Disclaimer: I don't own either Harry Potter or SG-1, so I'll give them back.
Summary: Jack O'Neill and Harry Potter met before the "Defense Teacher" scene in the Cauldron. In fact, they actually met in the Headmaster's Office, when Harry was just six months old.
AN: Yes, I will get those chapters up as soon as I can. This idea will not leave me alone at all! Around a month or so before Jack's capture in Afghanistan, he visits the school and meets Harry for the first time. This is a 'prequel', or one of them, of my Defense Teacher universe. Don't worry, this will all make sense again when it nears Christmas in the actual story. If we ever get past Halloween...
Jack won't remember any of this for obvious reasons and Harry brings it up... Well, you'll just have to wait for the chapter to come out.
Oh, and before I get to the good part, I don't actually know if this would fit the ages for them, but this is my story and my universe, so pretend that it's true and enjoy it.
Jack O'Neill shook his head as he walked into the school for the first time since he left for the Muggle World. He would miss it all. He did, however, tell himself that he would visit again after the mission, but he didn't know how long it would be at the time.
"Ah, Jonathon," Albus Dumbledore embraced the young man, who hugged him back. "I was beginning to think that you had forgotten about Hogwarts."
"Not a chance, it's great to be back for the short time I have before I leave," Jack and Albus traveled to the stone gargoyle. Jack looked at Albus. "Password?"
"Chocolate fudge over chocolate ice-cream," the older wizard chuckled at Jack's incredulous look.
"I think you're losing your touch."
"Not at all. As a matter of fact, one of my ex-students has a taste for it and was eating the treat earlier this morning," Albus led him up the stairs, smiling at the thought of young Remus Lupin.
"Ice-cream? In this weather?" Jack pulled his muggle coat around him more tightly. "I don't believe it."
"You haven't met my student. I assure you, it doesn't bother him in the slightest."
Albus opened the door and preceded him to his desk. "Now, I believe that we had a lunch planned."
"Yeah, I do kind of miss the cooking here," Jack nodded as he remembered the owl he had sent to the headmaster about lunch while he was on leave near London. "Don't tell me you're backing out, are you?"
"Not at all," Albus shook his head. "However, I was, ahem, 'volunteered' by another former student who is visiting with her family and she couldn't find a suitable baby-sitter for her son until James, her husband, gets back from his Auror duties."
"Well, there's next time after all," Jack said, plopping down in a chair.
"Not at all, I would like to still have lunch with you," Albus insisted, "but Minerva desperately needs my attention for a few minutes and I have no one to look after young Harry while I am otherwise occupied."
"I'll look after him," Jack automatically told him. "As long as we get to that lunch, I'll be fine."
"If you are sure," Albus wasn't worried about leaving the young Potter in the other's capable hands. In fact, he was actually expecting it of the other wizard after telling his problem. "I will be in Minerva's classroom if you shall have need of me," Albus instructed, standing up. "I am hopeful that this will not take long at all."
Jack waved a hand at him. "Go, I'll be fine. I do have a son, myself, after all. I think I can handle this," Jack insisted.
Albus nodded. "Very well," he said, walking to the door. "He is taking his nap in my quarters so make yourself at home."
"Thanks, Professor," Jack stood up. "I will." He waved as the door closed and went upstairs. He grinned at the sight of the few toys scattered about the "Comfort Zone" as he had dubbed it when he found himself here at various times during the years he spent at Hogwarts. He opened the door to the left of a comfy couch sitting against the far wall and stepped through. It led to a hallway that ended at what looked like a makeshift nursery and Jack looked around at the things that had been put there for a baby.
In a corner, a crib was taking up space as it held the sleeping occupant of who the headmaster's concerns were for. Jack tip-toed over and smiled softly as he found himself face-to-face with a pair of sleepy, curious, green eyes.
"Well, hello there," Jack said, brushing the black hair away from his temporary charge's face. "Did you have a good nap?"
His smile widened as the baby yawned at him. "I'll take that as a yes, then." He looked around and spotted a self-warming bottle. "Hungry?"
The baby kicked the blankets and held his arms out. "Alright," Jack chuckled, picking him up, "I get the picture."
Jack took Harry and blankets to get the bottle. After doing so, they sat down in a rocking chair that was in the opposite corner from the crib, Jack picking up what looked to be a stuffed stag and a stuffed black dog before sitting down. Harry eagerly accepted the bottle and happily drank from it as his holder started rocking them. After a while, Harry was starting to get fussy, so Jack checked to make sure that everything was alright. Which it was.
