A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any character thereof.

Chapter 49

It was the first Hogsmeade weekend after Christmas vacation. Harry was currently under the table in the Three Broomsticks listening as Flitwick, Hagrid, McGonagall, Madam Rosmerta, and Minister Fudge talked about Sirius Black.

He didn't want to believe a word of what they were saying but he did.

Sirius Black was his godfather - the person his parents trusted over everyone else - and he had betrayed them.

Suddenly Hermione kicked him. Evidently he had been inadvertently making the table shake.

When the coast was clear, they walked down to the shrieking shack. Harry didn't remember the trip. His two best friends (their fight over Crookshanks and Scabbers seemingly forgotten for the moment) tried to bring him out of his inner musings.

Suddenly they heard voices. Harry quickly threw his invisibility cloak over himself and watched as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle came around the corner. A feral grin took over his face. This was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

He bent down and carefully packed a snowball together and eyed Malfoy gleefully.

Severus was currently replying to a letter from Lucius when there was a knock at his office door.

He got up to open it and saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looking at him. All three were covered in water and mud and all were out of breath. Goyle still had a chunk of snow in his hair.

"Yes?"

"Sir, Potter's head just attacked us in Hogsmeade," said Malfoy.

Snape raised an eyebrow indicating for him to explain.

"We came upon Weasley and Granger alone near the shrieking shack when something invisible started attacking us and then Potter's head appeared out of no where."

That's all Severus needed to hear. "You three go get cleaned up. I'll take care of Potter."

He watched as they walked away and then he himself stalked off towards the one-eyed witch statue where he had seen Potter earlier.

And sure enough, that's where he found him. He was out of breath, covered in mud and water, and clearly had an "oh crap I'm caught" look about him.

"Potter, follow me."

Harry followed Snape to his office. He knew that he was in serious trouble.

Severus pulled his wand and shut the door then lit the fireplace. He did not miss the flinch Potter made when he had drawn his wand.

"So ..." started Severus.

Harry took a deep breath. He needed steady nerves to try to get out of this - not a hot head.

"So ... everyone from the Minister of Magic on down is doing their best to keep the famous Harry Potter safe but the famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself." Severus was working himself into a full fledged tirade. "You are so extraordinarily like your father. He too thought himself about everyone else. He thought that just because he had talent on the Quidditch Pitch that he could ignore the rules and -"

"Shut up!"

Severus stopped mid step and as he paced back and forth in front of Potter. "Excuse me?"

"I said shut up about my dad." A glass exploded behind Harry. So much for not letting his temper get to him. "I know that he saved your life and that you hate him because of that. The Headmaster told me so."

Severus eyed the broken glass in the floor then eyed Potter. "And did the Headmaster tell you the circumstances that led up to him saving my life?"

The potions master saw the answer in Potters' eyes.

"Well let me dispel you of any heroic notion you may have of your father. He and his friends played a trick on me that had your father not gotten cold feet at the last minute would have resulted in my death."

Severus saw Potter pale. "And you appear to have inherited his ego by thinking that you can get out of anything." He then saw a flare of anger light up in the boys eyes again.

"And you appear to hate me because I look like my dad and no other reason. You don't even seem to realize that I'm my own person, that my name is Harry and not James."

Another glass exploded from somewhere behind him. Harry took a deep breath. He had to get his temper under control.

"Turn out your pockets," snarled Severus not wanting to deal with what Potter had just said.

Harry froze. If he did that then he knew he was screwed.

"Turn out your pockets or we go straight to the Headmaster."

Harry knew that he had no choice now. The Headmaster would put everything together in two seconds.

Severus eyed the Zonko products and looked gleefully at Potter.

Harry shrugged. "Ron got them for me the last time that he went to Hogsmeade."

"And you've been carrying them with you all this time? How endearing. What's this?"

Harry shrugged at the map in Snapes hand. "Just a spare bit of parchment."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Then you won't mind if I throw it in the fire." He made to throw it in the fire.

"No!" yelled Harry.

"That's what I thought." Severus looked at the parchment, pulled his wand out, touched it to the paper, and said, "Reveal your secrets."

Nothing happened. Harry got his breathing under control again.

"I, Severus Snape, command you to show yourself." He tapped the map 3 times with his wand.

Harry watched as the map started showing some writing on it. He could barely make out what it read from where he stood.

"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of others peoples' business."

To Harry's horror, more appeared.

"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."

If the situation hadn't been so dire, Harry most likely would have laughed.

"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor."

Harry closed his eyes and groaned. When he opened them, the map had its last word.

"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day and advises him to wash his hair, the slime ball."

Harry waited for the yelling to start and braced himself for it.

"So. We'll see about this,"

To Harry's confusion, Snape went to the fireplace and fire-called for Lupin.

"Lupin! Get in here! I'd like a word with you!"

Harry watched as Professor Lupin appeared and stepped out of the fireplace.

"I just confiscated a curious artifact from Mr. Potter. You wouldn't happen to know anything about this would you?"

Harry got the impression that Lupin was doing some fast thinking as he looked at the paper in his hand.

"Severus, this merely looks like a piece of parchment that insults anyone who reads it." He laughed lightly.

"And where would he have gotten such a thing?" snarled Snape.

Remus examined the parchment again. "It looks like something one might find in any joke shop."

"Oh really. Are you sure that it didn't come straight from the manufacturers?" he hissed.

"Harry, do you know the people that made this?"

