Disclaimer- The only one I own is Serena, the others are to JK Rowling.

Chapter Plot: When Professor McGonagall discusses her concerns of Sirius' grades, she assigns him a tutor.

A/N: Sorry for the inconvenience, didn't approve of me putting songs in this fanfic. Well, at least this gives me an opportunity to fix things I didn't like! Oh, and also, I don't save every chapter after I've updated. Usually I just erase and use that same page for the next chapter. So if things aren't the same as the older one, I'm sorry!

Chapter One: The Great Annoyance and the Big Reward

Professor McGonagall was an excellent listener. And as an excellent listener one has to be sure that they actually understand what it is that they are listening to. And although she had a slight idea that was she was hearing was, in fact, an excuse, she had no desire to hear it in the first place.

"Mr. Black," She held up a hand to stop the 17 year old standing in front of her as he rambled on and on about whatever reason it was that he'd been late that morning.

"But you see, I didn't really-"

"Mr. Black!" McGonagall took in a frustrated breath and stared at him with an irritated look. "I am tired of your excuses. You are far beyond my patient and as one would say, walking on eggshells"

Sirius gave her a curious look, the metaphor flying right over his head.

She sighed again, sometimes this boy was just too much. "Sirius, believe me, I would love nothing more than to help everything single one of my students. But this is a task of responsibility – something that you don't have. Now, I realize that things are getting a little harder with exams coming closer, but for goodness sake's you've only be in school for a month!"

"Hey!" Sirius yelped defensively. "It's been a tiring month."

"Oh yes," McGonagall rolled her eyes. "A tiring month of sleeping in, missing classes, failing to turn in your work, and overall destroying your future."

Black held up a finger to protest, but found himself speechless in this situation. His professor was right. He was a slacker.

"That said, I think it best if I assign you to a tutor."

A mouth dropped…

And it wasn't Minerva's.

"A…a what?"

"A tutor, Mr. Black." The Professor explained to the dumbstruck teen. "Someone of your own age from your own house, who will be able to knock some sense into that thick skull that you so proudly call your head."

"I can't have a tutor!"

McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "And why is that?"

He couldn't very well tell her of his…activities. That would only further press the issue that he did need a tutor. "I just…can't!"

"Sirius, listen to me." Sternly said McGonagall. "If you do not bring up your grades you fail, meaning that as your friends will be going on with their lives, you will be spending the next year here. Understood?"

Sirius ran his hands through his thick black hair. "I can't fail." He seemed to say more to himself than to his teacher.

"Then I suggest," McGonagall said calmly. "That you take my advice."

-

"A tutor, huh?" James Potter sat across from his best friend in the Great Hall at lunch time chewing on a sandwich. Whatever kind of sandwich it was he had no idea. But it tasted good! "Can'tcha just get Remus to do it? He's smart."

Sirius shook his head lousily. "Already been assigned."

"You wanna use my invisibility cloak to get out of it?" James suggested, hoping to brighten up the downed lump staring at his empty plate on the other side of the table.

Sirius said nothing. He looked thoroughly fuming at the idea of missing out on everything while his friends got to have fun. But that was the price he had to pay for procrastinating.

When Black didn't answer his question, James snapped his fingers in front of his face. "You in there, mate?"

Sirius glanced up and stretched. He needed a nap, all this thinking and being angry was starting to wear him out. Seeing the desperate expressions on his friend's faces, he cracked a handsome smile. "How 'bout a celebration for my last day of freedom for a while?"

The other three got up along with him and hurried out of the Great Hall and into the sunshine. At least half the students of Hogwarts were outside in the crisp breezy day. Most were sprawled out on the leaf scattered grass by the lake, watching as the giant squid rose and sank its arms one by one.

James led the pack to their usual spot beneath a large oak tree. The turn out for whom to prank and whom not to prank was a bit stiff that day. Of course there were the usual candidates, Severus Snape for example.

Sirius narrowed his eyes once they fell upon Severus. "That low life, dirty, son of a-"

"Padfoot…" Remus tapped his friend on the shoulder and pointed out that the children outside were being supervised by Filch at the moment.

Sirius had a score to settle with Snape. The day before while the group had been in Charms class trying to perfect illusion charms, Snape had performed one on Sirius, making him think he was caught in a pit of snakes. In reaction, Sirius had yelped and started trying to climb out of the way of the Cobra's, making the class laugh at his out of ordinary behavior. But with the unlucky notification that of which was Filch, Sirius would have to wait.

It took a bit of time before Black could tear his threatening gaze away from the despicable grease ball only a few yards away from him. But eventually, he did, not willing to risk another meeting with McGonagall.

The gang finally relaxed under the oak, Sirius and James with their backs against the trunk. Lupin spread out on his stomach and nuzzled his head on his folded arms. A full moon was coming and lately he'd been getting any chance of sleep that he possibly could. Peter sat crossed legs towards James' and Remus' feet, his hands folded neatly as he waited for instructions on what they were going to do.

"Hey," Potter said lazily. "Look at that."

Sirius opened his eyes and gazed to where James had motioned with his chin. The squid splashed in the lake. Very amusing, James. "Yeah, so?"

"So? You see what I see?"

"I see a squid."

"Not that, you bozo!" James rolled his eyes and looked again, this time pointing. "That."

Looking again, Sirius could see what James saw. The girls were absolutely soaked! Apparently the splash from the squid had done him some justice in seeing the now tight fit, drenched clothes that stuck to the ladies in every possible spot. A mischievous smile playing on his lips, Sirius gently shoved Remus with his heel, waking his friend up.

Remus hazily stared around, trying to find the source of his awakening. James pointed, and Remus looked. His once tired eyes were now wide and awake at the sight of that!

The Marauders sat together, staring. Peter blushing, Remus trying, and failing, to avoid looking, James eyeing the selection, and Sirius whistled with that same cocky grin on his ruggedly good looking face.

His last day of freedom was definitely well spent.

A/N: Yah like? Sorry if it's too short, I was in a rush to write this and get to work on time! Anyways, please review!