Lionus motioned for Mr. Weasley to follow him, and led the three people into the spare classroom across the hall. Twice along the way, the Ranger that had brought Lucius had to restrain Mr. Weasley from pummeling every inch of Malfoy he could reach.

"Well, this is will serve our purposes just fine. " said Lionus. "Now Mr. Lucius, I believe that you have some retribution coming back to you."

"Don't know what you are talking about." said Lucius stiffly, trying to sound aloof, but failing miserably.

"Do we have his wand, Darkhunt?" asked Lionus.

"Yes, sir. I have it." said Darkhunt, twirling the wand around his fingers.

"Good, and," he snapped his fingers and suddenly another wand came shooting out of the folds of Mr. Weasley's robes and landed gently into Lionus' hands. "There now the odds are evened. Mr. Weasley, if you wish?"

"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Weasley, he was too busy snarling at Lucius to even pay attention to the fact that his wand was gone.

"Have at him; pummel him to your heart's content. I'll give you ten minutes, but no more." said Lionus with a smile. Mr. Weasley smiled viciously; he didn't need to be told twice.

"What for?" said Lucius quickly. He didn't like the way Weasley was smiling and cracking his knuckles and advancing on him slowly.

"Subjecting his daughter to unspeakable terror and pain in her first year of school, to start with." said Lionus.

"You can't do this!" said Lucius backing away from Arthur, he hated pain, he loved dealing it out, but being on the receiving end of it?

"You'll find that I can, and I'm going to, fists and kicks, Arthur. I don't want to have to cover up his murder." said Lionus leaving the room. "Darkhunter, make sure they play nice. I'm going to go back to the Great Hall, there's someone I need to talk to."

"Yes sir." said Darkhunter saluting and smiling at the first uppercut that was delivered to Lucius.

Lionus went back to the Great Hall and smiled as all the eyes of the students, teachers and guests were staring up at him. Then a whirl of yellow came up to meet him, but a quick shove sent the yellow blur back flying.

"Let me go!" said young Mr. Malfoy angrily.

"Now why would you want to go in there?" said Lionus with a smirk.

"That's my father!" said Draco angrily.

"Well aware of it. Your father is getting his due, and he should consider himself lucky that I'm not going to kill him or imprison him." said Lionus.

"Why the hell aren't you going to arrest him?" shouted Bill.

"I think life without magical abilities is punishment enough, don't you?" said Lionus to Bill with a broad smile.

"Wait..What?" said Malfoy weakly.

"Your father is no more powerful than a Squib now." said Lionus. "The Ranger that's with him now has a very peculiar ability. If he gets ahold of your wand, your magic is done for. Until he releases the magic from his body. Deal with it, unless he does something in these books or beyond, he isn't getting his powers back. Besides, if you go in there, you'll only see your dad get the shit beaten out of him."

"You're letting Arthur use magic on him?" said Kingsley with a shocked expression.

"Nope, he's using his fists and his feet." said Lionus tossing Mr. Weasley's wand into the air lightly. "I'm not so foolish as to let him use magic."

"I would have." snarled Moody.

"And that is what separates you and me." said Lionus with a smirk.

"Now, boys, don't' start fighting, you may find it not in your best interests." said Dr. Nicodemus, sending a pointed look over to Harry.

Immediately they stopped.

Then, Mr. Weasley came back into the Great Hall, sweat pouring off his forehead and had a large smile on his face.

"You finished up quickly." said Lionus with a smile.

"That felt great!" said Mr. Weasley rubbing his knuckles. "Oh, your Ranger left."

"I know, he's taking Mr. Malfoy back home. He should find out really soon that he won't be able to even use the most basic of wandless magic." said Lionus with a smirk.

"Why didn't you keep him here for the readings?" asked Tempest.

"I've got enough to keep an eye on, don't need another person to babysit." said Lionus.

"Well, let's get a move on, shall we?" said Dr. Nicodemus. "I'm quite eager to see what Harry has going on this coming year."

"Who'd like to start reading this time?" asked Dumbledore.

"I'll do it." said Tonks raising her hand.

"Bad idea." muttered Harry.

"Aunt Marge's Big Mistake" said Tonks loudly.

"Who's that?" asked Dr. Nicodemus.

"Uncle Vernon's sister. I hate her guts." said Harry.

"Harry, remember our talk on hate?" said Dr. Clark warningly.

"Yeah, I know." said Harry grumbling.

Harry went down to breakfast the next morning to find the three Dursleys already sitting around the kitchen table.

"Did you get in trouble for not making breakfast?" asked Hermione fearfully.

"No, it was Thursday, that's the day that Aunt Petunia tries out her cooking classes." said Harry. "Most she can do is toast and scrambled eggs though."

They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley,

"He got a TV? All we get are kisses and hugs from Great Aunt Winifred." said Colin.

who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room.

"Do I want to know how far away it is?" said Madam Pomfrey.

"It's right in the next room, not even ten feet away." said Harry with a smirk.

"Sweet Merlin." said Mrs. Weasley.

"Should have taken him to that track meet." said Dr. Clark shaking his head.

"He wouldn't have gone." said Harry. "Unless they had made an all you can eat buffet."

Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen,

"I had make triple recipes of anything I wanted to make." said Harry.

"Why triple recipes?" asked Seamus.

"Cause he ate the first two batches." said Harry.

"Holy crap." said Dean.

"Crabbe and Goyle have nothing on him." said Harry with a smirk. The two bullies of the scowl looked at him stupidly, not even attempting to follow the conversation.

his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually.

There wasn't a hand in the Great Hall that didn't touch the bottom part of their chins.

Harry sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon,

"How could you fit?" asked Sirius.

"I'm skinny, that's the only way I could fit." said Harry with a smile.

a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of moustache.

"Ugh, quit describing him." said Ginny squirming and gagging.

Far from wishing Harry a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys gave any sign that they had noticed Harry enter the room,

"Don't even start singing!" said Harry looking around sternly.

but Harry was far too used to this to care. He helped himself to a piece of toast

"That's all you had for breakfast?" shrieked Mrs. Weasley.

"I didn't even get that, but it was my own fault." said Harry.

and then looked up at the newsreader on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict.

"Wow, are they talking about me?" said Sirius.

"Yeah." said Harry.

"Why?" asked Sirius wonderingly.

"Extra eyes, Mr. Black." said Madam Bones. "Too bad it didn't really work."

Sirius stared at her.

"Not that...not what I meant to say." she said hastily.

"...the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous.

"You were armed?" said Dr. Nicodemus, "how did that come about?"

"Stole it from a wizard, never realized it was gone, till way later." said Sirius.

"You always did have quick fingers. He used to pick our pockets all the time for laughs." said Remus with a smirk.

"So that's what happened to Cadogans' wand." giggled Tonks.

A special hotline has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"Which went straight to the Ministry of Magic didn't it?" said Bill with a smirk.

"Of course." said Kingsley with a smirk.

"Not one person that called led us anywhere, all nutters." said Tonks.

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner.

"I'm going to be your worst nightmare, Vernie." said Sirius with a smirk.

"You already are. I mentioned you a few times last summer and this past summer." said Harry with a bright smile.

"Good boy." said Sirius with a smirk.

"Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout!

"Well excuse me, they don't have showers in Azkaban." said Sirius with a frown.

Look at his hair!"

"Don't remind me, I looked horrible." said Sirius shaking his head.

"Narcissist." muttered Remus smirking.

He shot a nasty sideways glance at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon.

"Wonder what he would say about it now?" said Harry with a smirk. "Probably call me a punk receiver."

"A what?" asked Ginny.

"Never you mind." said Harry with a laugh.

Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt very well groomed indeed.

"You're picking a fight with the wrong Marauder, kid." said Sirius giving Harry a shove.

The newsreader had reappeared.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today –"

"Aww, come one! I warranted only about thirty seconds?" said Sirius pouting.

"At least your more news worthy than a warning about the rising price of beef and fish." said Harry with a smirk.

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the newsreader. "You didn't tell us where the lunatic's escaped from!

"Who cares, he was supposed to be a dangerous man!" said Tonks.

"Supposed to be?" said Sirius crossing his arms. "I think I'm pretty dangerous to the Death Eaters."

"Don't tell me you're going to be sensitive the entire book?" said Remus.

What use it that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

"How does knowing where he's escaped from going to help you protect yourself against him?" said Kingsley.

"He hates it when people don't tell him the full story." said Harry. "He called the television station and told them off."

"What did they do about his complaint?" asked Sirius.

"Ridiculed him in front of thousands of viewers." said Harry with a smile. "It was beautiful."

Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window.

"What is she trying to do?" asked Hermione.

"See if she could see Sirius come strolling up the sidewalk." said Harry with a smile.

Harry knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hotline number.

"She calls almost every single hotline that asks for information. Cops hate it when they see her name on their I.D." said Harry with a laugh.

She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on her boring, law-abiding neighbors.

"Boring is the best way to put it. They're about as exciting as watching grass grow." said Harry.

"When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist,

"That's the signal to agree with whatever the heck he says." said Harry.

"that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"From shoplifters, to murderers." chanted Harry. "Same thing every time someone escapes from somewhere."

"If hanging is the only way, lets give him a dose of it, he's one of those kind of people." said Remus with a cruel smile.

"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans.

"What's she looking for? Bad beans?" said Ron.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia, Marge's train gets in at ten."

Harry, whose thoughts had been upstairs with his Broomstick Servicing Kit, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.

"You must really not like her." said Luna dreamily. "If your mind comes crashing down like that."

"Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh-she'snot coming here, is she?"

Neville stared, "Wow, you actually stuttered."

Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Harry's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), he had been forced to call her 'Aunt' all his life.

"What else would you have called her?" asked Ron.

"Well, the one name that I can actually call her, in a room full of adults, is Miss. Dursley." said Harry with a cute smile.

"No surprise she isn't married." muttered Kingsley. "If she's anything like her brother and what you've said."

Aunt Marge lived in the country,

"As ordered by a judge to manage her anger issues." said Harry. "learned that from Inspector Homes."

in a house with a large garden,

"She has a gardener." said Harry."She hates dirt."

where she bred bulldogs.

