Ch. 35

Later that day as he and Draco are finishing their lunch of roast beef sandwiches with chips, Severus decides it's time to discuss what Draco told him. Having thought back over the interrogation of his Godson, Severus realized he completly missed the child's talk of his Father.

"Draco, look at me please. I have something important I need to talk to you about." Seeing the boy looking at him a bit worriedly, he reassures him "

"I'm not angry any longer and I don't plan on adding any more punishment. I believe you are being punished enough. I do want to talk about what you told me about Lucius. You told me he would beat you with a cane. Has he ever taken a cane and hit you with it?"

"Yes Sir."

"When was this and what had you done?"

"The first time it happened, I was seven. He told me to show him Wingardium Leviosa after he had been working on that with me for two weeks. I couldn't even get the quill to lift at all. He spanked me with his hand on my bare bottom and then demanded I perform. I tried again and the quill burst into flames. He grabbed me saying I was deliberately being "obtuse and obstinate". That's when he took down my pants and whipped me with his walking cane. He hit me ten times and after it was over I couldn't walk for days. Mum had to do spells to care for me."

Hearing Severus intake of breath, Draco mistakenly assumes he's about to be scolded again.

"I swear Uncle Sev., I wasn't trying to be stubborn or slow to learn it. I just couldn't get that stupid quill to hover! I can do it now though. Father was unimpressed back at Christmas when I showed him I could perform the Wingardium Leviosa now. He said any wizard child could do that and he wanted to see something atypical especially since I was supposed to be advanced in my magic."

"You said 'the first time' so this has happened more than once? "

"Yes sir."

"When was the last time he beat you with a cane? How many times has he beaten you, Draco?"

"I stopped counting after the fifth time sir. The last time was at Christmas sir. He took a rattan cane to me over my clothes because I didn't know the accio spell and didn't know what a imperio spell was. He said, any advanced child would know that and whipped me with the cane. This is when he told me if I didn't know how to perform those spells plus the two others I told you about, by Easter he would thrash me again."

"Draco, I am your legal guardian as well as your Godfather. I will begin today to have you removed from the binding of being Lucius' child. What with your memories, we will be able to have you placed under my care from now on. You will NOT be having any more dealings with that man."

"Yes Sir, am I still going to have to go home for Summer Break? I don't want to go! I want to stay here with you Uncle Sev. May I please?"

"Draco, by the time Summer Break comes we will have finalized the guardianship transfer to me. You have my word son, you will not be sent back to that man again. It may come to having a trial against him and you may have to testify in front of people. Could you do it?"

"What is 'testify'?"

"It means you may have to tell about the abuse in front of people. I will also remove your memories of the abuse to show the court if necessary. I don't know if any of this will be needed as I am already your Magical Legal Guardian. I'll have to ask the Headmaster about this as he is very knowledgeable about legal matters."

"I will do anything you need for me to do to stay here with you. I love you even though you do wallop my bum until it stings to sit sometimes. I know you punish me because you love me and want me to learn to be better and not because you like hurting me the way my Father does."

Pulling the young boy off the chair and on to his lap, Severus holds him close. "I do love you Draco and I have since you were very small. I asked for you to stay with me those holidays when your parents went away for that very reason. Don't let the students know this however. I need to keep my evil bat reputation to keep them from killing themselves or someone in my class!"

Sirius' Quarters:

Hearing a knock on the door, Sirius comes into the main room from the kitchen. Answering the door he finds Hermione and Ron. "Hello Hermione, Hello Ron. What may I help you with? Why aren't the two of you in class?"

"Hello Professor Black. We're not in class because it is Saturday sir." Hermione answers while Ron looks in the doorway to the room beyond.

"Sir? May we see Harry? It's been three days and we miss him. Is he doing better?"

"Yes Ron, he's better but still needs much rest. His actions that night nearly used all of his magical core and the rebuilding is a slow process. He will be able to come to lunch with you on Monday."

"May we please go see him now? We won't stay long sir." Hermione asks.

