Chapter 20- The joys of Unclehood

“NO HARRY! That’s Mummy’s vase!”

Crash!

James Potter winced. He ran after the toddler that kept zooming away on his toy broomstick and was finally able to pluck him off of the toy and put him on the floor. Harry’s bottom lip quivered but quickly stopped as he was handed a stuffed stag.

“You stay here for daddy okay?”

James glared at his best friend who was laughing on the couch of the house’s living room and went to the coffee table. He bent down and started scooping up the shards of glass and the flowers.

“You could help.”

He was met with more laughter.

“Lily is going to kill me.”

“Mummy?” Harry asked scooping a rose with his little hand and handing it to James.

“Yes, Harry. Mummy is going to kill daddy very, very slowly and painfully,” he explained picking up the toddler before he could cut himself and sat him next to Sirius. He kissed the boy and said:

“You are very helpful, a lot more than your useless godfather, but stay here okay?”

“Pafoo.”

“Yes, Padfoot is grounded for giving you toys that endanger my health.”

“Aw, come on Prongs. Harry loves his broom. Don’t you pup?” Sirius asked tickling the toddler.

“Fy,” Harry giggled.

“See.”

James glared at Sirius once more and muttered Reparo with his wand. The shards flew together and reconstructed the vase. Sirius came to inspect.

“I don’t think it was exactly like that.”

“Maybe she won’t notice,” James said hopefully. Sirius patted his friend’s back.

------------

“We could jinx her,” said the pale boy laying on the ground of the playground. The red-headed girl next to him smacked his arm.

“We are not going to jinx my sister Severus! I don’t want to be expelled after only one year of school!”

The boy scowled, “She deserves it.”

“We are not going to jinx her,” she said firmly, “Besides, I’ve already exchanged the sugar pot with salt. See if anyone likes the cake she was baking.”

Severus looked at Lily impressed, “I like how your mind works.”

“She called me and you freaks. No one calls me and my friends freaks!”

----

“Do you Lily Marie Evans take James Anthony Potter as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and care for, to cherish and respect, until death do you part?” the minister asked.

“I do,” Lily said, her vivid green eyes staring straight at James’ hazel ones like no one else mattered.

“Do you James-“

“I do,” James answered looking straight at Lily.

“Well, yes, but you have to let me finish!” the minister exclaimed. James smiled sheepishly, “Do you James Anthony Potter take Lily Marie Evans as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and care for, to cherish and respect, until death do you part?”

“I do,” he said smiling brightly.

“The rings please,” the minister asked.

Sirius who was grinning from ear to ear didn’t move. Just stared at the happy couple. Remus nudged him and Peter who was standing next to Remus tried to disguise his laughter in coughs.

“Oh, yes,” Sirius said, “Here.”

The minister took the rings, glaring at Sirius.

The rest of the ceremony went smoother as they exchanged rings, and James kissed Lily as if there was no tomorrow. Harry watched entranced as they were congratulated by the guests and danced with each other. He never took his eyes off his parents, only seeing them and no one else. His eyes were bright and from next to him Sirius said hoarsely:

“I think that’s enough for today. Another day you can see more.”

“They loved each other a lot,” Harry said looking at Sirius.

“They loved you even more,” Sirius said smiling sadly. “Lets go.” And they exited the Pensieve.

----

Harry bounced on his feet as he waited for the carriages to come to the double doors of the Entrance Hall. He saw them coming from the distance and watched as students started to fill the halls, looking for his friends. A familiar drawl came from his left.

“Famous Potter too good for the train again?”

“Shut it Malfoy,” Harry hissed.

“Or were you scared of the nasty Dementors,” Malfoy said gleefully.

Harry’s eyes narrowed, what was he on about? “How was your summer Malfoy. Made friends with the Aurors guarding you?”

Malfoy fumed; apparently being reminded of his deranged fugitive aunt wasn’t what he wanted.

“I’d watch out Potter, you won’t be around much longer,” he hissed.

“Why? Does your Aunty plan to have a family reunion? She’ll have a surprise then. She’ll never get near Hogwarts with this security.”

“She got past them once didn’t she?” Malfoy smirked and left, tailed by his goons. Harry stared after him not liking that smirk.

“HARRY!” he heard and turned to see Hermione, Neville and Ron running towards him. He almost choked at the strength of Hermione’s hug.

“Hey, guys! How was your holiday? Sorry about Diagon Alley.”

“That’s fine,” Ron said, “Though you missed the Firebolt.”

“Oh, no!” Harry cried horrified, “I saw an article. You saw it?”

