Author Notes: After many months of working on this, I have finally completed the second chapter of this story, if anyone is still bothering to follow me at all and read my stories with how lackluster I am about updating. I took a suggestion on Draco's house change though I don't think he will particularly feature much in the story, that's why I haven't completely written him out. Now, I know I'm going to get a lot of flack probably from what I do with Sirius and Remus here but at this point I just don't care anymore. If you don't like my stories, don't end up bothering to review it, just click the back button, but...that seems to be difficult for critics and trolls to accomplish. Yes, I know I'm rather bitter about that.

As for Sirius, as I know I'll probably get asked this question: We know he was in Azkaban for 12, nearly 13 years, and even though he had his Animagus form he pretty much snapped when Peter cut his finger off, transformed and blew up those Muggles (not necessarily in that order) and that he liked playing pranks and such. I tried to play with his dehinged mind (likely highly unstable) and show just how...immature he still is...because let's face it, Sirius never got help nor was he able to honestly and who knows if the wizarding world has mental health professionals in the wizarding world? But, the point is, he never got the chance to grow up and so that is why, I see it anyway, as why his mind is...fluctuating between the past and the present. Now, Remus...Remus is saner then Sirius but I always saw Sirius as the beta of Moony's "pack" and Remus and/or Peter as omegas with James as alpha. With James gone and Peter a traitor/playing 'dead' for 13 years, I think Remus would have naturally gravitated towards his 'beta' and obeyed him as he probably did when the Marauders were alive and not part of the Dark Lord's forces. Now, I think that Sirius is definitely suffering from PTSD. I'm not certain if it is severe enough to transfer into survivor's guilt or if he is also potentially suffering from Schizophrenia...but PTSD for sure as well as a brain that...honestly never had a chance to grow up. I think Sirius was still a prankster when he was out of Hogwarts and was trapped in that mindset, even as his body grew into an adult and being thrown into Azkaban a couple to few years later (probably off), his mindset would have gotten worse. I think the dementors would have played havoc on Sirius's mind when he wasn't a dog, making him relieve both the events that led to his arrest and Hagrid taking Harry away as well as his guilt for not fulfilling his duties as godfather and choosing revenge over his godson. Granted, this is just my belief with having PTSD myself.

Review Answers:

heffrom 4/5: I am not sure yet if this story will be a hundred chapters but hopefully this saturates the curiosity of you and the others who have been nice in their reviews about this story.

Gracealma: He will, for sure. Hopefully you don't mind what I've done with Remus & Sirius, with writing them out of Harry's life.

Potter Abducted by Penguins: You are half right. Hopefully you like the surprise of Harry's new house.

Daithi4377: Everyone has the preferences I suppose on Sirius and Remus stories. Sadly you are right about the stupidity of the wizarding world labeling Harry as a hero one moment then turning around and calling him a liar the next. I truthfully don't understand how he put up with it in canon without snapping.

Jostanos: You're one of the few readers, possible followers and favoriters on my stories that are consistent in your reviews, suggestions and amusing omakes you sometimes put down on my stories, until they're taken down anyway but even then you still follow and read my stories so I appreciate that. You are right that the Golden Trio is dead in this story, they will not get back together.

Author Notes End: I will try to update this one every other Sunday. Every other Sunday because I go to my grandmother's every other weekend to spend time with my dog Outlaw. I should note, May 8th to 11th there will be no updates as I will be at my grandmother's taking care of Outlaw and Bella (Bella is my grandmother's dog, she's a min pin) due to my grandmother will be in PA for Mother's Day Weekend. I'll make a reminder note as we get closer to that date. Also, I apologize but I cannot write accents but I tried at least with Fleur. She won't be much of an importance in the story in day to day stuff and will appear sporadically so I am not too worried about that.

One could hear a pin drop with the way the silence came over the Great Hall at the pronouncement of a Slytherin asking for the exclusion of the favorite student of one Professor Snape from his house. "Preposterous!" The head of Slytherin go tot his feet, objecting to the exclusion of the Malfoy boy.

"Sit down Severus," said Filius. "Mr. Zabini, is this the decision of Slytherin?"

"No, of course not," said Pansy.

"Miss Parkinson, fifteen points from Slytherin for interrupting," said Filius. "Mr. Zabini?"

Blaise looked around at his housemates and, surprising the rest of the student body, more than half of the house of junior Death Eaters stood. The only ones who did not stand were Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Graham Montague, Marcus Flint and Sean Pike; these being the members of Draco's gang. The two who were loosely associated with Draco's gang, Theodore Nott and Millicent Bulstrode, did not stand but they didn't have disapproving looks towards Blaise's request either. "We do," spoke the Slytherin fifth-year Prefect, Cassius Warrington, as he stood. "We have had enough of Professor Snape favoring Draco Malfoy at the expense of the rest of the house and letting him get away with things that the rest of us would be punished for in the privacy of our common room. I've heard how Professor Snape bullies the Gryffindors in all years, but most notably the fourth year Slytherin and Gryffindor class, targeting one Harry Potter and one Neville Longbottom. I'm sure the fourth-year Slytherins can attest to this." A few of the fourth-year snakes nodded in confirmation to their prefect's words.

Silence met the words but Professor Snape once more protested, this time by taking points away like a child. "Twenty points from each member of Slytherin that voted Mr. Malfoy out of the house!"

"See what we mean," spoke up Daphne Greengrass.

While the other heads looked at each other, Filius withdrew his wand and cast a silencing charm on Severus to keep him from protesting any further. There were titters throughout the Great Hall at seeing their Charms Professor shut their Potions Professor up momentarily. "As the majority of Slytherin House has voted to cast Draco Malfoy from their house, he is no longer a Slytherin and must come to be sorted, same as Mr. Potter."

"My father will hear of this! You can't do this to me!" shouted Draco. "He's on the Board of Governors!"

"Lucius Malfoy has no authority within the school barring educational matters, and this is hardly an educational matter Mr. Malfoy," said Minerva. "Not even your father can, and his little Death Eater friends cannot interfere in laws set down by the founders from generations ago," said Minerva, the Deputy Headmistress unable to resist smiling at the words she spoke.

It seemed this was a day for silence spreading through the Great Hall, for none of the student body nor the Hogwarts staff could believe that one of their esteemed colleagues had just blatantly accused one Lucius Malfoy of being a Death Eater. It was something that could get the Deputy Headmistress fired from her position and many looked to their Headmaster to see what he would say. Headmaster Dumbledore just sat within his chair, quietly observing the interactions of the student body, though he could not believe that Gryffindor had willingly cast out the Boy-Who-Lived. "Two Hundred Fifty Points from Gryffindor House," he finally said, earning shouts of anger from the house of the brave. "SILENCE!" Headmaster Dumbledore roared, Madame Maxime and Headmaster Karkaroff watching in silence as the head of the host school for the newly revived Triwizard Tournament spoke. "Mr. Potter, you will be first to be sorted and Mr. Malfoy, you will be next."

"I refuse!"

"If you do not wish to be sorted, then I have no choice but to expel you from Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. This earned gasps of horror from many of the students as they looked at each other, the visiting body whispering among each other and asking some of the Hogwarts students' they sat next to about what was going on. But, even for the Hogwarts students, this was a shocking revelation. For Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, it seemed to them, that the professors at this school were immature and the Headmaster was not respected like with their schools and feared in the case of Durmstrang. It was incomprehensible to two student bodies who were from well-respected schools, that students could be so blatantly disrespect to their professors and head of the school.

Draco looked to his head of house who was still under a silencing spell and unable to comment in the stuck up boy's behavior, resulting in him glaring at his other professors before storming off to the front of the aisle and watching as Harry stepped forward to have the hat placed upon his head. "Ah Mr. Potter. I didn't think I would see the day when Godric's house would behave so shamefully though I must say, it is a pleasure to chat with you again."

