Know it's been a minute for this fanfic but I had been debating how to continue from here and it's extremely difficult doing two Harry potter fan fics at the same time like this and keeping it straight. I'm considering doing another type of fanfic to try and shift it up for me so I don't bury myself in a lost of interest.

It was official. Monday was the best of all the school days comparingly with the rest of the week. Tuesday they had both another Charms and Herbology lesson before lunch then there was the class he was most excited for due to his father talking about it Defense Against the Dark Arts! And his expectations were set so high that when Professor Quirell could barely get through the first day introductions it had set him into a saddened state but maybe, just maybe this was all first day jitters… or so our young protagonist hoped.

Wednesday was double history, which he expected to draw out but his father had been too right when he stated.

"The class has not changed since I was a child, even Tonks admits it." How… Disheartening. If Hermione didn't nudge him about a half hour into class he swore he would have fallen asleep.

"Sorry…" He whispered to her.

"It's fine, I understand what you're feeling but just follow along in the book and take notes of the important things."

"Muggle study style?"

"Muggle study style." She replied with a smirk. In more ways than one Hermione continued to prove that the pureblood way wasn't always the right way to go about the situation. Studying was one of them. She had told Harry how her parents were very particular about some things, although they didn't overshadow her completely, it was clear that their influence in this field was nothing but for the betterment of their daughter. It had gotten to the point that Sus, Nev, and Harry had simply started referring to it with her as Muggle Study Style.

After lunch they headed to their second Defense class which truly reinforced how much of a disappointment the class would be as they had no practicals and the cursed smell of garlic seemed to throw everyone off their enjoyment even more as others were exiting with the same mindset as they had.

"How in the name of the Bloody Baron did that guy get the job?" Harry groaned out as the three Gryffindors walked together.

"Admittingly, I was hoping that the first class was simply a misstep considering I heard he had just come back from a journey abroad." Hermione attempted to defend the professor slightly. "Even I have to admit though that He's in no position to improve our education as any professor should."

Neville nodded along before he snapped his fingers. "Do you think we could get McGonagall to get someone to get together a study group of sorts for the school?" That froze his friends in their shoes as they looked at each other then back to Neville. "Or not! I mean it's just a stupid idea that i thought of out of no-"

"Neville!" Their voices intertwined together as they stopped him from scolding himself. "That's actually an excellent idea!" Hermione finished by herself.

"Maybe we can get a list of people throughout the years who are having similar issues, along with other houses to come forward about it. If enough of us are saying that something's wrong including our upper years then they'd have to listen right?" Harry looked between them.

"Alright who are you and what did you do with Harry?"

"Sod off." The three laughed together as they realized what their plan together meant and nodded to each other to get it done. Hermione spoke that she'd go through Parvati to talk to Padme in Ravenclaw about spreading the word since Hermione was arguably a Ravenclaw in disguise. Harry volunteered to take Gryffindor, and Neville stated they should let Susan know so she could work through Hufflepuff but he also pointed out something else.

"I wanna talk to some people in Slytherin too." Neville sighed.

"Really? They haven't been too kind to you or us Nev." Harry raised his eyebrow to his comment.

"True but there are a few I grew up knowing. Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis being two of them." Neville looked up. "It'd also help in our push for this if all four houses are having this issue instead of looking like the three are ganging up on the other." Harry sighed as he relented that Neville had a point. Not to mention McGonagall probably wouldn't allow a group like this unless it was all inclusive.

"Put a pin in it for now and we'll bring it up after next week's classes if nothing's changed?" Harry asked for a compromise as he saw the hesitation still on Hermione. "If nothing has changed we'll go directly to her after classes. "

As they agreed they proceeded along with their day and the week carried on as it did till Friday came. Something Harry was all but excited for. Potions class. His father had told him a bit of the schoolyard rivalry that he himself had with Severus Snape and had only stopped due to Harry's mother's allegiance to her first friend. He was under no grand illusion that Severus would not bite at the chance to take him down. Especially from how he heard Snape already favored Slytherin over every other house.

Which if Harry believed in cosmic irony would explain how they had potions, the only class with slytherin mind you, he'd probably start wearing a lucky horseshoe or something.

"God it's so cold down here…" Hermione shivered as she pulled her cloak tighter around her.

"It's the lake. The dungeons are so close to the lake that they provide a natural cooling. Perfect for keeping ingredients good." Neville explained as he ran his arms up and down his own.

"If it's like this now imagine when it's heavily winter." Harry commented, electing a groan from everyone around them before they were let in.

The room was filled with ingredients lining the walls and the cauldrons along the tables. If Harry didn't know this was a class room he'd swear this was a torture chamber. They all began to take their seats right as a door opened and the man with the swaying cloak marched himself to the front of the class stopping only to glance down at the students.

"You are here…to learn the subtlety behind the science and art of potion making." His voice was like a whisper yet captivating nonetheless. " Fue to its lack of foolish wand waving many of you will consider this ... .lesser if not no magic at all. I don't expect you to understand how a simmering cauldron, the shimmering fumes, and the delicate power that can swim through human veins are beautiful. Nonetheless I shall teach you how to bewitch minds, and ensnare senses. You can bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper to death itself."