"If she has anger issues, how does she have the ability to raise dogs." said Hermione.

"They're a special kind of guard dog." said Harry.

She didn't often stay in Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Harry's mind.

Sirius turned and looked at Harry in horror.

"Harry?" said Sirius worriedly.

Harry leaned against Sirius heavily. "Wish I could fall asleep right now." he muttered.

Sirius and Remus each put an arm around his shoulders.

At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him beating Dudley at musical statues.

Mrs. Weasley turned and looked horrified at Harry.

"Sort of hard to stand frozen in place when someone is fracturing your ankles." muttered Harry.

A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry.

"Wasn't even the good kind." said Harry. "She got me the chicken liver flavor. She could have at least gotten the ham bones. They've got meat on it at least."

"That's not funny." said Dr. Clark looking at Harry in shock.

"Who's being funny, I'm dead serious." said Harry.

"You ate dog biscuits? said Ron in amazement.

"Locked in a cupboard, with no food for who knows who long? I'll eat anything that even remotely looks like food. I'm not picky. I'm picky about what I serve, but not what I eat." said Harry.

"Also explains why you hate waste." said Luna. "You know what it's like to be hungry and you appreciate the value of food."

"Unless we get a dog, we're not having any dog food in the house." said Remus.

"That's too bad, those ham bones are good." said Harry with a smirk.

On her last visit, the year before Harry had started at Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the paw of her favourite dog.

Wasn't the first time." said Harry shaking his head.

Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight.

"You have got to be kidding me!" said Dean.

"What time did you get sent up the tree?" said Hermione, her eyes flashing.

"Little bit after lunch." said Harry. Growls, snarls and promises of bodily harm to the Dursley's erupted around the hall.

The memory of the incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes.

"He's a dead duck." said Fred.

"He's a dead over-stuffed duck." said George.

"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

"Don't tell me he's going to tell you to behave! From the sounds of it, she starts it!" said Charlie.

"She does, she loves winding me up." said Harry.

Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment.

"That boy needs a severe talking to." said Professor Sprout angrily.

"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me."

"You're giving the man that can smack the sense out of you, cheek?" said Sirius in amazement.

"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply,

"Thankfully." said Remus.

"as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any – anyfunny stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"

"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.

Snape rolled his eyes and rubbed his forhead. "Keep pushing your luck, Potter."

"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face,

"That means you are way too close to getting the snot beaten out of you." said Bill warningly.

"we've told Marge you attend St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys."

"What?" shouted the people in the Great Hall.

"I know that place." said Nightstrike. "Thank goodness you aren't in there. Those people are vicious. They steal, lie, assault and cheat, and that's just the teachers!"

"What?" Harry yelled.

"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.

"You hurt him and I'll make trouble for you." muttered Dumbledore darkly.

Harry smiled warmly at his headmaster. "That I would love to have seen."

Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a week-long visit – it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given him, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.

"You are getting spoiled on your birthday, next year." said Uncle Rudolph through gritted teeth. "Party, presents, vacation, everything."

"Horses, dogs, cats, birds, anything in the muggle world you want, you're getting." said Leroy darkly.

"Even a unicorn if we can get one." said Rudolph sternly.

"I'll settle for the small party thanks…" said Harry with a twinge of red in his cheeks.

"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"

"Not when the TV is on." said Harry.

"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry.

"That boy will come to no good." muttered Madam Bones.

"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie."

"I've only seen one guy who can wear ties, on anyone else they look sort of stupid." said Leroy.

"Who would that be?" asked Harry, he sent a pointed look at his Uncle Rudolph.

"Believe it or not, it's not him." said Leroy. "You don't know him."

Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder. "See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.

Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance,

You don't freeze in front of trolls, dark wizards, three headed dogs, giant spiders or basilisks but you lock up at the thought of this Aunt Marge coming for a visit." laughed Seamus, some other students laughed as well, but then they slowly stopped laughing.

"Hang on, if..." said Seamus and he looked over horrified at Harry who was looking down at the floor.

had a sudden idea. Abandoning his toast,

"Dudley snatched it up the moment I turned away." said Harry.

he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door.

"You're going to ride along?" said Hannah in shock.

"Nope, but I had a plan, and it would have worked, but with Aunt Marge..." said Harry with a snarl.

Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat."I'm not taking you," he snarled, as he turned to see Harry watching him.

"As if he's taken me anywhere, just the two of us." said Harry with a laugh.

"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you something."

"You're going to ask him about the Hogsmede visits?" said Terry, his eyes wide.

Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third years at Hog – at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry.

"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.

"I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush.

"Wow, you've got guts asking him." said Tonks.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.

"Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge that I go to that St Whatsits..."

Lionus rubbed his chin and had a mysterious smile on his face. "You blackmailed him, eh?"

"With you and Madam Bones sitting here, I think I'll call it a business deal." said Harry.

All the law enforcement officers sniggered and chuckled warmly.

"St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.

"I'd enjoy it too." said Sirius with a laugh.

"Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"

"You'd make a devious criminal." said Tempest shaking her long mane-like hair and smiling.

"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised.

"If he so much as looks at you threateningly I'll do worse than just raise my fist to him." said Sirius.

