Harry Potter Junior Level: Year Three

Ch. 11

Portrait In Trouble

Two weeks later:

"Harry, come down here, please." Sirius calls up to the child in his treehouse.

"If you want to talk to me then come up, Dad. I just got here, remember? You had me doing chores all morning! Cleaning the loo, my room, cleaning up after Giz, I'm ready for a break. I thought boys were to have fun not be used as house elves. Daddy says you have me doing too much work and I should just get to do fun things on my school break."

"Harry. You've been invited to Ron's for the day tomorrow. Now, if you want to be able to go, I need you to stop with the cheek and come down."

Climbing down the spiral ladder, Harry jumps the last four rungs to land in front of his not so pleased looking father.

"Yes Dad? I'm here now."

"I see that. Let's go inside and have a talk, son."

Sitting down in the family room, Sirius fixes the child beside him with a stern gaze.

"You mentioned doing chores a few minutes ago. I believe you were saying you were in need of a break after working all morning. Isn't that correct?"

"Umm hmm. I did say that."

"So you are saying you cleaned your room along with your bathroom? You have all of your games, books, art materials, quidditch items and the rest stored now and not on the floor or scattered across the desk?"

"Yes Dad. I put everything away as you said. I even cleaned under the bed. I used the scrubbing charm you taught me to clean the tub and the rest of the bathroom. You said I could use it, remember? It was shining when I left." Harry replies cocking his head as he wonders why his Dad is asking these questions.

"I do remember giving that permission so I'm curious as to why I found your bathroom and room exactly as I did. Come, let's take a look together." Sirius answers, taking the child by the hand.

Standing in the doorway of his room, Harry stares in surprise at the mess all over the room. The quidditch game players are scattered across the rug, game pieces and game boards also cover the floor. His books are turned upside down laying open with the pages on the floor, bed and bookshelves. He sees exploding snap cards, chess pieces, dragon and knight figures scattered around the floor and some of his art supplies spread on the bed with paint dripping off the side of the duvet. Several of his practice snitches are zooming around the room. On one wall there is a message, large blue letters scrawled in what looks to be pastel oil crayon reads "I AM NOT A HOUSE ELF!"

"Dad?" Harry whispers not quite sure what to say.

"Walk in and look at your bathroom, please."

"Dad. I don't know, I mean, I didn't, Dad, I swear, I cleaned this room too." Harry babbles knowing the feelings of his Dad when it comes to outright defiance.

"Harry James Black! Look at these rooms. You were told to clean and straighten these rooms and this is what I find? I had to remind you three times to stop playing with Gizmo and clean your rooms. Now I find this."

"I did clean! I don't know why or how the rooms got this way. I didn't squirt toothpaste all over the floor or spread it on the mirror. I had the room all clean. I didn't put towels in the tub with water running to make it overflow. I didn't! Dad?" Harry tells the glowering man behind him.

"You have been complaining of having chores to do ever since your last visit with the portraits. I believe I have counted at least six times in two days where you used some variation of the phrase "I am not a house elf." You repeated that message not long ago by the treehouse. Isn't this correct?'

"Yes but I DID NOT DO THIS... I DID CLEAN EVERYTHING!" Harry ends on a shout.

"Listen to me. You do not shout at me Harrison James! I want you downstairs, in my study with your nose in the corner. I will be there in a moment. Move." Sirius orders pointing to the stairs.

"Yes Sir." Harry answers, bottom lip trembling.

Hearing Sirius walk into the room and pull out the desk chair, Harry wipes the tears running down his face while he waits for his Dad to speak. Hearing the chair being moved out from behind the desk has his bum twinging in anticipation of what is about to occur.

"Come here, Harry."

Slowly making his way across the room, Harry stands directly in front of the chair his Dad is sitting in.

"Look at me, not the floor."

Seeing the boy's face; red, puffy eyed and tear streaked melts Sirius' stern countenance completely.

