Disclaimer: All belongs to J. .

'Oi, Harry-kins, I know its past your bedtime but we need to talk ...' Harry slammed himself down on his desk, latching his arms around his knees and trying to look enraptured by the sky. Sirius threw open the door and he didn't even flinch at the broad grin on his godfathers face. He tried out his Wizard Chess face, hoping not to give away that he heard anything. It seemed to be working, until Sirius' eyes crinkled at the corners before he swiftly turned to James. He held out his hand, 'Pay up.'

James narrowed his eyes and saw that Harry was indeed looking too pleased. Waving away Sirius, he stepped farther in the room passing by his son and lent against the window frame. James studied him.

'So you heard, ay?' James eyes narrowed and Harry felt his excitement fade like letting a balloon lose air.

'Yes.'

James nodded, rolling his eyes and sighing when he saw Sirius nudging Remus so much that the once Head-Boy pushed him forcefully from the room and left shortly behind him. 'And, we have ground rules for this.'

Harry felt his excitement bubble again, 'I know.'

'Good, so here they are,' James' voice immediately hardened, even if it was only slight, 'You're to go to every class, and you're joining the Gobstones and Chess clubs. You can try out for the Quidditch team, frankly I'd be insulted if you didn't, but I want most of your focus to be on school.' Harry bit the inside of his cheek and barely held a laugh when a loud cough was heard behind his closed bedroom door. James huffed, hollering toward the door. 'Fine Moony, he can tutor! Is that what you want?'

The door opened and Sirius cleared his throat, shaking with laughter as Moony agreed.

'This isn't some vacation Harry,' said James, his glasses off while he rubbed at the bridge of his nose, 'you did something unacceptable today - storming to the Malfoy Manor by yourself was the stupidest thing I've ever seen. And I've seen plenty.'

Harry gulped, the only thing holding him back from arguing with his father was the amount of information swimming through his mind. He'd read Hogwarts: A History cover to cover so many times that now knowing he was going to be apart of its ancient past made it possible to recall the most trivial facts. Harry barely noticed James was still talking.

'- and so, I've not finished figuring out your punishment. But - I will.' Harry blinked at his dad seeing him flounder for ways to chastise his own son. Harry knew it must have been the blinking that did him in because as much as he found it odd, it worked coming from him. It didn't take a genius to figure James was a sucker for green eyes. 'And when I do, I'll be sure to let you know. So, er - goodnight.' James reached over, slapping his son on the back before realizing he was supposed to be angry at him. Harry couldn't help but full on beam at his fathers retreating back.

This time Harry cleared his throat, 'Thanks.' With a fist on the door handle, James looked at his only son over his shoulder, lingering, before he cracked a painful grin.

Hazel eyes darted to Harry's desk before he said, 'I'll get you a frame before you leave.' Embarrassed, Harry heard the door click shut when he stared at the picture of his mum still waving a textbook at him.

It had been almost two and a half weeks since James told Harry that he was going to school. The youngest Potter finished his Bounty-Duty after his required two weeks and was well on his way to being back to teaching the midgets in the Junior Aurror Program. Harry hadn't seen the bushy-haired coffee worker since the night Bella-bitch escaped and that within itself was a small victory. He'd even gotten on Sadie's good side lately, bringing her to romantic dinners and even once he took her out dancing. That night wasn't the best, but it definitely got him brownie points -

Yup, life was good so far.

Still lost in his own world, thinking about Hogwarts, Harry missed the entire teasing Padfoot reamed out in their kitchen.

Meanwhile Sirius took his plate from their house elf, Crimp, smirking at the lack of attention he was getting from the youngest occupant. It may be before ten on a Sunday, but usually Harry was more observant than this.

Harry was finally going to Hogwarts. Every kids dream, except that he wasn't a kid. He was almost nineteen, but what did that matter? He was going to Hogwarts. It didn't matter that it was a sort of punishment for him. James liked to remind him numerous times when they broke the news to him, but that didn't change anything.

"Pumpkin juice with your cereal? Well that one is new." Harry's head snapped to see Moony make his way into the kitchen, eying his breakfast curiously. The nineteen-year old floundered seeing he was in fact pouring the wrong container into his oats and it was beginning to overflow. He started to quickly clean it up with napkins, swearing under his breath, because his wand was tucked away in his room.

"Oh, I was supposed to tell you sooner - silly me," said Padfoot stuffing his mouth and rolling his eyes when Remus smacked his head with the Daily Prophet before continuing on his way to the coffee, "anyways, it's me and you today kid, we're going to get you some uniform robes - 'cause you're too scholarly to hang out with us now."

Remus joined in laughing this time as poor, stunned Harry, tripped and tossed his breakfast from the bowl all over their House Elf.

"Sweet snitches Padfoot, we've been here for half an hour already and we haven't made it past Quality Quidditch Supplies!" Harry smacked his godfather across the back of his head, then crossed his arms. He cast his eyes around the tightly packed shop before they fell back on his guardian. Sirius was crouched and drooling over the newest racing broom with a couple of ankle-biters.

