Ch. 28
A/N Now that they've gotten back to school, the dates I've put in will be more spread out. There will be some gaps in the dates.
A/N2 I'm currently writing about Christmas in England. As I am not British, I was wondering if any of you who may be British or have lived there, could help me with getting that part of the story right. Please PM me if you can help. Thanks. R & R please
Wednesday 2 Sept 1998 Hogwarts
Harry woke up the next morning before Teddy. He went into the sitting room to look at the notes he and Mione made last night after they'd gone to bed about what he wanted to say to the young ones.
Now, instead of waking Mione up, he decided to come out here and make sure it looked okay. Soon, however, Teddy called and Godfather Harry was on duty. He went through the whole morning routine and went out to make breakfast. About halfway through cooking, Sirius and Jaime showed up. Harry noted with a small smile that Jaime's hand was tucked into Sirius' arm. Then Dora arrived, then the residents of the flat.
As they sat down, Harry posed a query. "Why is it that last night we all ended up using this flat like we use the game room at home? Why not Dora's or Sirius'?"
"My place is a bloody mess already. You wouldn't want to come to my flat." Sirius grinned.
"We could use mine but I'm a slob." Dora chuckled. "Remus was the clean one. Not me."
"Do you have a problem with that Harry?" Sirius asked, concerned he may be stepping on Harry's toes a bit.
"No. However, we are going to be studying for NEWTs so we might be in the library or something. You can all come in but we may not be here." He smiled. Looking at Dobby, he added nodding at Dora and Sirius, "Can you please clean up those two's flats too?"
"Of course, Harry Potter Sir." He grinned.
Sirius got the messenger bag he'd brought from his place out and handed out papers. "These are your schedules. Looks like most of you only have morning classes."
"That's great." Nev looked at his schedule. "Herbology first today guys." He grinned.
"Who's taking care of Teddy today?" Harry asked.
"Dobby and Mum will be doing that." Dora grinned.
"He can stay with me in the afternoons." He responded.
"I think Mum might fight you for him. She's looking forward to this."
Harry looked at his watch and got up. "Looks like we've got to go. Herbology will take a while to get to."
"Yes. We best be off." Dora agreed as she picked up her son and her bag. "I'll see everyone at lunch."
"Okay." Sirius concurred. As they were leaving, Harry heard Sirius say, "Jaime, may I escort you to your class? I know some shortcuts you may find useful."
"Thank you, Sirius. That'd be lovely."
As the younger and elder generations split up, Harry grinned. "I think Professor Richardson is interested in Sirius. He's interested in her too, I think. I mean, he shows up here with her arm tucked in his. That says something."
"Yes. We could be adding a new family member soon." Mione laughed at the horror-struck look on the boys' faces.
HP
The morning classes went well for the Head Couples. Although they did hear talk of Sirius in Herbology and COMC that morning, they ignored peoples' questions about if he was dating anyone.
When they got to Potions a full ten minutes early, a record for Harry and Nev, they wanted to talk to Sirius.
"Hey Padfoot." Harry called as he walked in. Sirius was at the ingredient cupboard looking through it.
"Hey yourselves." He looked up and grinned. It was so nice to see his godson every day, it always brought a smile to his face.
"Could you pleeease get a girlfriend? I'm getting harassed by classmates about your love life. It's tiring."
"Really?" He looked pleased with himself. "They've got good taste."
Harry looked at Mione and threw himself in a chair as he just shook his head. She just put her arm around him. "Don't let it get to you love. It'll only encourage him." She kissed his temple. "And remember, I love you."
He looked up at her and felt this overwhelming gratitude and love for the stunning witch in front of him. "I love you, too." He turned to kiss her. What he intended to be a peck on the lips turned into a passionate kiss as Mione grabbed his hair and began tugging on it. At that, Harry deepened the kiss by running his tongue over her lips as she let him in with an almost feral groan. As they explored each other's mouth, Hermione moved so she was straddling Harry and could feel his arousal, which only enflamed hers. His hands were moving to her breasts when they heard. "Merlin, Potter! At least get a room if you're going to have your way with who should be my girl. You don't have to do it in front of me." Which pulled them apart as fast as ice water to the face.
