A/N ~ So sorry for the late update, this chapter took time. It's the last chapter for year 3!! Enjoy :)
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"How did you know he was here if you weren't helping him?" Harry asked cooly.
"The Marauders Map." Lupin said calmly. "You left it with me yesterday, when you came to my office. I saw you four's names, Sirius's, and-"
"How did you know how to use the map?" Harry cut across him. Y/N kind of wished he didn't.
"That's because I wrote it." Lupin answered shortly. "Along with my other friends, of course. I was Moony."
Then, Y/N felt her brain come to life again. Moony. The name she's been familiar with. It was Lupin, all along. But why was it so familiar?
"You wrote-?" Harry gaped.
"The point is," Lupin continued, "I saw your names on the map. I saw you four go down to Hagrid's, and saw you walk around the pumpkin patch. But you were accompanied by someone else."
"Sirius Black, perhaps?" Y/N challenged quietly.
"No. Sirius came after." Lupin said firmly. "But someone accompanied you from Hagrid's hut. Soemone-"
"Bull shit, no one was with us!" Harry said stubbornly. Y/N really wished he would stop cutting across Lupin like that. She was so eager to know the truth.
"The map never lies, Harry." Lupin chuckled and then turned to Ron. "May I see your rat, please?"
"M-my rat?" Ron stared at Lupin as if he was a mad man. "What's Scabbers got to do with any of this?"
"Everything." Lupin said calmly.
"B-b-but why?" Ron whimpered. "I just got my rat back-!"
"That's not a rat, Ron." Lupin said, examining Scabbers from afar, making sure to keep distance from Ron.
"What do you mean-"
"You really think normal rats would live for as far as twelve years?" Sirius cackled hoarsely.
Y/N glanced at Hermione to see if she was catching up, but the bushy haired girl shook her head, just as clueless as Y/N was.
"W-what do you mean?" Ron stammered, clutching Scabbers tightly in his hand.
"That's a wizard." Lupin said firmly.
Silence.
"A wizard whom recently I believed was dead."
Another pause of silence.
"An animagus," Black added. "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
Another loud silence flooded the place.
Y/N's lips parted. She took a deep breath, trying to process everything through. Could Sirius Black really be innocent all along?
But it seemed like she was the only one who was loosening up.
Her three friends were glaring at Lupin and Sirius Black fiercely.
"You're mad!" Ron exclaimed, backing away from Lupin.
"Ridiculous!" Said Hermione faintly.
"Pettigrew's dead!" Harry said.
Gosh, why was he stubborn like this? Y/N thought.
"He killed him years ago!" Ron glared at Black.
"And I really meant to!" Black growled. "But he got away! Not this time, though-" the man lunged forward and tried to grab Scabbers from Ron, who scrambled away on his good leg desperately.
"Sirius- no!" Lupin pulled him away from Ron. "Ron deserves to know- everything! So does Harry, so does Y/N- they don't know anything about their parents."
"There goes my hope of not getting involved." Y/N sighed.
"Fine," Black said in a low voice. "fine! But make it quick, Remus!"
"I will." Lupin said. "Harry, Y/N, I'm going to tell you more about your parents. Y/N, has your mother ever told you about her years at Hogwarts?"
"N-no. She's never mentioned much." Y/N said. Her mother was a busy woman. She was an Auror, and she didn't spend much time with their family.
"It all started off with me." Lupin looked slightly ashamed. "A werewolf- no cure, no nothing. It was Fenrir Greyback who bit me. He made my life a living hell. And I was so worried about my years at Hogwarts. But Dumbledore was kind enough to built this place for me to Transform every month."
"The Shrieking Shack?" Hermione frowned. "But it was built-"
"Twenty-one years ago." Lupin finished. "So was the Whomping Willow. And it was built for me to transform without hurting anyone. The howls those villagers heard were mine- this place was never haunted. I had to drink an antidote before every full moon so I would be less harmful-"
"The potion Snape gave you." Harry whispered.
"Yes," Lupin nodded. "I drink it every month right before full moon. I transform in my office, a harmless werewolf, and I'm not able to hurt anybody."
