Chapter 8

The notion that Remus had been a Professor at Hogwarts in the travelers' universe was the cause of great humor. Even while the group was planning how they were going to collect Ron, Harry was being bombarded with questions. The surprise had even brought Sirius out of his stupor for the time being.

"So Moony was really a Professor?" Sirius asked with a wide smile.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, he was our defense teacher third year."

"He was the best one we ever had too, not that we really had much to compare him to," Neville added.

James and Sirius laughed loudly.

"Aw, did you hear that Remy? You were the best teacher they ever had!" Sirius poked at Remus' side while said man turned red, and swatted at his friends' hand.

"S'okay Remus," Tonks said, leaning into his side, "Professor you was probably dead sexy."

James and Sirius laughed even harder; they were both clutching at their sides and leaning into each other in order to stay upright.

"You here that Remus!" James said.

"You've got some competition!" Sirius crowed.

"Oh, shut it, you two." Lily chided, "You're being very immature. I think Remus would make a wonderful Professor. He, unlike some of you, actually paid attention during school."

"Oh, come on Lily love, you know that's not true," James said, looking over at his wife, "I paid attention!"

"Yeah," Sirius snorted, "to the back of Lily's head."

"Or to what brand of shampoo she was using," Remus added.

"Or-"

"Okay, okay!" James exclaimed, "I get it!"

Harry laughed at the antics of his newly found family. He was having trouble believing that this was really happening, but, even if it wasn't, this was one dream he didn't want to wake up from. His laughter drew the attention back to him, causing his parents to smile softly at him.

However, Remus looked like he was silently pondering something important.

"Harry," he spoke slowly, "You say I taught you in your third year?"

Harry gave him a questioning look and nodded his head.

"Well, it's just, a patronus is a highly complicated spell even for an adult wizard. Why would you need to learn it at thirteen?"

This question caught the attention of everyone in the room. Most of the order had congregated over to the side in order to discuss what the plan would be to greet Ron. They already knew it was rather pointless to try and break up the Maruaders antics.

Harry opened his mouth a few times, trying to find the right words to explain the situation of his third year. His parent's looked over at him worriedly, while Dumbledore, he noticed, was looking rather curious himself.

"Harry?" his mother said questioningly.

Harry took a deep breath; he wished Ginny were here for this. She understood what it was like to be so greatly affected by dementors. She would have known what to say.

"There was a situation," Harry worded carefully, "During my third year that called for dementors to be on the grounds of Hogwarts."

"Excuse me?" Professor McGonagall spoke up for the first time since Harry had been in her presence, "Are you trying to say that we actually allowed those creatures to come near the students?"

"You thought it was a necessity, at the time," Harry explained.

"Thought?" McGonagall repeated, "So, it wasn't necessary?"

"Not really…," Harry replied with a grimace, "but it was understandable as to why you would have thought so."

"What was going on," Lily questioned.

Harry shared a glance with Luna and Neville. While they might not understand all of what had happened that year at Hogwarts, they had a pretty good idea, and it probably wasn't the best time to really get into the all the specifics.

"A convict had escaped Azkaban," Harry said slowly, "and they had reason to believe he was heading to Hogwarts."

"Oh, yes that sounds like the dementors weren't needed at all," Moody replied sarcastically.

"He was wrongfully imprisoned," Harry said heatedly, before flinching at his temper.

"That's a powerful accusation to make, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said quietly, after a spell, "Are you quite sure?"

Harry looked up and held eye contact with his former Headmaster, "Yes," he stated plainly, knowing that there was always the possibility that Dumbledore was poking around in his head to gain the knowledge of what had happened that year.

"As fascinating as that is, it still doesn't explain why I felt you needed to learn how to conjure a patronus," Remus interjected.

Harry sighed, "I was effected slightly more by the presence of the dementors that the other students."

Neville snorted, "Yeah, that's putting it lightly."

Harry shot him a look as James and Lily began to look alarmed, "What? Why?" James asked.

Harry stared at his parents silently. How was he supposed to answer that question? However, Dumbledore intervened for him, while proving his earlier theory involving legilmency correct.

"I suppose reliving your parent's deaths time and time again couldn't have been easy for you," he said softly, as if that could cushion the blow.

James and Lily looked startled; Sirius and Remus had both gone white. Harry supposed they had forgotten that this world was an inverse of theirs. Everyone who was alive here, had been dead in Harry's world, and his parents were not an exception.

"No," Harry said, looking down at the table, "It really wasn't."

"Harry," Lily started, but was interrupted by Ron's patronus.

The terrier went straight up to Harry and said in Ron's voice, "We'll be there in five. I've got Hermione with me. Oh, and just a side note, I'm pretty sure we're being followed."

The patronus dissolved and Harry sighed.

"Great," he said, "The fun begins."

