DISCLAIMER: I am not getting paid for this! I am just doing this for fun! I don't own Harry Potter, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, or any of the other Harry Potter characters mentioned in this fiction. Thank you.

Chapter Three

Shadow walked out of the grocery store and onto the sidewalk, bags swinging from his hands as he walked. Right after his first talk with Severus, he had felt better, but it slowly went away into more depression. Severus eventually explained to him that it was common for people with PTSD to feel fine one day and ready to explode the next. He still had nightmares and wet the bed. Shadow wasn't really looking for a fast fix, but he hated feeling this way. It was like he was just a passenger in his own body and he couldn't stop it when his temper got out of control or he fell into depression. Severus hadn't started occlumency lessons yet, but he promised they would start during school. Shadow remembered how Severus told him that, now that Voldemort was back, and he was a spy for the Order, he and Shadow had to act like nothing had changed between the two, in public, at least.

Shadow sighed at this knowledge and pulled his jacket tighter around him. It was mid-July and here he was, wearing a coat because of how cold it was. He shook his head. He wasn't stupid; he knew bad things were about to happen.

He stopped when he heard something that chilled him to his very bone. He turned around and dropped the bags, causing the contents to spill out. Shadow backed up and reached behind him into his back pocket for his wand as the Dementors closed in on him. He knew the spell to repel them, Mama had taught him during the rest of his third year, but he had never been able to conjure a full patronus before. He lifted his wand and began to think of the happiest memory he could. I have a family, my parents are alive. I live with them. I'm loved! He straightened his shoulders, pointed his wand at the Dementors and yelled, "Expecto patronum!"

Shadow cried out in shock when a large, silver wolf sprang forth from his wand and howled. It then ran towards the first Dementor then came around and hit the second one from behind. As the two cloaked beasts fled, the wolf came trotting up to Shadow and sat on its haunches, panting slightly. Shadow lifted his hand and just as he was about to touch the wolf's head, it disappeared in a shower of silver sparkles.

Shadow ran the two blocks back to his house, leaving the groceries abandoned on the sidewalk behind him. He made it up the steps and burst through the front door. Once there, he flew into the first adult arms he could find. Those arms happened to be Sirius'.

Shadow was sobbing hysterically into his father's chest while Sirius just held him, shocked about this random behavior. Through Shadow's sobs he had been able to pick up two words clearly; Dementors and patronus.

Sirius led Shadow into the living room and sat down with his son in his lap. He gently carded his hand through Shadow's long, dark hair and rubbed his back soothingly until the teenager calmed down. "Do you think you can try to calmly tell me what happened now, Shadow-boy?"

Shadow hiccupped and nodded. "I-I was walking home from getting the groceries and I was almost home when it got cold. Really cold. And I didn't think anything of it, so I just kept walking. It wasn't until I was two blocks away that I felt the real chill of the dementors. I-I turned around and they were right above me. I did the first thing I could think of and I conjured up a patronus." Shadow took a deep, shaky breath before he looked into Sirius' gray eyes. "It's a wolf, Daddy." He smiled slightly. "My patronus is a wolf."

Sirius beamed at his son. "Rem! Get in here!" It took all of thirty seconds for Remus to come bounding up from the kitchen.

"What?" Remus spun around, looking to see if the house was being attacked. Then he saw how shaky Shadow looked and rushed to the boy's side. "Cub, are you okay? What is it? What's wrong?" Remus hugged the boy to him and began rocking him.

"Mama!" Shadow's voice was muffled by Remus' shoulder. "Mama, I'm fine. Get off! I can't breathe!" Remus let go of Shadow slightly but was still hugging him.

"If you're okay, then what is it?"

Sirius beamed at Shadow. "How about it? Do you think you can do it again?" Shadow nodded and stepped out of Remus' arms. Just as he raised his wand, there was a tapping at the window. The occupants of the room turned and saw an owl. Sirius went to the window and opened it. The owl flew in, dropped the letter at Shadow's feet and flew out again.

Shadow bent down and picked up the letter with a trembling hand. His heart shot to his throat when he saw the Ministry of Magic seal. He hadn't seen a letter like this since…his second year. He swallowed hard and opened the letter. It read: "Dear Mr. Lupin-Black,

We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area.

The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.

As you have already received an official warning for a previous offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 A.M. on August 12th.

Hoping you are well,

Yours sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk

Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic."

Shadow could hear nothing but his blood rushing in his ears. He flopped onto the couch and watched as the letter fluttered out of his hands. He watched as Remus picked it up and as Sirius came up to read the letter over his shoulder.

Shock was clearly written all over their faces. But before either of them could react, the fireplace lit emerald green and out stepped Albus Dumbledore.

He walked directly to Sirius and Remus, avoiding any eye contact with Shadow. Shadow's sense of hearing began to return to him as he heard Dumbledore say, "He is not expelled. However he will have to attend the hearing. It took every pull I had in the ministry, but I will make sure he won't be expelled. Good evening."

All were stunned as Dumbledore swept out of the building as quickly as he came in. Remus sat down next to Shadow and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "A patronus charm, huh?" His lips quirked into a smile. "What did it look like?"

Shadow glanced up at his parents and didn't see any disappointment. If anything, he saw fury at the injustice the ministry had just dealt him. Smiling slightly Shadow turned to Remus and murmured softly. "You. Well, it reminded me of you. It was a wolf."

A/N: Okay, I ended up going with a wolf. That and Tiger I believe had the most votes, so I had to break the tie myself and just went with wolf. I'm sorry, I know this is long overdue, but I've been overstressed lately and it's finally spring break, so I might have some spare time to write. Also, I got several comments about how Shadow wasn't acting like a PTSD patient anymore. According to my psychology professor, people deal with it in different ways on any given day, think of it like depression, you aren't depressed ALL the time, necessarily, some days you feel fine, others you don't. Alright, so review if you all want, I'd appreciate it if you did, however since the Imperius Curse is illegal, I can't force you to.

Luv,

PGF