"Here, let me wipe your face, just try to calm down, son. You don't need to carry on this way." Sirius says gently as he cleans the tears off his little pup.

"You're going to punish me! You were so mad at me upstairs. I didn't do any of that up there. I cleaned, I promise I am telling the truth, I did clean! I don't know what happened, Daddy! I didn't lie, disobey you or deliberately cause destruction, Daddy! I don't want a spanking! You sending me in here means the ruler or that horrid little paddle! I just know!"

Pulling the distraught boy on to his lap, Sirius holds him in the crook of his arm while continuing to wipe at the flow of tears.

"SHH, calm down Pup. Everything is alright, Pup. You are not going to be punished. Yes, I was irritated and snappish, I know. I frightened you and I apologize. I don't understand what happened either but I DO believe you, Harry. In the two and a half years we've lived together, you have never written on walls or made such a mess as was in those rooms. Something did that but I believe you when you tell me it wasn't you. I also know you well enough to know you would never throw books on the floor or paint on the bed. Let's just worry about that mystery later. I will use spells to clean and straighten the rooms so you need not worry about doing it all over again."

"You will? How are you going to find out who did make the mess?" Harry asks having calmed himself down enough to listen.

"I have my ways. Now, let's talk about your invitation to visit Ron, tomorrow. Mrs. Weasley has invited you and Draco to keep Ron company at the twins' birthday party. Would you like to go? I have an appointment at Hogwarts so I wouldn't be home. I was going to have Dobby stay with you."

"I'd rather go be with Ron and Draco. When can I go?"

"I'll send you through the floo before I leave at ten thirty in the morning."

"Brilliant! May I go back to the treehouse now? I was in the good part of my book."

"Go on, I'll call you for dinner. We'll fix it together tonight."

"Let's make Toad in a Hole. We haven't had it in forever.

"Sounds good, Pup. I like that dish also."

Turning back as he reaches the door to the hall, Harry stops and calls out "Dad?" When Sirius looks at him he continues "Thanks for believing me and I'm sorry I argued earlier today about going to clean. I'm sorry I shouted at you also. I didn't mean to, I was upset."

"Apology accepted, son. We both were overwrought. Now, go enjoy the rest of your free time before I turn you into a cook's helper."

The next afternoon after the boys all watched George and Fred receive gifts and shared in the cake consumption, Ron motions his friends outside.

"Let's get out of the teen scene for a time. All those bigger boys make me nervous. Mum and Dad let them have two friends each so that's six chaps who are thirteen or fourteen. They're all going swimming later up at the pond. We can go along if you want."

"Maybe. Let's see how they treat us first." Draco replies having had some hassling over his new name from the boys.

"I've been with Dad over a year and they're just now giving me pain over the adoption. Who needs them. We'll have fun just us. Right?"

"Yes! I wish Neville had come. His family didn't answer when Mum floo called." Ron answers.

"Dad floo called last week and no one answered then either. Do you think he's sick?" Harry asks.

"Maybe they've chained him in the dungeon! He needs to be rescued by his faithful friends! Summer break ends in two weeks! We must have one last foursome fun!" Draco announces passionately.

"What has he been eating? He sounds like one of the King's Musketeers or something." Ron asks Harry.

"No idea, Ron. I like that Musketeers idea though! We're the Four Musketeers! One for ALL and ALL for one!" Harry calls raising his arm in the air.

"We seriously need to check on our fourth Musketeer. I have the perfect idea. Come with me Musketeers!" Draco whispers after checking their surroundings for interlopers.

With Harry busy having fun with his friends, Sirius takes the time to go speak to his own.

"Hello Lily, James. I came by for a chat. Will you come alive please?" Sirius asks sitting before the portraits.

"Hello there, Sirius. You haven't been to visit in a long time. We thank you for arranging to have us moved out of that stuffy room. This sitting room atmosphere is much better."

