Chapter 24

"Good morning" James said as he entered the classroom. Usually they would have had their lessons outside but even though it was already near the end of February James still didn't want to do the lessons outside. In his opinion it was still too damn cold.

"Morning, Professor Petterson." The class chorused back. He noted out of the corner of his eye that Ron, Hermione and Harry had spluttered along the greeting. It seemed they had difficulties remembering his alias now that they knew the truth.

"Pack your books away. We won't need them yet." James said with a wave of his hand and he could her the sighs of relief go around. The monster book of monsters was still problematic as it seemed.

"Today we will talk about the flying things we call birds." James said as he leaned against the desk in front of the blackboard. "Does someone know any magical birds?"

To no one's surprise Hermione's hand was raised. Harry and Ron had also raised their hands along with a few other students James noted pleased. Even Neville had raised his hand.

"Neville, what kind of magical bird do you know?"

"The Diricawl, sir." Neville managed to say without stuttering.

"Good, four points for Gryffindor. Anything else specific that you know about the Diricawl?" James inquired. Neville blinked at him and after a moment answered.

"T-They can vanish and reappear elsewhere?" He said sounding unsure. James nodded.

"Correct. Another five points for Gryffindor." At James words Neville looked pleased. It was rare that he was able to get any points during lessons. James turned around and wrote the name of the bird on the blackboard.

"Tracey Davis." James called the name of the Slytherin girl that had her hand raised.

"The Fwopper." She answered calmly.

"Four points to Slytherin." James wanted to pull a grimace but he managed to keep a straight face.

"And any characteristics that you know about?"

"It's song will eventually drive the listener to insanity."

"Right, another five points go to Slytherin." James wrote the name of that bird on the blackboard as well.

"Harry?"

"The phoenix." Harry answered and James just knew that he was thinking about Fawkes.

"Ah a classic and what else do you know about the phoenix?" James asked as he wrote the birds name on the blackboard.

"They burst into flames when dying and rise from the ashes as chicks. Their tears have healing properties." Harry answered.

"Five points to Gryffindor. Ron?" James turned his gaze away from his son and looked at his sons best mate.

"The Snidget" James chuckled lightly. It seemed all the boys could think about was Quidditch with the game slowly closing in on them.

"Four points for Gryffindor. And?"

"In the past they used the Snidgets instead of the golden Snitch in Quidditch." The answer came out of Rons mouth as quick as a shot. At the mention of the golden snitch Harry groaned almost inaudible. James chuckled.

"As much as I'm a Quidditch fan I don't think that this is the right lesson for that answer." James said with a smirk.

"Then it is an extremely fast flier that can change direction with uncanny speed thanks to the rotational joints o its wings." Ron said with a proud smile.

"True so you get five more points for Gryffindor." James said as he wrote the name down.

"Blaise Zabini." James called the only Slytherin boy that had raised his hand.

"The Jobberknoll." His voice sounded bored as he answered.

"Four points to Slytherin." James hated giving Slytherin points but it was the correct answer. James pulled a face as he quickly wrote down the name of the bird.

"It doesn't emit any sound until the moment of its dead." He continued.

"Five points to Slytherin. Hermione?"

"The Augurey. It sings only when rain is approaching." Hermione answered in a rush.

"Nine points to Gryffindor." James said as he wrote the name down.

"Anyone know any other magical bird?" James asked. The class shook their heads. Malfoy and his coons were awfully quiet in the corner of the room. James was keeping an eye on them.

"Okay. So we will look at one of these birds closely next lesson. Today we will decide on which bird and I will give you back the essays you wrote on the Salamander." James said. At the mention of their Essays Hermione immediately sat up a little straighter.

"okay Diriclaw? Two raised hands." James made two lines next to the birds name on the blackboard.

"Fwopper? five people. Phoenix? Seven." James said as he counted the raised hands.

"The Snidget? three people. The Jobberknoll? Two and the Augurey? Only one." James wrote the numbers down. He underlined the Phoenix.

"All right. Seems as if we have a winner. Next class we will start with Phoenixes. Please read the section on them in your books,. You don't have to read it but it would be helpful." James said. he knew full well that reading about the creature was less exiting than seeing the creature for real. It seemed he had to ask Dumbledore to lent him Fawkes.