"Hello Hat," said Harry. "I was surprised and hurt as well. It's just another thing I don't know about the wizarding world. Hat, do you know anything about someone named Diana Fukuda?"

"Diana Fukuda? I'm afraid I don't remember a Diana Fukuda but I do remember a Diana Potter."

"Really? She sent me a letter, saying she goes by Diana Fukuda now, but that she was my dad's older sister."

"Miss Potter was a Ravenclaw. A bright girl like Miss Granger and your mother, though Diana did not flaunt her wisdom for others at their expense," spoke the hat. "However, Mr. Potter I believe we are here for your sorting."

"Yes, but can you tell me about her? I was told that Remus didn't like her."

"Ah, you're in contact with Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin are you?" Sensing the boy's shock, the hat chuckled. "Not to worry Mr. Potter. Your secret is safe with me. Miss Potter's secrets are hers alone and I am not able to release what we have spoken of here to anyone, not even the Headmaster. However, young Peverell…I would advise you not to mention anything about Diana to the Headmaster. The Headmaster has become delusional in his time after defeating Grindelwald in battle and would be against you having the family you so richly deserve young one."

"Wait…can you tell me what happened to this Diana? Why is she never mentioned by my professors?"

"That is her story to tell but do not judge her so harshly. As for what happened…Diana was expelled in her third year from Hogwarts. Now…where do I put you?" The hat rummaged in Harry's mind, taking in his memories from his time at Hogwarts for the past three years as well as his personality and the secrets he kept hidden from his friends, his emotions of fear, anger, despair concerning being kicked out of Gryffindor and the lack of support he was getting from both professor and student. The Sorting Hat sighed to itself, hoping another Tom Riddle would not be born because of this betrayal and the potential betrayal of his father's friends along with the grudges of a man who was too caught up in the past. "Right…though you have ambition and survival instincts, putting you in Slytherin would be cruel thanks to Severus's grudge against a dead man and his friends. You are wise and smart yet still fear your Muggle family and disappointing your former friend…however with his betrayal, you want to become your own person and not the byproduct of your parents. Filius would welcome you into his house and would be a good mentor for you. I'm sure Rowena would be glad to have someone like you beneath her wings. I think what you really need are friends and you'll find them more in Hufflepuff then the other two houses."

"But Professor Sprout doesn't seem to like me anymore," said Harry.

"Professor Sprout thinks too much with her heart though she has a soft spot for Mr. Diggory. It seems like you have found a potential friend and mentor in Mr. Diggory. Even if Hufflepuff is not showing loyalty which they are known for and something you are known for, loyalty to your friends, Hufflepuff will not be after you because of your status as the Heir Apparent of House Potter. Remember Mr. Potter that your destiny is what you make of it." Before Harry could even contemplate the meaning of the hat's last statement, his new house was shouted out. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry's robes changed to yellow trim around the hem and cuffs of his sleeves, a snarling badger upon a yellow shield appearing over his left breast. There was deafening silence, only Cedric stood and clapped for Harry as he made his way towards his new house, yet at the Ravenclaw table was a girl with blond hair and silver eyes who stood to clap along with Fred, George and Ginny Weasley along with Neville Longbottom. Other Gryffindors glared at those few students who stood up, Ron mouthing something underneath a silencing charm. Otherwise the Great Hall was silent as Harry made his way to his new house table, taking a seat beside Cedric who clapped him on the shoulder and then all turned to Draco Malfoy, to see where the pompous arrogant git would end up. "Mr. Malfoy," said Professor McGonagall.

While Harry's shoulders slumped at the realization that, if his godfather and the werewolf were correct, would no longer have any ties to his father at least, he was interested in seeing where Malfoy ended up being sorted to. Yet in betwixt these thoughts of curious-despair-fear was the feeling of…hope…yes hope seemed appropriate…that he might gain something from this…this Diana…this sister…of his father and maybe, just maybe, a chance to come out from the shadows of his parents and show the world or at least the sheep of Britain that he could be…better…more than his parents and possibly even the half-blood delusional nutter that had stolen his childhood. "Mr. Malfoy, come to the stool and be sorted," said Minerva again, staring reproachfully down at the white-blond haired git.

Draco scowled at the Deputy Headmistress before moving up to the stool and sitting down, facing the crowd of students, staff and visitors. The Sorting Hat was placed upon the boy's head. "Well Mr. Malfoy. Back again under me I see?"

"You can't see you stupid old rag!"

The hat chuckled. "Careful Mr. Malfoy. I could put you in Hufflepuff if you test me, despite not having any loyalty or knowing the value of fair play and hard work."

"I'm a Malfoy! We're above everyone else. The Dark Lord…."

"The Dark Lord is a half-blood," said the Sorting Hat.

"…YOU LIE! THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN AND PUT AN END…."

"MISTER MALFOY!"

"Ze poor boy is obviously deranged," commented Fleur who was sitting at the Ravenclaw table. "Ze thinks this Dark Lord is alive when 'Arry Potter defeated him thirteen zears ago. Tis very sad…poor boy. He should be locked up where he cannot harm himself."

"I'm afraid Miss Delacour, that it is impossible," said Dumbledore. "Lord Malfoy has quite the influence within Britain."

"Malfoy? Ze Malfoys are not a noble family," said Fleur.

"My father is a lord!"

"Ze Malfoys were naught but thieves and banished from France where they held a lowly status. Ze House of Malfoy never obtained nor is seen as a high-ranking house within French shores little boy," said Fleur hotly. "Ze only reason your family are 'lords' within Britain is due to Armand Malfoy making friendship with ze man known as William ze Conqueror during ze Norman Invasion."

"Wasn't William the Conqueror a Muggle?" questioned a second year Muggleborn.

"Of course, he was," came Hermione's voice. "William the Conqueror became the first Norman king of England as well as being Duke of Normandy. The only reason the Malfoys got the piece of land they live on is because Armand…"

"Ze traitor performed questionable acts for zis William the Conqueror and was part of his invading army," said Fleur, cutting off the obnoxious girl to light applause from some of the students of Hogwarts.

"Can we get back to Malfoy's sorting now?" questioned Harry, cutting off both girls from their conversation, as interesting as it was to hear about the origins of Draco's family. Malfoy looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel at hearing his ancestor was friends with a Muggle though the image was not as near threatening as his uncle when Vernon Dursley blew his top.

"I'm starving! Come on and hurry up with the sorting of the bloody brat," said Ron from the Gryffindor table.

"Mr. Weasley that will be quite enough!"

Ron glared at his Head of House, but Hermione cuffed him about his ears to shut him up. "Miss Granger, fifteen points from Gryffindor," said Minerva.

"But Professor…"

"That's enough Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall.

"I was only speaking the truth Professor. Gryffindor will lose the house cup if Harry doesn't rescind his sorting and apologize to his true house. His parents would probably be turning in their graves right now."

From the Hufflepuff table, Harry flinched and bowed his head. How would his parents react if they were alive right now and he was in Hufflepuff instead of their house? "Don't worry about her Harry," said Cedric quietly. "Muggleborns think they know everything and seek to change our ways that have been here for countless centuries. They don't have the understanding to realize why we have the traditions we do."

"But I don't know anything…"

"I'd be happy to teach you," said Cedric. "I'm surprise nobody told you about anything when you entered the wizarding world."

"Should they have?"

"Well…" But the older Hufflepuff felt the Deputy Headmistress's eyes on him and he fell silent, not before saying something in a quiet tone to the young boy sitting next to him. "I'll tell you later," said Cedric.

Harry nodded, giving the older boy a grateful smile, but as he looked around hm he could see that not many others of his new house appeared to approve of him being within the house of the loyal and hardworking. Perhaps without Hermione attempting to nag him and Ron's lazy influence rubbing off on him, maybe he could learn to become better in his studies. The Hat meanwhile continued to rifle through the boy's thoughts. "There is nowhere I can put Mr. Malfoy," said the Hat finally, earning shocked whispers from the Hogwarts staff.

