The Life that Never Lived ? (Chamber of Secrets)

THE WRITING ON THE WALL

"That's ridiculous Remus," Lily said, "Malfoy isn't nearly capable enough to be pulling off these kinds of stunts."

"What, making creepy voices and stunning cats?" he demanded back.

James and Sirius exchanged a look, before Sirius said, "I can see that. Malfoy's a pureblood, so he's got means and motive to pull this. Plus he hates Harry, so that could be why he's singling him out."

"But how though?" James said uneasily, clearly siding with his wife on this, "I'm still stuck on why Harry's the only one hearing this. I can't imagine why a second year would know how, and we can't."

"His Dad's a Death Eater," Remus shrugged, "I wouldn't be too surprised if he knew a few things we never will."

Harry was looking torn, his twelve year old mind really wanting to agree with Sirius and Remus, while something else was holding him back from saying this aloud.

Not wanting to cause another stir of pain in him, none of them really wanted to ask Harry another question, in fear it would cause another memory blast he couldn't handle. So out of any more usable information, and without an input himself Harry read.

"Or the fact that his cat disappeared for more than ten minutes," Sirius muttered, this time without any real heat. Even he felt bad for Filch for what was about to happen.

"I really do feel bad for him," James said, knowing full well that cat was one of the only things Filch actually cared for.

"Pity gone," Remus said at once, having at first sided with his friends, but now knowing for a fact Filch was going to blame Harry for it.

"Harry didn't do anything wrong," Lily said at once, her sorrow for the cat still lingering, "and there are a dozen ghosts that can prove it. No way should he be blamed for this."

"Not going to stop Filch," Sirius muttered.

"Really!" James yelped, going red in the face, "did he really just threaten to kill you!"

Harry still looked rather upset and said, "Yeah, but he didn't mean it."

"I don't know," Sirius said bitterly, "the few times someone's actually tried to get at that cat, they tend to wind up in the worst kinds of detentions. If someone did do something like stun and string up his cat..."

"Don't," Lily snapped at him, "or at least wait until they catch whoever did do it. He's not going to do anything to Harry."

Sirius shrugged in surrender

"I thought Lockhart's office was on the second floor?" James asked. "Why did he move it upstairs?"

"Why would you remember something like that?" Lily asked in disbelief.

"I always know where all the teacher's offices are," James said, grinning like a child again, "even if I'm not at the school."

"For some odd reason, someone released a bunch of Cornish Pixies in his room," Harry said innocently, "I've no idea who could have gotten the idea. Ron and I were sure it was just a coincidence we had mentioned our disastrous first lesson to Fred and George that day."

The three boys looked at Harry like he had suddenly turned blue. Remus was the first to gasp, "and you didn't mention this because!?"

Harry shrugged, forcing an innocent look to cross his face as he said, "Like I said, it was just a coincidence-"

"Don't," Sirius said, then he let out a bark like laughter, his eyes shining with mirth as he continued, "don't even try that one on us Harry. Did you really do it, or-"