John wasn't sure why he thought extra lessons with Professor Vertstone would be fun right off the bat. His poor teacher spent two hours trying to explain theory to him and he still hadn't gotten a good grasp on it by the end of the lesson. He was tasked with reading The Beginner's Guide to Magical Theory before his lesson next weekend. While it was true the book Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling was one of the books first years were required to purchase, John hadn't made much sense of it at the time and Professor Vertstone determined the beginner's book was more suited to his skill level.

It was horribly embarrassing, of course. The book was thin, with large letters. Its vocabulary also suggested it was for children, and John hated that he still struggled to understand it. He refused to read it in front of any of his friends, save for Allie. John was starting to wonder how on earth he'd managed to pass his first year. He recalled his friends tutoring him more. That was probably it. And all the information left his head during the summer. John huffed, nearly tearing a page as he turned it.

Allie suggested he take notes and John grumbled to himself, pulling parchment out of his bag. He wondered if it would be wrong to bring a notebook and pencil from home. He was fine writing his essays on parchment, but the quill and ink combination was cumbersome when trying to take notes. The two of them were tucked away in the corner of a library, Allie doodling on her parchment instead of doing any actual schoolwork. It was nice.

John made a point not to be in the halls by himself. He hadn't told any of his friends of what was happening with Avery and Mulciber, though he suspected Herbie had an inkling. Professor Vertsone knew of the single incident he prevented of course, and he'd told Professor Slughorn, but John doubted he knew it was a regular thing. He'd stopped by McGonagall's office a few times since their last talk, and determined she didn't know about the incident either. She would have brought it up if she did. They primarily spoke about classes, as John was uncomfortable sharing the details of his personal life. He didn't want to talk about the bullying. He didn't want to talk about his parents. He didn't want to talk about his gender.

After every full moon, the second year Gryffindor boys would go down to the kitchens and get as much chocolate as they could from the house elves before sneaking into the hospital wing while Madam Pomfrey was out. Sometimes John would visit Remus without the others. He suspected Sirius did the same, and it put a nasty feeling in his gut. John was unfortunately very good at getting caught, and he was chased from the wing several times.

Two moons had passed since he started his extra defence lessons, and Professor Vertstone had assigned him a new essay to write or book to read every week. He often found himself falling asleep on one of the armchairs in the common room and waking up the next morning in his bed, not entirely sure who had taken him there. John liked to think it was Remus who carried him up the stairs in his arms and imagining it made his heart flutter, though he knew it was much more likely that one of the boys had used a levitation charm on him.

It was after those two months of extra lessons with him that John realized McGonagall was right; his other classes were easier now. He was still somewhat rubbish at transfiguration, but there was a marked improvement and his work in charms was solidly adequate. His defence lessons were certainly paying off, and John was elated by his progress. The theory actually made sense to him!

They'd even moved on to more practical teachings in his defence lessons. John would never forget the way Professor Vertstone's usual aloof behavior broke when he successfully cast the full body-bind curse on his first try. After dispelling the curse, John feared some form of anger from his teacher, only to be surprised by the large grin on his face. Professor Vertstone gripped him by the shoulders and and shouted 'You did it!' emphatically, a spark in his eyes. His sudden enthusiasm was contagious and both of them couldn't help but laugh. John had only seen such energy from the teacher the times Remus had managed to cast a new spell quickly. It made him ruffle with pride, and somehow the lessons from then on were just a bit more casual.

Unfortunately, his spell-casting was still a bit slow, but at least he could reliably cast most spells. He even managed pull off the full body-bind curse on Avery once, causing him to tumble down the stairs. His reward for that particular bit of magic was a trip to the hospital wing with leeks sprouting from his ears and pus running from his nose, courtesy of Mulciber. Madam Pomfrey tended not to ask questions, and for that he was grateful. He glanced toward the bed Remus always slept in after the full moon. The mediwitch shot him a warning look.

"You'd better not be thinking of bothering him the next time he comes here." She warned, having caught onto his habits and knowing there was no point in pretending Remus didn't have lycanthropy.

"I just want to help him…" John mumbled, rubbing his nose. She'd stopped the spell easily, but he still felt sort of gross. His ears itched. "It's not fair that he has to deal with it every month." Madam Pomfrey sent him a sympathetic look.

"I know it's hard dear, but there's nothing you can really do."

"But I want to help!" John frowned. "Bringing him chocolate and talking to him isn't enough when he's in that much pain."