"What do you mean?" questioned Pomona. "Surely there is somewhere you can put the boy!"

"I'm afraid not," said the Sorting Hat. "Since he has been exiled from Slytherin he cannot go there. He carries not the bravery and courage of a Gryffindor nor does he possess loyalty to anyone, making him unfit for Hufflepuff. Plus, with the influx of Muggleborn and Half-Bloods in your house Pomona, I shudder to think how life would be for them with an arrogant pureblood in their midst."

"What about Ravenclaw?" questioned Albus.

"The boy is smart, but he believes himself superior to everyone else because of his family name and money. He believes that should get him by in school and it must, if rumors are true, Severus's blatant favoritism of the Malfoy boy. He would be eaten alive in Ravenclaw since he wouldn't think to actually put in effort to study in his classes," said the hat.

"That's not true!"

"Mr. Malfoy, you forget that I can read everything within your head up until your current year at Hogwarts," said the Hat. "If I cannot sort him, then I am afraid there is no choice but to expel him as putting him in any other house would be a disservice to the respective student body of said house."

"This is preposterous!" shouted Draco over the murmurings of the student body. Up at the staff table, the Hogwarts staff were looking on in interest, never having come across something like this before in their tenure at Hogwarts and, as far as they knew, had never happened before within the history of the British magical school.

"Just sort him somewhere," said Minerva in annoyance though she would honestly prefer if Dumbledore threw the boy out of Hogwarts along with quite a few other Slytherins that were known Death Eater supporters. Sadly, Albus would never support that at all.

"Very well," said the Hat. "But do not say I did not warn you all of the boy's temperament. Perhaps he will do well in your house and under your guidance Minerva. GRYFFINDOR!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!" The shout came from the boy sitting on the stool, the boy who was a former Slytherin and swayed before falling onto the stone floor beneath the stool as he fainted, his black robes changing to red and gold coloring with a lion taking the place of the serpent over his left side. None made to move the white blond-haired boy as he toppled over like a sack of potatoes.

"Well, I believe that breakfast is now complete," said Albus as he looked at the four houses. "Minerva, you may wish to escort Mr. Malfoy to the infirmary. I feel he has had quite a shock."

"He'll be fine," said Minerva dismissively. She looked at her own house. "Gryffindor, we are going to have a house meeting, so classes are dismissed for the morning. I want everyone, from first to seventh year in the common room on the double!"

Grumbling, the house of lions got up from the table at their Head of House's stern look and reluctantly filed out of the Great Hall, the Weasley twins diverging from their house to pick up Malfoy and drag him behind them towards the Great Hall doors to attend the meeting of his new house while planning on how to use the younger student as a test subject for their joke products. The twins gave Harry a double thumb up as they followed behind the rest of their house and towards the doors while the remaining houses remained within the Great Hall. "I think it best if we all had a talk with our houses," said Filius, "about bullying and how it must stop. We look like an embarrassment to our visitors." This brought silence from the rest of the school, some looking down in shame while others remained stubbornly defiant with tilted chins, some shooting looks at Harry and at Slytherin as if they were the reason there was any cause for embarrassment within the school.

"I believe that is a good idea. I need to speak to Severus myself about his actions today," said Albus as he narrowed his eyes at his Potions master and spy.

"There is one thing you can do Headmaster," said Pomona.

"What is that my dear?"

"Remove Severus from his position as Head of Slytherin, and if necessary, from the position of Potions Master."

"But that would mean effectively dismissing him from the school!"

"Something has to be done about Severus's blatant favoritism," said Aurora Sinistra, the Astronomy Professor. "Regardless, this is not a conversation for today. Let's dismiss the students from classes for the next couple days and give them some freedom to do as they wish." She turned towards the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. "If you wish to join, with the permission of your Headmistress and Headmaster, we allow all students third year and above with signed permission slips to attend the wizarding village of Hogsmeade on the weekends. You are more than welcome to attend."

"Zank you for ze kind offer," said Madame Maxime. "I shall speak to zy students."

Karkaroff had been silent while watching the conversation and sorting. The former death eater felt relieved that Lucius Malfoy's son would not be coming to Durmstrang for he remembered getting a letter two years ago concerning Draco Malfoy possibly coming to Durmstrang instead of going to Hogwarts. Karkaroff knew that only had to do with Lucius Malfoy being a staunch supporter of Pureblood rights and the Dark Lord's left-hand man while Severus…Severus seemed to the Dark Lord's favorite; dare he think it. But the Potions Master had always been a slippery fellow and would do well to be watched. Karkaroff would need to be on his guard around the man and around Alastor Moody as well. The crazed Auror was bound to always be watching him and Severus as well as, dare he say it, everyone in Slytherin, no matter if they were grey or dark. According to the United Kingdom, or at least Hogwarts herself, everyone in Slytherin was a death eater in training. The Headmaster of Durmstrang gave a curt nod and called his students to attention, the group filing out in two lines like they were in the military and headed back for the ship sitting upon the Black Lake, the Beauxbatons body following behind Madame Maxime a few moments later and leaving only three more houses within the Great Hall and a shell shocked silence.

That evening Harry got his new class schedule which had been arranged by Minerva herself and delivered to Harry by his new head of house though Professor Sprout still said nothing to her new badger and neither did the rest of the house. Since that morning when there had been a conversation within all four houses, Severus having refused to discuss anything with his students and his students not believing they had done anything wrong when the rest of the school was against them, forcing one of the other professors to step in to lecture the entirety of Slytherin, the halls of Hogwarts had been silent. Gryffindor had much of their free time taken away from them and those that had voted on Harry being banished from his house were stripped of their Hogsmeade privileges, to great protest from the lions. Harry sat on his bed within the fourth-year dormitory on the boy's side and looked over his new schedule, seeing his classes were with all three of the other houses, instead of mostly the Gryffindor-Slytherin of his old house.

Yet, he could not stop thinking about Sirius and Remus would say, if they found out that he was in Hufflepuff. Though Harry did not mind being in the house of the loyal and hardworking bunch that nobody else really wanted, he did not want to lose his father's two friends. But, as he had thought during the summer, it seemed as if Sirius did not see Harry but rather a younger version of James. Minus his eyes….his mother's eyes of which he knew not a lot about. Once again, his mind turned to the letter he had gotten and the information from not only Sirius and Remus, vague as it was about this woman who was his aunt, but of the Sorting Hat's confirmation about his father evening having an older sister. Should he seek out more information on this woman and possibly…possibly other family? Well, he wasn't sure if he did have any other family, but she had said 'they' had finally found him, they…so surely there were others out there besides her? Others who were…like him? Witches and wizards or were they like Aunt Petunia….magic hating Muggles or were they squibs? Why…why had nobody…if there was more family for him out there in the world…why had they not come for him?

When he had been a child, Harry had begged and prayed, wished for someone to come and save him from the Dursleys. Nobody had ever come though and for ten long years, Harry had been alone and afraid. Then…then he had entered a world of…of things that he did not expect to be real and learned of magic, that he was a wizard and his parents had been murdered. He had thought it would be a chance to get away from the Dursleys and make some friends, to become something more than just a freak, who-no matter what he did, could not please his family. Now…now he might lose his godfather and his godfather's friend because of his new house placement and the wizarding world, or at least Hogwarts had turned against him again, as they had done in his second year. As for Quidditch…well Harry had seen what a good Seeker Cedric was in a game they had played last year, the year his Nimbus 2000 had been carried away on the stormy winds and crashed into the Whomping Willow while playing against Hufflepuff last year and he didn't want to take Cedric's spot. Plus, as he told Professor McGonagall, Harry had never truly wanted to play Quidditch. It had only been a way to get closer to his father, to almost mirror his father as he unknowingly mirrored his father with his own arrogance and penchant for rule breaking, just as Professor Snape often said and believed.