"Be quick, Remus." Black said impatiently.
"Wait, Sirius," Lupin shot back and turned back to Harry and Y/N. "In my first year, I met my three best friends- Sirius Balck, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter."
He gave Harry a small smile.
"They were all so kind to me. They all studied throughout their years at Hogwarts and became an animagus to transform with me."
"My dad, too?" Harry blurted.
"Yes, him too." Lupin smiled. "Every month, my friends would come to the Shrieking Shack with me and watch me transform-"
"But that's dangerous!" Hermione exclaimed. "You were underage!"
"Oh, we were aware." Lupin chuckled. "That's why we created the Marauders Map. So we could sneak around without anyone knowing. That was, until Snape found out about us."
"Snape?" Sirius barked. "What's Snivellus got to do with any of this?"
"He's teaching here, Sirius." Lupin's said. "He found out about about us- about me, and told Madam Pomfrey. Of course, she also knew I was a werewolf. But Snape was so determined to rat me out. He and James- they disliked each other, you see."
"Remember when Lily and Alexis hexed that grease ball because he mentioned your werewolf behaviors in class?" Sirius cackled.
"Alexis?" Y/N raised her eyebrows. "My- my mum?"
"Yes, Y/N." Lupin chuckled at the memory. "Alexis and Lily were best of friends. And when James and Lily got together in our fifth year, Alexis and I became best friends, too."
"Moony and Alexis were like one of those study buddies." Sirius said and smiled dreamily.
"What?" Y/N blinked. "My mum never mentioned you before- she- she..."
But then Y/N remembered- Moony. The reason why the name was so familiar, was because she'd heard her mother talk about a certain 'Moony' countless of times before, with her dad.
When Y/N was a toddler, Rolf told her Moony was 'mum's old friend that died'.
All the memories of the name 'Moony' flushed back into Y/N's head.
And now she knew that Moony was her mother's childhood friend. Now she knew Moony was... Remus Lupin.
"She called me Moony." Lupin said. "We were best friends for many years. Actually, we've known each other since childhood, because we were cousins-"
"You and my mum were cousins?!" Y/N exclaimed, her heart pounding fast. "That means- we're related?"
"Distantly, yes we are." Lupin said with a smile. "Alexis and I had always known each other, but we became close friends in our fifth year at Hogwarts. I kind of switched between hanging out with the Marauders and with her and Sean Scamander."
"Sean and Alexis were too perfect for us." Sirius chuckled. "So was Lily- so they weren't part of this whole 'Marauders' thing."
"Nah, only Sean was too perfect." Lupin said and chuckled. "Lexi and Lily always had an interest in risky adventures."
"I- but I- mum's never told me this before." Y/N said, more to herself than to anyone.
"That's because she found out I was a werewolf." Lupin said quite sadly. "I've hid that from her for many years. But she found out. Only a bit after having you. She found out in the worse way possible- she was completely crushed. We haven't talked in ten years. I don't blame her, really."
Y/N brain was aching from all this. First of all, her mother knew Lupin. Second of all, Lupin was her cousin. Third of all, her mother and Harry's mother were best friends. Lily Evans and Alexis Thompson...
This was too much.
And her mum never told her about any of it.
"I'm not going to get into detail..." Lupin's aid quietly. "Lexi is the only one who has the rights to tell- things- to you."
Y/N stared at the floor and nodded slowly.
"That still doesn't explain why you think Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew!" Ron broke the silence.
"You see, Ron," Sirius sighed. "When Lily and James had Harry, they moved into a new house in Godric's Hollow. They needed a secret keeper, and first, they chose me. But I declined it, and made them choose Peter instead. Biggest mistake of my life."
Y/N was starting to piece the puzzles together.
"But Peter ratted them out to Voldemort." Sirius said painfully. "That rat betrayed them! So I went after him as soon as I heard. Chased him across the street. He bombed the street, killing a dozen innocent muggles. Then, he transformed, cutting his finger, so it looked like I killed him."
The four Gryffindors fell silent. Deep down, they all knew it was the truth. But could Scabbers really be-?
"Look what we have here." Someone sneered.
