Author's Note: Typing is getting easier, so the chapters are getting longer. Thanks to my beta, Arnel, and thanks to all who are reading. MNF

Chapter 25:

How To and How Not To

Saturday 25 November 1995

"Harry, you seem more stressed than usual," Dr Phillip said as the two met at the coffee shop near the therapist's office. They were nestled in a small area at the back, at the lone round table, partitioned off on three sides. The ceiling was tall, however, and Harry was more comfortable than in Dr Phillip's office, where the angled roof line reminded him too much of the cupboard under the stairs.

"It's a bit stressful at home," Harry explained, taking a sip of his flat-white. "Amy is going to be sent home on Monday, which is great, but her niece and my friend, Susan, isn't pleased about some things right now."

"Like what and why is it affecting you?"

"Sirius proposed to Amy when she woke up. I'm thrilled about this; I think he deserves to be happy, and she makes him very happy. Plus, I've never had anyone who was like a mum to me, so having Amy married to Sirius does that."

"I take it Susan doesn't share your enthusiasm?"

"No. She has somehow decided that it's Sirius's fault that her aunt was attacked at the Ministry. Amy was there doing her job, a dangerous job at that, when she was attacked by terrorists. In no way was this Sirius's responsibility. We weren't even in the country when it happened, and I was the one who had their vacation trimmed so we could get home." Harry's voice had risen while speaking, and a few people turned to look at him.

"I see," Dr Phillip said, and he looked at his charge while he drank down more of his beverage. In many ways, he couldn't imagine what it was like to have so many people, a genuinely intergenerational bunch, living in your house. It gave Harry and Sirius, and Remus little time to be a family to a certain extent. Adding in Amy and Susan was bound to create some issues. "Why do you think Susan blames Sirius?"

"I tried talking with her, and she has this twisted idea: Sirius convinced her auntie to run for Minister for Magic. Believe me, Sirius did not persuade her; I think privately, he might have attempted to talk her out of it. I don't know that for sure, but I know he worried for her safety. But he's also not going to keep her from doing what she wants, and Amy is a politician.

"When she was attacked, there were three Aurors near her as well as a department head, which is very talented in defence, and a curse-breaker – although he didn't have a wand. Amy was an Auror, then the head of the Auror department, then head of the DMLE and now the minister. She's no slouch on defensive spells, either. Honestly, I'm not sure that having Sirius with her would have made a whole lot of difference."

"You might be right, or it might have been worse. Unfortunately, we can't know these things."

"No, we can't," Harry agreed. "That's why Remus runs us through hand-to-hand drills and magical defence practice. We know that we're still targets, and the people who agreed with…him, Tom Riddle, aren't completely gone. Until then, we need to be extra safe."

"It sounds like Remus has things firmly in hand. How are the rest of your classes," Phillip moved away from the Susan issue and into other areas that might be stressing Harry?

"I'm doing great in my class with Maia," Harry said with a bright smile. "She thinks I have a real talent for elemental magic. I know I can connect with the earth well, as I've grown several plants from seeds for the greenhouses. We've also tested my wind skills, and I can whip up quite a breeze. We'll let me work on those two until spring, when we start with water. Fire is the one I'm most worried about since it's so hard to control."

"That is impressive, but Harry, remember that most elemental magicals can only manipulate one or two; you've already mastered two, so even if you never attain water and fire, you're quite exceptional," Dr Phillip said. Harry beamed at the praise, talking about how much he was enjoying his classes and how excited he was to begin taking potions in the new year with an old friend of Sirius's.

"Apparently, they knew each other from when he and my dad ran missions together in France. She's a cousin, but then again, most of the magicals in the UK are Sirius's cousins in some way. Aurelie Dubois, although she was a Lestrange before she married. Apparently, the French Lestrange line is rather embarrassed by what happened to the British." Phillip chuckled at that, as the British line was dead and wouldn't embarrass anyone again.

"I'm also really enjoying history with Madam Longbottom," Harry said. "I've been reading a whole lot about Henry the fourth, as he is the one who gave the land to Linfred of Stinchcomb to build the land the Potter mansion was on. Sirius is hopeful we can rebuild it so I can live in it one day."

"That sounds wonderful, Harry," Phillip said. "You seem to really have taken to your home-schooling. Do you intend to ever go back to Hogwarts?"