November 19, 1994

November nineteenth was a cold and blustery day, the students nevertheless excited to be going out for their first Hogsmeade trip of the school year and for those who had just become third years, it was indeed an exciting time, except for those within Gryffindor who were not allowed out of their common room at all, lest they try to sneak into the village. Due to the unwanted attention he was getting from the student body, Harry Potter used his invisibility cloak to sneak out of the castle and go to the village before stuffing it into his bag upon reaching Hogsmeade. Pulling his cloak tighter about his shoulders, Harry suddenly wished for a winter coat to wear beneath his winter cloak so he could fight the wind. He had not gotten any more letters from the woman named Diana and he wondered if perhaps it had been a fluke but he had gotten something from someone named Charlus Potter who professed to be an uncle of his, well his father's cousin from a branch of the main Potter family. Harry had not a chance to look over it yet, having only gotten it the evening before and had been trying to go over his homework for the day, glad that Cedric was there to help him out and be a buffer to his year mates who were now worried he would end up stealing Cedric's spot on the team.

It's cold, Harry thought to himself as he looked around him at the chattering students who walked in groups or couples who walked close together and holding hands. What must it be like to be someone who was normal and didn't have the weight of the world on their shoulders? To have a loving family and good friends who were not after someone because they were famous for something they couldn't remember, who would give anything to have their parents back, even if said parents might be imperfect and whose father was idolized as a…as an idol in their own right? Maybe I should have stayed in the dormitory or gone to see Professor Flitwick. Maybe he could give me information and guidance on what I should do concerning this aunt that pops up out of the blue.

He was just about to enter Madam Rosmerta's and see about purchasing a butterbeer when there was a loud barking and something tackled the youth off his feet, sending him falling onto his back. "Ooof," he gasped out, a huge and shaggy black dog that many considered an omen of death, the Grim, standing over him, tail wagging furiously and tongue lolling out with a mischievous glint in its eyes. "Snuffles! What are you doing here?" Harry half hissed in exasperation, half shouted from joy at seeing his godfather, even if his godfather was a large dog now.

The dog barked and ran his tongue over the young teen's face, Harry laughing as he tried and failed to push his godfather off him so he could get up. "Snuffles get off him," came a voice he recognized, despite having only heard it for one year.

"Professor Lupin," said Harry in surprise, though glad that someone was here to control his godfather, hopefully. The teenager breathed a sigh of relief as Padfoot was lifted off him and he could get to his feet, brushing snow off his robes as he stood, the soft white powder drifting gently to the ground. The teenager raised an eyebrow at Padfoot's whining and struggling in his former Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor's tight grip. "What are you doing here? Why is Snuffles here?"

"This mangy dog insisted on coming to pay you a visit, hoping you would be out here so we could talk about that letter you got and wanting to see what house you were sorted into," said Remus. "And please Harry. It's Remus. I'm no longer your professor."

"Okay…Prof…Remus," said Harry. "I was going to go into The Three Broomsticks to get a mug of Butterbeer, but Snuffles can't come in." Where could he possibly go in Hogsmeade since Sirius was still a fugitive? His question was answered for him when Padfoot tugged away from Remus and began trotting towards the outskirts of Hogsmeade, Remus and Harry following suit.

"So, Harry, how was your summer? I understand you went to the Quidditch World Cup?"

"It was great until the attack happened, and I became separated from Ron and Hermione," said Harry.

"How are they doing?" questioned Remus.

"Fine I guess," said Harry. "I cut them both off."

"Really?" questioned Remus. "How come?"

"Woof," said Padfoot, snagging up a newspaper within his jaws and, as they reached the edge of the village, turned and began climbing up a hill with Harry and Remus following the dog who was having an easier time thanks to his four legs.

"Hermione tried to say I couldn't function without her and they both believe I put my name in the Goblet of Fire. But I wanted nothing to do with that. I don't want fame and glory," said Harry. "I'd give anything to have my parents back."

"I know you would Harry," said Remus, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "I miss them as well you…you have lost so much."

"I'm glad you say it that way Professor. I just hope you and Si…Snuffles will accept me when you know what house I've been sorted into." Harry could do nothing about the color on his robes but so far, his former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had said nothing, if he had noticed at all the yellow in place of the red. Remus seemed alright with it, but he wasn't sure about his godfather and how he would take it.

"Harry you don't need to call me Professor," Remus reminded the teenager gently. Harry flushed in embarrassment but didn't respond to his professor verbally. He just continued to follow Padfoot through Hogsmeade and up a rocky hill that was a bit difficult up on only two legs and having to seek out purchase within the rocks with his hands, lest he fall. Onward and upward until they reached a level plateau and Padfoot vanished into a cave, his tail wagging as he looked briefly over his shoulder at Remus and Harry, the werewolf and human heading into the cave after the dog where Harry was surprised to see Buckbeak tied up within the cave. Harry approached the hippogriff and bowed, waiting nervously. Buckbeak observed him through orange eyes and then bowed back, allowing Harry to pet the proud creature as Remus vanished some rat bones littering the cave.

As Harry petted the dog, Remus looked around outside to make sure they hadn't been followed, though he was surprised to see that Ron and Hermione were not with his cub. "Okay Sirius, it looks safe. I don't believe anyone followed us," said Remus and the dog transformed, the shaggy dog turning into a man who had unkempt hair and a beard, dressed in gray robes under which were gray pants and a shirt. The man's eyes were wild and haunted, a light gray which spoke of horrors untold. Only one who had been in the infamous wizarding prison Azkaban would understand such horrors, the slow grip on sanity as they were subjected to the guards of Azkaban, both dementor and Auror alike. It was mainly the Dementors that the prisoners, innocent or guilty, who caused the haunting appearance within the prisoners' eyes and destroyed all sanity within the convicted though it was known among the denizens of Azkaban how cruel the Aurors could be and their leeway to cause harm to the prisoners.

"Harry," said Sirius as he straightened up and grinned mischievously at his godson.

"Sirius," breathed Harry, turning from Buckbeak and going to his godfather, the fugitive wizard taking the boy in his arms and embracing him. Remus came over as well and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, the pair staying like that for a few minutes until they broke apart. "I've missed you but what are you doing here? You'll get caught!"

"Don't worry about me pup. I just pretend I'm an old stray dog and stay in my animagus form unless in this cave," said Sirius.

"Still, you could get caught if anyone sees you," said Harry though his godfather just ruffled his hair and laughed. Sirius obviously did not see it as a serious matter, no pun intended of course.

"The risk is what would have made it fun for James," said Sirius, the laughter on his face fading as he looked at his godson.

"Padfoot," hissed Remus as he saw the crestfallen look appear on his cub's face, Moony snarling at his beta's careless words. Padfoot could be such and just as dense sometimes. But his friend had never had the chance to grow up with spending thirteen years in Azkaban.

"What? James would have found being in the Triwizard Cup and the challenge of not being allowed to join a challenge that he could have pulled off. He was always taking risks and getting into all sorts of mischief, slacking off in his classes since he ruled the school," said Sirius, oblivious to the disheartening look on his godson's face.

Harry stepped away from his godfather and Remus, moving back towards Buckbeak instead as he listened to his godfather being hypocritical. Did everybody see him as just a carbon copy of his father? Even Remus had said in their letter that James would have found it fun to challenge the rules of the Triwizard Tournament. "But I didn't enter! I don't want to be champion or seek eternal glory!"

Harry wasn't sure how much money he had within his vault. When he had gone to get his money with Hagrid, he'd known that he'd had a good chunk of money composed of stacks of gold galleons, silver sickles and some bronze knuts. He wasn't sure how much it was though, having only gone there twice in his life and he didn't know anything about finances. All he knew was that he had more money then the Weasleys. What would the Weasleys think about him being in Hufflepuff and no longer a Gryffindor? Was that all anyone cared about, him being in Gryffindor and seeker on his house team? Come to think of it, he was pretty sure that position belonged to Cedric so there was no way Harry would be playing for Hufflepuff. But that was alright. As he had told Professor McGonagall, he hadn't wanted to be on the Quidditch team anyway.

