Chapter 15: Teachable Moments

Rose doesn't seem to understand what a git Lockhart is. Can't tell if it's because she's a naturally good person or because she's ridiculously naive. James recommended that we pull a prank on him that'll scare him off for good. Sirius jokingly suggested we let him see Moony but Remy didn't find it funny. Still, it did give me an idea... think it's time Fen had a little fun...

"You're going to have to run that by me again. You want me and Harry to do what?"

"Teach, Leo," Hermione responded in an exasperated tone. "We want the two of you to teach us."

Leo stared at her as though she had gone mad. It was Wednesday morning, and Leo had just come down from the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey had declared that his hand was as healed as it was ever going to be. It was still scarred, but the pain had gone away. Leo was looking forward to the furious expression on Umbridge's face when she finally saw the message he had carved on there. Hermione had ambushed him as he had exited through the double doors and promptly dragged him into an unused classroom where she had laid out her mad scheme of having him and Harry teach them and a few others how to fight.

"You want me and Harry to teach you and some other folks Defense Against the Dark Arts?" he confirmed, receiving a nod. "Dunno if you've noticed, but my popularity's dropped to around Snivellus's level since last year and people think Harry's a daft liar. Doubt many people would sign up to be taught by us unless they're as mad as you lot -"

"But there are people who want to be taught – who believe you and want to defend themselves. We're obviously not going to learn from Umbridge, so we have to depend on you and Harry to teach us what we need to know," Hermione argued back.

"Feeling a lot like a backup plan right about now," Leo informed her dryly. "What did Harry have to say about all this?"

"He said he'd think about it."

"Right, see, you already have your teacher – what d'you need me for?" Leo raised an eyebrow.

"You faced V-Voldemort before – not to mention you're the best duelist in our year -"

"The second part is true, but I never actually beat old snake face. At least, not without help from Fawkes in the Chamber," Leo frowned, rubbing his chin in thought as he wondered how he'd square up to old Voldy now. "Anyway, I'm not exactly leadership material – leave it to Harry."

"But, Leo -" Hermione began.

"Sorry, got to get down to breakfast if I want any time with Luna," Leo cut her off, making a quick escape out the door. "See you in class!"

Leo spent the next two weeks avoiding Hermione, which turned out to be quite easy. Between Quidditch practice – which, thankfully, Angelina only made him attend once a week – spending time with Luna, and planning various pranks on Umbridge, he didn't have much time to see his fellow Gryffindors, much less hear Hermione badger him.

Misfortune befell Umbridge over the course of the next fortnight. She awoke one morning to find her office completely filled with toads made out of mud, which hopped around and croaked just like real ones. Leo's favourite part was when they were Vanished. They didn't just disappear as his mouse had – they exploded, covering everything in the vicinity with a layer of mud. If they were touched, they would multiply, creating a never-ending supply of exploding toads. He shared quite a few laughs with the Minirauders over breakfast that morning and shared many more with them as it took almost a week for Umbridge to figure out how to get rid of them (fire really was the answer to everything).

Another day found half of her parchment replaced with exploding paper. Leo had debated replacing it all with exploding paper but thought it would be more hilarious if it happened at unsuspecting times. He was proven correct during a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. She had just sat down at her desk, placed the tip of her quill on her parchment, when it exploded, eliciting a loud scream. Leo had to stuff his hand in his mouth to keep from laughing so hard at her furious expression. The hilarity factor only increased when she went off on them, asking which one of them had attempted to kill her before staring down at Leo, immediately suspecting him.

"Dunno why you're looking at me," Leo had informed her. "If I was trying to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

She was less than amused as she sent him off to McGonagall's office with a note saying he had detention for the next week. Minnie had been disappointed in him but didn't bother to scold him, knowing it would do nothing to curb his behaviour. She had him write lines and do extra work for her class during his detentions, during which time Umbridge sat quietly in the corner and observed them. The last time this had occurred, he had loosened one of the chair legs so it collapsed the moment she sat down. He could've sworn he'd seen the corners of Minnie's lips twitch.

