A/N: I've said it once, I'll say it again. I don't own anything recognizable. I am simply playing on the swing set left to all of us by the wonderful creators of Bones and Harry Potter.
Yes, some characters *cough*Severus*cough* are very much out of character. I like it better this way and it's my story. Don't like, don't read. Or, preferably, don't like, tell me but keep going anyway. Read and review! Thanks, lovelies!
Just so you know, my other stories have not been forgotten. I am working on like 8 of them at once! I just had this in my head and couldn't shake it, so I thought I'd share it with all of you!
Chapter 2
The trip to the school was fairly quick, and the sorting progressed, one student towering above the other first years by a head. His eyes narrowed as they passed the "H"s when his name wasn't called. After all the first years were called, the deputy headmistress called, "Harry Potter." He did not move. "Harry Potter," she said a little firmer, glaring at him.
Dumbledore stood up when he did not move again. "Mr. Potter, quit this nonsense and step forward to be sorted."
CJ blinked, unfazed. "Are you speaking to me, sir? I'm not Mr. Potter."
"You are too, step forward."
"My name is Cameron Hodgens and has been for nearly as long as I can remember," he glanced over at Severus quickly, who nodded minutely, unnoticeable unless you knew him well. He heard a nearly inaudible gasp from many of the older Slytherins. He brushed his fringe out of his eyes before folding his arms. "I"m here as a favor to you, Headmaster. I can leave if you don't want me here."
The twinkle briefly left the old man's eyes before it returned full force. "Please be sorted, Cameron, my boy."
"I'm not 'your boy' and you have no permission to call me in the familiar, sir." Whispers had broken out among the students at his defiance.
"Just be sorted, Mr. Hodgens."
"Yes, sir." He stepped forward and the hat was placed on his head.
"Ah, Mr. Hodgens, you are a complicated little thing aren't you?"
"So I've been told."
"You certainly aren't afraid of hard work, but your loyalty is somewhat scarce, unless earned."
"I won't deny that."
"Plenty of courage, but all this suspicion. You are a cunning little snake, aren't you?"
"I learned from the best."
"But you are too outspoken to be a snake, too reckless, yet logical. How do you feel about the house of ravens?"
"Place me where you think best."
"Then it better be...RAVENCLAW!"
He removed the hat and bowed to it. He then bowed to his new Head of House before taking a seat next to a dreamy looking blond. "Hey, beautiful, I'm CJ," he greeted easily.
She kissed his cheeks, then he kissed her forehead. "Luna Lovegood, and you'll be happy here, Cameron Jefferson. You'll find your mate soon."
A scoff came from across the table. "Don't listen to her, CJ, she's just Loony Lovegood," an Asian girl with gorgeous long black hair said, leaning forward.
He cocked an eyebrow. "You are a beautiful girl, but by your actions, you're making yourself up to look like a slut. While I'm all for the occasional lay, I don't do it with whores. With how you're so comfortable presenting your chest, very nice by the way, and the clear jealousy in your voice and the tightness in your facial expressions, you are indicating you just want to claim me before someone else does. You don't find Luna a threat, but the potential for me to have a mate, is a threat to you." He smirked. "For your information, I don't take propositions, I make them. And if I made one, you'd be in my bed before you even realized I was hitting on you."
Luna giggled and kissed him lightly again, this time on the mouth. "I believe we are going to be best friends, Cameron Jefferson."
The rest of dinner went by smoothly, the only hitch being when the Tri-Wizard Tournament was announced. "Be careful," Luna whispered to him as the Headmaster took his seat.
As the students were dismissed, a note appeared in front of him. He scanned it quickly, and then said, "Come on, Lu, you can show me to the Common Room after our detour."
"Of course, Cameron," she laced her fingers through his and allowed him to lead her through the halls to the dungeons.
"Baby Bug," he said softly, left hand on the stretch of wall in front of them. It melted away and they entered through an archway. The wall closed behind him as soon as his hand was flat on the next wall. "Cameron Jefferson Hodgens." A hidden door appeared and he opened it. "Ladies first."
Luna smiled at him and they stepped through into a cozy living room decorated in browns and creams with deep green accenting. "Thank you, Cameron Jefferson."
"There you are, Cam, Miss Lovegood."
"Hello, Professor," she said dreamily, examining the table top.
"Hey, Sev," he greeted the older man with a quick hug, as he'd done since childhood. "How was your summer?"
"It went well. I did not have to deal with any brats like you."
He smirked. "You love me and you know it," he dropped back onto the couch.
"How was your trip?" Severus asked, sitting properly in the leather armchair across from him.
"The flight was long, but not bad."
"And the train?"
"I mostly worked on reports and talked with Hermione Granger and Dean Thomas, both Gryffindor Mundane children, but they could appreciate my technology skills. Thomas came in with two other Gryffs, Weasley and Finnegan, but they are of no consequence. A while later, three of your snakes appeared, Malfoy and two big guys, looked like morons, can't remember their names. Malfoy was being an arrogant ass, so I kindly used my magic to escort him out. The Gryffs were saying he'd retaliate, but whatever. I'm just informing you that if he attacks, I will fight, and I will win."
