As always, I don't own. :)

Harry sat in the classroom, and felt the palpable shock as everyone stared at the professor. The professor had been calling off the names in order - and had just called Malfoy, Draco and Parkinson, Pansy. Then, the called, "Potter, Harry," and the room fell into shock.

"Here," Harry answered, choking, aware that all eyes were on him.

"Baker!" Draco yelled, standing and facing him. "You are bloody Harry Potter! You lied to me!"

"Sit down," Lupin firmly told all the students. "Order."

"You are Harry bloody Potter?" Draco repeated, his face becoming red and his fists clenching. "I shared a room with you!"

"Sit down, Mr. Malfoy, or you will be the first in my class to get detention!"

Malfoy obeyed, glaring at Harry, making sure that the boy knew that he had it coming. He had actually almost considered that boy a friend, or at least a friendly acquaintance. And now! He was the one who brought about the defeat of the Dark Lord! And then he had the audacity to lie about it! He lied about it! They had shared a room shared meals, gone on a bloody picnic and every time he had said his name it had been a lie! And worst yet, Draco had never suspected it.

"Weasley, Ginny," he called, and then, "Weasley, Ron." At least Potter was near the end of the alphabet, Lupin thought ruefully. He had been thinking about what he was going to say to his class at this moment, and he knew that it was coming. After all, these children had been hearing Harry's name their whole lives and it was a little like having the prime minister's child in your class. And apparently there was some bad blood with Malfoy, he didn't realize that he had visited Harry with Snape.

"We all come from different places," Lupin began, leaning on the front of the desk and addressing his class of fifteen pupils. "Each of us has our own story, our own struggles. Some of you come from wealthy families, pureblood families, muggle families, or mixed families. Some of you have two parents, some have had death or divorce make your families smaller, and some are raised by other family members or guardians. Whatever your story, however you got here, is a part of who you are, but not the total. What you do together, here and now, that is what's going to make the difference. Everyone knows the story of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the child who mysteriously defeated the greatest enemy wizard-kind has ever faced. All of you have friends and family members that fought on both sides of the war. But here, in this classroom and while at Hogwarts, I expect you to put aside these differences of background and family allegiance. Here, Harry Potter is simply a boy who lost his parents at a young age, and is here to learn as much as everyone else. Do you understand?"

He got several nods and murmurs of response, and he looked at Harry. Harry was looking down, his ears pink with embarrassment, but he was nodding as well.

"I think this is a good time to go over the rules. There are many that you will learn that are a part of Hogwarts, I believe that everyone received that packet with their invitation to join this special class. There are a few that are specific to this class that I want to go over, however. First, there is to be no bullying or physical altercations. Consequences for this behavior is swift and severe. Secondly, you are not to be wandering around Hogwarts alone. There are many things here that are dangerous, and part of you guys being here and being younger than the normal Hogwarts students is that you must be supervised. Our classroom here has a lavatory, and we will take breaks and do some recreation together. We will also go and eat lunch together, where you will have your own table that is near the staff table. If you want to be anywhere else, you need my permission first, and I will probably have a prefect or my teaching assistant go with you. Does everyone understand?"

Children nodded, wondering uncomfortably what "swift and severe" meant. Everyone had heard the stories - being hung upside down, being turned into a ferret - and they were not sure of this new teacher.

Parchments appeared before each of them, listing the rules that their teacher had talked about as well as the rules in the handout that they came home with.

"I want each of you to sign your name to these rules," Lupin told them. "So there can be no argument that you 'didn't understand,'" Lupin told them. "Take your time, read through them and ask questions if you have any."

One hand shot up. Referring to the seating chart, Lupin said, "Miss Granger."

"If our magic is to be reasonably restricted, then what is a circumstance in which it would be reasonable that our magic be used?"

"Well, for regular Hogwarts students, they each have a wand and they are learning to use that," Lupin explained. "You lot will not have wands, but you still have accidental magic. Most people here have had an experience where something happened, especially when they were frightened or angry, that they couldn't control. That's why so many of you had to be home-schooled, because if something like this were to happen at school it could be disasterous. So you are being schooled here so that you are in a wizard-friendly environment, so you can meet other wizards your age, and so you can learn the muggle subjects you are supposed to learn before you start Hogwarts."

"You mean we won't be learning any magic?" one of the other children asked.