But Harry stood his ground. "Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly.

"No, but it would land you in the hospital." said Remus worriedly.

Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce.

"But if you sign my permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug – like I'm normal and everything."

"He went back on his word didn't he?" asked Neville, who remembered that Harry hadn't been able to go to Hogsmede that year.

Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.

"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behaviour carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."

"Doubt he would have followed through with that promise." said Dr. Clark.

"Yeah, but it gave me a motivation to try and behave, and I would have threatened not to have cooked at all after that, that would have set him right, right away." said Harry with a smirk. "Don't come between Uncle Vernon and his Jammy Dodgers."

He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out.

"That man needs anger management really bad." said Nightstrike.

"If he ever gets out of prison." said Madam Bones with an evil smile.

Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to his bedroom. If he was going to act like a real Muggle, he'd better start now.

"How the hell are you going to do that?" asked Blaise.

"Hide anything and everything magical related." said Harry.

Slowly and sadly he gathered up all his presents and his birthday cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with his homework.

"At least when you come home for the summer, you won't have to hide your homework under the floor." said Sirius with a wide smile.

"So what was your room like?" asked Hermione in a whisper.

"It's awesome, this summer you guys have got to come over and stay a while." said Harry whispering back.

"They can come and stay anytime they like. We got plenty of guest rooms." said Sirius hearing the whispered conversation.

Then he went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Harry sighed, then poked them both awake.

"I hated to wake them up, after the long flights they both had." said Harry regretfully.

"Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol, Ron'll look after you.

"She never came to us. Errol was home when we got there, but she never came." said Ron.

"I think she was just hanging around, hunting and enjoying a bit of a vacation from me." said Harry with a smile.

I'll write him a note, explaining.

"I got it, but I didn't see Hedwig." said Ron. "Wonder how she managed to get the letter off?"

"She can, I don't know how either." said Harry with a laugh.

And don't look at me like that" – Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful, "it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione."

"Aunt Marge only likes dogs, she hates any other kind of animal. Knowing her, she would have sicced Ripper on her, and I didn't want that to happen." said Harry.

Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. Harry, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe.

Too bad it didn't have a good side to it. Thought Harry miserably.

But Harry didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.

"Welcome?" scoffed Harry. "Have me present so she can ridicule and bully me is more like it."

"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as he reached the hall.

"Have you seen his hair lately? You can't do a dang thing to it." said Ernie with a laugh.

"Hey, now, yes I can." said Harry pouting slightly.

"Like what?" said Zacharias with a sneer.

Harry sighed, he didn't really want to, but just prove him wrong…he'd do anything. He sent a pointed look over to a little girl with a pair of braids.

"Alright then." said Harry.

She smiled with ecstasy and hurried behind him.

"Just one." said Harry as he lifted his hair and let it drape behind the bowl. In a few moments, his long hair that was now almost always in a long pony tail, was now in a long braid.

"How's that for you?" said Harry with a smile as he thanked the first year Slytherin girl.

"I'm amazed you trusted her." muttered Draco.

"She asked nicely, I said I'd think about it." said Harry with a shrug. He didn't want to say out loud that if she had tried anything funny, the men in the bowl would have stopped her.

Harry couldn't see the point of trying to make his hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticizing him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she would be.

"Sounds like an absolutely lovely week you're going to have." said Fred.

All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors, and footsteps on the garden path.

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry.

"And straighten you butler suit!" said George.

"I was going to say pillowcase." muttered Charlie. "He's treated more like a slave than a servant."

A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open.

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge, she was very like Uncle Vernon; large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a moustache––

Several people gagged and laughed hysterically.

though not as bushy as his.

"Oh my god!" said Lavender weakly.

In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.

"Evil tempered? That's a huge understatement." said Harry rolling his eyes.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy poo?"

The students howled with laughter.

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered to flat to his fat head, a bow-tie just visible under his many chins.

"Could just tell what color it was." said Harry with a smirk.

Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him,

Sirius gave his godson a little squeeze while his arm was around his godson's shoulder.

"Whoa Mom, didn't know you could be so violent." said Bill taking a step back away from his muttering mother.

seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.

"Bet Dudley loved getting all the attention." said Tonks with a growl.

Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist.

"Horrid child, he should love all the adoration he's getting." said Madam Hooch angrily.

"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a hat-stand.

"A hat-stand would have a better life than what I've got going on." said Harry.

"How about recently?" said Remus with a smile.

"Life is better." said Harry, "Now if the whole Voldemort thing would just get fixed then I'd be sitting pretty."

Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone.

Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door. "Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Water, you moron." said Charlie shaking his head.

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge,

"You don't give a dog tea." said Charlie shaking his head.

as they all trooped into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the suitcase. But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom,

"Heave?" said Rivers sitting forward in his chair.

"I swear she packs half of the stuff she owns in there." said Harry.

taking as long as he could.

By the time he got back into the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake

"Who made the fruitcake." said Neville.

"I did, Aunt Petunia tries to subtlety make me make extra food. If I had known she was coming, I would have made my food halfway decent, she's not good enough for the best cooking." said Harry.

"Have you gone all out on cooking yet?" asked Ginny.

