Disclaimer: I make no claims to the ownership of Harry Potter and it's related properties.

Spear of Christ

Beginnings

The sun poured through the window of a small American house, shining in the eyes of a man who sat reading the newspaper. The man in question looked to be early twenties, a mop of blonde hair sat messily on his head. There was nothing remarkable about his appearance, tanned skin and lean muscles suggested a lot of time spent working outdoors. Looking closely would reveal a number of scars long healed that threatened to give away his not so ordinary past. He gave a loud sigh and read over the ad for the fourth time that morning. Whatever he tried to tell himself, he knew he would apply, had known since he first saw the headline. For some reason this felt right, it felt like it was time to return to the world he'd left behind all those years ago. He took out a sheet of paper and began to write.

Headmaster Lupin,

I am writing to apply for the position of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.

I studied at Hogwarts as a child, achieving O's in Defence at O.W.L and N.E.W.T

level. I also had numerous experiences fighting against dark wizards during the

time of Voldemort, and feel this is a position I would be well suited to.


I await your owl, kind regards

Evan Baxter.

Having never before applied for a job in the wizarding world, he wasn't entirely sure what to put, did they expect him to attach a CV? Somehow he didn't feel 'four years as a building labourer' would be relevant. Hoping this would be enough, he rolled up the note as his owl landed obediently on the table and stuck out her leg.

"Take it to Hogwarts girl, take it to Remus."

Hedwig blinked, gave him a look of understanding, and took off out the open window. She was in for a long journey, and he didn't expect to see her again for at least a week.

During that week, he wondered again and again whether this was the right decision. Would it hurt too much being back? Being back where so many lives had been lost. He'd already decided not to go as himself, deciding to keep the pseudonym he'd been using for the last four years, 'Evan Baxter'. Maybe one day he'd reveal to them who he really was.

The day the owl returned, he was waiting at the kitchen table. The thought of going back had been racing through his head for the past seven days. He opened the letter, reading it in silence.

"Well Hedwig, looks like we're going back to Hogwarts." Hedwig hooted in what he took as a sign of approval.

Three days later Harry stood in the hot sunshine outside a Muggle construction site."So this is it? You're leaving today?""Yes sir, the taxi should be here soon."
"Well, I'm sorry to see you go Evan. You'll be a hard man to replace."
"Thank you sir."
"I'm not your boss any more Evan, you can call me Mike."
"Yes sir."
Mike laughed and put his hand forward, which Harry shook warmly.
"Goodbye Evan."
"Goodbye Mike."
"If you're ever in need of a job, give me ring, you'll always be welcome here."
"Will do."
"And Evan, look after James, he's got my number so I'll know if you're not." At this Harry laughed and Mike bent down to ruffle the hair of the toddler attached to Harry's leg.
"And the same goes for you, look after your old man."
The toddler didn't reply, preferring simply to tug at his fathers trousers. "I'll take that as a 'yes'". Both men looked up as a yellow taxi arrived. Harry hoisted the child up onto his shoulder, "Well buddy, let's get going." The driver loaded Harry's suitcases into the boot of the cab and Harry strapped James into his car seat. Hopping in himself, he wound the window down and stuck out his arm in one last wave to Mike. Mike returned the farewell likewise, and Harry settled down to enjoy the ride. The trip to the airport and subsequent flight passed smoothly, and it seemed to Harry as if he barely had time to think before he was once again standing on home soil, the land where he'd been born.

He made his way to the Leaky Cauldron, and upon reaching his destination stood and stared for a long time. He remembered the first time he'd been there, when Hagrid had taken his hand and shown him a life that he'd never dared to dream of. It had severed as his entrance to the Wizarding world when he was eleven, and now, twelve years later, it served a similar purpose. He wondered if this time the experience would prove to be as life changing as the last. As he opened the door to the murky pub, he noticed most of the patrons looking to see who had entered, but they quickly turned back to their drinks with disinterest. Though he hadn't bothered with much of a disguise, he didn't think anyone would recognize him. He'd found in the weeks after Voldemort's destruction that his legendary scar had started to fade, until now it was barely visible. That coupled with the fact that he'd had his vision fixed and as such no longer required his trademark glasses meant those outside his once friends were unlikely to notice it was him. His unruly black hair had long ago been magically bleached blonde, and that was how he kept it now. Working as a labourer had thrown off the last of his childhood body, and the muscles that now graced his frame were most definitely those of a man.

Moving towards the bar he noticed that Tom was no longer there, but had been replaced with a younger, vaguely familiar looking man. The barkeep looked up as he approached and stuck out his hand.

"Haven't seen you 'round 'ere before. Name's Seamus Finnigan and this is me pub, the Leaky Cauldron, what can I be doin' you for? Butterbeer? Firewhiskey?"

Harry smiled to himself as he took the proffered hand.

"Evan Baxter, I'd like a room for the night."

"Can do, room eleven's free, you only stayin' the one night?"
Harry nodded. "And I don't suppose you've seen my owl around? I told her to meet me here?"

Harry didn't like forcing Hedwig into making the trip again so soon, but he'd decided it wasn't worth the trouble trying to bring her on the plane.

"That wouldn't be the snowy white one would it?"
"Yeah, that's her."
"Arrived about an hour ago, gave her some food and water in the store room. Used to have a mate had an owl just like that one."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, he'd dead now though, think the bird is too. Back to yer room though, that'll be 3 galleons for the room, 4 if you want dinner and breakfast."

At the mention of galleons, he realised he hadn't had a chance to convert his Muggle money.

"Damn, I've only got Muggle money on me. Mind if I leave my bags here while I run to Gringotts?"

"Sure thing, I'll have them taken up to your room. You wanna leave the kid here too?"

"Uh.."
"He'll be safe as anything, I promise."
"Uh, yeah sure. Thanks." Harry didn't like leaving James, but he knew Seamus would look after him.

"Righto, Diagon Alley's out that door, tap your wand to the brick three up and two across from the rubbish bin. Gringotts is up the end of the alley on your left."

Harry thanked Seamus for information that he already knew, and after patting James on the head and telling him to stay put (which James replied with a noise Harry had to hope meant 'OK"), he made his way to the wizarding bank.

During his time in America, working as a labourer, he'd almost forgotten he had a small fortune stored below the streets of London. After a shuddering ride down in a cart (not nearly as fun as he remembered), Harry extracted a sack full of galleons which would hopefully last him the year.

He returned to the Cauldron, finding James sitting on the bar, enthralled with his surroundings and not seeming to notice that his Dad had been gone. Collecting the boy and a key from Seamus, Harry made his way upstairs to room eleven. He realised it was the same room he'd stayed in the summer when he'd run away from home after blowing up his aunt. He deposited James on the bed and lay down next to him.

"Well buddy, this is it. The magical world. What do ya think?" He turned to see James had fallen asleep, tired out after the days travelling. For what must have been half an hour, Harry lay there and watched the face of the sleeping child. A lot of things that happened in his life surprised him, but having a son was pretty high on that list. He'd never seriously considered having children, he remembered looking into the Mirror of Erised as a child, and seeing that what he most desired was a family. But when he thought family, he always though parents to tuck him in at night, grandparents to buy him presents, perhaps even brothers and sisters to play with him in the park. The one thing he hadn't thought about was kids, but now that he had one, he found he wouldn't trade him for the world.