A/N: Surgery went well and I'm bed bound with a few metallic additions to my bones. I'm working on my own book with a release date around Christmas since I'm not that busy. Again, I'll post the first chapter as a preview when I'm closer to publication. Initial run will be ebook format (Amazon and BN) with bound, autographed copies available for order directly from me. More details on that later.

I did a little research… Every time JKR described the grounds of Hogwarts as warm, she was full of it. The warmest average temperature in Scotland occurs in July/August and is a frosty 19 degrees centigrade. That's 66 degrees Fahrenheit. You know what I call that? Winter. Average warmest temperature in September? 13.9 centigrade. Let me get my parka.

Lastly, my original novel is officially published and it's actually doing really well (thanks in part to you guys). It is called "The Mage Council" by Amber A Draper and is exclusively published on Amazon. It is only $2.99 USD and free to download for anyone with Kindle Unlimited, and the first three chapters are available as a free preview. There are links to the official website, amazon page and Facebook page available in my profile. Thanks for reading!

Triss slumped onto James' chest, exhausted. His ribs felt odd under her weight, but the steady thump of his heart against her cheek was reassuring after generating so much energy to drive away the Reaper. Triss' arms wound around her unconscious companion and her cheek stayed pressed against his chest as she pulled her legs onto the bed, wrapping those around the boy as well. A physical and spiritual anchor to the mortal world, ready to spring into action should the Reaper return and try to steal the child's life from his body. Assured that she would be ready to fight off any threat to James' continued survival, Triss slipped into a light slumber.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII

Severus Snape looked upon the two children, aghast. 'That boy was dead,' he tried to convince himself, all while watching the stead rise and fall of the boy's chest beneath the girl's head. Sev, himself, tried every spell he could think of, many with origins in black magic, and it did nothing to help the boy. Yet this girl had brought him back from the veil with her glaring bursts of wild magic.

Albus sat on the floor on the far side of the bed, his face reflecting the horror Sev felt in his bones. "Impossible," Albus muttered, his eyes wide and focused on the girl. His face had flushed white and for a moment Severus thought the Headmaster might be ill.

"The girl has powerful, if wild, magic," Sev observed, offering an arm to pull the Headmaster to his feet. Albus accepted.

"That girl just fought Death off of that boy," Albus wheezed, now on his feet but his hands on his knees as if he'd just run a marathon. "I could see their souls linked together, and the mystical form of Death tugging at the boy. The girl channeled her magic to repel it. She must…"

Albus trailed off but Sev understood what he was implying. "Surely not, Albus. The girl is a Muggle-born and that bloodline died off centuries ago, Death's revenge for trying to conquer the veil. There are no Masters of Death."

"Then I beg you to explain what I just witnessed," Albus implored, fingering the wand hidden deep in his robes. Albus himself possessed two of the Hollows, one in the form of the Elder Wand and another in the form of James Potter's invisibility cloak. If the girl possessed the Resurrection Stone, perhaps it was Albus's hand on her shoulder that allowed the combined Masters of the Deathly Hollows to drive away Death. Certainly a thought that required a bit more speculation and research.

"We…we should finish healing the boy Severus," Poppy interrupted, her eyes still red and swollen with her tears.

Sev shook his head. "Now that the boy is out of danger, the potions will finish healing him given time. The child just needs sleep, and I'm hesitant to approach the girl. Wild magic in children can be dangerous and I'd rather not push her any more today."

In truth the girl's magic scared the Potion's Master. Wild, or accidental, magic often wasn't seen in children after they started at Hogwarts. For a child to put on such a display could only mean she was immensely powerful, and in Sev's mind power often translated to danger.

IIIIIIIIIII

Lily paced outside of the curtains guarding her son's bed. Neville had long since been healed and sent on his way by Poppy but Lily stayed as close to her son's side as she could. The girl, Trisstessa Summers, still slept beside James. Poppy had tried to make the girl move into her own bed but she resisted so forcefully that everyone felt it safer to leave the girl where she was. An idea that Lily found appalling, but she was in no position to argue.

Lily paused her pacing at a hand on her shoulder. For a moment she expected to see Sev watching her with those dark, concerned eyes but instead she met the soft brown eyes of Poppy. "Did Severus leave to rest?" Poppy asked, taking the taller woman by the arm and guiding her the few feet into the Medi-witch's office.

