Classes soon started along with Harry's new anti-dementor lessons with Professor Lupin. Harry walked into the History of Magic classroom and found Professor Lupin standing next to a large trunk.
"What's that Professor?" Harry asked.
"Another boggart. I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday and I happened to find this one lurking in Filch's file cabinet." Lupin smiled, patting the trunk. "It's the best thing besides bringing an actual dementor here. When the boggart sees you, it should assume its shape, giving us a perfect thing to practice on."
Harry nodded, trying not to look to apprehensive.
"So…" Professor Lupin started, "The spell I am about to teach you is very advanced magic. It's called the Patronus Charm."
"How does it work?" Harry asked.
"The Patronus is a kind of positive force. For the wizard who can conjure one, it acts a shield where the dementors will feed on it rather than him."
Harry nodded in understanding. "What does a Patronus look like?"
"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."
"And how do you conjure it?"
"With an incantation, which will only work if you are concentrating on a happy memory with all your might."
Harry's thoughts immediately went to his new family. The Avengers, his Dad, his Papa. He was sure one of those memories would be happy enough.
"Do you have a memory?" Professor Lupin asked. Harry nodded. "Allow it to fill you up, lose yourself in it, and speak the incantation Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum." Harry whispered.
Lupin nodded, "Now, wand out. Let's give this a try."
Harry quickly got out his wand and stood in front of the trunk. Lupin unlocked the trunk and pulled it open.
A dementor rose slowly from the trunk, its hooded face turned towards Harry. He knew it wasn't real, but he could already feel the cold seeping into his body.
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto Patronum! Expect-"
He couldn't focus anymore, the classroom and the dementor were dissolving, before everything went black, he could hear his mother screaming again.
"Harry!"
Harry jerked awake. He was lying flat on the floor. "Sorry" He muttered.
Lupin helped him back to his feet, "It's quite alright Harry." He handed him a chocolate frog. "Here, eat this it will help."
"It's getting worse." He muttered, eating the chocolate. "I can hear my mother louder this time."
Lupin looked at Harry with an indecipherable look. "Harry, we don't have to continue this if you don't want to."
"No!" He quickly finished the chocolate, "I need to do this. What if the dementors turn up at the match against Ravenclaw?"
Professor Lupin sighed, "Alright then…" He stood next to the trunk again. "You might want to choose a different happy memory this time."
Harry nodded and stood in position again.
"Ready?" Lupin asked.
"Ready." Harry stared at the trunk,
Lupin nodded and lifted the lid again. The room turned cold again as the dementor crept toward Harry. "Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto Patronum! Expecto Pat-"
And he blacked out again, but istead of hearing his mother's voice, he heard another, a man's voice.
"Come on now Harry, up you get." Professor Lupin helped Harry into a sitting position.
Harry breathed deeply. "I heard my dad. That's the first time I've ever heard him."
Remus gasped, "You heard James?"
Harry turned to the Professor. "You knew my Dad?"
Remus smiled sadly, "We were friends in school."
Harry nodded and stood up on shaky legs.
"Harry, perhaps we should continue this another time."
"No, I can do this, I know I can." Harry repositioned himself in front of the trunk.
Remus nodded and reopened the trunk, allowing the dementor to come out.
Harry thought of his dads. Them laughing, loving each other. He thought of Aileen, her smile and silver eyes. He thought of his new brother or sister that hasen't entered the world yet. He thought of his parents. His whole family surrounding him, loving him.
He pointed his wand at the dementor, "Expecto Patronum!" nothing happened. He readjusted his stance, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A huge silver shield blossomed out from his wand, stopping the dementor in its path.
He could hear Lupin laughing joyfully before he locked the boggart back into the trunk. Harry sank to the floor, his legs too weak to hold him, but he hadn't fainted at least.
"Excellent Harry; that was a very good start." Lupin cheered.
"I-I think I'm done for today." Harry took in a few deep breathes.
"I would imagine so." Lupin broke off a piece of chocolate and handed it to Harry.
"Professor, if you knew my dad. Then you must've known Sirius Black." Harry said.
Lupin's smile immediately fell, "Yes, I knew him." He sighed, "Or, at least I thought I did." He turned back to Harry, a strained smile on his face, "You'd best be off Harry, it's getting late."
Harry nodded and left the classroom.
(Line Break)
The days past, Harry got his Firebolt returned to him and Ron and Hermione got into another fight since Scabbers had disappeared. Harry was getting tired of their fighting, but he thought it best if he kept his opinions to himself.
The Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor match was an experience. They had won the game, but only after Harry fought off a dementor using the Patronus Charm. Turns out though, it wasn't even a real dementor; just Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint dressed up as them to scare him. His Dad got a kick out of that when he told him later that night.
(Line Break)
Harry was exhausted the next day, all of Gryffindor was tired. Sometime during the night, Sirius Black had entered the common room and tried to kill Ron. All of the students stayed awake in the Gryffindor common room, waiting for Professor McGonagall to return. Unfortunately, Black escaped so the castle was left to tighten its security in hopes to catch him.
Despite this, he and Ron used the secret passage way the map showed to sneak into Hogsmeade. They came back with a bag full of Zonko's products. Unfortunately, Snape caught him on his way back to the common room.
"Mr. Malfoy told me he saw you in Hogsmeade today Potter. If I am not mistaken, you are forbidden to go there." Snape said.
"I wasn't in Hogsmeade Professor." Harry answered calmly.
"Hmm, turn out your pockets." Snape commanded.
Harry did so and pulled out the Marauder's Map.
"And what is this?" He asked.
"Spare bit of parchment." Harry answered.
Snape raised a skeptical eyebrow and pointed his wand to it, "I, Professor Snape, command you to reveal your secrets."
Writing appeared on the map, but not what Harry was expecting. "Read it." Snape instructed.
Harry took the map, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs present their compliments to Professor Snape, and request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."
Snape looked as if he wanted to smack Harry, but controlled himself. Instead he walked over to a jar of glittering powder on the fireplace and threw it into the flames. "Lupin, I want a word." He called into the fire.
Seconds later, Professor Lupin appeared, dusting off his shabby robes. "You called Severus?"
"I certainly did, Mr. Potter here was caught with an interesting item." Snape handed Lupin the map.
An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.
"Well?" Snape asked. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic."
"Dark Magic?" Lupin looked amused. "It looks to me as though someone enchanted a bit of parchment to insult anyone who tries to read it. I imagine it's one of Zonko's products."
Harry nodded.
"There you see, problem solved. I will, however, hang onto this just in case." He tucked the parchment into his robe. "Harry, why don't you come with me?" He led the boy out of the office.
They were silent all the way to Lupin's office before Harry tried to speak. "Professor I – "
"I don't want to hear explanations." Lupin said shortly. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated my Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," He said when he saw Harry's surprised look. "Now I haven't the faintest idea how this map came to be in your possession. I am, quite frankly, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Did it never occur to you that this, in the hands of Sirius Black, is a map to you?"
Harry looked down, shame filling him.
"Now your father never minded the rules much either, but he and your mother gave their lives to save yours. And gambling their sacrifice by wandering around the castle, unprotected, with a murderer on the loose seems to be a pretty poor way to repay them." Lupin scolded.
Harry continued to look down at his feet.
"Now I will not cover for you again, do you understand me?"
Harry nodded, "Yes sir"
"I want you to return to your dormitory and stay there."
Harry nodded and left the room feeling as small as ever.