"Harry? Cub what's wrong?"

Remus's voice echoed in his ears and caused Harry to turn to his favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, the werewolf watching him. "Harry? Hey cub, you were spaced out for a moment. I didn't see Ron and Hermione. Did they choose not to come to Hogsmeade?"

Harry's already crestfallen face paled and he looked down at his feet, Buckbeak nudging Harry's back and the boy turned to the hippogriff, raising his hand to pet its beak and face "They aren't my friends anymore," said Harry. "They were upset because I'm the fourth Triwizard Champion." He turned to face Buckbeak, not wanting to see their disappointed faces.

"What do you mean?" Remus questioned.

"They thought I put my name into the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry. "But I'm telling you both that I didn't put my name into the Goblet of Fire. I just wanted this to be a normal year."

"Don't be ridiculous James. You're a great duelist and we rarely got caught," said Sirius. "It's a shame Snivellus didn't die though."

"Sirus," hissed Remus, shooting his friend a pained look. He had tried apologizing to Severus, but the man hadn't accepted his apology at all for what had happened. Understandably, Severus had a fear of werewolves, but he still didn't know what Sirius had been thinking by goading Severus to go down to the Whomping Willow. Neither he nor James had realized it could have cost not only Severus's humanity but also Remus's own life. He looked to Harry whose hand had stilled as the boy turned towards them, his crestfallen face now replaced by confusion.

"Whose Snivellus?" Harry questioned. Then, as if remembering him being called by his father's name, Harry flinched. "I'm not James, Padfoot. I'm Harry."

"Come on Prongs. You know who Snape is," said Sirius with a shake of his head. "Though you're a tad shorter than you were in fourth year," he said.

Remus sighed, concerned for his friend so tried to direct the conversation back to the topic at hand, the reason that Harry was alone here instead of with his friends and what had happened with the choosing of champions. "Cub, are you sure that you didn't put your name in the Goblet?"

"No. I swear I didn't. Why doesn't anybody believe me?!" Did everyone think that he would purposely put himself in danger, in a tournament that supposedly had killed people in the past like Granger had said. Well, you do have a knack for getting into trouble, his consciousness said but he pushed it away, refusing to listen or believe that truth. He did not find trouble. It came looking for him. That was what he believed.

"We do believe you," said Remus. Though Remus did some doubts, given Harry had purposely snuck out of Hogwarts using the Marauder Map which he was surprised Filch had still had the map all these years, not knowing that Fred and George had nicked it in their first year, to sneak into Hogsmeade with a dangerous murderer on the loose. That was highly irresponsible, and he wasn't sure, even now, if Harry truly understood the consequences of his actions and what could have happened, had Sirius really been set out to kill the boy. It reminded him of James, though unlike Padfoot, Remus had had the chance to grow up into an adult. Something that Sirius hadn't, nor James had had the chance to do. Peter was probably still a sniveling coward.

"What do you mean by 'having a normal year' cub?" questioned Remus. "Aside from last year, when are other times you have gotten into trouble?" Albus certainly hadn't said anything to him about Harry other than that he was a Gryffindor of average intelligence and liked getting into mischief.

Color came to Harry's cheeks and he looked to Buckbeak, whether in embarrassment or because he was seeking the hippogriff's help, was uncertain to Remus. "Nothing. Just forget I said anything," said Harry. "I was resorted," he said trying to change the subject. Thankfully it worked, at least for his godfather.

"Resorted? Why would you even want to be resorted? Gryffindor's the best house there is at Hogwarts!"

"Gryffindor isn't the only house at Hogwarts," said Harry. "There are some nice students in the other houses."

"I hope you aren't talking about Slytherin," sneered Sirius. "They're all just junior death eaters and obsessed with the Dark Arts like Snivellus was. I hope to Merlin you didn't get put in Slytherin because I'll disown you right now!"

Harry felt a twinge of fear and apprehension in his gut. And there was that name again or was it a nickname? Who exactly was this Snivellus and why did his godfather have such a disgusted sneer on his face when speaking the name? What had Sirius been talking about earlier with the comment about someone not dying? How could his godfather wish that on anybody?

What would Sirius and Remus say if they knew that he had almost been sorted to Slytherin? Remus had not said anything so far and he chanced a glance at the werewolf who was quiet and thoughtful, patiently observing the young cub he thought of as a member of his pack but worried for his beta's childish behavior. Sirius never had a chance to grow up and the wizarding world…well Harry wasn't sure if they even understood what mental illness was or if wizards could be affected by it. Sometimes, he wondered if Remus and Sirius, mostly his godfather, even saw him as Harry or if they imagined or even saw their old friend standing before them. Harry wished he could consult someone about what his godfather's problem was, but he and Hermione were no longer friends and he didn't know any other muggleborns or half-bloods within Hogwarts as well as he had thought he'd known Hermione. He knew there was Dean Thomas who was the child of a muggle and witch, but he had never made the effort to get to know his other dormmates and he was no longer a Gryffindor. Was he even allowed to have friends from his old house?

Harry knew he could not put off on telling his godfather and honorary uncle where he had been sorted into, though the fact that they may not have noticed the yellow tie and trim on his robes was odd but perhaps they were just happy to see him alive and well. Still, Harry could not help worrying, just as he wondered yet again, who this 'Snivellus' was. "I was kicked out of Gryffindor," said Harry, hesitation and fear in his voice which both men seemed to pick up on, for they were now staring at the boy they saw, or at least Sirius, come back to life. "It was because I refused to lie about not putting my name in the Goblet of Fire but how can I lie about something that I didn't do?"

Both men were silent as he questioned them, and Harry felt a tinge of fear in his gut. What if they didn't accept him being a Hufflepuff? What would his parents say, and would they answer any questions concerning this Diana who was supposedly an aunt he didn't know of? "I was sorted into Hufflepuff," said Harry, gesturing at the yellow trim around a sleeve as he held his arm up as he tugged at a couple of loose threads on his robe. He knew his robes were shabby looking but these robes he had worn for three years, which was a hidden testament to the fact that he was smaller than average for his age. He didn't know if it had to do with the Potter genes or not. His robes were a tad shorter, revealing his ankles now, but he had a little growth spurt over the summer. He watched with bated breath, his eyes cast downwards so he wouldn't see the disappointment in their eyes and then subconsciously lifted his gaze to flick between the faces of Sirius and Remus.

"Hufflepuff," said Sirius and Harry could practically feel the contempt in his godfather's voice as a sneer came to his face. "No godson of mine would willingly go into the leftover house."

"Now Sirius…"

"No Moony," said Sirius. "James and Lily would be rolling around in their graves if they knew their son was a Hufflepuff."

Harry felt tears prick his eyes as his face fell and his arm dropped to his side as his godfather spoke against his new house. "Hufflepuff seems…"

"If you were really a Gryffindor, you would end up apologizing and go back to the true house where only a Potter could be," said Sirius, cutting off Harry's words before they could even begin. "That's just as bad as your mother being friends with Snivellus or you being friends with a Malfoy."

"Sir…"

"Damnit Moony shut up! You know James would never consent to his son being a Gryffindor! Just as he didn't approve of Lily's relationship with Snape!"

"What?" Harry questioned. "Mom would never cheat on dad!"

"Of course not," said Remus. "But she was friends with Snape when she was in school."

Harry stared at his godfather, horror filling his features. No…there's no way that mom would be friends with that slimy git! "She wouldn't…"

"Of course, she was. Hanging around with that greasy bat in school, regardless of the fact that James was interested in her. I don't know what she ever saw in Snivellus. She was always hanging around him, trying to change him as if you can change a snake. He was always snooping around, sticking his big nose in wherever it didn't belong, trying to get us expelled. It's a shame James had to go and save him when I told him to go to the Whomping Willow when Moony was a werewolf while in school."

