Harry trudged back up to the Gryffindor Common Room to find Hermione, Ron and Robyn crowded around a table near the window, books and notes of all sorts surrounding them.

Harry had expected this. They spent most of their time either doing homework or revision as the O.W.L. examinations were creeping up on them fast.

Harry walked up to the table, smiling as all three of them greeted him, asking how the lesson had been.

His heart dropped at the fact of lying to them but he had too. He simply told them that Snape thought he didn't need to have lessons anymore as he thought Harry was prepared.

"But why can't you have lessons anymore?" Hermione asked as she briefly stuck her head out of a large stack of Charms notes she was reading.

Harry began to pull out his own books and notes from his bag. "I told you, Snape said I didn't need them anymore. Says I got the basics down."

Robyn looked at him curiously. "So you've stopped with the dreams?"

Harry's heart ached with guilt. It hurt the most to lie to Robyn but little did he know that she was keeping a much bigger secret from him.

"Pretty much." Harry said, trying to keep the guilt off his face.

"Well, I don't think he should stop. I mean, we're talking about V-Voldemort here. I think basics might not be enou-" Hermione began indignantly.

"Just drop it, okay. I'm fine." Harry said, sending Hermione a sharp look.

Robyn watched as Ron shook his head, looking down incredulously at the textbook he was reading.

"I can't do this. I'm never going to be able to pass my O.W.L.s. Not at this rate. I should just go with George and Fred." Ron moaned, his voice higher than usual.

Robyn understood where Ron was coming from, she was extremely nervous to be starting her exams as she feared failure.

"No! I won't have you ruining your life, too." Hermione snapped.

Harry began writing on some parchment, his quill scratching against it loudly.

Robyn looked at his face and instantly knew something was off. "Okay, what's wrong? You're gonna do fine on the tests." Robyn consoled, soothingly.

Harry shook his head, halting his writing. "It's not that, it's just . . . I really need to talk to Sirius." Harry admitted, allowing his voice to drop to a mere whisper.

Hermione looked at him inquiringly. "About what?"

Harry hesitated and chose his words carefully. "Just . . . something about my dad."

"We'll, you'll just have to wait. You can't send an owl without Umbridge knowing who you're sending to." Hermione said, proceeding to continue with her studying.

"What about the floo network?" Ron said, who had given up from trying to absorb the information from the book in front of him.

Robyn gave a little wave of her hand, dismissing the idea. "Please, Ron, don't you think she'd think of that. Every fire place in the castle is being tapped. Except hers, of course."

Harry felt his lips turn up slightly and he mentally thanked Robyn for this new information. His mind was already reeling with plans to try to get into Unbridge's office to talk to Sirius. Harry felt his spirits were instantly lifted.

Hermione sent him a pointed look, gently grabbed the back of his head and forced him to look down at the notes resting on his lap. "You. Study. Now."

Harry looked slightly up and met Robyn's eyes and the two of them grinned at each other before turning back to study, in fear of what would happen if Hermione caught them not doing any work...

>>>

After weeks and weeks of studying and lack of sleep, the frightening O.W.L.s. had approached at last.

More and more, Robyn was having nightmares or being excused from classes to run to the toilets to throw up. She was very envious on how Hermione, Ron and Harry were dealing with it all, even though Robyn could tell they were extremely worried at least they were dealing with it better than her.

With the blur of weeks of studying and worrying herself to the point she made herself sick, Robyn didn't get a chance to worry about who not to trust, or Noah, or Malfoy and for that she was grateful for the distraction.

Harry was also welcoming the distraction albeit no matter how stressful it was. He didn't have to worry about what was going on in the Order, or what Voldemort was planning. He didn't have to worry about Snape and what would happen in their next lesson with him. He wasn't frequently thinking about his father's time in Hogwarts anymore, though it was still in the back of his mind which was why, although he spent all his time studying, he came up with a plan of sorts to talk to Sirius to ask about his father's behaviour and try to find some reassurance.

The day had come for their first examination and that was Transfiguration.

Like in the memory of Snape's that Harry had witnessed, the Great Hall held lots of single desks instead of the four long tables they would normally use to eat at meal times.

All the students were seated and staring at Professor McGonagall anxiously, worry all churning inside of them.

"Over the next two weeks you will be tested in every magical field you've been studying in. I'd remind you again, that these tests will reflect on your future profession. Take them very seriously. Cheating will be punished most severely. There is no reason not to do the best I've come to expect of you. Examiners from outside the school will be doing your practical test. Good luck to you all." McGonagall said, and curtly she waved her wand and parchment flew out to each student.

Another flick of McGonagall's wand and the giant clock at the front of the Great Hall began ticking away, telling everyone to start.

Harry looked around slightly, he could see Robyn had already started and was writing in a flurry. An involuntary smile formed on his face and he had to force his eyes away and down to the parchment in front of him.

He looked down at the first question and smiled. He knew this. He grabbed his quill, took a deep breath and like the rest of the class began writing all he knew on the parchment, hoping it was going to be enough...

>>>

Harry exited the Great Hall with a small smile on his face. He thought he did good. He thought it went well.

He had lost Ron, Hermione and Robyn admist the bustling crowd of chattering students all eager to find out how everyone did.

Suddenly, a giant sparkling dragon zoomed through the crowd and Harry grinned. It was another one of Fred and George's fireworks that Umbridge couldn't seem to get rid of.

Abruptly, Harry stopped. He hadn't realised where he was walking and now found himself standing outside Umbridge's office. It was a great time to pursue his plan.

