Chapter 216
"I will need to run it by Professor McGonagall but I don't see any reason whywe can't owl the Outstanding students by tomorrow and make the offer, explaining the circumstances." Professor Babbling confirmed. Sirius smiled at her again. "Excellent." The Professor rose to her feet and Harry leapt to his, grateful it was all over
until he returned to school officially. He barely managed the goodbyes as
Sirius hurried them out. As soon as they were in the corridor, Sirius pulled him into a quick hug.
"I am so proud of you." Sirius said again. "You aced the test and you werebrilliant about the whole moving up a year thing." Harry returned the hug, feeling giddy with delight at Sirius's visible happinessin Harry's achievement. "I couldn't have done it without your help." He pointedout as they made their way back to Hermione and Remus.
"You're an excellent student, Harry." Sirius countered. "And, yes; I aman
excellent tutor!" He winked at him and Harry chuckled. They spied Remus and Hermione waiting by the massive front doors. Hermione was almost bouncing by the time they reached them.
"Well?" She demanded. "Did you pass? Did it go OK? It's OK if it didn't goOKbut I'm sure you did fine and…" Remus put a hand on her shoulder. "Take a breath and let himanswer, Hermione." He looked hopefully at both Sirius and Harry. "Well?" Harry smiled happily. "I passed."
"He got an Outstanding!" crowed Sirius. Hermione squealed and launched herself at Harry. Harry gave an omphf as he caught her, his arms automatically wrappingaround her and noting that she was a girl in the way her body pressed against
his in interesting places. He looked startled over her bushy hair for advicefrom Sirius who simply smirked back at him. Hermione untangled herself
from Harry with a sheepish expression but she surprised himwhen she heldonto him, one of her arms wrapped around one of his.
"Well done, Harry!" Remus congratulated him. "I think this calls for cake andice-cream."
"Oh, there's more." Sirius said and motioned for Harry to speak. Harry explained the accident with the fourth year exam papers and the
opportunity to test into fifth for all of the Outstanding students. Hermione squealed again but he was ready for her hug and grinned at her
beaming face. "Oh, Harry! This is fantastic! Just think! We could sit our OWLayear early and that's one less for our fifth year and – oh, but there's only amonth and I've only just started reading for Runes! And then there's…"
"You're more than welcome to join Harry's tutoring lessons, Hermione." Siriussaid quickly.
"And if I can get into fifth year Runes, you definitely can." Harry assured her. "You did better than me on the third year stuff." Hermione smiled up at him and nodded briskly. "Anthony Goldstein andDaphne Greengrass probably got Outstandings as well. Maybe Sue Li? I
wonder if they'll want to take the test. Probably Anthony will. He told me
before the exam that he was already half a term into the fourth year material." The sound of someone approaching had them turning around rapidly toseeBill running up to them. Sirius sent Remus a questioning look and Remus nodded.
"I sent a patronus asking if we were needed to remain here and for an update. I didn't expect a personal reply." Bill waved at them as he joined them before bending double and catchinghisbreath. "Merlin, that's some climb!"
"I preferred Fawkes helping me out." Harry admitted.
"So, what was in the secret room?" asked Sirius. "Do you need Harry?" Bill shook his head. "There's nothing in the room."
"Nothing?" questioned Remus sharply, his eyes narrowing before he sigheddeeply. "Of course, anything of value, Voldemort would have taken whenhediscovered the Chamber as a teenager, as Tom Riddle."
"That's our theory." Bill confirmed. "There's evidence that there were books, potions and there are some old cauldrons that were left lying on the floor
but…" he shook his head, began to speak and stopped again at the sight of
Hermione before he opened his mouth again, "definitely nothing of value."
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Harry knew that meant the object they were looking for must be hidden
elsewhere in Hogwarts. They'd have to regroup. Sirius sighed. "I guess it was unlikely he would have gone back there if he'dtaken everything of value with him."
"Bertie and the Headmaster are doing another check to see if there are any
other nooks and crannies down there where stuff might have been hiddenaway but…" Bill shrugged. Hermione was looking from Sirius to Bill to Remus with a calculating look that
Harry knew all too well.
He hurriedly cleared his throat. "We should get going."
"Me too," Bill said, "I volunteered to come up so I could check on Ginny."
