry, and blushed slightly. "Er…yes, of course - I'll see you two in the common room," she said to Ron and Harry, and began to walk. Harry bent down, adjusting the balls in the chest.

"You go," he said to Ron in a low voice.

"No," Ron said darkly, jerking his head towards Ginny and Dean, who had stopped at the end of the Quidditch pitch - for what reason, Harry didn't know. "I want to know what they're doing."

"Leave it - go up, I've got to put away the balls, I'll keep an eye on it, all right? You know what Gin'll say if she thinks you're being the protective older brother…I'll see you later."

"Well, all right…" Ron still looked uncertain, but picked up Harry's broom for him. "I'll take your broom if you've got to carry that thing…"

"Thanks." Harry watched Ron go. He was still strapping in the Bludgers properly, but noticed Ginny and Dean didn't leave until a good five minutes after Ron had left, but, finally, they started walking. With a sigh, he finished securing the balls, picked the chest up, and started walking. By the time he'd reached the end of the stadium, he guessed Ginny and Dean must be at least halfway up to school, but to his surprise, he heard voices just outside the Forbidden Forest.

"Dean! No…I don't want to -"

"Of course you want to - "

"No! I don't! Dean!"

Harry turned the corner to see Dean - Dean - forcing his mouth down on Ginny's. Harry dropped the Quidditch box and started forward, seizing Dean by the shoulders, and pulling him away from Ginny. Ginny stumbled backwards, her eyes wide, her hand over her mouth. Dean turned around and punched Harry straight in the jaw, and Harry, caught by surprise, took a few steps backwards, but fumbled in his pockets, drawing out his wand. He pointed it straight at Dean, who had started towards Ginny again.

"Dean," he said, "get away from her. She clearly doesn't want to kiss you."

"Keep out of things that aren't your business, Harry," Dean spat.

"Get away or I'll hex you," said Harry steadily. "I know some good ones."

"You wouldn't dare, you'd get into - OUCH!" Dean let loose a torrent of swearwords and moans of pain as he sank to his knees, and Harry realised Ginny must have kneed him in a delicate area. She walked over to Harry, refusing to even glance down at Dean.

"Will you walk me back?" she asked Harry softly.

"'Course." Harry massaged his jaw, and picked up the chest again. "Has that happened before?" he asked as soon as they were out of earshot of Dean.

"No! Or I wouldn't have walked with him…" Ginny looked stricken. "I don't fancy him, Harry, you know that, don't you? It's just he keeps sending me all these roses and love letters…I don't want to be horrible to him…but I don't fancy him…he's not a bad person, he honestly was just trying to kiss me."

"He better have been," Harry growled. "Or I would've done a lot more than just hex him."

Ginny let out a small laugh, and turned to look at him. "Is your jaw all right? I mean, he didn't really hurt you, did he?"

Harry felt it. "I think it's just bruised…I'll ask Sirius if he's got any Bruising Balm when I go and see him." He grinned. "Wouldn't want it ruining my good looks, now, would we?"

"Oh, shove off." Ginny gave him a small push. "I know you don't really think you're good looking…but you are…loads of girls - "She stopped suddenly.

"Yes?" Harry couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice. "Most girls what?"

"Well…oh, come on, you must know girls fancy you!" At Harry's blank look, she rolled her eyes. "Typical boy, aren't you?"

"Hey, I resent that. How many boys do you know who get about fifty points taken from Gryffindor in twenty minutes, walk out on Snape, have tea with Remus Lupin for the remainder of the lesson, and then finish the day by saving damsels in distress?"

"I am not a damsel in distress!" Ginny said hotly as they reached the Entrance Hall. "I was the one who had him on his knees in the end!"

"Yeah, I know, I'm just teasing," Harry assured her, stopping at the cupboard to put the balls away.

"What were you talking to Professor Lupin about?" Ginny asked. She leaned against the wall, waiting for him to finish.

Harry looked at her, but felt himself relax - he could trust Ginny. "Jessica," he admitted. "Remus told me about how he'd blamed himself after my parents died, and that I shouldn't blame myself for things that were out of my control. He's right, I guess," he added, closing the cupboard door again. "I can't keep thinking about it, it'll drive me mad."

"Oh Harry." To Harry's surprise, Ginny reached up to give him a warm hug. "You mustn't blame yourself, you know," she told him, as she drew bad, slightly pink. "It's Vol-Voldemort's fault, not yours."

"Yeah, I know." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Trust a 'typical boy' like me to take a few months to realise that, though."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way -"

"Yeah, I know you didn't, I was teasing." Harry sighed. "Look, I said I'd go and visit Sirius tonight - you going to be all right getting to the common room?"

"Of course I am!" Ginny said indignantly, drawing herself up to her full height of five foot three. "I'll see you later…and Harry…thanks."

"It's no problem." Harry watched Ginny walk to the other side of the Entrance Hall, before running to catch up with her. She looked slightly startled. "Look," he said. "Students aren't supposed to know yet, but Remus told me earlier…there's going to be a Halloween Ball again…could - will you - I mean, would you like to go with me?" He drew in a deep breath, waiting for Ginny's reaction.