Ron nodded and proceeded to describe in detail the broom and was showing Harry his new wand as the four entered the Great Hall and sat at Gryffindor table. Harry got to hear all about France from Hermione who had gone there with her parents. He laughed at Ron’s tales of the twins trying to shut Percy in a tomb and at Neville’s tales about his Great Uncle Algie who was a little touched in the head.

“So what have you done?” Hermione asked him.

“Nothing much,” he shrugged, “Haven’t been allowed outside have I? I saw some memories of my parents on a Pensieve.”

“That’s great,” Neville said, “Gran showed me some of my parents last year. It’s nice to remember them as more- to remember them.”

“Yeah, I saw my parents’ wedding,” Harry quickly said to cover Neville’s slip, “I think your folks were there too but I was paying attention to my mum and dad more, so, I’m sorry. But they were happy. In love. It was good but sad, because I could see them but they couldn’t talk back.”

The conversation quickly ended as Professor McGonagall entered with the First Years. They looked terrified, Harry mused. He supposed he had looked like that too. He remembered how scared he was that the hat would put him in Slytherin and that his dad would hate him. He knew it was silly but he had been scared, what could he do? He didn’t mind if he had been a Slytherin but he had wanted to please his dad. They watched as the students were sorted and cheered for the new Gryffindors.

As the last clap died, Harry saw Dumbledore rise.

“Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few announcements to make and as one is quite serious I think it best to get it out of the way before we get befuddled with our excellent fest. As you are all aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to the Dementors from Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not fooled by tricks or disguises- or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleadings or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects and Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors.” Dumbledore paused and surveyed the silent Hall to make sure the message sunk in. Harry saw Percy puff in pride at the mention of the Head Boy and stare around impressively.

“On a lighter note,” Dumbledore continued, “I am pleased to announce that our former tutor, Professor Lupin, has kindly accepted to act as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.” At this the hall burst into applause, Harry leading the Gryffindors to applaud standing up. Harry saw his Uncle nod at the students and try to hide a blush.

“Yes, yes, I can see you are all very happy,” Dumbledore said loudly over the applause as it died, “Mr. Potter Black, kindly use your chair for sitting.”

Harry grinned sheepishly and got off the chair he was standing on and sat down.

“I also regret to inform that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, has decided to retire in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, it is with great pleasure that I announce that our very own Rubeus Hagrid has accepted to take over the post along with his duties as Gamekeeper.”

Once again the Hall was filled with clapping and whistles. As he applauded, Harry saw Hagrid wiping his eyes with an enormous handkerchief as Sirius patted his back.

“Well I think that is all of importance for now. If Mr. Potter Black will kindly once again use his chair for sitting instead of standing we can start the feast,” Dumbledore said clapping his hands.

Harry got down from the chair as food appeared. As he served himself he asked Hermione, “The Dementors searched the train?”

“Yes,” she answered, “It was horrible. After they left Professor Lupin came to check on us. I didn’t even know there were teachers aboard.”

“Usually there aren’t,” Harry answered “but Professor Dumbledore thought it was best if there would be this time for protection. I think they were my dad, Uncle Remus, Professor Sprout and Flitwick. So that’s why Malfoy was taunting me,” he finished grimacing.

“What do you mean?” Neville asked.

“He asked me if I was scared of the nasty Dementors,” Harry growled.

“Wasn’t all that brave himself,” Ron said, “Fred told me that Malfoy got into their compartment and almost wet himself.”

“Still,” Harry said annoyed, “That’s what everyone is going to think. That I was scared.”

“Anyone that has half a brain cell knows that you weren’t there for their safety as much as yours. There was a big article on the Prophet saying that Dumbledore himself asked for you to come to Hogwarts by other means so that Lestrange and Pettigrew would have no reason to attack. They will know that it has nothing to do with the Dementors. You are not afraid of them.”

Harry kept quiet. He didn’t tell them about what happened in the carriage, and how he was very much not willing to see the Dementors again.

XXXXXXX

Harry and Hermione were walking to Transfiguration, discussing what they had learned in Arithmancy, when they were intercepted by two frantic boys.

“Harry, thank God we found you!” Ron cried.

“Why?” Harry asked eyeing them. Neville was shaking and Ron was pale.

“Harry, you have to be careful!” Neville pleaded.

“I am being careful. Dad already forbade me of going to Hogsmeade and I’ve been locked up the better part of the summer and…”

“Professor Trewlaney says you are going to have a horrible death, she saw the Grim on your future Harry!”

“The what?” Hermione asked, but Harry burst out laughing.

