A/N Yes, I am still alive! Here's the next chapter of Harry's Horses for your perusal and delight! Since continuing I now have no idea how long this story will end up being, but I am pretty sure Hogwarts won't feature heavily in it.
Until next time, enjoy :)
"We have a new student starting with us today" Headmaster Jackson announced in the first assembly of the year. "Harry will be joining the third years and I expect you all to be friendly and help him settle in."
Harry was infinitely glad only his first name had been announced. McGonagall was right: first impressions were important. This was his chance to start over and if "Harry" could make friends today then he might be able to handle being "Harry Potter". Although he didn't know how a school of muggleborns would react to that revelation anyway. He hoped better than the Hogwarts inhabitants did.
Jackson's wasn't a boarding school. The students usually portkeyed or flooed in every morning and out every evening. However due to their fairly close distance to the school, Sirius decided to drive Harry on his motorbike. The school run was something the Marauders had apparently all joked about, so Sirius found it the most amusing thing to have to do. The fact that both boys enjoyed these trips was just an added bonus.
Harry was on par with his classmates in Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology and just little behind in Defence, thanks to the incompetencies of Lockhart and Quirrell. Potions however was an entirely different ballgame and Sirius had been recommended that Harry should receive extra tuition if he were to stand any chance of catching up. The biggest problem was that the first two years were the most vital in learning ingredient preparation and safe working practice. The headteacher was understanding because he knew Snape would never have taught those two things, but there was little he could do. If Harry wanted to attend third year Potions he had to prove that he was safe to be there. Attending first and second year Potions lessons was so utterly mortifying to the thirteen year old that he was determined to catch up to his year as fast as he could.
His anonymity lasted well into the third week, longer than Harry had dared hope for. By that time he had made some good friends: Jacob, Nicole and Anna. It was Jacob who asked the question that everyone wanted to know at lunchtime one day.
"Hey Harry, why do all the teachers call you Harry but us by our surnames? I thought they were just being nice because you're new but you're one of us now and they're still doing it!"
"Well... Um..." replied Harry, stalling. There was no other way, he was just going to have to say it. "I'm Harry Potter."
A sea of blank faces met him.
"You know, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Bloody-Lived?" It was definitely weird having to explain the significance of his name.
"Oh yeah, I read about the Boy-Who-Lived somewhere, his Mum and Dad fought against a bad guy but got killed protecting their son when their hideout was found" Nicole added.
"Yeah that was Voldemort. Told you I lived with my godfather didn't I? He's Sirius Black, went to prison for killing my parents but they found out this summer it wasn't him."
"Tell you what Harry, sounds like it sucks to be you" Jacob remarked, deadpan.
Harry guffawed. "Well yeah, but Sirius is great and I'm really enjoying it here."
"Why are you so nervous Harry?" Anna asked quietly. She was definitely the caring one in the group.
"I'm waiting for the question that everyone asks and you all to start fawning over me because I'm the saviour of the wizarding world."
"You are?" asked Jacob.
Nicole rolled her eyes, whilst Harry stared in shock. "Honestly Jakey didn't you want to know anything about the world you were coming into?!"
"Not the politics" Jacob answered with a shrug. "Besides who cares if Harry is famous, I like him."
Harry beamed. His big secret was out and his friends didn't seem to care about his name. On Jacob's part didn't know even. He wanted to do something in return.
"Hey Jake, you ever been flying?" He hadn't seen any broomsticks in the nearly three weeks he'd been here. "Or ridden a horse?"
"Yeah, we flew to Paris for my tenth birthday, just after I found out I was a wizard."
"I wasn't talking about planes" Harry responded with a grin. "I'll ask Sirius if you can come round this weekend and show you if you're up for it? Nicole? Anna?"
"You know I love horse riding Harry! But I really don't want to ride on that bike you come in on to get there!" Nicole responded.
"Your wish is my command fair lady" Harry replied, causing both girls to giggle. "Anna?"
"If your godfather will let us come, I'd love to! Thanks!"
They spent the last few minutes of their lunch break making plans until they heard the bell ring.
"We'd best go. Don't want our parents getting bad reports of us now we've got this weekend coming up!" Anna commented.
"And thus spake the voice of reason. Come on you two, move your bums." Nicole tried to chivvy the boys along. With long suffering sighs, the four made their way back inside.
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Sirius was more than happy to let Harry invite his friends over, provided he'd done his homework and sorted it out with Alex. He even suggested that Harry invite his friends to stay for the whole weekend and have a sleepover. Harry excitedly agreed.
Saturday was spent teaching the other three to fly followed by dinner and silly games and then Sunday was spent at Alex's yard. Harry had asked if they had minded going there slightly early as he had a couple of jobs to do and rather than watching him, they had decided it looked rather fun. The jobs took longer than Harry would have taken and there was considerably more throwing around of straw, but Harry did admit that mucking out was much more fun in a group than on his own.