"Poppy gave her a sleeping potion." Remus informed him. "But I'msure your
Mum would appreciate the support. She's had a bit of a shock." Bill nodded. "See you guys." Sirius nodded. "Tell Bertie I'll owl." He ushered Hermione and Harry out of thedoor. "Come on. The sooner we get clear of the wards, the sooner we
celebrate with cake and ice-cream!" Harry smiled at Sirius's antics but his eyes caught Hermione's contemplativeexpression again and his heart sank. He didn't want to keep secrets fromhisfriends but Sirius and Remus had discussed the necessity of it with himmanytimes and he knew it was for their protection as much as it was for his. Theydidn't need to know about the treasure hunt or about the prophecy (andtherewere times as he had confided in Healer Allen that he wished he hadn't beenso insistent on learning about it himself) and knowing about either wouldonlyput them in danger. Hermione suddenly slipped her hand into his again. "It's OK, Harry." She
whispered as they fell behind the two men striding away down the path out of
the castle. "I know you can't tell me and I know it's probably something todo
with the death threat and with him, but if you need me…" He tightened his grip on her hand so relieved at her unequivocal support that
he couldn't speak for a long moment. "Thanks." He managed eventually. She smiled at him and started talking about fourth year Runes and howhewasn't to tell her what was on the exam but she had started reading about therecombinations of Runes in protection in her fourth year text book and what
were Harry's thoughts?
They discussed Runes all the way to the Hogwarts gates and caught upwithRemus and Sirius waiting for them on the path. Harry and Hermione cametoahalt in front of the two men and Harry waited impatiently; weren't they
supposed to be doing something like apparating them?
"Harry," Sirius said dryly, "I'm afraid you're going to need to let go of Hermioneso Remus can apparate with her to Black Manor." Harry looked at him confused for a long moment before he realised he wasstill holding onto Hermione's hand. He blushed furiously as they untangledtheir fingers and Hermione, her own cheeks a rosy red, stepped away towardsa visibly smirking Remus. Sirius winked at Harry and placed an arm around Harry's shoulders as Remusdisappeared out of sight. "Hold tight."
They reappeared in the reception room and Hermione smiled at himshyly. Harry blushed again but smiled back to reassure her there was no harmdone, and wondered again at the flip-flopping sensation in his belly. Cake, he
decided as he followed Sirius out of the room; he just wanted cake; it hadnothing to do with Hermione.
.... Harry exchanged a nervous look with Neville as they were ushered into thestudy. Sirius and Remus had been strange all day, and the way Sirius hadabruptly informed them that Neville's Gran had given her permission for
Neville to stay for a bit longer before he'd hustled Hermione to the floo after
the politics lesson made Harry's 'Marauder' alarm start ringing very loudly. Sirius waved them into a sofa in the seating area. The coffee table had awaiting pensieve filled with a silvery memory. Remus sat in a chair next tothem and sent a pointed look to Sirius, who was hovering with a strange
expression on his face by the open door. The two Marauders seemed tohavean entire silent conversation before Sirius heaved a sigh and shut the door.
"Right," Sirius cleared his throat as he walked over to join them, "so you'reprobably wondering why we've brought you two in here." Harry swapped another bemused look with Neville before they both nodded.
"Right," Sirius repeated, taking a deep breath, "we're here to have a discussionwith you about…" he gestured, "well, um, I guess you could say, about
courting?" Courting?
Harry's green eyes were startled wide as he realised where the discussionwas heading. He shook his head quickly. "That's OK, Padfoot, really! I thinkNeville and I, uh…"
"We know." A very pale Neville managed to get out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 218
"Yes, you know," Sirius agreed fervently before he sighed, "but do you know?" Harry frowned in confusion and was relieved Neville's expression was equallybewildered. Sirius cast a desperate look at Remus.
"What Padfoot is trying to say is that we are aware that you may knowthebiological facts but that is rather different to the art of courting." Remus said. "There are also certain emotional and physical implications about datingsomeone and becoming sexually active. And, we should check that what youdo know is accurate and not a tale from Mister Finnegan's imagination."
Harry was fairly sure Neville was looking as horrified as he was.
"Right," Sirius said again, "I think we should just…get on with it. Here," he
pointed at the pensieve, "is a memory." His face softened in remembrance. "It's your Dad, Harry. Your Granddad actually gave James this kind of talk theSummer after our fourth year. We Marauders went to visit himand so…" Harry brightened at the news. It was a memory of his Dad! Howbad couldit
be?
