TITLE: Double Back
DISCLAIMER: All things Harry Potter belong J K Rowling... basically, if you recognise it, it isn't mine... Please don't sic the Aurors on me, I'm just here for the fun.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Highlands of Scotland
Scotland
If asked, James wouldn't have been able to tell you a single word of what the Sorting Hat sung in it's welcoming song.
His attention wasn't on the hat, on the various students, or even on Minerva anymore. It was on the three people at the staff table at the end of the hall, all three of them staring at him with ashen faces and horrified expressions.
He knew Minerva had seen it as well, she'd looked between him and Dumbledore a few times, then had set her jaw and given Dumbledore one her patented 'Explain yourself' glares that could have peeled the varnish from the staff table.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Minerva announced, breaking the awkward silence that fell after the sorting hat finished singing. "Abbott, Hannah!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Bones, Susan." Minerva called out as Hannah dashed off to the table with the rest of the students in yellow and black.
"Hufflepuff!"
Susan jumped off and ran after her friend, leaving Harry a happy smile as she joined the Hufflepuff table to sit down.
James was only vaguely concerned with the sorting however, he was making sure not to make eye contact with any of the three at the table, but staring at their noses and foreheads every time he switched his attention between the three.
From his position behind the first year students, he could make out the various whispers coming from around the hall, coming loudest from the area to the side of the staff table where Minister Fudge was sat with the various reporters from the Wizarding Wireless Network, all talking amongst themselves in hushed whispers as for the first time the sorting ceremony was broadcast live to radios all over the country.
James simply continued to stare down at the staff table as the various first year students whittled down. Hermione went to Gryffindor, Daphne went to Slytherin, Neville went to Gryffindor... and so it went on.
"Potter, Harry."
James allowed his concentration to flicker as he finally looked away from the staff table to watch his younger self step forward and sit on the rickety old chair as Minerva proudly placed the sorting hat down over his messy hair.
As the silence continued, James shared a brief shared glance with Minerva as their eyes met, he could see she was proud of his younger self for some reason, but was equally demanding answers from him.
The silence stretched on and James flicked his eyes down to where his younger self seemed to be whispering under the hat, arguing with it about something. Had it taken this long last time? He could barely remember. He remembered arguing not to go into Slytherin, but it hadn't felt like it had taken this long before.
"Hufflepuff!"
James blinked at that announcement as Minerva took the hat off of his younger self, watching as the robes and tie glittered with magic for a moment before the yellows and blacks washed down like they were poured onto him from above.
Harry actually looked just as shocked as he was, but seemingly not surprised or angry, if anything, he actually looked happy with the yellow striped robes and what they represented to him.
'That's new' He thought to himself, cocking his head to the side in thought as he watched his younger self run off to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Had things changed that much already? Had Harry changed that much? From a lion into a badger?
The Hufflepuff table erupted into applause as Harry came to sit down next to Susan, all three of the other tables looking across at Hufflepuff for the first time with a mixture of jealousy and questioning.
"We didn't get Potter?"
James resisted the urge to snort out a bout of laughter as he heard the despondent question from the Weasley Twins at the Gryffindor table.
Lisa Turpin was the next to be sorted, as James turned his attention back to the staff table where both Dumbledore and Snape had rather curious expressions on their faces, and seemed torn between paying attention to him, or paying attention to his younger self at the Hufflepuff table.
Ron went into Gryffindor just as before, and Blaise Zabini headed to the Slytherin tables, suddenly leaving only James and Amelia stood in the middle of the great hall, with Minerva looking between them and then back to the staff table.
"It would seem, that both of you are rather too old to be sorted I'm afraid." Albus announced, standing up slowly from his seat at the staff table, his comment drawing a few chuckles from around the room as James stepped forwards and narrowed his eye towards him. "And who might you be?" He asked, staring down and doing his best to catch the faux-James' eyes with his own.
"You know who I am." James said firmly. Setting his jaw as he stared up towards the staff table.
"I'm afraid you have me at a loss," Albus said quietly, moving around the staff table to come and stand at the front of the raised area at the front of the hall. "Because, what is certain, is that you are not James Potter."
"Is that certain?" James asked, raising an eyebrow and allowing a ghost of a smirk to tug at his lips. "Maybe I should ask for my invisibility cloak back? Would that help?" He asked, taking a small amount of enjoyment out of the way Dumbledore blanched even further at that. "Or maybe I should ask how you got the key to Harry's trust vault? Though, that hardly matters anymore, as I've secured the Potter vaults with blood, so only me and him can access them now." He explained bluntly.