"I am trying my best, Mister Smith." Madam Pomfrey said. John crossed his arms, frowning.

"You can't heal his cuts and scratches?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"Unfortunately, it's not so simple as that. His wounds are curse wounds. All I can do is clean them and apply the dittany as soon as possible in hopes of leaving as few scars as I can." Madam Pomfrey told him. John sighed.

"What's the point in being a healer if I can't even help my friends?" He asked.

"You can help by being there for them." Madam Pomfrey sighed. "I don't like having people bother my patients, but I can admit it does him some good."

"So you'll let me visit?" John asked, full of hope.

"Yes. But not those other boys. They're rowdy when they're together, and that's the last thing he needs."

Madam Pomfrey patted his shoulder, telling him he was free to go. John scampered off, wondering if that meant Sirius wasn't technically allowed to visit the werewolf in the infirmary. The thought made him feel smug, in a sort of twisted way. He was begrudgingly accepting that he definitely fancied the other boy, but he sort of hated himself for it and he wasn't about to admit it to anybody else. Well, maybe he would tell Allie. He shared everything with her. He'd even told her Remus was a werewolf, which was perhaps something he shouldn't have done, but he hadn't thought about that at the time and she wasn't going around telling anyone anyways. She was surprisingly good at keeping secrets, after all. Six years of them knowing each other had gone by, and she still hadn't let it slip that he was trans.

Time seemed to fly by with everything that was going on. He was kept busy between classes, extra lessons, and friends. Him and McGonagall would share smiles after each Transfiguration class (unless he needed somebody to talk to, in which case he would fail to smile and she would ask after his wellbeing). On Wednesdays, he continued his study sessions with Lily and Remus. After every full moon, Madam Pomfrey would let him in to see Remus without issue. He'd even started asking more questions of magical healing during these visits when Remus was unconscious, and she suggested an easy book on healing spells and potions.

With exams approaching, the various pranks and other such shenanigans died down as everyone focused more on studying. One of the only people not studying was Sirius, but he seemed pretty confident that he didn't need it. John wasn't sure what he spent all his time on, and he could only be glad the other boy didn't disrupt anybody's studying as he himself was busy trying to work through the material the professors said would be on their exams. It was exhausting, but John was satisfied by his understanding.

It was a gruelling week, and John was one of the last ones testing in every subject other than Potions and Herbology. He took the afternoon following his last exam to enjoy the sun, his school robes discarded as he sprawled out on the grass. James was lamenting the lack of quidditch that would be taking place over the summer break. Sirius eagerly spoke of his plans to try out for beater again next year. John kept quiet, wondering if he would be able to make it onto the team. One of the chasers would be graduating… Perhaps he had a chance…? He would try out again. And this time he'd try harder. He wouldn't give up halfway through. He was still ashamed of himself for that. If he could go back in time to slap his past self, he would.

Opening one of his eyes, John observed Remus. There was a soft smile on his scarred face as he listened in on James and Sirius's conversation. For once, he didn't have a book in his hands, and his shabby robes were loose because of the heat. John sighed, and Remus glanced at him. He commended himself for his ability to keep his cool as he smiled and acted as if he hadn't been watching him- of course his eyes had simply been wandering and he happened to zone out while looking at him! Remus smiled back; either John's acting was good or Remus was an oblivious fool. John suspected the latter. He was sure his cheeks were red and he looked away from his friend after a moment.

Peter was giving his input wherever he could in the conversation. He wasn't a remarkable player, but his beady little eyes were trained in watching the players fly about the pitch. It was a nice day; perfect for flying, really. John sat up, nearly asking the others if they wanted to join him in flying, but he decided against it. James would show him up. Sirius would ensure they play a match. He didn't want that at all. On the pitch, he flew in large circles on his Swiftstick, closing his eyes and enjoying the breeze. Not sure where the quaffles were, he just threw pebbles through the hoops. He wished Allie were there. She would've been fun to fly with.

With exams over, everyone chose their electives for the next year and began packing for the summer. John was reluctant in his packing, but got it done on James's insistence. Not that James knew how to pack. The two purebloods were used to a house elf doing everything for them. One may have expected Remus to be helpful in that regard, but Remus was a horrendously messy person and he barely folded his clothes before shoving them in his trunk and hoping it would close. In the end, it was Peter who had to help everyone pack.