"Yes and no, Miss Bulstrode," he answered, looking at the seating chart. "The ministry does not allow underage students to perform magic. So there will be no charms, potions, or such like that. But we will be getting a jump-start on those subjects to help your transition into Hogwarts, and where it is permissible, we will be doing magic. For instance, we have gotten approval to learn how to fly on brooms."

The class erupted in cheering, and Lupin had to hold his hands out to calm them again. "That's enough," he told them. "And that will be a reward for good behavior. There's also a lot to learn about magic without performing it - we will have weekly outings to the herbology greenhouse as well as the forbidden forest, and as we learn muggle history we will reference magical history alongside it. Professor Snape might even be persuaded to do a lecture on beginning potions for us, or maybe we could watch a demonstration."

"Will we get to do anything fun?" Ron asked. "Like see Quidditch games?"

"Because doing a pre-school is a new idea for Hogwarts, we are still working out some of the kinks," Lupin explained. "So why doesn't everybody, after they have signed their names down, write a few things that they would really love to do while they are here in their pre-school class. That way, I can work on making the best ones happen. I know we are somewhat limited with the schedule of everyone coming here by 9 am and then leaving by 4 pm, but perhaps we could also have a few later days to do some of the activities that people want to do."

Children eagerly signed their forms then, and began thinking of what it was they most wanted to do. Harry thought, and wrote, "Fly on a real Quidditch pitch, have a Potions class with Professor Snape, and have a parent/child activity."

"Okay, pass up those sheets," Lupin directed. "I also wanted you to meet my teaching assistant, Amanda Bulstrode. She recently graduated from Hogwarts and is interested in teaching, so she will be helping me do lesson plans, grade papers, and occasionally teach a class. I believe, Miss Bulstrode, that you have a relative among the students?"

"My third cousin, Millicent," she confirmed, nodding towards the stocky, black-haired girl in the corner. "But I'm also distantly related to Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Potter."

"It always ceases to amaze me how some of these older wizarding families are related to everyone," Lupin laughed. "Okay, I also wanted to cover consequences for breaking the rules. Prescribed consequences include writing lines, extra essays, reduction of privileges, detentions, and notifying your parents of your misbehavior. As Mr. Weasley reminded me yesterday, as your acting head of house I also have the power to physically discipline students in this class by spanking, but I am not planning on using that power unless I really feel that there is no other alternative. Now then, let's get started, shall we? Put away everything you have except for your quill. Today we are taking a bunch of assessments so I know where everyone is and what we still need to cover. This morning is Math and Science, this afternoon English and History. I am passing the math assessment out now. Do your best, even though it won't count for your grades."

He passed out the papers, and soon the students were busily scratching away at the parchment. He exhaled softly, thinking that this beginning had went well. He recognized at least the families of most of the students, and Dumbledore had gone over each student carefully with him. They had chosen fifteen students that were likely to be sorted into different houses, and were a mix of pureblood and muggle born. This class had been specially set up to refute accusations of favoritism, and to give Harry plenty of social contact. But he knew he was going to have to watch that Malfoy boy, he was going to be trouble. Perhaps he should make sure he was on hand for recess.

Harry headed out with Ron, and Ron asked him about his identity change. Ron had been surprised,

"Potter!" He heard Malfoy spit. "Potter! You are bloody Harry Potter!"

"Look, Malfoy, I couldn't tell you," Harry answered reasonably, feeling Ron sizing up Malfoy's sidekick. "Dumbledore was trying to protect me . . ."

"You lied!" Malfoy spat again. "I can't believe that I actually declared a truce with you!"

"I guess the truce is over," Harry answered sarcastically.

"You had better believe it!" Malfoy answered evilly. "I will get you, Potter, you had better believe it."

"Don't be shy," Harry snapped back. "Bring it on now!"

They flew at each other, crashing together. Harry had done a lot of fighting in his years at the Dursley's, well, at least a lot of being the recipient of fighting. But he knew how to keep his head down and look for opportunities, where Malfoy had little experience with hand to hand fighting. So while Malfoy was older and heavier, it wasn't long before Harry had him flipped over on his back and handed a couple of solid punches in Malfoy's face. He ducked when Malfoy punched him, getting just a glancing blow off of his shoulder.

"Enough!" Professor Lupin thundered, and the two found themselves separated in much the same way as Snape had done it a month previous. "Amanda, please supervise the rest of this recess while I deal with these miscreants."

