Author's Note: This story contains CP so if that isn't your thing, feel free to exit out of it, I promise my feelings won't be hurt at all :) Also this story obviously isn't a part of the TWICHB world but it was highly requested that I do something with Remus and Harry and I just don't see that fitting into TWICHB.
Enjoy :)
"It was funny but it was also completely irresponsible...and dangerous. You aren't allowed to go because-"
"Who cares why he isn't allowed to go?" Ron cut Hermione off with an annoyed look. "It's all rubbish anyway. You really think Sirius Black would just waltz into Honeydukes and try and kill Harry?"
Both boys now looked at Hermione, staring her down with a glare.
"Well...no, probably not," she finally admitted. "But he did manage to escape Azkaban and he did kill all those muggles years ago...he is dangerous and-"
"No one said he wasn't dangerous," Ron interrupted her once more. "But if Harry is under his cloak, how would Black even see him to kill him?"
"But you didn't stay under your cloak," Hermione pointed out as she gave Harry a disapproving look.
"You're acting like you don't want me in Hogsmeade at all," Harry said in a voice that despite his best efforts showed how hurt her comments were making him feel.
"Oh no it isn't that!" Hermione exclaimed in a rushed voice. "I just don't want to see anything bad happen, and if the teachers don't want you there..."
"They never said they didn't want me there...just that my permission slip isn't signed."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at the two boys in front of her. "That's their excuse but think about it Harry, you mean to tell me that Dumbledore couldn't sign it if he really thought you should go...or even Professor McGonagall? I think it has a lot more to do with your safety than anything else and..."
She trailed off as she spotted their Defense teacher walking down the hall towards them.
"Hello, Professor Lupin," Hermione smiled, always eager to please a teacher.
"Hello there," the man smiled kindly. "How fortunate of me to run into you three; I was actually looking for Harry."
"Me?" Harry asked in a curious voice.
Remus nodded as he replied. "If you don't mind accompanying me to my office I would like to have a word with you."
Harry looked up at the man, searching his face for some sign of what this was about but found that he looked like his normal, cheerful self.
"We were actually heading to the Quidditch pitch in a bit," Harry admitted. He probably wouldn't have mentioned this at all had it not been for the look of reminder Ron was throwing his way.
"Oh this won't take long at all," Remus smiled.
"Okay then," Harry agreed before turning to his friends. "I'll meet you guys up in the common room."
Seconds later Harry was walking beside Remus towards his office, still wondering what this was about. Silently he racked his brain for any homework he might have forgotten to turn in or any exam he may have done poorly on but he couldn't think of anything.
Remus pushed open his office door and stepped inside, holding it open for Harry to enter as well.
"Please," he gestured towards a chair, "Have a seat."
Harry obliged, taking a seat as he watched Remus sit across from him instead of behind his desk.
"How was Hogsmeade today?" Remus asked suddenly, the moment his body made contact with the seat.
"Professor?" Harry asked. He could already feel his cheeks warming up.
"I asked how Hogsmeade was today...it's been quite awhile since I've had the opportunity to go myself." Remus' tone was still calm but Harry didn't miss how strict it had gotten as he spoke.
"I didn't..." Harry began to speak and then trailed off.
Remus raised a single eyebrow. "Wise choice to stop yourself, as you are in more than enough trouble as it is without lying directly to my face."
Harry fidgeted with his hands for a moment and Remus couldn't help but want to smile at a memory of James doing the exact same thing whenever he was reprimanded.
"How did you..."
"Professor Snape told me that he had a student confide in him and tell him that they saw you with your friends by the Shrieking Shack."
"Draco," Harry practically spat the name, "Well, he hates me! He..."
"Are you telling me that he was dishonest in what he told Professor Snape and that he did not see you?"
Harry looked up at the man that he had come to adore over the past few weeks and sighed deeply before he shook his head. "No, sir, he was telling the truth." He admitted dejectedly.
"I assume your father's old cloak had something to do with this?"
Harry nodded silently.
"And have you any idea how dangerous it was of you to do this?" Remus asked. "With Black out there on the loose?"
Harry, who was now intent on staring at his lap, shrugged silently.
"I know several people, myself included, who expressed our concern over your safety and you...the first chance you get...disobey and put yourself completely in harm's way."
Harry's face was burning with shame now. He had never been reprimanded in this way.
Of course his aunt and uncle had hollered at him, though he mostly blocked their words out. And obviously other teachers, mostly Snape, had lectured him but this was the first time he was being scolded by someone whom he actually felt close to. He knew that
Remus had been friends with his parents and especially close with his father, and he couldn't help but wonder if this is what having parents was like when you misbehaved.
"When's my detention?" Harry asked, praying to Merlin that his voice sounded a lot tougher than he was feeling.
"You aren't receiving one."
"Snape is just taking away a million points then?"
"Professor Snape isn't taking away any points," Remus replied. "He and I discussed the situation and he agreed to allow me to deal with this as I see fit."
Harry couldn't help but raise his head now. He looked at Remus' face and saw that the normal gentle smile had been replaced by a stern expression.
"Sir?" Harry asked in curiosity.
"You are aware that I was a very close friend of your parents?"
Harry nodded silently, wondering where exactly this was going.
"Though I considered your mother a very close friend, your father was one of my best mates...we grew up together, Harry, and as a result of knowing him so well I am confident in saying that I know exactly how he would have handled the disobedience you displayed today."
Harry continued to stare at the older man. Usually he loved to hear anything about his parents. Even the smallest little detail made his heart swell at the idea that he knew something else about them. However, he wasn't so sure how he felt to hear Remus talk about how his father would have disciplined him.
