Chapter 4: Owl Drama

"Harry James Potter, come out of your room right now." Sirius attempted for the third or fourth time that morning. It was sounding less and less impressive. He stood and waited for a response, but like before, there was none. He sighed and wiped his face. He really shouldn't be dealing with a pubescent teenager this early in the morning without breakfast. But Harry was as stubborn as his male self and only shuffled about on his bed.

"Look, Mooney said none of us can eat until you come down to the table. C'mon Harry, I'm starving." He whined at the closed door.

"Just eat without me."

"Not happening, Harry, don't make me sic the werewolf on you." Sirius threatened without any playfulness. Mooney was dead scary when he wanted to be and he sure knew how to make any person feel guilty. He was also down stairs with kitchen utensils of any sort. (including a hairbrush and wooden spoon) He thought he heard a tiny muffled whimper from inside the room but he couldn't be sure.

"Go away," Harry called out as calmly as he could. He cringed at how immature he sounded but he just wanted to be alone to think. He couldn't see any way out of it without pissing off some one.

"What's going on in there?" Sirius called, banging on the door. He then heard an owl screech. Hedwig must have arrived this morning after her hunt. "Is Hedwig there?" The animagus asked, curiously.

"Y-yeah." Harry called out nervously. He clutched the owl post in his shaking hand while lying on his bed. He was re-reading the scribbled words with a terrible dread. It was now day ten of him turning into a girl and he had gotten used to most of the anatomical issues – or at least didn't almost die of embarrassment whenever he saw or thought about them. It was hard enough having to deal with it without Remus and Sirius worrying about him becoming unsociable and cut off as it is but know he was a girl, they expected him to have all these feelings he wished he could just ignore. It was like his brain suddenly had a magnifying glass attached to the section that focused on emotion, especially tearfulness and just plain old embarrassment. He felt self conscious, like he was being judged.

He laid the letter down next to him.

Dear Harry [it said]

I heard you're living with Padfoot and Mooney! Congrats mate; glad to know you're not stuck at the muggle's place all summer! Listen, Hermione's worried off her face. She wants me to ask about how you're gonna keep up your occulmency (Merlin, I can't spell) over the summer. If it were me, I'd say the second Snape got fired. Anyway, Dumbledore said it shouldn't happen again, right?

Well, just expect a long letter from Hermione soon.

Can't believe Hedwig manages to show up just at the right time. I'd actually just started writing this when she flew in. Thanks, it saves me using pig and we both know he's bloody useless.

Do you still won't to come over at some point? We would practice Quidditch since you're back on the team next year and Fred and George wanna show you their shop. I've already seen pictures and products but I haven't been inside it. It looks great though, if there weren't so many attacks in the paper, Mum would have let us go. But now we have to wait until we get our books.

See you soon and say 'hi' to Mooney and Padfoot for me,

Ron

Harry then got up from his lying position and began writing practice letters back to Ron on scrap bits of parchment.

Dear Ron

Thanks, you can tell Hermione I'm fine. Living here is great. I don't know if I'll be able to see you this summer. If I can't then I'll meet you at the train station.

Harry

He promptly scrunched this up and tossed it off of his bed.

"Seriously, Harry, what's up?" Sirius asked as gently as he could from. Harry had always been rather awkward from a first impression. He was actually really shy too. Sirius just wanted to take him to live with him and dote on him. Make up for 12 years of not being there.

"Honestly, Sirius, it's nothing. I'm just tired." Harry called out unconvincingly. He was, naturally, a bad liar. He also got that from his mother, Sirius thought, smiling reminiscently.

The man stood at the door, stumped of ideas until the obvious answer hit him like a stunning charm. "Harry…?" he asked nervously, a bit embarrassed himself but knowing that that wouldn't help Harry. "Have you…um, got a visitor?" he asked, feeling his own cheeks warm slightly.

"Wha-what do you mean?" Harry asked warily from inside. Sirius hesitated and wished Remus was here to do this instead of him.

"Well a monthly visitor." Sirius explained. He then heard a choking sound from behind the door.

"No!" Harry whispered mortified. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with his cool Marauder godfather. He really did just feel like crawling into bed now.

"Oh, sorry, I just thought-"

"Sirius, what's taking so long? Where's Harry?" Remus said walking onto the landing. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. He gestured to the door.

"Harry won't come out," Sirius told him as he heard agitated pacing from inside the locked room, "And he won't tell me why!" he complied.

"Harry, I'm giving you ten seconds to come out – or we're coming in!" Remus said warningly. They heard a sudden squeak from inside.

"It's not a period, or so he say's." Sirius confided to Remus hopelessly. "He won't talk to me or listen to me." He whined.

Remus gave a small smile, "Well, no offense Padfoot, but sometimes you're hard to take seriously."