"No, I'll be ready to take my OWLs at the end of the school year, as will Hermione and Neville. Even Ginny might be. If we keep at it, we can have our NEWTs when we're seventeen. Hermione wants to go into the law, so she'll need her A-Levels as well, and it would be great if she could take them sooner. The three of us definitely won't be back to Hogwarts." Phillip nodded, not surprised by the answer. He decided to come back to the family issue, although in a different way.

"Harry, does it bother you that you'll be sharing Sirius so soon after having him adopt you?" Harry didn't need any further explanation; he knew the question was regarding Amy and possibly Susan, although she said she wanted to return to Hogwarts.

"No," the younger wizard replied. "As I said, everyone deserves to be happy – especially Sirius – and Amy makes him happy. We're all living together already; I just think Amy will move into his master suite; it's way bigger than her room. So really, it's not a big deal."

"What if they have children?"

"Well," Harry began, imagining Sirius with a baby. "I would love a younger sibling, and I know Sirius has dreamt about being a dad. The only thing a baby would change is that I'd no longer be the heir to the Black family line. That's fine; I have plenty of families I'm heir to already." Harry had spoken to Phillip about how families had named him their heir when the line was about to die off, as thanks for his vanquishing Tom Piddle. Harry wasn't sure what to do with the vaults and properties yet.

"You seem well adapted to the idea, Harry. Perhaps you could talk with Susan?"

"Susan doesn't want to talk with me. Becky Abbott, Hannah's mum, has talked with her, and she's not listening. So I think Remus was going to try next," Harry explained.

"Okay," the doctor knew when to move on. "Are you feeling better about Susan and the whole situation?"

"I'm not AS livid, but if she keeps it up, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold my tongue. That's my pater she's speaking about." Phillips smiled at the young man and his defence of his father.

"Moving on then, how are things with your girlfriend?" Harry blushed, and Phillip had to swallow his laugh.

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Susan Bones felt like her life was falling apart. Her auntie, HER auntie, was going to get married. It wasn't that she didn't want her aunt to be happy; it's just…Susan was finally spending some real time with her aunt, and now Aunt Amelia was going to have a husband. As Susan had always called Hannah and her mom, Aunt Becky, both said she was being ridiculous about it, but she was sure it would change everything. So even though it was chilly, Susan had chosen to sit alone in the Orangery and not light the gas fireplace. She liked how the room felt like her - cold, brittle, deserted.

That was until Remus Lupin came in.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture, Professor Lupin," she said icily.

"Susan, I'm not your professor outside class, so please call me Remus. Furthermore, I don't even like to lecture when I'm teaching, so I'm hardly going to do so outside of class," he said in his gentle tone.

"Then why are you here?"

"Because someone I care about is hurting, and I'd like to see if I can understand why."

"I'm sorry that Lord Black is upset. I -"

"Susan, I'm not talking about Sirius, your Aunt Amy or even Harry. I'm speaking about you. Something has you very distressed, and I don't understand what it is. I'm not sure you understand either, but I thought that perhaps if we talked about it together, we might come to an understanding." Susan snorted ever so lightly and shook her head.

"For a man who doesn't have a teenager, you sure know how to talk to them," Susan said with a thawing attitude.

"Please, this is all from having two rather volatile friends at Hogwarts who enjoy arguing, disagreeing with each other, getting moody that they weren't talking and then having to coax them to make up," he explained.

"I thought Harry's dad and Lord Black were thick as thieves."

"They were, but they were also so much alike that sometimes they were too similar, and it caused issues. The time they both were convinced that Emily Thistleweed was interested in them was the worst. Fourth-year, and they squabbled for nearly the entire first term."

"So, who did she like?" Susan asked.

"Me. That shut them up. Anyway, I was also very popular among the female members of the house as 'I was a good listener'." Remus made air quotes around the last bit, which made Susan giggle. Cedric had that reputation in the house; he always wanted to help solve someone's problem. She couldn't imagine going back to Hufflepuff and not having him there. "Why don't you tell me what's really going through your head, please?"

"Pro-Remus, it isn't that I have anything against Lord Black, not really. He's a very kind man, and what he's done for all of us is give us somewhere to live that doesn't need magic and help make sure we don't fall behind in school. It's just…." Susan hesitated, rubbed her hands along her skirt and looked frustrated.