They all turned around to the entrance of the room and saw a smirking Severus Snape. Snape stepped forward and pointed his wand at Sirius and Lupin.
"Ahhh, vengeance is so sweet." Said Snape. "I knew you were helping him! I told Dumbledore but he didn't believe me."
"Snivellus." Sirius growled.
"Severus, let me explain." Lupin started.
"There's no need, Lupin!" Snape grinned devilishly at Lupin. "I know everything. Now, I'm going to take you and Black up to the castle. Everyone will know about your true identity, and Black will get the Dementor's kiss he deserves."
Lupin and Sirius looked at each other, and then back at Snape's pointing wand.
"Come, Potter, Scamander, Granger, Weasley!" Snape ushered the four students. "You've been in enough trouble."
The four froze, finding it hard to obey these orders. Y/N waited for the others to move, but they didn't.
Snape growled impatiently.
"Potter, stop scowling and move!" He hissed. "If you don't come with me-"
"Sirius Black is innocent!" Y/N said, catching them all by surprise. "Please, Professor, I know they didn't invite you to join their scavenger group when they were younger, but isn't it time to stop being so petty about it?"
Sirius Black snorted and howled with laughter.
Snape turned a dark murky colour.
"Miss Scamander, you are already going to be expelled!" Snape snapped. "Don't even think those devilish words of yours will stop me from-"
But no one was having it. The four Gryffindors raised his wand and pointed them right at the professor.
"Expelliarmus!" They all bellowed. Snape flew backwards and crashed into the wall behind him, causing the whole place to quake slightly. His body slid down and he collapsed on the floor, unconscious.
The four spells were so powerful, Snape was knocked out cold.
"We attacked a professor!" Hermione whimpered.
"That was pretty badass." Y/N smirked to herself.
"Thank you," Lupin sighed.
"This doesn't mean I believe you!" Harry said, pointing his wand back at Lupin and Sirius. "Explain about Peter Pettigrew!" He demanded.
"Of course," Lupin said calmly. "After betraying your parents, Ron's family must've found him in his rat form somewhere. They took him in, and now, there he is." he stared at the squeaking Scabbers.
"Saw him in the Daily Prophet." Sirius grunted. "I remembered all of my friends' animal forms, so I knew it was him. I knew I had to break out and come to Hogwarts."
Ron seemed to have failed to come up with another excuse. He was looking at Y/N and Hermione for help, but neither girls had anything else to say.
"Ron, please, can I have your rat?" Lupin stepped forward.
"Get away from me, werewolf!" Ron backed away. "Don't hurt Scabbers!"
"Please..." Lupin continued. "Take this, if the rat is really just a rat, it won't get hurt. At all. There's nothing to lose, Ron."
Ron looked at his friends hesitantly, and Harry motioned for him hand the rat to Lupin.
Ron slowly handed the squeaking Scabbers to Lupin. It screeched even louder.
Harry gave Lupin and Sirius's wands back, but still had his pointing at them cautiously.
Y/N felt Hermione shift closer to her nervously and felt Ron gulp several times.
"Together, Sirius?" Lupin looked at Sirius. They both pointed their wands at Scabbers. "One, two, THREE-!"
There was a flash of blue-white light, making them squint their eyes. The squeaking voice from the rat was gone.
There was a loud thud, and something heavy quivered on the floor.
Once Y/N opened her eyes, she couldn't help but gasp at the ugly man in front of her. The man was short and filthy. His hair was even nastier than Sirius's and his nails were yellow and long.
"Peter Pettigrew." Harry breathed.
"Sirius..." Peter squeaked. "Remus... my old friends!" He gave them a fake smile and tried to go in for a hug.
Sirius and Lupin pushed him back and he fell to the floor once again. Peter let out a loud sob and covered his face.
"You- heartless rat-" Sirius was shivering in anger. He was ready to kill- actually kill.
"Please- don't hurt me!" Peter begged. "I'm your best f-friend, r-remember?"
"You betrayed Lily and James!" Lupin shot, pointing his wand at Pettigrew dangerously.
"You sold them to Voldemort!" Sirius growled.
