reneo (verb)
untangle

Chapter 10

James watched as the second hand on his mechanical watch ticked towards the 12. At precisely 8:30am, Professor McGonagall strode inside the classroom. The class of Hogwarts first year students from all four Houses were silent as they watched her walk down the centre aisle and towards the front of the room. Desks holding three students each lined the aisle and James could feel Nate tense from next him as the stern woman passed beside. James had wanted to sit at the very front of the classroom, but at Nate's insistence he, Nate, and Teddy sat at a desk at the middle of the room instead. James also noticed that the students seemed to have sat themselves according to their Houses. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws sat at the front half of the classroom with the aisle in between, while the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs mirrored their arrangement at the back. James hoped it wouldn't stay this way for the whole school year - he wanted to make friends outside of his House too. He looked across the aisle and caught the glance of a blonde haired Ravenclaw witch sitting with her friends. He gave her a smile and after a second of holding his eyes, she smiled back.

Professor McGonagall took a moment to survey her new class of bright and eager students. She could see that most were alert and perhaps a little scared. There was a handful of students who looked like they were ready to go back to bed. She could count in one hand how many students looked at ease in her classroom.

"Welcome to Transfiguration." She said in a clear voice. All backs were straightened and the first years gave her their full attention. "Can anyone tell me what Transfiguration is?"

No one in class raised their hands. James bit his lip as his hand trembled to raise upwards.

McGonagall gave a wry smile. "Surely at least one of you know what you are doing here."

At her remark students started raising their hand, amongst them James, Teddy, and the Ravenclaw girl from across the aisle.

"Go on, Ms. Green."

The Ravenclaw girl, Eleanor Green, bit her lip as she raised from her seat. In a soft, slightly shaky voice, she answered. "Transfiguration is a type of magic that changes the form or appearance of an object or a person."

McGonagall smiled. "There is no need to be nervous, Ms. Green, for you are exactly correct. Five points to Ravenclaw."

Eleanor just about beamed as she sat down on her desk. Her seatmates gave her encouraging smiles and she looked across the aisle to see James giving her a wide grin.

"Like Ms. Green said, Transfiguration magic can change the form or appearance of anything. It is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will ever learn here at Hogwarts and so it demands your full attention. Anyone, and I mean anyone, messing around in my class will not be coming back. Do I make myself clear?" Everyone in the room nodded. "Good. Now take out your textbooks and turn to chapter one. Before you learn any Transfiguration or Untransfiguration spells, it is important to know when an object or person has been transfigured. Revelio is a revealing spell that does just this…"

James emerged from the Charms classroom in the east wing three hours later with his bag heavy with notes and his right hand stained with ink. Professor Flitwick had given them a very thorough lesson on what Charms was. "Charms is different from Transfiguration," he said. "A charm will add properties to a person or an object, while Transfiguration will change it to something completely different." He promised that in the next lesson there will be more wand-waving and less note-taking and James could hardly wait.

The three boys made their way to the Great Hall for lunch while chatting about their afternoon lessons.

"Hey Weasel, Chameleon," a deep voice called from the side.

A boy of fourteen years old was leaning against the stone wall with his arms crossed at his front. He had auburn hair and bright blue eyes and a sly grin on his face. His uniform bore the Slytherin logo and he sported a Prefect's badge.

Teddy and Nate returned the boy's smile and led James in his direction.

"Hey Drew, how's it going?" Teddy asked.

"Oh you know, just trying to keep you first years out of trouble. Hope I won't have to take any points from you guys this year." Drew replied with a wink.

"Ha! You wish. Gryffindor will win the House cup, you can bet on that!" Nate replied haughtily.

Drew snickered. "Who's your friend there?" He asked, finally settling his icy blue eyes on James.

James held his gaze and extended his right hand. "Daniel James Watson, though everyone calls me James. Pleasure to meet you."

Drew nodded his head and gripped his hand tight for a shake. "Andrew Christopher Wood, but I go by Drew."

"He's my cousin," Nate said.

Drew snorted. "Fake cousin, Weasel. I shudder to think what would happen if we're actually related."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Fine, he's my fake cousin. His dad is good friends with my family." He explained and James nodded. Drew, being taller than Nate, gripped him in a headlock under his arm and ruffled his hair. Nate tried to squirm away. "Ugh, cut it out Drew!"

"You talk so much Weasel. Don't you ever get tired of your voice? I know I do." Drew replied, finally letting go of Nate who rushed away from his side. Teddy and James watched the display with mirth in their eyes and tried to keep their laughter at bay.

