(A/N): Hello again! You've made it successfully to Chapter Eight. I just want to say thanks for sticking with me through all these chapters. It's very nice to know my writing is appreciated! I also want to apologize for the lag time between chapters. I started the story during the summer and got four chapters up pretty quickly. When school started I had to slow down. Finals are coming up, so the next chapter may not come very soon, but never fear! Christmas break is also coming, and I'll have plenty of time then to write.
I'd like to thank moongazer123, Miaseaofbitterness, and WhiteTiger3944 for reviewing chapter 6, and moongazer123 and WhiteTiger3944 for reviewing the chapter 7 interlude. You're all great!
DISCLAIMER still stands.
Now we will backtrack a few hours. Sirius did finish his assignment in detention with Gary. Let's have a look, shall we?
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Sirius sat staring at the wall. Oh yes, this was effective. He flicked his attention over to Gary. He sat at his desk doing paperwork, looking all important and necessary. This was by far the least eventful detention Sirius had ever been in. At least Filch threatened him with horrible methods of torture and corporal punishment to spice things up a bit.
He sighed and turned back to his essay. He knew it didn't really make much sense, but he didn't quite care. He shifted in his seat just enough to make some irritating noises. Professor Professor looked up and cleared his throat forcefully, as if giving a warning.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Black?" the Professor asked.
"No, Gary, no problem at all," Sirius said and then turned back to his essay.
Professor Professor had made him check his wand at the door, so there was no hope of entertaining himself by magical means. This would be a perfect time to practice his nonverbal spells, if only he had his wand and Professor Professor wasn't such a snoot.
Sirius sat staring at the wall again. He wished James had gotten detention too. It was lonely in solitary incarceration. He decided he was just going to leave his essay as it was and stood up. He quietly packed his bag and didn't say anything as he moved to a desk across the room, closer to the door. Professor Professor watched him as he walked.
"Are you finished with your homework, Mr. Black?" Professor Professor asked.
"Yes, Gary, I'm done," Sirius said.
Professor Professor sighed.
"Mr. Black, why do you feel you must antagonize me so? We've only had two days of classes so far."
Sirius frowned and raised his eyebrow. He didn't see much point in explaining.
"Well, sir, let me apologize," he said. "I don't mean to be antagonistic."
Professor Professor chuckled.
"No, my boy," he said, "I do believe you try to be protagonistic."
Sirius too laughed, in spite of himself. He supposed it was true. He was definitely the center of attention a good portion of the time.
"It's just I exceed at it sir, and I like things done the way I want them done," Sirius said. "Do you really think I'm not ready for nonverbal spells, sir?"
Professor Professor pushed his chair back and got up from his desk. He walked over to Sirius and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll have to work very hard, Mr. Black," the professor said. "I don't see you, or anyone else, for that matter, getting the hang of them straight away. These things take time."
This really wasn't what Sirius had expected to get out of detention. He rarely had heart to hearts with teachers, especially teachers he didn't particularly care for. This was sort of creeping him out, so he decided to make a run for it.
"Look sir!" he shouted, pointing over Professor Professor's shoulder. "Electric blue doxies!"
As soon as the teacher turned to look, Sirius bolted for the door. As soon as he hit the hallway, he slapped his forehead. Doxies? What was he – a first year? He was Sirius Black! Sirius Black, of all people! Why didn't he say something cool like a Hungarian Horntail or Chinese Fireball? But in the midst of all this musing, he didn't realize Professor Professor was chasing him down the hallway.
"SIRIUS BLACK!" The Professor shouted. "YOU GET BACK HERE!"
Sirius didn't look back when he heard the shouting. Instead, he plowed full speed into a pack of Gryffindor third and fourth years coming back from dinner. He found Milton and disappeared into the crowd.
"Hi Sirius!" Milton exclaimed upon seeing his idol.
Sirius said a quick "Shh!" and shuffled along with Milton, bending his knees slightly to appear shorter.
"Hi Sirius," whispered a young female voice. It was Addison Hagleworth, blushing and beaming at him.
"Hey kid," Sirius whispered back.
'Oh yeah,' he thought to himself. 'I'm definitely the protagonist of this story.'
Sirius burst into the sixth year Gryffindor boys' dormitory. His friends were all still busy working on their homework.
"Hello chaps!" he chirped happily.
He was still feeding on the adrenaline rush that escaping lock down had given him. Maybe if he couldn't find a job in the wizarding world he could just be an escape artist in the Muggle world. The art of fleeing the crime scene was most definitely to be a key part in Milton's training. Rule number one of Marauding: don't get caught!
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Remus looked up, agitated, when Sirius clamored into the dormitory. He had just finished a lengthy assignment for Arithmancy and had just started his essay for Slughorn. He groaned and reviewed what he had written.
Goals to Accomplish
An Exercise in Mentoring
By Remus Lupin
For Prof. Horace Slughorn
This year in the mentoring program, I plan to do my best to help Mr. Caulfield make the transition from third year to the upperclassmen years at Hogwarts. I will teach him all that I can. I hope to help him better his study habits, memory retention, and confidence in his classes. Mr. Caulfield and I already have similar interests and traits, but as he is just a third year, there is, of course, room for improvement.
And that was all he had. He made sure Sirius had settled down. He once again put his pen to the paper and wrote some more.
I am fully aware that some of my fellow students think I am somewhat of a nerd. I can't say that they're wrong, sir, but being a prefect, one has to be a certain degree of nerdy. As part of my mentoring plan, I will give Mr. Caulfield tips on how to become a prefect. I feel this will help him, at the very least, to stay out of trouble. If there is one thing I have learned in my years at Hogwarts, it is
"WAHOO!"
Remus looked up once more to Sirius, who was presently jumping from his bed to James' bed, and back again. Remus gritted his teeth and set to work again. Having lost his train of thought, he shifted the essay in a different direction.
…that your friends may very well hinder you, however inadvertently it may be. They might jump on the bed while you are trying very hard to do your homework. They might make strange noises in your face.
Remus stopped writing. He could no longer ignore the stare he was getting from Sirius, only inches from his face. Remus shifted his eyes to Sirius, who was also making annoying grunting and squawking noises.
"May I help you?" Remus asked, impatiently.
"Nah, Moony," said Sirius, "I'm just messing around."
"Well then, do you mind messing around over there?" Remus asked, pointing vaguely to the far side of the room.
As Sirius ambled off, Remus once again turned to his essay.
Based on personal experience, I can give Mr. Caulfield numerous tips on how to handle these distractions so that his grades do not suffer. In conclusion, I would just like to say that I am very much looking forward to mentoring Mr. Caulfield this year. I believe we will make a very good team.
Remus took a deep breath after finishing the assignment. He had done pretty well, considering. So, he might be a nerd. At least he was a proud nerd.
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Okay! Another chapter done! Thanks for reading! Now review and let me know your thoughts.