“Harry this is serious, the Grim is the omen of death! My Uncle Bilius died twenty-four hour after he saw the Grim!” Ron cried.

“Ron,” Harry sighed grasping Ron’s shoulder, “Trewlaney has been predicting my death since I was three-years-old. According to her I should have keeled over about a thousand times already! Besides, I see a Grim every day! Or haven’t you ever met Padfoot?”

“Professor Black said Professor Trewlaney is a fraud,” Hermione huffed, “I can’t believe you two are taking it instead of interesting subjects like Arithmancy or Ancient Runes.”

Neville shrugged, “Easy grade.” That did not go well with Hermione who huffed once again and stalked away.

”You sure you’ll be okay?” Ron asked. Harry nodded and guided his worried friends to Transfiguration. There he met other students’ worried gazes and just shook his head.

XXXXXXXXX

As they were leaving the Great Hall after lunch, Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione were stopped by a grinning Sirius Black.

“So where are you gentlemen and gentlewoman going in this fine day?”

“Harry rolled his eyes at his father, “To Care of Magical Creatures. We want to get there early to give Hagrid all our support!”

Sirius smiled, “Of course. He was so happy to be appointed. Came and told us as soon as we stepped foot in the castle. Was hugging Harry so hard I was afraid he’d crush him!”

Harry blushed, “DAD!”

“What?” Sirius said innocently, “now go, scoot.”

The four left and Hermione chuckled at Harry. Harry glared at her. “Oh, come on Harry, that was cute.”

“I am not cute,” Harry said, “Extremely handsome, yes, but not cute.”

“And very modest,” Neville said nodding. Ron and Hermione laughed hard.

“What happened to shy Neville?” Harry sighed.

“He became friends with you guys,” Neville answered.

“We broke him!” Ron cried with a hand to his heart.

XXXXXX

The quartet was fuming as they went back to the castle after class. Remus looked shocked and stopped them.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Malfoy is a moron!” Hermione cried and Remus got even more worried. Hermione was always so proper.

“He didn’t listen to Hagrid and insulted the hippogriff,” Ron said angry.

“If Harry hadn’t acted fast and jumped on him to get him out of the way, Buckbeack would have hurt him badly,” Neville explained.

Remus looked at Harry worried, “WHAT?” he asked.

Harry shrugged and Remus noticed he was holding his arm a little to close to his chest, “I was keeping an eye on him. I saw he wasn’t paying attention and I know him. Knew he’d try something to ruin Hagrid’s first class and I wasn’t going to let that happen. Hagrid is my friend! So, when I saw him insulting Buckbeak I threw him out of the way.”

Remus was examining Harry’s arm and there was a gash there, “The hippogriff got to you?”

“What?” Hermione asked noticing Harry was hurt for the first time. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“So Malfoy’s dad can use it against Hagrid. No chance! It’s just a scratch!”

Remus grimaced, “Hagrid didn’t see this?”

Harry shook his head, “No, I got up fast and he was berating Malfoy and giving him a detention for not paying attention. I didn’t want to spoil his first class.” Harry begged.

Remus sighed, he knew how much Harry cared for Hagrid and becoming a teacher was a dream come true for Hagrid. “Fine, but next time tell someone. Let’s go see Poppy.”

XXX

“Mr. Potter Black please stay behind,” Sirius said as the class left the classroom.

Harry waved to his friends and walked to the teacher’s desk.

“Want to tell me why you kept glaring at Remus all through out dinner and breakfast? He was quite hurt when he noticed.”

“I wasn’t glaring.”

“Uh, yes you were. And although I find relief that you glare at someone else other than me I am worried. What did he do to deserve that?”

“He thinks I’m a wuss!” Harry cried his arms flying up.

“Pardon me?” Sirius asked bewildered.

“He thinks I am a coward!”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“Yes he does.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Uh-huh.”

Sirius sighed rubbing his eyes. What could have possibly brought this up?

“Harry, I assure you that Moony does not think you are a wuss. Now, tell me why you think that.”

“He thinks I can’t handle a Boggart,” Harry said crossing his arms and scowling.

Sirius blanched. He stared at his son and started laughing. Harry fumed.

“You think that too!”

Sirius sobered up. Okay, laughing probably wasn’t the best course of action.

“Harry, no. That’s not why I am laughing.”

Harry glared at him. There goes not being glared at. Teenagers!

“Moony had already told me he wasn’t going to let you face the Boggart, but not because of you not being able to handle it.”

Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically and Sirius vaguely thought he had been spending too much time with Severus.