Harry's face paled as he looked at Sirius and then turned towards Remus, begging with his eyes that it wasn't true but Remus's pink shame-filled cheeks, the way he avoided looking at Harry, told the truth. It couldn't be true…Sirius wouldn't…his father wouldn't risk his neck for Snape, would he? "It's not true…you're lying!"

"You think so? James was the ringleader of our little group and I was his second-in-command. We did everything together and bullying Snivellus and the other Slytherins was a hobby of ours as well as any other students beneath us. We ruled the school in our day and the teachers loved us. Dumbledore let us get away with anything and nothing could touch us."

"Why…why would you do something so horrible? What did Snape ever do to you?"

"He kept Lily from James…she knew James was interested in her but she couldn't give him the time of day until one day Snivellus got what he deserved in our fifth year and James caused his underwear to show," said Sirius, not seeming to understand the horror on his godson's face. "After Snivellus showed his true colors, not like it wasn't obvious, Lily ran into James' arms and had nothing more to do with Snivellus. He turned into a Death Eater when we graduated, just as James and I always knew he would."

"How can you joke about nearly killing somebody?" Harry questioned. "How could you risk your friend's life, just because mom was friends with someone who you didn't like?"

"Oh, come off it," said Sirius. "Nothing would have happened to Moony. He would never give up his alpha and beta. Would you Moony?"

"Remus?" Harry questioned.

But Remus didn't answer and that, as his shame before, was more telling to the fourth-year then anything they could have tried to say in their defense. So, he asked another question of them, not sure he would get the truth from men he obviously didn't know as well as he thought he did while still reeling from the fact that his godfather didn't approve of him being a badger or was laughing about nearly killing his potions master when they had been in school. "Whose Diana? I got a letter from her and she said she had been looking for me a while, that some people had been looking for me for a while. Why don't you want me to see her? What gives you the right to tell me who I can and cannot see if they're my family?"

"You don't want to be around Diana cub," said Remus. "Moony…he doesn't like her nor do I," said Remus. "She's a horrible woman and a danger to you. It's why James and Lily never planned on letting you have anything to do with her," he said.

Harry's horror turned to disbelief at hearing that, not just his godfather and a man he saw as a mentor and uncle but also his parents would keep him from a family he might want to know. "Why? You…neither of you…have said what makes this Diana so dangerous. Was she really father's sister?"

"She is a dark creature," said Sirius. "Worse than Moony during his time of the month," said Sirius.

"What could be more dangerous than a werewolf?" questioned Harry. "What right did my parents have to keep me from seeing a family member? What…what right do you two have at all?"

"I'm your godfather. I have as much right as your parents did to forbid you from seeing anyone I don't like or that your parents would have disapproved of," said Sirius.

"Funny because you failed at that when you went after the rat," said Harry, anger coloring his voice.

"He has a point Padfoot," said Remus, ever the peacemaker. But his friend and beta didn't seem to hear him as Sirius's face began turning red in anger and struck Harry across the face, knocking the teen to the ground. "Sirius!"

Harry stared up at his godfather, fear filling his eyes as he stared up at his father figure. "Harry are you alright?" questioned Remus stepping forward, whether to help Harry up to his feet or try to grab Sirius was uncertain. Harry put an arm up to defend himself as tears again came to his eyes, threatening to fall. His godfather had never hit him before, at least not that he remembered from knowing the man. Remus was hurt that the boy he saw as a cub of his alpha would fear him as well as Sirius and he turned towards his friend and beta. "Sirius that was uncalled for," said Remus, his eyes turning amber.

"You're less like a Potter then I thought," said Sirius, ignoring his omega and godson. "James would have thought it was a big joke and done it to impress Lily. He wouldn't have tried lying about it or knowingly put himself into danger. You don't deserve to be a Potter in name or magic," said Sirius, turning from his godson.

Harry's eyes grew wide at this declaration. "Sirius…you don't mean that…"

"I do," said Sirius. "As far as I am concerned, you are no longer the son of my friend or my godson. In fact, I consider Harry as having died that night in Godric's Hollow. Because my friend's son would never become a Hufflepuff."

Remus stared in shock at his friend's words. Unlike Sirius, who seemed blinded by rage, he could smell the hurt and see it in the teenager's eyes as he slowly picked himself up from the cave floor, Buckbeak gnawing at a bone as the argument broke out between the two humans and the werewolf. Harry slowly go to his feet, clenching his eyes shut to stop the tears from flowing. "I would have thought you would be happy…"

"Remus let's go," said Sirius, as if Harry was not trying to speak. When the child desperately reached out for his godfather, Sirius shook the boy off.

"Sirius…please…" But his godfather, no for surely his godfather would have supported him no matter his house, this man he didn't know didn't look at him or acknowledge his words at all, despite the desperation in his voice. "Remus…you'll be by me, won't you?"

"Sorry cub…I can support you being in Hufflepuff and not putting yourself in the tournament but I can't support you going against your parents by conversing with a woman that they didn't want you to know about…that would be just as bad as you learning about…"

"Remus!" The sharp tone came from Sirius, a warning in his voice and Harry looked between them again. What were they hiding from the poor teenager? Harry shook his head, realizing his relationship with his parents' friends was over and may never be repaired.

"No Remus…I understand," said Harry.

"Good," said Remus. "I'm glad…"

"I understand you choose your friend over your other friend's son and that you aren't as supportive as I thought you were," said Harry. "I don't understand how you or my parents can or would knowingly keep me from more family members, just because you and they didn't like them at all. I should be allowed to choose for myself if I want to have anything to do with them or not. I've always wanted a family and had thought I could have one with the man who professed to be my godfather, but I was probably wrong. That he can sit there and joke about nearly getting you and…Professor Snape…killed or even thinks I would put myself into a dangerous tournament…" Harry paused and took a breath. "Please don't contact me if neither of you can support me," said Harry and he rushed past them, ignoring Remus's call to stop and wait, heading back down the rocky slope towards the village of Hogsmeade.

Harry stumbled down the hill, slipping on the rocks as he hurried away from the people he had once thought of as family. A man he had once looked up to, however briefly and a person who had once offered him a home. Harry was foolish to believe that anybody would want him. The Dursleys didn't want him and now, it seemed, Sirius and Remus didn't want him around either. Not if he wasn't a carbon copy of his father…not if he wasn't a Gryffindor. He should have been used to being unwanted for that was the story of his life after all, but it still hurt. At least, with the Dursleys, Harry knew why they hated him. They detested magic and told him often that he was unwanted and didn't want his freakishness in the house or in their lives.

Yet he now knew just how cruel his father could be and it threw him for a loop. His mother being friends with his most hated professor was difficult to process. Maybe it wasn't true. Why would anybody want to be friends with the greasy bat of the dungeons? Harry was unable to stop the tears from falling this time when he reached the village, the trip to Hogsmeade suddenly feeling like the trip was not worth anything.

Entering the village once more, Harry wiped the tears from his eyes as he stood in the door of a store. Why would anyone be friends with Snape? Why…would mom and dad really be ashamed of me for being a Hufflepuff? What if they knew I was almost a Slytherin? Harry couldn't see the point of going back or lying about something he didn't do.

Sirius saying, he wasn't responsible for and didn't care that his most hated professor had almost died, let alone what it might have cost Remus was a shocking revelation. What does it matter? They are no longer your family. Maybe they have never been. If Remus was so interested in my life, why wait until my third year to bother seeing me at Hogwarts? Was it…was it planned by someone?

"Harry?" A hand reached out to touch his shoulder and Harry looked up, seeing the face of Neville Longbottom looking at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Neville?" The sound of his broken voice startled the unwilling Triwizard Champion, not to mention the shy lion who continued to stand there with his hand on the other teen's shoulder. "How're things in Gryffindor?"