"All right. Now let get to you essays." A groan went through the class. James could relate to them all too well. Hermione was the only one that looked pleased.

"Okay first Lavender Brown! You need to focus more. You got slightly side-tracked towards the end." He handed her the paper. More like she got majorly side-tracked James thought to himself.

"Millicent Bulstrode. It was okay. You should just try and avoid so many repetitions. I can only read so many and then before I want to burn an essay." He gave the Slytherin girl her essay hoping that she would not repeat the same repetitions next time.

"Vincent Crabbe. You need to write longer sentences otherwise it was acceptable."

"Tracey Davis. Please use shorter sentences or more commas and punctuations." He gave the essay to her. It had been difficult to read hers. It had been like one gigantic block of text.

"Fay Dunbar. Well done." He gave her the essay.

"Seamus Finnigan. Well done but as much as I appreciate a close study of the Salamander you might have gotten too close. Next time please make sure that your essay is not literally burned along the edges." He handed the slightly burned paper back to Seamus with an amused quirk of his lips.

"Gregory Goyle. You barely managed to get a passable grade."

"Hermione Granger as excellent as always." He gave Hermione the essay back with a smile. Ron and Harry immediately peeked over her shoulder at the Outstanding gracing the upper right corner of her essay.

"Daphne Greengrass. Excellent essay." The Slytherin girl allowed herself a pleased grin as she looked over her essay.

"Neville Longbottom. Not bad at all. A little bit more attention to detail and you will be just as good as your mum was in this subject." James said with a soft smile as he gave Neville the essay back.

"Draco Malfoy. Just because you find something unimportant doesn't mean that it is not important." James said sternly as he handed Malfoy the essay. He glared at him. James ignored him.

"Theodore Nott. Please try to at least write a little more legible. "

"Pansy Parkinson. Excellent essay but your attitude needs serious work" James said as soon as he saw Pansy haughty expression.

"Parvati Patil. Good essay but you have the same problem as Miss Lavender. Focus."

"Harry Potter. Excellent essay." He handed his son the essay. Secretly pleased that he had done so well. He smiled at Harry.

"Dean Thomas. Well done."

"Ron Weasley. Well, I would say that your brothers have somehow gotten a hand on your essay." Ron looked up startled. An annoyed groan escaped him as looked at the ruined essay in his hands. "Don't worry I managed to read and grade it anyways but next time try finding a better hiding spot for your stuff." He gave Ron an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"Blaise Zabini. Excellent essay. Just try not to make everything seem like it is beneath you." James said with amusement as he handed back the last essay.

"All right. That's it for today. You may leave early." At his words a chaotic hustle and bustle started. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed behind as the rest of the students cleared out. With a small spell the door fell shut after the last student left.

"How are you Patronus lessons coming along?" James asked.

"I'm getting better." Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders. From what Remus had told him Harry wasn't just simply getting better he was getting closer and closer to creating a corporal patronus. He had a bet going with Sirius about which animal Harrys corporal patronus would take on.

"And ready for the big match next week?" James asked as they left the classroom together. Harry groaned.

"Wood won't leave me alone." Harry grumbled.

"You're stressing too much." James said.

"I told him that but he still stresses so much. It's only Quidditch." Hermione complained.

"How can you say that?!" Ron and surprisingly James said at the same time. Hermione huffed.

"We have to win against Ravenclaw if we want to get anyway near winning the Quidditch cub." Ron stated.

"Which puts all the pressure on me." Harry finished with a sigh.

"No worries you will win." James said as he ruffled through Harrys hair.

"I just hope that no Dementors appear." Harry said darkly.

"Oh I doubt that they will show their faces. Dumbledore gave them a nice talking to." James said with a shrug.

"And even if they show you can just kick their ass." Ron exclaimed with a grin. Harry smiled feebly back.

"Do you want to practice some more this evening?" James asked. harry and Ron nodded eagerly.

"All right. Padfoot and I can practice with you guys. Hermione you will probably be meeting with my wife again, won't you?" James asked with a crooked grin. Since Hermione had found out she had started up the habit of holding discussions with Lily in the evening. Hermione nodded.

