Harry Potter and the Running of the Wolf By Eleanor Gruffydd-Jones

Chapter 1:  Lupin       "Harry!"        Harry Potter turned his head around to see Hermione Granger speeding up the cobbled street of Diagon Alley towards him closely followed by Ron.        "Hi" he waved at Ron with some difficulty because Hermione had thrown her arms around his neck.  Ron grinned as Hermione let go.        "How did you manage to get here? -The Muggles..."         "Dudley wanted a well-done-for-losing-weight present so we came to London" said Harry, grinning back at Ron.  They made their way towards the ice cream parlour and sat down at a spare table.          "So how's Sirius?"  Hermione asked, putting her bags down beside Harry's.         "He's fine, I think.  So's Buckbeak," said Harry starting on his ice cream.         "Hey guess what, Harry?" said Ron suddenly.         "What?"         "Hermione's a prefect, so no surprises there," grinned Ron pointing to Hermione who was blushing with pride.         "And you'll never believe this!"  said Ron impressively.         "I might," said Harry eager to find out more.         "Fred's Head Boy!"         "Come off it!"         "Yeah, he got an owl yesterday from Dumbledore" sighed Ron through a mouthfull of ice cream.         Harry couldn't take this in.  Fred, Head Boy!  He sat there, his spoon of ice cream halfway to his mouth.         "Harry!"         Harry dropped the spoon on his jumper for there was Cho Chang smiling and waving at him with someone who looked like her younger brother.  Harry waved and pointed to the chair next to him.  She joined them grinning.         "I'm out buying my brother his stuff for Hogwarts-it's his first year" she said, smiling.  Harry smiled smugly back.  He saw he had ice cream all over his jumper and went red.  Hermione was tutting.          "So are you looking forward to going to school tomorrow Harry?" Cho Chang smiled.           "You bet" he muttered staring at her still red.           "Oh, gotta go.  See ya tomorrow on the train" said Cho Chang seeing her brother waiting impatiently for her and got up to join him.  Harry stared after her with a dreamy look on his face.  Hermione was scowling.                                                  **********            The next day Harry sat miserably in Uncle Vernon's Car thinking he was going to miss the train if Uncle Vernon didn't hurry up.  He managed to persuade him to take him, Harry, to Kings Cross.            Harry ran to the ticket barrier at five to eleven and rushed into a compartment on the stroke of eleven.  Hermione and Ron were there, Hermione was cuddling Crookshanks and Ron was hurriedly getting out an old pair of robes and covering Pigwideon's cage.  They greeted Harry without enthusiasm.           "What's up?"           "This" Ron groaned thrusting him a piece of parchment that read:          Due to the events of last year there will be no Quidditch matches                       Signed,                                Professor M. Mcgonagall           "That really stinks!" sighed Harry as the train started and threw himself next to Ron.  Hermione was staring at Harry with fondness and sympathy.           "Oh great," moaned Ron as Hermione brought out her Prefect badge and started polishing it, "d'you know before you came she's been dancing around singing 'I'm a Prefect' for the last hour?"  Hermione scowled at him.           "Yes and before Harry came you were moaning on about Quidditch being cancelled but yet I don't hear him complaining?"           "Maybe he's scared of your singing."           "Maybe he's depressed."           "Maybe he's got a guilty conscience" suggested Ron, "I knew a man once who--"           "Shut up!" groaned Harry.                                                                        **********          The sky was growing darker as Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up the steps to the castle.  They entered into the great hall and sat down chatting to Neville, Dean, and Seamus.           "I'm starving!" moaned Ron staring at his plate.  Harry looked at the enchanted ceiling, which was a deep blue, dotted with stars.  Professor Mcgonagall appeared and placed the four-legged stool in front of the staff table and put the sorting hat on top.  She started to read out all the names of people being sorted.           "Connor, Claire."           "Gryffindor."           "Chang, Lee."  Cho's brother stepped forward and tried on the hat.           "Ravenclaw."           "No surprised there" cried Harry and Ron clapping.  After the last one had been sorted ("Winter, Harriet," "Hufflepuff")  Dumbledore stood up and beamed at them.           "A word before we start," he smiled "Enjoy!"  The food magically appeared before them as it had done the years before at the sorting feasts.           When they ate as much as they could, Dumbledore stood up looking grave.          "It is my painful duty to inform you that the Quidditch tournament will not take place this year.  The maze is still there but cannot be cut down yet but the obstacles have been removed.  I advise you not to go near it yet."  Dumbledore smiled at the Weasley twins.  Fred looked particularly annoyed about the fact that he was Head Boy.           Dumbledore continued "now some good news.  We have a new face amongst the staff.  Here is Professor Remus Lupin who will be taking Defence Against the Dark Arts."  Harry clapped hard with everyone else.  He still had the same grey hairs and the same tired eyes but he was different.  Instead of the tatty robes Lupin usually wore, he wore shining black robes and an emerald green cloak, which looked in pristine condition. Chapter 2:  Defense Against the Dark Arts           Harry and Ron made their way down to the great hall and sat down heavily either side of Hermione who was helping herself to porridge.           "New timetables," she handed them over to Ron and Harry, "Sugar Ron?"           "Na, thanks," said Ron, helping himself to toast.           "Great, a perfect start to a perfect day," sighed Harry, starting on his sausages.           "Oh yeah," groaned Ron glaring at his timetable, "double divination and potions."           "Really?  I was looking at them" Harry pointed to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle who were swaggering up to the table.  Luckily, Lupin saved them by standing right in front of them and talking to Neville Longbottom which caused them to turn around and swagger into the entrance hall.           "When do we have Defense Against the Dark Arts?" asked Harry eagerly.           "Friday with the Ravenclaws," answered Ron stuffing his mouth with toast.           "The Ravenclaws?  First time with them," said Harry looking over at their table.  He saw Cho Chang and smiled at her.  She smiled back.  Hermione was frowning.          Harry and Ron sumbled doggedly up to the North Tower.  The familiar sweet smell greeted them as they opened the trap door and sat down on poufs furthest away from Professor Trelawney.           "Welcome, welcome," she said, "today we are looking at palm reading."  She blinked around at them gravely.  Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows.  Lavender and Parvati were hanging onto her every word looking excited and admiringly at her.  The professor made her way majestically towards Harry and Ron and sat down on the pouf next to Harry.           "Give me your palm, dear" she commanded, gently to Harry.  Ron smirked behind his hands as Harry, not wanting to be called 'dear' again, reluctantly stuck out his hand.  Everyone crowded around.  Professor Trelawney put two long cold fingers on Harry's palm and closed her eyes.  Ron laughed silently.            "I see a short life line," she whispered, dramatically, "...broken glasses...blood..." she opened one beady eye and glanced at Harry's unimpressed face and carried on.  "...Tears...oh, so many..." she gasped.            "What?" said Harry, impatiently.            "A body--oh goodness--its you my dear," she whispered hoarsely.  Parvati and Lavender gazed open mouthed at her.  Ron sighed.            "Yes she said, impressively letting Harry's wrist go, "death is clutching at you this very second, my dear, your life is hanging by a thread."            Ron gasped.            "Harry, oh, Harry don't die, oh please, we love you," he muttered sarcastically.  Harry scowled at him, massaging his wrist.                                                        * * * * * *            Friday came and all the Gryffindor 5th years were excited.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and got a desk right at the front.  The buzz of chatter died down as soon as Lupin entered the classroom carrying a pile of books.  He set them down on his desk and took out his wand.            "I understand that last year your former teacher, Professor Moody, taught you the experience of the illegal curses (apart from, of course, the killing curse)" Lupin smiled around at the class as they nodded.            "And, two years ago I taught you about animals" Harry grinned, remembering Neville's Boggart.            "I'm here this year to teach you how to actually defend yourself from spells and curses.  I understand you are taking your O.W.L. this year?" a few people nodded.            "Excellent.  Ok, I suppose you all know of the stunning spell?" he asked.  Nearly everyone nodded grimly.            "Good, good.  Now please could I have some assistants?"  As one the class raised their hands, eagerly, even Neville.            "Ah, yes, lets see-um-yes, you Mr. Thomas and you, yes, Miss Patil" said Lupin as Parvati and Dean rose and came to the front, timidly.  "So who will tell me what words do you say to perform the stunning spell?"  Lupin smiled around at the class, as Hermione, Harry, and Ron put up their hands.            "Ah, yeas, Mr. Weasley, intrigue us."            "Um, yes, um is it stupefy?" said Ron.            "Right you are!" said Lupin, winking at Ron.  "So Mr. Thomas will perform the spell and hopefully Miss Patil will full on these cushions" he said as he conjured cushions out of mid-air.  Dean raised his wand and Parvati fell on the cushions.            "Splendid!"  Cried Lupin, clapping with the class.  "Now, we have to learn how to defend yourself, does anyone know how?"  Surprisingly, Neville and Ron were the only people who raised their hands.  Lupin pointed at Neville.            "I think its levitate," whispered Neville as Parvati opened her eyes and stood up, shaking.            "Excellent, Mr. Longbottom!" Smiled Lupin and Neville blushed with pleasure.            "Now, Miss Patil, when Mr. Thomas says the spell, you raise your wand and swish it down.  Remember to say the words probably.  Lev-it-ate, with each syllable to form a separate sentence, ok."            By the end of the lesson everyone was smiling with pleasure.            "Ten points to Miss Patil, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Thomas, Super!"            "I wish he had asked me," muttered Hermione, crossly as they joined the bustling corridors.            "I think I can just imagine Hermione crashing onto a pile of cushions," said Ron, dreamily. Chapter Three: A Surprise Present             The weather was turning colder and harsher.  Every morning the grounds were covered in frost and the Lake was usually frozen solid.  Christmas was on its way.  "He is not feeling Christmassy," said Ron, setting down his Potions homework and looking at the snowy grounds.             "Everyone's going down to lunch, I think we'd better go," said Harry, watching the rapid disappearance of the croswded common room.  They made their way down to the Great Hall and sat down.             "Yuck, lamb hotpot!"  Ron wrinkled his nose and helped himself to potatoes.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione left soon after mainly to avoid Malfoy who was skulking around the Gryffindor table and to stop Ron groaning about the food.             "Let's go to see Hagrid, he might give us something nice to eat," said Ron, hopefully.  Harry seriously doubted that he would trust himself to eat Hagrid's cooking.  Harry was not looking where he was going so he WHAM!  Straight into someone carrying a pile of books.             "Sorry," he muttered and started to help pick up the books.  His hand met someone else's.  He looked up straight at the person's face.  It was Cho Chang.  They stared at each other then suddenly realizing what they were doing, gathered the books and stood up.             "Thanks Harry," she smiled at him, took the books and walked quickly away.  Harry turned absentmindedly towards to Ron and Hermione.  Ron was grinning mischievously at him and Hermione was scowling, yet again.            "What?" said Harry with raised eyebrows.  Ron turned away, smirking.            "Oh come one, let's go and see Hagrid" snapped Hermione.  They walked slowly towards the forbidden forest.  Hagrid was sitting outside with Fand stroking a fire.            "A' las'," he sighed, smiling up at them, "I' took ya three-na-four months to come down an' see me."            "Sorry Hagrid, we've been busy, you know, with practic O.W.L.'s and revision," said Harry.  They all went inside and sat down.  Hagrid offered them chocolate cake and Ron ate with pleasure.            "So, wha' 'ave you been up ta?"  smiled Hagrid, pouring tea.  Harry explained all about the lesson and how much he hated Snape and Malfoy.            "When do ya break up?" said Hagrid, slurping tea.            "Tomorrow," Hermione was still scowling.  They talked well inot the afternoon and then trudged up the castle in the snow.                                                        * * * * * *           Harry woke up on Christmas day to find Ron throwing a pillow at him.           "Wake up!  It's Christmas!" he yelled and started to tear open a box of Every Flavour Beans from Fred.  Harry sat up and blinked through his glasses.  His present pile was slightly bigger than usual.  He sat up and reached out and picked up a parcel that read: To Harry, Happy Christmas, Love Molly and Arthur Weasley.  Inside was a Christmas cake and a red jumper with the Hogwarts crest on it.  The next parcel was from Hagrid that contained a harp and a mince pie.  Harry didn't touch the mince pie and opened the next which was a wizard chest sent from Sirius.  Harry was ripping open a set of exploding snaps from Ron when Hermione bounded in wearing pinkd pyjamas.           "Hi," she sat down on the end of Harry'd bed and took out a book.  Ron raised his eyebrows and carried on ripping open his presents and so did Harry.  He seized a present and opened it.  Inside was a set of gold gobstones.  Hermione dropped her book.           "Who can afford these?" she wondered out loud.           "Yes, and give them to Harry," said Ron, "I know, I bet it was Cho Chang or some secret admirer."           "Me--a secret admirer, don't be silly" said Harry going red and started looking for the label.           "Stranger things have happened," Ron muttered, "here it is.  Ha, see, I told you.  Listen, To Harry Happy Christmas love from Cho Chang."  Hermione gasped.           "That old fraud.  How can she afford that?" she cried.           "She's not a fraud.  She's actually very nice if you give her a chance," scowled Harry.           "Harry, last year, do you remember she was all over Cedric Diggory and now she's all over you?"           "So?"           "Harry, she's toying with your--she's..."           "Hermione..."           "Harry--I'm talking..." Harry and Hermione argued for most of the morning and then refused to speak to each other.  Ron was at a loss.  Hermione was determined to think ill of Cho Chang and Harry was so mad on Cho Chang that refused believe what Hermione said.  By lunchtime they seemed to have come to an unspoken agreement not to argue.  Anyway, it was Christmas, no one could argue on Christmas day.  The three of them enjoyed a delicious lunch and started to go up to the common room.          "Um--Harry, can I talk to you-um-alone?"  Hermione whispered, nervously, glancing at Ron who raised his eyebrows and shuffled, sulkily, past the Bloody Baron and up a flight of stairs.  Harry turned and smiled at Hermione.          "So?" he asked.          "Um-Harry-I'm sorry about this morning but...do you know why I-um-don't like Cho that much?" she whispered.          "Well, no, I don't think..."          "It wasn't a question," Hermione said, irritated, "well I kind of like you..."          "I know you do, you're my friend," muttered Harry.          "Not like that," Hermione was very red, "you know as in--you know."  She looked at the floor mainly to avoid Harry's astonished eyes.          "So you like me more than just a friend?"  Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing.          "Well yes," Hermione smiled, miserably at him, "I do love you Harry but I...I--"          "Hermione, you're my best friend and I like it the way it is so leave it" Harry said, firmly.  Hermione burst into tears and ran away to the Great Hall.  Harry walked up to the Common Room thinking it over in his mind.          "Mistletoe," sighed Harry, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open.  He walked over to the chair beside Ron.          "What did she say?" he said.  Harry told him every detail of his conversation with Hermione.          "First Ginny, then Cho Chang, then Hermione-- Harry how do you do it?  Soon all the girls in the school will be mad on you, even Pansy Parkinson," smiled Ron, "hard, eh?"          "I hate it!" frowned Harry, setting up his chessboard.  "Fancy a game of chess?" Chapter Four:  Exams          Over the next few days Hermione didn't speak to Harry but when school started again she acted as though nothing had happened.  Harry was always wary of what he said to Hermione and spent most of his time with Ron who was bored of the whole affair.  Whenever he passed Cho in the corridor he always gave her a smile that the returned instantly.  