Chapter 16 Oompa Loompa Dompa Da De De

"Now, Now, Severus, you need to escort Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore chastised as he came up to the group. He looked over the assembled students and merely peered over his glasses at them and they all dispersed. Many grumbled, but a great few were whispered about the latest gossip on the new Harry.

The boy in question just looked blankly at the ones who were staring as they moved past him. He honestly didn't care what they were saying. Though, he really wished they found something new to talk about. It was getting tedious listening to it all. However, he really didn't like when they stared, that was just plain rude, and he felt like they were all judging him, and they didn't have the right. He thought that over in his head for a moment and realized that it just didn't make sense, so he shrugged it all off and paid attention what was happening.

"Come, Mr. Malfoy, let us see about your injury," Snape said as he guided his student away, thankful to be gone. He still fretted over where Potter had gotten his information. He thought it was well buried, and then he realized that the boy must be in touch with Black. Blast that man to the deepest pits of Hell. How dare he tell Potter anything. His memories were his own and the last thing he wanted was the brat to know anything about him. No matter that it pertained to his mother as well. He fumed as he turned the corner and led Draco to get his nose fixed.

"Harry, Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood, Mr. Longbottom, you too should move along," the Headmaster stated, not wanting another confrontation with the belligerent boy. Ever since Harry lost his memory, the child had been a handful and he was far too tired to deal with him right now.

"Right you are, Albus, ole boy," Harry said with mock cheer and a jaunty wave. He was tired of the old man's familiarity. He was curious about what kind of relationship he had had with the guy before he lost his memory. Were they really on such good terms? He had a hard time grasping that he would trust any adult after the way he had been treated since he came back. The mind-rape, the accusations, the reprimands, and the insults that had happened didn't make for warm and fuzzy feelings. Was his childhood really that bad that he would look up to the first adult that gave him attention? There were times he really didn't want to find out.

"I will ask you once again to address me by my title, young man," Albus said wearily, pinching his nose in agitation. It seemed nothing was going to go well with Harry. He pondered on the question; if the boy hadn't lost his memory, would the time on the streets have hardened him into the teen standing before him?

"Then address me as Mr. Potter," was the rebuttal complete with mulish arm folding. "You don't seem to have the same issue with anyone else. It's really creepy that you keep being so familiar with me. Kind of stalkerish, if you ask me."

"Very well, Mr. Potter, off you go," the old man said with a sigh and a shooing motion.

"Wait, where is my new room?" Harry asked, still not wanting to sleep in the same room as Ron. Plus, he had no idea who the others in that room were, and he learned that things could easily go missing in his sleep. Although now with his intruder warning, that might not happen, but why take the chance? It was a good thing his trunk was now secured around his neck.

"You will be using the Gryffindor Head Boy's room. A prefect will show you where it is. There is no one using it at this time. However, if a Gryffindor is chosen for Head Boy next year, you will have to sleep in your assigned bed. I am quite sure that all fences will be mended at that time," the old man said in good cheer. He still didn't believe the child had any memories to restore, but he hoped that Mr. Weasley would overcome his jealousy and make friends with Harry.

Harry scoffed and didn't say anything, but turned dismissingly on the old man. The quartet moved up the stairs.

Hermione was holding her tongue, wanting to ask questions and chastise Harry, but not here. There was enough gossip about the amnesiac, so she just walked on. Luna was skipping along without a care in the world, with Harry's arm around her shoulders. She had friends and that was all that mattered. Neville was thinking about what just happened. He hadn't seen Harry's interaction with the staff since he came back, and judging from what he knew about him before, this was a whole new Harry. He was positive it was for the better. Anyone who stood up to Snape and Malfoy was a hero in his books.

"Well, I'm knackered, and I still have a bit of studying to do, so let's call it a night," Harry said at the parting point. He leaned over and kissed the little blonde in his arms on the cheek and said, "Goodnight, Lovely Luna."

"Goodnight, Sweet Harry," she replied with a giggle and then left, making her way down the hall with a bounce in her step, making Harry realized that she had a nice arse as well as good looking breast.

"Do you have designs on Luna?" Hermione asked as they started back down the hall.

"I'm not sure, really. I mean, we're a bit young for that, but she is good looking," the messy-haired boy said as he thought hard on the question. "I mean, I hardly know any of you, but I am a teenage boy, so yeah, I think about her," he confessed not the least bit shy about talking about it with her.

"Oh," was all she said. She wondered why she was jealous of that fact, and contemplated on if he thought of her the same way.

"You are also quite pretty," Harry said as if reading her thoughts. He kissed her cheek, making her redden as they continued to the tower. "And I'm sure, like all teenage boys, Neville thinks so too," he added playfully, making the boy stumble and blush.