"I still don't know how she manages to take so many classes at the same time and still has time to meet with your mum." Ron mumbled towards Harry. Oh, James had a pretty good idea of how she did it.

' "Why on earth is there an Augurey in our room?" Remus asked as he let his bag fall onto his bed. The bird was perched on one of the bedposts. Peter was trying to lure it back down with a few worms.

"Prank." James answered as he added another ingredient to the potion they were currently brewing in the bathroom.

"That explains everything." Remus said with an eye roll. He looked inside the bathroom where Sirius and James were brewing a grey and bubbly potion inside the shower.

"Invisibility potion?" He asked with a confused frown. They had the cloak. They didn't need an invisibility potion.

"Jop" Sirius nodded as he stirred.

"For what?" As soon as Remus asked the question he realized the answer. "For the Augurey?"

James grinned at him and nodded.

"And for just what reason are you pulling a poor bird into one of your pranks?" Remus asked as he watched Peter run after the bird.

"It's going to rain the next two weeks according to the prophet." Sirius answered with a grin.

"You're going to hide it inside the Slytherin dorms." Remus concluded. James and Sirius grinned as they nodded. Even if Remus decided to go against the idea it would be of no use. The two of them could be as stubborn as a mule concerning their pranks. He conceded defeat with a slight shake of his head.

"James, don't you have Quidditch practice today?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Oh, shit!" James exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet. In the process he managed to crash into the cauldron that spilled its contents all over the floor.

"Oh bugger." Sirius cursed as he evaded the potion by jumping on top of the toilet. James was not so lucky and the potion spilled all over his feet turning them invisible. He cursed whereas Sirius and Remus laughed.

"Seems like Gryffindors star chaser has to go to practice without his feet." Remus stated with an amused snort.'

The win over Ravenclaw was sweetened all the more by the bundle of limbs and cloaks that had become of Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe. Harry, Hermione and Ron were still bursting into uncontrollable laughter whenever they thought about it. The party after the Game had been as if they had already won the cub and they had even managed to persuade Hermione to celebrate a little instead of studying for all of her classes. Harry was brought out of his thoughts when Ron poked his side.

"We will wait in Hogsmead for ya." Ron whispered and Harry nodded. He already had his bag with the marauders map and the invisibility cloak with him. Hermione was not approving of the rule breaking but since she knew that there was no immediate danger from Sirius as most of the world believed she let it go.

"We will meet at Honeydukes." Hermione whispered. Harry nodded. He watched silently as they left together with all the other students. he opened the map and checked. There was no one near the one eyed witch hastily he made his way towards the stature. He ran into Peeves but managed to get away. He let out a sigh of relief when he couldn't hear Peeves mad cackle anymore. Quickly he checked the map again. Everything was still clear. Quickly he said the password and opened the secret passage in which he disappeared.

"Lumos." Harry whispered and the dark tunnel was illuminated by the soft glow from the tip of his wand.

"And just why did I know you were going to sneak into Hogsmeade?" A voice asked from behind him. Startled Harry twirled around. His mother was standing behind him with crooked smile.

"Mum, don't surprise me like that." Harry exclaimed.

"Sorry." She said as she ruffled through Harrys hair.

"Mum!" Harry complained as he tried to flatten his wild hair. She chuckled before walking past him in the direction of Honeydukes.

"And are you coming?" She asked over her shoulder.

Harry grinned before following her.

"Why are you here mum? I'm not complaining or anything." Harry added hastily. Lily chuckled.

"Your father and Sirius threw me out." Lily said with an amused quirk of her lips. "They are planning something for the first of April and didn't want my input."

"They are going to cause mayhem." Harry groaned with a laugh. They reached the trapdoor and with a small wink Lily disappeared. Harry threw the invisibility cloak over himself before descending the ladder leading into the cellar of Honeydukes.

He sneaked the stairs up into the shop which was filled with Hogwarts students. He found Hermione and Ron standing in front of the pepper imps.

"I'm here" Harry whispered and Ron dropped the pepper imps he had been holding to the floor.

"Harry an advanced warning would be nice!" Ron hissed back quietly before bending down to pick the sweets back up.