The class started intrigued before his eyes swiftly and with the pinpoint accuracy of an archer landed on his target.

"Potter!" Harry looked at him in attention. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Harry racked his brain as he recalled everything he had from his first year book and the lessons his father prepared for him at home as he saw Hermione's hand jump up. Inwardly he glared, did she not think him capable of an answer that was directed at him? Then it hit him something Snape had said. A stopper to death itself. But in the opposite way.

"I believe they are used in the Draught of Living Death."

Snape blinked in surprise expecting the young boy to get it. "Hmmm…indeed. Malfoy! Where can you find a Bezoar?"

"In the stomach of a goat!"

"And what does it do?"

"Saves you from most poisons."

"Excellent Ten points to Slytherin."

Harry knew it was a tempt to see who from Gryffindor would argue against it…..and unfortunately someone did.

"What about Harry's points?"

"Ten points from Gryffindor Weasley for telling me how to run my class." Snape eyed him a bit longer before flicking his wand. "Copy what's on the board and pair off". The class that day focused primarily on that of a simple cure for boils as Snape swept across the room watching the students work waiting for disaster. He paused only once as he saw Harry and Neville working together to cut some ingredients that would have kept moving otherwise since neither was used to them at this point.

At the end very few mistakes happened and Snape paused to call. "Potter, stay behind!" He watched as the young lad made his way to the table. " I am so far intrigued by your skill in potions. I expect similar if not higher work in the future. Am. I. Clear?"

It was formed as a question but it sent a shiver down Harry's spine as he knew this wasn't a man to mess with and he nodded. "Yes sir. "

"Good…now begone."

Maybe this class wasn't gonna be that bad….well better than DA and History at least but that wasn't too hard"

James let a chuckle escape his mouth as he sat the mirror down. Harry had just called his father to inform him how his first week had gone with everything and James had to admit he was happy his son's first week was special and so far sounded fun. He tapped his chin at a few things that were brought up however. History of Magic had not changed since their days and from what his father had told him even then meaning the class was at least three or four generations behind in the information and alot had changed in their world.

Not to mention what he'd been told about Defense class so far. He expected better from Hogwarts and after a moment's deliberation agreed with his son's thoughts to wait at least a week. If it was still the same he'd send his son some things that would help him with class. He sighed as he reached a hand up and rubbed his masked face, stopping for a moment at the feel of the cold metal against his fingers. He slowly ran his hand along the edge of it and debated taking it off for just a moment to let his injury out in the world. He began to pull it up but stopped when he heard the floo activate. He turned his face from the fire as he fidgeted with it.

"James? You here mate?" He heard the voice of Sirius as his oldest friend stepped through. "Ah there you-" Sirius paused as he saw James messing with his mask and frowned softly.

"Don't you knock?!" James huffed at his friend as he situated the mask back to position and stood with the help of his cane and kept turning from him as he felt the corners of the mask to make sure it covered all of the scarring. "You'd think after sharing a room with other guys for seven bloody years you'd understand the importance of it!" He didn't mean to snap like that and Sirius knew it as he came over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry James…" Sirius softly spoke and helped his friend turn to face him.

"It's fine… did you need something?"
"Actually now that you mention it I do." Sirius's tone took his namesake's form which was odd still hearing. Amelia must be bringing the adult out of him more often, James thought to himself as he eyed his friend. "I need you to look over someone."

"Sure, is it Leo? It's about time he and Uncle James got some one on one time." James smirked but was confused when Sirius shook his head.

"No Remus has the boy today and Amelia just called me in. She thinks she found a clue on the case she's looking into and asked me to sniff around ... .but no one else is able to watch someone for me. Andromeda and Ted are both busy, and Nymie is on patrol."

"Wait, who do you need me to watch then?" James raised his eyebrow at him. The next thing he knew James was in the Tonks living room looking out at the woman sitting in the grass. "So she's…"

"Like how she was before she got sold off and married."

James sighed softly, rubbing his forehead. "I haven't seen her in years, Sirius."

"James please there's no one else I can trust with this." Sirius looked at his oldest friend pleading with his eyes. James looked away after a bit.

"Fine! You owe me." He growled. Before Sirius returned to the fireplace.

"I know." Then he was gone and James was left there staring out towards the dark haired woman as he sighed and grabbed his cane. He slowly made his way taking care with the uneven road and with hesitation in himself as he slowly approached her and stopped a few feet away.

"Took you long enough to return Siri-" Her head turned to him and froze as she saw him. So much skinnier than he had been when they last saw each other, not to mention the mask that hid half his face….but she could never forget his face. "James?"

"Hello…Trixie." James stood there both hands on his cane in front of him as he let the wind blow his now longer hair into his face. "It's been a while."

"Very." She looked away before looking back. "Do you wanna sit with me?" She asked and moved over softly.

"That…" James thought for a moment before looking out on the fields. "That sounds nice." He walked over slowly and used his cane to slowly lower himself.. Her eyes never left him and he knew it as he situated himself and finally moved a hand up combing the hair back behind his ear on his normal half of his face as his eye glanced back to her. "Thank you."

"Thank you for joining me." Trixie smiled at him as they sat simply in the silence of nature and smiled.