AN: I'm in Italy (more beautiful than I imagined) for the first time, seeing where my great-grandfather fought in WWI in the alps, miracles were involved in my family history because daaaaaamn, so many ways to die up here. And I share this with you because one of the reviewers reviewed every chapter in Italian since I arrived and I can't bring myself not to reward such serendipitous kindness. Buongiorno, from my phone wifi to yours ;D

P.S. If you want the formatted version go to AO3 as the app is refusing to let me upload with italics and I can't load ff dot net on the browser.

Chapter 10 - I Aim to Misbehave

Today, I drew a butterfly falling from the sky.

Yellow to blue.

I owled it to my father. I told him that Harry Potter might be my friend.

27th of September 1995.

L.L.

oOo

Harry had no idea how he was going to get out of this. It was Tuesday and he was sitting in his make up detention during his break which Umbridge happened to have a break in too.

Serendipity-du-dah-day.

A part of him thought that maybe she wouldn't bring out the blood quill as there were still classes in session, but was not at all surprised when she laid the black feather on his desk, her ugly rings gleaming dully. The pink in this room was annoying and though he liked cats the kittens around him seemed somehow demonic.

I must not tell lies. Harry stared down at the parchment in front of him. He saw the back of his hand, it was unblemished. He wasn't going to scar himself again, not for the Cursed Toad and not for his damned pride. But how to get out of this?

He looked up at Umbridge, her eyes wide with eager anticipation; bloodthirsty hag.

What would Sirius do? Harry asked himself.

His eyes slid to the door and he grinned.

oOo

A loud yelling and the pounding footsteps sounded in the hall. A few bangs from a wand were followed by the screeching for someone to "Stop!"

Students poked their heads out of their classes as they watched the famous Harry Potter running full tilt down the halls, a black feathered quill raised above his head like a torch, Umbridge lagging behind him.

Her stride was comparatively tiny to Harry's and the clicking patter and scrape of her heels made an uneven rhythm, clearly, she was not used to running. Her wand was fisted in her hand as she tried desperately to keep up.

Students began to cheer Harry on as he ran and kept shouting, "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

A viking's call to charge, not that the purebloods understood the reference to the druidic ancestors.

Harry barged into the Transfiguration room. He climbed one of the tables and hopped down from table top to table top. Umbridge's stunner knocked over a box of mice, illiciating a round of screams.

Shields were going up around the room, easily fending off the toad's wild stunners.

Fred and George were howling with laughter as Umbridge shrieked, dancing on her toes.

Harry had no shame in dropping to duck under McGonagall's desk to hide behind her skirts.

The Transfiguration Professor had her wand raised, the mice turning to bouncy balls which Umbridge stepped on, causing her feet to go out from under her. She landed on her back with a resounding thwap-thud, her little humph was barely audible in the chattering and laughter of the room.

"Mister Potter!" McGonagall demanded, turning on him, her wand held at her side. "What is the meaning of this? This is a NEWTs level class."

"He was in detention with me," Umbridge gasped as she got to her knees.

Harry laid the quill on McGonagall's desk, "She wanted me to write lines with this."

"He lies!" Umbridge exclaimed. "He's a liar!"

Harry rolled his eyes as his Head of House recognised the feather.

Harry really needed to embrace Sirius-like behaviour more often, it had been exhilarating.

oOo

Minvera's lips were set as she was about to mention that lines were hardly the worst punishment during a detention, until she realised what the quill was.

Her eyes widened in horror, she wanted to disbelieve it, but Dolores worked for the government.

Minerva pulled Harry behind her with her free hand. She had her wand pointed at the shorter witch who had finally gotten to her feet with the other.

"You dare?" Minerva seethed. "You dare use a Blood Quill on one of my students? I will have you–"

"They are not illegal and the boy needed to be taught a les--"

"Blood Quills have been outlawed at Hogwarts for hundreds of years!" Minerva exclaimed. The class had descended into complete silence. She doubted any of them had ever had cause to see their professor so enraged.

"The Ministry-"

"I do not give a damn about the Ministry. I am Assistant Headmistress at this school and I forbid this. I shall take on any detention you give out and I shall bring this to the Headmaster."

Dolores attempted to sneer up at her, "Cornelius will hear of this."

"Tell him," Minerva invited. "Go ahead. While you at it, don't neglect to tell him how you were about to torture a student for speaking out of turn. If I find out that you have attempted this on any other student, I will be writing a personal letter to every parent and guardian who has a child at this school and we shall see what they have to say."