"You are NOT James Potter." Albus said firmly, stepping forwards until he was practically on the edge of the raised platform.
"This says I am," James bit out just as firmly, pulling the auror badge off of his belt and tossing it towards Dumbledore, smirking when he used a silent accio charm to summon it mid air before snatching it into his hands. "Perhaps instead I should talk about The Prophecy, and..." He had to raise his voice as Dumbledore started talking to try and shut him up, then ended up shouting over Dumbledore. "And how Snape overheard it and went running to Voldemort to tell him all about it."
Both Snape and Dumbledore were completely white now and were staring at him in shock, to Minister Fudge's credit, he hadn't interrupted once and was simply staring at the two as if trying to decide which of them would earn him the most voters.
"Albus?" Minerva whispered, turning her full attention back towards the staff table now.
"You can't be James Potter." Dumbledore bit out, almost pleading with it not to be true as he pulled out The Elder Wand and levied it towards the faux-James. "You are not James Potter!" He shouted, casting a wave of cascading white energy out towards his target.
"You keep saying that," James smirked as he deflected the magic upwards to the enchanted ceiling with ease, his own reflexes far beyond what a wizard of Albus Dumbledore's advanced age could perform.
"Albus, what are you doing?" Minerva hissed out, backing away so she wouldn't be between the two in a duel.
"What I must," Albus said aloud as he cast again, this time an aqua blue stream of magic shot from The Elder Wand, only for the faux-James to meet it head on with his wand and negate it entirely. "You are the one who took young Harry from his relatives?"
"You mean the muggles who kept him locked in a cupboard under the stairs and barely fed him?" James bit out, ignoring the whispers that broke around around the hall at that declaration. "Oh, and your squib spy, Mrs Figg? I should stop by and say hello to her again, it's been a few years since I last saw her." He explained with a small smirk. "She was the one telling you all about how Harry was treated right? Passing on the stories about how the Dursley's starved him, how his Aunt Marge had her dogs chasing him up trees while Petunia and Vernon watched and laughed?"
"Noo!" Albus shouted, sending three curses in quick succession towards the faux-James, all three of which he batted up into the enchanted ceiling with seemingly no effort at all.
"Really, in front of all your students, and The Minister, live on the Wizarding Wireless as well." James chuckled when he saw Albus flick his attention over to where the reporters were all watching with rapt attention. "Is there something you didn't want them to know?" He asked with a smirk, stepping forwards towards the staff platform dangerously. "Maybe the fact that there's a Prophecy about Harry and Voldemort? Or about how you were keeping Harry in the dark all these years just so you could convince him to face Voldemort in an act of suicide for your plans of the greater good?"
"What is it you want?" Albus bit out, lowering his wand slightly as he realised how bad this was looking to everyone that was watching.
"Me? I'd like the last god knows how many years of my life back." James bit out. "I'd like to know why you stole Harry from his rightful guardian Sirius Black, then let him rot in prison. I'd like to know why you dropped Harry off on a muggle doorstep in the middle of a freezing cold November night, without a warming charm, a security charm, or even knocking on the door to announce your presence?" James hissed, reaching the front of the hall and glaring up towards Dumbledore.
"I'd like to know why you're so intent on manipulating Harry's life, that you think you have any god damned right to do any of the things you've done?"
"I..." Albus winced, flicking his wand down in various complicated detection charms that washed over the faux-James like water off of Gryffindor tower.
"Polyjuice detection, glamour detection, transfiguration detection," James ticked off as Albus continued to cast futilely towards him, his own wand at the ready to strike at any moment. "Any more?" He drawled out, narrowing his eyes towards Dumbledore.
"James?" Albus whispered, unable to deny that his detection charms hadn't revealed a single thing wrong about the faux-James in front of him.
"Well?" James demanded, climbing up onto the staff platform with a quick jump up, keeping his eyes on Dumbledore all the time. "The hall is waiting, the reporters are listening, the world wants to know." He demanded. "What explanation have you got."
"What I have done, I did for..."
"Ah," James interrupted, holding his hand up. "If you are about to say you kidnapped Harry and abandoned him on a muggle doorstep to freeze to death, for the greater good?" He bit out, stepping forwards so he was directly in Dumbledore's face. "I will curse you so far into next week that even a time turner won't help you get back." He hissed out finally.
"James, everything I have done was for the good of..."