"Well, every time I've cooked here, I've gone all out." said Harry shrugging.

and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner.

Harry saw Aunt Petunia wince as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals.

"There isn't an animal she does like." said Harry.

"What about that parrot that Dudley had?" asked Charlie.

"Uncle Vernon said he could have it, and it was in a cage so the rest of her house wouldn't have gotten destroyed." said Harry.

"Who's looking after the dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge.

"What's he like?" asked Charlie.

"He's halfway decent, but he's bullied by her all the time, she fancies him." said Harry with a dry chuckle. "He can't stand her."

"Why doesn't he just not be around her?" asked Hermione.

"He's her boarder. He pays less rent if he helps out around the place and she charges a lot per month, he could barely make ends meet before he broke down and helped her out about the place." said Harry.

"He's retired now, good for him to have something to do.

"Translation: he's got to do it and do it right by the time she gets home." said Harry.

But I couldn't leave poor Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

"I pine when your here." said Harry to the snicker of the students.

Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time.

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"

"Who the hell did you think took your suitcase you stupid old..." said Mrs. Weasley.

"Molly!" said Mr. Weasley staring at his wife in shock.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damned good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you.

"Who's opinion is that?" said Dr. Clark with a shocked look.

Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep."

"I would have thanked my lucky stars if you had sent me to an orphanage instead of you keeping me." said Harry.

Harry was bursting to say that he'd rather live in an orphanage than with the Dursleys but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped him. He forced his face into a painful smile.

"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed at Aunt Marge.

"She's delusional." said Ron shaking his head.

"I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you."

"I always had manners, it's just you didn't deserve them." said Harry shrugging.

She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her moustache

"Did you have mention that again." said Lavender with a disgusted look.

and said, "Where is it that you send him again, Vernon?"

"Not where he was hoping." said Colin with a laugh.

"St Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.

"You seem to mention the cane quite a bit." said McGonagall with a slight whimper.

"It's her favorite form of punishment." said Harry. "And boy does she love doing it every chance she gets, whether I've been good or bad around her."

The people around the Great Hall blanched.

The Rangers closed their eyes…how they wished their rules were different.

"Er –"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"That..." growled Sirius as his grip on his godson's shoulders tightened.

"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "All the time."

"Excellent," said Aunt Marge.

"That sadistic bitch." snarled Ginny.

"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, he had to say it because his wife was muttering darkly to herself and not paying the least bit of attention to what her children were saying.

"I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it.

"What has he ever done to you?" said Sirius, then he looked at Harry. "What have you done to her, to make her hate you so much?"

"Dudley put a frog in her soup, and she blamed me." said Harry. "She really hates frogs."

"Sounds like something we should remember doesn't it Fred?" said George with a wide smile.

A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred.

"What I wouldn't give to arrest that woman." said Tonks through gritted teeth.

"I know, but that damned law is standing in our way." said Kingsley his hand tightened it's grip on his wand.

"Have you been beaten often?"

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."

"And just by his sadistic uncle." said George.

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough.

"Foul...vile...evil..." muttered Mrs. Weasley as Dumbledore drained another phial of Calming Draught.

Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve of the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

"I can't believe what I am hearing." said Rivers covering his ears and turning pale.

Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"

"What did she say about me?" asked Sirius.

"Lots of bad words and pretty much the same as Uncle Vernon, though she whispered to Aunt Petunia that if you had a little more weight and a haircut you looked cute." said Harry.

It took a little while for Sirius to come back to the Great Hall after he ran to the bathroom to be violently sick.

As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Harry caught himself thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her.

"Wow, that gotta suck." said Dean shaking his head.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry to stay out of their way, which Harry was only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted Harry under her eye at all time, so that she could boom out suggestions for his improvement.

"Yeah, Harry, you have so much room to improve!" said Fred.

"Yeah, you need to gain about two hundred pounds," said George.

"Beat people up for no real reason." said Fred.

"Grow a mustache." said Lee.

"And lose the good looks." said Ginny adding her two knuts in.

"Then you'd be just like her precious Dudders." said the little group together.

She delighted in comparing Harry with Dudley,

"No contest, Harry's better in every shape and form." said Lavender with a smirk.

and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents whilst glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a present, too.

"Gave that up after she had come to visit about three times." said Harry.

"That's emotional and mental abuse." growled Madam Pomfrey.

She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person.

"Harry?" asked Leroy leaning forward in the sofa he and Uncle Rudolph were sitting in.

"I stopped listening to her after a while." said Harry.

"But you listened to her for a while." said Uncle Rudolph sadly.

"Only a few years." said Harry.

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Harry placed a hand on his chest and then looked over to Dumbledore. Dumbledore met his eyes and shook his head quickly.

Harry tried to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger.

"I'm starting to feel sorry for that lady, when Harry blows up at you..." said Fred.

"It aint pretty." said Lee.

"And you'll promise him whatever he wants to get him to stop." said George.

Remember the form, he told himself. Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise –

Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.

"Wonderful, she's getting drunk, things can only get better." said Professor Flitwick, his face getting red with restrained anger.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup –"

The entire school went deadly silent. Not even one of the coarser Slytherins said a single word.