"So, did any one of you know Uncle Harry was gonna be the new DADA professor?" Drew asked. He ushered the group further down the hall and away from the traffic by the door.

Teddy shook his head in the negative. "Nope, dad or mum didn't say anything. We spoke to Uncle Harry last night after dinner and he said this was all last minute."

"Damn - I didn't get a chance to talk to him yet because of Prefect's duties and I haven't had his class yet."

"We haven't either; Defence is after lunch," Nate said.

Drew rubbed his chin and gazed into the distance thoughtfully. "Mmm.. I wonder why he did this. It's so strange. Dad was just saying that he hadn't seen Uncle Harry in games in a while because he's so busy with work."

"Whatever his reasons are I'm glad he's here! Can you imagine what he could teach us?!" Nate said enthusiastically.

"It's not like you'll be learning any complicated spells or anything. You're still a first year." Drew said bluntly. "But the fourth year DADA class on the other hand… now I can imagine that being fun!"

Nate sent him a glare. "Whatever. I'm sure his class would be great even if we don't learn anything too complex."

"I saw him cast a really complicated looking spell today." James said. All six eyes turned to his direction and he went on. "I was walking through the grounds this morning and I saw him flying. He was so fast and so high up in the air and then he suddenly fell." All six eyes bugged. "So I ran towards him but then he summoned his broom and created this huge fireball that lit up the sky right where he just was and the next thing I know he was on his broom again and touching back down." James finished in one breath.

Drew let out a whistle. "I wish I could've seen that."

"It was frightening and bloody brilliant at the same time." James said with wide eyes.

Teddy furrowed his brows. "That sounds like an Auror maneuver to me. Dad would talk about it - it's part of their training and it's really difficult and dangerous."

"Just because he's a professor now doesn't mean he can slack off," Nate said thoughtfully. "Uncle Harry's still an Auror through and through."

The boys nodded in agreement and walked towards the Great Hall for lunch.

James, Nate, and Teddy sat with Drew's fourth year friends for their meal. James thought it would be weird to sit with the older kids, but he was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming the entire group was. They weren't all Slytherins either; Drew seemed to be pretty popular across all of the four Houses and he had friends in all of them. Thus, the far corner of the Slytherin table nearest to the Head table had an array of students from all Houses.

The lunch discussion was light and easygoing. They were talking about the first Hogsmeade visit and Drew promised Nate he would pick up some Tongue Twisting Toffees from the Hogsmeade WWW since first years weren't allowed to leave the castle. James was content with listening to them talk as he ate and the conversation slowly drifted to the Defence class again.

"Hey firsties, have you guys had your DADA class yet?" Drew's best friend and fellow Slytherin Prefect Collin Anderson asked. Collin towered over everyone at the table and played Keeper for the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Teddy shook his head. "Not yet. It's right after lunch."

Amy Song, Ravenclaw beauty and also a Prefect, piped in. "Do tell us how that goes. I can't wait to have Professor Potter in class."

Riley Everett, Slytherin girl and Collin's girlfriend, rolled her eyes and jabbed Amy's side. "Amy here hasn't stopped talking about Harry Potter since he showed up last night."

"Oh shut up Riley, it's not like you were any better. It's exciting having such a celebrity here at Hogwarts." Amy retorted.

Riley settled her blue eyes on Nate and Teddy. She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and asked, "How's it like having the Harry Potter as your godfather?" At her question, the rest of the table save from Drew and James leaned forward expecting an answer.

At seeing the boys' discomfort, Drew raised his hand and shook his head. "Stop interrogating them Riley."

"Oh you're no fun, Drew. But come on, not all of us is lucky enough to associate with The Saviour. How is it like having him as family?" Amy said.

James could see Drew's mouth set in a line and Nate and Teddy looked at each other in discomfort. It's clear to James that they didn't want to talk about this at all.

"Nate, Teddy, our DADA class is about to start in fifteen minutes. Drew, do you mind showing us how to get to the classroom?" James piped. Drew gave a nod and the four boys rose from their seats. With a small wave, they made their way out of the Great Hall.

There was a slight tension in the air as the four boys walked to the north tower where the Defence class would be taking place. No one said a word for a minute as they mulled over their thoughts.

"Hey James, thanks for getting us out of there." Teddy said breaking the silence.

