Chapter 24

"Professor, do you think, perhaps, I could take extra lessons from you to teach me how to get rid of dementors?" Harry stumbled slightly over his words as he approached Remus after class one day.

"I suppose, but only if your mother approves." Harry nodded warily; he would have to owl his mother back. Perhaps he could write it without addressing the subject of potions, she wouldn't notice would she?

"Thank you sir,"

"No problem Harry." The man gave him a kind smile, the thirteen year old boy dashing out of the room happily.

Dear Mum and Sirius,

I honestly don't think I'd be stupid enough to go after Pettigrew on my own without backup. Ron and Hermione would do nicely yeah? I'm just kidding mum, don't get so worked up. No need to scream and yell and threaten heart attack status again. I've been doing well in all my classes and earlier I talked to Professor Lupin about maybe having a, ah- private advanced lessons in Defense. I want to learn the Patronus Charm and a few others which might help me have just a little more protection against anything if it were to happen. After all, Pettigrew broke into our dorm, who knows when I need a little more help. He said he'd teach me if you agreed, so please agree. This is really important to me, it's something I love mum. And Sirius, I will definitely try to keep my nose up and clean and away from any trouble, which means I should steer clear of the Weasley Twins for the rest of the year.

Love,

Harry

Remus,

You said you would give my son extra defense lessons? What were you thinking? You're trying to get him to fight Peter aren't you? Just because you were friends with him and he betrayed everyone doesn't mean you have to raise a little warrior. Especially when that warrior is my son! Teaching him the Patronus charm, are you mad?! Honestly, I thought you of all people would have better judgment than this.

Lily

Moony,

Don't pay any attention to Lily's letter. I told her it was stark raving mad and she yelled at me for ten minutes. Though I think it got an extended yelling because I attempted to toss it in the fire near the five minute mark. I'll talk to her about the whole thing, I think she was turned off the idea because it's not Severus teaching her son in potions. Honestly, it's annoying that she thinks her son has to be the prodigy she was, I think he would be brilliant in Defense. I'm willing to take a bet it's his subject like James' was Transfiguration and Lily's was Charms and Potions. Sometimes I wonder if Lily was good at potions because she had Severus to tutor her for five years. How about you just go ahead with the lessons and don't let dear Lily know? Overprotective mothers.

Padfoot

Harry,

Under no circumstances should you joke about something as serious as this! I will have you know, you will not be taking private lessons with Remus. You are not a warrior, you're a thirteen year old boy who needs to practice in all of his subjects. Why don't you ask Severus if you can have remedial potions with him? I bet he'd be willing to do it. I love you darling.

Love Always,

Lily

Harry,

Under no circumstances are you ask Snape for extra lessons in potions. Your mother has gone round the bend, just try not to upset her too much. I've been plotting on how I can get her in the loony house without her knowing. I love your mother, but she is being an unreasonable person at the moment. The joke you put in was hilarious by the way, your mum obviously did not agree. I'm not advising you to stay away from the Weasley twins either. I quite like them and you deserve to laugh as much as you can. Make sure you don't go after Peter though, he's a devious rat.

Sirius

Pads,

I don't exactly feel comfortable going behind Lily's back. She's put a lot of trust in us, especially to keep her son safe. It's the last piece of James she really has with her. Completely natural for her to over protective. You may argue she has us, but it's not the same. James' DNA and the very essence of him is somewhat reprinted inside him. We all miss him, but I don't think anyone misses him more than Lily. No matter how much she hides it.

Moony

Moons,

Alright, alright. I get the whole James is in Harry bit, but come on mate. DO IT. It's not like you haven't broken the rules before, live a little.

Padfoot

"Harry, I'd like to talk to you for a moment." Remus gestured Harry forward at the end of one of their Defense Lessons, they had been learning about Grindylows; the small creature had its face pressed up against the glass, making horrid faces at the rooms occupants.

"Professor?" Harry figured Remus merely wanted to inform him of the change in the classes. Surely his mother had owled him and told his professor he didn't want anything to do with extra defense studies.

"I've decided to give you the extra lessons."

"Sir?" Harry's face bunched up in confusion.

"Yes, we will start after the Holidays, when I'm feeling just a bit better."

"But my mother-"

"Has told me she doesn't want you to take the lessons. Sirius however has told me to go ahead. I talked to him the other day through the fireplace, informing me of Lily trying to push you towards potions."

"I don't even like the class, Professor Snape isn't the nicest, but I'm just not that good."

"And I have seen your aptitude for this subject, so as a teacher I'm going to help you improve."

"Thank you Professor, you don't know how much this means to me."

"I will send you a letter when I wish to start."

"Thanks, see you!"

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Harry had been working for a few weeks, excited for Christmas to come, because once it came and went he would be working with Remus to help protect him against the dementors. Harry couldn't be more pleased with the development, loving the rush of hiding something from his mother. He didn't understand why she was pushing him to spend so much time with her childhood friend. Severus Snape obviously did not like Harry; he was just trying to at least manage class work with the professor breathing down his neck. When the Christmas Holiday's finally came, Sirius gave his godson a knowing smirk when they picked him up from the platform; it was hard to hold in his laughter.

"Remus will be joining us for Christmas Eve Dinner, as will the Weasley's. I didn't know how to contact Hermione's family however, I'm sorry Harry." Lily explained as they drove through London.

"I could always send Hermione an owl, I'm sure she's almost home by now." Harry shrugged from the backseat, his mother making a sharp left turn, throwing him into the window.

"It'd be wonderful if you did."

Harry's eyebrows crinkled together, his mother was acting very strange. Sirius turned in his seat to roll his eyes at the boy. His grin grew a bit wider; he would have to hide his excitement at going past his mother for several reasons.

He didn't understand her mood swings anymore than Sirius did, and he'd known her for a lot longer than Harry had. He sort of missed his carefree mother with her kind laughter; it had been replaced with a worrisome shell which wouldn't let him do anything which might get him a little scratched up. It was becoming more and more irritating as time went on. By the time Christmas Eve arrived, Harry was going mad inside from all the coddling he had received. He escaped several times to Sirius' room where he would watch movies on the small TV or look through pictures of his father's school days. On one such day, his mother found him watching Aladdin and singing along to One Jump Ahead, Harry froze, giving his mother and uneasy smile-pausing the movie with remote control.

"Your friends and their families are coming over for Christmas Eve dinner; it is two days until the holiday. Would you at least help with some of the cleaning?" Lily asked with her hands on her hips, a glare settling on her son.

"Yeah, what do you want me to do?"

Harry was forced to turn off the VHS player, pushed till breaking point with how many chores he had been given. Once night had come, Harry returned to Sirius' room, and continued watching the movie with his godfather, both of them asleep before Jafar had ordered Genie to send Aladdin away in the tower to a place where he could not save Princess Jasmine. Lily giggled at the sight, when the credits music made her pause outside the door, tossing a blanket over both of her boys.

Edited July 15, 2014- A small chapter removed and added to the bottom of this chapter as an extra