"I'm sorry children but the answer is no. Harry is grounded for the rest of the school term and may not have visitors at this time. As I said you will see him Monday at lunch and probably in class also. Other than that he will be restricted to our quarters. I will tell him you were asking about him."

"Yes sir. Please tell him we will wait for him at the door of the Transfiguration classroom on Monday."

"I certainly will deliver the message, Hermione. Now you and Ron go enjoy your free time. I'll see you both in class Monday. I know you both will have the essay on the planet Jupiter all ready to be handed in." Sirus teases.

"I'm all finished sir. I have five feet written and illustrated too. Jupiter is fascinating!" Hermione gushes.

"Hermione! Just come on will ya? Professor Black doesn't want to hear about how wonderful your dumb essay is! Sometimes you can be such a show off! No one likes a show off!" Ron says scathingly.

Hermione, near tears now, turns and walks away. Ashamed to have made her that upset, Ron calls out "Hermione, WAIT, I'm sorry." He turns to go to follow her but finds his arm is being held in a stern grasp. Turning back he looks into the face of one angry Professor. "UM, I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. I was just telling her what people think. Sir." He adds the Sir at Sirius' glare.

"Ronald! You will complete an essay to turn in on Monday along with your essay on Jupiter. I want four feet on the importance of being respectful and showing good manners towards other people. You may go to your dormitory and begin now. You have all weekend to complete it."

"Another essay! But Sir, I already have two to complete for Monday! Be fair, you were a kid once and I bet you said dumb things sometimes."

"I did indeed. Those few times I said 'dumb things' to hurt someone else, I wound up with a sore backside! Would you like to go that route Ronald? We can take care of that right now." Sirius says quietly.

"No Sir, I'll just go start on that essay now sir. Say hello to Harry for me." Ron says backing away from the door just in case Sirius decides to land a few wallops. He knows his Head of House has his parent's permission to punish him with a spanking if he chooses. From experience, Ron knows he doesn't want to go that route at all!

Closing the door and smiling to himself at Ron's backwards walk down the hall, Sirius finds Harry standing in his bedroom doorway.

"Dad? Did I hear Ron and Hermione or was it a dream?"

"Your friends came by to check on you and both said to tell you hello. They are looking forward to seeing you again on Monday. They will be outside the Transfiguration classroom before class Monday."

At Harry's nod, Sirius asks "Do you feel up to sitting at the table for lunch today? If not I can just give you another potion."

"I can eat something Dad. What are we having?"

"I'm making chicken soup with noodles and vegetables. We'll have toast with it also. I think you can keep that down. Don't you?"

"Yes Dad. I kept down the breakfast rolls with jam this morning. I'm feeling much better today."

"I'm very happy to hear that son. You have been very sick for two days. You nearly wiped out your magical core this time Harry. That is what has made you so weak and ill. We will talk more of this after lunch. Let's go eat."

Harry, lingering over the last few spoonfuls of his soup, sees Sirius watching him. Ahh, he knows I'm dawdling to slow the time for our discussion. I really don't want to talk about what went on that night. He's going to be really mad and so disappointed in me. Harry sits thinking as he sips a spoonful of soup.

Watching the boy try to drag out his lunch, Sirius decides to begin their talk. He needs to get this over with and knows Harry does also.

"Alright Pup, you've stalled around enough. It's time to talk about what went on the night you and Draco were in the Amusement Area after curfew. I want to know how you were able to enter a magically locked room. I know the entrance cards do not work after curfew."

"I snuck into your office and found the list of faculty codes. I used them to get into the room."

"Why Harry? Why did you feel you needed to be sly and do things like this behind my back? You told me Draco's father was forcing him to learn the spell. If someone you know is in some kind of trouble you should tell me about it not hide it from me. Breaking into the Amusement Area happened more than just that one time didn't it? You and Draco were the ones who broke in twice before right?"

"Yes Sir, we did. I didn't know Draco was in any trouble until the last night. I only knew he wanted me to teach him some advanced spells. I thought he needed extra help with his magic for school not for something else. He told me later about how he had to learn that one bad spell because of his Father. He had to know four things by Easter but then it turned out he wasn't going home for Easter so it didn't really matter. He told me his Father beat him if he didn't know advanced spells."