Nate seemed to grab onto this cue and he erupted. "I hate it when people pry about Uncle Harry. Can't they just leave him alone?"

James hesitated for a bit but something Riley said nagged at him. "Guys, what did Riley mean when she called him The Saviour?"

The three boys gave a start and they stopped in their tracks. Wide-eyed, the three boys looked at James. "Bloody hell, I forget that you're a Muggleborn and don't know about these things!" Nate exclaimed.

James shrugged. "Is he famous then?"

Drew led the boys to an empty classroom and closed the door behind him. He made James sit on an empty chair and the boys gathered around him. They all shared a look and James saw the silent approval between the cousins before they turned their eyes back onto him.

"James, have you ever heard about the Battle of Hogwarts?" Teddy asked.

A light of recognition shone in James' eyes as he recalled the section in his History of Magic textbook all about this battle and the events leading up to it. It spoke of a Dark Wizard named Voldemort who tried to kill a baby boy only to have the spell rebound and almost kill him. He was so weakened by the spell that he went into hiding for years. The boy, thereby referred to as the Boy Who Lived, survived the night but was marked by a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He lost his parents that night to the hands of Voldemort and he was then raised by his Muggle aunt and uncle who despised all things magical. While he was reading, James felt like he could relate to the Boy Who Lived, since he too did not know he was a wizard until just before Hogwarts. The chapter went to detail how the Boy Who Lived met his two best friends at Hogwarts, referred to by the book as The King and the Brightest Witch. There was a chapter dedicated to all of their seven years at Hogwarts and a separate chapter altogether on the final battle. James remembered feeling so triumphant as he read about The Defeat in the textbook and he couldn't believe that it only took place just about a mere decade ago. He ended up rereading that chapter and delighted that the Boy Who Lived became the Man Who Saved.

"Yes, I remember reading about that in the History of Magic textbook. It was about the Boy Who Lived who then became the Man Who Saved… wait a minute." James said, his eyes growing wide as the pieces fell into place.

Drew nodded his head wisely and crossed his arms. "Exactly. The Man Who Saved. The Saviour. That's Uncle Harry."

"The book didn't mention his name at all!" James exclaimed. "I read that section fully but I did not read anything about Harry Potter."

"He didn't want his name in anymore publications… so he made it happen." Teddy said with a shrug.

"So him being the Boy Who Lived and then the Man Who Saved… his best friends the King and the Brightest Witch, hunting for Horcruxes, riding dragons… he did all of those things?" James asked in disbelief.

Nate nodded grimly. "It sounds great, I know, but… it's also terrible. People forget that so many people died during the war. And they were only kids for Merlin's sake! My dad - he's who they call The King - told me they had to grow up so fast during then. Every year they were in school there was an attempt at Uncle Harry's life. They didn't even get a seventh year here at Hogwarts! They never got to experience a normal childhood…" Nate's blue eyes clouded over.

James' mind whirled as he processed this new information. No wonder people were so intrigued by the new professor. He thought last night it was because Harry Potter was an Auror (and an accomplished one at that, based on what he'd heard) that people were whispering about him. But no, his Auror qualification seemed like such a small blip when held up against the fact that he saved the entire wizarding world. 'And all before he was an adult,' James thought grimly, recalling the section that said the Man Who Saved was barely a man at seventeen.

James eyed the three boys who all had troubled look on their faces. He knew from their previous interactions that their families were involved in the war in one way or another since Harry Potter seemed to be an integral part of their brood.

"I'm sorry you guys have to deal with all of those questions," James said.

Teddy raised his eyes and gave James a small smile. "We learned to just ignore them. They usually don't mean any harm… they're just curious."

Drew nodded his head. "Our parents have it way worse than we do," he stated as a matter-of-fact.

James bit his lip. "It must really suck to always be reminded of the past since people can't keep their questions to themselves."

Nate simply shrugged and looked down at his watch. His eyes bugged when he saw the time. "Bloody hell! Five minutes til class! We'll be late!"

The four boys quickly rushed out of the empty classroom with Drew leading the way to the first year Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

James, Nate, and Teddy quickly found their way to the north tower with the skillful navigation of Drew. He bid the younger boys goodbye and headed to the library to prep for Herbology.

The three entered the classroom and breathed a sigh of relief that Professor Potter wasn't yet in class. The layout of this classroom wasn't unlike that of the Transfiguration classroom. There were desks for three each set up on either side of the aisle. What differed though was the front of the room. The Transfiguration classroom had rows of chalkboard whilst the Defense class had a table in the middle with a tower of books to the side. The boys made their way to the only remaining desk at the very back corner of the classroom nearest the wall.