"Huh," Jack told the baby as he started walking around. "I guess you're the restless type, then. Yeah, I know how you feel sometimes. You know, I used to love getting visits up here." Harry tilted his head to the side. "Yeah, I'm nuts, okay? I mean, who in their right mind would love getting sent to the headmaster's office? I can't really explain it, actually. It's sort of like there's this warm blanket when you think about it."
Jack smiled down at the bundle in his arms, unaware of the connection that was slowly building between them. "Hey, can you do me a favor?"
Harry liked this new adult. He couldn't tell why, but there was just something about him that he was drawn to. Something that the other adults didn't have. He felt sleepy again. "I know you want to go to sleep, huh? Well, I'll make it quick, then. See, I have this friend and he gets a little lonely sometimes. So, if you see him out in the hall, it would be great if you smiled at him every once in a while. I bet he'd like that."
After a while, Harry fell asleep. Jack put him back into his crib and sat with him as he slept, watching him much like he would Charlie.
Lily and James Potter hurried up the stairs.
Lily's family visit was longer than she would have liked and James got caught up on a case with Sirius Black that took longer than anyone had thought. James followed his wife around a corner, only to stop in surprise when they stopped short of colliding with Albus Dumbledore.
"Professor!" Lily gasped. "I thought you were watching Harry."
"I had been," he said, steering the couple around toward his office. "Minerva had called me away and I left young Harry in the capable hands of one of my past students. Jonathon also has a young son and he was very eager to watch him. However, not only did Minerva keep me for a long amount of time, but I managed to miss the lunch that I promised to have with Jonathon."
If James didn't know any better, he would have thought that the older wizard was sulking as he said that last part.
The trio hurriedly said the password and climbed up the stairs, nearly ran through the office, as well as the "Comfort Zone" and dashed through to the nursery, only to find it empty of both Jonathon and Harry.
Panic seized them and they were about to get Remus and Sirius when Jack appeared with an amused look on his face. "Completely ignore us, why don't you?"
"Jonathon," Albus could breathe again as Lily rushed over to get Harry after the scare. "Where did you two hide?"
"Well," Jack pursed his lips, "we were on the couch when these crazy people completely bypassed us altogether and charged the nursery, right, Harry?"
The baby just gurgled happily in agreement.
Right up until a few minutes later when the baby realized that he wasn't going to be returned to his new friend.
"Oh, sweetie, what's wrong?" Lily tried to calm him down as tears started to pour from his eyes.
"Looks like Prongslet's ready for bed. Thanks, Albus, for watching him," James shook his hand before turning to Jack. "Thank you as well."
"No problem. I love kids. I have one of my own, actually."
"We really must be going, nice to meet you, sir," Lily, still trying to get Harry to shush, stepped closer to him. To everyone's surprise, Harry quieted down.
"Well, Jonathon," Albus's blue eyes sparkled behind his glasses, "it appears that you have yet another fan."
"Very funny," Jack grumbled, winking at Harry, who smiled at him.
"Harry never takes to strangers this fast," Lily said to James. "It took us at least a week to get him around the others."
"Maybe he's just a good judge of character," James shrugged.
"I better go, too," Jack told Albus regretfully. "We never did get to that lunch."
"Will you stay for dinner?" Albus asked, though unaware, hopefully.
"I might be able to make breakfast, though," Jack nodded as the plan was laid out.
"I shall see you tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah sure you betcha," Jack nodded before he led the Potters out.
"Well, it was nice meeting you folks," Jack shook their hands one more time and flicked Harry's nose, to the baby's delight. "I might see you again, someday," he added.
"I think he'll like that," James nodded.
After that, they went their separate ways: Jack to the Broomsticks and the Potters to the apparation site. It would be a week before Harry was back to his cheery self and it would take twice that long for James to realize that someone had charmed his hair to change colors every time someone said certain words.
He never did figure out who, though.
AN: So? What'd you think? Drop me a line to say hello or something, but this is intended to be a one-shot only.
Again, I'll try to get the chapters out as fast as I can, but Merry Christmas if I don't get it out in time.
I know. Two chapters for the hundred review mark. They will be two long ones, though. Oh, and if any of Defense Teacher readers read this, can you review and tell me if you guys won't mind slash between my own characters? I just can't see them any other way...
Hyper December 15, 2007/ Saturday