Another misfortune that befell Umbridge was actually not Leo's fault – at least, not directly, anyway. Near the end of September, she had stormed into the Great Hall during breakfast with various cuts on her hands and face and looking angrier than Leo had ever seen her. He and his friends were just wondering what had happened when the owls swooped in, delivering their usual letters from home and newspapers. Apollo soared down and landed in front of Leo, giving a small hoot. He stared at the owl, stunned.

There was red splattered across his beak and white face. His talons were tinted red and his feathers stuck out at all angles, making him look distinctly ruffled. Despite this, he seemed quite pleased with himself as he handed the letter clutched in his beak over to Leo, who took it but did not open it, preferring instead to stare at his friend.

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" he inquired.

Hoot.

"She did what?!" Leo snarled, turning his head to glare at Umbridge.

"What did he say?" Harry asked.

"Umbridge attacked him and tried to steal this letter," Leo held up the envelope before turning back to his owl. "What happened next?"

Apollo continued to hoot, and Leo slowly translated aloud what the owl was saying.

"Umbridge tried to take the letter... he fought back... and he -" Leo cut off abruptly to laugh out loud. "He stole her wand and dropped it in the Black Lake!"

His friends were silent for a moment before they, too, started laughing. As this was going on, Leo slowly opened the letter, recognizing his dad's familiar tidy handwriting. 'That special weekend. Two hours before. Same place.' And beneath it all was a muddy pawprint, too small to belong to Fen. Must be Paddy's then. Leo frowned, scratching his chin as his brain tried to work out the riddle. That special weekend... well, Hogsmeade is coming up, so maybe then? 'Two hours before. Same place.' And there's Paddy's print beneath it... that must mean something... something to do with Paddy – the last time we saw him in Hogsmeade! We saw him near the base of the mountain, but I don't remember what time... eh, I'll just be there as early as possible. He shrugged, burning the letter so no one else could read it.

"What did it say?" Draco whispered once he and the others had stopped laughing.

"Just Dad asking to meet – tell you about it tonight, Jet," Leo informed him.

Draco stared at him for a moment before nodding, understanding the hidden message. They'd be out in their Animagus forms tonight. Draco passed along this message to Harry, whose eyes glimmered with excitement. He hadn't been able to run about as Blitzen since their first night back, and it had been even longer since Draco had flown around. Hermione and Ron leaned forward with intrigue, asking if they could come along. The other two Animagi turned to Leo, who frowned in thought before sighing and allowing it. They already knew about their secret, why not let them see?

Classes that day passed by in a blur. One minute, Leo was struggling through his rune translations, and the next he was packing up his things at the end of their Astronomy class and heading back to Gryffindor Tower to put his things away. Harry quickly grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and threw it over himself and Leo – Hermione and Ron had a valid excuse to be out and about this late at night, given they were prefects. They all made their way out of the portrait hole and down the stairs, meeting up with Draco in the entrance hall.

After a quick look around, they exited through the great oak double doors, walked across the courtyard and over the bridge. Once they were on the grounds, Leo inhaled deeply, scenting the air for any sign of trouble or any indication that they were not alone. The only smells that greeted him were those of his friends and the various aromas coming from the forest. With a nod to Harry, he took off the cloak and nodded at Draco, letting him know the coast was clear before pointing at Hagrid's cabin.

They all took off, running to hide behind the cabin in case someone was looking out through their window and onto the grounds. Hermione and Ron followed eagerly and were pleasantly stunned to find that their friends were no longer standing there. In their place stood a large golden lion, a red stag, and a white hawk with black wings perched upon the deer's antlers. The hawk gave a small screech at their presence before taking off into the skies, prompting the two humans to jump.

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed.

The lion huffed at them with amusement before turning away and padding toward the trees. The stag watched him before giving a small shake of his antlers and lowering his body in front of Ron and Hermione. The two stared at him in confusion for a moment before Hermione realized what he was doing and climbed on his back, with Ron following suit quickly after. The stag staggered to his feet, unused to carrying people before he trotted after the lion, ducking his head to avoid having his antlers snag on the branches.

