Disclaimer: No money made. I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 2 - The red letter

The journey home was a silent affair merely interrupted by Harry's attempts of small talk. He was happy that Lily took over the talking once they had collected her from her muggle pre-school. She was full of joy as always and being four years old didn't realise the two others in the car where quieter than normal. Later that day they also collected James and Albus from school and spent a nice day in the park to welcome Teddy home ending with an uneventful dinner at home.

Relieved how smoothly everything went Harry put away the last dishes he had dried while Ginny got James, Albus and Lily off to bed. Teddy was sitting in the living room zapping through the TV.

"Now is as good as ever." Harry mumbled to himself and peeked through the door.

"Teddy may I have a word with you in the kitchen. Oh an please turn the telly off."

Pressing a button on the remote Teddy got up and sat on the chair Harry motioned to.

Harry sat opposite him and started: "So Teddy I guess you know that I have received a couple of letters from Hogwarts this year."

Teddy grunted and rolled his eyes but Harry continued: "I also had numerous talks with you teachers who stated that you won't pass your OWLs if you continue like this. And then yesterday this arrived."

Harry pushed a bright red letter towards his godson. Teddy looked at him indifferent for a second before glancing down at the table.

"Teddy you have failed several of your courses, moreover those you did pass have been poor as well. Your teachers state that it is not your ability but rather your laziness and lack of discipline that result in these poor marks. Now I want to know Teddy, are they correct? Do you have difficulties understanding the lessons or do you simply don't care?" Unwillingly Harry had raised his voice slightly.

Teddy didn't look up, however it wasn't the look he knew from him. He was not, unlike before, ashamed of what he had done, knowing he was wrong. Which was precisely why Harry's favourite form of discipline, the I am disappointed in you card as Ginny called it wouldn't work. He had tried when all this had started, telling Teddy he knew he could do better and that his family including his parents would expect them to try his best.

Teddy had replaced regret and shame with rebellion. "What's it to you anyway? Besides it's no good whining over spilled milk. I failed and knowing why won't change that." Teddy's tone was full of superiority; obviously he tried hard to convince his godfather that he was to cool to bother about this talk.

Harry on the other hand had no intention to play any games. "Well Teddy since I and your Headmistress believe that you are indeed smart and well able to pass your courses, you will be allowed to resit four of your exams. Now we will draw up a revision plan and me, Ginny and Hermione are going to help you the best we can."

Harry had spoken softly but now hardened his voice: " I will make one thing very clear though, you must pass at least three of your resits or you will not be entered into fifth year and Hogwarts does not allow repeats. Therefore failing isn't an option Teddy! I know you can do this, you just have to focus and pull together, understand?"

Teddy looked at him and gritted his teeth: "Yes Harry, understood." Then he rose up from the chair walking up to his room only interrupted for a short moment by his godfather telling him that revision would start the next morning 10am sharp.

Harry sat on his chair exhausted when he heard Ginny entering the kitchen.

She mouthed to him: "I love you."

Harry gave a little smile before he replied: "Ask him I bet he doesn't share the feeling."

Ginny took the chair Teddy had occupied, conjured two glasses and poured some wine into it. Handing it over to her husband she said:"He loves you Harry. Just as much as you love him but he is 15 and wizard or not being a teenager isn't easy."

"I tell you that again after he blows up your house." Harry teased her.

"Our house Mr. Potter and besides, I trust my husband and father of our children to deal with the situation just fine." She smiled at him, and then continued seriously:"What you did tonight was the right thing. Everyone says that what Teddy needs is boundaries and he won't accept them from anyone but you. You're his father figure, not Neville or some teacher. Do you know who Ron was always most afraid of as a child?"

Harry looked at her questioningly and Ginny grinned:" Mum of course, he would have done weeks of detention with Snape to avoid a howler. So don't you feel bad for being strict with him. He knows you love him, just like we never doubted mum loved us. By the way we are to visit them for lunch on Sunday. I received the owl just..." Ginny was abruptly interrupted by a loud noise resembling music.

"What the hell is that?" she shrieked while Harry stood up.

"That is our godson testing our love. I'll go up."

With this Harry walked up the stairs and cast a silencing charm around Teddy's room as to not wake his youngest children. Then he entered the room where Teddy lay on his bed starring at the ceiling. Harry stepped over piles of books and clothes all over the floor but quickly reached the speakers and turned them off.

"Hey – what the fuck!" Teddy looked surprised and in rage at the man in his room. "You could at least knock, you know. Is a bit of privacy too much to ask?"