"You couldn't even last 24 hours before getting in a fight."
"Seeley is my godfather, what else do you expect?" He grinned. "Besides, you taught me most of what I know."
"Cheeky brat." He changed topics to why he'd actually called the boy down. "In regards to my teaching you, I will give you a separate assignment at the beginning of each class as you have already mastered the ones your class will be learning, though I will expect you to assist your classmates as they struggle."
"Alright. What do you think of my sorting?"
"I'm just glad you are not causing hell in my house, though growing up where you did, I am not surprised. In a couple weeks, I'm going to have you attending a couple of my classes as an assistant," he added, changing topics again. The team at the Jeffersonian had a bad habit of jumping from topic to topic which CJ had picked up on, and Severus did not mind indulging in as long as everything necessary was covered in the conversation. It gave him good practice in following the many conversations that students participated in at the same time, better to catch the delinquents.
"M'kay." He pulled his laptop out as the man spoke. "Hey, Dad!" he answered the ring.
"Hey, Bud, what's up?"
"I've made friends, acquaintances and enemies and been sorted into Ravenclaw. Sev is glad I'm not causing Hell in his house. Miss me yet?"
"Completely. Daisy and Edison were the Squinterns today and blowing things up is not nearly as much fun without you here."
"You had a blast and picked on Daisy incessantly."
"Pretty much, yeah. Doesn't mean I don't miss you though. Tomorrow it's just going to be Daisy Day. She'll be all alone since Brennan has that meeting."
"Dad, be nice…but not too nice," he smirked. "Where's Ang?"
"Right here, baby. Any cuties?" she appeared on screen with her husband.
"Not potentials." He wrapped an arm around Luna's waist as she walked past and pulled her next to him. "Dad, Mom, this is Miss Luna Lovegood, my newest and bestest friend," he said dramatically. "Lulu, these are my parents, Jack and Angela Hodgens."
"Hello Jack and Angela Hodgens, Cameron Jefferson is a good friend. My first friend."
He gave her a squeeze and kissed her head. "Some slut bashed on Lu when I turned her down."
"Was she at least a hot slut?" his Dad asked earning a slap from Angela, though she, too, looked interested.
CJ laughed. "Stunning, but I don't like girls who promote themselves so forcefully. Same with guys, though," he mused. "Oh! Lu, I think she's a seer, says I'll meet my mate soon."
"You will," Luna said confidently, laying her head in his lap, facing his stomach.
He began to stroke her hair as he talked. "Anyway, I'm excited to see who it is."
"Did the Head guy insist on using your birth name?"
"Yup. But I refused to sort until he used my real name. Sev approved which I think freaked out a lot of the older Slytherins, but no one else noticed."
"Cameron," Severus said softly, pointing to the clock.
"Damn, I gotta go for tonight. I'm chilling in with Sev, but I have to get back to the dorm by curfew in like, 15 minutes, and it's up in the towers while we're in the dungeons now."
"Alright. Love you, bug."
"Love you too, Dad. I'll call tomorrow at lunch."
"Sleep well, baby, I love you."
"I love you, too, Momma. Over and out." He hung up and closed the laptop. Luna had fallen asleep in his lap. He carefully stood and gave Severus a quick hug. "Thanks, Sev."
"You're welcome, brat. You know you're welcome down here any time. I'll let you know after class who you'll be tutoring and what sessions you're attending."
"'Kay. Do you know how to get to the tower?"
"I'll walk up with you," he said as CJ scooped Luna up bridal style, holding her close.
"Thanks."
The walk up to the tower was done in silence. He answered the riddle and stepped through to the common room. It was nearly empty as most were getting settled before bed. He shrugged and carried her up to his own dorm, having been warned of the stairs beforehand, where he laid her on his bed. After pulling off her shoes, he used a switching charm to change her skirt and top into one of his t-shirts and a pair of basketball shorts, her clothes folding themselves on top of his trunk at the foot of his bed.
"What are you doing?" one of his roommates asked, finally getting over their shock.
"Putting the girl who's practically my sister into bed because she fell asleep. Who are you anyway?"
"Ernie McMillan. Girls aren't supposed to be up here. Especially not Loony Lovegood."
He slammed the boy into his bedpost, holding his arm across the boy's throat. "Never insult her again. You mess with her, you mess with me, and, trust me, I can kick your ass and leave you in a coma before you can say 'mercy.' Got it?"
"What's it to you?" he chocked out.
"As I said before, she's like my sister. I suggest you agree and pass the word along. Capisce?" He tightened his grip on the boy's throat.
"Fine," he gasped out.
CJ dropped him. "Glad you understand." He pulled off his shirt, revealing a highly toned torso and arms. He was not bulky, by any means, but it was a clear, and impressive, show of strength. He stripped out of his jeans and into a pair of running shorts commando, like with his jeans. He set his laptop on the nightstand, crawled into bed, cuddling Luna who fast asleep, and drifted off easily.