Aslan padded through the forest at a steady pace, ensuring Blitzen and his passengers could keep up well enough. Now and again he would pause, sniffing the air and twitching his ears before glancing upward, squinting through the dense canopy above him. He would then twitch his tail before going a different route, occasionally doubling back and going an even longer way around. It was quite some time before they broke through the trees and arrived at a small inlet.

Once there, Aslan padded toward the water and drank while Blitzen laid down, allowing his passengers to climb off before turning back into Harry. Jetwing landed moments later, stumbling slightly as he turned back into Draco. Aslan turned to face them, twitching his ear before laying down on the shore with a small huff. Draco threw a rock at him irritably.

"Bit hard to have a conversation when you're still a lion, Black," the pale blonde informed him.

The lion snorted before turning back into Leo.

"I'm always a lion – that's what Leo means," the teen snickered.

Draco rolled his eyes before chucking another rock in his direction and sitting on the ground. The others followed suit, and it was quiet for a moment. Always nice to get out of the castle for a bit and get a taste of freedom. Leo sighed, laying back with his hands behind his head as he stared at the stars. The only constellations he could make out were Leo and the dog star, Sirius. The rest of Astronomy was lost on him. Probably fail that one in my O.W.L... maybe History too. He mused thoughtfully.

"So, when does Cas want to meet?" Draco finally asked.

"Next Hogsmeade weekend," Leo replied, not taking his eyes off the sky. "Couldn't really figure out what time, so I figure we'd just show up as early as possible."

"Um, Leo..." Hermione began in a nervous tone. "We're supposed to be meeting the people who want to be taught defense by you and Harry -"

"Did you miss the part where I said 'no', Hermione?" Leo demanded, sitting up at once. "I don't want to teach anyone anything, and that's final."

"Don't be daft, Black," Draco rolled his eyes. "You and Potter are the best in our year – you got actual training in duelling from your family. It would be a waste not to pass on what you know -"

"And why should I have to do it?" Leo retorted, rising to his feet. "Harry knows all this stuff too, so he should be more than enough -"

"But I don't know everything you know," Harry interrupted him. "You've learned and mastered spells the rest of us haven't - not to mention the fact that you're still a better dueler than I am -"

"And, despite this, you still don't think you need protecting?" Leo growled.

"You're still on about that?!" Harry asked incredulously.

"Damn straight I'm still on about it," the blonde scowled. "I've spent my whole life looking after you – making sure you're safe and alive -"

"I didn't ask -" Harry argued.

"Don't interrupt me," Leo snapped.

Everything seemed to grow considerably warmer for a moment, and Harry was starkly reminded of when Cas got irritated with Fudge during Sirius's trial. He wisely decided to keep his mouth shut, not sure he wanted to see how far Leo would go if he got truly upset.

"I've dedicated everything I have to keep you safe. Because I made a promise. I promised to protect you," Leo continued, taking a step forward, his hands shaking. "I promised to keep you safe from harm, and I've mostly succeeded. I saved your life from Voldemort in the Mirror room – I killed Quirrell for you! I kept Riddle off your back in the Chamber and crippled the basilisk so it couldn't smell you!

"I saved your life when those dementors swarmed the pitch and did it again when they had you me, and Sirius surrounded! If it wasn't for me, our souls would've been sucked out! I helped you learn how to survive under the Black Lake and helped teach you spells you'd need for the third task! I saved your life in the graveyard when Voldemort was trying to kill us!"

Leo's chest heaved up and down rapidly as everyone stared at him. None of them would've been surprised if he started breathing fire at that moment. The temperature continued to rise, and all of them were sweating profusely now. Leo noticed this and tried to rein in his growing anger and frustration and was only marginally successful. He growled at this, now frustrated with himself.

"You say you don't need me to protect you," Leo eventually said. "But I say you're a long way off from being able to protect yourself, Potter."

With that said, he returned back to his lion form, finding it much easier to dull his emotions now that he was no longer human. The temperature returned to normal before he took off, knowing Draco would be able to lead them back by flying above them and guiding them out of the forest.

Aslan ran through the trees, his paws skimming soundlessly across the ground as he tried to work off the last of his anger. Need to do something. Need to hunt. Need to kill. He stopped abruptly, wondering where that thought had come from. Somewhere from the deep recesses of his memory, Sirius's voice seemed to echo out an answer.

