Disclaimer: As always we'll own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in.

Important Note: To my regular readers there will be no updates next week as I will be on holidays. 'The World of Harry Potter' in Orlando, Florida, here I come! Happy and Merry to you all!

Babysitting Bonds

Now that Albus and Scorpius knew that their parents weren't upset about them dating, and that Callendar wasn't likely to cause them any more problems any time soon, the two teens thought it safe to breathe a sigh of relief and relax a little. How wrong they were. For unbeknownst to them a couple of Saturdays after Draco's visit, their Transfiguration teacher, who'd left the school for the weekend to attend his sister's birthday party, got involved in a family 'argument' that had ended with a number of his relatives and himself being doomed to visit St. Mungos for various lengths of time. Professor Butterman would not be back for a week and a half and a substitute had been called in to cover his classes while he recovered from being turned into a chicken man who could only cluck in indignation at his present circumstances.

So on Monday morning everyone was introduced to Professor Olive Adler, a former teacher at Beauxbatons who had recently retired but had agreed to come and fill in as she was a third cousin of the Headmaster. And since their headmaster was a fairly easy going and reasonable man the family connection, and the fact that she seemed like a perfectly nice person when introduced to the students, lulled them into a false sense of security and meant that her first students to enter her classroom had no idea that they were the figurative lambs to the slaughter.

The news would spread quickly after that class, students whispering to themselves that this teacher had to be even worse than Professor Severus Snape, who'd they'd grown up hearing their parents complain about and had used against them every time they'd dared to suggest that any of their own teachers was too hard on them. And while the students were willing to agree that Professor Adler wasn't as evil as the now infamous Professor Dolores Umbridge or the Carrows, they were still convinced that all their happiness and fun for the next week and a half were being sucked out of them like Adler was a Dementor in disguise.

Professor Adler wasn't snarky, biased, or just plain nasty the way Professor Snape was said to have been, and she didn't have the evil perkiness slash sadistic nature that had marked Umbridge's reign of terror during her year at Hogwarts decades ago. No, the problem with the new Transfiguration teacher was that she considered all her students horribly behind with gaps in their knowledge that stunned and then challenged her to do her very best to bring them all up to the level of competence she thought they should have. In a week and a half.

Even Rose and Hugo Weasley, who were known to do a bare minimum of three times what their teacher had asked of them, were stunned at the workload that was dumped on them with a gleam in their teacher's eye that said she was a woman on a mission.

Now normally the students would have said to hell with it and done half arsed jobs of the homework and that would have been that until Butterman came back. But their opponent was far too canny for that, the woman more than willing to stoop to blackmail if that's what it took to get her new students in shape. There wasn't much beyond detentions she could do to the first and second years, but for third years and up she had a weapon at her disposal that would have had said students applauding her cunning if she wasn't making their lives a living hell.

Hogsmeade

The last scheduled trip there before Christmas was that coming weekend and if they didn't have all their homework turned in from that week, with what she'd already graded appearing to be satisfactory at the very least, she would have her brother revoke their permission to visit the little village before Christmas holidays.

After the horrified silence that had greeted that announcement the students had tried to appeal, both to their new teacher and the headmaster, but to no avail, the students knowing that even if they sent letters home demanding that their parents intervene on their behalf said parents wouldn't be able to do anything in time to save their visit. They were stuck.

Many of the other teachers took pity on their students, arranging things to lighten the homework they would have normally given the students that week, but they too had students to teach and information that needed to be passed on and studied, particularly for those who would face OWLS or NEWTS at the end of the year.

It was whispered that the day after the announcement Fred Weasley had come to Hogwarts to try and charm Professor Adler into lightening the load and showing her students some mercy. A little of it had been concern for his poor cousins, but the majority of the students gossiped that they'd heard that the former Gryffindor had convinced Gabrielle Goyle to go on a date with him during her visit to Hogsmeade, and she had sent him a letter telling him she might have to cancel because of the homework problem. Needless to say the older man's charm had fallen flat, with Adler rumored to have spent a good half an hour or more lecturing him about how selfish he was to care more about his own needs than the educational wellbeing of his cousins and female love interest.

It was also rumored that the new teacher had pulled Gabrielle aside after her meeting with Fred to lecture the girl about how she should only be dating boys her own age and how bad an influence this Fred Weasley would be to her future.

So the students of Hogwarts were stuck…with little course but to work as they had never worked before.