"We're all going to enter the pensieve." Remus said. "If you have a questionat
any point, we'll pause the memory and explain before we move on." Sirius smiled at them. "Ready?" Harry glanced at Neville who gave a nervous smile. They leaned forwardtoenter the pensieve…
They fell into the memory and found themselves in a large sunny bedroom. Anunmade bed could be seen to the left but four boys were gathered on thefloor, a plate of snacks in the centre of them and they each had glasses of
butterbeer. Harry soaked up the sight of his fifteen year old Dad; everyone was right, theydid look alike with the same messy dark hair, slim build and Potter features. But there were differences beyond his Dad's hazel eyes…his father had a
casual elegance and air of status about him that Harry knew would have
come from the etiquette lessons he must have had as a child; there was alsoa faint hint of the arrogance Sirius had confessed to Harry; and, finally, therewas the openly mischievous smirk that adorned his face. His gaze moved to the boy to his Dad's immediate left – Sirius. There wasalready a hint of the rebel about Sirius in his muggle clothing of jeans andt-shirt. Fifteen year old Sirius still had shadows in his eyes but Harry knewtheshadows had nothing to do with Azkaban and he recognised the guardedwariness all too well from looking in a mirror when he'd been growing upwiththe Dursleys; a desperate loneliness and a want to belong. Remus sat to the left of Sirius, opposite Harry's father. There were fewer scarsacross his face and his hair was a glossy sandy colour. His brown eyes werewarm and friendly. The rat was the last of the group but fifteen year old Peter didn't look likethecrawling betrayer that Harry had encountered at the end of his third year. Peter looked like the others – young and mischievous if a little nondescript
with his brown hair and eyes; a little slovenly with his twisted collar and thefaint stain of some condiment on the front of his robes. Neville shifted beside him. "That's Pettigrew?"
"Younger and not yet in Tom's pocket but…yeah." Harry admitted quietly.
"We couldn't delete him, unfortunately," Sirius added, "but he was always
pretty quiet so you shouldn't have to put up with him saying much." Harry nodded absently as he tuned into what his Dad was saying…
"…and then he sits me down and gives me the Little Wizard's Talk!" Jamesannounced, waving his sandwich at them. "I mean, me!"
"At least he went to the trouble to sit down and talk with you!" Sirius saiddisgruntled.
"Exactly." Remus nodded. "I think my parents are trying to ignore the fact that
I'm a teenager." He sighed. "Not that having the Talk would make a differenceto me. With my condition I can hardly go out with someone."
"Bollocks, Moony!" remonstrated Sirius. "There are plenty of girls who'd likeyou to escort them to Hogsmeade if you'd just get over yourself."
"And when they find out the truth?" shot back Remus. "How many do youthinkwill stick around after that?"
"The ones that deserve you." James interrupted. "If they don't want to knowyou because of your furry little problem, they don't deserve to be with you."
"Hear, hear." Sirius said.
Harry noticed their Remus was shooting Sirius an irritated look as their
memory versions started their campaign for James to spill the beans onwhat
had been said in his Talk.
"I thought you were going to start the memory from a later point?" Remushissed at Sirius. Sirius shushed him and pointed back at the boys. "James is about to beginproperly."
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The look Remus shot Sirius promised retribution. Harry wondered what
Remus would think up; he could get quite creative with his pranks.
"Alright!" James held up his hands. "I give in! I'll tell you what my Dad said." Remus's eyes narrowed on his friend's wicked smile. "You have to promiseonMarauder's honour to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
"Moony!" James protested dramatically. "Don't you trust me?" There was a chorus of 'no!' from all three of his friends.
"Fine," grumbled James, "I promise I'll make no embellishments. Let's get
organised!" He made the other three sit in a line on the floor facing himand he sprawledout in front of them, brushing off his dusty robes. Remus had somehowgotten parchment and ink and was poised to take notes.
"Alright, boys," James began brightly, "as you are now fifteen years old, youmay have started to notice girls or boys or both. This is because you are
becoming a man and your body and emotions are maturing. You are
beginning the journey to…"
"Sex!" interrupted Sirius cheerfully. James shot him a look that clearly said 'shut up,' "…finding someone toloveand marry; someone you can build a family with."
"Well, not if it's a boy." Remus pointed out. "If you settle down with a boy, having a baby is out."
"Adoption." Sirius said. "You can blood adopt which is just as valid or gowithasurrogate."
"True." Remus conceded.
"But who would want to kiss a boy?" joked Peter.
"I already have." Sirius stated somewhat stiffly. Harry's eyes widened with the admission and he cast a look over to the older
version of Sirius who was very carefully ignoring them all.
"Really?" asked Remus, his eyes shining with curiosity. "What was it like?"
"More to the point," James interrupted, "who was it and when?"
"I'm not saying but it was…" Sirius shrugged, "fine. Not ground shaking or
anything. It's a bit like kissing a girl." James sighed but didn't push Sirius. "Anyway, my Dad said that he didn't mindif I ended up with a girl or a boy as long as I was happy."
"My Mum would throw a wobbly if I brought home a boy." Peter said. He
suddenly clasped his hands together and wailed dramatically. "But what about
my grandchildren?!"
Harry noted that it was quite a funny impression even if it was Peter.
