3rd Person's POV

Harry and Karina had been walking along another back in the building from a long afternoon of doing homework and watching the sunset. As they turn and go down the corridor a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry? Karina?"

Harry doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch, glancing at the two of them. "Where are Ron and Hermione? Draco?"

"Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice.

Lupin looks at Karina, "Same."

"Ah," said Lupin. "Why don't you two come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" said Harry.

"A water demon Harry,"  Karina smiles excitedly as she skips inside the classroom.

Harry's eyebrows furrow as he looks at the empty space Karina was just standing in then follows the two into Lupin's 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 faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle." said Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully.

The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

"Awesome." Karina says while looking at the grindylow.

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

"All right," said Harry awkwardly.

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

"Sit down," said Lupin, 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?"

Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked glancing over at Karina whose mood had just dropped.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea then doing the same to Karina. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Harry.

He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog he'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin alreadv seemed to think he couldn't cope with a boggart.

Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Harry?"

"No," Harry lied. He drank a bit of tea and watched the grindylow brandishing a fist at him.

"Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the boggart?"

"Yes," said Lupin slowly, his eyes flickering to the Slytherin girl who was as quiet as a mouse.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

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

Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

"Why?" he said again.

"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Harry stared. Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself) was Professor Dumbledore.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"Sorry." Karina's quiet voice echoes throughout the office.

"No Karina it is okay. I had no idea that was your boggart if I did I wouldn't have let you."

"I didn't know actually. I am so afraid of losing Cedric and Draco but I didn't think I would fear losing them to- you know." Karina swallows roughly then sips her tea. Lupin nods letting her know it's okay if she doesn't want to say anymore.

"Wait you said you thought Harry would have... Was your boggart not the dark lord Harry?" Karina's head snaps over to Harry.

"No I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I -- I remembered those dementors."

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well... I'm impressed." fie smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is-- fear. Very wise, Harry."

Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some more tea.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.

"Well... yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the dementors--"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing.

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

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin. Then his eyes lay on Karina who smiles slightly making Snape's furious hard eyes soften for a quick second.

"I was just showing Harry and Karina my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

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

"Yes. Yes, I will," said Lupin.

"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," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.

Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled as Karina secretly smirked into her teacup.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "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. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he 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."

Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands.

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

"Harry!" Karina swats at his arm looking at him in a disapproving manner.

"Really?" said Lupin, 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 Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well Harry, Karina I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."

"Right," said Harry, putting down his empty teacup then grabs Karina's and does the same.

As they left, Harry glanced behind him to see the empty goblet still smoking.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into 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," said Harry, 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, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.

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

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look-"

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

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up--"

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"Kind of," said Harry. "I ran into Karina. We did homework then Lupin made us a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in...."

He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.

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

"Wait you were with Karina?" Hermione frowns as she checks her watch.

"Uh yes." Harry's face turns uncomfortable as he feels a speech coming on.

"Harry! I-" Hermione starts to say but is interrrupted.

"Hermione! Can Harry not have another friend that is a girl? Let the boy be." Fred says putting his arm around her shoulder.

Hermione frowns then pushes his arm off her shoulder. Fred and George laugh then say, "We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes."

They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd with Ron, Hermione, and Harry following still discussing Snape.

"But if he-- you know," Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to to poison Lupin-- he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry... especially not his star pupil Karina."

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great 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 were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

It had been such a pleasant evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The dementors send their love, Potter!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

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

Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have 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.

They 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?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my--" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

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.

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Karina's POV

So Professor Dumbledore sent all the houses to the Great Hall. Everyone is still confused as to what is happening and why.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall.

"I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..."

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry and Hermione; they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

I look over at my friends who had already made an area for everyone. Walking over I sit down on the sleeping bag that had been slightly touching Draco's.

All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"

And by he they mean Sirius Black of course.

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year. "He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly to Harry and Ron.

"Probably," said Ron. "Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, You know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Fitch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered...."

"Karina!" Looking up from the ground I glance over at Pansy who is staring at me confused.

"What are you doing? Are you okay?"

"Oh yes I'm fine! I was using a spell my Gram taught me. It lets me hear from far away. I was listening to the Gryffindors talk about what's happening."

"Ohhh you have to teach me that one day. Might need it."

I nod then we start a conversation about her and Blaise.

"So is anything going on yet?" Pansy groans and falls back onto her sleeping bag.

"No... nothing at all." She whispers and looks over at Blaise who is talking to Draco.

"Whatever it will happen. Just give it time."

She nods, "I guess."

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, it felt as though we were sleeping outdoors in a light wind.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. I watch him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."

Hearing the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps I look over to see Professor Snape.

"Headmaster? The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched."

This is all so crazy. Of course I know a little of what Draco tells me which he learns from his father... But it's all so confusing. Why would Harry's own godfather want to kill him?