Marcus raised his eyes from his book when he heard the common room door close. Malfoy and his two friends, Heirs Crabbe and Goyle, came in a huff. Generally, in the second year coming into the common room at the last minute was unusual. However, the more Marcus watched, the more he noticed how Goyle kept looking around like he had not seen the common room before. Marcus raised an eyebrow as he watched the three second-years talk. Marcus was too far to hear what they were saying, but he could tell that Malfoy was talking excitedly about something. In a flash, however, it seemed like he upset Crabbe, who jumped up but was caught by his friend.

Marcus raised from his chair, about to de-escalate the situation but froze as Crabbe's hair began to change colors. The two whispered before darting out of the standard room as Malfoy yelled for them. Marcus took off after them, he had a knowing feeling of what was going on, and it pissed him off. Once close enough to the two, his hand quickly jerked out and grabbed the changing Goyle by the back. Wrapping a hand over his mouth, he pulled the second year down a joining hall holding the thrashing second year. Once he could no longer hear the running feat of the other impersonator, he let the Goyle go and turned him around to reveal Harry.

"You are in so much trouble, Potter," Marcus stated as he crossed his arms and stared down at the boy. "Come with me."

Marcus could tell Potter was scared but didn't try to comfort him. It pissed him off that Percilla tried her hardest to keep this boy out of danger, and he just ran headfirst into it. Marcus knew Percilla was finishing duties around this time and walked towards the Third floor to head her off.

Just like clockwork, the peak of red braids came around the corner. Marcus stood there, his arms crossed, waiting beside an empty classroom.

Percilla looked confused as she made her way toward the pair. Marcus was dressed in sleep attire, while Harry looked guilty in what seemed to be Slytherin uniforms. What were they doing out of bed at this time of night?

"Marcus," Percilla's breathy tone broke through once she made it to the end of the hall. Not saying a word, Marcus nodded towards the empty classroom letting Percilla go first before giving Harry a pointed look and having him go in.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Percilla asked, first looking down at Harry. He knew better than to wander the halls after everything happening in the school. The school board was on Dumbledore about closing the school for proper evaluation after last year's Troll incident.

"I.' Harry began before Marcus cut him off.

"I found him, and what I can only assume is your brother polyjuiced as Heir Crabbe and Goyle."

The gasp that left Percilla's mouth made Harry feel even more guilty as she stared at him with hurt in her eyes.

"Oh Merlin, Harry, no," Percilla said, the look of complete dismay crossing her face as she tried to wrap her head around what was being told. "Why would you do such as thing?"

"We wanted to find out who the Heir of Slytherin was, and Hermonie suggested that we could do this," Harry was trying but failing to explain their situation. "Ron swears it has to be Draco that is the heir. He's the one doing this to muggle-borns."

"He's not the one petrifying people Harry," Percilla's voice was stern as she crossed her arms. Out of all the irresponsible things he could have done, he chose to get involved with this mess.

"But he,"

"He's not," Marcus added, giving Harry a stern look, "while going as far back as Camelot, the Malfoy line are not direct descendants of Slytherin."

"Oh,' Harry's voice said quietly as he tried to look everywhere but the two in front of him.

"What is more important is that you broke a wizarding law, Harry James Potter," Percilla was seething, "Stealing someone's identity and using polyjuice is against the law. If caught, it is punishable by imprisonment in Azkaban."

"What?" Harry asked, his eyes widening. Hermonie had not told them when they got the hair from the three Slytherins.

Marcus signed, pressing his thumb and index finger into his eyes to try and calm himself down. "Did they see you two when you took their hair?"

"No!" Harry said, knowing they had made sure not to use magic, just the cupcakes. "We had some deserts with a sleeping potion in them. They just fell asleep." Harry was starting to freak out a bit. His breathing began to rise as he thought he was going to prison.

"What about Hermonie?" Percilla asked, taking a deep breath, trying to calm her anger.

"She got some of Millicent's hair, but something happened, and she said she wasn't going. It ended up just Ron and me."