"Severus has told me Draco's side of the story. I know he felt he had no choice. It sounds to me as if you knew you were doing wrong but were determined to do it anyway. What spells did you and Draco perform? "

"The first and second time we met, I helped him learn the 'accio' and to transfigure one object into another. The last time we practiced 'expelliarmus'."

"Harry, just exactly what did Draco want to use Transfiguration to do? I already know what transfiguration does but I was asking what he used it for. Now answer my question."

"He wanted to transfigure a plant into a large knife." Harry says quietly not liking the tone his Dad's voice had. At his answer he ducks his head when Sirius just shakes his head unbelievingly.

"Harry James! How could you teach someone to make something that dangerous! Were you thinking at all during these meetings?"

"Yes sir, I was. I didn't know why he wanted to make a knife. I just, well …. helped him I guess. "

"Let's talk about the 'imperio." Do you know what that spell does? Do you know how dangerous it is? How about the fact that it is one of the unforgivables? You know what an unforgivable is because you and I have discussed them."

"Yes Sir I do know but Draco needed to know it. I didn't do one for him and I didn't teach it to him."

"You were planning to though, am I correct on that? You were planning to practice a dark curse to make someone else lose control of their own actions and be controlled by you! That is what the imperius curse does! It may or may not harm the person's mind! Draco could have been harmed and so could you! Did you think about that before you agreed to teach it to him?"

"No sir." Harry whispers looking anywhere but at his Dad's flashing eyes. This conversation was making him squirm in his chair. Things were looking really bad for his bum about now.

"You are only nine Harry and advanced or not you are too young to be teaching anyone magic!"

At the boy's crestfallen look, Sirius explains, "Harry, your use of advanced spells nearly wiped out your magical core! You harmed yourself and put someone else in danger as well! You boys could have been hurt if one of your spells pulsed out of control as they can do at your age. This is why we have the rules we do. You are not to use magic without adult supervision! That is our rule. The school rule is nearly the same. You may not use magic without permission and supervision." By the time Sirius is finished talking he is aware of how loud his voice has become. He's also aware of the fact that Harry has tears running down his face.

"Harry, as much as I would like to, I can not just let these things go without punishing you. These are some very serious offenses. Using magic unsupervised and without permission, sneaking out after curfew, breaking into a room that is off-limits, stealing a passcode, attempting spell work so advanced it made you very sick. Do you understand me, son?"

"Yes Dad and I'm very sorry for what I did. I won't do it again."

"You are grounded here to our quarters except for lunch during classes from now until the end of the term. You will write a six-foot essay on the Imperius Curse due to me by next Sunday evening. You have five nights of detention beginning Monday as a school punishment for your behavior."

"Yes Sir." Harry answers relieved not to have heard what he expected. He dreaded hearing his Dad say he was going to spank him. Out of all punishments he could receive, that is the one he hated the most. Having disappointed his Dad so much he felt he needed to spank him hurt more than the whacks on his bum!

"Right, now we are going to deal with the use of unsupervised magic. and stealing. What is the consequence for that Harry?"

"I get a bare bottomed spanking. Please Dad, Don't! I said I was sorry."

"I know you are sorry but you must remember to follow that rule at all times. You can not keep putting yourself in danger by using unsupervised magic! Now come here."

Sirius, taking Harry by the hand leads him to his bedroom. Sitting down on the bed he reaches out and transforms the book on the bedside table into a flat backed hairbrush. Pulling the boy's pants down and placing him over his knees, he begins the spanking.

Halfway through, Harry is sobbing and pleading to his Dad to stop. "Daddy! I'm so sorry I scared you and made you spank me! Please stop Daddy! I promise not to ever do this again. Daddy? Please, OW! Daddy that burns!"