"I had no choice!" Peter wailed. "H-he was threatening t-to kill me! W-w-what would you have done, if you were in m-my place?"
Peter looked at Sirius with watery eyes.
"I would've let him kill me!" Sirius shouted. "I would've let him kill me, rather than betraying my best friends!"
And that sentence made Harry believe Sirius Black completely. It brought reassuring comfort to him.
"B-but I didn't mean to-!" Peter continued to sob.
"Enough!" Lupin snapped. "This is your end, Peter- you and your disloyalty!"
"No! Don't kill me!" Peter yelled frantically. He sobbed loudly and crawled to the four shocked Gryffindors desperately.
The man attempted to grab Ron's hands but Ron scrambled away.
"Please, Ron!" He begged. "I was your pet- I was a good pet!"
"Get off me!" Ron said in disgust. "I let you sleep on my bed, you disgusting rat!"
Peter sobbed harder and turned to Hermione.
"Girl! You smart, smart, girl!" He pleaded. "You wouldn't let them hurt me!"
Hermione whimpered quietly and moved closer to Y/N.
When Hermione didn't answer, Peter moved on to Y/N.
"Alexis's d-daughter, isn't it?" Peter sniffed. "Your mother was so kind to me! She was so understanding-!"
"Yet, you betrayed her best friend." Y/N said cooly. "And you framed your best friend! You disgust me."
She shook his off and backed away to comfort Hermione.
"Harry!" Peter continued. Harry glared down at him and attempted to kick the man. "Harry! You look so much like your father-"
"Don't you dare mention James in front of Harry!" Sirius barked. "It's time for you to go, Peter!"
He grabbed the rat man's shoulder and threw him onto the creaky floor once again. He and Lupin pointed their wands at Peter and were ready to kill.
"Good bye, Peter." Lupin said quietly.
Hermione hid her head behind Y/N's back, Ron closed his eyes shut, and Y/N looked away completely.
"Wait!" Harry ran in front of the two wizards. Lupin frowned.
"Harry, this man killed-"
"I know what he did." Harry replied. "But my dad wouldn't want his best friends killing each other."
"Thank you, Harry! You are so kind-!" Peter grabbed his ankle.
"Get off!" Harry kicked him away. "We will send you to the dementors. They will do the rest of the work." Harry said mercilessly.
Peter winced and started to sob loudly again.
"You're the only one who can decide, Harry." Lupin sighed. "But we will kill him if he tries to escape- yes?"
Harry nodded.
Peter broke into another breakdown as Sirius and Lupin tied him up.
Y/N was still shocked and numb, with all the information she received the past hour.
Y/N helped them magic the unconscious Snape into the air, like he was sitting on an invisible wheel chair.
She then went to a pale faced Harry, who looked like he's been through enough in life.
"You alright?" Y/N asked Harry quietly.
"Fine." Harry said shortly, not looking at her.
"Hey," Y/N grabbed the side of his face and looked into his eyes. "you're alright now, Harry. Pettigrew will get what he deserves, it will all be-"
"I'm fine, Y/N." Harry said. He gripped her hand that was on his cheek and smiled. "More than fine, trust me. You look tired. Grab Hermione and Ron, and let's get out of this place. Deal?"
Y/N nodded and gave him a quick hug, before rushing to help Hermione and the others.
They all ignored Peter's whining and started off the Shrieking Shack, walking back through the tunnels.
Harry and Sirius led the group holding onto Peter's hand bounded hands like he was arrested, followed by Lupin, who carried Snape and in the air with his wand, and Y/N, Ron and Hermione followed behind.
It was a weird group and a weird situation.
Not after long, they reached the entrance of the tunnel, and learned that the Whomping Willow could be paused, just by pressing the knot on the tree trunk.
Lupin placed Snape on the ground bellow the Whomping Willow softly and sighed.
Y/N and Hermione checked on Ron's wound while Lupin guarded Peter.
Sirius and Harry were in a deep conversation. They were faced away from the others and were gazing up at the magnificent castle. Y/N could hear Sirius say,
"When all this is over, you can come stay at my place, if you want."