"She didn't say that." said Hermione in shock.

"Yeah, she did." said Ron.

"That horrible...she makes Umbridge seem human!" shrieked Ginny.

Snape's face was tense and white with fury.

Remus, Sirius, Leroy and Uncle Rudolph were occupying their time by planning on how they were going to go about cursing Marge Dursley to hell.

"This is starting to be fun again." said Harry listening to a few of their plans.

Dumbledore made a mental note to request Severus to brew a few more Calming Draughts, he was quickly running out.

At that moment, the wine glass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand.

"What happened?" asked Zacharias.

"Who cares?" said most of the students, "she earned it."

Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge spluttered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.

"Did any glass hit her?" asked Sirius gleefully.

"She had some shrapnel in her hair." said Harry with a smirk.

"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"

"Hope not." said Kingsley.

"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very strong grip..."

"Wow, we really do come up with stupid excuses to explain magic." said Dr. Clark with a laugh.

But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously, so he decided he'd better skip pudding and escape from the table as soon as he could.

"Harry, you really shouldn't be skipping meals." said Mrs. Weasley, calming down enough to speak normally and not speak in hisses.

"I just needed some air." said Harry.

Outside in the hall, he leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since he'd lost control and made something explode.

"You've made something explode before?" asked Sirius.

"It was the Dursley's television. He knocked me for a loop big time." said Harry.

People looked at him with a horrified look.

He couldn't afford to let it happen again.

For three different reasons. thought Harry.

The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake – if he carried on like that, he'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.

"That and he'd beat the snot out of you." said Remus.

"Can you read minds?" whispered Harry.

"No, why?" asked Remus.

"Nothing." said Harry.

Harry was still an underage wizard, and he was forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school. His record wasn't exactly clean, either.

"That wasn't your fault, Mr. Potter." said Madam Bones stiffly.

Only last summer he'd got an official warning which had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, Harry would face expulsion from Hogwarts. He heard the Dursleys leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way.

Harry got through the next three days by forcing himself to think about his Handbook of Do-it-Yourself Broomcare whenever Aunt Marge started on him.

"Well that's good, keep your mind off what she's saying, you don't need to hear her garbage." said Charlie.

This worked quite well, though it seemed to give him a glazed look, because Aunt Marge starting voicing the opinion that he was mentally subnormal.

"He has more mental strength than all of them put together." said Rivers with a scowl.

At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived.

"Thank goodness, I don't want to hear about her anymore." said Dr. Clark.

Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner

"She cooked the dinner?" asked Remus.

"She reheated it, she went around to the different catering businesses and picked them all up." said Harry.

"Why not have you cook?" asked Sirius.

"Uncle Vernon figured that I was doing enough keeping my end of the deal, he gave me a week off." said Harry.

and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine.

"Wasn't even his best stuff, he's a miser with his wine." said Harry shaking his head.

They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults;

"What did she talk about?" asked Tonks.

"Her dogs and Colonel Fubster." said Harry.

during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them all with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company;

"Only Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia found it mildly interesting." said Harry.

then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.

"Can I tempt you, Marge?"

Aunt Marge had already had rather a lot of wine.

"She was getting really close to being smashed." said Harry.

"Lovely, as if she wasn't bad enough sober." muttered Professor McGonagall.

Her huge face was very red. "Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that... and a bit more... that's the boy."

"Her small one is equal to a completely full wine glass." said Harry.

Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie.

"I actually made that, it was in the freezer." said Harry.

"Why did she use one of your pies?" asked Hermione.

"Dudley ate the three she had bought." said Harry with a smirk. "She had to break into her stash of premade food."

Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out.

"Why do you mention that?" asked Zacharias. "Seems stupid."

"She only does that in front of guests, other than that, she doesn't act all that dainty." said Harry with a smirk.

Harry really wanted to disappear to his bedroom, but he met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew he would have to sit it out.

Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down.

"Oh, she's a lady." said Madam Hooch.

"Excellent nosh, Petunia.

"Yeah, good job of opening your purse and taking out the money." said George rolling his eyes.

It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening,

"She cooks worse than Aunt Petunia." said Harry.

with twelve dogs to look after..." She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach.

"I'm never burping again." said the twins.

"Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley.

"Then why are you looking at Dudley?" asked Bill.

"It's strange, one is too big, and the other one is too skinny, there isn't anyone in that house that is the right weight." said Luna thoughtfully.

"You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father.

"That isn't proper sized." said Dr. Clark.

Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon..."

"Now, this one here –" She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. The Handbook, he thought quickly.

"I get the feeling this time that 'focus on something else' doesn't work." said Sirius.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him.

"Who's fault was that!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey.

You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year.

Quite a few girls whimpered at that, Sirius too.

"But the runts of the litter are the cutest." whimpered Hannah.

Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

"And who's the breeder?" said Remus.

Harry was trying to remember page twelve of his book: A Charm to Cure Reluctant Reversers.

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out.

Several Slytherins looked between themselves and shuffled their feet nervously.

Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" – she patted Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one,

"Yes she is." said Ron.

"but your sister was a bad egg.

"She wasn't the one that was the bad egg." snarled Snape quietly.

They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."