James shook his head, turning away from Dumbledore before lashing out with his fast, connecting with Dumbledore's face and sending him crashing to the ground, to the sounds of gasps and shrieks coming from the students in the hall.
A silent accio charm wrenched the Elder Wand from his grasp and into the air, where James easily caught it.
"You don't know what you've done!" Albus hissed out, glaring up from the ground in disbelief at loosing the Elder Wand.
"I know exactly what I've done," James glared down. "It's a Peverell family wand, after all. A Potter family wand." He whispered with a smirk so only Dumbledore could hear him. "Now, who else do we have here." He grinned, turning around to look at the staff table, noting with no real surprise that Snape had already slithered away and vanished from the staff table during his confrontation with Albus. "Well, it looks like Snape had somewhere better to be." He said with a small smirk towards Snape's empty seat. "What a shame." He grinned sarcastically as he turned to look around at the rest of the teachers.
"Mr... ahem, Mr Potter?"
James flicked his attention to the side, recognising Cornelius Fudge's self-important bluster immediately. "One moment Minister, this won't take long." He said aloud, walking down the staff table and meeting everyone's gaze, from the shocked faces of Aurora Sinestra through to Filius Flitwick and Septima Vector, until he reached Professor Quirrell and stopped in front of him, smirking across the table at him.
"James Potter." Professor Quirrell smiled at he stood up, all stutter and nervous disposition gone from his stance. "You know, I believed you were dead."
"The same way the world believed you were dead?" James asked, pausing for a beat before continuing. "Tom?"
Quirrell narrowed his eyes at that as he stalked around the table to come and stand at the far end of the raised platform. "So, you know then?"
"It was hardly difficult to work out," James drawled out. "The Philosopher's Stone I assume?" He asked, feigning ignorance for a moment.
"Of course," Quirrell smiled with a small bow. "I must admit, I am surprised." He announced in a soft tone. "We had thought you just an annoyance, an obstacle to be overcome. I listened to Severus when he belittled your skills and knowledge, he never spoke of you as having any real power. I had never looked upon you as a worthy adversary before."
"Things change." James said firmly, taking a few steps towards him.
"Yes, yes they do." Quirrell sighed, bringing out his own wand. "I am surprised however at the ease in which you dispatched your old mentor. I didn't think you had it in you."
"You never know until you've been tested." James said firmly, raising his wand.
"That night, he killed you, I know he did." Quirrell said, cocking his head to the side. "How did you survive?"
"The same way Harry survived." James smirked, telling the complete truth and seeing the puzzlement on Quirrell's face as he struggled with the conundrum.
"You're telling the truth," Quirrell frowned. "You survived that night."
James just smirked, holding out his arms to say 'here I am'.
"You could join us." Quirrell blustered. "The Potter family have a long and illustrious lineage, your pure blood would see you as a prince in our court. Your only failure was your mudblood whore, and even she could be forgiven given her power."
"The fact you're even offering that to me shows you know absolutely nothing about me." James said firmly, watching out of the corner of his eye as Amelia started casting protective shields around the front of the hall to prevent any students getting hurt, while Minerva noticed what she was doing and started to hustle students away from the front of the hall.
"Yes, I noticed your little helpers." Quirrell waved off the distraction with disinterest. "A teacher and an Auror? Neither are in any position to help you."
"I don't need their help." James declared with a set jaw. "After all, Voldemort, this won't be the first time we've fought."
At that name, the hall broke into panic, with all four tables scattering to the rear of the hall and running into the various corridors that led away. Even the teachers left at the front of the hall instinctively moved away from the staff table, leaving James and Quirrell facing each other, with Dumbledore still laying on the ground and watching in disbelief.
"You dare say that name?" Quirrell demanded.
"Sorry," James smirked over. "You prefer Tom Riddle then?" He grinned, spotting the exact moment when Quirrell raised his wand and falling into his own offensive stance, transfiguring a block of ice in the air in front of him automatically as Quirrell snapped off the killing curse, shattering the ice and sending it raining down all over the hall.
Stepping back James quickly went on the offensive, casting blasting curses and disarming charms, linked with transfigurations and elemental summoning to surround Quirrell with blasts of ice and freezing winds.
"Impressive," Quirrell sneered out, flicking away the various curses and charms with ease as he stepped out of the freezing ice and banished it away with a wave of his wand.
Turning his attention back to James he instantly had his wand up when James Potter was nowhere in sight, the various idiotic teachers were cowering away from him, while The Minister and various reporters had half fled to the edge of the hall and certainly looked like they'd soiled their robes during the short confrontation.