"Harry," Hermione admonished, smacking him on the chest, "quit embarrassing your friends."

"Well," the shy boy said, squaring his shoulders, "he isn't wrong." Though the words were brave, the redness of his face gave away his discomfiture.

Harry laughed and patted him on the back. "We'll make a player out of you yet," he said to Neville.

They got to the portrait and went inside. The common room was buzzing with activity. People were playing games and doing homework. The twins were off to the side, whispering to each other. They saw the trio come in and waved for Harry to join them.

Harry gave Hermione another kiss on the cheek and excused himself. Many of the girls giggled, but there were one or two that narrowed their eyes possessively. He made his way over to the lookalikes and said, "What's up?"

"We did a bit of investigation on the night you disappeared," Fred said quietly, as he waved to a chair for Harry to sit. "We asked portraits and ghosts and such. We found out that you were first seen headed toward Gryffindor tower, then you turned and went to the dungeons. The last time you were see you were running from that direction straight out the front doors. No one knew why you went to the dungeons though. Only that you went to the potion's classroom, were there for a half an hour, and then you took off as if Fluffy was after you."

"Who's Fluffy?" the younger teen asked as he leaned forward in his seat.

"That's right you wouldn't remember. Well, there was a Cerberus here in the castle supposedly guarding a great treasure in your first year. He was Hagrid's, and his name was Fluffy," George said. He and Fred had gotten the half-giant to spill the beans that year. Too bad when they got to the room at the end of the gauntlet there was nothing there but a gilded mirror. The things the mirror showed them were like dreams come true, and when they deciphered the saying on the top they realized that was exactly what it was. However, it made them more determined to become what they wanted most. Greater tricksters than the Marauders. Still, they tried to tell a professor they had completed it but were told that it was forbidden to be there and to not go there again or points would be deducted, and detention would be had.

"Right, three-headed dog, Hermione told me about him, just not his name," the amnesiac stated, going over what little he knew and chuckling at the silly name. "Did your… witnesses see anything else?" he asked, wondering if that bastard Snape was responsible for his condition. He really got bad vibes from the man, it was like the bat hated everything about him. Snape couldn't even speak his name without disgust dripping from his voice. Harry still didn't see what he mum saw in the greasy-haired git.

"Well, there aren't any living portraits in the classroom and Snape's quarters are attached, so they wouldn't know what went on while you were there. However, Snape has been acting weird since that night. While I wouldn't call him nice, in any reality, he has been more tolerant. So we think he's being blackmailed, we just don't know by whom," Fred said, looking at his twin.

"I think I might know, but let me talk to a few… people and I'll get back to you. It all has to do with some research I did when I was on the streets."

"Right, well if you need any more help, let us know," George stated, slapping him on the back, after he got up from his chair.

"Right you are, George, we're always willing to snoop," Fred said with a huge grin as he joined his brother.

"I will," Harry agreed, knowing that if they got this far when the adults hadn't, they would be a great asset. "Goodnight, guys," he added and went to join his other friends.

Snape's POV

"You are not keeping with our bargain," was the accusation thrown at the Potions Master when he returned to his quarters after seeing Malfoy to Madam Pomfrey. He had been hoping for time to cool down, but it appeared that that wasn't going to happen. Blasted ghost.

"I have been… kind to the brats in my class," Snape defended himself to the apparition, leaving off the argument he had just had with Potter. He had graded fairly, only took points when necessary, and didn't yell nearly as loud. So what if he glared at them, they were only going to make mistakes if he didn't use a firm hand. Granted it had been only one day of classes, and he had been hard-pressed to hold his tongue, but he did well, or so he thought.

"I disagree," the Bloody Baron stated with a firm shake of his head. "While you were less volatile, you were far from kind. Mr. Longbottom shook with nerves all through today's class, and you took great pleasure in making him do so. How is the boy to ever do well in your class if you torment him so?" He had been on the ceiling watching the man terrify the boy by just standing over him and staring. "Furthermore, the confrontation you just had with Mr. Potter shows that you are not holding back in the least. You almost gave up the game, as the saying goes. How very unSlytherin of you," he sneered with a sad shake of his head.

"It is a dangerous class that I teach. What would you have me do? Baby them? Longbottom is a menace, and should never be allowed near a cauldron. He requires thorough watching. As for Potter, the brat needs to know his place, and it is not in my past. He is in cahoots with that mongrel of a godfather, I just know he is," was the rebuttal as the man fumed about the spat they just had in the hall.

"I will tell you this once more, Potion Master Snape, stop harassing the students and taking your childhood grievances out on them or you will be seeing the inside of a cell," the Slytherin Ghost threatened ominously as he floated into the man's space and almost through his body. That would have knocked Snape out, and the Baron was still thinking on it, just to teach the man a lesson.