Harry mustered the young boy whose hair had just changed into a vibrant red. He had the temper of his mother, there was no question.

"I doubt you would have heard it, but yes next time I'll knock."

Harry gave him a small smile and in response Teddy moved himself to stand close to Harry next to the speakers.

"Now if you don't mind, I'd like to listen to my music."

Harry nodded but said:"But you see, I do mind. The smallies are asleep and Ginny and I would like to watch a movie downstairs. I'm a terrible lip reader you know, so why don't you come downstairs and watch something with us or listen to the music over headphones."

Teddy grabbed the IPod from the speakers and slammed himself back on the bed.

"Fine I use headphones. Now do you mind?" he gestured to the door.

Harry made his way back to the door wishing Teddy good night to which unsurprisingly he got no response.

...

The next morning was as hectic as you would imagine in a household raising three small children. Ginny struggled with Lily's fashion taste, while Harry was trying to get Albus to eat some breakfast. He glanced at the clock, twenty past nine, Ginny needed to be at work by ten. Working Saturdays was one of the few disadvantages when working as a sports journalist. At least the kids could go to Ron & Hermione, they hadn't had a play date in a while and it would give Harry time and space to study with Teddy. The boy had failed Defence against the Dark Arts, from all the subjects Teddy failed DaDA. Harry shook his head – at least he was sure he could help him with that problem. He had managed to get a patronus out of Neville, he wouldn't fail on simple protection spells with his godson.

Unfortunately so far Teddy hadn't arrived for breakfast.

"James, will you go up please and wake Teddy for breakfast? Oh and James, you better leave those gifts from Uncle George at home."

Harry pointed to his son's pockets which were bursting with WWW products.

James grinned: "Yes dad."

He was the prankster of the family, following his grand-father's footsteps, and always testing how far he could push it. Harry was sure his oldest son meant many more letters from Hogwarts in the years to come.

15 minutes later Harry had persuaded Albus to at least finish two pieces of buttered toast and some mild. Teddy came downstairs, a bit sleepy but already dressed, he grabbed the leftover toast and started putting jam on it.

From the living room they could hear Ginny saying:"Harry, we are leaving. See you later." Before the four of them stepped into the fireplace.

Harry continued reading the daily prophet and kept glancing over the paper to see his godson stuffing toast down his throat. Now he reminded him very much of Ron.

Two minutes to ten o'clock Teddy had finished his breakfast with a last gulp of tea and addressed Harry:" What do you want me to start with?"

When Harry had told him to get his books for DaDA he went upstairs while his godfather fetched newly bought revision books from his office.

Back at the kitchen table he said: "So you are resiting DaDA, Potions, History and Ancient Runes in four weeks. Now, it's probably best if you focus on subject per day. I got you revision books, so working through two chapters a day should be fine. We start with some spells for DaDA today and then you can work on Potions and History alone on Monday & Tuesday. Hermione is coming over Wednesday to help you with Runes since I really haven't got a clue about that stuff. You're okay with that?"

Teddy shrugged:"Does that mean I get Sundays off?"

Harry sighed:"You know this is for your own good, don't you?"

He didn't wait for a response as he was aware he wouldn't get one. For the remainder of the morning they worked through the theory of protection charms plus simple stunning spells. Harry felt extremely old sitting there all grown up with his godson, who was certainly not keen on this learning session but surprisingly had put in a decent effort so far. Harry had anticipated a struggle to engage him and a lot of back-chatting.

Therefore slightly relieved he had a late lunch with Teddy and then started practising the revised spells with him. As was to be expected it took very little for Teddy to grasp the spells after they had gone over them in the morning. He had always been talented and this just proved that his recent failures were in fact due to laziness and lack of effort. Consequently not even two hours later Harry announced the revision finished for the day and as soon as the words came out of his mouth Teddy had grabbed the books and was up the stairs to his room.

Upstairs Teddy tossed the pile of books on his desk and landed himself on the bed.

"Half a day wasted." He thought to himself. He could understand Harry wanting him to pass the resits, well truth be told he didn't really fancy to be thrown out of Hogwarts either. However studying six days a week for a whole month?

That was more than he had done for any of his end of year exams. Harry had gone mental, absolutely mental – what was he thinking?

Besides it wasn't like he was stupid. He had managed the spells today in no time. Moreover he had only failed those subjects because he refused to do pointless homework. What's more the teachers had turned against him anyway. He had never thought his godfather would join their rant, well he should have known, he was a grown up after all.

"Typical" Teddy groaned and plugged in his earphones.