"You know my parents died when I was a baby, like Harry's, right?"

"I did know that," Remus said with kindly patience. "In fact, I knew your parents, Susan. Edgar was a year or two ahead of us; of course, he was in Hufflepuff, but I believe he was Head-Boy while I was a Prefect. Your mum, Josie, was sweet and wicked good with charms and runes. They were in the Order with us, and well…they were killed in the same series of raids which saw the McKinnon family wiped out. I believe it was Cantankerous Nott, Josiah Permbrew and Simon Yaxley who attacked. Permbrew died in St Mungos the next day. If I remember correctly, your mother had carved runes into the framing of the doors and windows and was able to hold Permbrew in the doorway to your nursery, protecting you and then mortally wounding him."

"You've just told me more about them and how they died than Auntie ever has," Susan said sadly. "I love my Auntie, and I'm so thankful she took me in and has raised me, but," she paused again.

"Tell me, Susan, it's making you miserable to hold it in," Remus prompted.

"It's only since we started living here that I've really seen my aunt at all. The house-elves kept me company when we were living at home, and Auntie might make it home for dinner. Most of my childhood and my summers were spent with the Abbotts. Honestly, Aunt Becky is more of a mother to me than Auntie." The angry frustration in Susan's voice was intense, and Remus thought they might be getting somewhere.

"Your aunt has always held rather important jobs. She was a senior Auror when your parents were killed. I remember when Sirius came home, grumbling that Amy had taken herself out of active-duty work and put herself onto desk duty, dealing with evidence and court filings to be safer and care for you," Remus explained.

"She did that for me?"

"She did, and while she never complained about it, she was very good at being an Auror. She was made Head Auror shortly after that, and she was thankful it was mostly an office position. She was so torn after Sirius was arrested. I don't think she thought he was capable of it in her heart, but she had a professional duty. Both Minister Bagnold and Albus were sure Sirius was the secret keeper; therefore, he betrayed James and Lily. I know they convinced me. Biggest mistake of my life."

"I never thought about her suffering," Susan said. "I was too little to remember any of it. I don't remember much before four or five, and then it was always my being with Hannah and her family."

"I'm sure your aunt thought she was giving you the family you'd lost when your parents were killed. I doubt she ever considered it her you wanted, not when you have two surrogate parents and an honorary sister."

The pair were quiet for a while, and when Remus became too cold, he waved his wand and started the old gas burner to warm the room up.

"Thank you," Susan said softly. "I realized I didn't know how to start it."

"You're welcome. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?" the teacher in Remus suspected there was something else bothering her?

"Hypothetical question: If you were offered a tailored educational experience, but your best friend wanted the more social educational experience would you choose your friend or your education?" Susan asked.

"I take it Hannah wants to return to Hogwarts, but you're not sure if you do?"

"Exactly. I like learning here. I know Harry, Hermione and Neville will stay on here. Maybe Ginny too, but I'm not sure since she's a year younger. I know Seamus will go back, and Hannah misses everyone, but here I feel like," she stopped and sighed. "At school, I'm just another Hufflepuff, the overlooked nice students. If someone had a complaint against the DMLE, I heard about it – mostly Slytherins – but it's not like I could do anything about it. My auntie wasn't going to change her opinion because her niece had said something to her. No one cares that my aunt is Minister for Magic because the Chief Witch is here too. But Hannah has always been my friend, and I don't want to disappoint her."

"Well, I suspect Hannah will always be your friend, even if you don't share a dorm room. I know that if I was offered a specialized education when I was at Hogwarts, I would have leapt at it; I did when Dumbledore gave me the chance to go to Hogwarts. Sirius and James would have tried to talk me out of it, but in the end, they knew I was the most studious of our group, and learning was everything to me. Did you know I not only have my NEWTs and a mastery in Defence which I completed in Australia, but I also sat my Muggle exams and went to University in the US for a while."

"That's amazing. I had no idea. What was Uni like?" Susan was very interested and leaned forward as she asked the question.

"It was a world unto itself. So many people ask such thought-provoking questions. It was heaven for a while."

"Why didn't you finish your degree then?"

"That is a story for another day. But, first, I think you should speak with your aunt. She loves you, and your animosity with Sirius only hurts all of you," Remus said as he stood. "A finite will turn the fire off."

