The Moonraker

A-World-Of-My-Imagination

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine. (Forgot to put this in last chapter!)

A/N: I'm absolutely astounded at the response last chapter! Thank you so much, you guys!

Chapter One – The Hover Parent

"I hope you realize just how serious an offense this is."

The stern-faced woman looked out over her glasses at the pair sitting across from her. On the left was a dark-haired wizard, brilliant green orbs with a tinge of annoyance flashing within, while beside him sat a teenager, hair shaded deep red and eyes colored to match the man beside him.

"Well, professor, the thing is…I don't see why it's such a big problem," the man countered. "The only problem here is that three students were allowed to get away with taking Teddy outside the Hogwarts boundaries in the middle of the night. He's hardly allowed to go to Hogsmeade without supervision; how, how was he allowed to be taken out of the boundaries without anyone noticing? There have been sightings, Professor McGonagall, though you obviously don't know. Or perhaps you do, that's why this happened. Either way, my son has been bullied by these same three Gryffindors his whole time at Hogwarts, yet nothing has been done. Is it because he's in Slytherin, Professor?"

The headmistress's eyes flashed warningly. "Mr. Potter, you're out of line with what you're insinuat-"

"Actually, ma'am, I don't believe I am. It's my responsibility to make sure my son is safe and happy, and, to be honest, I don't think Hogwarts is providing him with that environment. In fact, seeing as I've contacted you about this issue multiple times and you have yet to respond in an appropriate manner, I'm of the mind to write a strongly worded letter to the board of directors about your blatant, blatant favoritism between houses. Every time a Gryffindor steps 'out of line' they get away with a slap on the wrist and a detention, if they're unlucky. Half the time they get points, points of all things, for 'defending house pride' or something of the like. Students from every other house, especially Slytherin, as evidenced by my son, are either swept under the rug when Gryffindors bully them or get in trouble for 'antagonizing' the very students harassing them!"

"What are you trying to say, Mr. Potter?"

The two adults stared down one another, both refusing to relent.

"I think you know exactly what I'm saying. Come on Teddy, let's go. Good evening, Professor McGonagall, and good riddance to you and this school." The man looked around the office sadly for a moment. "This was my home, but if this is how it treats its students, I'm sorry I ever came."

Harry stood from his spot across from the headmistress and the boy followed suite.

"Good-bye, Professor Dumbledore," the red-haired boy called to a portrait hung slightly crookedly on the wall behind McGonagall's chair.

"Goodbye, my dear boy," the previous head of the school smiled back, a hint of sadness in his shining blue eyes.

"Potter Residence, England."

A flash of green light from the fire and the father and son were gone from the office.

"The nerve of that woman!"

"Dad-"

"To let all those-those…those Gryffindors to get away with bullying you, and not do a thing about it!"

"Dad, really, I'm-"

"And here I admired her, all my years at that school, figured she was oh-so-strict but fair, nonetheless! After the war, she told me I could come to her with anything, anything at all – I guess she just meant any Gryffindor problems, because oh, oh-ho-ho! I want to help my son, who just so happens to be a Slytherin, and all of a sudden her promise is void, off into oblivion, because Gryffindors are perfect, aren't they, a bunch of saints who can do no wrong, nope, no wrong at all! And of course, if it's a Slytherin who gets hurt by their actions then obviously, obviously it's the Slytherin's fault!"

"Seriously, calm down, it's not a big deal," Teddy protested. His hair had changed to a dark purple, and he sat on a chair turned backwards, arms folded across the low back. "I know, she was kind of being a jerk about the whole thing, but I'm not going back, right? I have all my stuff with me, in my bag-"

"Even your trunk?"

"Uh…yeah," the boy rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "Last year a couple boys in my dorm wrecked a bunch of my stuff, so I started shrinking it and carrying it around with me."

"I thought you said you left your trunk at the station and when you went back to check it was gone," Harry weakly challenged the idea that even the metamorphosis's fellow housemates had bullied him.

"I lied," he admitted. "I…well, I didn't want you to think I was any more pathetic than you already do."

A frown settled over the older wizard's face and he grabbed a chair to sit across from Teddy. "You're not pathetic; you never have been and you never will be. You're a Lupin and a Tonks, two of the bravest people I've ever known. They never let anyone beat them down, no matter what the world threw at them, and if I have anything to say about it, neither will you."

The wizard smirked up at his father, "I've got quite a bit of Potter in me too, I'd say."

"More than a bit, buddy, who would've thought I'd have managed to pass on all my bad habits to a kid so quick?"

"Hey, I resent that!"

"All right, all right, you ended up with all the good stuff, I'm just jealous," the raven-haired man laughed. "Okay, time to get serious. I'm really proud of you for standing up to those kids today, Teddy, but I just want to make certain you're good. I know; we've been over this a thousand times, but better safe than sorry."

Teddy matched his father's concern with his own, nodding hesitantly. "I felt it a bit, that's why I kind of lost control. I was able to manage it, but I usually try to stay away from those sort of situations so the whole thing today doesn't happen."

Harry nodded, his brow furrowed. "I know, you're getting good at this." He paused for a moment. "I'm going to call in, take a few weeks off work until we figure out where else is safe for you to go to school. Same rules as always, don't leave the house without me or my permission."

"Dad, come on, go to work, I know how much you love it. You just wrote me the other day, your friend is visiting, yeah? Dr. Banner? He hardly ever gets out here to do research, don't give up this chance."

"He'll come again."

"Not for a while."

"Teddy, you're my first and only priority," the man said. "Work is just work."

"Not for you."

The father and son stared one another down. "Fine. I'll go in for a half day tomorrow, see how it works out. Text me every hour, on the hour. Do you remember the code?"

"Of course I do, I helped you make the code."

"I know, I know. I just worry, that's all."

"You always worry, Dad," Teddy laughed. "You act like I'm going to die any second, you're the poster boy for hover parent. I'm off to bed, I'll see you in the morning."

"All right. Goodnight, Teddy, I love you."

"Love you too, Dad."

"And be safe."

"Yeah, yeah," Teddy called back as he walked up the stairs.

Harry watched him go, a worried expression on his face. He picked up his phone and made a call.

"Agent Coulson? It's Harry Potter. I think I might need to take you up on your offer."