"There's a fine balance that has to be maintained when you're switching between forms. If you transform into your animal form and your mind isn't completely stable – there's a chance you can become stuck, trapped. The animal takes control. That's what being feral is."

Feral... Dad was feral for almost fifteen years before he could return to normal. If I let my emotions get the best of me – if I get too dependent on Aslan... could the same happen to me? Leo wondered, recalling for the first time that becoming an Animagus was dangerous for multiple reasons. It wasn't just the process of becoming one that was dangerous, it was keeping the animal and the human parts of your mind in complete harmony with each other. If I act like an animal, I'll stay an animal... He glanced in the direction of the castle and, after recalling Umbridge still lived there, pondered whether or not that would really be such a bad thing.

Once more, Leo found himself purposefully avoiding his friends over the course of the next two weeks. They, in turn, avoided him, which suited him just fine. It gave him more time to spend with Luna or pull pranks with the Weasley twins. Much to his relief, none of them even mentioned the lack of time he was spending with Harry and the others. Luna did, however, mention that she would be attending the meeting Hermione had mentioned.

"It'll be quite interesting to learn something new," she told him. "I'm quite looking forward to it. Will you be there?"

"Sorry, I'm supposed to be meeting my dad around that time," Leo replied, not having the heart to tell her the other reason he wouldn't be there. "Maybe, if the meeting's short enough, you can meet him?"

"That sounds lovely," Luna smiled brightly. "I do hope I get to meet him. My mother used to tell such wonderful stories about him."

"Your mum knew my dad?" Leo asked incredulously.

"Yes. They went to school together. She said Castor was very nice and protected her from bullies," she informed him in a very nonchalant tone. "She used to call him her 'Black Knight'."

"Almost sounds like your mum had a crush on dear old Dad," Leo chuckled.

"She did," Luna nodded, ignoring his dumbstruck expression. "But she saw how he looked at your mother and knew she'd never had a chance."

"Well, I suppose it all worked out in the end though," Leo replied, recovering from his momentary surprise. "She met your dad and had you. She found true love and started a happy and loving family in the end."

"Yes, I suppose she did."

The following morning dawned bright but windy, bringing with it their first Hogsmeade visit of the year. After breakfast, they queued up in front of Filch, who matched their names to the long list of students who had permission from their parents or guardian to visit the village. Good old Remy signed mine. Leo recalled as Filch checked his name against the list before nodding. Wonder if he'll be there or if it's just Dad?

Leo shook his head before jogging ahead of everyone else as they made their way to Hogsmeade. Before long, he was passing between the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars and turned left onto the road into the village. He made his way up the High Street, taking the winding road toward the foot of the mountain where he had met Padfoot the previous year. He turned a corner and spotted the stile that someone was sitting upon.

"Dad," Leo smiled brightly, approaching him.

"Leo," he nodded, giving a small smile. "How's your hand?"

"Not much one for pleasantries, are you?" the blonde rolled his eyes.

"I find things get done quicker and more efficiently if people just cut the bull and get straight to the point," Cas shrugged in response. "Nevertheless, how're you doing? How are... classes?"

Leo couldn't help but laugh at how awkward his last question was. His laughter only intensified when he noticed there was a dusting of pink on the man's cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold. Aw, look, he's embarrassed. Adorable. He snickered when Cas gave a small scowl. The man's expression changed abruptly to one Leo had seen on Sirius's and – presumably – his own face countless times: mischief. It was then that Leo was distinctly reminded that his father was a Marauder, one who had pulled numerous pranks of his own during his time at Hogwarts. Probably shouldn't have laughed at him. He mused, watching as the look vanished a moment later.

"So, where're the others?" Cas inquired, leaning back against the fence post.

"Oh, they're off having some meeting where Harry's supposed to teach them Defense Against the Dark Arts," Leo waved his hand before wrinkling his nose. "Hermione tried to get me to help teach too, but I turned her down."

"Why?"

"Because Harry's the leader, not me," Leo replied in a stubborn tone.