"Sorry" Harry muttered with small smirk.

They made their way through Hogsmeade. Harry invisibly trailing behind his two best friends as they went from one shop to the next. They went to the post office where Ron and Hermione distracted the clerk so that Harry could look around in peace. He looked at all the owls that were sitting there and a small part of him thought that Hedwig was still the prettiest. After that they visited Zonkos that was filled with students. After a few minutes inside and trying to evade all the other people Harry conceded that it would be better to wait outside. He gave Ron a bit of money so that he could buy him some stuff. Hermione insisted that they visit the local bookstore next. Ron and Harry waited in the corner of the store while Hermione started browsing through the books. Her eyes were alight and Ron and Harry just shrugged with their shoulders when she told them all excited about the new book she had brought. Ron went inside the three broomsticks and bought three mugs of Butterbeer with him. Harry drank his hidden beneath the cloak. Next they walked towards the shrieking shack the most haunted house in all of Britain.

"There's no way in. Not that Fred and George didn't try." Ron sated as they looked at the shack from a distant. Harry had taken off his cloak as soon as he was sure that no one but his friends was near.

"I bet my dad and Sirius tried as well." Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Probably." Hermione added.

That was the moment he heard voices drifting towards them. Quickly he threw the invisibility cloak over himself and went to stand behind Ron and Hermione, who immediately started to pretend to be in a discussion concerning the origin of the host haunting the shack.

Malfoy and his two followers came around the corner. Harry, Ron and Hermione immediately tensed. Malfoy always brought trouble.

"Oh it's just Granger and Weasley." Malfoy sneered as he noticed them.

"Oh are you looking for your dream house?" He said in a bored voice as nodded towards the shrieking shag. " Want your own bedroom? I heard that all of you Weasleys sleep in the same room." Harry grabbed Rons shirt collar from behind to prevent him from jumping Malfoy.

"You can just ask the mudblood to live with you!" Malfoy sneered. Ron actually growled and harry picked up a lump of mud ready to throw it at Malfoys head but before he could throw Hermione had dashed forward and punched Malfoy straight in the face. Malfoy landed in the dirt from the force of her blow. She stood towering over him. Ron and Harry were starring at her open mouthed.

"You know what, Draco?" Hermione asked sweetly. "Just shut up for once." She glared at him before haughtily turning around and walking back towards a still gaping Ron. Harry still had the lump of mud in his hand and with shrug of his shoulders he threw it into Crabbes face.

"What the-?!" Malfoy managed to exclaimed before another mud ball hit him straight in the face. Ron and Hermione started laughing hysterically. Goyle started charging towards Ron who evaded him easily. As he passed Ron Harry gave him a nice kick in the backside that made him land face first in the mud. There was also a nice shoeprint out of mud on his butt.

"It really is haunted, here." Ron commented as if he was talking about the weather.

"How many ghost do you think dwell here?" Hermione added thoughtfully.

This time it was Crabbe that charged towards the only visible targets, namely Ron and Hermione. Malfoy was still sitting petrified in the snow. A small trail of blood ran down his nose. Harry tripped Crabbe but in the process his foot got entangled in the cloak. The cloak slipped of his head.

Malfoy actually screamed as he pointed at Harrys head before scrambling to his feet and running away followed by Crabbe and Goyle.

"He will inform Snape you need to go, now." Hermione said immediately. Harry nodded and ran back towards Honeydukes.

"That was one fine punch." Ron said with a whistle.

"Thanks" Hermione answered with a bashful grin.

Harry was running through the tunnel leading to Hogwarts when his mother appeared beside him. she easily floated alongside him as he ran.

"I informed James. He has an alibi ready just go to the Care of magical creatures classroom." She said. He was embarrassed when he realized that his mother must have been there the whole time. But right now he had no time to apologize. Harry ran through the corridors still hidden by the cloak. Slithering he came to a stop outside of the door. Hastily he opened it before closing it behind him.

"Ah Harry, I heard you did something a little mischievous." His father exclaimed with a grin as soon as he saw Harry. Harry nodded trying to catch his breath.