Immediately James could feel the buzz in the room. All of the first years were whispering to each other and casting glances to the door waiting in anticipation for the arrival of their new professor. They didn't have to wait long, since with only one minute into the class the classroom door opened and in came Professor Potter.

James could see that he had changed from his Quidditch robes that morning and into a more formal attire. He wore fitted black pants tucked into black boots and a crisp white top. He had on a dark red waistcoat over his shirt and had brushed his hair to the side. James could now see that infamous lightning bolt scar maring his forehead. Perched on his nose were dark rimmed glasses and his black cloak flowed from his shoulders as he walked down the middle aisle. James thought he looked very much like an expert duelist he had seen in textbooks.

All eyes followed his movements until he stopped in front of the desk and turned to face the class. Harry took a moment to look around the room. All students were present, it seemed, since there were no empty seats in his class. His class. He still couldn't quite believe that he's a professor now and what he had signed up for was finally dawning on him as he looked at the eager faces of the first years looking at him with anticipation.

"Welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts," he began. "In this class you will learn how to defend yourselves against dark creatures, dark charms, and the Dark Arts… if I don't budge up." He said with a smile. He was rewarded by scattered laughter across the room. "I'll be honest with you - this is my first time teaching. Some might say I taught before because of the DA in my fifth year but… that was in my fifth year. I was a bloody student and had no idea what I was doing!" More outright laughter and giggles flowed through the room.

"My goal for this class is to teach you what I wish I had known whilst I was in school. A lot of… things happened while I was here at Hogwarts and quite frankly I would not be here if not for the help of my best friends," he said. The room quieted for they knew what he was talking about. "I was unprepared for many things while I was a student and my wish is for you to be the exact opposite. I want you to be able to recognize dark magic, defend yourself against dark magic, and, if it's absolutely necessary, dispel that dark magic." The intensity in his emerald eyes shone and James could almost hear a pin drop in the room for it grew so quiet.

"Can anyone tell me what is the most important thing you need to defend yourself against the dark?" Harry asked. He waited for a moment and saw only one hand raised at the far corner of the classroom. "Mr. Watson."

James expelled the breath he was holding and stood up to address the professor. "Your wand, sir."

Harry nodded. "That's right," he said. A tick went by and he added, "Do you know what exactly a wand is and what it does?"

James' brows furrowed as he thought carefully about his answer. "A wand… is a tool that is meant to channel one's magic. All witches and wizards have magic in them, but only the very powerful ones can perform wandless magic. A wand makes spellcasting easier since it gathers your magic to a single point."

Harry smiled and nodded. "That's exactly right. Five points to Gryffindor!" James beamed before sitting back down, his elation evident on his face. Nate and Teddy gave him congratulatory nudges before they all turned their attention back to the professor.

Harry was walking across the front when he pulled out his wand and held it up in between two fingers to show to the class. "This is my wand. Like Mr. Watson said, it allows me to channel all of my magic into this single point so that I can cast spells and enchantments. Since a wand is so important to a witch or wizard, they are usually made with substances that reflect the personality of their user. That is why wands are hardly ever shared. A wand becomes an extension of you; it becomes a part of you." He paused for a moment to look at the bright young faces watching him eagerly. "That is why it is essential to know what your own wand is made of. You need to understand this part of you."

"Undoubtedly the most important piece of your wand is its core. Wand cores are made of magical substances, substances which are mostly from magical creatures. Can anybody name some wand cores?" Harry asked. At his question, multiple hands raised from the group of first years.

"Go on, Mr. Snyde."

A tall, rather broad-shouldered boy with dark black hair and a pointy nose rose from his seat. "Unicorn hair," he said.

"That's right. Unicorn hair is one of the most commonly used cores and produces wands with the most consistent magic. Anyone else?"

Multiple hands raised and Harry called on students one by one. He provided an explanation of the cores after they gave their answers.

"Phoenix feather," Nate answered.

"Dragon heartstring."

"Kneazle whiskers."

"Thunderbird feather."

"Basilisk horn," Teddy said.

Harry nodded his head and commented that there was only one known case of this core being used and that was in Salazar Slytherin's wand. "Anyone else?" He asked the first years.

James hand slowly raised to answer. He had kept his hand down before during the discussion since he expected one of his classmates would call out his wand core, but no one did. Harry glanced at his corner of the room and called his name. Standing, James said, "Hippogriff wingfeather."