Harry's emerald eyes scanned the corridor for any living soul and when he found no one, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the lock on the Headmistress' door. "Alohomora."

A satisfying click made Harry internally cheer and with a racing heart, Harry entered the office in a rush, closing the door carefully behind him.

Harry didn't bother to look around the room, knowing that it was empty. He did spot his Firebolt though and his heart ached in longing.

Harry ignored this and rushed straight to the fireplace, grabbing some Floo powder.

He threw the powder into the fireplace and knelt down in front of it.

"12 Grimmauld place!" Harry said and emerald flames erupted in the fireplace. Harry took a deep breath and placed his head into the flames.

It was quite a strange sensation as the flames didn't burn but in fact tickled coldly against Harry's skin.

He felt his body still in Umbridge's office but his head was spinning and Harry had to close his eyes.

Soon though it stopped and Harry opened his eyes to see Sirius and Lupin sitting in front to the fire, talking.

As soon as Remus and Sirius caught sight of Harry's head in the flames, they both jumped, shock overcoming their features.

"Harry!" Lupin exclaimed in shock, though his voice was as welcoming as ever.

As a stark contrast to Lupin's expression, Sirius looked quite alarmed. "What's wrong? What happened, are you alright?"

Harry could feel his heart hammering in his chest. Umbridge could walk in at any moment, he had to be quick. "Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine." He reassured his godfather.

Sirius looked curious. "What is it?"

Harry felt himself hesitate. He had been dying to talk about what he saw in the Pensieve in Snape's office. That burning hunger to talk about James was still ignited in Harry so he forced down the lump in his throat and looked at Sirius. "Can we talk about my dad?"

Both Sirius and Remus raised their eyebrows but Sirius did look immensely relieved.

Harry took the silence as an invitation to carry on, so he took a deep breath and explained all he saw in the Pensieve.

A weight had lifted off his shoulders when Harry had finished but he also couldn't help but be frightened off what Sirius and Lupin would say.

But to Harry's shock, they just smiled.

"Oh, Harry . . . Don't judge your father from one of Snape's memories. He was only fifteen-"

"I'm fifteen!" Harry countered defensively.

Sirius sighed. "Harry, James and Snape hated each other from the moment they met. James was everything Snape wanted to be. And Snape was just this little oddball who hid out in the dungeons."

Flashes of Snape's memory echoed in Harry's mind. Harry could still feel his heart plummeting. Their answers still didn't justify what James did.

"But he just attacked him for no reason. Because you said you were bored." Harry said, his voice betraying him by allowing disappointment to lace into his words.

Lupin watched Harry with a sad smile on his young but aged face. "Harry, your dad was no saint. But Snape attacked your dad just as much. Your dad was just a better wizard." Then suddenly, a gleam alighted in Remus' eyes. "Hey, did he have that Snitch with him?" He asked.

Despite what he was feeling, a small smile toyed at Harry's lips. "Yeah, he kept letting it go and catching it."

Sirius laughed. "I forgot he use to do that. Oh Harry, your dad was a good man. And my best friend. But everyone is an idiot when they're fifteen. He grew out of it."

"But my mum hated him too." Harry said.

Lupin shook his head, his smile growing wider as his eyes gleamed with ghosts of the past. "No, she didn't. James just always acted a fool in front of Lily. Your mum and dad didn't get together until their last year at school anyway. Like I said, he grew up."

Harry's heart lightened slightly and the disappointment turned into hopefulness. "And he stopped hexing people for the fun of it?"

Sirius nodded. "Oh yeah, he grew out of that."

"Even Snape?" Harry inquired.

Sirius shrugged, a small smirk lighting his face. "Well, that was a special case."

Harry hesitated and let his eyes fall downcast. "I just never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape."

"Yeah, speaking of which, how'd Snape act when he caught you?" Lupin asked.

"He told me he'd never teach me Occlumency again. Like that was a big dissapp-"

"HE WHAT?" Sirius barked, looking furious.

Harry jumped but was quick to answer. "It's okay, I don't care -"

But Sirius continued, his words laced with venom. "I'm gonna kill that snot nosed -"

Harry raised his voice slightly, so it wasn't drowned out by Sirius' assortment of colourful words. "It's okay. I didn't like it anyway."

"Harry, you go back to Snape and tell him to continue your lessons! There's nothing more important than those lessons right now!" Lupin said looking concerned.

"I can't do that, he'll kill me -"

"You have too!" Remus exclaimed, looking more worried and alarmed by the minute.

"I'll try . . ." Harry trailed as he heard something. "Was that on your side?"

Worry etched both Sirius and Remus' faces now.

"No, that's your side!" Lupin said in alarm.

"Go, Harry! Now!"

Harry didn't need telling twice and pulled his head back, his head spinning momentarily but was soon back in the same room as his body.

He coughed slightly, his heart beating fast but considerably lighter with the new found information about his father.

Harry lifted his head out of the fireplace just as Filch stormed into the office looking more excited than Harry had ever seen.

Harry jumped behind Umbridge's desk just as Filch wobbled up to it. "Approval for whipping. My day has come at last!"

Filch flicked through a few papers before finding the one he was looking for. With a joyful and slightly demented laugh, Filch exited the office.

Harry was quick to follow quietly, curious and scared to what Filch would lead him too...

(Sorry it took me so long to update but at least it's another long chapter. I can tell this is going to be a long book but hopefully I finish it soon cause trust me guys shit is gonna go down in the next book. Anyway, don't know when I'm gonna update next. I have my results on Thursday and I'm shitting myself cause I've never been a smart person.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Until next time)