Part 4: Buckbeak

Harry will find out that no good deed goes unpunished. And that Remus never makes any empty threats.

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With great reluctance, Harry walked to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. He had clutched in his hand a hastily scribbled note.

Harry,

See me after dinner tonight.

-R.L

The note was curt and to the point. But that is not what made him nervous. What made him nervous is what the implications of his discovery earlier that day. He had received the note at breakfast and was puzzled. He decided to ask Remus about it in class, when he made a horrifying discovery. Snape was teaching the class! As much as Harry hated to see his ugly scowl, at that moment it was the farthest thing from his mind. If Remus wasn't teaching, that meant… No! That meant that yesterday was the full moon!

Yesterday, he, Hermione and Ron had snuck out and rescued Buckbeak. Hermione, in her brilliance, had revealed that she had been using a time-turner all year. They used it to create alibis for themselves while at the same time they freed Buckbeak. Harry was so focused on the task that he had completely forgotten that it was a full moon.

Harry's mind immediately snapped to the last 'discussion' he had with Remus. The one most important rule that Remus had given him; don't go outdoors on nights of the full moon. It was so simple, and easy to follow, but he still broke that rule. Harry's heart raced, would that count as breaking a rule, or as disobedience, or both?

Harry barely noticed that the class had begun. Somehow, he managed to get through the day without getting any detentions. His mind was heavy with the realization of the consequences he actions had brought.

Before he knew it, dinner had ended. Harry dithered on whether or not to go straight to Lupin's. The note had said to come after dinner, but not right after dinner. Harry kept on folding the note nervously. Reading the short sentence again, he decided (wisely) that Lupin was probably mad, and he shouldn't make him wait anymore than he had to.

All too soon, Harry found himself in front of the familiar office. With a shaky hand he knocked on the door.

"Come in." Lupin said abruptly.

Harry gulped and entered the room. Lupin was resting on the couch, his eyes half-closed. He looked terrible. So tired and worn out from the full moon. Upon seeing Harry, his fatigue vanished and his face darkened.

"Do you know why you are here, Harry?" He questioned ominously.

Harry bit his lip, and contemplated on playing dumb. However, Lupin's expression was so fierce that he didn't want to upset the man anymore then he had to.

"I was outside on the night of the full moon." He said softly.

"And?" Lupin prompted.

Harry looked at Lupin in a panic. Surely he couldn't know! "I-I don't know what you mean." He stammered.

Lupin's face became thunderous. And in a deadly calm voice he asked. "You mean to tell me that you didn't sneak out to ILLEGALLY free a animal that was about to be executed? That you didn't ILLEGALLY use a time-turner to accomplish this?"

Harry winced as Lupin stressed the word 'illegally', and was horrified that he knew so much. How did he know?

"Well, I-" Harry began.

Lupin leveled him with a glare. "Don't even try to lie, or make excuses. Tell me the truth, what happened last night? What did you do?"

"I-I snuck out of the castle… but it wasn't after curfew!" He said quickly. He wanted to make sure Lupin knew that.

"Hmmm, no instead you were outside when the whole school was to remain in the castle?" Lupin asked evenly.

"Umm, Yes?" This was not going how Harry wanted it. Now things seemed worse than seconds ago. He was quite aware that he was digging his own grave, so he rushed out the rest of the explanation.

"RonHermioneandIwenttogosaveBuckbeak.Weusedatimeturnersothatnoonewouldknowthatweweremissing. I'm soooo sorry! I forgot that it was the full moon!" Harry cried out. He was quite certain that Lupin would make it so that he would never be able to sit again.

Unfortunately for Harry, Lupin still understood the frantic explanation.

"Harry, you know that unauthorized use of time turners are illegal right?"

Harry, nodded, already dreading what was about to come.

Lupin let out a sigh. "Harry, I understand that you wanted to help Buckbeak, but sometimes bad things happen, and you still have to follow the rules."

"But-"

"No, Harry, it is not your job to save everyone. You are a child, and there are adults to handle those kinds of things. Do you understand?" Lupin asked sternly.

"Yes, sir." Harry replied miserably.