When Harry didn't answer, Remus spoke once more.
"Your actions today were not an accident, Harry; they were thought out and planned were they not?"
Harry nodded silently.
"You knew you were going to disobey several people's rules in order to go to Hogsmeade and yet you did so anyway."
"But it's not fair," Harry argued in a voice that could only be described as a whine. "Everyone else gets to go; I'm the only one who doesn't!"
"Life isn't always fair, Harry; surely you've learned that by now?" Remus' voice was as strict as ever but he didn't yell, he hadn't yelled yet, and Harry was forever grateful for it.
The boy shrugged, "I guess so."
"Now for your punishment." At these words, Remus had Harry's full attention. "As I've said, I am confident in the friendship I had with your father to know how he would handle a situation like this and I agree entirely. I think a little corporal punishment will go a long way."
"Sir?" Harry felt his stomach flop without warning; he had to have heard the man incorrectly.
"Clearly receiving detentions does little to curb your recklessness or your disobedience, so perhaps a meeting between my hand and your backside will do the trick."
Once more his stomach flopped as he quickly shook his head. "But you...you can't..."
"I assure you Harry, I can. Although it is not a common punishment at Hogwarts as it was in my day, it has not been outlawed either. However, if you wish we can discuss it with Professor Dumbledore and see what his view on the situation is."
Harry's face blushed involuntarily at these words. The last thing he wanted to do was tell the Headmaster that he had snuck off to Hogsmeade, nor did he want the man to have any knowledge of the punishment his favorite teacher was suggesting.
"Would you like to go speak with him?" Remus asked.
Harry quickly shook his head. "No...but can't you just...I'll write an essay or I'll come do chores for you or..."
Remus shook his head silently, pleased that apparently his form of punishment was clearly making an impression before it was even put into use.
"But..."
"The answer is no, Harry," Remus spoke firmly as he beckoned the boy to him. "Now let's get this over with shall we?"
Harry chewed softly on his bottom lip as he weighed out his options. He was tempted to just flat out refuse but he had a feeling that doing so wouldn't get him very far. Remus looked quite serious about this and acting like a complete child and throwing a tantrum over it was the last thing he wanted to do. Besides, this man had been a close friend of his parents and for some reason that made Harry feel just a bit better about the situation.
"Now please, Harry James."
At the use of his full name, Harry immediately stood up and walked over to Remus. He stood hesitantly in front of him and Remus gently took him by the wrist and guided him by his side and then over his lap. It was at this moment that Remus realized that the boy had clearly never been disciplined in this manner. The child's body was rigid and he looked as though he was about to be carted off to Azkaban.
"Relax," Remus said in a soft voice as he adjusted the boy over his knee.
Once he had Harry in position he spoke again. "You understand why you are about to punished?"
"Because I snuck off to Hogsmeade," Harry replied doing his best to keep the tears, which were already forming behind his eyes, out of his voice.
"Correct." Remus said the single word before raising his hand high and bringing it down on the boy's backside.
He didn't lecture while he spanked as his own father had. He had thought about doing so but decided from his own personal experience that it didn't do much good. Any child in that position was thinking about one thing and one thing only and not about whatever it was they were being told.
Remus was half way through with delivering the punishment when he heard Harry's tears begin. He had expected the boy to cry, of course; what he hadn't expected was the effect it would have on him. The moment he heard the sobs, he couldn't help but think of James and the fact that he was disciplining his son. Remus blinked hard, forcing his own tears back as he forced himself to finish the task at hand, telling himself that what he was doing was the right thing for Harry at the moment.
He delivered the last smack and then began to rub the boy's back, hoping he was offering the boy some comfort.
"There now," he said in a gentle voice. "It's done now, Harry."
The boy remained still for a moment longer and then slowly pulled himself up off of Remus' lap and stood before him. His face was covered in tears, his eyes a deep red color.
"I'm sorry," Harry said through his tears.
"It's alright," Remus nodded as he grabbed hold of the child and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Harry's body immediately relaxed in Remus' arms. He buried his face into the man's shirt as he cried.
"I'm sorry I'm crying," he muttered after a moment. "I didn't mean to."
"Nonsense," Remus shook his head. "That isn't something you need to apologize for."
Harry stayed put, his face crushed into Remus' chest as the man rubbed his back gently.
"I really am sorry...what I did was stupid."
"I know you are and you are completely forgiven for your actions," Remus spoke gently.
Harry pulled himself away, brushing the last of the tears off of his face with the back of his hand. "You mean you aren't mad anymore?"
Remus studied the child's face and immediately saw that he seemed shocked that he would be forgiven quite so easily.
"You are absolutely forgiven," Remus spoke once more.
Harry nodded, seeming to accept this as he brushed at his face once more.
"Now I believe you were supposed to meet your friends for a game of Quidditch," Remus smiled kindly.
"I'm still allowed to go play Quidditch?" There was no denying the shock in the boy's voice.
"I don't see why not. You've been punished and as far as I'm concerned it's over and done with." Remus smiled once more and then, though his smile didn't diminish, his voice became stern. "However I do expect you to keep yourself out of trouble...I hardly want to have to repeat this punishment again."
"You won't," Harry quickly shook his head. "I promise."
"Very well," Remus' voice went back to its usual cheerful tone. "Off you go then and I'll see you later this evening at dinner."
Harry nodded as he turned to walk away and then on second thought, turned back around and quickly embraced Remus in a hug.
Remus smiled widely as he gave the boy a tight squeeze.
After a moment, Harry pulled away and gave Remus a small smile. "See you at dinner, Professor." And with that, he was gone.