)

Desperate times called for desperate measures, and it was decided among a group of friends that they would have to band together and break a few school rules if they were to survive Adler's reign of homework hell. So after they were supposed to be tucked up in their respective dormitories Wednesday and Thursday night it was decided that the various students from all four houses would meet in the Room of Requirement and help each other out with their homework as a group. All the Potter and Weasleys were going to be there, as was the Scamanders, Frankie, Magda, Scorpius, Gabrielle, and about ten others who were close friends with the originally invited and had begged to be included, some literally on their knees.

Naturally Phoenix had to be brought too, he couldn't be left behind, but thankfully they had a babysitter in Davey, who had always been crap at Transfiguration and had dropped the class as soon as he was allowed to. A choice he had rubbed into the faces of numerous people the first day after the homework bomb had been dropped, before going silent on the subject out of fear for his life. Even his own girlfriend had turned on him.

And so while the others got into groups to write out their answers or practice the wand work they were supposed to demonstrate at the end of the school week, Davey took Phoenix off into a small room the Muggleborn had asked the Room of Requirement to create for him.

Necessary, Davey explained, because it would be soundproofed and would allow him and Phoenix to make as much noise as they wanted without bothering them. Scorpius was obviously not thrilled with this turn of events, he had no idea how qualified a caregiver the other teenager was and had thought he could keep an eye on them, but Albus managed to convince him and the two settled down to work with the others.

Davey felt Scorpius's eyes drilling into his back every step of the way to the special room.

Phoenix toddled off with Davey willingly enough, he'd know if his parents got too far away from him, and when he saw the very familiar machine that had been set up in the room already the toddler bounced in place in obvious glee.

Pleased with the response Davey crouched down beside the little boy so that they were closer to eye level.

"So you might be wondering what you and I are going to be getting up to over the next couple of nights, my little friend, and the answer is music. Music is the greatest thing ever, and I am going to install a knowledgeable and deep love of it in you. I tried this with my brother, I will admit, but the little cretin has horrible taste in music and I think I waited way too long to take him under my wing musically. His fault really, for being such an annoying git when we were younger. Anyway…that's the past and tonight I begin anew."

Cocking his head to the side Phoenix had no idea what his mummy's best friend was saying, but the man's colors were so very happy that he smiled anyway.

Taking that as confirmation that Phoenix was onboard with the plan Davey gave him a big thumbs up. "Excellent enthusiasm. Good boy." Grinning Davey motioned towards the record player and then turned his attention to rooting around in the book bag he'd brought with him. "So we're going to start with the classics, the old stuff that most people dismiss today because they've been exposed to their generation's crap and don't know what real music is." Pulling out six record albums to start with Davey showed each cover in turn. "The first Beatles album, we'll work out way through their stuff gradually and you too shall worship them, Elvis Presley, aka The King, Johnny Cash, The Temptations and The Supremes. To start with. We'll get to Queen, The Boss and Jackson eventually, don't worry."

"Ogay." Seemed the most appropriate answer to Phoenix, the boy then pointing to the machine in a decidedly commanding way. "Pay music."

"Time for the music." Davey agreed as he went over and put the first record on, music soon filling the space with the sound of The Man in Black.

As the distinctive bass-baritone voice filled the room Phoenix's eyes got wider and wider, the boy sitting down on his bum with a look of complete and total absorption. This wasn't like the music he'd heard before, and it utterly captivated him as he started to move with the beat without thinking, his mind absorbing and recording the new words and sounds like a sponge soaked up water.

Taking a seat beside the toddler Davey patted Phoenix's shoulder. "I know, I know."

"Shhh." Was the toddler's response, and all he said for quite a while as he lost himself in the music.

)

His hand was going to fall right off, Albus decided as he flexed his fingers for what felt like the billionth time since he'd picked up his quill. And while intellectually he knew that his parents and friends had had some far worse teachers in their day, Umbridge and the Carrows coming to mind, Albus knew without a doubt in his mind that someday he'd be telling Phoenix all about Adler when the boy complained in a letter home from Hogwarts that a teacher of his was being too strict or expecting too much of him. Of course Phoenix might never have that problem, Albus reasoned, since the boy could wrap pretty much everyone around his little finger.

"Wait a-why didn't I think of that?" Albus wondered, dropping his quill back into the inkwell. "Scorpius, we should sic Phoenix on Adler! She'd have to crack then."

"We can't. We promised the Headmaster and the Board that we wouldn't use Phoenix as an excuse for avoiding our academic duties." Scorpius reminded him without looking up from his parchment. "Besides, if we got out of this because of Phoenix and the others didn't, they'd start a mob and come after us the way they almost did with Davey and all the others stupid enough to brag about not having Alder."