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Monday 27 November 1995

A four in the afternoon, Sirius Black assisted Amelia Bones through the Floo to his home. They were surprised there wasn't anyone waiting for them in the Floo room.

"Where is everyone?" Amy asked. "Susan knew when we'd be home."

"So did Harry," Sirius added. He picked his fiancée up and carried her into the sitting room and was surprised by everyone living there awaiting them. A high banner read, "Welcome Home, Madam Bones". Susan handed her aunt a bouquet of flowers once Sirius had placed her in her favourite chair.

Before either of the new arrivals could say anything, the sign switched, and it now reads "Happy Birthday Sirius!" and confetti burst out from it. A cake magically appeared on the table, thankfully after the confetti had settled, and a rousing if a somewhat off-key version of 'For he's a Jolly Good Fellow' was sung. Presents surrounded Sirius, making it impossible for him to move from Amy's side.

Finally, the sign changed again, this time reading "Congratulations on your Engagement!" and tiny fireworks went off in the shape of intertwined wedding rings. When everything settled, and Sirius was sure there were no more celebrations to be had, he burst out laughing.

"Gents, that was delightful!" He was facing the twins, who smiled and laughed as well.

"As much as we'd –"

"—like to take credit –"

"—for this amazing display –"

"—We had lots of help." So the twins explained in their remarkable version of twin-speak.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"Well, Neville grew the flowers."

"Ginny did the lettering –"

"—she has the best handwriting." All the students nodded at this.

"Hermione insisted we use—"

"—all-natural confetti—"

"—so it can be collected –"

"—and composted."

"Wait, what is the confetti made of them?" Sirius asked, grabbing a handful of the pink, green, red and brown bits."

"I used a spell to cut little holes out of fallen leaves; this way, we can spread it over the flowerbeds in the greenhouses," she explained.

"Remarkably genius," Amy said.

"Susie and I convinced your staff to let me back the birthday cake," Hannah said. "I have learned so much from Alexander." Susan nodded, although she didn't dream about things she could bake like Hannah did.

"Seamus tested the fireworks strength," Harry said, "down in the duelling room, so we knew the exact amount to make a cute firework without setting anything on fire." The others laughed as Seamus blew up things all the time, including setting fire to an outlet in his room that had nothing plugged in.

"Harry here directed our creation of your engagement gift," Remus said as he carried the three-foot by four-foot package to the couple. Amy tore off the pretty pink floral paper to find a stunning picture of the Black Manor house they were in. Around it was a collage, and it was obvious that everyone had placed something special about their time living there. Dried flowers, bits of ribbon in the colour of a room, a page from a book, a drawing of Harry's birthday cake, a picture of hands in the dirt, and so much more. It was a loving gift created by this extraordinary family.

"Oh, everyone, I have never seen anything like this," Amy said. "Who did the drawing of the house?"

"Grandmother did," Neville said. "She refused to sign it, but she's very talented."

"I dabbled in watercolours and pastels when I was a girl," she said.

"Augusta, you're modest. However, this is stunning, and I am honoured you created it," Sirius said.

"Flatterer," Augusta responded as she blushed. Sirius ran his hand over the frame and felt the grooves of the trees that held the picture. The roots of the two trees twined together to make the bottom, and the branches of leaves touched to make the top. His head snapped up to his best friend.

"You created this, didn't you?" Sirius said in awe. "This was a solid piece of wood you whittled into a frame!" Sirius had only ever seen a few of Remus's wood creations. The last that Sirius knew Remus had made were five wooden toys for Harry – a dog, a wolf, a stag, a rat and a lily. Remus had told his friend he'd never whittled again after making Harry his toys, as his grief had stymied him.

"I thought it was time I picked up my tools again," Remus said modestly.

"Maia helped grow the branch large enough," Harry explained. "It's made out of cherry. Because the wood is considered a good wood to put protection spells on and it represents love, it has a spell to encourage the two of you to never let anger fester but instead foster feelings of love."

"I'm guessing you did the spell work?" Sirius asked Harry, and father and son shared a look of deep understanding and affection.

"So, you have tons of presents there, Pater, and there's a cake to devour. Why don't you open those gifts so we can eat?" Harry said, moving things forward. Susan went over, picked up the gift from her and Hannah and gave it to Sirius to open.