Y/N smiled. She knew how much Harry hated the Dursleys.
Y/N heard Harry make excited noises and chuckled. He really deserves a family, after all he's been through.
"Oh no... oh no, no, no." Hermione whispered.
"What is it?" Y/N frowned and looked at her. Hermione and Ron were pale, and they were both pointing at the sky.
Y/N looked up, and to her horror, she saw a glowing full moon, floating right above them.
She felt her whole body go numb, as she turned to see Professor Lupin standing rigid at his spot.
"Harry!" Hermione screamed, catching Harry and Sirius's attention.
The two whipped their heads back and gaped at the full moon. Sirius understood immediately. Lupin didn't take his potion today.
Sirius ran forwards and grabbed Lupin's shoulders.
"Remus," he whispered, as Lupins started to transform. "Remus, it's me..."
Lupin's eyes grew black, and his teeth were getting longer. His back arched longer and his skin was covered with fur.
He howled loudly, causing his clothes to burst off and Sirius to fall backwards- he's transformed into a werewolf.
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Y/N were frozen. They didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, Snape started to stir and slowly wake up. When his eyes fluttered open and saw the scene, he quickly scrambled to his feet.
"Potter!" He stood in front of the four.
The werewolf growled and stepped closer to them. Snape turned his back away from the Quartet and put his arms around them protectively.
Before the werewolf could do anything to them, a big black dog jumped right onto it, causing the both of them to whimper.
The werewolf and the dog got up and fought vivaciously. The werewolf seemed to be winning.
It chased after the dog, down towards the lake.
"Sirius!" Harry called, trying to run after them, but Snape restrained him.
"Don't be stupid, Potter!" Snape hissed. But Harry pushed past him and sprinted after Sirius and Lupin.
"NO, HARRY!" Y/N tried to run after him.
"Scamander, you'll hurt yourself!" Snape bellowed, he and Hermione held her back.
"No! He's going to get hurt- please!" Y/N could hear more dog whimpers and growls. And then it fell silent... and then, she heard a wolf howl coming from the Forbidden Forest.
She saw Lupin take off towards it, and sighed in relief.
"Harry," she whispered.
Y/N managed to escape from Snape and Hermione's grip and run towards the Black Lake.
Please, let him be OK.
"Harry!" she desperately called him.
When she approached the skirts of the lake, she saw both Harry and Sirius sprawled on the sandy dirt. Harry was panting loudly and Sirius was covered in blood
She rushed to them nervously and kneeled beside Sirius's unconscious body.
"Y/N," Harry whispered.
"I'm here, Harry, it's fine. He'll be fine." She said firmly.
"Y/N... d-dementors." Harry pointed above their heads.
Y/M looked up and saw- more than two dozen dementors were swarming over them- they've sensed Sirius. They've found him.
"No, no, not now." Y/N pleaded. Her brain was too exhausted to think of her happy memory. Harry was there, but so were the fifty dementors.
She pulled out her wand and shouted, "Expecto patronum!"
No happy thought came, no patronus came. Her head was empty. So was Harry's.
"Expecto Patronum!" He tried to picture Y/N's laughing face, and their little moments on Christmas, but it all came back to seeing her beside him, hurt and hopeless. Y/N was in pain.
Sirius was going to be turned in- there was nothing to be happy about anymore.
And so, only a wisp of silver vapor came out of his wand.
Harry could see Y/N's body sway side to side, before she fell backwards to the ground, besides Sirius. A dementor swooped over her and started to pull down its hood.
"No..." Harry's vision was blurry. "Not Y/N... p-please..." he let out a guy wrenching yell, as a dementor knocked him over.
That was the last thing Y/N heard, before everything went black.
∞ ϟ 9¾ ♔ ⚯͛ △r⃒⃘ ➵ ♆ (Two days later...)
"Just so you know, Harry dear, we don't blame you for what happened."
"I do."
"Rolf, watch it."
"Sorry, mum."
"I- I'm sorry, Rolf."
"I guess I forgive you. At least she's not dead..."
"If anything, Harry dear, it's the ministry's responsibility to-"
"Wait, mum- she's waking up! She's- Niff, can you hear me?"