"Your Mum? What about mine? Your Mum might cry and wail a bit, but minewill have a complete fit and hex me half to death before marrying me off tosome pureblooded bitch from Bulgaria. Not that it matters since I'mleavinghome as soon as I can." Sirius made a 'get on with it' gesture at James.
"So then…" James said quickly, moving the subject on. "'Son,' he said, 'at somepoint you will go from noticing people in general to noticing one person inparticular…'"
"Lily," coughed Sirius.
"And he explained what a crush was – you know, being very attracted, wantingto be with them, wanting to be noticed by them, dreaming about being withthem – assured me again that it was all perfectly normal." James's
expression took on a sheepish look. "Then he explained that it was a finelinebetween a crush and obsession, and to make sure I didn't allowmyself toslipfrom one to another."
"You mean like following said crush everywhere?" Sirius teased.
"Stealing her timetable to know where she is every hour of the day?" offeredPeter with a sly smirk.
"Making notes of what she eats at meals so you can deduce her favouritefoods?" added Remus.
"Alright, alright!" James held up his hands. "I admit my Dad's talk did actuallyget me to think maybe I've gone a little overboard with Lily." Harry's heart ached a little at his Dad's miserable expression. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 220
Younger Sirius obviously had the same reaction because he cleared his throat
loudly. "Well, maybe your Dad has some advice to offer about howyou couldwin the heart of the enigma that is Evans?"
"Yes!" exclaimed James, pointing at him. "Wooing was the next thing he talkedabout."
"Wooing?" Sirius pulled a face. "He actually called it wooing?" James ignored him. "Basically, he said that when you found someone youliked, that the next stage was wooing – getting to know thembetter andallowing them to get to know the real you."
"But what if they're a teacher?" asked Peter.
"Well, I think you probably have to be realistic and appropriate about the object
of your affections," Remus supplied quickly, "right, James?"
"Sure, I mean Dad didn't say anything specifically, but I think he was assumingthat the other person would be within the same age range and someone youknew personally." James frowned at Peter. "You don't still have that crushonProfessor Linney?"
"She's so beautiful." Peter said dreamily. All three other boys exchanged knowing looks.
"So," said James loudly, "you like someone near to your own age, not a
teacher," he threw Peter another look, "or someone unattainable like a
Quidditch player or whatever, and you want to get to know her – or him–better." He gestured. "He said the first stage was to become friends withthem, get to know them. Sometimes it works out that once you do knowthem…"
"You don't fancy them anymore." Sirius concluded.
"But sometimes you'll continue to like them and will progress to the next
stage; asking them out. He suggested that you take them a token –a flower
or a chocolate or something – and in private, ask them in a sincere way if theywould do you the honour of allowing you to escort them to Hogsmeade…or
wherever. If they say no, accept it graciously and don't push it." James sighed
and reaching down pulled on the toes of his socks straightening themout. Harry wondered why his father looked so disheartened. Sirius nudged him. "Your Dad had spent our fourth year asking your Mumtoaccompany him to Hogsmeade in front of the entire Gryffindor CommonRoom every time there was a weekend announced. It was a bit of a runningjoke by the end of the year that he'd ask and she'd turn himdown."
"Oh." Harry realised that his Dad must have compared the advice he'd beengiven to how he'd asked his Mum and understood he'd made a mistake.
"Neville's Dad, on the other hand, wooed Alice exactly in the manner James'sDad recommended." Sirius smiled at Neville who brightened at the newknowledge of his father.
"How do you get one of them to go somewhere in private?" Peter wonderedout loud. "They travel in packs."
"Send them a note with the morning mail or sneak one to themin class," suggested Sirius.
"Or you could just ask them if you could have a word in private." Remus saidlogically.
"What if they don't like me, I mean, you, collective you?" Peter stammeredout. "They're hardly likely to go anywhere alone with me…you? You knowwhat I
mean."
"That's why there's the getting to know you thing first." Sirius said sagely. "Sothey can get to know you enough that they would go alone with you
somewhere."
"Dad said there were a few tips. Firstly, compliments should be sincere. If her
hair looks awful, don't pretend it does. But if she has a nice smile, you cansaythat you like her smile, for instance." James said. "Secondly, you shouldalways be honest but never say anything unkind."
"Don't tell her she's fat, he means." Sirius chipped in.
"Any other tips?" asked Remus, making a note on his parchment.
"Uh, don't insult her friends." James muttered. All three of the others looked at him but with varying expressions of horror, sympathy and pity.
"Well, you've kind of screwed the…"
"Sirius!" James snapped.
"He has a point," Peter said tactlessly, "we have hexed Snivellus a lot. It's nowonder she doesn't like you." Neville leaned in towards Harry. "Snivellus?"
"Snape." Harry whispered back. "He was my Mum's friend."