"Oi you're old enough to get your own robes," rubbing the back of his head gingerly, Sirius glanced up at Harry, "you could have just gone without me."

"What was the whole point of coming with me today then?"

"Can't a man have an excuse to get out into the real world," deadpanned Sirius. Harry snorted and Padfoot waggled his finger, "Don't you start on me too, pup. Just because I choose to only be in the Wizagamot and not another job, doesn't mean I'm incompetent. I got five NEWTs, if you remember correctly."

The eighteen-year old wizard narrowed his eyes, "I'm more than positive you cheated off Remus."

"Technicalities." Sirius shrugged wiping his hands across his pants, "Anyways, what are we after?"

"Oh so you're done ogling the Firebolt-Three?" Harry stumbled as Sirius hip checked him aside. He huffed using long strides to catch up to the older man, "You were supposed to help me get some uniform robes then we need to go and get some potion ingredients."

Padfoot shuddered, pushing the door open, "You're taking that dingy subject?"

"You and dad were the ones who told me too." The door chimed shut and the sun's sudden heat burst down on Harry and his companion as they dodged families down cobblestone road. Reaching Madam Malkin's, the younger wizard pushed Sirius back by the neck of his muggle shirt and allowed an rounder, ginger haired woman to enter before them. Sirius fluttered his eyelashes dramatically before curtsying, skirting in front of Harry and disappearing into the shop.

"Good morning, can I help you with anything?" asked a rather skinny, grey haired woman.

"Hello Madam," Sirius cut across Harry just as he was beginning to pull out a crumpled piece of parchment from his pant pocket, Harry glowered. "We're here to get him some Hogwarts robes and place in an order for whites shirts, grey pants and vests. Four of each if you don't mind." The old woman nodded before scurrying to the back.

Harry scanned the shelves, "I could've said that myself." Sirius chuckled, ignoring him.

"Here you go dear." Harry wasn't new to getting robes fitted and immediately went to stand on the circular level. Sirius sat himself down on a single chair and let out a yawn. Harry rolled his eyes thinking the way his godfather was acting it was going to be a long day.

"Isn't it a bit early before the year for you to be getting new school robes?" The Madam of the shop looked up from the bottom hem at her customer. Harry shrugged.

"Might as well."

"Ah, last year?" Madam Malkin smiled, "Forgive me dear, but you're looking much older than the sixteen-year old students I get..."

Harry's cheeks tinged pink, earning a chuckle from Padfoot. "It's complicated." An awkward silence fell on the shop as the owner worked on one robe. Leaving the shop when they placed his school order, Harry and Sirius took off toward the Apothecary.

"I need, a package of Armadillo Bile, fluxweed, wormwood, lacewing flies and some Bezoar's. I could also use some aconite and some of the eyes -" Harry finally looked up from his letter, shooting a friendly smile at the shopkeeper. The man nodded behind the counter pulling a small box of Bezoar's and inching closer to the large jar that held the odd shaped eyes. Harry grinned at Sirius, seeing he was turning a fine shade of green.

"Making Polyjuice Potion are you?" Harry rummaged for his money bag as the man continued to tell him how difficult it was. He must have noticed that Harry wasn't paying him any attention. "Anything else, sir?" The raven haired wizard shook his head.

"That'll be 35 Galleons, 18 Sickles and 6 Knuts." While Harry reached across the counter to hand over most of his pocket change courtesy of his last paycheck, Padfoot frowned down at the piled ingredients. "Sure did clean your clock -" Harry scowled at the owner, scooping up his ingredients and pulling Sirius from the store by his shirt.

"Ugh, where next?" Padfoot wiped at his forehead, glancing with nausea at the newly acquired potion supplies.

Harry took a deep breath. He took all coasts necessary to never go into the single bookstore of Diagon Alley, but there was no going around it this time. "Flourish and Blotts. And I'll buy you an ice cream when we're done." Sirius dug his hands in his pockets, grinning at Harry. Obviously he didn't notice, or didn't bring attention, to how Harry was feeling.

"I'll be doing that buying. You're the one that wasted his earned money on going to school of all places." Shaking his head, Harry followed Sirius as he surged forward to the bookshop.

Finding himself paying in a third store in less than an hour and a half, Harry sulked as he glanced down at the new stack of items he was meant to carry home. It took little to no time for him to find what he needed, he really didn't want to be in the store for more time than he needed to. He'd only ever been in Flourish and Blotts a handful of times with his mother. It was her favourite place and made for interesting family trips on weekends, but after she died, exactly in this store, James put a stop to coming there. Harry didn't bother disobeying him.

Shaking himself from clear visions of beheading Bellatrix for everything she'd done to ruin his family, Harry tried to focus on anything else but where he was. The only thought that came to him was his Gringotts vault at least wasn't going to be less empty than it could have been if he needed to buy every book on his seventh year list. With his mums old, and well preserved school books, and the Potter library (with some of the Black library), he'd been able to find most of the textbooks on his must-have list. Yet he was stuck buying two very large tombs on Muggle Studies and Charms.

