FicWad

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and can't get money for this, but I can make him into a Mafia Prince.

Warning: Some chapters (the ones including pranks and mimes) might not be appropriate to read at work. Laughter may ensue leading your co-workers to see you as even more insane than they previously thought.


Chapter 17: Camping Out

Penny still wasn't back in school as the holidays approached and Harry had come to the decision that despite his earlier belief of a fairly quick resolution between them that it wasn't going to be that easy. It bothered him slightly, but there was nothing he could do about it. Another thing that was bothering Harry was that his father and Trevor had ordered both him and Blaise to remain at school that Christmas. Vasile and Nara hadn't returned to Hogwarts and most likely would not that year; they were needed more at home and Manuel had discovered evidence that Sirius Black was not the threat to Harry that everyone believed him to be. There were other threats in the magical world, of course, but with Trevor's crowd on the move those threats were growing ever smaller. Of course that did not take into account Sirius Black breaking into Gryffindor Tower the night before the train came to carry students back home for the holidays.

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"Get up, quickly," Harry woke before Severus uttered the words, had in fact woken the moment his Head of House had opened the door to the first year's dorm; his roommates however were a bit slow to comply and found themselves drenched with cold water from Severus' wand.

"This is no time to tarry," Severus snarled at the dripping wet Crabbe and Goyle, "there's been a break-in at Gryffindor Tower. You will be spending the rest of the night in the Great Hall with the other students."

There was a hidden message for them all behind those words. They were to hurry, yes, but they were also to show up in the Great Hall looking like Slytherins and not as if they had just been rudely roused from bed. With the ease of much practice Harry swung himself out of bed, slipping a thin knife from under his pillow into his shirt sleeve before grabbing his wand. He had no need to change or put on additional clothing beyond slipping his feet into the shoes lying at the ready beside his bed. On impulse Harry also grabbed his cloak from the hook beside his bed.

Then, without waiting to see how his roommates were faring Harry left the dorm and headed towards the common room knowing that Blaise would be there shortly if she wasn't already. Both their fathers had drilled into their heads at a young age that even in sleep you must be prepared, that it was best to sleep in clothes that could double as everyday wear in case you found yourself woken suddenly for an emergency. Judging by the complete emptiness of the common room when he arrived, most of his housemates hadn't been taught the same lesson. Blaise joined him a few moments later.

"It's insane," she huffed as she joined Harry where he was standing, ready to move quickly if needed, "they're in there primping as if heading out for the day instead of there being an emergency."

Harry sighed, "and nine chances out of ten we'll get in serious trouble if we head to the Great Hall alone."

"You would be correct there, Mr. Potter," Severus gave a ghost of a smile when both Harry and Blaise tensed but managed to keep from whirling to face him, showing that they trusted him at their backs, "should you do anything so foolish I would have to forget my place as your teacher and tan your backside myself. The one who broke into Gryffindor Tower was Sirius Black. The Headmaster will be allowing the Dementors in to help search soon."

Harry absorbed this news without blinking, "and yet he got past all the dementors on guard. They have seemed to be more of a problem then help, now this has just confirmed it. There is always the possibility that Black used one of the passageways, he did attend school here after all. But why go to Gryffindor Tower? If he was after me like everyone thinks, but we know not to be the case, then he would have come to the dungeons. It's no secret that I'm not a Gryffindor, in fact I doubt there's anyone in the wizarding world that doesn't know I'm a Slytherin. So why the Tower? What's up there that he wants?"

Severus shook his head to show that he didn't know and melted back into the shadows as other students began to stumble into the common room, herded in by the Prefects who had been sent by Severus to wake them.

"What's going on? Why the bloody hell are we being woken up this late?" Quite a few of them were grumbling to each other.

Severus gave them another moment before stepping from the shadows again, "next time when told there is an emergency-" and here his gaze turned to some of the Slytherin girls, and even a few of the boys, who had primped before heading from their rooms, "-I expect you to hurry. There is an intruder in the school and all students will be spending the night, until the intruder is found, sealed in the Great Hall. Keep up or suffer the consequences, the Dementors will be entering the school soon to aid in the search."

The common room burst into uproar, totally inappropriate at a time that they needed to move in haste, but they all knew what the Dementors were from the train visit earlier that year and they were not Gryffindors to take the new bravely. They were, however, Slytherins, and such a display of fearful emotion even in the private of their common room was anathema to all that they were supposed to be.

"What?" The annoyingly familiar voice was shrill, "Dumbledore can't, my father won't allow this! What if those things come near us?!"

Severus glared those who were making noise into silence, "move. Fifth years spread out amongst the first four years. Sixth and Seventh surround them watching outwards. Prefects split into two groups, one to the front and one behind. I will hear no further noise, we walk in silence"

Due to the severity of the situation, the Slytherins actually complied with the order and all seventh years and their Head of House arrived at the Great Hall in orderly silence. They were the last house there, but nothing was said as the Professors directed them to take seats at their house table so a head count could be taken. It took a few minutes since most of the students were still shifting around and talk was buzzing like mad up and down the tables, but soon the head count was complete and all but Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout left the hall to join the Dementors on the search through Hogwarts. Dumbledore was the last of the staff to leave the Great Hall, the large doors sealing with a grinding, sucking sound, not to open again unless the Headmaster unsealed them.

"Well then," Madam Pomfrey turned from the newly sealed doors and towards the students, "we're in for a long night, we'd best get you settled."

Using the brisk organization that kept the Hospital Wing running so smoothly, Madam Pomfrey soon had students that were able to conjuring sleeping bags, relying on the Prefects to space them out in sections delineated by house. Judiciously Harry and Blaise pulled together two sleeping bags along the wall at the corner of the Slytherin area so that they weren't surrounded by so many bodies and would have the solid wall at their back so they couldn't be snuck up on easily. Granted, having the wall at their back could also prevent easy escape, but there was open space to their heads that had been left as a wide walking path that would serve need should it arise.

"Do you think they've found Black yet?" Blaise whispered softly as they waited for everyone to get settled so the two Professors still in the hall with them could dim the lights enough for sleeping.

Harry shook his head as he wiggled his sleeping bag closer over to Blaise's so they could keep their conversation low and he could throw his cloak across both of their sleeping bags for a little extra added warmth in the drafty hall.

"I don't know. It's doubtful since none of the Professors have returned."

Blaise's hand found Harry's under the cloak and laced them together, "what do you think our fathers are doing right now?"

Harry squeezed her hand slightly, his voice low as he answered. This was a game they had played often over the years when they were separated from their fathers and found themselves awake late at night, "they should be in bed, sound asleep, but we both know our fathers better than that. Things will have settled down for the night, but they'll still be awake and in dad's office despite having sent everyone not on duty to bed. There will be a fire in the grate and a lamp burning low on the desk, their heads bent over some business paper or a map for the next strike."

"Don't forget the brandy," Blaise whispered, her eyes closed and her breathing starting to even out as she started to doze off lightly.

"How could I forget that," Harry gave a soft chuckled, "the open bottle and two half-full glasses. They always drink half when they start and toss back the second half when they call it a night."

Blaise yawned, causing Harry to stifle one of his own, "good night, Harry."

"Good night, Blaise."

Harry continued to watch Blaise through the muted light for a few more minutes, soft whispers from the other students drifting inaudibly through the room, before he too lay his head down and closed his eyes to get some more sleep. He didn't think to untangle their hands.