Surprise! Finally another chapter! lol...enjoy!

Chapter 36

Harry knocked on the Headmaster's office door early the next morning. He had gotten quite a surprise last night before crawling into bed. He almost didn't see the letter on his pillow telling him to come to the Headmaster's office before breakfast. Harry certainly hoped they weren't practicing the spell right now because he really didn't want to wake up this early every morning to work on a spell he was able to cast twice now.

"Come in." He heard the Headmaster call him in. His voice sounded weary and he wondered if Dumbledore had gotten any sleep last night.

Harry opened the door and was surprise to see James leaning over Dumbledore's desk with his hands on top of it. He could immediately feel the tension in the room. He shifted his feet awkwardly, feeling like he just walked into an argument. "You told me to come in before breakfast, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded and waved him in. "Yes, Mr. Jameson, come in and sit." Harry made his way to a seat in front of Dumbledore's desk.

James glared at the Headmaster. "You're telling him now?" Dumbledore didn't even grace him with a response. He gave a sigh and bowed his head in defeat. "I'm not going to change your mind, am I? It's going to happen rather I like it or not." Dumbledore nodded. "And if he isn't ready?"

Dumbledore glanced at Harry and nodded. "He will be." He said with confidence. He looked back at James. "I'm certain you would make sure of it." He said with a knowing look.

Harry bit the inside of his mouth to prevent himself from shouting at them. He hated when people talked about him like he wasn't right there in front of them. In his world, he wouldn't have been so constrained, but he felt like a guest in this world and, as a guest, he must be on his 'best' behavior. That was what he was taught at the Dursleys. Instead, he listened in, trying to catch on what they were talking about.

James shook his head. "Of course I will and I would hope others will help him as well! But isn't it too soon?"

"I'm sure young Mr. Potter is impatient to get back to his friends in his world, right, Mr. Potter?" He turned to Harry.

He hadn't expecting to be involved in the conversation, so, it took Harry a moment to respond. He nodded. "Right, sir." He said, not sounding completely sure and he wasn't. His family was here, but his friends were there. How was he able to choose?

"Are you going to remain while I tell your son, James?" Dumbledore asked. "I'm sure Mr. Potter would like to know what's going on."

James glanced over at Harry then back to the Headmaster. He shook his head. "I should look over my lesson plans before classes start." Harry snapped his eyes to the DADA professor, surprised that the man didn't deny the fact that Dumbledore called Harry his son.

"I expect you'll be at breakfast, James? I heard from the house elves that you didn't eat anything all day yesterday. You should eat." Dumbledore said, sounding very much like a parent.

James shrugged his shoulders. "We'll see, Albus." He walked out of the office without another glance. Dumbledore watched him go with an odd expression on his face, almost thoughtful.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said, getting the Headmaster's attention.

His attention snapped back to him. "I apologize, Mr. Potter, I was deep in thought. You must be wondering why I called you here this early." Harry nodded. "I thought it best to tell you this as soon as possible for you will now know how much work is ahead of you. You will need to prepare yourself. Yesterday, I received an owl from Voldemort." Harry raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I believe he knows exactly who you are and wants to get rid of you as fast as possible."

"Because of the prophesy?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

The Headmaster nodded. "He knows who you are but he doesn't know how. He fears you because he believes you came back to life. He wants you out of the way as soon as possible so you don't mess up any more of his plans. He wants you when you aren't ready. However, he doesn't seem to realize how long you already been here. You will be ready."

"Professor?" Harry asked, trying to get him to the point.

Dumbledore leaned forward and folded his hands on top of his desk. "Mr. Potter, a month from now, Voldemort wants to meet on a battlefield of his choosing. It will be a fight to the death. At least that is what he believes. With the spell you have been working on, to him, that would be worst then death."

"A month, sir? I could be going home in a month or so?" The Headmaster nodded. Harry didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand, he was thrilled about returning home to Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys, and even Dumbledore. However, he would miss Sirius, Remus, and even James. He would miss Rora and the Snape that didn't hate the sight of him. He nodded his head to indicate he understood, but he was too loss in thought to speak. How was he going to tell Hermione and Neville?

"A month?" Hermione asked with wide eyes. "You might only be here for another month?"