"I will do my best," was all the professor offered as he watched the ghost fly away, snarling internally that Potter ever came back to Hogwarts.

Now all he had to do was confront the boy on where he got his information, and do it without the ruddy ghost around. He knew the boy had done something to Mr. Malfoy, but even the blond said that Potter had no wand. In addition, he still had to convince the Grey Lady to talk to the Bloody Bastard, that wasn't going well at all. And there was the suspicion in the Headmaster's and his Deputy's eyes.

No, not all was going well for our Potions Master. Once again he was thinking of just disappearing. He knew that if the Dark Lord came back that he would not be hidden for long, but there was always a chance that Potter would kill the man on a fluke, so perhaps he would risk it.

Harry's POV

"What did the twins want?" asked the ever-inquisitive Hermione, when our hero approached.

"I have a question for you," Harry said as he sat across from her. "Did I always tell you everything in my life? And did you return the favor? It seems to me that I can't have a private moment without you asking about it," he asked. 'Have I always been this whipped?' he thought. A bit disgusted with himself it he had.

"That is what best friends do," she said defending her actions. Harry had always told her what was going, no matter how much of a secret it was. They shared everything, except their childhoods. Oh, she knew he hated the Dursleys, and they didn't treat him right, but that was all she knew. However, everything that had happened since the troll had been shared.

"Okay, I'll give you that, but we are still learning about one another," he said, rubbing the back of his head and thinking about how to word this. "I mean, you just said that I'm different, so you don't really know me, and I don't really know you. So let's just not ask anything personal for a while and see where it goes, yeah?"

"Okay, I can see that," she agreed with a nod of her head, though it was sad that their tight friendship had to be rebuilt.

"Well, like I said, I'm knackered so I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning," our hero pronounced as he got up, kissed her cheek, slapped Neville on the back and used his glasses map to get to the Head Boy's room.

The room wasn't much. It had a large bed, a desk and a wardrobe, but that was all. The best thing about it was that he was alone. He laid in the bed for a moment and relished the softness. Then he sighed, reached in his TARDIS pocket and took out his books.

He stayed up for two hours and read the ones on Occlumency and his mum's diary. He learned more on both and before he went to sleep he meditated and started to build his spaceship. When he first got into his mind he was shocked as to how small it seemed.

He was floating in an area of black, and there were stars shining in a bubble, like a tiny pocket of space. He touched one and saw the time he woke up missing his glasses for the third time. He moved to the edge of the small universe and saw a great white open area. At the extreme far end was speck of orange light, like a tiny piece of sun. However, the white space was vast and the speck looked like a mirage, all watery and hardly there. He knew that his memories were on the other side, but when he tried to step in the space a barrier held him back. He figured he wasn't ready yet, so he turned and started to build the Enterprise. He had decided to go with the USS Enterprise - NCC-1701-D, since it was much more advanced.

For an hour he built, but he wasn't kidding before, he was quite tired from the last two fun filled days. So he gave up for now and went to sleep. He thought he heard Data say, 'We seem to be gaining power, Captain. It is an anomaly,' as he slipped off into a nice dream of girls, girls and more girls.

Snape's POV

Just when Snape didn't think his day could get any worse, there was a scratching at his door. He got curious, drew his wand and went to answer it. On the other side was a huge Grim. Shocked at seeing the Death Dog, he was easily pushed aside. Much to his surprise, and discontent, the Grim morphed into his hated childhood nemesis.

"Black," he spat and fired off a bone crushing curse, thinking he could get that Order of Merlin after all. He still had no idea how the man had escaped, but he knew it had something to do with Potter. It always did.

Sirius ducked the spell and threw a small dung bomb at the other man's face, making him choke on the smoke and smell. "Fuck off, Snivellus, and calm down. I just need to speak to you," he said as he raised his stolen wand and wrapped the man in ropes. He then guided him to a chair and tied him to it. He grabbed Snape's wand, set it on a nearby table, and sat in the opposite chair. "Now, tell me what you did to Harry," he demanded as he leaned forward into the Potions Master's space.

"I did not do anything to your precious godson," Snape snarled back, again wondering if the boy's memories were returning. "Perhaps, in his clumsiness, he fell and hit his head."

"He didn't, and he had the taste of dirty socks in his mouth when he woke. That means a potion, which means you," Black accused with a jabbing finger. He didn't know if the man had a direct hand in Harry's condition, but he was bound and determined to find out. It was too bad that Snape was an accomplished Occlumens. He'd pull it from his mind if he could, but he was pants at Legilimency. No, for now he would just put the fear of the Marauders in him.