Harry shook his head. "No sir."

Just then, Ron came bursting into the room. "I gave that stuff to Harry ages ago," he eventually managed to spit out between gasping breaths.

"There. That's all cleared up now. Harry. Ron. I'd like a word with you about my vampire essay. Have a good day Severus."

Harry and Ron all but ran from the Potion Master's office.

Once the office door closed, Severus walked over to the broken jars. He didn't really care about what was in them. He was more concerned with the fact that they had unbreakable charms on them.

If Potter didn't get a better handle on his emotions, he was liable to seriously hurt someone.

"Your parents gave up their lives up so that you could live and this is a very poor way to repay them. I want you to head back to the dorms and I'll know if you take any detours."

Harry felt beyond horrible.

He and Ron slowly made their way back to Gryffindor Tower together.

"How did you know where I was Ron?"

"I almost ran over Malfoy and he was practically singing about how you were going to get detention if there was anything left of you."

Harry grimaced. "Where's Hermione?"

"She said that she was going to the common room to wait on us."

A week after the Hogsmeade incident found Lupin being true to his word by giving Harry patronus lessons. He had been afraid that the professor would back out after what had happened but he didn't.

They were currently sitting in a chair in the defense classroom. Harry had just attempted the patronus against the boggart for the first time.

"I heard my mom again," muttered Harry as he took a bite of chocolate.

"Harry, maybe we shouldn't do this. A patronus is something most wizards can't even do and is well beyond your years."

"Let me think of a different memory. That one just wasn't strong enough." Harry got up and walked around the classroom probing his mind. Finally he settled on winning the house cup last year.

Remus watched as Harry fainted again. He quickly shove the boggart into the trunk.

It took a little longer to rouse him this time.

"I heard my dad. He told mom to run." Harry was visibly shaken.

"You heard James?" asked Remus before he could stop himself.

Harry looked up wide eyed. "He told my mom to take me and run. You knew my dad?"

Remus nodded. "We were best of friends." He handed Harry more chocolate. "This was not a good idea. I'm sorry Harry."

"Please. One more try. I'm not thinking of something happy enough. Give me a minute." Harry went over and looked out of the window.

He eventually thought of the time that Hagrid told him he was a wizard. Just as he was about to turn to try again he remembered the flash of dream he has occasionally where he's being hugged by who he assumes is his dad.

Harry concentrated on both of them and let it fill him up. He then turned and nodded to Lupin.

"Harry are you sure?"

"Just do it."

Remus flicked his wand at the trunk which made it open. He watched with an eyebrow raised as a white shield formed and Harry was able to push the boggart dementor back into the trunk.

Remus also felt a surge of magical energy wash through the room - a very powerful surge so he was unsurprised when Harry staggered after the lid closed.

"Very good Harry. Very, very good. Here eat this so Madam Pomphrey doesn't come after my blood."

Harry smiled. He had heard praise so little in his life that this was a welcome change.

After he ate his chocolate Harry asked, "you said you were best friends with my mom and dad?"

Remus nodded.

"What were they like?"

Remus smiled.

"James was a prankster. He was an excellent flyer and loyal to the bone. He, er, did have a talent for rule breaking that I hear you've picked up." Remus reached over and ruffled Harry's hair which made him turn bright red. "I won't lie to you in that he did have a temper that caused him to hex a few people but as long as you were on his good side, you were generally safe. He was smart - well, when he applied himself."

That made Harry laugh. "What about my mom?" Harry was eager to hear about her. Everyone always talked about his dad.

"Lily was the kindest person that I've ever met. She was there for me during a time when no one else was. She was a very fierce dueler." He then leaned over to whisper in a conspiratorial manner, "I would rather have been hexed by Professor Dumbledore than by her."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise.

"She was fair and very smart. She went on to get her masteries in Charms and Potions."

"She did?" asked Harry.

Remus nodded.

"I never knew that."

"I'll tell you more about them next Thursday at our next lesson."

Harry smiled. Once he got the door he hesitated. "Sir, were you friends with Sirius Black as well?"

Remus froze. "Why would you ask that?"

"I know that he and my dad were friends."

Remus let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. "I was Harry. I thought I knew him well but it appeared that I didn't know him at all. Good night."

Harry recognized the dismissal, bid his goodnight, and headed up to his dorm.

"Sir, we've gone twelve years back," Gralkin told his superior.

"You still haven't located it?"

"No sir."

"Take Senior Apprentice Stanton down to help you look. Now that the holidays are over you can search faster. The alarm is driving me nuts."

Gralkin nodded before leaving to hunt down Stanton.

A/N: Warning, Harry will be powerful, but he won't be super powerful. (He won't be able to just squint and make something explode in other words. :P) He will still have to struggle with certain things as well as deal with other childhood issues. Harry is going to be incredibly smart, but don't worry about him out-doing Hermione ... to an extent anyway. (Evil smirk) And to alleviate some fears, he won't all of a sudden wake up and realize woah, I can take on the world! It will be a slow on going process. (Smile)

A/N: This story will stick mostly to canon of the Prisoner of Azkaban book, and some quotes are from the book directly. However, every once in a while, a scene or two from the movie may sneak in. (All that of course aside from the fact that a lot of scenes from my own mind are sneaking in as well - evil cackle!)

A/N: This chapter made some events happen out of order from the movie and book, but I needed them too. Because of this, in the next chapter, someone's about to get a shock. ;-)