Harry nodded and glanced around the Great Hall, making sure no one would overhear them. It was half way into breakfast and Harry had just finish telling them what the Headmaster told him.

"Is this what you wanted?" Neville asked, noticing that Harry wasn't completely thrilled with the idea of going home.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I…I don't know. I'll be leaving people behind and I will have yet another challenge to face once I return, another Voldemort to take down, but…but it's my home and I have friends I miss there and I now know how to defeat my Voldemort."

Hermione nodded. "We understand."

Harry shook his head. "No, you don't! Who could possibly understand? The only one who could understand is Godrick whatever-his-name-is but he's dead! Long dead!" He said heatedly in frustration.

"I…I just meant…" Hermione said meekly. "…I just meant I understood what you're saying. I…I didn't mean I understood what you are going through." She explained softly.

Harry grimaced, remembering this Hermione didn't have that tough backbone his Hermione had. If he snapped at his Hermione like that, she would be glaring at him and respond with the same heated expression. She wouldn't have bowed her head like that. It made him feel all the more guilty though. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to take my frustration out on you. I'm just…just…"

"Frustrated?" Hermione guessed with an amused half smile.

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, frustrated. I'm torn between wanting to stay and going home. It's giving me a nasty headache just thinking about it."

"I could imagine." Neville spoke up. "We'll miss you, Harry." Hermione nodded in agreement.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his plate. "I'll miss you guys too." He looked up and eyed the two friends in made in this world. "You two will remain friends once I'm gone, right? You two can use the friendship." He watched in amusement as their faces turned a slight hint of red.

"Of course." They said in unison.

Usually the first day back to classes would be rough on everyone and it was. However, it was just not the first day back but the whole two weeks that was rough. Defense Against the Dark Arts became the hardest course ever taken. Professor Potter taught them a new spell every class and expected them to study and preform it at the beginning of every class the following day. The only homework given was practical. There were no more written assignments nor was there much book work at all. The only time they looked at the book would be to study the hand motions and that was only if the spell they were learning was even in the textbook. With Professor Potter there seemed to be no limitations. He taught them spells they weren't supposed to learn until their seventh year and spells not even seventh year students learned. He was more stern then Professor McGonagall. There was no messing around in his class, not like they had time to mess around.

However, no matter how hard and tough the class became, Harry was all too grateful for it. It did help him feel like he was getting ready to face Voldemort by the end of the month. He knew that was why Professor Potter was pounding them so hard, Harry more than others. He was trying to prepare him. But he was rough in his treatment and other students began to suspect his hatred for Harry. They started to ask him what he had done to make their DADA professor so mad. He ignored such questions. He wanted to tell the professor just how thankful he was for the class, but didn't know how to go about telling him. Their relationship had gotten better since the first time they met, but it still wasn't comfortable.

Two weeks before the assigned final battle with Voldemort, the Dark Lord sent another letter informing where the battle will take place. He had picked the Forbidden Forest. Harry was there when Dumbledore informed Professor Potter and, Merlin, the man was not happy with the chosen battlefield, but neither was anyone else. The Forbidden Forest was too close to Hogwarts for their liking.

Harry and Professor Potter left the office together, both in their own thoughts. Harry couldn't believe in two weeks he would either be dead or back home. He also wondered what Dumbledore was going to do about the students in two weeks. There was no way Dumbledore would allow them to stay in school, going about their normal routines with Voldemort in the backyard.

"Do you feel ready?" Professor Potter asked as soon as they reached the last step.

Harry snapped his head up, not expecting the DADA professor to talk to him. There was no need to ask the professor what he was talking about. Harry already knew. He shrugged his shoulders when they stopped walking and turned to face him. "Rather I feel I am or not, the fight is going to happen in two weeks." He said. "It doesn't make much of a difference if I am or not."

Professor Potter placed a hand on his shoulder and his eyes narrowed. "It does make a difference, Harry. If you aren't ready, you will lose. If you are, there is a chance for a victory." The hand on his shoulder tightened and his gaze softened. "But you are right. No matter the case, we will fight to the best of our abilities. Are you ready for whatever fate will greet you? Rather it is victory or…" The professor sighed heavily. "…or death?"

Harry paused as he thought about the question. "I don't think I will ever be ready to face Voldemort, sir, but I will do what I must." He answered.

