Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own his magical world.

Deviated World

Chapter XXIV

"Harry, we are very well aware of the fact you can duck! But, that is only part of it! You know the spell, now use it!" yelled Sirius from across the room. They had expanded the attic at Grimmauld Place to accommodate Harry's lessons. He and Harry had been practicing dueling for the previous hour. They both looked rather worn out. Remus had stayed to the side observing (after making James a very large cup of soothing tea).

Harry was doing alright, but he was certainly not up to the standard Remus would have held for him. He used his reflexes, yes, but not his brain. Remus, knew though, that with enough work, they could get Harry in sync.

While Sirius was distracted yelling, Harry managed to nearly hit him with a tickling curse. Remus cringed slightly; perhaps his aim needed some work too. "Alright, I think you two should call it a rest," called out Remus.

Lowering their wands Sirius and Harry walked over. Harry definitely was a little worse for ware, having been hit numerous times with stunners, tickling charms, and other such hexes. At one point Remus had insisted that James leave the room, for he was wringing his hands so much that Remus feared that they would come off. Not to mention the terrible noise when James grinded his teeth.

"Not bad, Harry," said Remus, not wanting to discourage the boy.

"Not good, either," replied Harry rubbing a sore arm and looking disappointed in himself.

"Well, no, but this is only the first session. I have seen wizards and witches older than you do far worse, but eventually become very competent Aurors," said Sirius. "Even Tonks! She tripped over her own feet and ended up hitting the Cornelius Fudge with her spell, even though he was observing several yards behind her." Remus grinned; that was Tonks.

"If you have the drive, I know you can aptly apply yourself to anything, Harry," said Remus with a knowing smile. "Except maybe History of Magic, but we will leave that to Professor Binns and Hermione, shall we?"

Harry cracked a grin and looked a bit more heartened. "What am I going to learn next?"

"I think it would be a good idea to teach you the Patronus charm," said Sirius. Remus starred at Sirius. He had completely forgotten that Harry had yet to have a close encounter with one in this world. He had completely overlooked that fact that when he had the Bogart lesson with the third-years Harry's had turned into James's corpse. It all made sense! Having lost one parent had made him afraid to lose the other; it gave him something to be afraid to lose! And Harry had had a happy enough childhood that the Dementors didn't affect him as terribly as they did before.

"It would be easier to teach you if we had a Dementor handy, but fortunately we do not," joked James. Remus thought hard at this. Having taught Harry before on a Bogart, he had a few ideas, but whose worst fear was a Dementor? He frowned as he came to a realization: His was. After Azkaban, after losing everything to end up here, how could it be anything else? The full moon seemed almost trivial now, after everything.

"We do," said Remus, making Sirius, James and Harry stare at him as if he had gone mad.

"Right, Moony," said Sirius. "I keep it in my mum's old china cabinet, behind the gravy boat."

Remus sighed. "Do you have a Bogart?"

"Whose worst fear—oh," said James coming to the same realization that Remus had moments earlier.

"I'll go ask Kreacher…" trailed Sirius, still giving Remus a strange look.

Harry looked a bit confused, but knew not to ask. "So, does a Patronus work?"

"As you know, Dementors thrive on sorrow and despair. They can make you relive you worst nightmares. A Patronus is a locus of positive thought, channeled into more or less corporeal figure that drives Dementors away. They can also be used to send messages and such.

"When you cast the spell 'Expectopatronum,' fill you head with your happiest of memories. The happier the memory, the stronger the Patronus."

"What do they look like?" asked Harry, fully engaged.

"It depends on the wizard or witch that casts it," said James. "Though, it is usually some type of creature."

"Can you show me?"

Remus let James go ahead with this. He had not cast one in a long time, and he wasn't sure if it had changed or not. James cast the spell and the silvery light shot out of the tip of his wand, winding itself into the form of a dragon. It was Remus's turn to stare. This was not the form Remus would have expected, but he refrained from asking James about it right there and then.

"Wow," said Harry, quite amazed after the Patronus disappeared.

"Of course, not all of them are quite as glitzy as that," said Sirius, returning. "Compensating for something, James?"

Harry made a disgusted look and James snorted. Remus just shook his head. Boys will be boys. "Well?" he asked.

"Got one," said Sirius, pointing to a trunk behind him. "But, Harry should practice a few times before we let it out."

"Right," said James. "Nice and easy then Harry. Got a memory?" Harry nodded in affirmation. "Alright the, give it a go."

"Expectopatronum!" shouted Harry, gaining a slight mist. His face fell.

"Very good, Harry," said James. "Not very many get something on their first try."

Harry tried a few more times, but still all he had was mist. "What memory are you using Harry?" asked Remus.

"Winning the Quidditch cup," he replied. Remus rolled his eyes; some things would never change.

"I would choose a stronger memory. Something that, while it may not be such a euphoric time, means a great deal more to you than Quidditch."

Harry nodded. A few minutes later he was able to produce a form. It wasn't distinguishable, but it was a form none the less.

"Good, now let's try it against a Dementor. Shall we?" nodded Sirius to Remus. Remus nodded and braced himself. Stepping in front of the trunk he slowly opened the lid while Sirius, James and Harry stepped back.

The dark, looming figure emerged. Remus felt the cold despair running through his veins. He heard the screams. He staggered back a bit, trying to tell himself that it was just Bogart, but his body wouldn't listen.

To his side, Harry recognized the fear in Remus's eyes and started to understand. He realized this was more than just practice. By learning these skills he was going to spare those whom he loved from pain and terror. He could do it. He could save those he cared bout, as his mother had laid down her life for him.

"Expectopatronum!" shouted Harry once more. The Patronus, very strong Patronus shot out of his wand and charged down the "Dementor." It fell backwards, quite confused. Sirius then stepped in, banish the Bogart.

"Well done, Harry!" said Sirius enthusiastically. As Remus caught his breath he noticed James looking especially pale. Remus turning to look as Harry's disappearing Patronus. It was a doe.

"Lily," croaked James before leaving the room.

Harry looked between Sirius and Remus quite puzzled. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

"No, Harry. You did well," explained Sirius. "It is just that your mum's Patronus was a doe as well. Your dad just wasn't expecting that. It is hard for him, you know? I am sure that he is happy that you draw strength from her, though."

Remus gave soft smile. Sirius could be immature, brash and oblivious sometimes, sure, but he made up for it with all the times that he was the exact opposite. He was quite the impressive man.

Remus's thoughts then turned to James. Indeed, James was compensating for something with his "glitzy" Patronus. Well, not in the way Sirius meant it. James's Patronus was affected by the fact that he was not able to save Lily. He felt responsible, but powerless. Of course, no one else had saved her either, hence his Patronus had taken the form of one of the most powerful creatures he knew of: a dragon.

It had surprised him that, in spite of his compensation, his son's Patronus had been such a meek creature, even though his son was to save the world or die trying. A creature that symbolized something much more powerful than James's dragon.

Again it all came back to love.

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A/N: As always thank you to everyone for reading with an extra special thank you to everyone who reviewed. It is good to know that there is still interest in this story.

Perplexity

PS:

Liv Naravul: Thank you for reminding me! Over the time I have been writing this I overlooked that important aspect, the details of Remus's time/reality travel. Not to worry though! I have bits and pieces to incorporate in chapters to come.