Harry's Wish

Disclaimer: You already know I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 8: The Second Dinner

Harry walked to the dining hall with Ron and Hermione. He was looking forward to seeing who Dumbledore hired to replace Lockhart. Harry knew that it may be a couple days before he found someone, but he could hope.

The three second years sat with Neville and waited for the dinner to appear. The door opened and Harry turned to see who had come in.

A tall, thin man was walking down the center aisle, towards the staff table. 'This must be who Dumbledore hired. The man was young. No older than twenty-five. He had untidy dark hair and round wire-framed glasses. 'Just like me." Harry couldn't help thinking.

The man seemed nervous, but he also seemed to be searching for something. His eyes scanned over the Gryffindor table a couple times as he approached the staff table. Harry couldn't help but wonder what the man was looking for.

Hermione was saying something that Harry missed.

"I'm sorry, what?" He said.

"I was just telling Ron that the man who just walked in has hair and glasses like yours."

"So I've noticed." Harry murmured, sounding distant. Who was he? Harry felt this sudden urge to walk up to the man and introduce himself just to see if the man recognized him. With a pang of annoyance, he realized that because of oh current fame in the Wizarding world, this stranger would probably know of him, but not know him. Just like everyone else. He sighed and started picking at his dinner.

For once, the dining hall was fairly quiet today, and Harry was grateful for this. It made it easier for him to eavesdrop on the teachers. Professor McGonogall was talking to the man, who was seated next to her. Harry strained to hear.

"Are you our new DADA teacher?"

The stranger nodded. "Yes, I am. I heard about your last one. He was a fraud, was he?"

Harry was happy to hear that this man was going to teach Defense. He couldn't wait to get to know him.

"Yes." McGonogall replied. "Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Oh." He replied a little awkwardly.

"So, how did Dumbledore find you?" McGonogall inquired. "It was rather short notice, I'm sure."

The DADA teacher opened his mouth to reply, but Snape, who had been listening to the conversation just like Harry, interrupted.

"Does it have something to do with when you asked me for veritaserum?" Harry gasped. That meant that the man who had interrupted their lesson today was this new teacher. But what was veritaserum? What was it used for?

"Hermione?" Harry nudged her.

"Yes?" She asked, turning towards him.

"What's veritaserum?"

"It's a very powerful truth serum. Why?"

That man who came in our class today asked for it. And he's our new Defense teacher." Harry gestured toward the man he had been watching.

"Oh." Hermione said. "Interesting. What do you think he needed it for?"

"Listen." Harry instructed.

"…James, what is Severus talking about?" McGonogall was saying.

Harry man's name was James.

"Harry." Hermione said quietly. "James is a very common name." Harry nodded absently. He knew that.

James was squirming in his seat. He looked really uncomfortable.

"If he's another Death Eater, I swear..." Muttered Ron, who had been listening too.

"It's a possibility." Hermione said sadly.

Harry watched as Dumbledore walked over to the group of teachers. McGonogall was looking at James with a look of confusion. Snape had his arms crossed over his chest, looking suspicious of James. And James looked worried. He was still fidgeting.

"He must have something to hide." Ron muttered.

"But he told Snape that he was going to use the veritaserum on himself." Harry said. "Snape asked why, and he said that it wasn't Snape's business."

"What seems to be the problem here?" Dumbledore inquired.

"I can't answer their questions." Muttered James. "I mean, do you think I should?" 'Tell them what?' Harry wondered.

"I just wanted to know what he needed veritaserum for." Interjected Snape.

"Why did he need it? Do you know, Albus?" McGonogall added.

"I think we better tell the staff, at least." Dumbledore responded. Harry watched as James's head jerked up. James started glancing around the Gryffindor table again. 'What is he looking for?' Harry thought desperately.

"What about..." James's voice sounded choked.

"Yes, we'll tell him too, probably." Dumbledore answered. So James was looking not for a something, but a someone. 'Who was he looking for?'

"PROBABLY!" James jumped a little at his sudden outburst. James shook with anger. Even Snape looked wary. "Listen, Albus. I am NOT leaving Harry in the dark with this."

"Bloody hell, mate!" Ron said. "Are they talking about you?"

"Possibly." Hermione said. She sounded worried.

"Of course not, James." Dumbledore replied quickly. "I wouldn't want that."

"He needs to know. It's only fair-" James suddenly stopped his tirade. Harry leaned forward a little. It seemed that James had stopped breathing. Harry was more worried than he should be.

"Is he talking about Potter?" Snape asked. Ron, Hermione, and Harry shifted in their seats. They were all worried.

"Is he breathing?" McGonogall sounded concerned. "Albus, he's not breathing!" Harry jumped out of his seat at this. James really wasn't breathing?

"He's fine." Dumbledore replied.

"Fine!" Hermione hissed.

"James, let it out. Come on, let it out." Dumbledore murmured.

Suddenly, James jumped up and walked swiftly out of the dining hall.

"Bloody hell." Ron muttered. "Think he's okay?"

"No." Harry and Hermione said at the same time.

"I, I, someone should, should go after him. Make sure he's okay." Harry stuttered out.

"Go." Hermione said. "They're distracted. They won't see you." Harry jumped up and ran out of the dining hall.

Harry walked quickly down the hall. He heard a sob and started toward the sound. 'What could have James so upset?' Was he a Death Eater? Somehow, Harry just knew that this was not the case. The sobs sounded heartbroken. This worried Harry. He broke into a run and came across James in the next hall.

James wasn't aware of Harry's presence, and Harry wasn't sure what to do to make the man feel better. Harry walked slowly over to James and sat on the floor, across from him.

James, unaware of Harry's presence, continued sobbing for a little bit. When he quieted, Harry prepared to say something, but James started muttering to himself.

"Why did you do this? Tear my family apart? I didn't ask for this. Why me? Why? What good am I?" He said all this very quietly. "Lilly's gone. She's never coming back. Why did you kill her? What do you want from me?"

"Professor?" Harry said quietly. He scooted closer to his professor. James didn't move, but he seemed to know that someone was there, taking to him.

"Yes?" He muttered.

"Sorry sir," Harry apologized. "But what's wrong? I was worried. You seemed upset when the other professors were asking questions."

"I can't really tell you, child." The professor replied.

"Okay." Harry said. "What did you want the truth serum for?"

"I- people have a tendency do not believing something if they have proof to the contrary." He said.

"You mean people would think you're lying about who you are?"

"Yes."

"And veritaserum will make them believe you." Harry said. He wanted to understand this man because he wanted proof that James wasn't a Death Eater.

"No."

There were a couple of footsteps heading toward the hall that Harry and James were sitting in. James didn't move from his position. His head was still cradled in his hands, face hidden.

"You should go before they find you here." James told Harry.

"No. I think I'll stay." Harry replied. James didn't even argue with him. He just remained in his position on the floor. Harry was still watching him when Dumbledore and Snape came around the corner.

"Pott-" Snape started. He was cut off by Dumbledore.

"No, Severus stop!" He said urgently. He went over to Harry. "Harry," he whispered very quietly. "I need you to go get all the teachers and bring them to the staff room. Okay?"

"Alright." Harry replied.

"And I want you to come with them. You need to hear this too. Here's how you get to the-"

"I know where the staff room is, sir." Harry said quickly. He saw Snape raise an eyebrow in question. Harry quickly headed off to get the teachers. 'Why do I have to be there? Maybe Dumbledore saw me watching.'

One thing Harry knew for sure: what ever secret James was hiding, Dumbledore knew it.

A/N: End of chapter eight! Was it good. Let me know in the reviews.