A/N

Quick reminder, this story will likely follow many canon storylines so please don't read this story if you were expecting something totally original and different to the books. Of course, I will be adding my own spin on things but if that is not something you want to read then I'm happy for you to click away.

Also wanted to add a quick reminder to please give constructive criticism and that no one is forcing you to read my story! I have made a few very minor changes to the previous chapters and taken some of the reviews on board but unfortunately, it is impossible to please everyone.

I will be honest and say that I've found some of the reviews fairly disheartening so I have removed them however, if they were more constructive, they could have stayed.

That being said, thank you to everyone who has left kind reviews! It means a lot :)

I hope you enjoy it and sorry for the long a/n.

Harry awoke to the soft knocking on his door as his guardian called that his breakfast would be on the table in 10 minutes.

After a quiet evening, the night before, Harry had gotten an early night for once to make sure he would be ready to catch the train in the morning.

The teen swung his legs round and hopped out of bed, pulling a jumper over his pyjama's, before heading down the short hall to the kitchen where Lupin was sitting in the seat he always did; a mat placed to the right of him.

"Did you sleep well?" Lupin asked.

He knew that he hadn't had the best of nights sleep due to the apprehension of the term beginning but he hoped that Harry had managed to get a few decent hours; he had gone to bed rather early after all.

"Yeah, I did actually." Harry replied honestly. Despite feeling nervous about the returning to Hogwarts, this time with a parent, and having a nightmare a couple of nights ago, during the fall moon, he had, on the whole, slept well since staying with Lupin.

"Good. Well, you'll be pleased to know that my timetable arrived after you were in bed last night." Lupin informed the teen who had been asking for a few days now to know when he had defence with the man.

Harry took the piece of parchment that the man held out for him, whilst he scanned the planner for when he'd have lessons with the man. "I've got Defence on my first day back." Harry replied excitedly. "What are we going to be studying?"

"Ahh, well that would be telling." Lupin smirked. "You'll have to wait like everyone else to know what I've got planned."

Although Harry felt a little disappointed that man wouldn't share any further information with him, he knew he would find out the following day and therefore didn't exactly have long to wait.

Leaning his chin against his left hand, he pushed his food around his plate as he watched as his guardian stood.

"I'm going to leave this up here, should you ever want to know what lesson I am in." Remus stated as he charmed the parchment to stick to the wall just above the kitchen worktop.

Sitting back down, the man noticed Harry seemed a little off.

"Everything okay this morning?"

"What - oh," Harry paused as he gathered his thoughts. "I guess I'm just a little nervous."

"You and me both." Lupin replied with a smirk. "Anything in particular?"

"I think, maybe, I'm just worried how people will react knowing I have a parent at school. I don't want people to treat me differently I suppose."

"I am sure they will treat you just the same Harry. And, if it's any consolation I don't intend to watch you like a hawk. Nor will I treat you any differently to any other student."

"Even if I get in trouble?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Well, unless a professor feels the need to notify me of any misbehaviour, I don't believe I will need to interfere. I'm not going to get angry over a couple of detentions Harry."

"No, I know." Harry reassured.

"Having a parent at school may feel slightly unfair at times but it will also have its advantages; you'll see." Lupin replied kindly before moving to stand. "Well, we've got around an hour before we leave for London so why don't you finish your breakfast and get dressed, then we can make sure you've got everything ready for later."

Harry nodded as he continued to eat his breakfast before washing it down with a glass of orange juice. He stood up from the table, tucking his chair under and headed back to his room where he quickly changed into some muggle clothes so that they won't stand out at King's Cross station.

The final hour at Hogwarts passed quickly and, before Harry knew it, he was standing beside his guardian, mentally preparing himself to use the floo. After all these years, it still made him feel sick.

"Remember to say is King's Cross station. You will arrive in a small waiting room and wait for me there, okay." Lupin instructed as he struggled to suppress a chuckle at the teen's miserable facial expression.

"Okay," Harry replied, anxiety laced into his voice.

Lupin watched as the teen stepped into the fireplace and spoke his destination clearly. The professor quickly followed suit.

Harry stepped out of the fireplace, feeling proud that he'd managed to reach the correct place this time and didn't feel half as ill as he had done on previous occasions. Harry waited for a mere 10 seconds before his guardian appeared through the same fireplace. The teen followed the man as he walked out of the waiting room, heading for the barrier.

