Two quick notes:

1) '######' indicates a quick flashback (even though it's a different POV).

2) This is the chapter that earns the 'R' rating. Brief, non-graphic descriptions of violence. Some angst.

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Chapter 10

Harry stared at the parchment. Seamus hadn't been able to find a trace of Hermione, and that wasn't a good sign at all. He heard Ron's sigh as his friend entered the room. Once again Ron had been in to see Draco, and while Harry was glad that he was talking about his feelings, he was afraid that his best friend was using him as a substitute for somebody who could give him feedback.

Now it was time to put out feelers in the Muggle world. As much as the Durleys and he mutually disliked each other, he had learned a lot from them, including how to get the police on his side – this stemming from an incident the summer before his sixth year and a Death Eater sighting in the neighborhood. Once he had done that, Harry had managed to get done with his class planning and had started to work on some of the responses that were flooding in from the special edition The Daily Prophet had finally printed.

He smirked, remembering Sirius' reaction to it.

######

Sirius hopped from foot to foot, waiting for either Remus or Harry to open their door. The Daily Prophet had finally published their letter and those of the rest of wizarding Britain, and already several owls had started to pour into Hogwarts. He wanted to make sure that the two knew what was going on before they got bombarded with the letters.

He had woken early that morning; sore from the long night he'd had trying to finish a potion. He had sent Snape to bed, as the other man had started to look tired. The two of them had fought something fierce before the Potions Master had finally relented. Relieved, Sirius had continued on with the potion, at one time missing the other man's company. As a consequence of his early rising, he'd been the first one to the Great Hall and had spied the Prophet. The special edition had been slipped in the middle of the normal one, and the first letter published was the one by the teachers.

Most of the letters that had been in the paper had been complacent. The authors didn't care one way or the other about the big hoopla, and as far as most of them were concerned they didn't care exactly *who* was teaching their children, as long as they got a complete education. Many of them mentioned Snape's involvement in the Death Eaters as a reason, while many others that since they had managed to keep Remus a second year in a row, and third in total, as DADA professor, then there couldn't be that large of a problem.

A few, though, disturbed Sirius. Carefully worded, he had to read between the lines to read the threat they carried. Most of these letters were not signed, and that worried Sirius more than the ones that were. They could deal with the people who had signed their names, but the ones who had refused – they could pose a real threat, both to the teachers they named (Remus and Sprout the most and himself twice) and to the students when classes resumed for the year. A couple of people expressed their desire to dismiss the entire board of governors, including a rash promise to get rid of all the teachers that had obviously been influenced by Albus Dumbledore.

That disgusted Sirius the most. Dumbledore had been the reason Voldemort was defeated in the first place. Harry may have been the one who actually killed the thing, but the old wizard had been the one to organize the order, ensuring that they could be prepared for what they were up against. Dumbledore had also carried the heaviest burden. Sirius was sure that he blamed himself for the deaths of his friends and colleagues in the same way Harry felt the death of Cedric. It wasn't their fault, but it felt like it just the same.

Knocking again, Sirius closed his eyes for a brief moment. He was debating whether or not he should just enter when the painting opened to reveal Harry in just a towel.

"Wha – ? Sirius what it is?"

Sirius closed his eyes, wishing that his godson was wearing more clothing. "Harry, could you and Remus hurry up and come to breakfast?"

Harry blinked owlishly at the question and Sirius sighed. He knew the younger man wasn't a morning person, but this was really going too far. Then his gaze was distracted by the scarred over bite on his collarbone. The stark contrast between its white skin and his tan brought home that even if he had minded the relationship – not that he did, he rather liked the idea of the two of them being together – but that when the relationship came out there would be another large outcry. This time is would be by the hundreds of women, and quite a few men, who wanted to be the catch of Harry's life.

"Give us five minutes, Siri," Remus called from out of sight. "Harry, close the door before you flash Maria again."