"Wastrel?" shouted Remus and Sirius.

"Where does she live, Harry? We'll..." said Sirius.

"Please don't, I would rather not have you arrested now." said Madam Bones.

Harry was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in his ears.

"That's called rage." said Mr. Weasley.

Grasp your broom firmly by the tail, he thought. But he couldn't remember what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into him like one of Uncle Vernon's drills.

"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"

"He was the best Auror I ever trained." said Mad-Eye Moody.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.

"Never ask about my parents, that was a main rule at Privet Drive." said Harry.

"He – didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with a half-glance at Harry. "Unemployed."

"He did too work! He didn't need to but he helped protect his fellow wizards and witches, especially during the war!" said Remus.

"That is until he went into hiding, but he would have gone on missions had he of been able." said Dumbledore.

"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve.

"When she gets drunk her manners go right out the window, not that she had much manners to start with." said Harry.

"A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who –"

"HE WAS NOT!" shouted Remus, and Sirius.

"He was not," said Harry suddenly.

The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life.

Fred and George whistled loudly.

"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on –"

"Gladly." said Sirius, "Get away from her."

"No, Vernon," hiccoughed Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) –"

"James only went drinking once a month with us! Sure it was all weekend but still!" shouted Sirius. "He stayed at 'Night's Rest' the entire time!"

"He never even flew drunk, except for that one time but it was a toy broomstick.." said Remus. "We've got that on muggle film if you want to see it." he whispered to Dr. Clark, but Harry heard it too.

"These sound like stories I want to hear about." said Harry with a smile.

"You sure? Might tarnish the saintly view of your dad." said Sirius with a smirk.

Harry snorted. "Saintly? Dad was far from saintly."

"Kids should think they're parents are perfect." said Remus.

"Mom was perfect, dad wasn't." said Harry. "Dad was a troublemaker and prankster." said Harry with a smile.

"Close to perfect in my book." said Sirius with a laugh.

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge,

"Decent? They aren't decent!" said Ron angrily.

swelling with fury.

Suddenly Ron stopped being so angry and a wide grin stretched across his face.

"You are an insolent, ungrateful little –"

But Aunt Marge had suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her.

"This is going to be good." said Tempest taking the hint from Ron.

She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger – but the swelling didn't stop.

"Beautiful." said Lionus laughing loudly.

Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech.

Next second, several buttons burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls – she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like salami...

The students cheered loudly as the teachers and guests began to clap. "Bout time!" shouted the twins.

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together, as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair towards the ceiling.

"Yay! You turned her into the world's ugliest balloon!" shouted Colin.

She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"How did he know to come in barking?" asked Ernie.

"People shouting and Aunt Petunia's screaming called him to the dining room." said Harry. "It's what Aunt Marge trains them for."

"NOOOOOOO!"

Uncle Vernon seized one of Aunt Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself.

"Wow, that must have been a hell of a lot of hot air." said Neville.

Next second, Ripper had leapt forward and sunk his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

"Good boy!' shouted Sirius.

Harry tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him,

I had just about had it." said Harry.

heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as he reached it.

"Your core was going haywire." said Dr. Nicodemus with a proud smile.

In seconds, he had heaved his trunk to the front door.

He sprinted upstairs and threw himself under the bed, wrenched up the loose floorboard and grabbed the pillowcase full of his books and birthday presents. He wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage and dashed back downstairs to his trunk,

"It sounds like you're evacuating." said Sirius.

"That's exactly what I was doing." said Harry.

just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"Nothing that he didn't deserve." growled Professor Sprout.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

"She was never right to start with." said Bill.

But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He kicked his trunk open,

"I just about broke my toe pulling that stunt." said Harry.

pulled out his wand and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.

"Whoa Nellie." said Sirius. "You need to work on that temper."

"Hey, it was the first time that I blew up at him." said Harry.

"She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me."

He fumbled behind him for the catch on the door.

"I'm going," Harry said. "I've had enough."

"Is that when the wards broke down?" asked Sirius quietly to Remus.

"It couldn't be, Dedalus managed to find him, so it would have to have been before he turned ten or so." said Remus.

And next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving his heavy trunk behind him, Hedwig's cage under his arm.

"So you left the safety of your house, with a mass-murderer on the loose, only because someone insulted your father?" said Snape rolling his eyes. "Ridiculous."

"As much as I hate to admit it, he does have a point." said McGonagall. "Though the woman was horrible, you shouldn't have left the house with a supposed killer on the loose."

"I know, but it was worth it, and I don't regret it." said Harry.

The adults in the room went silent and looked amongst themselves quickly. They were proud that Harry stood up for himself and that he defended his father, but not regretting using magic on a muggle was going over the line just a tad. She was a horrid woman yes, but to not regret it just a bit?

"But you wouldn't do it again, would you?" said Dumbledore slowly.

"In a heartbeat." said Harry dully.

Another thick silence happened amongst the adults.

"So when did this happen? Year before last?" said Remus asking Harry innocently.

"You know it did." said Harry looking confused.

"So it was only a year and a half ago or so." said Remus.

"Yeah?" said Harry.