“Yeah, right.”

“No, Harry. With everything you’ve gone through, Remus figured your greatest fear would be Voldemort and he didn’t think it wise for Voldemort to materialize during his first class with the third years. Maybe the second but definitely not the first!”

Harry’s lip twitched but Sirius saw him fight the laughter valiantly and keep his scowl.

“So, he doesn’t think I am a delicate coward?” Harry asked suspiciously.

“No,” Sirius said firmly biting back a smile. Poppy had called Harry delicate after Sirius had insisted she check him up when they arrived at Hogwarts and Harry had not been pleased.

“Okay.”

“So can Moony come out of the dog house?” Sirius asked grinning.

“Not yet,” Harry shrugged, “He deserves it.”

“Harry!”

“He could have told me! He embarrassed me by jumping in front of me!”

Oh, a boy’s pride!

XXXXXXXXX

Remus was at the table of the Marauder’s Quarters’ living room correcting the pop quizzes he had given his fifth and seventh years to assess what they knew, when Sirius came in looking like he knew something Remus didn’t. Remus hated that look.

Sirius cheerfully sat on the couch and propped his feet on the coffee table, rested the back of his head on his linked hands and just smiled. Remus narrowed his eyes and glared at the feet. It didn’t work; they did not leave the coffee table.

“What?” he asked annoyed.

Sirius smiled, jumped up, walked to Remus fishing something from his pocket and gave it to Remus.

“What’s that?” Remus said not taking the offered item.

“A dog biscuit,” Sirius said happily, “to keep you fed in the doggy house! Because, oh boy, you’ll be there for a long time!”

Remus huffed and crossed his arms glaring at Sirius, “What’s this about?”

“Well, this, dear old Moony, and you must be getting old to make such a mistake and forget how fragile a thirteen year’s old ego is, is about you embarrassing your nephew in front of his whole class and thinking he is a, what was the word he used? Oh yes, a wuss!”

“I did no such thing!” Remus cried indignantly.

“Did you or did you not stop Harry from facing that Boggart by jumping in front of him?”

“I…” Remus started but then he closed his mouth. He opened it and then closed it again. Defeated he sighed, “Yes.”

Sirius held the biscuit to his face, “Here.”

XXXXXXXXXX

In the next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Harry heard once again:

“Mr. Potter Black, please say behind.”

Harry did. He crossed his arms defiantly and didn’t get up from his desk. As the last student left and Remus approached the desk, his glare intensified. Remus sat on the desk in front of Harry and calmly said:

“I apologize for my, er, lack of tact on dealing with the Boggart situation. I see now that perhaps it would have been wiser to pull you aside and ask you not to face it.” Harry just kept glaring. Remus continued, “Now, as penance for that lesson I have not only received the evil glare and cold shoulder for the last four days, but I also had a very bad case of hiccups because somehow a strange potion that made me hiccup soap bubbles ended up mysteriously in my pumpkin juice. Now, I know I deserved the glare but honestly, how could I know what Neville’s Boggart was? So yes, I may have encouraged him a little and the class may have laughed a little and I may have enjoyed it a little but it wasn’t my fault! Could you please have a word with Severus? I don’t like being suspicious of my food!”

Harry laughed; he had seen Remus walking around hiccupping and spouting soap bubbles from his mouth. “Serves you right,” he said firmly.

Now, Remus was the one glaring. His eyes softened and he said, “I am sorry Harry. I didn’t think. I just thought I would stop the exercise before it got to you but then when I realized you were already there and I just reacted. I didn’t think it wise for Voldemort to materialize in front of thirteen-year-olds. It’s bad enough that you have already faced him twice.”

Harry deflated and shrugged, “Okay,” he bit his lips, “Uncle Moony.” He said quietly.

Remus asked kindly, “What?”

“I thought of Voldemort at first but then… then I remembered the Dementor and… I don’t know, I just.”

“I’m impressed Harry,” Remus said, “That shows that what you fear the most is fear itself. That is very wise.”

Harry stood up a little straighter at the praise but then his face fell, “The voice I heard. It was my mom wasn’t it? I recognized it from the memories.”

Remus sighed and got up. He walked to Harry and crouched down. He took Harry’s hand and said, “Yes, I am almost sure. Even if you don’t remember what happened consciously, it’s still there, and the Dementor’s make you relive your worst memories. They suck out every bit of happiness around them. But you have to remember her as you saw her in the memories we showed you okay? As the woman that loved you more than life.”

Harry nodded. He rested his head on Remus’ shoulder and just stood there while his Uncle ran a hand through his hair.