Harry stood up after Hermione scrambled off him, having that 'just snogged' look on her face.
"Weasley, Mione is not property. She is a beautiful, amazing woman that was never yours to begin with." He stated firmly and slowly as he looked his former best mate in the eyes. "Just because you kissed once doesn't mean she's yours."
Luna came up to Harry and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Then she looked at Mione. "Sorry Mione, guess he's mine now." Everyone started laughing as they had come in and heard what had transpired.
As Sirius saw cauldrons being taken out, he blew an air horn. Everyone jumped and a few cauldrons fell over. When everyone looked up, he had a wide smile on his face. "Now that I have everyone's attention, please put away your cauldrons." When everyone did, he smiled. "As you know, my name is Professor Black. Most of you have heard my name as the one who killed 12 muggles and betrayed my best friend. Well, I didn't do any of that. When the Potters went into hiding, they hid their house with the Fidelus charm. Only a person that they chose would be able to tell someone where they lived. Even if you were told by the Secretkeeper, you couldn't tell someone else. They were going to name me secretkeeper but I thought I was too obvious. Your former professor Remus Lupin was another option but he was away when they went into hiding, so they chose our other friend Peter Pettigrew. He led Voldemort to the Potters. After I realised James was dead, I went after Peter. He blasted the street and hid in his animagus form, a rat, until I escaped Azkaban. So now you know the whole story. Now onto more fun topics." He gave his charming smile. "Are there any questions?"
"If Pettigrew is an animagus, are you too?" Parvati asked. Sirius changed into Padfoot and walked around from behind his desk. "Oh Merlin." They heard a few girls say as Padfoot did his doggy grin and turned back into Sirius.
"To answer your question, yes." He laughed. "Now onto more interesting topics. Yes, I am Harry Potter's godfather and we now live in Crawley in a muggle neighbourhood. I am someone who enjoys a good joke, loves Potions and is about as different as you can get from your previous greasy Professor. Believe it or not, potions can be very useful. Whether it is helping a werewolf keep his mind during transformations or making someone's hair neon green for fun, potions can get you out of a jam in a lot of ways." He flipped the chalkboard. "Now, let's begin learning. I have a lot to teach you and not enough time to do it."
HP
After class, some students came up to Sirius and said things like, "Thanks, I haven't learned so much about Potions in seven years." Or "I can't wait to start brewing." Sirius took this like you would expect-he was smug, preening under the praise.
As he and the two couples were walking to lunch, he asked "Nev, I know we didn't do any brewing today but was it helpful?" Sirius asked sincerely. He wanted to help his friends' son get his confidence in Potions this year. He so loved this new version of Neville, one that Frankie would be so proud of, that he would do anything to help his confidence. If that meant he taught Potions so he could give, not only Neville, but all the students, that love and confidence in Potions that he had, then so be it.
"Yeah. You explained things we were never taught; like why you crush and not slice. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can do better than the last seven years." He grinned at Padfoot.
As they got towards the Great Hall, Sirius got a little more excited than he should have or, at least, that's what Mione thought. "Padfoot, did you do something we should know about?" she asked skeptically.
"No. Nothing." He replied as he left the kids for the adult table. Boy was that weird. Him sitting with the Professors? Sirius thought to himself as he eyed Jaime's red hair and smiled.
Harry looked at his friends. "Don't drink anything. He's playing some prank—I know it." He sighed.
"Maybe we should only eat food cooked in our quarters?" Nev suggested with a wry grin.
"He's not that bad. He had all summer and didn't play one prank." Luna defended her nearly Uncle.
"Yeah. That's why he needs to now." Mione replied. "I remember staying in Grimmauld last year and he and Remus were telling stories that you wouldn't want to happen. Apparently, one day any time you went through this one door, you were naked for two minutes. That sort of stuff."
"Oh." Luna paused. "Yes, best to not touch the food. We can eat when we get back." They had learned that the Head Students had to be in the Great Hall for one meal a day at least so students could talk to them. They had all agreed on it being lunch.
As lunch was served, laughter was heard throughout the hall. They looked around and found students and teachers alike all had vomit green hair-except the Head Students. Even Sirius, Jaime, and McGonagall had green hair.