Harry took in the familiar setting as it set in that he was about to see his best friends for the first time in a long while. Unable to contain his excitement for a minute longer, he turned to look at Lupin who gestured for Harry to go through the barrier.

Remus watched as his teen almost ran through the barrier clearly very eager about the year ahead; a feeling the man remembered all too well and one he wished he was also experiencing. Letting a family go ahead of him, Remus followed the teen through the barrier where he was greeted by the Hogwarts express, waiting for the students to all take their seats.

Lupin quickly scanned the platform for Harry and his friends as his eyes were drawn to the family of redheads.

Harry had already got into lengthy conversation with his friends about their summers and Harry had taken time to admire Hermione's new ginger cat called Crookshanks. The teen looked over to see his guardian approaching and quickly realised that the man would need introducing to everyone.

"Hello Remus." Molly Weasley called over the hustle and bustle of the platform. "It is lovely to see you again."

"As it is you." Remus replied, "Arthur," he shook Ron's father's hand and nodded.

"Shame the boys couldn't see each other this summer," Molly replied, tapping Harry's shoulder lightly with a slight frown on her face.

Harry bit the inside of his lip and hoped Remus wouldn't make too much of a fuss about it.

"Yes, it was, wasn't it. But – unfortunately needs must." Remus replied, sensing Harry's anxiety as the boy shifted from one foot to the other.

"Well boys, are you ready for another year?" Arthur spoke, looking at the two boys.

Harry and Ron both nodded their heads but grinned at one another all the same.

Harry's attention quickly shifted from the adults' conversation as he heard the train's engine begin to roar.

He said a very quick goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley and was about to follow his friends onto the train before he heard his guardian call him to wait a moment.

Harry hung back and told his friends that he would meet them in a compartment as he watched the man walk over from his conversation with Ron's parents.

"I thought you said that you weren't going to sit with us?" Harry questioned as that was the only justified reason, he could think that his guardian had pulled him back.

"I never said I was going to sit with you, did I?" The man smirked as he watched the confusion in the boy's face increase. "I just wanted to let you know that I will be sitting in the first compartment from the driver in case you needed me, although I am sure you will not."

"Oh, okay."

"And here's some money and a little bit more for you to buy some food from the trolly; be sure to share some with your friends."

Harry knew in that moment which friend Remus was talking about and gave the man a smile. "I will" he replied as he pocketed the coins before turning to get on the train.

Lupin reached out to ruffle the boys hair, "I will see you in a few hours cub."

Harry waved at the man before turning around and smiling to himself at the man's use of the nickname.

"Oh, and Harry, tell Ron that his mother will send his pet rat by owl as soon as she can."

Harry turned back and reassured his guardian that he'd let Ron know. He was sure Ron would forget his head if it wasn't screwed on.

They were around halfway into their journey and Harry was sure he'd bought almost a quarter of the trolleys stock in sweets for himself and his friends.

Harry was quick to let Ron know that he'd forgotten his rat as the redhead couldn't believe his own stupidity. Hermione suggested that they had to keep Scabbers and her cat, Crookshanks, apart if they were to avoid an accident.

The pair almost broke into an argument before Harry decided to change the subject and let them know what he'd overheard the other evening.

"So why has Dumbledore allowed them to put dementors at Hogwarts?" Ron questioned as Harry finished.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Harry replied honestly. He had yet to see the dementors since staying at Hogwarts as they had stayed far away from the castle, only patrolling the very outer grounds.

"Well, it's obviously to prove that the school is doing something to prevent Sirius Black from getting into Hogwarts." Hermione replied.

"We knew that Hermione." Ron answered shortly.

"I suppose they have to, now that he has been spotted in Hogsmeade." Harry stated.

"What?" Ron and Hermione responded almost in unison.

"Sirius Black was spotted in Hogsmeade. It was published in the Daily Prophet the other week, wasn't it?" Harry replied.

"No, it wasn't mate. Mum's kept all the newspapers since we won the lotto. They never mentioned that."

"Why isn't the Ministry reporting new sightings of him?" Harry questioned, not expected either of his friends to come up with an answer.

"It'll be because the Ministry doesn't want to scare parents into not sending their children back to Hogwarts; information like that would create quite a stir." Hermione replied.