"He did. I understand he went to great lengths to assure the boy survived his encounter with The Whomping Willow. It's a true miracle," Lily observed, absently rubbing her expanding bump as Poppy forced a cup of tea into her hands.

"Indeed. I just have to wonder why you are pacing outside of the boy's curtains at this hour rather than resting with your husband?"

Lily sighed. It was time to implement the lie she and James had first formed all those years ago, a lie to protect them from any fallout should the truth of James's parentage every become known. "I don't know, Poppy. I feel drawn to the boy, and I have no idea why. He just…He…"

"He looks a great deal like James. Lily, I know it's painful but are you absolutely certain that James didn't have an affair? I know you've heard the rumors; I know you can see that boy could be a twin to an eleven-year-old James Potter. The boy is even named for the man." Poppy didn't mean to be harsh, but it seemed so obvious. James Potter had been something of a lady's man during his years at the school, it was more than possible that he had a slip into his old life with a muggle woman one night, and it resulted in a baby that would grow to be the spitting image of James Potter.

Lily's hand shook as she grasped her cup, trying to suppress her anger. Of course she'd heard the rumors, it was hard not to, but it angered her that so many would be willing to slander her late husband's memory based simply on the looks of a young boy. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Poppy, Harry looks nothing like James or I," she began.

Poppy, confused, began to interrupt but a raised hand from Lily stopped her. "It is no secret that I struggled with depression after Harry was born, even more so after James died. I just couldn't… bond with Harry. For a long time I thought it was me, that I was just an awful mother. Now I look at Harry and don't see any of James, or myself but I look at James Cage and see James Potter's face with my eyes…

"We were in hiding when I gave birth, so we went to a muggle hospital. In some ways, they're so much more advanced than we are. No reading by candle light or writing with quills. But sometimes muggles make mistakes. I… I think they made a mistake. I think they sent us home with the wrong baby…"

IIIIIIIIIII

James felt more tired than he had ever felt in his life, even after days of not sleeping due to nightmares. A soft weight rested against his side, and he didn't need to open his eyes to know it was Triss keeping watch over him. 'Go back to sleep. I will protect you until you're ready to wake up,' her voice whispered, her hand ghosting across his forehead. James didn't have the strength to argue and quickly drifted off to sleep, comforted by the soft warmth at his side.

IIIIIIIIIII

It was bright and sunny the next time James woke, and the warm weight he'd become accustomed to was not present against his side. "Triss?" he groaned, trying to sit up. His eyes were bleary but it only took a moment to zero in on the redhead and the blond sitting near his bed.

"You're awake!" Triss cheered, tossing aside a deck of cards and diving at her long-slumbering friend. "If I weren't so happy you're awake I would strangle you for being a moron!"

James was confused. "Why? What did I-oh…" It all came rushing back to James, from catching the falling Longbottom boy to pushing the same boy out of the way of a flying tree branch, and then blackness. "Is the Gryffindor okay?" he wondered.

Triss rolled her eyes. "Of course, you were the only one so damaged that you almost died." Triss leaned in very closely, her lips nearly brushing James's earlobe and sending funny tingles down to his gut. "I had to fend a Reaper off of our souls," she whispered, so quiet that the blond couldn't have heard her words.

James' skin paled to a color similar to the hospital sheets. "Are you okay?" he asked, eye sweeping from the dark auburn of her hair, over her pale skin and down to her pristine Hogwart's uniform. The last time either of them had encountered a Reaper Triss almost hadn't made it out.

"I'm fine. It hurt when it tried to tear you away, but it wasn't desperate enough for food to fight off a bonded life-force," she assured. Still, James couldn't help but notice how she absently kneaded a patch of skin below her collarbone but above her developing breast. Another subject James was more than happy to ignore.

"But James…" He stiffened. It was never good news when Triss used that tone. "I think you should read this…"

Potter Not A Potter?

By Rita Skeeter

Muggle Hospitals, long known for deplorable conditions and barbaric "treatments", can now also be known for mixing up children. This reporter has uncovered the terrible truth, that the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter is not a Potter at all.

You read correctly. Harrison James Potter, the only son of the late hero James Potter, is not a Potter at all. Despite her Muggle ties, it was Muggle-born Lily Potter who first suspected the mistake.