"How'd you not get hit?" a third-year Claw asked Harry, who was laughing at Seamus as he admired his new hair.
"We didn't eat or drink anything." Harry replied simply. "I recognised the look on Si—Professor Black's face after Potions and knew he had something planned."
"How long will this last?" she asked pointing to her hair.
"No idea." Nev answered.
It was then they heard McGonagall look at herself in Dora's mirror. "SIRIUS BLACK! YOU ARE NO LONGER A CHILD-" and then the silencing charm went up.
Now the whole school was looking up at the head table as they saw one Professor cower in front of the Headmistress as Jaime was obviously giggling. Harry and Nev got a kick out of that and couldn't help but laugh.
HP
After lunch, Dora met up with Harry and led him to her classroom. "So, how'd your other classes go this morning Dora?" Harry asked.
"Well. I had a fourth, third and another fourth this morning. They all asked about Remus but seemed to want to learn." She answered. "Are you ready for your little lesson?"
"Yeah." He took a deep breath as he walked in the defence room. "I think so." As he said this, the first first-years came streaming in and sitting down.
When everyone was seated, Dora started off, "I am Professor Lupin. Welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts. This is my first-year teaching, I've been an Auror for several years previously. As you have probably heard this last year, we fought a war against a dark arts practitioner and his forces. The young man who stopped this maniac is none other than your own Head Boy Harry Potter. He would like to talk to you about how to fight someone who practices dark magic." She smiled at Harry who came into the center of the room.
"Can someone tell me how you determine if someone is practicing dark magic?"
"If they're in Slytherin?" a Ravenclaw shouted.
Harry chuckled. "So anyone in Slytherin practices dark magic, is that what you're saying?" he asked as the girl nodded. "Yet the man who betrayed my parents was a Gryffindor." He commented. "Anyone else?"
When no one answered, he said. "In my experience anyone can be a dark wizard. You can't tell by looking at a person whether they'll fall into the dark arts. Tom Riddle or the man styling himself Lord Voldemort was once a top student here at Hogwarts. He was even Head Boy." Everyone gasped at this. "He was also an orphan half-blood. Yes he was a descendant of Slytherin on his mum's side but had a muggle father. His mum died in childbirth and his father never knew him. He stayed in a muggle orphanage until Professor Dumbledore gave him his letter. There was nothing evil that the Professor could see but he did watch Tom because he felt there wasn't something right with the boy."
"How do you know so much about him?" A Hufflepuff asked.
"Before the Professor died, he gave me information that he had about Riddle so I may destroy him more easily." He sighed. "As I am trying to get at, even though the Professor knew there was something wrong with Tom, he couldn't put his finger on it until it was too late to see Tom had already fallen to the dark. What I'm trying to say is the best defence to see who is going to fall to the dark is to be on your guard and watch signs in your friends, family and acquaintances that they are acting differently or are interested in the darker spells. The Professor told me himself, if he had been more vigilant in watching Tom during his school days, he might have been able to head off the creation of Lord Voldemort."
"Why didn't he then?"
"I think he was so worried about Grindelwald that he was distracted and couldn't watch everyone."
"I think what Harry is saying is that the best defence against the dart arts is to watch how people act and if they're acting out of character to look more thoroughly at their behavior." Dora concluded.
"So why learn spells to combat the dark arts if all we have to do is watch people?" The same Hufflepuff asked.
"Good question." Harry smiled. "Mainly because there is going to come a time when a new Dark Wanker, as my Godfather puts it, rises and you need to be prepared. And quite frankly, some of the spells are just good to know."
"Thank you, Harry. That is all for today." Dora dismissed her class as the bell rang. She looked at Harry. "Two more classes." She sighed as Harry laughed as new students came in.
HP
When Sirius got done with his first day of teaching, he was exhausted. However, he decided that instead of going to bed he would go for his pick me up of the last few days.
He wandered into Jaime's classroom and saw her sitting at her desk, hunched over a planner. He knocked on the door and came in as he saw her look up and grin at him.
"Hey, how'd your first day go?" She asked.