Sirius held back a laugh as Harry flushed and closed the painting. He let it out when Maria, the lady in the picture whispered to him, "I certainly didn't mind that!" Thanking that Harry hadn't flashed him, Sirius made his way down to the Great Hall to await his friends' arrival.

######

Harry frowned as he read the last page of letters again as the smirk faded. Sirius had been right about the ones on this page. He was surprised that the editors of the Prophet had actually printed one – especially since the author was outright threatening to do harm to several people, including Sprout and Dumbledore for allowing Remus, a known werewolf, and Sirius, who the author described as a vicious criminal no matter if the ministry pardoned him or not, to even teach there. He was tempted to hunt down the person, who had foolishly signed their name, but figured that it wasn't worth the bother.

The ones that weren't signed... some of them sent chills down his spine. They reminded Harry of the things Draco had told him about his father, making him wonder how many of them were Death Eaters that had alluded Aurors and the order for the past year. One, though, was written in a familiar style, and it was starting to drive him up the wall trying to decipher just who could have written the blasted thing.

He wasn't sure what to make of the rest of the letters they had to be wary of. Harry hoped that they would get the message he and the rest of the staff had sent in the letter printed in the special edition as well. Dumbledore's letter would also give a good indication of what they could expect if they tried to do anything to one of the teachers. He wished that he could make it quite clear to everyone that if somebody harmed Remus that Harry would take care of the problem. But, Remus had persuaded him that wouldn't be the best answer to them, even if he rather liked the idea of Harry being so protective of him.

Finally he put everything to side, tired of trying to figure everything out. Remus was talking with Hooch about the upcoming Quidditch season and wouldn't be done for an hour, since Madam Hooch liked to talk about anything Quidditch. That would give him enough time to implement the idea he'd had a couple days ago.

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Remus stared at the room that was now officially both his and Harry's.

"What's this for?" he asked Harry as he stepped through the door, making sure it was closed tight behind him.

Harry smiled mischievously. "Don't tell me that you don't like it?"

Remus shook his head. "I like it, but why?"

"Do I need a reason?" Harry asked as moved from where he was standing next to the bed. He slunk over to Remus and reached around his neck, moving his face close to Remus'. "I just thought we needed a break from doing class work."

Remus' eyes brightened as he wrapped his arms around Harry's waist. He looked around the room and was awed by the work Harry must have put into it.

The walls were now a soft gold, the color of the sunset as it rose into a dusky purple ceiling, the faintest hint of stars beginning to shine. Candles hovered in various places, their soft light adding to the effect. But what drew his attention the most was the bed. This morning when he had left their rooms the bed had been in the same Gryffindor colors it had been all year. Now, though, the bedspread was a soft, dark blue, with sparkles strewn here and there, echoing the stars in the ceiling. He could see a soft sheen on the pillowcases, and Remus wondered if they were satin or silk.

"So, do you like it?" Harry asked, rubbing his nose into the tender spot beneath Remus' ear.

"No," Remus answered. When Harry started to pull back after tensing, he added, "I love it."

Harry still pulled back and looked up into Remus' eyes and he was sucked in by the expression in those green orbs. They were mesmerizing, tempting him every time that he saw them.

"Want to try it out?" Harry suggested, a quite lascivious leer in those eyes.

Remus growled and pulled him close, aligning their bodies. Pushing his hips against his lover's, he let Harry feel his answer as both of them groaned softly. He slipped a hand to the first button of Harry's robe, eager to see the Quidditch sculpted body that he loved so much. Without so much as a kiss, he plucked the button and its mates rapidly, all the while pushing Harry towards the bed. Pushing the younger man onto the bed, Remus grinned as he laid on top of him.

"What do you think?" he asked as he brushed his lips against Harry's.

Harry moaned in response, sending a shiver down Remus' spine. He was thrilled by his lover's reactions, and each time they were together in this mood, he wanted to see what others he could pull out of him. Setting in to see what he could get tonight, Remus let his lips drift to Harry's ear.

"I love you and want you," he breathed, nibbling on the soft skin under his lips.