Not taking offense at all, she was in perfect agreement, Magda nodded her head and then asked for someone to read over her last paragraph. Her brain was so fried she didn't trust her own judgment anymore.

As she was far ahead of the others, naturally, Rose offered to proofread for her, Magda blowing her a kiss and promising her undying devotion in thanks.

"Remind me again why I can't commandeer some plants from my dad's greenhouses and slip her something that will put her out for the week. Between Scorpius and I we could manage it."

Looking over at Frankie Scorpius again said no. He was not risking having a criminal record if something went wrong. And he was a Malfoy, he reminded the Gryffindors. Things always went wrong.

"Okay, fine, Rosie and I."

"Suck it up, Frankie. Looks good, Mags, though we should be calling it a night soon or we won't be conscious for tomorrow's classes."

While the others discussed when they should pack it in Flint gave Frankie an evaluating look from his small group of fifth and sixth years. "Knocking out a teacher…how very un-Gryffindor of you."

"Who wouldn't enjoy a week of uninterrupted sleep?" Frankie countered as he turned around to face the other teenager, too close to his mental breaking point to care that his morals were being questioned by a Slytherin of all people. "And she started it."

Lips twitching at the childishness of that statement Flint's next words were cut off as it was loudly announced by Rose that she and Hugo were now leaving because they both had no intention of falling asleep in The Room or along the way back to their dormitories. She strongly suggested everyone do the same before they keeled over and possibly spilled ink or caffeinated substances all over each other's homework.

Countless groans, colorful language, and bones cracking followed as the rest got to their feet and stretched out before starting to put away their stuff, happy to stop but well aware that there was so much more to come.

Once all his stuff was back in his bag Flint walked over to Scorpius and briefly tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. "Thanks again for inviting me. I'll see that Gabrielle gets back to our dorm safely." It was the least he could do after all.

Grateful Scorpius waved off the thanks and wished Flint luck in waking up on time tomorrow. They were all going to need it.

Overhearing Gabrielle would have normally pointed out that she was more than capable of getting back to the Slytherin dormitories by herself, but she was almost asleep on her feet and knew from her brief dance with him that Flint was strong enough to carry her if need be. So she simply wished those she liked in the room a good night and then motioned for her fellow Slytherin to lead the way out.

Together Albus, Scorpius and Magda headed for the small room Davey had created to pick up their charges, opening the door to find the two passed out, Phoenix on a large pillow and Davey just on the floor while the record player continued to spin the record it had finished playing a while ago.

Knowing how her man felt about his records Magda headed over to retrieve it and return it to its sleeve, packing them all away in Davey's bag while Scorpius picked up Scorpius, since Albus had already commandeered both their book bags since the satchels were so loaded down one weighed more than their son.

Soon enough they had Davey up and on his feet, the teenagers amused by the fact that the Gryffindor's first question was if his records were all right, followed by the fact that Phoenix was going to be a music prodigy.

"Good to know." Helping Magda all but drag Davey out of the room, no easy task, the group of them heading out with Frankie taking over with the Davey carrying since he was going in the same direction, unlike the Malfoy/Potter family.

Staying together for as long as possible, there was little chance they'd encounter any teacher or Filch at this late an hour, the students kept talking to keep themselves awake, though they kept their voices down for Phoenix's sake. Finally they had to split up, all looking like they were headed for the guillotine when they mentioned the fact that they'd see them tomorrow in the Room, if not sooner.

Once on their own Albus and Scorpius did very little talking, getting back to their rooms with a single-minded focus that got them to their destination just before they'd reach the point where they might have said to hell with it and camped out on the floor.

As soon as they were through the door Albus dumped both bags off to the side with a groan of relief that was almost orgasmic, Scorpius too tired to appreciate it as he stumbled along the short hallway and then into his son's bedroom, tucking Phoenix in absently without a thought to putting the boy in pajamas.

Neither teen gave a whit about their own clothing either, both flopping down onto Albus's bed for a couple minutes before working up enough strength and fortitude to crawl under the covers, never mind that they were still wearing their school uniforms, socks and shoes. Thankfully Scorpius remembered to set Albus's alarm, there was no way either of them was waking up naturally tomorrow, and that done shifted over so that he could snuggle up against Albus for the added warmth and comfort.

Using his last ounce of strength to throw an arm around Scorpius's waist as he passed out, Albus's good night was slurred and hardly understandable.

Scorpius was already asleep.