"How do you always know everything?" Ron replied in his usual tone which Harry recognised as when the pair were about to start arguing.

Hermione went to open her mouth to reply when the train came to an abrupt halt and the lights flickered before turning off; plunging the carriage into darkness.

"Why are we stopping," Harry replied as he heard the compartment door swing open.

"Ron -" A panicked voice called, "Ron, are you in here."

Harry instantly noticed the voice as Ron's only sister Ginny. Ron seemed to notice too as he replied that he was and let the twelve-year-old sit next to him in the compartment.

The four sat in silence whilst they waited for the lights to return. Hermione pointed out that outside had turned icy, despite it being a warm September day.

"What do you think is happen-" Harry started before a black, hooded-like creature wrapped its bony fingers around the compartment door and started around. Harry instantly knew in that moment; the creature was a dementor.

Harry instantly felt all the happiness he had ever felt leave his body and began to feel as though he had been submerged into sub-zero temperatures. He watched the creature closely as it approached him.

The last thing Harry remembered was the compartment being immediately lit up and seeing his guardians face, thick with worry. He watched as the man cast a silver light spell, before Harry was plunged into darkness for the second time that day; but not before hearing a woman scream.

"You assured me that he would be safe. That the dementors were not to come anywhere close to the students."

"I can assure you that I had no warning that the dementors were to be searching the train. I am just as angry as you are Remus."

Harry lay on the bed in the hospital wing that he had spent a considerable amount of time in during his first two years at the school. He felt disappointment rise in him as he realised that he would have missed the sorting for the second year in a row, as well as the feast.

The disappointment, however, was rapidly replaced with embarrassment as the teen realised he had fainted in front of a compartment full of people.

"We will discuss this more later; for now, my attention remains with Harry."

"Of course Remus, I will send for you to meet in my office later."

Harry instantly closed his eyes and rolled over to one side as though to pretend he had been asleep the entire time; he had already gotten in trouble for eavesdropping once recently and had no desire to do so again.

Remus walked back over to the bed, covered by the curtains to offer some privacy to the young teen. Harry had been out for well over a couple of hours now and with every passing minute, his worry only increased.

He pushed the curtains aside and saw that the teen, who hadn't moved in hours, was now rolled on his side; Lupin noted that it was likely the teen had finally come back round.

"Good evening cub." Remus spoke softly as he took a seat in the chair next to the boys bed but not before lightly rubbing the boy's arm.

Harry cringed slightly as the man spoke but noted that there wasn't even a trace of anger in his guardians voice.

Harry rolled over to face the man before slowly opening his eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, just a bit tired I guess."

"I'm not surprised, you took quite the knock to your head." Remus admitted as his hand lightly traced the bruise that was forming above his left eye.

Harry hadn't even noticed that he had injured his head until the man mentioned. "Did anyone else pass out?"

"No - but no one else was targeted by the dementor like you were." Lupin spoke kindly as he realised that Harry's cheeks were flushing red; likely due to embarrassment.

"Who screamed then?"

"No one screamed Harry." Lupin replied as concern grew in his face once more.

"Well, before I fainted I heard a woman's scream. I thought it was Hermione or Ginny?"

"No, both of them are completely fine; a little shaken up but well nevertheless."

"Oh" Harry replied quietly.

"Before you ask, no one is sure why the dementor targeted you. I will be meeting with Professor Dumbledore tonight to get to the bottom of this. I will not have those foul creatures ruin your year at Hogwarts."

Harry offered a soft smile in return but still felt rather sorry for himself.

"Here, eat some chocolate. It will make you feel better." Remus offered as he dug a chocolate frog out from the pocket of his cardigan.

Harry took the frog from his guardian and took the tiniest of bites out of it. He never had an appetite at the best of times.

"I'm going to speak to Madame Propfrey about getting you out of here in the next hour or so." The man stood, "Aside from feeling tired, is there anything else that hurts or making you feel unwell?"

"No, I feel fine. I promise."

Lupin held the teens gaze for a second longer before deciding that he was telling the truth and went to speak with the mediwitch.

After being forced to eat some sort of dinner before he could be released from the hospital wing and under strict instructions to let his guardian know, should he feel ill, Harry hurried up to the Gryffindor Tower, hoping that he hadn't missed too much of the start of term celebrations. Luckily it had only just gone nine o'clock in the evening and the common room was still as lively as ever.