Her face split into a smile, and she went very red. "Yes," she said. "Yes, of course."

"Thanks…but don't tell everyone, I don't want Ron to know - he'll murder me."

"Oh, him." Ginny waved her hand. "Who cares about him? Go on…you'd better go and meet Sirius."

"Yeah, you're right…I'll see you later." This time it was Harry who left Ginny, as he nearly ran down the stairs, glancing at his watch. It was nearly twenty past nine. He skidded to a stop outside Sirius' quarters, knocking on the door.

"Come in," his godfather's voice called. Harry pushed open the door and stepped inside, to see Sirius sitting at the coffee table, marking a pile of essays. It was strange to see Sirius actually do some work - Harry couldn't ever recall seeing his godfather mark anything, even though this was his second year of teaching. "You're late," Sirius said, pushing the essays aside, but there was a smile on his lips.

"Yeah, Dean tried to kiss Ginny," Harry hurriedly explained, flopping down on the sofa. "Only she wasn't very interested…"

"Ah, so you were to busy playing the hero to come and see your old godfather?"

"No! Just Ginny needed my help…I'm going to the ball with her, by the way," Harry said vaguely, looking around the room. Like Remus, Sirius had been doing some decorating. More photographs lined the wall - there were a lot of the Marauders (most of them having had Peter hexed out of the picture), a couple of Harry's parents' wedding day, with Sirius as best man, and a lot of Remus and Harry. He pulled his gaze back to Sirius, who was smirking.

"Always knew you two would get together," he said.

"We're not 'getting together' - we're just going to the ball together. Those things are rubbish, the least I can do is go with someone who I can properly talk to."

"Well, why don't you go with me, Harry?" Sirius asked in a falsely high voice. "I'll make myself just as beautiful as Ginny Weasley."

Harry gave his godfather a small push. "Have you made it up with Katherine yet?"

"Er…" Sirius straightened up. "No…but honestly, there's no point," he added, seeing Harry's face. "You know I tried before, and she just went nuts."

"You've got to be a bit understanding, Siri…she has just lost her daughter."

"Ah yes…Jessica…" Sirius surveyed Harry carefully. "Moony said he'd spoken to you."

"Yeah…I'm fine!" he insisted at his godfather's frown. "Honestly…Remus helped…a lot…you think I would have asked Ginny to the ball if I hadn't taken what he said on board?"

"He said Snivellus had wound you up as well?"

"Snivellus?" Harry snorted.

"Yeah, a nickname your dad and I gave him at school…did he wind you up today?"

"Yeah…he was just trying to push me – it's OK, the worst was taking away fifty-five house points from Gryffindor for nothing."

"Twenty points to Gryffindor for learning to open up to somebody," Sirius said promptly, making Harry laugh. "And let's see, another thirty for learning not to blame yourself…and another ten for 'rescuing' Ginny."

"Sirius! You can't just give out points like that."

"I just did. They're points well deserved," said Sirius mildly. "So what else's been going on? How're your classes coming? I can't even remember what you took."

"Er…" Harry was suddenly nervous – would Sirius guess from his options what his career path was? "I'm doing eleven N.E. …just I get so much homework, it's driving me up the wall…"

"I can see," Sirius said. "You sleeping all right?" he asked again.

"Yeah…well, no," Harry admitted at his godfather's disbelieving face. "I work through lunchtime, I get up early to work, I work solidly through the weekend to get all my work done – the only other time I have is late at night."

"Maybe you should drop a couple of subjects, then?"

"No – I can't…it – it must be doable, Hermione's doing eleven and another OWL…"

"Hmm, all right…at least get some more sleep…just drop doing a couple of Divination essays or something. " Sirius looked mischievous. "That old bat was predicting your immediate and sudden death in the staff room yesterday – McGonnagall was getting quite shirty with her…"

Harry laughed. "She's been predicted my death since the beginning of third year…I used to think you were the Grim, you know," he told Sirius suddenly. "Every time I saw you, I used to have near-fatal accidents."

"Oh cheers, I love being thought of as an omen of death." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Now, what I wanted to ask is if you wanted to come out on the full moon this month – it's on Saturday night."

Harry stared at him, his mouth slightly open. "But – you said over the summer—"

"I know what I said. But we're at Hogwarts now…if I can't protect you, there's all the teachers, and Voldemort's not likely to just come strolling up the driveway, all the wards have been strengthened…" Sirius grinned. "You could take the Animagus form your father did – a stag."

"I've never tried that one before," Harry said softly. "Can I?"

"'Course you can. I wouldn't exactly spread it around, though…I don't think Dumbledore would be overly enthusiastic with the idea…" Sirius glanced at his watch. "Go on, you, if you've got more homework to do, I don't want you staying up later than you have to – you'd better get back to the Tower. Remember what I said about getting some more sleep."

"I will."

Not that it was altogether likely Harry would heed his godfather's advice. But it seemed to keep Sirius happy, and Harry left the room quietly, leaving his godfather to his stack of essays, with his thoughts spinning on the upcoming full moon.

TBC.

A/N: Very long chapter, would you not agree? 5484 words, so my MS word count tells me…please don't forget to review!