Having to listen to his son beg and cry, Sirius wants to stop the spanking but finishes the last four of the ten licks aiming for the area where the legs begin. The boy's bottom is slightly red and he knows it's also sore right now. It won't last more than a few hours. Just enough time to have Harry feel sore enough to think about the consequences to what he's done.

"Aright Pup, your punishment is over. I know it's sore but you really must begin to think before you act. I hope this will remind you to do just that! You are way too important to me to let you get away with putting yourself in danger. I will never let you do that. Also, you know better than to steal! This was a hard spanking for that reason. I love you son. Crawl into bed and sleep awhile. You still need a lot of rest. We can talk more later."

Still crying some, Harry obeys. Feeling his Dad's comforting hand rubbing up and down his back soothes him into sleep. "Sleep well, Pup. Please don't do anything like this again. My heart is breaking from having to spank you like that. You are going to give me gray hair before I'm old at the rate you're going!" Sirius whispers to the sleeping child.

Monday Morning

"HARRY! Hermione squeals in excitement at seeing her best friend, "We've missed you! It's been so long since we've seen you!"

"Jeez Hermione! Pipe down will you? We don't want a Professor to come scold us for disrupting class. I have all the detention I can handle right now. I missed you guys too!" Harry says grinning at Ron and Hermione as they walk to their first class.

"I know you said you'd wait at Transfiguration but I wanted to catch you before then. I need your help guys. I need you to get my invisibility cloak out of the Amusement Area and also a book of advanced magic. I left them behind the green couch. I'm grounded for the rest of the term and so I won't be going there."

"HARRY JAMES POTTER BLACK! Your Dad would freak if he knew you were going to keep practicing advanced magic! He'd wallop you until you had to stand up for a week if he ever found out!" Hermione whispers remembering Sirius scolding Harry with his full name.

"How do you know he plans to practice and not just keep the book?" Ron asks.

"Harry never does anything half way. If he was going to do something he would keep on until it gets done. That's why!"

"UH Guys? I am standing right here. You don't have to talk like I'm not. Hermione, you are right, my Dad would go absolutely mental if he found out I was doing advanced magic again. He used a hairbrush on me day before yesterday for that very thing. I swear to you I will not practice the spells. I just want to read about them, OK?"

"Sure Harry, I'll get those things you want for you. Just forgive Ms. Panic Fussy Pants here. She tends to overreact sometimes."

As the trio walks to Astronomy from Transfiguration, Harry suddenly remembers what's been nagging at him all through the morning. "Oh No!" he gasps, stopping.

"What's wrong Harry? Are you ill?" Hermione asks.

"You need the loo, mate? Ron chimes in with his question seeing the sick look on Harry's face.

"No to both questions. I just remembered the essay on Jupiter is due today, right?"

"Well yes, why?"

"I don't have one to turn in! I can't go into my Dad's class unprepared! He'll wallop me! What do I do?"

"As soon as he asks for the essays, you can say you need to be excused and then stay in the loo until class is over." Ron suggests snickering.

"Really Ron, that's not funny. Harry, why don't you have an essay? He assigned it over a week ago! You weren't sick but a few days."

"Thanks Hermione, that really helps me feel a whole lot better! I know he's going to wallop me now!"

As the children file into the classroom, Harry feels a notebook shoved into his arms. Turning to the side he sees Draco walking a little ahead of him. Looking down at the notebook he sees Draco's name and Astronomy written on it. Quickly finding his seat, he opens the book to reveal all kinds of notes about Jupiter and what appears to be a first attempt at an essay on the planet.

Glancing over to where Draco is sitting he nods his head in thanks. Taking out a quill and parchment, Harry begins to quickly copy what is written in the notebook. He's so caught up in writing he doesn't hear his Dad begin the class. He starts in surprise at hearing his name called.

"Harry!"

Looking up into his Dad's angry gaze he answers "Yes sir?"

"I asked you a question. I would like to receive your response."

"I'm sorry Sir, I didn't hear the question." Harry says meeting the stern gaze.

"I asked you the name of the smallest planet in our solar system. Do you know?"

"Yes Sir. It's Pluto sir."