Harry barely had a chance to make it through the door before Hermione came running up to Harry, smothering him with a hug.

"Harry! I'm so glad you are okay. Professor Lupin was so angry at the dementors that he almost yelled at Professor Dumbledore outside the Great Hall. It was horrible seeing you like that!"

Harry smirked at Hermione who had basically just spilled her feelings out in one breath.

"I told you he'd be fine didn't I, you nutter." Ron replied, "Mental - girls aren't they." The redhead smirked at Harry

"It's perfectly fine to worry about your friends Ron; it's called having compassion." Hermione snapped back.

"Well, thank you for your concern, Hermione but I promise, I'm fine." Harry replied. "I think I might have an early night actually."

"Not even one round of chess?" Ron asked, his disappointment almost visible.

"Maybe tomorrow night?"

"Sure." Ron answered as he and Hermione took a seat on the small round table by the window.

Harry walked up the spiral staircase that led to his dormitory, feeling thankful that he'd already organised his things earlier.

He quickly changed into his pajamas before slipping himself under the covers and taking the small dose of dreamless sleep that Lupin had been insistent on him taking if he was to be allowed to sleep in the tower that evening.

The teen barely had a moment to dwell on the days events before he slipped into a deep sleep, despite sleeping half the day away.

Lupin started at the mug of hot chocolate that had now since grown cold.

He had just arrived back from a meeting with Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape which ended with a heated discussion about the necessity of the dementors at Hogwarts.

Lupin was a calm man but where Harry was concerned, his protective wolffish traits emerged. His topmost priority was the child and he wasn't about to start gambling his safety from something that was supposedly there to protect the students.

The man remembered feeling angrier than he had ever felt in a long time at the Headmaster who insisted that the dementors were out of his control.

Remus demanded that the Professor spoke to the Ministry about the dementors limits and boundaries; to his surprise Severus Snape actually agreed with him.

He recalled the meeting concluding on the promise that Professor Dumbledore would contact the ministry and demand that the dementors knew their limits; the headmaster also promised that in the next coming days, the wards around the castle would be strengthened further.

Still feeling uneasy but at least thankful for the man's promises, Lupin bid the others goodnight as he left them to further discuss Hogwarts matters.

After all of that, he had made himself a warm drink to calm the tension that he felt as he let the drink go cold without taking a single sip.

The man finally concluded that sitting, staring at the floor was doing no help to anyone. He walked over to the kitchen where he poured the cold drink down the sink and headed to his office where he decided to work on planning some more lessons.

He managed plan for lessons for the next two or three weeks for each year and noticed a slight lift in his confidence when it came to teaching. None of his planned lessons were particularly difficult for him and he put that down to being thrown in at the deep end during the first wizarding war.

The man closed his planner and leaned back on his chair, lacing his fingers between one another. Time had flown by, and it was steadily approaching one in the morning; thankfully the man was a night owl.

His attention was drawn to one of the draws in his desk as he muttered a quick unlocking spell which revealed the contents. He rummaged around the draw for only a moment before pulling out an item that, to the ordinary eye, would like an old piece of parchment. Lupin knew it possessed much better qualities.

The Marauders map was something that had quickly taken over his last few years at the school but also something the man believed he was most proud of. It showed every person in the school and their whereabouts along with all the secret passageways that the castle contained. He was almost positive that himself and his friends were the only ones who knew of every single passageway and where it led.

He glanced up to Gryffindor Tower where there was a little dot labelled 'Harry Potter' in the dormitory. The man breathed a sigh of relief as he realised that the teen had obeyed his instructions to get an early night. He was safe and thankfully unharmed by today's experience.

Dumbledore was pacing in his office, as usual and was still accompanied by Professor McGonagall and Severus Snape. Remus was thankful that he did not have to stay long at the meeting as he was growing rather tired.

He closed the map by saying 'Mischief Managed' and retuned it back to the draw he'd retreated it from only moments ago before locking it with a swift flick of his wand.

The defence professor stood from the desk and closed the curtains on his office, realising that he'd left the key to the draw on a nail behind one of the curtains. The man lifted the key off and pocketed it before heading to his own room and taking a calming drought to force himself to relax.

Harry was fine and safe, Lupin kept reminding himself and for now, that was all that mattered to him.