"Potter?" Quirrell hissed out, glaring around the hall in an attempt to find his quarry. He took note of everything, the various students that were hiding at the far end of the hall with McGonagall and Bones standing between him and them. The way Dumbledore had stayed on the floor and hadn't even spoken up or helped during the duel at all. The way the other Hogwarts teachers had protected each other and left Potter to duel with honour.
"Tom,"
Spinning around he had his wand up instantly, but didn't expect the fist that forcefully crashed into his face, staggering him back more than a few steps in the process as pain flooded through his face and started to radiate out to around his skull then down his neck.
"You never did pay attention," James smirked as he launched another punch, this one caving straight through Quirrell's face, collapsing it in on itself with black flakes of decayed skin and bone falling around his fist on the way to the floor.
James simply watched as Quirrell's body turned to ash, his clothes falling to the floor in seconds, collapsing his decaying body to dust under the weight of his robes, leaving only a sickly black spectre hanging where Quirrell's body had been.
"Now Voldemort, shall we talk without your puppet." James said aloud, shaking off his hand to dust off the remnants of Quirrell's decomposing face from his hand and wrist.
The wraith simply shrieked, diving around the room with furious anger as it swooped overhead of everyone before coming to hang in the middle of the great hall and seemingly glare down at him.
"I will not forget thissss... Jamessss Potter!" The spectre hissed out.
"Get out of this school you demented half-blood!" James demanded, raising his wand towards the spectre and narrowing his eyes.
"You dare!" The spectre hissed down.
"Of course I dare, I'm a Potter." James grinned back. "What? Didn't want all your sycophants to know the truth, that their precious Dark Lord was really a half-blood that was simply using their bigotry rise up so he could punish people like his muggle father?"
"You cannot defeat me Potter!" The spectre shouted defiantly as it hung silently in the great hall with everyone watching. "I will return."
"I'll be here." James promised.
The spectre shrieked at that, swirling around the hall again until it dove to the main doors, passing through them like a ghost and vanishing into the night.
A few quick casts of detection charms later and James was certain the spectre had gone, he retrieved the Auror badge from where Dumbledore had dropped it before he happily jumped down from the staff table and made his way over to where Amelia had been guarding some first year students, standing in front of Harry and Susan in particular.
"That was fun." He smirked as he walked over, pocketing Dumbledore's Elder Wand for now but keeping his own in his hand in case anyone did anything stupid.
"Fun?" Amelia asked, raising an eyebrow towards him. "You very nearly took twenty years off my life with that stunt." She hissed out.
"James?"
Turning around he saw Minerva slowly making her way over, Minister Fudge a few steps behind her and looking around the hall with terrified eyes as if expecting the spectre to return at any moment.
"Minerva," James smiled back, giving her a wink and a small grin before he turned his attention back to Amelia and then to Harry. "Hey mini-me." He grinned, kneeling down so he could look over at the younger version of himself.
"Hey old man," Harry grinned back. "The evil wizard didn't look that tough to me." He said with a wide grin that looked like it was going to split his face in half. "Darth Vader was a scarier Dark Lord than he was."
"Don't you start too," Amelia groaned, looking down at Harry who had an identical grin on his face to match James.
"That... he..." Minister Fudge whispered as he approached with Minerva and the press. "He's back!" He hissed out.
"Voldemort, yes." James rolled his eyes, nodding slowly before standing back up. "Dumbledore actually hired him to teach the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, whether he knew Voldemort was possessing that body or not, well..." He trailed off with a shrug. "He still had all those traps made around the Philosophers Stone then?" He asked, looking to Minerva.
"How on earth do you..." Minerva trailed off, shaking her head. "Indeed James, I was rather proud of that chess set I'll have you know." She explained with a frustrated sigh.
"Traps, he was using the stone as bait to lure Voldemort to the school." James explained, turning to the staff table where Dumbledore was slowly climbing to his feet and clearly struggling to understand what had happened this evening.
"I'll have him out of this school before the end of the night!" Minister Fudge barked out.
"Probably a good idea," James nodded. "If not, the next time we cross wands, I'll end up killing the old fool." He said with a grimace, glaring back down the hall towards the staff table. "I noticed Snape ran as soon as he realised who I was."
"Hardly a surprise given your history." Minerva nodded with a small smirk. "I somehow doubt we will be seeing Severus return to these halls any time soon. You have created a rather large amount of work for me in a small amount of time, you are aware of this?" She asked, fixing James with a glare.