The pink abomination glared.

"Get out of my classroom," Minerva commanded.

oOo

Umbridge opened her mouth but McGonagall yelled at her, "Get out!"

Umbridge left and the room cheered, even the Slytherins.

McGonagall turned to Harry who could not suppress his urge to hug her, a quick one but a real one.

"Thank you," he said just loud enough for her to hear.

"You are still in detention, Mr. Potter," she said firmly, not reproaching him for the hug. "Take a seat, you will be joining this class, it is a double period and the homework will be the completion of your detention."

Harry all but skipped to a seat between the twins.

They both slapped him on the back warmly.

Harry didn't think he could manage being a trickster all of the time, but there were worse fates.

They were transforming inanimate objects into animated ones, nonverbally.

Harry was pleased with this challenge, his block of wood turning into a snake with bark patterned scales by the end of the period.

It was a real snake, it moved in all snakelike ways, but Harry wasn't sure how to make it real. It was moving, but the eyes were lifeless black pits.

Maximillion, who sat a row behind them had succeeded in creating life, his snake was sassing the class about how filthy humans smelled and how hungry she was.

Harry summoned a tiny mouse from the box that McGonagall had fixed back to its original position.

Harry turned and placed the mouse on Max's desk and he hissed in Parseltongue, "Here, food. Can you stop complaining now, please? It is distracting."

The sassy snake blinked once at him, "Speaker?" she asked, then promptly ignored him in favour of devouring the mouse before it could flee.

Max gaped at him.

"What?" Harry asked, "She wouldn't shut about how hungry she was."

"She?" The Slytherin boy next to Max asked. He wasn't in the BBCE.

"Everyone already knows I'm a Parselmouth," Harry reminded the Slytherin before turning back to his own snake shaped lump of wriggling wood.

Fred and George were grinning at him.

"What?"

The bell rang and they began to clean up their things.

"Nothing," George started.

"Just you-" Fred continued.

George, "Out slithering-"

"The Slytherins," Fred finished.

oOo

Harry went to Flitwick's office after class.

"What's been going on?" Flitwick asked without preamble.

Harry plopped himself in a chair opposite from his professor. "Umbridge tried to use a blood quill on me and McGonagall saved me."

Flitwick crossed his arms. "I heard. Now tell me what has been happening with you. I haven't talked with you since your meeting with Albus. How did that go?"

Harry sighed, "He said I deserved to have a childhood and shouldn't be pushing myself in classes."

Flitwick was silent for a long moment before he asked, "How did you like Minerva's NEWT class?"

"I didn't master the spell but it was… it was challenging and I liked sharing a class with Fred and George. They are helpful and light hearted. Ron and Hermione are more competitive, or disinterested, or bickering. That was fine when I was younger but now it seems, overly childish and well, hard, I don't know just-"

"Hard to be a part of," Flitwick finished for him.

Harry sighed, able to verbalize more clearly what Flitwick had warned him about only a few weeks ago, "It isn't that I don't like them or being around them, but yes, I feel like I don't fit in anymore."

"And yet you are getting along with the older students," Flitwick stated.

Harry pursed his lips, "Is age really such a big deal?"

Long blonde hair flashed through his mind's eye.

"It can be, especially with the sort of experiences you have had. That your two best friends have no memory of what you remember experiencing with them is another layer."

"So how do I fit in again?" Harry asked.

"Are you asking how you can be your fifteen-year-old self again?" Flitwick rephrased. "Harry, you can never go back to who you were before, well not without a memory charm and there are simply too many ways that could go wrong. Besides, there are marks left on the soul that would haunt you even if you no longer remembered their cause."

"But I have gone back to being fifteen, haven't I? I mean look at me," Harry stretched his arms out. "I'm short."

Flitwick smiled, "Height is not everything."

Harry's cheeks reddened, "Sorry."

"Non-taken, Harry."

"I just meant this isn't my body."

Flitwick frowned, "It is indeed your body, and you need to start taking better care of it."

"I've been eating," Harry said, affronted.

"You've been skipping lunch for almost a full week and while stature isn't a paramount concern, you are short for your age in a way that isn't genetic. Did the Dursleys feed you properly when you were growing up?"

Harry didn't say a word.

It was Flitwick's turn to sigh. "Harry, why is it that in your narrative of your life, you leave out your family?"

"They aren't," Harry said at once. "At least they aren't people who really care about what happens to me."