"Y/N- are you alright?"
Harry's voice? Rolf's voice? Mum?
Y/N stirred around and squinted her eyes.
Her whole body was tired, and her throat was sore. Three voices called for her, but she was too tired to respond. If only she could sleep like that forever...
Then, she remembered what happened the night before, and her eyes shot open.
"Sirius." She breathed and sat up straight. Her head spun at the sudden movement, and she fell back onto her back.
"Woah, Honey!" Mrs Scamander grabbed her daughter's arm. The woman was still in her Auror robes, and was wearing a concerned frown on her face. "It's OK, Y/N, everything's OK-"
"Mum- Harry!" Y/N sighed at the sight of Harry's smiling face.
She was in the hospital wing. Harry, her mother and brother were at the side of her bed and were looking at her with worried eyes.
"Um... I'm still here?" Rolf reminded her grimly. "Your brother? Remember?"
Y/N ignored him and attempted to jump off her sick bed, before being stopped by her three loved ones.
"No! You don't understand," Y/N fussed anxiously. "I don't-"
"Y/N, everything's alright." Harry said, holding her hand. "It really is."
"But Sirius-" Y/N paused when she saw her mother and brother frowning curiously. "Um- but seriously, are Hermione and Ron alright?"
"They're alright- everything's alright, Y/N." Harry said happily. His tone was genuinely happy. Y/N trusted him with that, and couldn't wait to find out what had happened.
"Harry told us about everything." Rolf said. Y/N noticed he was in his formal school robes and hat. It was the last day of school.
"He- told you everything?" Y/N raised an eyebrow.
"Every little detail." Rolf said with his nose in the air. "I made sure of that."
"Next time," Mrs Scamander said cooly, "don't go wondering around the grounds past curfew ever again. You're lucky enough Black used confundo on you instead of the killing curse!"
"He- he what?" Y/N frowned and turned to Harry.
"Confunded you! And your three friends." Mrs Scamander said irritatingly. "Made you think you were his friend! Made the dementors attack you all!"
Y/N was ready to argue, but she caught Harry's glance. He gave her a 'just play along!' look.
"Oh, of course he confunded me." Y/N covered.
"You were lucky." Her mother said bitterly. "But you won't be next time. Your dad was here yesterday, by the way. He went back for work, but he was really worried."
"What- yesterday?" Y/N gaped. "How long have I been asleep for?"
"Only two days," Harry quickly said. "You didn't miss out anything." But Y/N knew she did.
"The feast is starting in two hour, actually, so perfect timing!" Rolf looked at his watch.
"Excuse me, young man," Mrs Scamander scolded. "Your sister just woke up from a dementor attack, she is not ready for a dang party-"
"Mum, I'm really fine!" Y/N said with a smile. "Please, I have to go to the feast! I'm hungry and I need food!"
"What if you pass out again?" Mrs Scamander asked.
"I'll take care of her, Mrs Scamander." Harry said firmly. Y/N beamed at him gratefully. "We all will."
Mrs Scamander made an uneasy face, but slowly relaxed, and nodded in defeat.
"Fine. You deserve it." She said. Y/N let out a quiet 'yes!'. "But mainly because I am going back to work, and you would probably sneak out anyways."
"That true!" Y/N beamed. Harry chuckled.
"I thought so." Mrs Scamander smiled. "Then I'll see you later, little one."
"Oh and, mum," Y/N said, remembering all the things Lupin had told her about. "I know you're busy right now, but when I arrive home- we need to talk."
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Y/N lay on her back, gazing at the ceiling of the hospital wing. The room was silent, except for Harry's quiet humming.
Y/N turned to the side and watched Harry play with the front of his robes dreamily. She smiled at the boy and caught his eye.
Harry turned red and stopped humming immediately. He looked away, as if he suddenly found the floor tiles fascinating.
"Still the awkward boy I met in our first year." Y/N said with a soft laugh. "Remember when I accidentally grabbed your arm, thinking it was a seat?"
Harry was still red, but he let out a small grin.
"You still remember that?" He asked shyly.