"Well, yes, of course." Minister Fudge blustered quickly. "I'll have The Governors ratify your lead to take over the school as soon as I return to The Ministry." He stated, nodding to himself before flicking his attention to James to make sure that was what he wanted. "You... you don't want the position for yourself I take it?"
"God no," James snorted, shaking his head at the very idea of becoming a headmaster.
"Merlin help us," Minerva muttered at the nightmarish mental images that that offer conjured up.
"Cornelius, there are things..." Dumbledore started as he clambered down from the staff table area, hurrying down the hall towards where James, Cornelius, Minerva and Amelia were stood talking.
"Oh do shut up Albus!" Minerva hissed out, silencing him quite effectively. "If you require my memories of the night Albus abandoned young Harry on that muggle doorstep, you shall have them Amelia." She said with a small bow towards Amelia. "I only hope you can forgive me for my actions that night James."
"I know what happened," James nodded, looking at Minerva with a forgiving smile. "I forgave you long ago, I know how you tried to tell him how bad the Dursley's were, but I never forgave him." He said with a hiss, turning his attention back to Dumbledore.
"James, surely..." Albus started.
"No." James bit out, cutting Albus off. "The next time I see you, we will be trading spells, and I won't be simply shielding that time." He explained, fixing Dumbledore with a glare.
"Indeed," Cornelius blustered, puffing himself up as he jostled to stand beside James Potter proudly. "Using the school as a trap for You-Know-Who? Luring a mass murder here with all these innocent children? Hiring You-Know-Who as a teacher? For crying out loud Albus, what sort of institution is this?" He demanded. "I'll be calling for an immediate meeting of the school governors, if your resignation isn't tendered immediately, you can expect to be fired first thing tomorrow morning."
"Cornelius, I'm sure that I don't..."
"Get out Dumbledore." James said firmly, standing strong and crossing his arms over his chest as Harry came and stood by the other side of Cornelius, both of them framed by Amelia and Minerva, all of who were now staring at Dumbledore with thinly veiled anger and disgust.
"James, everything I have done I did for..."
"Out!" James barked, cutting Dumbledore off sharply.
"My wand perhaps?" Albus asked hopefully.
"You mean my family's wand?" James countered, raising his eyebrow. "I know the truth, don't try to deny it." He said with a frown. "After all, that's why you were so interested in the cloak, wasn't it?"
Dumbledore didn't answer that, instead simply looking away from James' glare, only to find the same glare coming from Amelia and Minerva.
"I do believe it is time you left Albus." Minerva said firmly.
"Yes, I believe so." Albus admitted softly. "When you need me, I shall..."
"We won't." James said firmly. "You'd better hope Sirius doesn't catch up to you first either. He's got a rather long list of grudges against you now, and his stint in Azkaban hasn't helped his temper."
"I see," Albus nodded, accepting that he deserved that and likely so much more.
"Goodbye Albus, don't let the doors prevent you from leaving." Amelia said, stepping aside to allow a path through to the main doors of the great hall. As she stepped aside the students followed suit, all willing to stand by the woman who stood between them and You-Know-Who.
Albus simply walked forwards in silence, moving through the students who refused to look at him, until he reached the great doors and pushed them open before walking out into the cold night air.
"I... I should return to The Ministry, lots to do you know, especially with... well..." Cornelius blustered, his eyes flicking between James, Harry and the open doors.
"Raise the Auror budget, we'll need them with Voldemort back." James said with a firm nod.
"Yes, yes, obviously." Cornelius practically fell over himself in agreement. "Yes, of course, I'll have the papers sent down to you in the morning Amelia."
"Graciously appreciated Minister." Amelia nodded, successfully hiding the smirk that threatened to tug at her lips.
"Well, yes, must go, can't dilly dally around here all day." Cornelius muttered quickly. "Yes, best go. The floo entrance, it's still available I assume."
"I will show you through," Minerva smiled, nodding towards Cornelius before gesturing for him to follow her. "I assume the students are safe left in your care for this short period James?"
"Yeah yeah," James muttered, waving his hand towards her with a small smirk as he headed over to one of the tables and leaned against it, practically sitting on it as he got comfortable. "So... Hufflepuff?" He asked with a grin, looking to Harry's yellow and black trimmed robes.
"You're not disappointed?" Harry asked quietly.
"Nah," James smiled, shaking his head. "Amelia was sure you'd make Ravenclaw though." He explained.