Lupin searched his eyes for a moment, satisfied with what he saw; he nodded and gestured toward the couch. Seating himself, he pulled out the paddle, and beckoned Harry to come closer.

With pleading eyes, Harry begged Lupin. "Please, not the paddle!" He begged even as he walked toward the couch.

"Yes, I'm going to use the paddle. You were VERY naughty, and you absolutely deserve it." Lupin said firmly.

The word 'naughty' made him turn bright red. He hated that word; it always made him feel like he was five years old.

"Well, then, let's see if we can get your face to match your bottom. Harry, you know the drill."

As much as Harry want to run more than anything else, he continued walking to Lupin and when he came up to his side, he undid his trousers and slid them, and his shorts down. Lupin pulled the boy over his lap, and twisted his arm so that it was trapped at the small of his back.

Harry was startled by this new development. To him, it indicated a harsher punishment than he had originally thought it would be.

"Wha-"

"I don't want you to reach back, Harry, I know that you have never done that before, but I didn't want to chance hitting your hands. The paddle will hurt quite a bit."

Harry was filled with dread. Somehow he felt that 'quite a bit' was an understatement.

"Well, let's not waste anymore time. Harry, what is this spanking for?"

Lupin brought the paddle down with a vicious CRACK!

Harry nearly leapt off Lupin's lap, as the fierce burn spread through his backside.

"I AAHHH! Was out during the OHHHH! Full Moon! OWWWW!"

Lupin landed five smacks in the exact same spot. He wanted to make the message clear.

"And why is that not permitted?" He continued.

"Because! OWWW! It's AIIIIEE! DANGEROUS! OOHHHHH!" Harry's bottom was becoming hotter and hotter by the moment; each swat seemed to land where it was the most sore. His bottom was already one big ache, and it was only getting worse.

Lupin unleashed a flurry of hard smacks, right to Harry's sit spot. He wanted to ensure that Harry would remember it the next day when he sat down for dinner.

"Okay. What else is this spanking for?" Lupin questioned.

"For- For freeing AHHHH! Buckbeak! OWWWW!"

"And why is that bad?"

"BECAUSE It's OWWWW! ILLEGAL! AHHHH!"

"And what else did you do?"

Through Harry's pain hazed mind he could barely think. Panicked, he realized he couldn't remember the rest of his crimes.

"I don't AHHHH! I don't OWWW! Remember! OHHH!"

"I'll give you a hint, it has to do with time."

"TIME TURNERS! WE OWWWW! USED A TIME AHHHH! TURNER!"

"And why is that bad?"

"BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL! OWWWWWW!"

"That's right, you could end up in Azkaban for misuse of a time turner. Do you understand?" Remus punctuated each word with a fierce swat.

Harry was bucking, trying to escape the inferno that was building in his backside. Tears were dripping off his chin and creating a small puddle on the floor.

After a few more strokes, Harry went limp over Remus' lap. Sobbing hard, he no longer struggled as Remus continued to land blow after blow on the sensitive target.

Remus looked at the upturned bottom, it was a deep scarlet. Deciding he was almost done, he brought the paddle down one more time with one almighty CRACK! And then it was over.

Remus released Harry's hand, and pulled the sobbing boy into an embrace. The child just clutched his shirt as he cried out his pain. Speaking softly, and rocking the boy gently, Harry's sobs soon subsided. As the pain in his bottom began to ebb, he was able to feel the fatigue more and more. Exhausted, Harry fell asleep in Remus' arms.

When Remus noticed that Harry had fallen asleep, he carefully pulled the boy's shorts and pants up. The boy didn't even stir as the material made contact with the sore bottom. Laying him down on the couch, Lupin took out his wand and transfigured Harry's clothes into Pajamas, and the couch into a cot. Conjuring up a blanket, he covered his wayward ward and tucked him in. Brushing Harry's bangs aside, Remus landed a soft kiss on the boy's forehead.

Walking over to his desk, he took the chair out and brought it to the middle of the floor. With a wave of his wand, the chair became a comfortable recliner. Settling in, Remus conjured a blanket for himself before dimming the lights. Finally, he spared one more look at the slumbering boy, before he closed his eyes to fall into an exhausted sleep.