Marcus raised a dark eyebrow at Potter. The Bulstrodes were a very traditional family. Millicent had always kept her hair in a tight braid no matter what occasion. "She wouldn't have gotten Millicent's hair."

"Yeah, she said she got it off her robes," Harry explained.

"No," Marcus repeated, "she wouldn't have. Millicent is a traditional witch. She keeps her hair up in a braid all day, and then when she does take it down, she offers any broken strains to Mother Magic."

"A witch holds her magic in her hair Harry," Percilla explained to the boy, "it's frowned upon and usually will result in an honor duel if another wizard outside of family or marriage sees or touches a witch's hair. Stealing a witch's hair is a crime against Mother Magic and can cause another to lose their magic."

Harry felt like he was getting scolded by a parent or guardian. Generally, Dursley's exemplary punishment was by hitting Harry. One thing he knew was that he would take the skillet Petunia would hit him with over the look of sheer disappointment Percilla held.

"Oh," Harry said quietly. He didn't know much about witches' hair or hair magic. Harry felt like an idiot, he had not been in the wizarding world for long, and it seemed like so many things that he needed to know that no one was teaching him.

"Harry, what you did was dangerous and wrong," Percilla said sternly before her face softened, "I know you are scared. We all are. But you are only twelve. Just because everyone around here expects you to be a savior does not mean you have to be. Be brave by being yourself, not by being an imbecile."

Percilla could feel her anger start to subside as she watched the young boy shrink in on himself. Taking a step forward, she placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it softly. "What's on your mind?"

Harry's arms wrapped around Percilla's waist as he felt himself begin to cry. Harry hated crying, it generally meant that Vernon would hear and hit him again, or Duddley would use it to pick on him at school. However, this was worse. He wasn't really sure why he was crying. All he knew was that he was hurt, and Percilla was disappointed, and he was just so very sorry.

They stayed like that for a big, Harry crying while Percilla rubbed his back, humming quietly. Once he felt like he wasn't going to burst into tears again, he broke away from the redhead.

"I'm sorry," came the quiet, meek voice.

"I know you are," Percilla said calmly as she placed a hand on his head and ran her thin fingers through Harry's messy black hair. "Don't do it anymore. It's dangerous, and you are smarter than that."

"It's getting late," Marcus' gruff voice called towards the two from where he stood watching them. "Come on, I'll get you both to the Gryffindor common room."

"Won't you get in trouble?" Harry asked, his green eyes sparkling from the tears he shed. It probably felt good to get all that out of him with how much pent-up emotion he held.

Marcus snorted but shook his head, "I'm head-boy."

The walk was quiet. Percilla and Marcus walked hand in hand up the stairs behind Harry. Harry wasn't sure what had just happened that afternoon. Hermonie talked about this plan like all the 'seriousness' was a suggestion. Neither of his friends ever told him that the option of losing his magic or going to prison was on the table of warnings. If Harry had known that this wasn't something that would not just get them a stern talking to if they actually got caught by a professor, he would not have gone along with it.

"Harry," Marcus said when they were outside the portrait, "do you have any plans for Yule?"

Harry stared wide-eyed at the Slytherin and shook his head. Harry stayed at the castle every year for the Christmas holidays. There was no way he was going to the Dursleys only to sit and watch Duddley open his 86 presents and complain about each one.

"Well, you are going to celebrate a proper Yule," Marcus said, nodding towards him, not giving Harry an option. "Percilla can lead you to where we'll have it. See you both tomorrow. Sleep well."

Harry's eyes shifted down when he noticed Marcus leaning to give Percilla a kiss on the cheek. He wasn't sure what Yule was in the wizarding world. Did Harry need to bring anything? Could he order something?

"Come," Percilla said softly as she took Harry's elbow and led him through the portrait and into the Common room. "You're probably exhausted, but I want you to know, Harry, that if you need to talk to anyone."

"I know where to find you," Harry said smiling, "I never was able to have a sibling Perci, but if I did, I wish she would have been like you."

Percilla smiled and ran a hand through the young boy's messy hair, "I do too, Harry. Now off to bed, and remember what I said."