But Harry had more important things on his mind.  His O.W.L.'s were coming soon and he had to rivse and hard.  The teachers were very hard on them so the Easter holidays weren't so eventful as the Christmas one.          One funny thing was that as the year progressed Lupin was more harassed and looked more and more ill.  Another thing funny was that he was trying to make Harry to stay with him after dark, trying to catch him on his own.  But he never did.  Harry was too buy studying with Ron and Hermione.  One night a day before exams found them revising late into the night.  Ron was asleep, Harry was bleary eyed and Hermione was skimming through her notes and drinking black coffee.          "I'm gonna fail!" she whined.  Ron snorted in his sleep and then woke up.          "Which exams have we got tomorrow?" he yawned.          "Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms," mummered Harry, sleepily.          "I am definitely gonna fail Potions," screamed Hermione.          The next day Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked very slowly to potions.  They sat down at separate desks and took their notes.  Snape glided in and seated himself at his desk.          "You may begin," he said, calmly, setting out a piece of parchment and a quill.  Near the end of the exam an owl managed to get into the dungeon.  Followed by the eyes of everyone in the class it landed in front of Snape and flew off again.  Snape picked up the parchment, curiously, and read.  His face changed from white to green and he stood up and stormed out of the dungeon.  Not before everyone exchanged mystified looked when Professor Binns floated through the blackbaord and sat on the chair.          "Professor Snape is unable to attend to please carry on," he droned.          "What do you think the matter was with old Snape?" wondered Harry after the exam.          "Maybe his Aunt's ill," suggested Ron.          "Don't be silly Ron, he wouldn't leave Hogwarts just for that," said Hermione, "probably he was doing something for Dumbledore, remember last year in the hospital wing."          "Well, probably Dumbledore told him to get lost," said Ron, with pleasure.          "I wish," muttered Harry, as they walked towards Transfiguration.                                                           * * * * * *                    The exams were a lot harder than Harry expected.  In History of Magic Harry scribbled everything he knew about Goblins (Small and Ugly) but in Divination he and Ron just made stuff up and hoped for the best.  Their last exam was Herbology.  Professor Sprout wanted them to weed a particularly vicious plant called a Poldge, which looked like a cat with soil for fur.  As Harry got a horrible scratch down his chek from when Sprout asked them to put down their tools and enjoy the sunshine.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up to the castle and stood by the entrance hall and wondered what to do.          "Let's go and see Winky, I wonder how she is since last year," suggested Hermione.          "As long as you don't go on about S.P.E.W." muttered Ron.  They made their way towards the kitchens and were greeted by squeak from Dobby and a sob from Winky.  Harry was talking to Dobby when Lupin appeared carrying a basket of clothes and gave them to Dobby ("Oh sir, Oh thank you sir, it is an honour.")          "So Harry, enjoying not having exams, excellent," he said as Harry nodded.          "I wonder if you could come up to my office this evening, bring Harry, Ron, and Hermione if you wish and use the invisibility cloak" he muttered in Harry's ear.          "Why does he want us to go to his office?" said Hermione, as they walked down to the grounds and flopped up a willow, its branches dipped into the lake.          "How should I know," shrugged Harry, as he closed his eyes.                                                          * * * * * *           It was ten o' clock when Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the common room under the invisibility cloak and stumbled down the corridors towards Lupin's office.  They would have come sooner but Peeves was causing mayhem in the common room.  Luckily they did not meet anyone apart from the ghost of the fat friar who was bobbing up the stairs.           "Is it a full moon tonight?" asked Ron.           "I don't think so," whispered Hermione and Harry, together.  They managed to get to Lupin's office, which was on the first floor by half past ten.  