"'Course I do," Y/N said truthfully. "I was so embarrassed. And I remember you were, too. You said 'nice to meet you' to me, twice." Y/N smiled at the memory.
"Oh, I remember that," Harry said in embarrassment. "Um- I was just so- nervous."
"We all were." Y/N said with a sigh. She remembered quite clearly how her first day at Hogwarts was like. "What time is it, by the way?"
"A quarter to eight," Harry said, checking his watch.
"15 more minutes till I can leave this hell on earth." Y/N fussed.
"Really, Y/N Scamander?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "You should be glad you're safe. I'm glad you're safe."
Y/N blinked and locked eyes with the messy haired boy next to her.
Harry flushed with colour once more, and quickly said,
"I mean- you don't- you aren't hurt. That's good, right?" He looked at her nervously.
"Oh gosh, Potter, do I make you that nervous?" Y/N said and laughed at Harry's expression. Harry looked away, trying to de-red himself. "How exactly did we get away from the dementors, anyway?" Y/N asked.
"Oh- that." Harry's face became more relaxed at the topic. "Hermione and I will tell you the whole story later. But long story short, I produced a patronus, Niff. And I saw it- it was a stag."
"You- you did it?" Y/N eyes widened. "You did it! There were so many dementors, though... and I swear I heard you scream... I swear I felt you falling beside me."
Y/N shuddered at the memory.
"It's a long story." Harry repeated. "I promise I'll explain it to you later."
"I just can't wait." Y/N said, half scared, half delighted. "Which memory did you use for your patronus?"
"My- patronus?" Harry stuttered.
"Of course."
"It's kind of- weird." Harry laughed. "It's really weird actually, you don't want to know."
"Aw, come on." Y/N nudged his arm pleadingly. "I'll tell you mine."
"What's yours?"
"You'll have to tell me yours, too!"
"No!"
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine, as in we both keep our best memories a secret, or as in we both share?" Y/N asked.
"Secret. It's not a big deal." Harry said firmly.
"Alright," Y/N said in a fake petty tone. "Alright, a secret it is."
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Everything was fine again. Hermione and Ron were better than ever, and Gryffindor had won the house cup. Oliver Wood grinned proudly at the mention of their Quidditch victory, and Y/N felt alive again.
On the way back to King's Cross station, Hermione and Harry told her all about their time traveling experience and how everything was fixed.
Y/N was relieved to hear that both Buckbeak and Sirius escaped, and was sad she didn't get to say good bye to Professor Lupin (he resigned, due to Snape ratting him out).
Dumbledore knew that Sirius was innocent, Hermione had a time turner this whole time, and the rock that hit Harry in Hagrid's hut was thrown by time traveling Hermione.
It was a lot to take in.
But she was happy to be with her three best friends again, laughing and throwing candy wrappers at each other on the Hogwarts Express.
They've always found comfort in each other.
"What's that furry thing?" Hermione pointed outside the window of their compartment.
Y/N could see something fluttering outside the window of their compartment. It looked like a brown and feathery snitch.
"It's an owl," Harry said and opened the window.
It was, indeed, the smallest owl Y/N has ever seen. It came fluttering in and sat on Ron's head. The letter it was holding was twice its size.
"Hey, it's from Sirius!" Harry beamed. He took the letter from the owl and opened it excitedly.
His eyes scanned through the letter and he was grinning the whole time.
"So?" Y/N asked.
"He sent me the Firebolt!" Harry said, his eyes darting all over the paper.
"Um- I told you." Hermione smirked.
"But it wasn't dangerous, was it?"
"What else!"
"He's in hiding, and the dementors are still searching for him." Harry's face dropped slightly.
"He'll be fine, though, he's been through a lot worse." Y/N said firmly. Harry smiled at her gratefully.
"Anything else?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Erm...." Harry read the end of the letter. "He signed my form for Hogsmeade! Dumbledore will be fine with that!"
"That's brilliant, Harry!" Ron said, chewing a chocolate frog happily. "I hate talking to you under the invisibility cloak."
"Oh, and he also said that Ron can keep the owl." Harry said and looked up. "Congrats, mate."