Professor Potter seemed to smile woefully. "Such a Gryffindor." He said as his hand slipped from Harry's shoulder. "I still would prefer if you come to my office for some extra training whenever you are free to do so."

As much as appreciated the extra work, he also didn't want to spend his every free time learning more spells. Not when he only had two weeks to be here. He gave the professor a look. "Sir…"

"I am not sending out there to face Voldemort without making sure you are as prepared as you can possibly be, Harry." Professor Potter interrupted sternly. "Or do you actually want to die?" He asked harshly.

There was a moment of silence before Harry shook his head. "No, sir." He said tightly.

Professor Potter nodded and his body seemed to relax slightly. "I'm not going to take over all of your free time for the next two weeks. You will be leaving then and you should spend some time with the friends you made here before saying a final goodbye to them. I'll let you know when to show up." He said before walking away.

Harry watched him go feeling better knowing he would be able to spend some time with Neville and Hermione.

That next week proved very tiresome for Harry. After classes he went straight to Professor Potter for the next few hours. It amazed him just how knowledgeable the DADA professor was. He seemed to know just as much as Dumbledore. It made him wonder if the death of his family really motivated him that much to do a lot of research on spells, hexes, jinxes, and curses. Professor Potter must have been waiting for the day where Voldemort would get punished for their deaths.

Harry was getting more and more nervous about the upcoming battle. As far as he knew, Dumbledore had yet to decide where to put the other students. Neville and Hermione was determined to fight alongside him, but he was not ready to put them through that. Unlike the Neville and Hermione he knew, they didn't have any experiences fighting for their lives. They were unprepared and naive when it comes to fighting Death Eaters.

"Harry, we are your friends." Hermione argued while they were in the common room a week before the battle. It was still early, but curfew had approached, forcing them out of the library and back to their common room. The common room was crowded as it usually was at this time. Nobody wanted to go to bed this early and those who have friends of the opposite gender couldn't speak to them in dorm rooms. The three of them were forced into a corner table as a group of seventh years took over the area by the fireplace. They didn't mind. It had provided the privacy they needed. "And we don't want to sit back as you go to fight the most dangerous enemy alive!"

Harry sat up in his chair and leaned forward. "Hermione, you don't know how to fight to the death! I am not going to be responsible for your death!"

"Then teach us." Neville responded quietly.

Harry shook his head. "I cannot teach you two to fight within a week!"

Hermione folded her arms and stared determinedly at him. "We are going to fight rather you like it or not, Harry. You might as well teach us what you can in a week. We'll have a better chance at survival that way."

"Hermione, I barely have time of my own to learn what I need to learn. Professor Potter has been taking almost all of my free time. If it wasn't for the eight o'clock curfew, I would still be with him." Harry argued. He was getting exhausted just thinking about it. "When would I have the time to teach you two?"

"After curfew, in your dorm room." Hermione stated. "Or you can do it here in the common room. I'm sure the sixth and seventh year students would rather fight instead of being sent away with the younger children. They can join in as well."

Harry inwardly sighed, feeling utterly weary. It wasn't that he couldn't teach. Last year Dumbledore's Army proved he could teach. It was the exhaustion of the idea of going from student to teacher every day. All day long, he would be training, learning, then, when he should be relaxing, he would be teaching. It sounded very exhausting to him. How would he ever fight Voldemort if he was too exhausted to stand up straight? But Hermione was right. If they were going to fight rather he liked it or not, he had to make sure they were prepared to the best of their abilities. There would be no room for error during the battle. Error could mean death and he didn't want that for anybody, especially his friends.

He nodded dejectedly. "Fine. We start tomorrow, here in the common room at nine." He would at least get an hour break. It's a wonder how he got his homework done in time. "We'll go until eleven. If anyone has any complaints, then they could just not bother coming." He most certainly didn't want to deal with another Zacharias Smith.

Hermione gave a big smile and thanked him. Harry faintly nodded and looked away. How was it that it was Hermione that always got him to teach others? Rather he was in his world or another?