"Thank you. Now I suggest you stop doodling in your notebook and actually listen from now on!" Sirius says sternly.

"Yes Sir, Professor Black."

The look in his Dad's eyes seemed to relax so maybe he wasn't going to be scolded anymore. Harry made sure to pay attention for several minutes before he began copying Draco's essay again. He was on his third foot of parchment when a large hand suddenly pulled the notebook off his desk.

Looking up, Harry sees his Dad look at the notebook and reach down for Harry's parchment. Harry suddenly feels an urgent need for the loo. He's about to request to leave the room, when Sirius says in his sternest voice "YOUNG MAN, go wait in my office, NOW! I will be there shortly! Go Harry!"

As Harry hurries to the office door just off to the side of the classroom, he hears Draco speaking "Professor Black, sir? It's my fault. I gave him the notebook to use. I encouraged him to do what he was doing sir!"

"Class is dismissed early today, children. I will see all of you on Wednesday and for your sakes I hope you all come to class prepared with your Jupiter essays and a one foot paper on Pluto. We will continue our discussion at that time. Walk out quietly please. Draco, Stay Behind."

"Yes Sir." Draco answers as a shiver runs down his back. His cousin has that dark, angry look on his face that usually spells trouble.

"Come with me Draco." Sirius says leading the boy into his private office and closing the door. Harry is sitting on the couch when the two walk in. Before his Dad can say anything, Harry asks "May I please go to the loo Dad? "

Taking in the boy's stiff way of sitting and the panicked look on his son's face, he says "Yes go and come right back here."

Thankful his Dad's office was right next to a private Loo, Harry rushes from the room.

"Draco, what were you thinking when you gave Harry your notebook? Why would you want to be involved in helping someone cheat?"

"Harry is now my friend and almost like a younger brother. I'll do anything for him. He's saved me from my Father, sir. Uncle Severus is going to let me live with him from now on. If you need to punish me, I'll take whatever you want to do. I'm not sorry I helped Harry though."

"Son, I admire your loyalty but the fact is you have been cheating. When you allow someone to copy from you that is cheating. The punishment for cheating is a paddling. I have to tell Severus about this. Do you want to wait and have him take care of this or do you wish me to? I will have to inform the Headmaster of this behavior also."

"Yes Sir, I understand. I'd rather you paddle me sir. Uncle Severus might do it bare! I'm not up for that right now."

"Very well then I will send a request to him by Harry. I must have his permission to use corporal punishment as I am not your Head of House." He answers Draco's unspoken question. He could see the confusion on the boy's face.

When Harry returns moments later, Sirius hands him an envelope addressed to Professor Snape. "Harry take this down to Professor Snape's lab and wait for an answer. Then come straight back here. No stopping to talk to other students, understand me? You young man are in serious trouble so do not make it any worse!"

"Yes Sir."

Harry walks quickly down the three flights of stairs until he reaches the second floor. Good! Just one more flight of stairs. All this hurrying is making me tired! He thinks just as he hears "Mr. Potter. Imagine that! Why are you out in the corridors when classes are in session? Do you need me to inform your Godfather about this?"

Turning around, Harry finds Mr. Filtch, Hogwarts custodian and all time tattle- tale right behind him.

"No Sir, I don't need to have you inform my Dad about this." Harry says watching the little man smirk at his answer. "I imagine he would turn you over his knee wouldn't he?"

"Yes Sir, he certainly would unless I had a good reason. I do have a good reason this time. I have to deliver this note from my Dad to Professor Snape and return his answer to my Dad. Have a good day Mr. Filtch." Harry says hurrying down the last flight of stairs.

Opening the door to the Potions Lab, Harry walks in quickly only to stop as all eyes turn to him.

"Mr. Potter, you seem to have come a bit early today. This is the upper level class. Shouldn't you be in Astronomy right now?" Severus asks knowing Harry and Draco have the same schedule.

"I'm sorry to interrupt sir but my Dad told me to bring you this note and wait for your reply."