Sirius whined, "Can we leave now?" The younger of the two nodded before thrusting his parcel of ingredients at Sirius and taking up his new books. "Brilliant, ice cream time."

He continued, "About time we left that stuffy bookshop." Harry winced, storming from the store. When he was clear from the store only did he start breathing clearly again. "What kind of ice cream do you want?"

Harry sounded dismissive, "Chocolate I guess."

"I can never figure out what I want from Fortescues'," Sirius twisted his lips, peering down at the glass casing of all the frozen creams. "Last time they had this delicious bear paw one... it was to die for."

"Sirius!"

Standing up straight, Harry and Padfoot both turned around to see Alice striding toward them both. Harry grinned, moving his books to the side to swoop down to hug her before she even got the chance to offer him one. He hadn't seen her in almost four days, being that he worked on the other side of the department floor in the Ministry. He sighed happiy, whenever he seemed to have an internal fight about his mom, Alice seemed to show up and somehow ease his hurt. She ignored Sirius' open arms for his own hug.

She reached her hands up to Harry's cheeks, "How's home life?" Harry shrugged, grinning down at Alice, she was always so worried about him.

"Just fine."

Releasing Harry, Alice replied, "I keep an open mind about these things, especially when it comes to James. Which reminds me, Sirius - what the hell is up with you?"

"I'm definitely getting bear paw." He looked up from the glass case again to Alice, "Hm?"

"I finally give in and let you meet one of my friends, and you ditch her after half a date?"

Sirius crossed his arms and said indignant, "It wasn't half!"

"Nancy said you ran out halfway though dinner because you got called home," Alice crossed her arms. "What was needed at home?"

Harry felt Sirius loop an arm around his shoulder and said changing the conversation effectively, "Harry's going to Hogwarts." Alice gaped. "We're buying his school stuff today. Treating the kid to ice cream, and you're ruining what was a lovely day out with his most beloved godfather."

"Hogwarts?" Alice shrieked, scaring Sirius and Harry, before she tackled the youngest into a hug. "Oh my, this, this is amazing! You'll get to be with Neville! I'm sure he can help with anything you need."

"Why would I help a prat like him?" Almost unrecognizable to even his own eyes, Harry laughed and looked past Alice to see his best friend. Besides seeing him once a week ago, it still shocked him how tall Neville had grown over the year and even as he moved to stand near his mother, Harry noticed he was probably nearing his own height of six foot.

"Busy tonight?" Harry leaned over and gave Neville a one armed hug before he retreated and punched his shoulder.

Neville laughed, "Besides my Charms summer homework - nothing." Harry scoffed.

"What the fu-" The youngest Potter caught himself while Alice raised an eyebrow at him, knocking back Sirius when he laughed. "What the hell are you doing homework for?"

"Mum's had me on lock down trying to clean. Essays are much easier, other than that I've been at the Burrow, with Ron's family, y'know?"

Harry frowned, "The ginger family?" Neville nodded.

"I thought your dad didn't want you coming to Hogwarts, what's this about joining now?" Neville grinned up at his older friend. "What classes are you taking?"

"It's a long story, I'll explain later." Harry turned to see Alice staring at him with curiosity, and Sirius was placing his ice cream order. "Dad's making me take the stupidest ones. I've got Muggle Studies, Potions, Ancient Ruins, History of Magic, Transfiguration and Charms."

"All those in NEWT level?" Neville let out a low whistle. "Do you have a death wish?" Harry snorted. "Forget it, this is beyond brilliant. Hopefully you'll get sorted into Gryffindor, you'd share a room with me and my mates."

"Can't wait."

"And then you can try out for the Quidditch team too," Neville walked to the counter, saying he wanted strawberry before turning back to Harry. "Ron's on the team, Keeper. It's perfect too, they're looking for a Seeker." He lowered his voice. "It'd be even better if you brought some Firewhisky with you."

Harry grinned at his best mate. He'd missed his best friend during the school year. When Neville wasn't around he didn't spend time with anyone his own age. Some of the graduates from Hogwarts who worked in the Aurror division didn't enjoy working with him because they thought he got special treatment for being there longer than they had. Usually when Neville left for school Harry was stuck in London, he only had few friends and most were his dad's school mates. As Neville continued on about being at Hogwarts, Harry got himself a chocolate cone.

This year would be different than the last. No longer would he be jealous of Neville going off to Hogwarts on September first, standing at the sidelines. He wouldn't need to be waving with a fake smile and then consoling Alice for a good twenty minutes where he almost always promised her to 'never ever leave'. This time he'd be joining him.

September couldn't come fast enough.

Harry spun on his heal, headed towards the door with Neville close by, ice creams in both hands when a mass of bushy hair narrowly missed him.

"Hey, watch it!" Harry held his ice cream high in the air on purpose and for effect. His glare darkened seeing the teenager from the coffee shop. So much for not seeing her ever again.