Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter 7: Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well

'Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.' Voltaire

Harry hadn't offered any excuses.

He'd been in this situation before. Wrong place. Wrong time. And he hadn't done anything wrong. It wasn't past curfew. It was a public hallway in the school. He hadn't cast a single spell.

Yet here he was seated in the headmaster's office after being marched up here by Snape.

And Prof. Dumbledore dismissed Snape, even though Hogwarts two new 'transfer' students were now missing.

"Sherbet lemon, Harry?"

"No." Harry glanced towards the door through which Snape had recently exited the office. "What about Sirius and my dad?"

Candy clacked in the headmaster's mouth before he shrugged. "I suppose they've been returned to when they belong. You're still here."

"But … what if … what was wrong with them? Why were they acting like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like complete morons!"

"That may be your interpretation, Harry, and may I suggest it's rather harsh?"

"Harsh? What was that spell that Snape-"

"Professor Snape."

"He blocked a spell. What were they trying to do?"

"Who can say?"

"It couldn't have been anything good."

"Alas Harry, you seem to have taken this little bit of misadventure the wrong way."

"Oh, was that going to be on all our death certificates if they stayed any longer – death by misadventure?"

"Finite Incantatem."

"What was that for?"

"I believe you may have been suffering under some lasting ill effects, Harry."

"You think my dad cast something at me? Or Sirius? They acted like they didn't know me."

"Finite Incantatem."

"What do you keep casting it for?" Harry tried to pull a longer piece of hair into view to confirm it was still black and looked down at his clothing.

"Just verifying my wand movement."

"Is this some kind of joke? It's not funny."

"Harry, the point of life is to enjoy it. Simply existing –"

"Simply staying alive," Harry corrected him. "Though if I can crash the big party Ravenclaw will throw as soon as they learn these two are gone, that'll be worth it."