"Professor McGonagall chewed everyone out once the sorting of you and Malfoy was taken care of," said Neville. "Everyone in the house, barring the third-years and those students like myself who didn't vote on your exclusion ended up getting their Hogsmeade privileges taken away as well as the prefects getting their badges taken away."

"How's Malfoy doing in Gryffindor?"

"Throwing a fit and threatening to have Professor McGonagall fired," said Neville, rolling his eyes. "Basically, acting like he did in Slytherin and thinking he runs the house when he doesn't. How's Hufflepuff treating you? Are your new dormmates nice?"

"I'm not honestly sure. So far, nobody in my year has been nice to me but Cedric was welcoming and even took points from Hufflepuff when Susan Bones objected to my being a member of the house."

"Wow," said Neville. "At least you have somebody in your corner while navigating new waters," he said, "but I hope it doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"Of course," said Harry. "I'm sorry Neville but I think I'm going to head back to the school and go back to my dorm."

"Why not…hang out with me? I was just about to enter the Three Broomsticks when I saw you there and get tackled by a stray dog. Are you alright?"

"I thought I had some family left alive from friends of my dad's, but I was wrong," said Harry.

"I'm sorry," said Neville. "Do…do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks? It's…c…cold enough for it and there's…there's no reason to let people who don't support you ruin your trip."

In his three years at Hogwarts, Harry had never known Neville to speak to him. Except for first year when Neville had stood up to him, Granger and Weasley when they were trying to sneak out of Gryffindor to confront, at the time they thought of as Professor Snape, in their first year. But they had never spoken to each other. Not in Herbology which they shared with the badgers nor in their other classes. Maybe they would get the chance to make friends with other people, now that he was no longer a Gryffindor and smothered by his former best friends.

Harry couldn't say if he truly tested Neville to not stab him in the back. He didn't know anyone in his year outside of Ron and Herminone, not really. For the past three years he had hanged out with them, his best friends…his only friends in all honesty…doing homework together and attending classes together. He'd thought that Remus and Sirius were on his side, but they truly were not, and he still wondered if…if Remus thought he was James in the flesh returned to life. Sirius certainly did by the way he had been addressed by his father's name. Perhaps being in Hufflepuff would be a good thing for him though he wasn't certain yet just how things would pan out for him in Hufflepuff since only Cedric, so far, seemed the only one who would be glad to teach Harry what he didn't know. Maybe he should consider transferring to a different school since he no longer had anything at Hogwarts to keep him there. "If you don't want to, that's okay. I just thought I'd offer," said Neville, breaking Harry out of his thoughts.

"Won't you get into trouble?"

Neville shook his head. "Granger and Weasley aren't allowed out on any more Hogsmeade trips and Professor McGonagall gave the few of us who didn't vote for you ten points each," said Neville. "Katie and the Twins were talking of quitting the house team in solidarity."

Harry stared at Neville in surprise. They would quit the Gryffindor house team for him? "I can't ask them to do that."

"Well, it's just a talk they've been having," said Neville. "They aren't making any plans to do so but I'm not sure Professor McGonagall would understand or support losing three more of her lions."

"Hey Neville? How did you get out of the body bind Granger cast at you in our first year?"

"Percy Weasley found me and undid the Body Bind Curse," said Neville. "He wasn't happy when he learned that you, Hermione and Ron left the common room in the middle of the night. I think he went to tell Professor McGonagall after taking me to the hospital wing to make sure I hadn't been injured from being petrified."

"I…I told Hermione to do something to stop you from notifying anyone, but I didn't think that she would petrify you," said Harry.

"Water under the bridge," said Neville. "So…are you going to go back to Hogwarts or want to join me in the Three Broomsticks. It's kinda cold out here, despite not being winter yet."

Harry laughed, a genuine laugh, but a laugh nonetheless as he nodded. "Okay…I wanted to get a Butterbeer anyway." Neville was surprised at the other teen's laugh but then smiled and the pair headed towards the Three Broomsticks, the warmth of the fire blazing in its hearth washing over them as they entered the homely bar. Being a popular spot for students from Hogwarts on Hogsmeade trips, the bar wasn't as crowded as it normally was in the winter, probably due to most of Gryffindor House having their Hogsmeade privileges taken away from them.

"Two Butterbeers please," said Harry to Madam Rosmerta as she came over to their table and the matron of the bar nodded before disappearing back to the counter to make them. The two sat talking about their interests with Neville describing how the Longbottoms had greenhouses at home and he would spend his time there when not doing schoolwork and how stern his grandmother was.

"I just wish she would see me for who I am and not my father," said Neville. "I think Gran thinks I'm a failure of a son. They used to believe I was a squib and that's the worst thing that can happen to the child of a pureblood family, to be born a squib and be an outcast from wizarding society."

"What's a squib?"

"A person born to magical parents but without magic in them. Well, I guess that's somewhat wrong. They have magic but it is little more than a Muggle. Kind of like the opposite of a muggleborn witch or wizard born to Muggle parents. There's some purebloods and half-bloods who think that muggleborns steal magic from wizards and witches but everyone has a squib in their line somewhere that was either tossed out of the family or even killed but I think killing squibs is rare now."

"So…is that how muggleborns get magic? From a squib relative?"

"Nobody is honestly sure as nobody has studied how one gets their magic," said Neville with a shrug. "Some are, as I mentioned, prone to believing they steal it from purebloods and others think that these cast out squibs married into muggle families and the magic passed onto one of their descendants. But you'll never get Muggleborns or even wizards to acknowledge such a thing. Muggleborns prefer to think they are special and right about everything and wizards like thinking they are superior, especially the families who once fought for Voldemort, Grindelwald and other dark lords in the past."

"He was destroyed by Dumbledore right?"

"Defeated. Not destroyed as some like to think," said Neville.

"How do you know about Grindelwald?"

Neville paused as Madam Rosmerta came back with their Butterbeers. "That'll be four sickles lovelies," said Madam Rosmerta and Neville fished out four small silver coins, handing them to the bartender.

For the first time since he had come to Hogwarts, Harry felt like he had a friend that he could count on. Even before, when he was at the Dursleys, he'd never had a friend due to the Dursleys wouldn't let him have any and spread it around the neighborhood that he was nothing but a troublemaking delinquent, something that many in his neighborhood were content to believe. But maybe, maybe he could have a new family with these strange people who called him by a different name. Or at least, this woman who was apparently his father's older sister, did. Who knew how many other family members he had out there? "Hey Neville?"

"Yeah Harry?"

"Did you get your wand from Ollivanders?"

Neville shook his head. "No," he said. "This is my dad's wand. Gran didn't think that I needed a wand since my father's wand was good for Frank Longbottom's son. Until I turned out to be a disappointment to her and Uncle Algie. He's my father's uncle and my great-uncle. I don't think he likes me much."

"Why?"

"He was determined to force the magic out of me and catch me off guard. Even Gran believed I was a squib and she's always telling me that I should uphold the family honor and not do anything to displease her. But, my uncle Algie dropped me off the Blackpool Pier when I was eight. I was lucky that I didn't die, and my uncle was so pleased with me that he got me Trevor as a present for getting entrance into Hogwarts."

Harry's mouth dropped open as he heard the seriousness of Neville's home life. "That's…that's barbaric!"

"It's just the way it is among pureblood families."

Harry pondered the way of pureblood families, deciding he knew nothing about them at all. He didn't want to insult Neville, but he couldn't believe that such ways were common practice by Neville's telling and he hadn't known Neville to lie to him. Not that you ever gave him much chance one way or the other, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Professor Snape chided in his head. A shiver passed down Harry's spine as he looked at his possible friend, contemplating what to say. "Maybe the reason you have a hard time with your practical lessons is because you didn't choose a wand from Ollivanders," said Harry.

"What do you mean? I like my dad's wand."