"The hat said I was brave enough for Gryffindor, but my loyalty was my strongest trait." Harry said with a thoughtful smile as Susan came to stand alongside him. "It also said I could be great in Slytherin, but wasn't sure the house would survive me."
"Hmn," James laughed at that, scratching his stubble idly as he thought about it. Loyalty was something he's always prized, and more than a few times in the past he'd been praised for his loyalty as well, maybe Hufflepuff wasn't as much of a stretch as he thought.
"Well, I certainly never expected to find a Potter in my den."
"Pomona," James chuckled, recognising the voice of Neville's old mentor coming up behind him.
"I'll look after him, don't you worry about that." Pomona smiled over. "Her too." She said, nodding to Amelia and Susan.
"I think they'll be fine," James grinned, watching as Harry and Susan snuck off to one side to check on Daphne and Hannah, a lot of the other students following with them and grouping around them to listen in.
"James, is that... it can't be though... is it?"
"Filius," James chuckled to himself. "Sorry about the duel in front of you, I didn't want to risk him getting away before I could deal with him."
"Yes, yes, quite." Filius nodded as he hobbled over. "Quite the selection of charms there, most impressive, most most impressive. Elemental conjuring as well? Rather ingenious."
"I try," James chuckled to himself as he spotted Minerva coming back into the great hall, this time thankfully without the reporters and Minister.
"Must you create chaos and drama wherever you go?" Minerva hissed as she came over to join the discussion. "That entire thing was broadcast live across the entire Wizarding Wireless Network you know."
"Really?" James smirked up, looking at Minerva before flicking his eyes to Amelia. "Well, imagine that." He grinned, his eyes telling Minerva that he knew exactly that, and that he'd probably actually planned it that way.
"Chaos, drama and a good degree of luck I'd say." Filius chuckled. "If ever there was more proof of your identity, I'd say we have it there."
"Quite," Minerva frowned thoughtfully. "Given tonight's spectacle, you'll forgive me if I'm rather glad young Harry found himself a home with the Badgers. I'm not entirely sure I could survive another seven years of that drama."
James snorted at that, shaking his head in amusement at Minerva's exasperated expression.
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that Minerva," Amelia chuckled. "After all, if you're taking Albus' position, then..."
"Then I'll need someone to take over transfiguration AND Gryffindor house." Minerva sighed, turning back to James and glaring at him again. "Two heads of houses, three subjects without professors, and the deputy position to fill as well?" She demanded. "And that's not even accounting for the courses Albus taught when it was needed, like his NEWT Alchemy course, which thankfully isn't running this year."
"You know, I think that might be a personal best," James smirked, ruffling his hair in amusement at how things had turned out.
"Indubitably." Minerva sighed in frustration. "I will inform the school elves to deliver the feast to the separate common rooms, there seems little point in trying to corral them all back into the great hall after the events of tonight. If you both inform your prefects to start taking the students down to their houses. I will have to find someone to take care of Slytherin house."
Pomona and Filius both nodded at this, quickly moving off to gather up their Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws from around the great hall and heard them together towards the older students and prefects, while Minerva headed off to find Septima and talk with her about the Slytherin population of the school.
"That actually went better than I expected." Amelia whispered to James once Minerva, Pomona and Filius had moved off.
"Fifty fifty," James shrugged with a small grin. "I'll admit, I'm actually disappointed Snape ran off before I had chance to confront him. I had quite a bit I wanted to say to him that I never got chance to before."
"The consummate Slytherin, he saw the odds were against him so he retreated to fight another day." Amelia sighed in agreement.
"Hmm," James smiled.
"Will you both be staying for the welcoming feast?" Pomona asked, waddling back over to James and Amelia as the Hufflepuff prefects took the new students out of the great hall to follow the rest of the Badgers downstairs. "I know it won't be quite the same as the great hall or the Gryffindor tower, but our den is quite the comfortable spot Mr Potter."
"Call me James," James grinned, holding his hand out to Pomona, feeling a bit strange introducing himself under a different name when he'd known the herbology professor for so long now. "I'd love to." He said with a wide smile.
"Of course Pomona," Amelia chuckled. "It will be rather nice to see the old common room again." She admitted as James stood up from where he'd been sitting against the Ravenclaw tables.
Pomona smiled to herself as she noticed the glances and small smiles between James and Amelia, content to keep those thoughts to herself for now as she led their pair out of the great hall and down towards the kitchens to find the secret barrels that led to the Hufflepuff common room so they could all eat and relax at last.