"At first I thought it was just me, that I was a horrible mother for not being able to bond with my own child. But as he grew and started to look less and less like James or myself, I started to suspect the truth. Then I saw Mr. Cage at the sorting, and I just knew [he was my son]." –Lily Potter

Unknown Muggles reportedly raised the Heir to House Potter, as a fire killed Muggle parents Alexander and Emma Cage in 1986. It is suspected that the true Potter child, now named James Cage, escaped the fire by use of accidental magic. Until recently many students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry assumed that the Cage child was the result of an illicit affair between James Potter and muggle Emma Cage.

"My son wrote me his first week at Hogwarts to tell me about the resemblance between Cage and the late James Potter. I simply assumed Potter must have been seeing another woman, and Cage was the result. The boy does share a given name with Potter, a practice I know to be common in muggle culture. It is certainly a shock to learn about a switch, but I am pleased the Ancient and Noble Potter name is not sullied with a bastard child." –Lucius Malfoy

With the birth of Squibs at an all-time high in Pureblood families, is it possible that some of our "Muggle-born" children were simply given to the wrong family? I urge every reader out there: If you've had a child born at a muggle facility, you need a Dee Enay Test to confirm you're not raising a muggle imposter.

Dee Enay Tests are currently being offered for 1 galleon at St. Mungos Hospital. You may owl Terence Cullboot to schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience. Do you have suspicions about your child? Schedule a test today!

James struggled for words for several seconds after reading the article. "This can't be true?" he asked, urging Triss to tell him otherwise.

She shrugged. "It only arrived a few minutes before you woke up. Professor Evans and Professor Snape have both been here to visit several times, but neither said anything. I haven't had time to ask Madam Pomfrey either. If it is true, at least you won't be teased for being the bastard son of James Potter anymore?"

Triss was sad for a moment, clearly remembering the days she spent estranged from her best friend. She heard the whispers and saw their effect on James, but in her anger she hadn't done anything to stop them. And then she almost lost him. In that moment Triss promised herself that she would never allow herself to be separated from her best friend again.

James laughed a little, still subdued by the article. "James?" Triss asked and James looked up and into the dark blue of her eyes. He could read the sadness and the guilt in them.

"It's okay Triss. We're both sorry for what we said and did, and we forgive each other. It's not the first time I've said something to hurt your feelings and you've given me the silent treatment, and I'm sure it won't be the last," James jested. He knew his attempt at humor fell flat when Triss started to cry. "Please, don't cry," he begged. He hated it when she cried.

"You died, James! Your heart stopped beating and I could feel you slipping away. If I weren't so stubborn I would have noticed you going after Neville Longbottom and I would have chased after you!" At this point her words dissolved into nonsensical sobs and James could only rub her back while she cried into his starched hospital gown.

James had almost forgotten about the blond hiding in the corner, looking very uncomfortable. James recognized her at Triss's roommate, Daphne… Groundleaf? Greenshrub?

"Hello," she whispered, giving James a little wave. "I'm Daphne Greengrass, Triss's roommate. I'll just wait outside." James nodded, thankful for the girl's willingness to give them privacy. Just as the girl disappeared beyond the curtain the stout Medi-witch tore the opposite curtain open.

"Ms. Summers!" she screeched, but her eyes turned soft as she noticed the puffiness of the girl's face and the redness of her eyes. Her eyes then moved up to the conscious boy staring at her with the hard eyes of Lily Evans.

IIIIIIIIIII

Lily paced in Albus's office, an unpleasant reminder of the week before when she'd first confessed to her crimes. Sev sat in the same armchair he'd occupied that night, reading the Daily Prophet over and over.

"How would she know any of this?" Severus asked, his tone reflecting silent fury.

"That no good, bloody fucking BITCH has the Hospital Wing bugged. She was obviously spying on my conversation with Poppy, when I asked her to DNA test James Cage. Her quote is almost word for word from my conversation with Poppy." Lily's anger wasn't as contained as Sev's, her raging hormones contributing to her near-murderous rage.

"I will see to this matter immediately. In the mean time, I think it best you address young Harry Potter before his classmates become over zealous with this new information," Albus suggested.

Lily froze. She'd actually forgotten about the ramifications this would have on Harry. Yes, they planned on word getting out at some point but that was after she and Sev had time to sit down with both boys and explain things. "Sev?" Lily shouted, spinning around with a hand on her belly. Sev seemed to be on the same wavelength as she only caught the corner of his dark cloak as he disappeared.