Flitwick looked into Harry's eyes for a long moment, "Worse comes to worse, Harry, you shall be spending the summer with me. Albus will find himself in trouble if he tries going against me."

"Albus always has a say in what happens to me," Harry said, making sure to let his unhappiness about that fact be understood.

"What would you say about entering Minerva's NEWT classes permanently?" The professor asked, veering the conversation again.

Harry's eyes widened, "I am pretty far behind aren't I?"

"We are only entering the fourth week, you are an able student. I see no reason you couldn't catch up and keep up. Of course, you will be expected to take your OWLs. But you don't have to take any NEWTs until your seventh year if you don't want to take them this school year, or the next."

"But-" Harry stammered, his thoughts tangling. "What about my other classes? And just NEWTs in Transfiguration? That isn't even my strongest class and what would I do in the next two years?"

"In Transfiguration, Minerva made noises about you being interested in learning to become an animagus. That is a full year of study on its own, and for your last year, well, you have options. As for your other classes, Severus will continue you as you are, as he said, it will not hurt you to learn some of those potions by heart. Pomona also thinks that repetition is not a bad thing for her subject."

"Wait, you talked about this with them already? Did you… you didn't tell them that I-"

"Time travelled? No. But the ease that you have shown in your classes speaks for itself. Of course, this was an informal meeting without the Headmaster or Dolores," he added casually.

Harry sunk into his seat, "I am not a genius."

"No, but you deserve a challenge. I know you have been studying on your own, but being in an advanced class, in the long run, will be easier than doing busy work and then practicing without someone to help you," Flitwick said. "Repetition seemed to be the take away for most of your professors. Minerva seemed to think that three courses most advisable for you to advance in are Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense. For obvious reasons, Defense isn't an option, however, the time in which you have Transfiguration with the fifth years is the time I have my sixth year Ravenclaw class. You could start your NEWTs next year in Charms and for your seventh year, as we have discussed, you could be my teaching assistant."

Harry's heart pounded. It sounded too good to be true. He had never loved classwork before but lately, schoolwork was the only thing keeping him sane. Learning was fun, was interesting, was so much better than wallowing about things that he had no power over. Yet, "Hermione-"

"Ms. Granger is a brilliant student, inquisitive and highly capable, however, though she appears to learn quickly that is due to a great deal of hard work. You are advancing with minimal effort. You have been studying books that are beyond your grade."

"So does Hermione," Harry argued.

"Ms. Granger is not reading advanced theory nor is she reading spell books that have little to no explanation. Don't think that us teachers don't keep track of the titles of the books our students are carrying around. Harry, you have been reading things well beyond what most at Hogwarts or adults of any age pick up. Ms. Granger is reading textbooks, you are reading theoretical studies and field journals. Your essays also show an interaction and deeper understanding than Ms. Granger's re-iteration of lessons.

"You are correct, you are not a genius. In time Ms. Granger may advance and excel in many different branches of magic most will never have cause to be introduced to. But you, Harry, are a creative person with an immense amount of power and an innate connection to magic that is, in a word, incredible. Having the benefit of age, you are in time of your life to expand your horizons and the conviction.

"You didn't think Severus gave you an Outstanding on an essay willingly, did you?"

Harry shook his head and said stubbornly, "I am not a genius, I am just older."

"Harry," Flitwick said kindly. "You are and have always been, gifted magically. Ms. Granger is an extremely intelligent girl because she handles learning by asking why and how is a thing possible. The problem with that is that she avoids uncertainties, yes, there may always be a why and how in magic but much remains undiscovered. But what you have been asking this year is what is possible, and pushing yourself to see how far you can go. You have let neither failures nor the unknown stop you.

"You- well, spellwork clicks with you. You have an excellent handle on theory when you put your mind to it, and more than that, you also understand how to get from action back to theory. Lily was very good with that and no one ever doubted James's raw talent. It appears you received the best from both of them."

Harry looked away, unable to control his expression at the mention of his parents.

Flitwick continued, "You are not the first student to pass through Hogwarts with the offer to do advanced studies, nor will you be the last. We would have offered it to both Sirius and James had they been more serious students, or even Lily had she been less social. Luna Lovegood's mother, Pandora Lovegood, was advanced in Potions and Charms. Andromeda Tonks graduated with seven NEWTs in her sixth year. Other students, such as Tom Riddle or even Albus Dumbledore declined their ability to advance for social reasons. Harry, in light of what you have been through, I think this change, these opportunities, will make you happier in the long run."