As that week went by, tension ran high as word got around about the battle that would happen in the Forbidden Forest. Parents owled the Headmaster asking for their children to come home. For the most part, Dumbledore agreed. And within the week, the number of students at Hogwarts decreased rapidly. Older students argued against their parents until they either went home or stayed to fight. Aurors entered the school. Classes cancelled. Hogwarts became a fortress instead of a school. Because of the increase of adults walking around, the dementors were pulled away from the school. They no longer walked the halls after curfew. Harry still had no rest, despite having no classes or homework to worry about. He still went to the professors and even Moody to learn more and he still taught those willing students at eight. Now there were no classes, Hermione thought best to start earlier. Harry worked them as hard as Professor Potter was working him. He still didn't feel they would be ready in time. They started this way too late.

A day before the planned attack, Harry got the break he needed. The morning was rough, training with Professor Potter, but just before lunchtime the DADA professor stopped their training and pulled Harry into his living quarters.

"Harry, why don't you sit?" He indicated to the couch. Harry sat down and looked up at him. The professor sat next to him and faced him, his face serious. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"I won't ever be ready, sir, but I feel confident enough, I suppose." He answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Excited about the possibilities of going home?" The professor asked.

There was something in his tone that grabbed Harry's attention and he stared at the man, trying to figure out what it was. "I suppose so, sir." He said. He shrugged his shoulders. "There are both pros and cons of going home, but it would be nice to see my friends and have my own name again." He never thought he would say something like that. He had always wanted a different name, a different identity. Before Hogwarts he was Harry Potter, the freak, the waste of space. After the first day at Hogwarts, he was Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, the hero. He never wanted to be either of them. All he wanted to was to be Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, all he wanted was to become himself once again. He never knew just how attach he was to the name Harry Potter. He didn't want to hide himself. All he wanted to was to be himself.

The older man nodded. "I guess I could understand that. Being someone else is hard to do." He said quietly, staring off into space.

Harry wondered why he was still there, why the professor was talking to him, why he hadn't dismissed him yet. They sat there in silence for a few moments, a few blissful moments. He hadn't had time to himself in a long time, time to just sit quietly and think. It was nice. The pass few weeks consisted of training himself and training others. He barely had a moment of peace. He most certainly hoped the rest of the day would be like this. It was what he needed. He leaned back against the couch and stared at the fire in the fireplace.

Professor Potter leaned back as well, still quietly staring off into space. They sat side-by-side in a comfortable silence. Comfortable, a word Harry never thought he would use in the same sentence with James Potter and Harry Potter.

Professor Potter turned his head towards him. "Are you hungry, Harry?" He asked, breaking the silence. "I could have the house elves bring you something to eat, if you want."

Surprised, all Harry could do was nod. He faintly wondered why the professor wasn't dismissing him for lunch. Did he…want his company? He mentally shook his head. No, that couldn't be it…right? He watched quietly as Professor Potter asked a house elf to bring them some lunch to eat there. "Thank you, sir." Harry said. To farther his surprise, the man smiled faintly at him in recognition of his gratitude.

A few minutes later, they were well into eating their dinner's quietly when the door to the study opened. They turned and saw Sirius and Remus enter. "Goodness, here I thought we were saving you from James' training and pull you down to lunch, only to discover you are already eating lunch!" Sirius said leaning forward on the back of the couch. He glanced down at the amount of food spread across the coffee table. "You two have enough?" He asked with a brow raised.

Professor Potter chuckled. "House elves." He pointed out, explaining the abundance of food. "You two can join us." He offered.

Remus smiled kindly at them. "I think we will take that offer." He walked over and sat on the armchair next to the couch. He gathered a small plate full of food.

Sirius hooted as he jumped over the back of the couch and landed next to the DADA professor. "Never say no to offered food." He said. Harry laughed. He loaded his plate up. "So, Harry, what else are you planning to do today?" He asked before taking a bit of his pastry.

He shrugged. "I guess, I would continue my training."

"No." Professor Potter said, shaking his head. "You have the rest of the day off. Tomorrow is the battle and a part of getting ready is being able to sit and reflect, relax, and get mentally prepared."

Remus chuckled, his eyes sparkled with humor. "Is that how you convinced Alastor Moody to give Harry the day off?"