This wasn't an answer Harry expected to hear. Harry paused for a second and narrowed his eyes in thought. Hippogriff wingfeather wasn't a very common core at all; and as far as he was aware, Ollivander was the first wandmaker to make such a wand. He remembered his visit to Diagon Alley when he bought his new broom that summer and his conversation with Ollivander. He had wanted to see the wand Ollivander made with Buckbeak's feather but the man said it sold earlier that day. He couldn't remember the name Ollivander said but what were the chances that this boy had purchased the wand? He held his suspicions in place.

Harry smiled. "That's right, Mr. Watson," Harry said and James sat back down. "Wands with hippogriff feather cores are rare since not only are hippogriffs hard to find but they also don't let any witch or wizard come close to them. They're regal creatures and fiercely loyal, but it is difficult to gain one's trust. Only feathers surrendered willingly by hippogriffs contain magic and they don't do that lightly."

James digested this new information about his wand and was in awe at how seemingly rare it was. He listened in rapt attention and diligently made notes as Professor Potter continued with the class.

After the hour and a half was over, James and his friends packed up their quills and parchments to head to their second last class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures. There was a buzz in the room as the first years discussed the lesson they just had. Professor Potter was a great instructor, and he held the attention of all students throughout the lesson. James could hear whispers from other students as they discussed the make of their wands with their friends.

As James, Nate, and Teddy were about to exit the room, James heard a voice from the front of the room call his name. "Mr. Watson, could you please stay for a moment?" Professor Potter asked. James gave him a curious look while Nate mouthed that they would wait for him outside.

James approached the front of the class where Professor Potter was stood leaning against the desk. He had a kind look on his face that put James at ease. Harry gave him a smile. "I'm sorry for keeping you behind, but I wanted to ask you a question. When did you get your wand?"

James' brows wrinkled as he tried to remember the day he and his mum went to Diagon Alley. His brown eyes glinted when he remembered. "It was a Saturday in mid-July. I got my wand from Mr. Ollivander. But why do you ask, sir?"

Harry's green eyes filled with light and he smiled broadly when his suspicions were proven true. "I also was at Diagon Alley that day, and I had visited Ollivander since I wanted to see a wand that he was making that I had helped him with. You see, he wanted to experiment with new wand cores and asked me if I could get him a hippogriff wingfeather. And I did."

James' eyes widened. His right hand instinctively went to his pocket where his wand was stored. "You mean to say the core of my wand came from you, sir?"

"Well, not from me, exactly," Harry said with a small laugh. "But from my hippogriff, Buckbeak."

"You have a hippogriff?!" James gasped in question.

Harry smiled. "Buckbeak's more like a family member. He helped me rescue my godfather back in my third year," Harry said, his eyes slightly cloudy as he thought back to Buckbeak's flight. That was one of the shining and most unforgettable moments of his life, when he and Hermione flew on Buckbeak's back. It was a memory he would never forget. "If you don't mind… may I see your wand?"

With no hesitation, James unpocketed his wand and handed it to his professor. Harry grasped the handle gently and a warmth so soothing filled his body. He smiled. "It's beautiful. Ollivander did a great job with this wand and Buckbeak would be happy to know his feather is encased in this. Did Ollivander tell you what the wood is made out of?" Harry asked, tracing the intertwined hilt.

James nodded. "Mr. Ollivander said it was made from two redwood trees that grew so close together they fused into one."

"Amazing, I've never seen something like this before," Harry breathed. "Thank you for letting me see it, Mr. Watson." He handed the wand back to James.

James grinned broadly and his brown eyes shone. "No problem at all, Professor! I should head to Care of Magical Creatures now, so I'll see you later. Have a good afternoon!" Harry nodded and with a small wave, James turned on his heel and walked out of the class.

Harry smiled to himself when he was alone. He felt relieved that the wand with Buckbeak's feather went to good hands. He couldn't help himself, but this boy, this Daniel James Watson, was someone he was quickly growing fond of. He had also solved the mystery of why the boy looked so familiar. Harry remembered it now, but James was also the boy he saw peering into the window of Broomstix that day in Diagon Alley. That was why that face looked so familiar, he reasoned. He had seen James before, albeit briefly, before they had met at Hogwarts.

Yet as Harry prepared for the fifth years that were slowly trickling into the room, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had seen those chocolate brown eyes from somewhere else before.