Watching as his Potions Professor reads the note, he sees the man's face turn a little red and his dark eyes looking angry. He sees Severus flick his hand and a quill and parchment join the envelope in his hand. "Here is my reply. I will see you after lunch for your class. You may leave now."

"Yes sir."

Arriving back at his Dad's office somewhat out of breath, Harry hands the note to his Dad.

"Thank you Harry, you will wait out in the corridor until I call you."

"Yes sir."

As the door closes once more, Sirius turns to Draco. "You're Uncle gave me permission to paddle you. Is this what you still want to do?"

"Yes Sir." Draco answers while thinking I don't want to be punished at all actually.

Casting a quick silencing spell on the room and a locking charm on the door, Sirius says "Very well then, remove your robes and bend over the arm of the couch. You have four coming Draco. If you are ever caught cheating again it doubles to eight licks."

Waiting in the hall, Harry decides it's time to talk to his Dad even though he hasn't been called yet. Just as he gets to the door of his Dad's office, it opens and Draco walks out stiffly, rubbing his bum. Harry can see the tears on his friend's face so he knows Draco just got a spanking.

"I'm sorry I got caught Draco. I'll probably get it worse than you did. Thanks for letting me try to do my essay. You are a good friend." Harry whispers.

"Harrison James Potter Black! Come Here!" He hears his Dad say from inside the office.

"Harry, what has come over you lately? You just finished day before yesterday being sentenced to more punishment than you have ever had at one time. You also received a spanking with a hairbrush and here you are in trouble again, two days later! Why would you even attempt to cheat? YOU KNOW BETTER! I'm really disappointed in you son. I expect much better behavior than this"

"Yes Sir, I know. I forgot to do my essay so I was using Draco's notes and essay to write one. I didn't want to embarrass you by not having my assignment for class. So I was using his. He gave it to me to use, I didn't take it from him. I was doing the essay for class."

"Harry, you were not using his notes to write your own paper, I looked at what you had written. Your parchment and Draco's essay in the notebook are identical. That is cheating! When you copy someone else's work and try to pass it off as your own you are cheating! We have strict rules in this school concerning cheating. We punish cheating, lying, stealing or deliberately hurting another person with a paddling or being sent home for two days. I'm sure you realize Draco received a paddling also."

"I never thought I would have to use my paddle on the younger students and certainly not on you. You have given me no choice. Remove your robe and lean over the arm of the couch." Sirius says as he picks up a small, thin, rounded paddle from the desktop.

"Daddy! Not that! Please Daddy, can't you use the ruler?" Harry asks quickly.

"Over the couch son. You have four licks but if you ever get caught cheating again, it doubles to eight."

A few minutes later Sirius is holding a sobbing child in his lap. Hugging him tight he buries his face in Harry's hair. "I never ever want to paddle you with that paddle again. The hairbrush was hard enough but this…... This just about did me in! Promise me right now son, you will stay out of trouble for a long time. At least until Summer, Promise?"

"Yes Dad. I promise I'll try my best to stay out of trouble. I don't ever want to feel that paddle again! It burns. Dad, am I going to get another spanking at home tonight for getting in trouble at school?"

"The answer to your question is no, you have been punished by me for your misbehavior so you do not need to fret over it any more. Yes son, I remember that burn. You see this is the paddle your Daddy James and I had used on us by your Grandfather Charlus."

"You got spanked by my Grandfather once?"

"I shouldn't admit this, but I will. It was more than once. I'm afraid I was on the receiving end of quite a few of your Granddad's spankings from the age of twelve on. I stayed with your Daddy's family every school vacation. James and I were very good at finding trouble."

"I guess I got that part from my Daddy then." Harry says.

"What do you mean Pup?"

"The part of me that gets me in bad trouble must be from him. I know my eyes are from my Mum. Daddy never told me he got into trouble and got a spanking when he was a kid. I thought it was just me."

"Trust me Harry, it wasn't just you. Both of your Dads have had their share of spankings growing up. Sometime, I'll tell you about some of the things we got ourselves into and were spanked for doing. Only if you promise me not to ever try them though!"