"But I'm trying to be serious."

"And I'm trying to be Remus." The werewolf countered, smiling.

"Haha, very funny,"

"Okay, I'm coming in Harry!" Remus called, waving his wand across the key hole. They heard a strangled 'no' and quick shuffling of papers as the two entered to see a very flustered Harry desperately hiding crumpled up pieces of per under his pillow.

"Guys, I locked the door for a reason," Harry said hotly, but his blush made the effect much less than what it could have been.

"Watch it," Remus warned and Harry cowed.

"Sorry," he said miserably, looking down. Sirius looked at a letter that had fallen onto the floor, it had Ron's handwriting on it. Sirius picked it up and Harry made a grab for it.

"Hey, slow down, is this why you're barricading yourself in your room?" Remus asked him. Harry gave a small nod. He circled his legs in front of his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees, hugging himself.

"He wants to meet up." Harry told them stiffly. They understood then and Harry just looked away.

"Aww, Harry, It's not that bad. What's the worst thing that's going to happen if your best friends find out?"

"Sirius, I can't– I don't know how they'll react. I just – I just can't." Harry pleaded weakly, facing away from both men as Sirius knelt on the floor, placing his head about two feet below his and Remus sat down next to him. "I think they'd be hurt if you didn't tell them." Remus said logically.

"Every one's better off knowing, especially Ron and Hermione."

"But, they'd be upset if you didn't want to see them all summer." Sirius added.

"Yeah – but – but they don't need to know." Harry said, desperate to make them understand. He rested his chin on his knees, pouting, and sighed.

"Knowing Hermione, she'll figure it out at some stage." Remus said. Harry flinched at that.

"They'd understand, Harry." Sirius said quietly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder from his kneeling position beside the bed. Harry gave a non-committal, jerk of the head and a shaky smile. He didn't believe them and it would take allot more than a few comforting words to change that.

"What say we get some breakfast? You can write a reply to Ron later." Remus said, taking Harry by the shoulder and leading him over to the door. Harry sniffed but there was no further indication of waterworks.

"Kay, sorry," he added apologetically. Sirius jut tapped him on the nose and ruffled his hair.

Once they were walking down Sirius decided harry needed some pay back for a late breakfast. "You're such a Drama Queen," Sirius teased earning him a shove once they had finished getting down the stairs. Harry was then promptly tackled into the living room.

"Haha! Too slow!" Sirius cried as Remus heard a few books thud onto the floor. He sighed and began sipping some luke-warm tea he had made ages ago. He heated it up again with a wave of his wand.

"Gerroff me, Sirius!" Yelled Harry, laughter and frustration evident in his voice.

"No way, cutie pie!"

"What?" Harry squawked from the floor as Sirius pinned him down.

"Cute, cute, cute!"

"I am not!" Harry cried out sincerely. Remus heard the boy (girl) struggle vainly as the animagus laughed. The werewolf had to chuckle, he would certainly not be bored this summer.

Back in the living room, Harry was using his quick reflexes to grab any part of Sirius, but to no avail. Taunts and teases from the older man made Harry more determined than ever to get revenge.

"Aww, Remus, you gotta come take a photo of this pout!" Sirius called, laughing madly at Harry's horrified 'don't!'. Even Remus chuckled at that and almost wished he had a camera. Harry, panting heavily, made one more attempt at rugby tackling Sirius to the floor, but just missed and landed flat on his stomach.

"Ow," he muttered. His hands were red from carpet burn and his calf had scraped an old, splintered table. It bled slightly.

"Oh, Merlin, Harry, I'm sorry." Serious said worriedly. Remus, who was watching amusedly, stepped forward, summoning a vial from some where in the house.

"Doesn't matter," Harry said nonchalantly. He tried to make it seem he hadn't stacked it big time. His running was disguising the slight heat he knew would appear on his face in this situation, thank Merlin. Sirius sat him down on a couch.

"Remus, Sirius, I'm fine – really." Harry said, laughing, embarrassed.

"You're so accident prone," Remus affectionately said, not completely convinced and uncorked the vial so the balm could be poured out.

Sirius applied some balm to his leg while Remus did his hands. It was awkward just sitting there being waited on like that. Harry didn't pull way but he didn't enjoy it either.

"Umm, thanks," he said when they had finished and inspected him. He felt as if a hot spotlight were being shined onto him.

"No problem" Sirius said, "Now I think we all need some breakfast."

"Yeah," said Harry, suddenly ravenous. He began hoeing into scrambled eggs, which had to be reheated and orange juice. He found meal times at Grimmauld place were some of the least awkward times.

"So how's that potions essay coming?" Remus asked lightly.

"Oh," crap. He had forgotten about that.