A breath in his ear let Remus know that Harry liked that. "Love you too, Remus, but if you don't get a move on it I can rethink that."

Another growl escaped Remus as he pulled Harry's earlobe into his mouth, worrying it lightly with his teeth and tongue. "Aye, aye, Captain," he muttered as he started to pull their clothes off, eager to feel skin-to-skin contact.

******

Harry stretched, feeling Remus' warm body close to his. Smiling, he turned over and traced his lover's features with his eyes. Still, something was pressing in the back of his mind and he wasn't sure what it was. Reluctant to get out of bed, he waited until the pressure grew bigger. Saddened that he would have to leave their bed, Harry slipped out of it and slipped into the shower. Coming back to get his clothes, he saw that Remus had shifted to lie where Harry had been, recovering the loss of warmth he had provided. Tugging on his shoes, Harry leaned over him and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

Remus blinked once, sleepily, before yawning and sitting up. "What's going on?"

Harry shrugged. "Something doesn't feel right," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I thought I'd go take a walk and try to figure it out."

"Mm. Want me to join you?" the older man offered.

He shook his head. "I won't take long. Besides, didn't you and Sirius plan to have breakfast in Hogsmeade this morning with the Weasleys about their store?"

Remus smiled, and Harry was tempted to kiss it but restrained himself against doing so. "That's right. Sure you don't want to come?"

"I'm sure," Harry answered. "I have to meet with Amos in an hour anyway about the combined classes we're planning to do in October."

Remus nodded. "Have fun then," he said as he leaned over and gave Harry a quick kiss on the lips.

Harry smiled. "As much fun with school as I can this early in the morning." Returning the kiss, he slid off the bed and made his way down towards the entrance hall. He just wanted to wander the halls for a bit, letting the castle guide his feet more than his brain would. He knew that it was sentient, having relied on it to keep him safe when needed that last year of the war.

Twenty minutes later, after eating a quick breakfast with an excited Flitwick and a half-asleep Madam Pince, he was in the dungeons, and by the sound of it Sirius and Snape were up, judging by the sounds coming from the potions lab. Actually he wondered if they had even been to sleep last night as he passed the door. Deciding he didn't want to get in the middle of their argument if that was the case, he continued down the hallway towards the Slytherin exit to the greenhouses. As he went out the door, the pressure was back.

Harry had almost forgotten what had disturbed him earlier, but he wanted to find out what it was. Setting his mind to it, the castle guided his feet towards the farthest greenhouse from the castle. As he got closer, a cold tingle crept down his neck and arms. Pulling out his wand, Harry cautiously made his way to the door, silently unlocking it after first casting an invisibility spell on himself. Pushing the door open, he stepped into the hot space, feeling slightly claustrophobic as he breathed in the damp air.

Walking down the aisle and pausing at the back door, he pushed it open. Harry stopped as he saw a shoe hanging around the back corner of the greenhouse. Curious, he made his way to it and stopped when he saw it was attached to a foot – and a body.

******

Sirius tried to catch his breath as he stepped into the infirmary. He had practically carried Snape from the potions lab with his chair, and while the wheels made it easy in the hallways, it was a bugger on the staircases. They had been discussing, well, arguing, over the potion they were almost done making before his appointment with the Weasleys when a house-elf had popped into the room saying that they were needed in the hospital wing.

He caught sight of Harry, who was white and shaking as he sat in a chair in the waiting room.

"Harry?"

"Harry?" An out-of-breath Remus echoed Sirius' question as he skidded into the room, followed by Amos, Warrington and Sinistra.

"What happened?"

Sirius watched Harry take a shaky breath. "I – I found...."

"What did you find, Potter?" Snape asked as he sat next to where Sirius stood.

"Ms. Granger," answered Madam Pomfrey. The nurse shut the door behind her as she looked at the crowd gathered in front of her. "I couldn't do anything."