IIIIIIIIIII

Lily moved her pacing to the quarters she shared with Severus. Knowing her husband, he would bring Harry here so they could speak with him. While she waited, Lily felt the old feelings of guilt and depression weigh down on her. 'How could I forget about the child I've been raising for eleven years?' Lily wondered, tugging at her hair.

It had long been a puzzle, even in her own mind. Yes, she knew Harry wasn't her real son but he was still a child in need of a mother's love. But at every opportunity she had neglected his needs for her own, or Sev's, or James', or Baby S. She had neglected the child, and as she felt Baby S move inside of her she felt the weight of her actions.

Harry Potter had grown up with the bare minimal, and often sporatic, love from the only mother he would ever know. If not for Petunia Dursley and Severus Snape, the boy may have grown up without any love at all. "I have to fix this," Lily muttered. "His mother died trying to protect my son. I owe him this much."

At that moment the portrait opened, admitting the blond, chubby form of Harry Potter with Sev Snape in toe. Fueled by guilt and raging motherly hormones, Lily took Harry into her arms. "I'm so sorry Harry," she sobbed. The boy was stiff at first, but relaxed into his mother's arms and returned her embrace. Soon he was sobbing as well.

"How long have you known?" Harry finally asked, sniffling. His face was still buried in Lily's bosom but they had moved to the large sofa, with Lily leaning into Sev while she held Harry.

Lily sighed, prepared to continue the lie re-hatched in Albus's office. "I've suspected for a long time, Harry. Your dad told me I was crazy but a mother knows. All these years that I've known something wasn't right, and it took me until now to realize that I've taken it out of you and it's not fair. You were just a baby," she whispered, clutching the child tightly.

The boy's sobs increased in intensity. Through his sobs Lily could make out a single, heart-breaking sentence. "Are you going to send me away?"

It was Sev who soothed the boy over Lily's shoulder. "No, Harry. You are our son. Baby S, James Cage… Nothing changes that."

The boy's sobs did not lesson and Lily knew the boy needed to hear the words from her. She lifted the boy's chin and forced him to look at her face. "Harry," she began. "I have been unfair to you. No matter what I suspected, you are a child and you needed me. I wasn't there for you. You are my son, and I'm sorry. I love you Harry, and I'm going to make this up to you," Lily promised, drawing the boy back to her chest.

IIIIIIIIIII

The Medi-witch released James within hours of him waking up, with the promise he would return if he felt ill at any point in the next few days. It was Sunday so James allowed Triss to drag him away from the corridors full of gossiping students. It was still early September and the grounds were warm… for Scotland. By the time they reached the Black Lake James was out of breath. The last several days had taken their toll on him.

"Sit!" Triss ordered, forcing the heavily breathing James into a seated position against the base of an ancient yew overlooking the lake.

"Just where I want to be, near another tree," James joked.

Triss slapped his shoulder. "That isn't funny Jamie. What were you thinking?" she demanded, sitting opposite of him with her back to the lake. The closest student was hundreds of meters away, so she felt it safe to breach the subject.

James shrugged at her question. "I wasn't thinking. I've been having a hard time sleeping and I just… acted. I didn't think I had enough time to cast and for the spell to knock Longbottom out of the way before the tree hit him. And then it hit me, and then it's hazy. I remember you taking my hand, but that's about it." James shrugged again.

"I tried to save you," Triss confided. Her voice shook, but she was determined not to cry. "I was going to charge the tree and tear it to shreds, but Professor Snape tackled me before I could reach you. He's a lot faster than I gave him credit for," Triss laughed, more from irony than humor. "After that it was just a matter of holding your hand while the professors tried to heal you, then fighting off the Reaper. You apologized to me before they moved you to the Hospital Wing, you know."

James gave a half smile to his best friend, pulling her to him so they could both watch the Giant Squid skip stones on the lake. "What did Dragon say about all this?" James wondered. He still hadn't received a reply to his questions about his dreams.

Triss shrugged. "I wrote him, of course, but I haven't gotten a response yet."

"That's… odd. I wrote him about my bad dreams earlier this week and haven't heard anything either."

"Bad dreams?" Triss asked, concerned.

James ran a hand through his hair, inadvertently reminding the eyes now watching the children of the late James Potter. "Yeah. I think I'm dreaming about the night my parents died. If any of the things I'm dreaming are real, then they didn't die in a fire."