Professor Potter shook his head. "No. I had to also tell him that he needed this time to put extra wards around the castle. That this could be a ploy of Voldemort to have some of his followers to break in and take over while we are in the Forest." Sirius and Remus laughed and Harry chuckled quietly to himself, enjoying this moment. "Harry, here, has been working hard this pass few months and I feel that he needed a little time off." He defended himself. "There is nothing wrong with that."

Sirius shook his head. "No, no, of course not, but are you sure this has nothing to do with that time, oh, how long ago was it, Remus…?" He asked turning to the werewolf.

"It must have been, wow, almost seventeen years ago." Remus answered.

Sirius nodded. "Right." He turned back to Professor Potter. "When Alastor had convinced you that you needed to put extra wards around your storage locker because Voldemort was trying to steal a sample of your hair for some experiment he was trying to perform."

Harry choked back a laugh at the face Professor Potter made.

"No. It has nothing to do with that and he didn't manage to convince me." He turned to Harry. "Don't listen to them, Harry. I wasn't convinced. Besides…" He turned back to Sirius. "…you were the one that added the extra wards and cleaned all your combs, and mine, so Voldemort doesn't get to our DNA."

Remus laughed. "He's got you there, Sirius."

Harry laughed when Sirius tried to defend himself, but Professor Potter and Remus ignored his attempt. This calm before the storm was exactly what Harry needed. He couldn't believe that Professor Potter was the one that made it possible. If it wasn't for him, he would be doing his training all day long. Mad Eye Moody would never let him off the hook.

He looked at Professor Potter. The Professor was facing towards him, turning his back to Sirius, who was still trying to defend himself. His arm was stretched out on the back of the couch. His hand was resting just behind Harry's head as he joked some more with Remus. He would smile, his eyes having this mischievous look as he purposely ignored Sirius. He looked so relaxed and a lot like the James Potter Harry had grown up hearing about. He was so very tempted to lean against the man's chest. Too feel him, his father, alive and breathing. He fought the temptation knowing it would do no good.

It was nice, sitting there and watching the three friends joking around. This time they weren't drunk. Professor Potter was showing this side of him to Harry on his own free will, completely lucid. Harry would really miss this.

"Harry, you believe me right?" Sirius asked, leaning forward so he could see around Professor Potter's body.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, Sirius, sure."

"Hey…" Sirius set his half-eaten plate down on the coffee table and pointed an accusing finger at him. His eyes narrowed. "…that did not sound convincing." He pouted.

Harry laughed along with Professor Potter and Remus. He glanced back up to James Potter and their eyes connected. They both had that sparkle of life in their eyes as they laughed about the same thing. Professor Potter smiled at him, his eyes still having a glow Harry had never seen in his eyes before. He swore he felt the professor touch the back of his head slightly before the professor turned to face Sirius. "Give it up, Sirius. Harry is much too smart to believe your poor excuses. No one will believe them." He said with a chuckle. He turned back to face Harry and Remus' direction, once again, his back facing Sirius. "And stop pouting like a dog." He joked.

"Hey! I take offence to that, you overgrown deer!" came Sirius comeback.

"I'm not a deer. I am a stag. There is a difference and at least I don't sniff my own butt or other butts."

"Once again, James brings up a rather good point." Remus said.

"Once! That was only once!" Sirius yelled in defense. "I'll get you for that, James Potter!" He vowed before tackling the professor. James Potter was shoved into Harry, shoving him into the arm of the couch. They rolled off him and onto the floor, laughing as the DADA professor tried to escape Sirius' hold.

Harry was laughing along with them and he glanced up at Remus. Remus was smiling and his eyes held a distant look in them. He realized that Remus must not have seen this side of his friend in a very long time. It must have been a relief to see it once again.

"Remus, help me!" Professor Potter called out.

Remus chuckled and shook his head. "No thanks, James. I rather finish my food and keep my food in my stomach. Maybe later." As if to prove his point, he forked some mash potatoes into his mouth.

Professor Potter struggled some more to make Sirius lose his grip before turning to Harry. "Harry, you're helping me." He said as if it was an order. He reached up with a free hand and wrapped it around Harry's wrist.

Realizing what was about to happen he shook his head. "No, no, no." But it was pointless. Professor Potter pulled him off the couch and into the pile.

Sorry if it seemed rushed...I really wanted to get to the battle...I was running out of ideas of what to write in between the beginning of this chapter and the battle!

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