They had the day to waste until the end of year feast and boarding the train. John bid them farewell as he put his wand in the chest pocket of his dungaree shorts. In the common room, he bumped into Lily, who asked if he wanted to go say goodbye to the teachers with her. He agreed, not having had a particular plan in place when he said goodbye to his other friends. The two of them chatted as they went to find their Head of House.

Minerva McGonagall was in her office, reclining in her chair and reading a book. There was a pot of tea and a tin of biscuits on the desk in front of her, and John helped himself. She looked up at them and smiled. Lily's farewell was polite and very familiar. John wondered if she'd gone to speak with the professor when she was feeling down. Lily glanced at John, who flushed slightly and looked down at his feet. He fiddled with his fingers.

"I-I just wanted to say thank you." John said, looking at the older woman. "I'm glad you made me talk to you." He smiled, and she smiled back.

"Anytime, Mister Smith. Happy summer."

John swayed on his feet somewhat before darting around her desk to hug her and return her wishes of a happy summer. His cheeks burned and he ran off, barely even giving her enough time to return the embrace. Lily followed him and the two went off to say goodbye to Professor Flitwick. John didn't have much to say to the small man, but Lily was gifted in charms so the two of them had a good relationship. Lily brought up Professor Slughorn, though John didn't care much for the man. They were closer to the Defence classroom than the dungeons, and Lily didn't particularly care for Professor Vertstone beyond believing he was a good teacher, so they parted ways.

The Defence classroom was pristine. Every desk was clean and aligned in perfect rows and columns. None of Professor Vertstone's materials were around the room. It looked as if nobody had ever taught anything there. It was a strange sight. John went to the office, but found that it too was in the same eerily untouched condition. Sounds came from the open door off to the side of the room, and John called out, not wanting to intrude on his professor's sleeping chambers.

"Professor Vertstone?" He waited in front of the desk, hearing the movements still. The tall man stepped out of his room, adjusting his cravat.

"Yes, what is it?" Professor Vertstone asked, looking less put together than was usual for him.

"Er, I was just wishing all my professors a happy summer." He told him. Professor Vertstone stilled, looking at him as if in a different light.

"That's very kind of you." He said. "I'm afraid I will no longer be your professor, however." John blinked.

"Wh- but why?" He asked, eyebrows raising and knitting together. A frown marred his face.

"Well, some say there is a curse on the position." Professor Vertstone said, distant. Then he sighed, looking at John. He thought for a moment. "Besides, it wouldn't be right to expect my fiancé to run his apothecary without any help while I'm off teaching you all." It was true he liked to keep himself at arms distance from his students, as he was their professor and not their friend, but he could admit he was closer to John that most of his other students. Besides, he wasn't his professor any longer, and he deserved to know why he was leaving.

"Fiancé?" John blinked, his mind going blank. Fiancé? His?

"Yes, my fiancé." Professor- no, just Vertstone, leaned on his desk. "He is the apothecary I mentioned back when I first rescued you from those two boys."

"Oh. Right." John stared up at Vertstone. He'd always thought of him as being very old, but he seemed young and full of life now. Perhaps it was a teaching thing. "Er, well I hope the two of you are happy."

"We are, thank you. I'm considering starting a duelling class when I get settled into my new home. If you are interested and willing to travel to Wales, feel free to owl me."

"Thank you, Professor Vertstone." John said, not feeling comfortable with leaving the 'professor' bit off.

"Have a good summer, John."

"You too."

John nodded at him and left. Originally, he had considered visiting Professor Sprout, but the greenhouses were far and while he did excel in Herbology, he didn't have a particularly personal relationship with her. As he wasn't going to speak with Professor Slughorn and he had no reason to seek out any other teachers, he let his feet carry him as his mind was both racing and blank at the same time. It didn't take long to reach Gryffindor tower.

He sat in the common room with some confusion. A lot was on his mind then. He knew he couldn't attend Vertstone's duelling class; he didn't live near Wales. And Vertstone's fiancé was a man? He'd said it so casually, as if it weren't a big deal. John sat on that couch with his mind spinning until it was time to go to the feast. He was quiet during dinner, barely remembering to clap when Ravenclaw won the house cup. His friends shot him worrying glances, but didn't say anything until they were on the train, the soon to be third year Gryffindor boys piled into one compartment.

"Alright mate, what's going on?" James asked, fixing John with a concerned stare.

"Professor Vertstone is getting married to a man." John blurted, then covered his mouth as if he'd said something dirty and wrong.

