RON WAS STILL IN A BAD MOOD WITH HERMIONE THE NEXT DAY. He barely talked to her all Herbology, even though he, Harry, Hermione and Harper were working together on the same Puffapod.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly, as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail. Harper knew this was her way of saying sorry.

"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," Ron said angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.

"Careful, Weasley, careful!" Professor Sprout cried, as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

They had Transfiguration next. Harry had told Harper he would ask McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade. However, both Potter siblings got distracted by Lavender who seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her, and was explaining something to Seamus and Dean, who were looking very serious.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" Hermione asked their dorm mate anxiously, as she, Harry, Ron and Harper went to join the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh," Hermione said. "I'm sorry, Lavender."

"I should have known!" Lavender exclaimed tragically. "You know what day it is?"

"Er . . ."

"The sixteenth of October! That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October! Remember? She was right, she was right!"

The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"

"Well, not necessarily by a fox," Lavender said, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?"

"Oh," Hermione said. She paused again. Then—

"Was Binky an old rabbit?"

"N-no!" Lavender sobbed. "H-he was only a baby!"

Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulder.

"But then, why would you dread him dying?" Hermione said, making Parvati glare at her. "Well, look at it logically," Hermione added, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he, Lavender just got the news today . . ." Lavender wailed loudly. ". . . and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock . . ."

Harper sighed. Smooth, Hermione, very smooth.

"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," Ron said loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."

Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves either side of Harry and Harper, and didn't talk to each other all lesson.

As the bell ring at the end of the lesson, Professor McGonagall stood up.

"One moment please!" she called, as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my house, you should hand Hogsmeade permission form to me before Hallowe'en. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

Neville put up his hand. "Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost . . ."

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," Professor McGonagall said. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."

"Ask her now," Harper could hear Ron his to Harry.

"Oh, but . . ." Hermione began.

"Go for it, Harry," Ron said stubbornly.

• ✧ •

     THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE. McGonagall wouldn't sign Harry's permission slip. Ron called her a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all for the best' expression that made Ron even angrier.

"There's always the feast," Ron said, in an effort to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Hallowe'en feast, in the evening."

"Yeah," Harry replied, gloomily, "great."

"Don't worry, Harry, I'm not going either. Moony didn't want to sign it," Harper said, trying to comfort him, earning a small smile from him.

"I just wished the two of us could go," he replied quietly.

"Me too, Harry, me too."

• ✧ •

     ON HALLOWEEN MORNING, HARPER AWOKE WITH THE REST AND went down to breakfast feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing her best to act normally.

"We'll bring lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," Hermione promised, looking desperately sorry for the twins.

"Yeah," Ron added. "Loads."

He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face's of Harry and Harper's disappointment.

"Don't worry about us," Harry said. "We'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."

The two of them accompanied them to the Entrance Hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here, Potters?" Malfoy shouted, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?"

Harry and Harper ignored him and made their way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked, jerking out of a doze.

"Fortuna Major," Harry replied listlessly.

The portrait swung open and they climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first- and second-years, and a few older students who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.

"Harry! Harper! Hi!"

It was Colin Creevey, a second-year who was deeply in awe of Harry, and never missed an opportunity to speak to him.

"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade? Why not? Hey . . ." Colin looked eagerly around at his friends, "you can come and sit with us, if you like."

"Er — no, thanks, Colin," Harry quickly replied. "We — we've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."

After that, Harry and Harper had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.

"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after them as they walked away.

Harry and Harper walked dispiritedly towards the library, but halfway there they changed our mind; they didn't feel like working. They turned around and came face to face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.

"Nothing!" Harry exclaimed and Harper nodded in agreement.

"Nothing!" Filch spat, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around, why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

"Because we just love to be with you, don't you see?" Harper's voice dropped from sarcasm and Filch narrowed his eyes.

"Get back to your common room where you belong!" Filch snapped, and he stood glaring until they had passed out of sight.

But after a nod from Harry, the two of them didn't go back to the common room. Harper didn't really know where they were walking to, but as they passed another corridor, a familiar voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry? Harper?"

Harper sighed as she recognized the voice and the two of them doubled back to see Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" Remus said, in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade," Harper said, my voice sharpened by the disappointment that he wouldn't sign her permission form.

"Ah," he replied, ignoring her tone. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" Harry asked and the two of them followed Remus into his office.

In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly-green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faced and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"Water demon," Remus said, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick it to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weed in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Remus asked, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."