Lupin was there waiting for them.           "Hurry, what took you?" he asked, hurriedly.           "Peeves," Harry grinned.  They walked out to the grounds, Lupin leading the way.  Harry glanced up at the sky.  To his great relief, it was a quarter moon.  Lupin walked towards the whomping willow and pressed the knot in the trunk.  He disappeared.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged bewildered looks and went through the hole in the trunk, which was closing.  They were in complete darkness.            "Professor, Professor Lupin--sir, Ron?  Hermione?  Where are y-- oh this is stupid--lumos," called Harry.  By the light of his wand he saw that Ron and Hermione were standing by the wall of the tunnel.            "Why does he want us to come here?" hissed Hermione.  Harry shrugged.            "He can't turn into a werewolf, its not a full moon," said Harry.            "So we're ok?" squeaked Hermione.            "I hope so," said Ron, gloomily, "if we carry on, we might catch Lupin up."  Slowly they walked up the tunnel in single file.  First, Harry, then Ron, and Hermione brought up the rear.  At last they reached the shrieking shack.            "Where is he?" muttered Harry.  "Ok wands out."  They trudged up the stairs and into the landing.  They heard a noise from a bedroom.  Hermione ran towards it with Harry and Ron behind her.  They stopped in the bedroom that they had had there first meeting with Sirius Black.            "Professor?" said Hermione, timidly.  Silence, then--            "Stupefy!"  Hermione gasped and fell to the floor--she was stunned.  Ron and Harry looked around.  A dark figure stood there before them with a raised wand.  It was Lupin.             "Huh?"  Ron was speechless.             "Yes, at last!  I have got you in my little trap!" he smiled evilly.  Harry turned around and tried to get out the door but it was as if an invisible barrier was blocking his way out.  Lupin was laughing coldly. Chapter Five:  The Animagus Twin             He laughed again.  Harry forced himself to look into those cold eyes.  He couldn't take it in.  Lupin wasn't evil, not even bad.             "But--I--you..."             "You are wrong, for I'm afraid I'm not Remus Lupin," he grinned wickedly as Harry sighed with relief and fear.  He felt Ron shudder at his side.             "But you look so alike," Harry cried.  The man cackled with laughter.             "Of course we do, we're twins," he grimaced.             "What?"             "Yes," said Lupin, fingering his wand, idly, "But I'm afraid I haven't introduced myself, Romulus Lupin at your service."  Lupin bowed mockingly.  "I'm sorry, I have to kill you, you first, then your little friends."  He was smiling at Ron and Hermione's rigid bodies.             "Why though?" whispered Harry.  Lupin rolled his head on his neck with a mad grin on his face.  Harry had seen that smile before.  It was the smile Crouch wore when Dumbledore asked him questions last year.             "For my master," he said, simply.  And to Harry's horro, he liften up the sleeve of his robe and revealed the Dark Mark on his left arm.  The green skull with a serpent protruding out of its mouth.  Harry shivered.             "But your brother, he's a we..."             "Yes, he's a werewolf and I"m a...an Animagus," he said calmly.  "A wolf.  So Harry are you ready to die?"  Harry didn't answer.             "Someone will come," he hissed.             "No, they won't, you see," he walked forward towards Harry and Ron.             "Snape's gone on a wild goose chase and Dumbledore's gone on a foold's errand.  No one can help you."  He knocked Ron clean off his feet and pointed his wand at Harry.             "Stupefy" he yelled but Harry was quicker and screamed "levitate."  The green light from Lupin's wand evaporated.              "You taught us that one," Harry grinned, as Lupin looked furious with himself.  He raised his wand but Harry ran towards the door forgetting that it was barred.  He fell and Lupin bent down.  He held Harry with his knees so as not to touch Harry's bare skin.  Lupin raised his want but someone grabbed him from behind.  It was Ron.  Lupin toppled over giving Harry time to get up.  Lupin was now advancing on Ron.  Harry ran and like what he did with the troll on his first year, hung around his neck.  Lupin could not concentrate with Harry wrapped around his neck so he stuck out his wand.  His wand stabbed Ron's right side and he fell.  Someone grabbed Harry and took him off Lupin's neck.  