"So?" Sirius asked, leaning against the window. The train had barely started moving and he watched as they pulled further and further away from Hogwarts. He was gloomy. John would have compared him to a dark cloud that refused to rain.

"That's not- you don't…?" John wasn't sure how to articulate his thoughts.

"We don't what?" James asked, tilting his head. Peter looked at him oddly. Remus sighed and took it upon himself to explain.

"A lot of muggles don't like it when relationships are anything but a man and a woman." He explained. James scrunched up his nose and Peter looked taken aback. "Peter, I thought you were a halfblood?"

"W-well I am, but I'm almost a pureblood." He mumbled.

"Almost a pureblood?" John questioned.

"New Purebloods, or newbloods as some like to call them." Sirius elaborated. "Magic-folk who haven't had muggle blood in their family for four generations. Blood purists like my mum barely treat them better than halfbloods though. It's stupid. Blood is stupid." He spat.

"Oh." John wasn't sure what to do with that information. It wasn't very important to him, and he regretted asking.

"Wait, hold on, are you saying muggles wouldn't like it if a bloke wanted to be with his best mate?" James asked, incredulous as he redirected the conversation to its original subject. "Merlin's beard, why would they care about something as stupid as that?" John started.

"Wizards don't care about that sort of thing?" His eyes were wide. "Really?"

"If they did, I can assure you Professor Dumbledore wouldn't be so influential as he is." Remus chuckled.

John's head was back to spinning. Wizards… didn't care about that sort of thing? Dumbledore was bent? He was starting to wish he'd been born knowing he was a wizard! He let his eyes trail over Remus's face as he laughed even more at James's disbelief, feeling less turmoil inside than he had before. There was nothing wrong with him. Clearly none of his friends would judge him for that sort of thing. The train ride continued and John relaxed. The only unfortunate thing about the ride was Sirius's dread that was about one step away from becoming a physical entity.

"You know what we should do?" James asked.

"What?" Peter responded eagerly.

"Everyone should come over to my place for the summer!" He exclaimed. "My mum and dad let me do whatever- we could play quidditch and stay up all night!"

"What about the moon?" Remus asked, his voice hard to hear over the train engine.

"Er…" James clearly hadn't thought it through completely. "Well, you could go home for that bit maybe?" He suggested. "Or… I don't know. Maybe not the whole summer."

"It might be better for my mum. She's dealing with divorce papers and my dad's already moved out." Peter said.

"I doubt my dear old mother would let me stay." Sirius huffed. "She's an evil bitch." There were scandalized gasps all around the train. "Oh come off it, we're all teenagers."

"I'm actually still twelve." John said. His birthday was in mid-July.

"Well you're just a baby." Sirius retorted. John made an offended noise.

"I bet my parents could get your parents to let you come stay over for the whole summer." James said with confidence. "A lifetime supply of Sleekeazy and the promise to get you out of their hair."

"Wait, your mum and dad made Sleekeazy?" Sirius sounded shocked.

"Of course!" James squawked. "How else would I get my hair to look so nice?"

James ran his fingers through his messy hair and John suspected he'd never used this 'Sleekeazy' in his life. They began joking about how Snivellus should use Sleekeazy. It was a pleasant train ride, and the mood lightened considerably with Sirius's hope to go to the Potter's for the summer. John told James he would ask his parents himself. He didn't want any owls. He didn't want any questions. He may in Gryffindor but he was still terrified of their reaction. Sure, wizards didn't care about gay people, but his parents weren't wizards and he had no idea how they would react if he told them he was trans.

That was why he automatically rushed to say goodbye to his friends on the train and find his parents before they could meet. He needn't have worried. Gerard was there with Victoria and they told him his parents were waiting for him at home. London was a long ways away from their little hometown after all. It was much easier to get there with magic than without, and his parents weren't big fans of the floo from the one time they'd used it to buy his school supplies first year. Allie joined them after a few minutes, and soon they were on their way home for the summer.

Word Count: 3,734

Sorry if you think the rest of year 2 was rushed. I'm aiming for around a 30-chapter length for this fic, so this is supposed to be around the halfway point anyways

My depression is kinda taking over even though I'm up to date with my testosterone shot. I feel like shit honestly and I don't know why and I hate it and my Writing & Rhetoric class is kicking my ass and making me feel worthless

Sorry for the venting, I usually try not to do that too much on here. I love all of you guys and you don't have to review, but that's oftentimes what kicks me back into writing more. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you next time