"Good. Very tiring but good." He sighed as he leaned on the corner of her desk. "How was yours?"
"Same. I'm going to finish up here and eventually go to dinner." She smiled at him and he felt his heart beat a little faster.
"Well, I can help if you'd like." Sirius suggested.
"That'd be wonderful." She looked at her watch.
He looked a little worried.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Well, I won't be going to the Great Hall for dinner. I'll be in Harry's quarters. Would you like to join us?" He asked a little hesitantly.
"Of course. That'd be great, as long as they're okay with it." She was a little worried at how Sirius' family was just including her in their lives. She didn't want to overstay her welcome. She really liked the animagus and could see something coming from this dance they were doing and didn't want to bungle it.
"They will be." He smiled at her and her heart nearly stopped. Damn he was hot! "I'll see you in a while, love." He winked at her as he left.
HP
After Dora's last class, she and Harry went through her quarters to get to his. It was there that they saw Luna and Nev with Teddy.
"Why is Teddy not with mum?" Dora asked.
"Your mum had to go home and thought you might want him here when you were done today." Luna supplied. "We've been here since lunch and he finally went down a little while ago." She pointed to the corner where there was a bassinet with her son in it as she gave Dora the run-down.
Dora smiled. "Thanks for taking care of him."
"No problem. He's family." Nev grinned as he propped open their front door. "So, Harry, how'd your lecture go today?"
Harry flopped down on a chair and summoned a butterbeer. "Pretty well, I think. Very scary but pretty well."
Nev snorted. "It always surprises me what you're afraid of. You'll kill Voldemort but be scared of first-years."
"I keep telling you, I didn't have to think when I killed Voldemort, I did before each class." He tried to explain.
"You've always been nervous if you have to think about it but just going on instinct is easy for you." Hermione added as she came in the room. Harry took the pile of books she was carrying and put them on the counter. "Thanks love."
"Research for inventions or classwork?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"Inventions." She curled up next to him on the sofa. "Is this the furniture from the game room?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Hermione." Dobby answered from the kitchen. "I transferred most everything from the game room here. I wants to know if you want me to expand this room and put the pool table in."
"Yes please." Both boys said simultaneously as the girls laughed.
"Dobby, you had to know the answer, yeah?" Dora grinned.
"Yes, buts I wanted to make sure." He also had a big grin on his face.
A knock was heard on their open front door. Harry turned towards the open door and saw a first year Slytherin waiting. He kissed Mione on the head and stood up. "Come on in. How can we help you?" he asked as the little girl came in and sat with Harry at the kitchen table.
"Well, you said that we could come talk to you when we needed something, yeah?" she asked in a very timid voice.
"Yes, sweetheart. Is something wrong?" he returned. She seemed to hesitate as though uncertain how to begin. Seeing this, he began for her. "Why don't you tell me who you are having trouble with?"
"The redheaded prefect." She looked terrified.
"Okaaaay. What did he do?" Harry prompted.
"Well, yesterday he took 10 points because my friend and I were skipping down the hall to our common room. Then today we were running late for transfiguration and he takes 50 points each." She said all in one breath.
"And you don't want to be late for that class your first day, yeah?" He laughed remembering his own first day. "Did McGonagall threaten to turn one of you into a watch so the other wouldn't be late?"
Hermione giggled at that as the girl nodded. "She did the same thing to Harry and Ron first day too."
The girl giggled. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it. We'll make sure you're given some of those points back." Hermione laughed. "It is a good idea not to run in the halls though, yeah?"
"Yes, ma'am." She said more soberly.
"I will talk to Ron about how he deducts points as well." Nev assured the girl.
"What is your name, so I can look up the points?" Harry enquired.
"Sally Winslow." She replied.
"Okay." He groaned as he got up. "Nev and I will take care of it now, yeah?"
Sally wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, sir." She mumbled as she bolted out the door.
"Good job love."
"Nice going mate."
"You were very good with her Harry."
He went a little red as he checked to see if Teddy was still asleep. He was. Then he looked at Nev who was now standing. "See Ron, yeah?" he asked.