"I told you the patronus was a bad idea," Hermione muttered as they walked down the street attempting to lose the two followers they'd picked up.

"Hey, in my defense, you only voiced that opinion after the fact," Ron shot back.

"Maybe that's because I assumed you'd be intelligent enough to know when you'd just thought up the stupidest thing I think you've ever done. And that includes dating Lavender Brown," Hermione hissed.

"Oh, come on, now that's just low."

"It's also well deserved," Hermione pointed out, before abruptly tugging Ron around a sharp corner and informing him to, "Hold on tight."

Ron grabbed her arm with his other hand right before he felt the familiar pull around his navel signaling apparition.

Ron had just a moment to look around his new surroundings before he heard a crack of someone else apparating just behind them. Both he and Hermione reacted quickly, turning around and shouting, "Stupify!" before they could be caught unaware.

Ron's spell hit the target, but a second man managed to block the jet of light and then return with his own. Ron and Hermione both ducked behind a nearby tree and then returned in kind. Hermione hit the mark this time with 'Petrificus Totalus' and they both sighed in relief.

"Well, I appreciated the heads up, Ron, but apparently you two had it covered."

The two jumped, before turning around with a slight smile.

"Well, mate," Ron replied, "hanging out with you does tend to bring around some unwanted visitors sometime. Have to be on your toes."

Harry laughed in reply and Hermione made to go toward him, but Ron caught her arm causing a figure behind Harry to grunt in what seemed like approval.

"What name was the owl that Sirius sent me at the end of our third year finally given?"

"Pigwigeon," Harry replied with a smile.

Ron let go of the breath he was holding and made his way towards Harry with Hermione in tow. He slapped his best mate on the back before stepping back and letting Hermione attack him with a fierce hug.

"Merlin, am I glad to see you," Ron said.

"I'm just glad to finally be in the company of someone whose not a complete and utter idiot," Hermione said rather snarkily.

Harry laughed abruptly, "Well, that settles a bet I have going with Neville."

"We need to get out of sight," a gruff voice said, which Ron recognized to be Mad Eye Moody, as he lowered his hood to look around the premises.

"What should we do with Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber?" said the other figure, causing Ron to smile. He had missed Tonks.

Harry looked to Hermione, but she already knew what he was going to say, "I've got it," she said, walking over to the two men, who Ron assumed were Death Eaters, or at least something of the sort, and whispering, "Obliviate," quietly.

She pocketed her wand and rejoined the group.

"Are you sure you did that correctly?" Moody asked with one eyebrow raised.

"I'm sure," Hermione stated plainly.

"Hmm," Moody replied, staring at the witch before nodding slowly in agreement, "Alright," he said, but he walked over to the two men anyway. Rather than inspect them, however, he picked up a nearby rock, muttered an incantation that caused it to glow momentarily, and then set in on the Death Eaters who were then whisked away.

"Don't want them coming anywhere near here. If they wake up here it'll cause suspicion," Moody said gruffly.

"Where'd you send them," Tonks asked curiously, but Moody just smiled in response. That made Ron shiver; the expression didn't do anything for the scarred former auror.

"Here," Harry said, addressing his two best friends, as he handed them a slip of paper reading, 'The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at 12 Grimmauld Place'.

Ron nodded as the familiar building came into view, "Kind of like deju vu, to tell you the truth."

Harry gave him a smirk before sobering up, "Ron, there's something I have to tell you before we go inside."

Ron stiffened at the tone and Hermione grabbed his hand in response, "What's going on?"

"Ron," Harry clenched his fists tightly, "We haven't found her yet."

Ron frowned for a moment, before realization dawned on him. Ginny. They hadn't found his sister. Ron tightened his jaw and was about to snap when he noticed the look on Harry's face. Ron reluctantly relaxed. If anyone was more worried about Ginny then he was, it was Harry. And Ron was damn sure, Harry would already have been doing everything he could to find his sister.

Ron rubbed his hand over his face and sighed, "Well, I guess we're just gonna have to get on that, huh."

Harry nodded tightly before opening his mouth again, but shutting it quickly.

"Harry," Hermione said slowly, "There's something else, isn't there?"

Ron looked at his friend sharply, but Harry just gave him a little smile.

"Just… be prepared for a big greeting when you walk in," he said, with a slight twinkle in his eye.

Oh sweet Merlin. Ron thought, this was going to be interesting.

I know, I know. I'm a horrible person. You all hate me. It's awful. I got on and was looking over previous chapters and when I read through my last authors note I was horrified to realize that it's been since Thanksgiving. I'm sorry guys. I have no good excuse. I really don't. I hope this was up to par. I'll try to get the next chapter up asap. We'll be seeing a lot of the Weasley's coming up.

Haley

P.S. try saying Ron Reluctantly Relaxed three time fast.