"Well…I imagine you do. I'm sure if my parents' wands were available that I would enjoy them as well, but you might do better in classes if you had your own wand. I know it took me several tries before I found my own wand," said Harry. "I mean…if your Gran values the wand so much, maybe it would be better served as a memento to your father's deeds and you could become a better wizard by having your own wand."

"Hmm…I guess I see what you mean But I don't think that my Gran will agree to getting me a new wand. She'd probably think that I was forsaking the sacrifice of my father."

"Sacrifice?"

Neville frowned to himself and looked down at his frothing mug of Butterbeer, staring at his reflection within the murky butterscotch drink. "My parents were Aurors," said Neville. "They worked for the Ministry hunting down Death Eaters and other things relating to the protection of the wizarding world and ministry itself. They're in the Janus Thickney Ward at Saint Mungo's. Casualties of the first wizarding war. They were attacked by the Lestranges, a woman named Bellatrix, her husband Roldolphus and his brother Rabastan."

"Is there any cure for them?"

"The healers at Saint Mungo's haven't found any cure for them and say its hopeless," said Neville. "My grand takes me there during the summer every year to see them, even though they have no knowledge of who I am or who Gran is. I don't really like talking about it a lot, but I suppose it's right for you to know, if we're going to be friends."

"Thank you, Neville. Nobody's ever put such trust in me before with a secret."

"Really? But you're the Boy-Who-Lived!"

"I grew up with my mom's sister and her husband," said Harry. "They're Muggles and they don't like magic or anything about the wizarding world. They spent the first ten years of my life telling me that I was a burden on them and that they should have dumped me in an orphanage." Harry didn't realize that it wasn't safe for him to speak of his home life due to the possibility of Death Eaters lurking within the Three Broomsticks.

"They don't like magic? Did they…they hurt you?"

Harry bit his lip, knowing that if his relatives found out, that they would punish him for telling someone what went on at home. Harry raised his mug to his lips and took a few tentative sips of the hot liquid that warmed his throat as it went down. "My aunt once swung a frying pan at me for burning the bacon and my uncle has a habit of tossing me around and hitting me. Most of the time, they just locked me in my cupboard and didn't feed me anything for a few days."

The two teenagers spent the time conversing with each other over menial things, Neville saying how Herbology was his favorite class and causing Neville to spit out a mouthful of Butterbeer when he heard that Harry had been looking forward to Potions in his first year. "You wanted to learn Potions?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "I was really looking forward to that class because it reminded me of cooking and since I've cooked since I was four, I thought it would be easy."

Neville shook his head as he listened to Harry speak some of his home life, the boys eventually getting to their feet and leaving the tavern where they wandered the streets, looking in the windows of the various shops. They went into the local branch of Ollivanders to look at wands and were greeted by Mr. Ollivander himself who was busy cleaning the counter the Hogsmeade branch. "Ah, Mr. Longbottom. I expect you've come for a wand? And Mr. Potter, I've heard you were resorted into Hufflepuff."

"Yes sir," said Harry.

Neville looked at the elderly wizard as he peered at him and shifted on his feet. "I have my dad's wand, but Harry thinks it might be best to get a wand of my own."

"The wand chooses the wizard Mr. Longbottom," said Mr. Ollivander. "Dowager Longbottom thinks too much of her son and forgets this important fact. I will speak to her myself, but for now let's get you a new wand. Come along."

Neville looked at Harry and then handed him his father's wand before stepping up, a tape measure flying from under the counter and beginning to measure Neville. "That's enough," said Ollivander after a few moments and the tape measure fell to the floor. "Now, let's see. Hornbeam and Dragon Heartstring, 10 ½ inches, pliant. Good for Metal-Charming, The Dark Arts, Fire Spells, Spell Writing, Dueling, Care of Magical Creatures, Apparation and Elemental Magic which consists of all elements except air. It is also known as Ironwood in some circles and is also potent in water spells. Give it a wave."

Neville took the wand from Ollivander's outstretched hand but didn't feel anything and handed back. Ollivander put the wand back in its box and pulled down another one. This wand was taupe in color. "Hazel, 12 ½", Unicorn Heartstring and supple. Good for Charms, Transfiguration and Divination, and the core is Unicorn Tail Hair. It helps with Spirit Magic, Spell Writing, the Logical Arts of Magic, Healing and Care of Magical Creatures as well as Dueling."

Again, Neville took the wand and waved it, only to explode cause the boxes of wands on the shelves to fall down, bringing a laugh from Harry who remembered his own wand experience. "Not that one I see." He turned and rifled along the boxes left on the shelves before pulling down a box and turning to Neville. "Try this one. Cherry, 13 ¼" with a Unicorn Tail Hair, surprisingly swishy. It is known for being surprisingly loyal or surprisingly unloyal but is good for those who have a hard time coming out of their shell. It's a good wand for Elemental Magic, mainly earth and water spells, as well as Healing Magic and Divination. It is a highly praised wand among students who go to the Japanese Wizarding School Mahoutokoro."

"Sounds like it might be a good try Neville," said Harry.

"Maybe," said Neville who took the wand and immediately felt a rush of power wash over him, like water was coursing through his veins. He flicked his wand and managed to levitate some of the boxes back onto the shelves.

"Well Mr. Longbottom, it seems that is the wand for you. Do not worry about the payment, I will speak to Augusta and have her give me the payment then."

"Thank you," said Neville. He was surprised when Mr. Ollivander gave the boys a couple of wand holsters and wand cleaning kits.

"For your patronage," said Mr. Ollivander, waving the boys out of his shop.

Once leaving the shop, the boys headed back to Honeydukes where they got some candy and then headed back to the school. It was near lunch time when they arrived back at the Great Hall, the boys deciding to sit together at the Hufflepuff table. There weren't a lot of upper year students in the Great Hall, most enjoying their time within Hogsmeade but he could see several sullen Gryffindors from his year sitting at the table. "I don't see Ron or Hermione anywhere."

Neville turned to look behind him. "I think they might be in detention with Filch."

"I gotta say, I don't feel sorry for them," said Neville.

"Nope," agreed Harry. As lunch appeared, a few owls appeared through the windows and Harry looked up as Hedwig came flying towards him. "Hi Hedwig."

"Hoot," said Hedwig, nipping Harry's finger affectionately with her beak. Beside her came soaring to them, another owl. This one was a regal gray looking Eagle Owl that flew down towards Harry and landed near his plate, holding out its leg.

"For me?" questioned Harry.

"Hoot," the owl responded.

Who could this letter be from? I only just sent out the letter to Diana, telling her I didn't want to contact her again, thought Harry to himself. Harry wasn't so sure now that sending that letter out had been a good choice, but it was too late to intercept the letter. He wasn't sure if it was possible to intercept a letter among wizards. While the owl was on its way to Diana, the extended Potter-Peverell family were getting letters of their own, describing the situation of their relative and future lord of the house, should he prove worthy. Letters were being sent to America and Korea, as a letter had been sent to both places in 1981 with the death of James and Lily Potter, letters Charlus had to send himself when he'd found out a few months later that his nephew was deceased and his great nephew missing.

Taking the letter from the eagle owl, Harry reached out to pet it and the bird allowed the action and unfolded the letter as the platters filled with various foods appeared on the table before them. As Neville helped himself to some food, Harry opened the letter and scanned it to see the contents, finding another letter from another family member he knew nothing about. This was apparently from an uncle, judging by the first sentence within the letter.

"Harry?"

"Neville, have you heard of someone named Charlus Potter before?"

Next Chapter: Harry reads the letter from Charlus Potter and finally gets the chance to meet his great uncle and great aunt in the flesh as well as visit their home, after a serious discussion between Dumbledore and the Potters (Charlus and Dorea). Severus gets an ultimatum by Dumbledore and Harry gets told some information concerning the Peverell-Mortem houses as well as a bodyguard and meets more of his extended family. There's a confrontation between Charlus and Dorea when Sirius barges into the school which turns into a duel and another surprise is waiting in the form of a hidden enemy.