Disclaimer: I own nothing and I don't see why we need one of these when the site it's on is called But, alas, it is not my opinion that counts after all; just the people with the big money that can sue the poor people like me.

Chapter Ten

Welcome Back and Welcome Start

By Patilaputra Jeanne

The rest of the ride on the train was made in silence as Harry was just too irritated with them all to trust himself to speak civilly. The others tried to talk amongst themselves but found it too awkward with Harry listening to them the entire time and yet not joining in so they sat in silence. They changed into their robes in silence, got off the train in silence, rode the 'horseless' carriages in silence and entered the Great Hall in silence.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore's voice boomed so cheerfully, even Harry couldn't help but smile a bit. They had already gone through the sorting with the Hat giving his warning again causing Harry even greater annoyance for the irritating hat. Harry didn't even hear the rest of the speech that Dumbledore gave, just vaguely aware that everyone around him cheered and started to eat once the plates filled with food.

"It's one thing to be irritated with everything around you but this is getting out of hand." Harry looked around for who was talking to him and found that the youngest Weasley had followed him out of the hall, paying no heed to her prefect status.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, knowing perfectly well, what she meant but not wanting to admit it.

"What I mean is you avoiding everyone for no good reason at all and then snapping at us like we are the problem," she said. "Its not our fault that you are in way over your head but we are able to help you if need it."

"But you see, you all are the problem!" Harry snapped at her. "Remus and Ron especially and this stupid prophecy isn't helping any eith..." Harry never got to finish what he was saying for at that moment, a hand smacked across his face and he completely forgot what he was going on about. He looked at the girl with the flaming red hair standing in front of him and found the huge mistake he had been making.

"Thanks," he said to her guiltily. "I needed that," he added as he turned and left hurriedly. She did not go after him though but left him alone to his own musings. He walked around the students that were making their way back to their dormitories and found his way to a deserted hallway and stopped in the middle of it.

He put is hand to the cheek that Ginny had so mercilessly slapped. Had he really been that hard on every one? Was he really taking his frustration out on everyone like she had said? Was he blowing his dispute with Ron way out of proportion?

Harry made a promise to be kinder towards his friends from now on, if Ginny was angry enough with him to slap him, he didn't want to think about what the others would do to him if he continued this.

Harry decided he could no longer stay out as a clock chimed eight somewhere. He had to get up early the next morning (and every morning for the rest of the year) and could not afford to make a habit of late nights. Harry grudgingly headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room only to realize that he did not yet know the new password. Luckily, there was the youngest Weasley again, waiting for him to return.

"I remembered that I hadn't told you the new password yet," she explained.

Harry smiled at her apologetically. "Thanks, I thought I might be out here all night."

"The password is leòn faro," Ginny said. "And sorry about slapping you back there, I sometimes don't think things through very thoroughly." She was clearly staring at the red mark on Harry's cheek.

"No, don't apologize," Harry told her. "Like I said before, I needed it. Just don't make a habit of it. That hurt," he said so matter-of-factly that Ginny had to giggle. The two Gryffindors disappeared into the portrait hole and each went up their different staircase to bed.

Harry awoke quite early the nest morning. He was unusually habituated to this early hour, but it did not make the old castle seem any less foreboding at the early hour as he walked quickly through the halls. Harry was already dressed in his practice attire, but also wore his invisibility cloaked and had his handbook clutched tightly in his pocket.

This was the day that he would meet his new instructor, or perhaps it would be a tutor, of his 'tradition.' Remus had told Harry that it would be someone from Spain as they were known for the best Aurors and related specialists for the past century. This made Harry a bit nervous, not because of the excellent reputation, but because of the language gap that would be between them since English (in any form) was on of the hardest languages to learn.

A Harry walked into the Entrance Hall, he almost forgot that he was wearing his invisibility cloak as he saw the leering figure enter through the oak doors. But this was not the same Snape that Harry had seen last year, or last night for that matter. He still wore the same look on his face but he was also slightly confused. His hair was the cleanest Harry had ever seen it and his robes weren't entirely black but intricately decorated with green and silver.

The black haired boy watched in amusement as Snape noticed the state of his robes and continued on his path to the dungeons as quickly as he could manage. Harry laughed openly at this once the Potions Master was gone and pushed open the oak doors to be relieved as the fresh air gently assaulted him. He saw his guardian waiting around by the Whomping Willow tree.