Lupin marched them inside then, one hand on each collar, and the boys were glaring daggers at each other. He stood them both in front of his desk, and sat at his desk himself. Harry shifted nervously, suddenly finding himself wondering how strict Lupin was going to be. Were they about to be bent over this desk?

"I am very disappointed in you," Lupin told him, his voice calm and sad. "This is your first day, for goodness sake."

"He started it!" Draco protested.

"I saw the whole thing," Lupin told him firmly. "And neither of you backed down from it, and you are both responsible. You two will write lines now and at afternoon recess, I expect two hundred, 'I will not use my fists to settle differences,' by morning. And, I will be giving each of you a letter to give your parents tonight."

"What?" both boys exclaimed.

"The notes are enchanted, and if you do not give them to your parents by eight pm they will start to alarm until you do. I expect each of you to go to your desk, take out your quills, and begin."

"But professor . . ." Malfoy protested.

"Your parents have the right to know," Lupin replied coldly. "And if either of you get into a physical altercation again in my class, especially with each other, I warn you that you might find yourselves bent over my desk side by side and my ruler applied to your backsides. Understand?"

Both boys mumbled, "Yes, sir," and they turned towards their desk. Harry brought out the parchment, thinking ruefully about what Snape would say. His stomach clenched at the thought, he did not want to disappoint his guardian. And here he had done it, and on the very first day as well. And it was a long time until the afternoon, when he would actually get time with Snape to tell him what happened. He would get to dread it the rest of the afternoon.

The rest of the afternoon actually went really well in the class. The class enjoyed eating lunch together in the great hall at their own smaller table, and in some ways Lupin finished up the assessments, saying that he would have them scored and graded for the next day. After that was out of the way, he said he wanted to take them outside for a broom safety class. He handed out the brooms to the children, and then proceeded to lecture them on the parts of the broom, broom protocol, and proper procedures.

"Alright, everyone mount your brooms now," Lupin demonstrated.

Neville, the sweet-faced, pudgy boy that had come to Harry's birthday, began to cry out as the broom seemed to have a life of its own. Professor Lupin, watching carefully, whipped out his wand.

"Neville, try to come back down," Lupin told him. "Don't panic, just try to point the front of the broom down so it will go down."

Neville, genuinely panicking, called out, "Get me down from here!"

As if in an answer to his call, his broom suddenly bucked, sending him flying. Lupin quickly barked, "Wingardiam Leviosa!" and Neville then floated, and Lupin brought him gently to the ground.

"Pay attention," Lupin chided the class. "Losing concentration can make the broom act that way. Neville, I'm sure that was frightful. Take a few minutes to calm down before trying again."

And so the afternoon went. Several of the students, including Harry, Draco and Crabbe, had already obviously been on their own broom for years. They lazily flew around the group, watching the other children trying to get the broom to work. Ron and Ginny were up quickly as well; the school brooms outperformed the brooms they had at home. Hermione seemed especially frustrated, though she was not the only one having trouble. Soon Seamus and Susan Bones were in the air, trying out their brooms and how to steer.

But the day was over sooner than Harry had realized, and soon all of the students were lined up to take the floo home. Harry sat at his desk, watching them go, and silently packed up his bag. The weight from that note weighed heavily in his pocket, and he tried to think of a good way to break it to his guardian. Or at least a way that would not make Snape feel as if he had to discipline him again.

"Worried about your guardian?" Lupin asked him sympathetically. "I can remember having a few notes sent home myself back in the day."

"What did your parents do when they got them?"

"Usually sent something to express their displeasure; a letter or a howler mostly. On a few occasions I felt their disapproval more . . . directly."

"DId they spank you, sir?"

"They did," he admitted. "Mostly when I put myself in danger."

"Yeah, ol' Snape does that too," Harry admitted. "I've never gotten in trouble at school before, though, so I don't know what he's going to do."

"Are you worried he will spank you?"

"Yes," Harry admitted. "I hate it so much. It hurts, you know, but that's not the worst of it."

"What's the worst of it?"

"Knowing that I've done something so wrong that Snape feels like he has to do it. He hates doing it too, you can tell."

"I see."

"I don't usually cry from it hurting, but from how he talks to me afterwards, all sorrowful and disappointed."

"I see."

"Well, there's no help for it," Harry sighed, picking up his bag. "It's time to meet him for tea. Good afternoon, professor."

"Good afternoon, Harry."