Jacob didn't want to ride at all and Anna had a go but decided that she'd rather watch Harry show off than slow him down as a beginner. Nicole had laughingly replied that if Anna wanted to be useful off the horse she could put up jumps for them. Anna and Jacob actually took up that offer and all four had a wonderful time watching Harry and Nicole try to outclass each other with the tricks they could do whilst mounted.
It had been a carefree weekend and Harry had loved every minute of it. For Sirius, seeing Harry act his age was worth everything to him. He hadn't heard anything from Remus so he hoped his friend was doing well in Hogwarts. Harry's decision not to return would have shaken a few people up and he wouldn't be surprised if Leon got a few more applications from it. Sirius chuckled as he caught the tail end of a conversation between the boys.
"Next time we'll go on a trip to Diagon Alley. That'll show you my fame."
"We'll see."
"Oh believe me, Diagon Alley will be hilarious for you if you come with Harry and me! You have no idea." Sirius shook his head with a grin. "Until next time, good sir Jake." Sirius offered his hand.
"Harry have I ever told you your godfather is mental?" Jake replied with a laugh, shaking Sirius's hand vigorously.
"Only a few times!"
"I've enjoyed this weekend so much thanks Harry!" Anna said as she approached them.
"Yeah, we should do this again" added in Nicole.
"You can plan it all at school. But you need to be heading back now otherwise your parents will eat me alive and I can assure you that that won't be pleasant on any of us. I don't have enough fat to taste at all good!"
"Ok see you at school Harry, bye Sirius, thanks for letting me stay!" Anna called as she stepped into the fireplace and flooed out. A minute later and it was just Harry and Sirius again.
"I love you Sirius" Harry said, snuggling into him for a hug. "Thankyou so much for everything."
"I love you too. Now would you like some dinner?"
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Of course Harry's departure from Hogwarts was instantly noticed and the reaction from the staff was mixed. Snape rubbed his hands in glee, whilst Sprout was horrified that Harry didn't feel safe in the castle. The Headmaster on the other hand was more upset that Harry had gone, rather than the reasons why.
"This is extremely distressing news Minerva. Perhaps if we-"
"Perhaps nothing Albus" Minerva cut across him. "I went with your decision against my own judgement and instincts to place Harry with his relatives all those years ago. Look where that got us: a possessed professor and monster with a lethal stare. Harry barely escaped with his life on both occasions. He should never have even been in those situations to begin with! He didn't trust adults. I wonder why he didn't trust us Albus? Can't be because the Dursleys treated him worse than a house-elf could it? I take my share of the blame for those events, but I am doing my best by him now. This isn't a situation you can mould to your liking Albus."
Dumbledore was rather taken aback by his deputy's fierce tone. "But my dear I don't think you realise how many students we will lose because of this. Parents want to send their kids to school with the Boy-Who-Lived, they want their children to become his friends."
"Or exploit his weaknesses and taunt him at every turn. Hogwarts is still the best magical establishment in Britain, that should speak for itself. Those who only came here because Harry was here we are better off without."
"So you are pleased that Harry is leaving us?"
"No. I'm as upset as anybody. I loved teaching him. But he now has a family and wants to be with them. His passion for horses is huge and he cannot do that here. You have to let go Albus. We made bad decisions and now they've come to bite us in the bum. There's nothing we can do except let the lad live his life how he wants. Sirius is good for him."
"He could bring his horse here. What about the press? They'll have a field day when this story breaks."
"Black has a vicious streak a mile wide" sneered Snape. "I don't think Potter is going to have to worry about any reporters with Black next to him."
"Thankyou, Severus" Minerva chided. "If you're worried about Harry Albus then don't be. His naivety will be his buffer and he will have Sirius too. If you're worried how Hogwarts will come out of this, I'd say you stand a much better chance if you accept their decision than if you push Harry to come back."
Here Minerva paused to let that thought sink in.
"I can just see the headlines: "Boy-Who-Lived Quits Hogwarts Over Safety Fears" or perhaps "Azkaban Escapee Safer Than Hogwarts" or maybe even "Harry Potter leaves Hogwarts to Embrace Muggle Life". Anything like that will ruin any reputation you, I and Hogwarts have made. But work with them and you can hope for "Black and Potter Enjoying Life Together At Last" or something. If it were just you Albus I'd let you dig your own grave but this affects us all and I won't let you drag me down with you."
"In other words Albus, it's done. Deal with it" Pomona Sprout added. She thought that summed up her colleague's rant rather nicely.
Dumbledore stood up with bowed head. There was nothing left to say.