"All right," Harry said awkwardly while Harper just nodded.

Remus tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," Remus said, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?" he added, his eyes twinkeling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Harper told me," Remus replied, passing her and Harry a chipped mug of tea as Harper gave Harry an apologetical glance. "You're not worried are you?"

"No," Harry replied, but Harper could tell he wasn't totally honest with them. She exchanged a worried glance with Remus — forgetting for a moment that he was the reason she couldn't go to Hogsmeade.

"Anything worrying you, Harry?" Remus asked.

"No," her brother replied, but Harper could tell he was lying. He drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing at him. "Yes," he suddenly said, putting his tea down on the desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"

"Yes," Remus slowly said.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" Harry asked abruptly, making Remus raise his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he replied, sounding surprised.

"Why?" Harry asked, clearly surprised that Remus was so straight forward.

"Well," Remus began, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldermort." As Harper glanced at her brother, she saw he was staring at Remus. "Clearly, I was wrong. But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staff room. I imagine that people would panic."

"I did think of Voldemort first," Harry admitted. "But then I — I remembered those Dementors."

"I see," Remus said thoughtfully.  "Well, well . . . I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face and Harper's raised eyebrow. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry."

During a few moments, no one spoke.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capabel of fighting the Boggart?" Remus added shrewdly as Harper drank some more tea.

"Well . . . yeah," Harry admitted. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors . . ."

He, however, was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Remus called.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry and Harper, his black eyes narrowing. Harper's eyes darted to the goblet and she recognized the Wolfsbain Potion.

"Ah, Severus," Remus said, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set the smoking goblet down, his eyes wandering between Harry, Remus and Harper.

"I was just showing Harry and Harper my Grindylow," Remus explained pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

"Fascinating," Snape said, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will," Remus replied.

"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," Snape said, but there was a look in his eye Harper didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. From the corner of her eye, she could see Harry looking curiously at the goblet, making Remus smile.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said and Harper's eyes widened at the thought of him telling Harry the truth. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering."

"Why —?" Harry began, making Remus look at him and answer the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color," Remus said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

Remus took another sip and Harper could tell that Harry had the urge to knock the goblet out of his hands. She would have, too, if she hadn't know what it was.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," her brother blurted out.

"Really?" Remus said, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.

"Some people reckon . . ." Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job."

Harper smiled, understanding Harry's reaction perfectly.

"Disgusting," Remus said as he drained the goblet. "Well, Harry, Harper, I'd better get back to work. I'll see the two of you at the feast later."

"Right," Harper said as she and Harry put their empty teacup down.

The empty goblet was still smoking.

• ✧ •

     "THERE YOU GO," Ron said. "We got as much as we could carry."

A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harper and Harry's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.

"Thanks," Harper said, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

By the sound of it — everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zinko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot Butterbeer and many places besides.

"The post office, Harry, Harper! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want you letter to get there!"

"Honeydukes have got a new kind of fudge, they were giving our free samples, there's a bit, look . . ."

"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks . . ."

"We wish we could have brought the two of you some Butterbeer, really warms you up . . ."

"What did you do?" Hermione asked, looking anxiously. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," Harry said. "Lupin made us a cup of tea in his office and then Snape came in . . ."

Harry told them all about the goblet as Harper ate a chocolate frog. Ron's mouth fell open.

"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

Hermione checked her watch. "We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll he starting in five minutes . . ."

They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.

"But if he — you know . . ." Hermione dropped her voice, glancing around nervously, "if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry and Harper."

"Yeah, maybe," Harry said, as they reached the Entrance Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who where full of bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harper was content; her stomach was full and Fred told her a funny joke.

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a spot of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick had a great succes with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading.

Harper, Harry, Hermione and Ron left the Hall, all in a good mood. The four of them followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor which ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" Ron asked curiously.

Harper peered over the heads in front of her and noticed that the portrait was closed.

"Let me through, please," come Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the hold-up here? You can't have all forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy . . ."

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. Harper heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, who had just arrived.

Next moment, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping towards the portrait; they squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Harper moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my . . ." Hermione exclaimed and grabbed Harper's arm to steady herself.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professor McGonagall, Lupin and Snape hurting towards him.

"We need to find her," Dumbledore said. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" a crackling voice said.

It was Peeves the poltergeist, bobbling over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore said calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore said quietly.

"Oh, yes, Professorhead," Peeves said, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see," Peeves flipped over, and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

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December 27th 2023
I hope you enjoy it & tell me what you think of it! :)