Severus discreetly tried to get out of his bonds all the while snarling at the hated man. He didn't get far and soon gave a minuscule sigh of defeat. His mind was going a mile a minute to try and come up with a believable story. "I didn't see the brat after we retired that nights. All I know, from what the Baron told me, is that he came to the classroom and then left in a hurry. Who know what the little monster got up to while he was rummaging around the cabinets? Potions are a tricky thing, and if not taken correctly, they can have devastating consequences," he said as calmly as he could, which was very well. Thank Merlin for Occlumency.

"Okay, I'll grant you that, but I don't believe for a minute that you are telling me the whole truth. Know this, Snivellus, I am already a wanted man, so killing you would not be an inconvenience," he idly threatened. It was an empty threat, but given their past, Snape would take it seriously.

He didn't want to stay here too long, someone might see him, and he'd get caught. The last thing he needed was to be put back in Azkaban. He had already put a wizard-repelling charm on the Shrieking Shack, and hoped that no one would remember that it was there. He was taking a great risk coming here. He was tempted to Obliviate the greasy git, but he was terrible at that spell and might wipe his entire memory, which might be beneficial, but it would be noticed.

"Threats, Black? How boring," Snape said in a condescending tone. Though, he was even more worried now. He knew that the man had it in him to kill.

Sirius waved him off and got up from the chair. "Oh, and one more thing, I have spies here in the castle, and they're keeping a very close eye on you," he said cheerfully as he waved his wand and turned the bound man's skin orange with pointy green hair. Like the Oompa Loompas in that movie Lily made them watch after Harry was born. He even added a charm to make the man sing once a day. It would last a week, since it didn't change his features. That and the song would stay in his head forever. Then he went to the door, looked up and down the hall, turned and made a small cut in the knot, morphed into his other form and left.

Severus snarled again and struggled to free himself from the ropes. This time, because of the cut, he was able to. He snatched up his wand and made it to the door, but Black was long gone. He would have to tell Albus that the man still had access to the castle. He went to his room looked in the mirror and yell inarticulately. How he loathed that man. He sent a house elf to get the Headmaster and repeatedly tried to charm away the jinx.

Dumbledore soon came in, and tried very hard not to laugh at his protégé. "My dear boy, what in Merlin's name happened to you?" he asked, his eyes were twinkling madly, and he was waving his wand trying to dispel the joke.

"That blasted Black was here and he threatened my life. He seems to be under the delusion that I had something to do with Potter's condition," Snape snapped, as he paced the room. "I informed him, the same as I did you, that I did not see the boy that night after the drawing of the names. However, he does not believe me. Albus you have to do something about this."

"Oh dear, that is not good," the Headmaster mumbled. If Black was in touch with Harry there was no telling what kind of mischief they would get up to. He was glad to know that the child had yet to leave the castle proper. He would have to find Sirius and impart to him the importance of making Harry see that he, Albus Dumbledore, was not a man that went around and violated little boys' minds. What had happened was necessary to help the child. If only the boy were still mild mannered, then all this would not be playing out the way it was. It was beyond frustrating and quite tiring.

"That is all you have to say? A murdering madman snuck into the castle, came into my quarters and threatened to kill me, and all you can say is 'oh dear'? Look at what he did to me!" the deformed teacher yelled at the old goat. This was typical of Albus, even when they were students the old coot would take the Marauders' side.

"Things are not always as they seem. You are going to have to trust me that Sirius is not a threat," the Headmaster stated with a firm tone that brooked not argument. "Let it go, Severus."

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape said with gritted teeth. "However, I will not be put on display to the students."

"We will simply have to cancel your classes until it wears off. Although, you are more than welcome to go to the Hospital Wing and see if Poppy can reverse it," Albus stated, looking over his glasses with a challenge in his eyes. He knew that Severus would not leave these rooms looking like that unless the need was dire.

That made Snape pause, a week or so away from the dunderheads was worth contemplating, even though they just had a week off searching for that brat. One more would be more than welcome. That and he didn't want that dozy cow to know that Black had gotten the best of him… again. "Very well, I will remain in my quarters until the jinx wears off," he said in a much calmer tone.

"Yes, I had a feeling you would," the Headmaster said as he made for the door. "I must depart; I have a never-ending stack of paperwork that must be finished before I retire. Goodnight, Severus, sleep well," he stated as he left the grumbling man behind.

Hphphp

The next morning some of the early raising Slytherins caught a glance at their jinxed Head of House singing a Muggle children's song, while he was putting the sign on his classroom door. Quite a few snickered at his new looks, though many commented that he did have a nice voice. It would be all over the school before lunch. Not all Slytherins liked him.