Albus Dumbledore pointed his wand at Lupin.              "Stupefy" he murmmered.  Lupin fell as Dumbledore turned towards the doorway.             "Severus, take Mr. Weasley and Harry up to the hospital wing, quickly he's losing blood," he urged, Snape stepped forward and conjured up a stretcher.  He placed the unconscious Ron on it and marched out with Harry trotting behind him.  IN the doorway Harry turned.             "Hermione..."             "Will follow in a moment," said Dumbledore bending over her.             "What will happen to Lupi..."             "I will see to him Harry, now go" Dumbledore smiled.  Harry ran after Snape and into the tunnel.                                                           * * * * * *              What happened over the next few days was a blur to Harry.  Ron, he knew, had lost a lot of blood and was unconscious for five days.  Harry and Hermione sat by his bed nearly everyday but not for too long because Madame Pomfrey usually bustled over and told them not to disturb him.  Ron finally regained consciousness when Harry was sitting by his bed with Hagrid.  Ron blinked twice, coughed and blinked again.              "Oh gosh, I'm hungry, do you have anything to eat on you?" he gasped.  Hagrid laughed.              "Na Ron, but you 'ave," he smiled pointing to a stack of sweet boxes beside his head and a dozen get well cards.             "Oh good," he stretched out his right arm.  "Ouch, oh yeah, I forgot about that, Harry, could you pass me a box?"  Harry lent over and grabbed a box of chocolate frogs.  Ron started on them at once.             "Yes, I've got Agrippa!" he waved the card in the air.  Harry grinned.  Ron was back.             "So, what happened after the thing?"  Harry knew Ron meant his accident.             "Well, Dumbledore came and stunned Lupin and then Snape took up to the castle," said Harry, simply.  Hagrid chuckled.             "Everyone in the school knows abou' the thing with Lupin, givin' Harry an 'ard a time," he grinned at Harry who smiled sheepishly back.             "So, what's happened to Lupin?" asked Ron through a mouth full of chocolate.             "'E escaped," sighed Hagrid.             "What?" cried Harry and Ron.             "Yeah, after Dumbledore woke 'im 'an 'ermione up, 'e turned into a wolf an' made a runner so Dumbledore couldn't ask 'im any questions."             "Oh," said Harry, weakly.                                                           * * * * * *             The last days of the school year found Harry not so popular as Ron.  Everywhere they went people crowed them, asking them to tell them what happened again and again.  Malfoy was disappointed that Harry did not get hurt as well so he avoided them.  The results of their O.W.L.'s came a week later.  Harry and Ron got exactly the same and Hermione of course came top in the year.  To Harry's disappointment, he had to go to the Dursleys' the next day.  But the house points cheered them up.  Gryffindor came first again, then Ravenclaw, then Slytherin, and lastly Hufflepuff.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the first on the train so they got first choice of seats.  Soon they were one their way to Platform 9 3/4 speeding past woods and fields.  There was a knock at the door and in came Cho Chang.  Hermione stared determinedly out the window.             "Harry, could I speak with you?" she whispered.             "Sure," said Harry, walking into the corridor and closing the door behind him.  He turned to face Cho who was scarlet.             "Are you ok?" she said, timidly.             "Yeah, oh yeah, thanks for the gobstones," Harry said.  Then to his surprise and pleasure, Cho hugged him and then kissed him on the cheek.  She smiled and turned into the compartment next to him.  Harry was smiling when he went into the compartment.             "Why are you so happy?" asked ron.  Harry smiled, mysteriously and explained.  Hermione growled and then smiled, painfully.             "I'm going to Bulgaria this summer to see Viktor," she said in a voice that didn't seem like her own.  Ron raised an eyebrow.             "I hope you have a nice time," Harry said.             "Hopefully a better one than you will have," she snapped.  The train puffed into Kingscross and everyone got off.             "We'll ask you to come over this summer," said Ron, as they went through the barrier, "I'll ask mum to write to the muggles to ask."             "I can't wait," said Harry, gloomily.