"You're quite welcome, Lily. It's better for Harry also. He can come and go into this room with our own special password. I don't need to worry he might get into something he doesn't need to see as I did in the other room. I apologize for not visiting, I've had some thinking to do. James are you going to join us in this discussion today?"

"I'm here. What to you want to discuss? Where's my Little One? Didn't he come along with you?"

"Harry is at his best friend's home today. Remember I told you about Molly Weasley's youngest son? They are enjoying time together before we head back here to classes."

"I thought you said the boy attends Hogwarts."

"He does along with his brothers but the boys want time to be together away from school just as we did."

"What about their little girl? Is she at school yet?" Lily asks.

"She is only nine so she's attending a school in their community which prepares children for the boarding schools. She was too young to qualify for the Junior Level program and it hasn't been reopened since Harry was nine. Next year when the children move out of it, the program will open for a new set of nine year olds to attempt to qualify. According to Albus, that is."

"I'd enjoy a talk with Molly sometime, Siri. Could you bring her to visit? I miss having a woman to speak with."

"I'll mention it to her, Lils. Now, I have something to talk over with the two of you. It concerns Harry. I don't quite know how to say this so I'll just say it plainly. Lils, Jamie, you two are no longer able to be Harry's day to day parents. You entrusted me with that responsibility. I am his legal parent and he is my child both magically and legally. I have to make the decisions for his welfare. Do you follow what I'm saying here?"

"We know this Siri. We set up the guardianship and wanted you to raise him. What are you trying to say?" Lily asks coming directly to the point.

"Harry has been expressing some behavior I don't approve of in the past few weeks. He's not listening to me as he should for one. When scolded, he brings up one or both of you as in 'Mum or Daddy would let me... not punish me... give me...'. Has he mentioned any of this to you two?"

"Yes, he did say you had punished him unfairly not long ago. You gave him room restriction he said and took his toys from him. Really now Siri, he's a spirited little boy with advanced magic. Why would you be angry for him to show this?"

"James, the spririted advanced child you speak of, climbed out on to the roof outside his bedroom and was about to fly off of the roof in the dark. When I called to him he tried to hurry and nearly slipped. I had to grab him to keep him from falling as I didn't have my wand with me at the time. I could have walloped his bum as I was sorely tempted to do but I refrained. When I asked him what possessed him to try night flying off a roof he told me you said it was alright. You told him you did a stunt such as that when you were twelve. Remember that conversation?"

"Hmm, yes. We were discussing our childhoods with him. He wanted to hear of our growing up years."

"Did you happen to teach him some spells while you were discussing your childhood? Suggest playing some pranks maybe?"

"We pranked people all the time, Sirius. Surely you remember that." James replies somewhat in a huff.

"I certainly do remember. I also remember the detentions, lines, and bum warmings we got from both the school and your Dad. Dad wasn't one to let harmful pranks go by without a bum warming. Which brings me back to my point. James, I am Harry's parent now. I have to be the main disciplinarian as you aren't physically capable. I feel we all need to get together on what we will and will not allow. I can't have him running to you to get out of a punishment or to compain to me how you would allow him to do something I will not. He's playing us against each other and that will not be continuing. IF you can't see my side of this, Harry will have to stop visiting without my accompanying him. I know you want alone time and I want him to have that also. I just can't raise him if we are not on the same side here."

"Sirius, I apologize. I should have stopped James from teaching him those spells and stepped in more. Did anyone get hurt? I'm assuming the young rascal of mine, ours, tried them out."

"No one was hurt Lils and he was shown up on the prank war he decided to pull. I'll tell you both that story later. Right now do we have an agreement? I will raise Harry and you will support me on my decisions? I will also meet with you and make decisions together but I have to have the final say."

"I agree Sirius. I want my son to be a well mannered young man, have good morals and good decision making skills. He is very skilled in trying to get out of trouble. I remember that, don't you James?"