Triss wanted James to elaborate, but they were interrupted by the smooth voice of their Head of House. "Mr. Cage, Ms. Summers," Sev greeted. The two students waved hello in return. "I trust you've read this morning's paper?" The children nodded. "In light of… recent developments, Professor Dumbledore would like to extend an invitation to his office to discuss the details in the paper." Despite the phrasing, both pre-teens knew an order when they heard it.

IIIIIIIII

Lily resisted the urge to start pacing again. After her talk with Harry this morning she was feeling drained, but she needed to talk to James as well. She wasn't expecting much, it was obvious the boy had grown up with a loving family and had even come to Hogwarts with a… companion, but she needed to try and form some kind of relationship with the boy.

Albus sat at his desk silently. He'd done that a lot since Trisstessa Summers revived James Cage. Lily had only heard Sev's perspective, but her understanding was that Summers resuscitated the boy with accidental magic. Albus, on the other hand, was under the impression that the girl somehow battled Death away from the boy. Ridiculous.

It took nearly a half hour of silent waiting before the sound of brick grinding on brick alerted to duo to impending visitors. The first person through the doorway was the small, red-haired girl, followed by her much taller companion and finally by Sev. Lily sprang to her feet as quickly as her ever-expanding belly would allow.

For a moment they all stared at each other in silence, then Albus spoke. "Please, sit." Everyone chose a spot in the circle of sofas created around Albus's desk. James and Triss sat together, as did Lily and Sev while Albus stayed behind his heavy piece of oak furniture. "Obviously we would prefer your guardian be present for this discussion, Mr. Cage, but we have been unable to reach Mr. Shui."

"Grand Master Shui," both children corrected, almost reflexively. The adults all stared at the children and they fidgeted, a little nervous. Dragon's title as a Grand Master was not a secret, but so far no one at the school had embraced that information.

"Our adopted father is Grand Master Dragon Shui. And you are correct, we've also been unable to reach him," James elaborated. "It's unusual, but also possible he is deep in the mountains or underground somewhere. Owls would not be able to find him."

Lily's suppressed her distaste. 'What kind of guardian makes themselves unreachable in the case of an emergency! The boy almost died two days ago!'

"I see…" It was clear the Headmaster recognized the Grand Master's name, and he did not appear pleased. "You've seen this morning's paper?" he continued. Both children nodded. "May we hear your thoughts on the matter?"

James hesitated for a moment, but answered. "Honestly sir, the only family I've ever known is the Grand Master. I guess it's… nice… I have other family out there but I don't really know what to say other than that." 'Except that Professor Evans looks ready to eat me…'

The Headmaster was puzzled by the boy's admission. "According to your file, you only came into Grand Master Shui's care when you were five years old. Old enough to remember Alexander and Emma Cage," Albus probed. He needed to know what, if anything, the child remembered of Voldemort's death.

James rubbed at his scar, a nervous tick he'd developed since arriving at Hogwarts. It always seemed to ache, especially when he thought about the death of his parents. Albus noticed and filed the action away for later speculation.

"I don't remember anything before the Grand Master adopted me, sir. We didn't even know my last name until the letter came from Hogwarts, he said I just showed up on his doorstep one day, lost and scared. He tried to find my family but it's difficult when no one knows you're missing and you have no last name," James explained.

Albus nodded, the embodiment of a kind and understanding grandfather. "I understand completely, dear boy. Now, I believe Professor Evans has something to say. Lily?"

Lily fidgeted in her seat, looking at the child with a mixture of dread and longing. It took her a moment to gather the words. "I understand the way you feel, James, and I accept that. You don't know me, but I carried you for nine-months. I knew before you were born, knew that you didn't like it when I ate tomatoes or seafood. Knew that you were always more active at night. I knew all sorts of things about you before I ever met you, and I knew in the hospital that something was wrong when they handed Harry to me.

"I should have fought harder for you, so that I could watch you grow. Now you have another family, but I would really like it if you would let me be part of your life." By this point Lily was sobbing and she hid her face behind her hands. Sev, seated next to her, placed a comforting arm around the sobbing mother.

For his part, James found the situation was awkward. Did he feel some kind of connection to the woman sitting in front of him? Yes. It was odd, and not unlike his connection to Triss but far weaker. Still, he didn't know her, not that it was truly her fault. James looked at Triss, but she could only shrug. She'd never known her mother either.

"Um… I guess that would be… okay?"