Harry squeezed his hands in his lap. He wasn't happy right now. He was bored and annoyed and stressed and sad and he did want change. He was sick of living in the past. Well, he liked having everyone alive, and for once being ahead of Voldemort, but he was sick of pretending to be fifteen.

"Alright, yeah, so NEWTs for Transfiguration and with the sixth years for your class. Though, I think it should be the other way around."

Flitwick smiled, "Minerva wants you to rise to the occasion. Although, personally, I believe she hopes that you will help to keep the twins in line."

Harry snorted, "No one keeps the twins in line."

"You should know that I told Minerva about your talking to me. She knows I know about Sirius. Nothing about the time travel, just about some of the changes in your personal and academic life. She believes that I am your confidant."

"You are my confidant," Harry said.

"Apparently, not one you trust enough to talk about what happened this weekend with," Flitwick shrewdly.

Harry winced. "I had my first Occlumency class with Snape Friday night."

Flitwick went very still, "What did he see?"

"My death, my deaths, and what happened in the in-between."

Flitwick tilted his head to the side, "How do you mean?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Voldemort hitting me with the killing curse."

"So Severus knows you are from the future."

"Nope," Harry said. "At first that's what we saw. And then there was this white mist and Dumbledore said something about what's in your head being real but then I was in Godric's Hollow, in the old house and I was a baby. I was sitting in a misty white living room and my parents- they- my parents were…"

Harry couldn't finish it, which was stupid, but he couldn't seem to get the words out.

oOo

Filius's mind whirled, "The first time? You remembered the first time you were struck by the killing curse?"

That was a horrifying revelation.

"I remembered the first time I died," Harry managed to choke out, voice cracking.

"Oh Harry-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry interrupted. "Please just don't make me talk about it anymore."

"Of course," Filius immediately conceded. "Is there anything you need?"

"Sirius," Harry blurted. "I really just want to see Sirius- he would know- I guess he, I don't know..." Harry shook his head, hiding his face in his hands.

"He's your godfather and he loves you as you love him," Filius said softly, his heart breaking all over again for this child. "And he loves you and he knows your parents. I will talk to Minerva and see if there is anything that can be arranged."

"No one else gets to see their parents in the school year," Harry pointed. "I don't want to be special."

"Harry," Filius sighed, wondering how anyone (Severus) had ever described him as spoiled. "No other student was purposely pitted against a Dark Lord with a terrorist following since your birth and made to fight him as eleven year old and nearly every proceeding year afterwards. I don't think being permitted to see your guardian over a weekend for emotional trauma would be considered coddling."

Harry's mouth quicked, "Yeah, suppose you're right. It is just, last time I didn't really get to know him, I mean I loved him, love him, and he was there in a way that nobody else had been… But then he was gone and it was my fault."

"It was not your fault."

Harry set his expression, not arguing but not agreeing.

Filius shook his head, "Perhaps this is a conversation you must have with him then. I feel as though Sirius's death is more real to you than Sirius himself. If you make your memory and the real person confront, now that you have had time to settle some, you may be better able to handle this reality."

The child blinked at him, "Did anybody ever tell you that you're pretty wise?"

Filius smirked, "My dear, I am Head of Ravenclaw House."

oOo

Harry found Luna after dinner to ask if he could owl her father about a question he had.

She nodded.

"Thanks," Harry said.

As he began to turn, Luna caught his hand, "Harry?"

He stopped and faced her fully, "Yes, Luna?"

Her pale eyes seemed to take all of him in, "Are we friends?"

Harry was not sure what compelled him, maybe it was because in all that was happening, and Luna, Luna Lovegood, was the one solid presence in his life. The one person he didn't bother to think about who he was around because it wouldn't matter to her if he was from the future or not, it just mattered that he was Harry.

So it was with bravery that he did not know he possessed, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, "Friends, forever and always."

She stared at him, her eyes as round as moons.

Smiling, Harry headed for the owlery to write some letters.

oOo

Luna watched him go, a hand pressed to her cheek. Her heart was racing, how peculiar.

Unbeknownst to her, she was smiling; Harry Potter was her first friend ever and according to him, they would be friends forever and always.

She didn't notice the people giggling at her expression, as they pointed and whispered, she didn't notice the little creatures swirling around their heads, she didn't notice much of anything as she went in the direction of the Astronomy tower. She would be early, but she wouldn't mind, the stars were good company when your being was swelling with joy.

oOo

AN: Thoughts, Uncommon Welsh Greens, or feedback, pretty please?