"I do, Lils. He was very good at the puppy eyes and the 'I love you's' when he found himself in trouble. Alright Siri, I see your point. I'll defer to you on discipline but I want to keep telling him stories also."

"Thank you my friends, I will do my best with your input to raise our son well. He's beginning to be off track right now and I will steer him back. James, I want Harry to hear stories but make sure he knows they are stories of what we or you did and the consequences. Point out the alarming fact that you are an adult and will not allow him to do the things you did as a child. You may tell him that if he is caught pulling anything you discussed that is dangerous or forbidden, you will assign punishment also. I will reinforce a grounding or lines from you if you ever decide to assign such. He is your child also and you are his parents as well as myself. Our young miscreant will be quite surprised to find he now has three parents plus Severus who will discipline him."

"Severus Snape? You allow Snivellus to discipline my child?" James asks loudly as Lily says "James, calm yourself. Severus is one of my friends, remember."

"Do not call him that ridiculous name. We are no longer schoolboys and have put away our differences, James. Yes if he's in charge at the time, I allow him to discipline Harry. He is a professor here, remember? I told you this. He's also my friend and an Uncle figure to Harry. He adopted Draco Malfoy who is Narcissa's son and my cousin. It just seems easier to have the boys refer to myself and Severus as Uncle. I also discipline Draco if needed. James, what other stories have you been telling Harry? What mischief do I need to be on the lookout for next?"

"I did tell him of the time we flew our brooms to visit Remus. You may want to watch for his attempts to fly away."

"He can't get far as I have a charm on his broom for distance and height. There's also a tracking spell on it just in case he somehow gets by the distance charm. He's your son, Lils. He can cast charms and get around them very easily."

As the discussion is going on at Hogwarts, Harry and his friends have decided how to get to Neville.

"I know just the thing since we obviously can't use the floo system. We got in big trouble for that last time, didn't we Drake? The time we flooed here to the fair?"

"Yeah, we did. I'm not using the floo like that again ever. What do you have in mind then? Brooms?"

"No, we can't do that as we'd get caught taking off." Ron says, shaking his head.

"Ron, let's use that motorcar you showed us your Dad was working with, last time we came. I think I know how to make it go. I watched Daddy drive a motorcar before they were killed. I think I can do it with a little help from you guys."

"Uh, well okay. We wait until the big kids go to the pond for swimming though. Mum will be inside but Dad will go with the boys."

"Fellas? Do you three want to join the older boys at the pond? I'll have them stay out of your section if you want to swim also." Mr. Weasley asks the younger boys hunting gnomes in the front yard.

"No thanks, Dad. We're going to finish up and play something closer to the house. The twins don't want me along." Ron replies.

"Ronnie, I can make them let you boys come if you like."

"We just want to do something else, Right mates?" Ron asks his friends.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley but I prefer staying dry." Draco replies as Harry adds "We'll have fun here, sir."

"Very well, if you chaps change your mind, you're welcome to come join us when you are ready."

"Thanks Dad."

Waiting until the older boys and his Dad were out of sight, Ron motions Draco and Harry to follow him.

"Mum? We're done with degnoming the garden for you. Could we have something to drink please?" Ron asks walking into the kitchen.

"Well thank you, boys! How nice of you to do that without being asked. Sit and I'll have your tea and biscuits. How about lemon biscuits and ginger also? Is that good for everyone?"

"Yes Ma'am" Draco and Harry answer to Ron's "Yes Mum".

"So what are you boys doing here? Didn't you want to swim?" She asks placing the cups and teapot beside the plate of biscuits.

"We were thirsty after working in the garden. Dad said we could join them when we were ready.

"That's fine dear. It seems good weather for a dip in the pond. Not too cold or rainy today."

"Yes Mum."

"Thank you for the snack Mrs. Weasley." Harry calls and Draco echos as the boys go upstairs.

"You are welcome boys."