The invisible sixteen-year-old quietly snick up behind the professor and tapped him on the shoulder. Remus swung his arm around, intending to swipe his attacker good and hard. Harry, with his reflexes honed because of Quiddich practice, ducked just in time and kicked his professor's feet out from under him. Remus fell flat on his face, but was up again in a matter of seconds. He stood in the dueling stance, with his body ready for a fight.

Harry made a jab at one of his arms and Remus immediately began to punch and kick the air in that spot, only to realize that the air was blocking and returning them. The two actually got to the point in the fight where they were in a full-fledged duel. It only ended when Remus got his invisible attacker on the ground with his arms twisted behind his back.

Harry couldn't help it, he was laughing so hard that he couldn't even struggle out of Remus's grip.

"Seem to think this is funny?" Remus snarled. "Attacking a Hogwarts teacher? At this time of day? You could be hauled in for this!" Harry tried to catch his breath long enough to tell Remus exactly what had happened, but was having a hard time at it as he was still laughing too hard.

"For th..." laugh, "the record," laugh, gasp, "all I," laugh, "all I did was tap you on the shoulder," laugh, laugh, gasp, "You were the one who attacked me!"

"Harry!?" Remus shouted. He stood up and helped the still invisible Harry to his feet. Harry pulled off his invisibility cloak, still laughing his head off.

"I never thought you would react like that, honestly," he said. He looked at his watch and saw that he was now ten minutes after the time that he was supposed to be there. "And I was on time."

"Yes, actually he was," said a voice behind them both. They jumped and turned toward it to see a man in tanned skin, black hair and warm brown eyes. He turned to Harry and said in the same accented voice, "You are much farther along than what I would have thought Young Harry."

Harry smiled nervously at this compliment and glanced at Remus then back at the stranger. "Remus taught me a lot of things this summer."

"Remus?" the stranger asked. "Remus as in Remus Lupin?" Harry nodded, looking at his guardian for some clue as to what this man was getting to. If Remus had written to this stranger to find a tutor for him, Harry, wouldn't the guy know Remus's name? The stranger must have noticed Harry looking at Remus because he asked the same thing again.

"Remus Lupin?" He was looking at Remus this time instead of Harry.

"Do I know you?" Remus asked, just as confused as Harry.

"You would think that after all the time we spent together you wouldn't forget Jack Izanbis," the man said. Remus suddenly smiled so big Harry wondered if it was even possible.

"You haven't changed a bit since the last time I saw you Jack," Remus said. The two of them hugged each other like brothers, long lost brothers.

"But I didn't intend to Remmy, old friend," he stated as they separated.

"Harry," Remus said suddenly. "This is Jack Izanbis. He was my closest friend when I trained." Harry could tell that there was something that he left out, but he was not that rude to complete strangers.

"This could not possibly be your son," Jack said joyfully. Remus laughed at him.

"Oh Merlin No!" he cried. "He's James's son. I get the honor of being his guardian till he's of age." Harry rolled his eyes as Remus finished his sarcastic comments.

"Lucky you," Jack said jokingly. "Looks like a handful if you ask me; earring, dyed hair, looks like a regular rebel, maybe more than the marauders."

"I am not!" Harry said indignantly. Both of the adults raised an eyebrow with the exact same yeah-right look on their faces. "Alright, so maybe I am a rebel," Harry said thinking of his detentions with Dolores Umbridge the previous year, but then Snape's memory popped into his head. "But I am nothing like the Marauders."

"Harry, you are worse than the marauders!" Lupin said seriously. Harry was so irked that his jaw dropped open. "We didn't end up in the Room of Requirements, Chamber of Secrets or the Department of Mysteries. And we listened to Professor Dumbledore."

Harry couldn't really think of any response to that. The main trouble the Marauders got into was wandering Hogsmead, the Forbidden Forest and pranking innocent (well mostly innocent is Snape's case) but never stepped over the line. Harry glared at his guardian when he was couldn't work out any response. Lupin just laughed.

"You should be done by seven to give Harry enough time to shower and eat," the werewolf told Jack. And with that, he turned and left the two of them standing in front of the Whomping Willow tree.

"Now, lets start running shall we?"


A little longer eh? Well, my mom is in Seattle (I'm in SE MN) and my dad worked today and does tomorrow too. My birthday is tomorrow and I get to spend it with two annoying little sisters doing chores. Oh, and I don't get a cake unless I make it myself. Please Review.