Sirius and Remus raced to catch Harry as he slid out of the chair. Together they managed to support him even as he sagged between them. Concerned about his godson, Sirius looked over at Poppy. "What happened?"

"I found her in the greenhouse," Harry said in a too-quiet voice that really worried Sirius. "Something was bothering me, and I let the castle guide me."

Warrington snorted. "The castle?"

Her question went ignored as Sprout entered the room. "Poppy?"

The nurse shook her head before looking at Harry. "Why don't you two put him on one of the beds in the next room?" she asked Sirius and Remus. "I want to check on him after I talk to Flora."

Nodding, Sirius gathered Harry in his arms as Remus drew a hand along the younger man's pale face. Following his friend, they carefully placed Harry on a bed, Remus covering him in a blanket as he started to shiver from shock.

Five minutes later Poppy, Snape and Sprout came into the room, the other teachers having dispersed reluctantly without information. Poppy examined Harry as Sprout wrote quickly on a piece of parchment. Snape sat to one side, just behind Sirius. He wasn't sure why the other man was here, but Sirius was grateful for his presence. They would need a 'voice of reason' as Snape often put it.

"I'm sending for Albus. I know that he just left on his vacation, but I think we have need of him," Sprout explained as she finished. An owl fluttered outside the window and she quickly tied the letter to its leg, sending it off to the south of Wales.

Sirius nodded as he watched Poppy hand Harry a Pepper-Up potion. Remus held Harry's other hand, stroking it in a reassuring pattern. Harry quickly drank the potion as told. Once he had responded, Poppy nodded her head once. "I want to keep him here for a couple of hours to make sure he doesn't go back into shock."

Remus looked like he wanted to protest but didn't. Sirius watched as he pulled a chair over and sat down in it, never letting go of Harry's hand.

"Harry?" Sprout asked. "What happened?"

Harry took a deep breath. It wasn't as shaky as earlier, but Sirius could tell he was still rattled. "I woke up this morning, and I didn't feel it at first but there was this... pressure, I guess. I thought I'd take a walk, so I got ready and told Remy. After I had breakfast I made my way to the dungeon." He threw a look at Sirius and Snape, where they stood to his right. "You two were arguing, so I thought I wouldn't interrupt."

Sirius had half-expected to see a humorous glint in Harry's green eyes when he said this, but they were dull even after the Pepper-Up potion.

"When I got near the Slytherin dungeon there was the pressure again, so I let the castle lead me."

Sprout nodded. "I thought I felt something this morning, but you obviously felt it stronger."

Harry looked blank for a second after she stopped talking, and Sirius felt terrible about whatever he saw.

"It led me to Greenhouse Four, which I thought was strange since I was to meet Amos in One, but when I got there the pressure was awful. It was cold." He shivered in remembrance before continuing in a wooden, stilted voice. "I made myself invisible and walked through the building and saw something when I opened the back door. It looked like a shoe and I went over to it. It – it had a foot in it. Oh god.... Mione."

Remus pulled Harry into his arms as he stood. Sirius watched as two tears made their way down his godson's cheeks. It was strange to see him cry. He hadn't cried before this.

"I told her that it was fine with me that she hated me," Harry sobbed into Remus' chest.

Sirius looked at Poppy, who nodded and pulled a potion from one of the shelves in her office next door. Handing it to Remus, he had Harry drinking it, sending him to a dreamless sleep.

"Harry brought her in here in his arms," Poppy began. "There... there was blood all over." She stopped and ran a shaky hand over her face. "I never saw anything like it, even during the war."

Sprout laid a gentle hand on her arm. "What happened, Poppy?"

"She was beaten and sexually assaulted," the nurse told them. "It was very brutal, judging by the cuts and bruises on her. The... The cause of death was blood loss, but it looked like whomever did this tried to strangle her. It also looks like she was tied up. Her wrists – they're rubbed raw."

"Oh, Merlin," Sirius breathed. He shot a glance over to Harry, who Remus held tight even as he slept. Why would anyone want to do that to her?

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