"All right, put anything you brought in Hogsmeade along with the map and the cloak inside the closet." James said as he waved in the general direction of the gigantic closet on the other end of the room. Quickly Harry put all the stuff from his pockets together with his bag inside the bottom of closet. The last item he placed inside was his cloak. He closed the doors.

"Your hands are all muddy as are your shoes." James waved his wand once and Harrys hands and clothes were clean again.

"Now you can help me with Augureys." James said as he pointed to the bird cages behind him. "Every table needs a cage. You should leave the curtains closed." James instructed.

Harry had just put the first two birds on the tables when the door burst open. A fuming Snape entered.

"Ah Mr. Potter." Snape said completely ignoring James who had just put a few more worms inside one of the cages.

"Mr. Malfoy just visited me and told me a truly particular story." Snape drawled slowly. Harry tried to put on a curious expression.

"Oh really?" His father asked from the back of the room. "Let's hear it" He sat down on one of the chairs and looked at Snape giving the perfect impression of innocent curiosity. Snape glared at him but continued on.

"He told me that he was in front of the shrieking shack where he met Ms. Granger and , who seemed to be on their own."

Harry and his father remained silent.

"Mr. Malfoy was telling me that he was talking to Weasley when mud hit him in the face without either Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley throwing any. Just how do you think that is possible?" Snapes cold gaze was fixed to his face. It seemed as if Malfoy hadn't told Snape about Hermione's wonderful punch.

"I don't know, Professor." Harry answered. His father's presence giving him a boost of confidence.

"Thereupon Mr. Malfoy saw a very strange apparition. Any idea what it could have been?" Snape asked coldly.

"No." Harry attempted to put on an expression of mild curiosity but he bet that the mild amusement he had felt upon hearing Malfoy scream was still slightly shown in his expression.

"It was your head, Potter. It was floating in the air." Snape said with a sneer.

"Maybe Malfoy should get his head checked. If he is seeing such things-"

"What was your head doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" Snape asked deadly quiet. "Your head is forbidden in Hogsmeade. Every part of your body is forbidden from entering Hogsmeade."

The phrasing made his father snicker and the sound grounded him.

"I know that." Harry said. "It seems as if Malfoy is starting to have hallucinations."

"Malfoy does not have hallucinations." Snapes eyes narrowed. "If your head was there than the rest of your body must also have been there."

James snorted and Harry looked at him gratefully to have a reason to break eye contact.

"I'm sorry Sn-Severus but for that to be possible Harry would have to split himself into two" His father said calmly. Snapes cold eyes left Harry and swirled towards his father. Harry let out a breathe of relief.

"Harry was helping me with the birds ever since the students left for Hogsmeade." James said as he pointed to the cages. "And before you ask just ask Remus to prove it."

"Or better yet ask Dumbledore who we met when we carried the cages here." James bluffed calmly. Not once breaking eye contact with Snape whose expression had gotten darker and darker with every word. Snapes glare travelled back to Harry.

"Just like your father so arrogant. So arrogant to think nothing can touch you. One day that arrogance will be your downfall." Snape hissed. Harry bristled. Even with his parents alive insults against them were still the one thing that could make him truly angry.

"DON'T talk about my father." Harry felt anger sizzle through his veins. It was nearly on par with the anger he had felt back in pivet drive.

"Harry.." James whispered softly. He had an expression of wonder on his face.

"He pranced along those halls as if he owned them. He was nothing but an arrogant Rule breaker. That didn't care about anything but himself. He always though he was so much better than everyone else. He was arrogant just as you are." Snape sneered. He was baiting Harry on purpose.

"Shut up, Snivellus." Harry growled. "You don't know a thing. I don't know how my mother could ever have been friends with you." Snape looked thunderstruck. Harry was trembling with the furious anger that was building inside of him. Tiny vibrations were shaking the furniture.

"Harry, that's enough." James said softly as he lay a hand on Harrys shoulder. The contact immediately drained Harry from his anger. The reassurance that his father was there was the catalyst that let the anger evaporate. Harry looked down at his feet. His eyes felt slightly misty. He clenched his hands into fist.

"Severus. It would be the best if you left." James said sternly as he looked calmly into the eyes of a still frozen Snape. The words were enough to bring Snapes composure back. He glared at them before he turned around and strode away. His cloak billowing behind him.