"Okay, let me use the loo and I'll be ready for our Musketeer adventure." Ron says quietly to his friends.

"Yeah, I need to do the same. All that tea will make me need to go soon anyway." Harry replies.

Ten minutes later the three boys are seated in the Ford Anglia Mr. Weasley has been working on.

Draco takes another look at it and remarks "Ron, I thought your Dad was fixing this thing up? It's still that ugly turquoise color and has the scratches on the side. Does it even turn on"

"Of course. Dad's worked the inside and the motor. He hasn't done anything to the outside yet. Open the door and push the seat up so you can sit in back, Draco."

"I'm not sitting in back! I'll sit up front with the two of you, Ronald. I'm not sitting back there by myself while you two play in the front. I want to see the buttons too."

"I was going to say we'd take turns but as you wish." Ron answers, having learned it's better to let Draco have his way rather than risk an argument that might make Harry take sides.

"Wow, look at that. What is this thing, Ron?" Draco asks pointing to the cassette hanging out of the slot.

"That's a cassion and it plays songs."

"Cassette, Ron. It's called a cassette not cassion. It's music or stories recorded on the tape and you play it by pushing it into the player. Turn on the motorcar and let's see if it works." Harry tells Ron as he pushes the cassette into the slot.

"We're on and we're also going up! Hurry Draco! Push that button with the red knob. That's the invisibility button. We need to make this thing invisible. If we are seen we are so dead!" Ron calls.

"What's making us go up, Ron? Motor cars go forward not up like balloons." Draco asks somewhat apprehensively.

"It must be the cassion I mean cassietet thing. We went up when Harry pushed it in. I thought he said it made music. I don't hear music do you?"

"No, but we are going higher not forward. Shouldn't we be going forward Harry?" Draco asks the boy behind the big steering wheel.

"Oooooh, look! We're above the house!" Harry calls out. "Let me see if we can go forward, Drake." Pushing the gearshift into D, Harry pushes down on the accelerator and the car shoots forward.

"Not so fast, Harry. I want my head with me for the rest of the day. Not left behind, please." Draco calls as Ron claps enthusiastically.

"Sorry, I didn't know if I should push hard or slow. Look Drake, we're flying! Just like the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Ron, that's a film about a man who makes a motorcar fly and it's called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang because that's the sounds the car makes. One of the guys has a wicked name too. It's Caractucus Potts. It's a brilliant film with a bad kidnapper and lots of candy too. Somewhat like Willy Wonka, only with a flying car and all. Next time we get to see a film, I'll get Dad to find that one. He found us Star Wars so he can find this one too. Maybe we can do a film at school. I'll talk to Grandpa about it. All the Junior Level could see it together or maybe just the boys. The girls wouldn't like a motorcar film. They'd want Cinderella or Snow White or some princess film."

"Princesses? UGGGHH." All three boys exclaim.

Thinking of the film, Harry begins to sing the title song and Draco joins in:

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
We love you.
And, in
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
What we'll do.
Near, far, in our motor car Oh what a happy time we'll spend.
Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Our fine four fendered friend.

Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Our fine four fendered friend.

By the time the cousins begin in for the third round of the song, Ron chimes in with them. Harry is having such a great time steering and singing he doesn't notice the invisibility button on the panel has popped back out. Neither of the other two notice either.

"Harry? Do you know where Neville lives? How are we going to find a car park by the house? How long does it take to get there? How do we know which way to go?" Ron asks after they finish the song.

"Straight on til morning, I say." Draco answers for his cousin.

"Right Drake. I say we follow the second star to the right and straight on til morning, Ron." Harry agrees not knowing what else to answer to those questions.

************ A.N. Who knows where that last line comes from? (Harry's answer to the "How" questions) Does anyone see a connection between where that line comes from and these three boys?

This chapter is in memory of J.E. Woodham. and C.C. Shealy. Miss you, both! I'd follow the second star too if it led me to you. Hard to believe it's been so long. :-)