"On my way." Nev wanted to make this possible confrontation between the ex- best friends as easy for his godbrother as he could. If dealing with Weasley would help that along, so be it.
"Use the map to find him." Harry added as he left to see McGonagall.
When he got to her office, he was surprised the gargoyle was already open. He went up the escalator and knocked on the door. "Come in." He heard McGonagall's comfortable Scottish brogue call out. Even after all this time, it fascinated him that her voice was very reassuring to him.
This thought made him smile as he walked in. "Hello Professor."
"Hello Harry. What can I do for you?" She asked as he looked around the office. Unlike Dumbledore's cluttered mess that he used to come to for lessons, this room was now very tastefully decorated with the tartan the Headmistress was known for wearing. The desk was neat and the walls were covered in bookshelves. Over near the fire, where she had offered him a seat, were a sofa and two highbacked chairs. There were green tartan blankets on the sofa and chairs as well.
Harry noticed all this with the practiced eye of one who had to take in a situation and make a split-second decision in battle as he sat down. "What can I help you with Harry?"
"Well, we got a visitor a little while ago. A Slytherin firstie named Sally Winslow. Apparently, she and her friend were skipping around the school yesterday and Ronald docked them 10 points each for it. Then today he docked them 50 each for running to your class." He grinned. "By the way, the cat's out of the bag that you use that pocket watch threat every year. We informed her I got the same comment."
She smiled. "Well, it has the preferred effect. You've never been late to my class again, I don't believe." At his nod, she said. "So she came to you with this complaint?"
"Yes. I know it's technically against the rules to be skipping or running in the corridors—but 120 points, that's excessive in my opinion. I also know, from my fiancée making me read the prefect and Head handbook last week," He grimaced and she smiled serenely, "that standard practice is 10 points for an infraction of this type. Can we deduct the right amount of points, Professor?"
She beamed at Harry. She just knew he would make a brilliant Head Boy and was extremely satisfied with the decision. "Of course. I'm glad the students feel comfortable coming to you." She sighed as she thought about Mr. Weasley. "What do you suggest is done with Mr. Weasley? He has to learn how to enforce these rules properly or he cannot be Prefect."
"I have to check with the other Heads but I was thinking a general Prefect meeting to discuss how points are applied and deducted. I don't know what to do from then on though. Hope it stops?" He asked.
"Well, I think a Prefect meeting is a good idea. If there is a second issue with Mr. Weasley, he would get a warning. On a third, his badge would be taken. Those are the rules in the Heads Handbook."
He groaned. "I must have missed it. Mione would've known the answer."
She laughed. "Don't worry Harry. You are doing a wonderful job as Head. Have you talked to Mr. Weasley yet?"
"Nev is doing it right now."
"Good." She got up and ushered him to the door. "Keep me informed about how the Prefect meeting goes, please."
"Yes Ma'am. Thank you for your time." He smiled at her.
"Anytime Harry. Anytime." She repeated as he left the office.
HP
When he got back to his flat, The Family plus Jaime were sprawled out talking. He found Nev and sat near him. "How'd it go with Ron?"
"He's a bloody nightmare. I've always known he had a temper but he was pissed off that someone had reported him." Nev groaned. "I think we should have a Prefect meeting to talk about point deductions."
Harry laughed. "I told McGonagall we might do that."
HP
"Harry, Sirius tells me you do most the caretaking when you're home. Is he exaggerating?" Jaime asked at dinner that night.
"No." Nev intervened. "Even when Teddy got colds this summer, he slept with Harry and the way Mione tells it he sleeps in the bed with them."
"He would sleep in your bed too if he decided to have his beautiful Aunt's eyes and my hair!" he exclaimed as he looked into his Mione's amazing eyes.
"You mean this isn't how he always looks?"
"Jaime, he got my metamorph talents." Dora informed the newest member of The Extended Family. She turned her hair from its normal brown and pink to yellow and black stripes.
"Wow." She sighed. "Is it okay if I tell Mark I've met you? We hear about them in the states but have never seen one. He's going to want to meet you in November!" she said in a rush.
"Of course. Is this Mark a boyfriend?" she raised an eyebrow.
"No. My brother. I think I'm interested in someone else anyway."