"Little closer than...say...three or four years ago?" said Remus. "So you can't exactly yell and debate with me if I tell you off."

"What? Why?" said Harry in shock. "You don't like her either and you were clapping when you found out what happened."

"Yeah, but you don't regret it and you'd do it again. That can be considered magical assault on a Muggle." said Remus. "And we sort of like to discourage that kind of behavior in young wizards.

Harry began to stutter and stammer.

"This weekend, no Hogsmede, no Night's Rest, no kitchens and no dates. You stay in the castle, in our suite, all weekend." said Remus.

Harry looked at Remus in shock and looked at Sirius and Dumbledore.

"You're on your own, you did say it, maybe not the whole 'you'd do it again' but you did sort of cross the line just a bit." said Sirius guiltily. "I can't help you here, and I sort of agree with him."

"On what? You..." said Harry looking betrayed.

"I said 'sort of.'" said Sirius quickly. "The grounding is…little heavy…but as far as I know you didn't have any real plans…so…it can just be us talking about James and Lily so that's alright." he added trying to soothe Harry's ire towards them.

"The thing that bothers us, is that you say you don't regret it." said Dumbledore. "That's what the small problem is, and the need to correct that line of thinking. I know she was someone who easily deserved some retribution, but…you being so young, you shouldn't feel that way."

"If you had said, I don't regret blowing up and nothing further, then we'd be fine and wouldn't think anything more about it, but willing to do it again, at such a young age is a bit much." said Madam Bones.

"But he…he steered the conversation! He asked!" said Harry. "Isn't there some law or something?"

"One weekend, no going anywhere." repeated Remus. "I'll let you out into the castle, but not on the grounds."

Harry racked his brain to think of a way out of getting grounded this weekend, but he couldn't. This wasn't fair, this was entrapment!

"And..." said Remus.

"More?" said Harry.

"I want a three foot long essay on why what you did was wrong and what you could have done instead." said Remus.

"It was accidental magic! I couldn't stop it!" said Harry. They had to pick right now to try and ground him. He kept dancing around and avoiding the trouble, testing his boundaries, but he didn't expect them to just gang up on him like this. During the school year reading, he expected it to come, hell he wouldn't have a problem with it and he would have been disappointed if they didn't try, but this was during the summer! They were supposed to be on his side!

"Calming down, there's one thing you could have done instead." said Remus. "I want it byMonday morning." said Remus.

Essay? What is he a teacher again? thought Harry viciously.

Harry stood up and walked over to Hermione and asked her. "Can you make me a chair?" He was pissed; he didn't want them to tell him off for summer stuff, school stuff, sure. He welcomed it, but summer was off limits.

"Harry...I think it's best if you sit with your family... I mean..." said Hermione quietly.

"I'll make you a chair kid." said Lionus quickly. Suddenly a large wooden throne like chair appeared and landed in the middle of the room. "There you go."

Harry dragged his chair over to a secluded part of the Great Hall and sat down in the chair, but not before yanking his phoenix blanket off the floor and went over to his new seat.

"Harry..." said Remus tiredly. He didn't want to act this way, he supposed that it was mostly his fault, he should have spoken to him, or taken him aside, he was new at this and he couldn't help it. He had a lot to learn, and he didn't want Harry mad at him.

"Leave him be." said Dr. Nicodemus.

"Trust us in that aspect, he just needs time to think and mull things over." said Lionus.

"He can do that over here." said Sirius pointing down at the empty space in the bowl and looking hurt.

"Not when the person that grounded him is sitting right next to him." said Nightstrike.

"Well, right now, he's just acting like a spoiled brat not getting his way." muttered Hermione. Ron stared at her.

"What the hell?" said Ron. What was Hermione thinking? Was she trying to ruin everything? He wasn't all that mentally on board with either of them when they went all out, but even he knew not to cross that line, especially after what he did last year!

"You sort of are Harry." said Remus.

Ron turned and stared at Remus next, were they all losing their minds?

Dr. Clark stood up and inched away from the bowl. He knew this wasn't going to go well. Right now, he wasn't agreeing with any of them, if he had a wand, he'd of done it to the bitch time and time again. And that friend of his calling him a spoiled brat? She needs a reality check.

"You people need to make up your freaking minds. Do you want me to act my age, or how I would act given my own devices?" said Harry.

"Acting your age would be nice." said Remus, getting caught up in the heat of the moment and forgetting himself.

"Remus!" hissed Sirius. "We just got him back here!"

"He's lost his mind." said Ron shaking his head.

"And yet you don't seem to like it when I do." said Harry.

"Harry..." said Hermione, but she was silenced by a glare from both Harry and Ron.

"Shut up! You're not helping!" snapped Ron angrily.

Dr. Clark walked over and whispered in Harry's ear. "I'll talk to him. Maybe he'll settle down and rethink this."

"No, don't bother, I just need some time to think, I'm being smothered over there." said Harry whispering back. "I just need some time to myself."

"Okay, if you need anything, let me know." said Dr. Clark. "Do you want me over here with you?"

"No, I'm good, just want to just sit here and think." said Harry. He slowly took out his little black notebook and took out a quill and bottle of ink.

"Let's get this blasted essay done with." said Harry writing down words furiously.