"Sit down Harry." James said softly as he stirred Harry towards one of the chairs. Harry let himself fall into it like a marionette whose strings had been cut. James kneeled in front of him.

"So tell me what was that all about?" James asked gently as his hand came to rest on Harrys knee. Harry took a shuddering breath and shook his head feebly.

"Hey. It's all right you can tell me." James whispered.

"It was just too much." Harry whispered feebly.

"It was the last straw?" James inquired in a kind voice. Harry nodded.

"He had made so many vile comments over the last years and I just snapped." Harry said as he rested his head on his hands.

"It's okay everyone loses their temper from time to time." James said softly hoping that he was helping somehow.

"It's not okay!" Harry exclaimed agitated. "I shouldn't have said that. I crossed a line."

"It's fine, Harry. Just apologize" Lily said softly as she lay her hand on Harrys shoulder. She had rematerialized when Snape had left.

"He will never accept any apology." Harry said with a chuckle.

"True but it doesn't matter." James said.

"It doesn't matter whether or not he accepts the apology. What matters is that you apologize when you feel you have crossed a line." Lily said as she gently stroked Harrys cheek with her fingers. Harry nodded and sacked forward. He leaned against his father as he took deep breaths. His mother gently rubbed his back.

"Tired?" James asked. Harry nodded. After he released his anger he always felt drained.

"I haven't exploded like that since Aunt Marjorie." Harry mumbled.

"Ah the incident of the balloon aunt." James said with a chuckle. "We saw your work when Sirius and I went flying."

"She just made me so angry and just now I nearly lost my temper again." Harry whispered softly.

"But you didn't." Lily said as her fingers gently trailed through his hair.

"Even though a balloon Snape would have been pretty funny. Ouch!" James exclaimed as he rubbed the place where Lily had hit him. Harry chuckled weakly. They stayed like that for a few minutes. Harry leaning on James while Lily rubbed his back in slow steady circles.

"Feeling better?" James asked after a while. Harry nodded against him. Harry turned his head that was resting on his dads sternum to the side in order to look at his mum.

"I'm sorry mum." He said softly.

"What for?" She asked kindly.

"I shouldn't have said that. I know why you were friends with him" Harry whispered softly. He had been told about both of his parents Hogwarts years from three different perspectives. His mum had told him how she became friends with Snape. As much as his angry words were meant to hurt Snape they had also been disrespectful of his mum and her decisions.

"It's all right." A soft gentle smile was playing on her lips.

"You're forgiven, sweetheart." She kissed him on the cheek. Harry smiled gratefully towards her. He listened to his father's heartbeat. He had both of his parents here with him. Sometimes it still felt like a dream.

"Harry!" Ron called as he and Hermione slithered into the class room. Harry looked up and smiled weakly at his two friends. James and Lily released him reluctantly.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded and got up. Ron and Hermione shared a skeptical glance.

"Did Malfoy rat you out?" Ron asked nervously.

"He did but dad created an alibi." Harry said as he nodded towards his father who had gotten up as well and was talking to Lily in hushed tones. His parents hands were clasped tightly together.

"Oh thank Merlin." Ron let out a breath of relief. Hermione's stance relaxed as well. Harry moved back to the closet to take his stuff back out.

"Ah Harry, before I forget it could we have the map?" James asked.

"Sure, I don't think I will be sneaking anywhere else anytime soon." Harry said with a dry smile. He handed his father the map.

"Don't let this incident stop you." James said with a wink.

"James!" Lily admonished.

"Quidditch practice as usual this evening or do you want to skip?" James asked. Harry shook his head. He felt tired but he would never miss Quidditch with Ron, Sirius and his father.

"The final game against Slytherin is next month. I have to practice." Harry said with a shrug. Ron and James nodded in acknowledgement.

"But before that is the first of April. We will manage to distract you from your nerves." James said with a grin. Oh that Harry could belief.

A.N.: I am surprised at myself I finished this chapter in one day o.o I can see the end slowly approaching. I will probably continue writing in every free minute that I have. Thanks for reading and reviews are as always appreciated.