Cas stared at him for a moment before giving a hearty laugh. Leo scowled, wondering what on earth was so funny. Castor sobered up seconds later but was still grinning broadly.

"Something you should already know about Animagi is that their forms are not chosen. Your Animagus form reflects who you are on the inside. It's determined by your personality and inner traits – traits you may not even know you have. It can also be a reflection of our deepest desires. Take Draco for instance: he's a hawk. Hawks are representatives of freedom and intelligence. We all know Draco is brilliant, but what he deeply desires is freedom – a chance to be himself and choose his own path, a chance you gave him," he paused, tilting his head to the side. "What do you think Harry's means?"

"The git's got a bloody crown on his head – he's a leader," Leo rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest.

"Hmm. I could see why you'd think that," Cas rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "That was certainly how James was... I think instead you should be looking at the other side of the coin: the doe. Had Harry been a female, that would've been his form, and it would've suited him given how much he takes after Lily. Does are protective creatures – a trait Harry has in spades. Being a stag just makes it easier for him to protect those dear to him – no pun intended. Harry may wear a crown, but he's the protector, not the leader."

Leo scowled again, knowing what was coming next.

"Lions are known as the 'king of beasts'," Cas raised a pointed eyebrow. "They're brave, fierce, confident, and unafraid to speak up for what they believe is right. They're fiercely protective of their Pride – their friends and loved ones – but have a soft spot for those weaker than themselves. Sirius, Remus, and I all knew you would be a lion because you exemplify all these traits. You're a natural leader, Leo, you just choose not to let yourself lead, and I can't help but wonder why that is. What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Leo growled.

Cas stared at him for a moment, his eyes flashing with an emotion Leo had never seen before and couldn't quite figure out what it was. He discovered what it was mere seconds later when the surrounding temperature dropped several degrees: Castor Black was angry. Cas stood up from his spot and strode over to Leo, who had to force himself not to take a step back. Cas stopped mere inches from him, his blue-grey eyes like chips of ice as they stared down into Leo's. He lifted a hand up, and Leo wondered if the man would actually hit him.

Cas brought his hand down and flicked him on the forehead.

"Ow," Leo grumbled, rubbing his forehead.

"Stop being an infant," the man told him. "I realize you're not an adult – so I don't expect you to act like one. But you're not a child either, so it's time you stop pretending to be one. You can't run away from who you are forever, Leo. At some point, you need to accept and embrace everything that you are – the good and the bad. You're a leader, and a damn good one if you actually applied yourself. You need to accept that."

"And if I don't?"

"Well, that's how you lose people," Cas informed him in a curt tone. "I fought who I was for years. I ran away from fights because I was afraid – afraid to embrace whatever darkness was inside me. Afraid to let it out because I was worried it would make me like the rest of my family. I was afraid to take responsibility, to become a leader the world needed to beat Voldemort. I was a coward and, because of that, people I love are dead."

Leo was silent at this, the pain in his forehead long forgotten as he stared down at the ground. He bit his lip, thinking of his mum and his Uncle Regulus – the man he had never met. Dad lost people because he was afraid to be himself. And I... I've always told myself that I would never be afraid of who I am. That I'd always be myself. But now...

"I'm afraid I'll fail," Leo finally mumbled. "I'm afraid that, if I try to lead my friends, I'll just lead them to their death. I'm not smart like Hermione or Draco. I can't strategize like Ron. I-I can't even protect people like Harry. I've done my best over the years but... he just gets in more danger and I feel like – like -"

"Like one day your best won't be enough?" Cas surmised, receiving a nod. "Well, then maybe it's time for Harry to step into his role, just as you're supposed to step into yours. Harry is a protector, but he needs to know how to protect himself. But you don't think he can, correct?"

Leo nodded again.

"Then give him a chance. Challenge him to a duel and see how he fares," Cas suggested. "I recommend giving him time to prepare, though."

"But what if Harry loses?" Leo frowned. "What if he can't beat me?"

"I think you'll find it's less about the outcome and more about how you get there."

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

Cas grinned at him and ruffled his hair.

"You'll know what I mean once the duel's done."