"I can- keep it?" Ron's eyes glowed. He grabbed the tiny owl from his head and shoved it in front of Crookshanks. "What do you reckon? Definitely an owl?"
The orange cat purred.
"Then that's good enough for me." Ron beamed. "He's mine."
For the rest of the ride, Y/N and Hermione debated about whether it was better or worse to have siblings, Ron feasted on his snacks silently, and Harry read Sirius's letter over and over again.
When the train slowed down, Ron told them excitedly about the Quidditch World Cup that was happening during summer break and that his dad might get tickets for them.
Y/N knew she was definitely going, given how much Rolf liked the sport.
They stepped off the train together and through the barrier between platform nine and ten, and stepped into the muggle world.
Mrs Weasley and Mr Scamander were talking casually in the crowd, and Mr Weasley was talking to Hermione's parents enthusiastically.
The Dursley's kept distance from the wizard families and looked overly frightened.
"There you all are!" Mrs Weasley smiled and pulled the four into a hug. She was a short ginger woman with a kind face. She was the definition of motherly. "Hermione, Ronald dear, Harry, you look so grown up! Y/N, are you doing alright, dear?"
It seemed like Y/N was still Mrs Weasley's favorite, out of Ron's friends.
"I'm good, Mrs Weasley." Y/N smiled as the woman patted her cheek softly. "Thank you for the Christmas presents, by the way."
"Oh, it's nothing, dear!" She waved it away. "I was just talking with your father about your plans for summer!"
Sean Scamander beamed down at his daughter and chuckled.
"Little Y/N," Y/N's father hugged her tightly. "I was so worried when I heard about the dementors attacking-"
"Hey dad, it's good to see you too" Y/N said firmly. She chuckled to lighten up the mood, as her dad let go and hugged her brother.
"How was school, guys?" He asked the two of them curiously.
"I'm still upset I didn't make it into the team." Rolf said grimly. "I swear, dad, Cedric did that to me on purpose-"
"That was ages ago, stop mourning." Y/N rolled her eyes.
Rolf glared at his sister sourly.
"I have to go now, Y/N." Hermione came over to the Scamanders and tapped Y/N on the shoulder. "Have a great summer." She pulled her into a sisterly hug.
"See you, Hermy." Y/N smiled. Hermione gave her one last playful eye roll and disappeared into the big crowd.
"See you at the World Cup!" Ron walked by and ruffled Y/N's hair. He, Ginny, Fred and George waved at her good bye. The redhead family then disappeared after Hermione's.
"I guess it's good bye for now." Y/N turned and saw Harry grinning at her. Sirius's letter was still in his hand.
"Course it is, Harold." Y/N rolled her eyes. "And I thought we were going to have a normal year- what was I thinking?"
Harry chuckled and pulled her into a bear hug.
"I'm Harry Potter, after all," he said grimly.
"That's not necessarily a bad thing..." Y/N whispered over his shoulder.
"I never said it was." He whispered back into her ear. His mouth opened, and then quickly closed. And then he blurted out, "I'll miss you."
"I won't," Y/N grinned. "or whatever."
Harry pulled away with a red face and stared at her eyes. He just couldn't get enough of her eyes- and her smile- and the way she laughed-
"Good bye, Harold." Y/N said. She leaned in and kissed his cheek softly. Harry turned as red as ever, but Y/N didn't notice. "See you." she beamed.
"Bye, Y/N." Harry said, his face buzzing numb. "See you..."
∞ ϟ 9¾ ♔ ⚯͛ △r⃒⃘ ➵ ♆
A/N ~ ARE YOU KIDDING😭 It's the end of third year! I've enjoyed writing this so much. I apologize if there are any spelling mistakes. Don't hesitate to call me out, I'll fix it right away.
Thanks for every comment, vote, and all the support! I love you all, like, a lot :)
Year 4 will be SUCH a rollercoaster- there will be fluff, there will be tears, there will be drama ;)
Author's notes along with chapter 1 of year four, will be posted very soon!
THANK YOU. JUST THANK YOU.
-ScribblingQuills