3: Meeting the Family

Or was he some kind of psychic?

"Your kind?" I asked James.

He frowned at me before explaining, "Witches and wizards. That's what we are." He frowned deeper when I gave him an incredulous look. "You don't believe me, do you? That's just a little judgemental of you, Lily Evans."

"How so?" I snapped at him. Did he really think that I'd believe that he was a wizard? I may be dead but that doesn't mean that I'm gullible too.

"Well, you're a ghost, so why can't I be a wizard?" He looked expectantly at me, waiting for my answer. This boy in front of me was insane! Maybe that's why he could see me; he's mental! I looked at the ground as I answered him.

"Nobody's ever been able to see me before," I told him, "so what makes you any different?" As I looked up at him, he let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head slowly.

"I've already explained this to you!" he was getting impatient now if the frustration in his voice was anything to go on. "I am a wizard, so is my father and my mother's a witch!" If that was the case then why couldn't his mother see me? And I'm sure his father would have seen me in his garden every time he came back from work. I think I was right: James is mental. I decided to humour him and agree with him, for now.

"Okay, so you're a wizard," I mentally cringed at the sarcasm seeping through my voice, but then again, did he really expect me to take his word on it?

"You don't believe me, I can tell," James said but accepted my opinion. "You'll be shocked when I prove you wrong then." James grinned at me, sure of himself.

"I'll believe you when I have proof," I concluded but I would remain skeptical until then.

James smirked at me before uttering, "You will." He then went to grab my hand before pulling back, embarrassed at his mistake. He smiled encouragingly and beckoned me towards his house.

"Where are we going?" I asked him quickly, trying to keep up with his pace.

He sucked on his bottom lip for a while before answering, "Well, to prove to you that witches and wizards are real." He half-smiled at me. "And to introduce the resident ghost to my family." I just let him lead me to my old home. I doubted that his parents could see me and if they could they would have said something or reacted to me.

When I stepped into the house, I immediately regretted it; the smell of beef casserole filled my nostrils. The leftovers from the family's dinner had filled the room with a mouth-watering aroma. If I had been able to eat, my stomach would be rumbling right now. However, I can't eat, so I just enjoyed the odour that was circulating within the air. The place had been decorated since I had lived here; the walls were now a light green colour instead of the neutral magnolia that mum had preferred. The furniture was obviously different, my mother had taken all of her stuff with her when she had moved in with dad. Now the house looked like it belonged in an old black and while film, the only thing that stopped me thinking that I had travelled back in time was the electricity that lit the room. As I peered through to the living room, I saw James's father. He was sitting in a bright red, comfortable looking armchair. As James walked into the room, his father lowered the newspaper he was currently reading. He smiled at the sight of his son.

"Hey, James!" if possible, he smiled wider. "What were you doing outside alone? I know you can take care of yourself, but these are dangerous times. You have to realise that, son." I frowned at his words. Didn't James mention something earlier about things being dangerous at the moment too? I found myself curious as I listened more intently from the doorway I was presently standing under.

"Dad, I do realise what's happening. It's been all over the Daily Profit," James's expression was a sombre one. "The Death Eaters attacked a Muggle village last week, didn't they? The Ministry aren't doing anything useful to stop them!" Wait, hold on… Ministry? Death Eaters? Muggles? Was the whole Potter family completely nuts? I didn't have time to speculate as Mrs Potter walked straight through me…again. The same horrible feeling came over me once more. It made my whole body tingle. I let out an involuntary gasp. James's head shot up in my direction as he heard me. He then looked at his mother who was shivering and recoiling from me for the second time that night. I was beginning to see a pattern, I would get tired of these encounters very quickly. I saw James scrunch up his eyebrows in confusion. He kept looking at me to his mother and then back again, biting his lip in thought.

"They can't see me," I murmured quietly to him as I caught his eye. "You're the only one who has been able to see me, everyone else just looks straight through me." James gave me a pained look along with a look of worry and turned towards his father as he spoke to him. I tried to keep up with the conversation that they were having but it was as if they were speaking in a different language. There were so many words that I didn't understand but, in the end, I got the impression that this whole family really did believe in magic. How strange, there must be an inherited mental disorder that they all have. At least tell me that the mother doesn't believe that she's a witch! However, I was disheartened at her next words.

"I need to go to the apothecary's tomorrow; I'm running low on lacewing flies and fluxweed for the Polyjuice Potion." Poly-what? I was beginning to think that it me who had gone mad, maybe I was imagining the whole conversation. Had I had too much time alone? "You're going to come with me James, I'm not going by myself and I'm certainly not letting you stay here by yourself, unprotected." If I thought things couldn't get any stranger, I was wrong.

A/N: Thanks again to all of my reviewers. :D And also to the people who have added this story to their favourite and story alert lists. :) I've had many reviewers who seem a little confused on some of the things in my story. I plan to make things clearer for you as I post more of my story but if I don't answer your questions, don't hesitate to ask them. ;)