Chapter 14

Tuesday 16 September 1993

Professor Binns was reacting well all things considered. The ghost was pacing back and forth in front of his desk muttering to himself. His initial reaction James' claim was disbelief. That lasted right until James shoved his arm into the professor's ghostly body.

"Er. Professor," James said once he unconventionally got the ghost's attention. "Do you want me to leave or stay?"

The ghost finally stopped his pace and turned to face James once again. "Child, what is your name."

"James, James Lupin."

"Hmm, any relation to Jonathan Lupin." Professor Binns asked.

"Er, I don't know. My dad is Remus."

Professor Binns was quiet for a moment then very softly asked a question he realized he needed to lead with. "How, er, how long have I been… That is to say, what year is it?"

"Nineteen ninety-three," James replied. "Mid-September nineteen ninety-three."

"Ah. So I have been dead for over eighty years. I'VE BEEN DEAD FOR EIGHTY YEARS!" Professor Binns wailed. It was an eerie ghostly wail that set James' teeth on edge. The dead professor lamented his fate for another ten minutes during which James tried to leave only to be stopped before he could reach the door each time by a new question.

"No, you are the history professor."

"I don't know why there isn't a class here today. They must have all skipped."

"Well they are supposed to be doing some big test and since you just droned on about the goblin rebellions no one really pays attention to your lecture."

"I don't know why they didn't replace you."

"There there, yes it is horrible no one seems to care about history at this school but it is hardly your fault. Well, it kinda is, but it obviously wasn't intentional."

And so it continued. James tried to comfort the spirit as it fell deeper and deeper into despair about his fate. Near the end of the period, James began to pray that someone would soon arrive to relieve him of his torment. The start of sixth period came and went without anyone arriving.

What James did not know is that almost no one in the school signed up for NEWT History of Magic. A few students would sit the exam each year, but they had long since learned that the classroom was worthless for them. Thus James was trapped for the time being.

XxX

Elsewhere in the castle, younger pureblood students, now done with their days gathered in small circles to discuss the events of the past three days. They had met once already the day before, but lunch had led to an emergency meeting being called by many of the alliances that walked the halls of Hogwarts.

The one topic they all had in common was James Lupin. Some groups wondered why he was getting involved. They saw his actions against Malfoy as a statement of intent. Many correctly assumed he was behind the Weasley Twins action earlier that day and took it as a statement of capabilities.

Others accepted he was now involved and wondered where he would fall on the spectrum. Striking Malfoy was a clear act of someone siding with Britain's Light, but whatever he did to the twins and Gryffindors suggested a willingness to use underhanded tactics associated with the Traditionalists. Would he be an ally, enemy, or neutral?

Still others wondered if he could be bent to their goals. A new wand to wield with expert precision or a dragon to be pointed and let loose. For now, it would be best to wait and see. There was no need to rush. 'It will be four more years before it truly mattered, plenty of time,' they thought.

XxX

Professor Binns finally calmed down, which James was very thankful for. He accepted his death and the lapse of time between when it had happened and now. That isn't to say Professor Binns was happy, but he had a handle on it.

"So what now?" James asked.

"Now... An excellent question," Professor Binns said. He thought it over for a moment. "I think I must talk to the Headmaster. It isn't still Dippet is it? Never did like him." Professor Binns said.

"Never heard of the dude. It's Dumbledore now. Has been for a while."

"Hmm. Dumbledore, Dumbledore. I think I remember hearing about someone by that name working with Nicholas Flamel. Yes, the first new apprentice in almost a century I think. I look forward to meeting him and learning what I have missed." Professor Binns said.

"Dinner starts in like an hour, so now would be a good time to go," James said with a silent prayer.

"You're right. Off I go." Professor Binns said speeding across the ground and right through the door. James thought he was home free when the ghost poked his head back in.

"Most queer, going through a door like that. I just wanted to say thank you James. I look forward to seeing you in class." With parting words given, the ghost disappeared.

"Finally," James muttered. He really didn't need any more fun today. Between the compulsion charms, the Patronus, potions, and dealing with Professor Binns, James was exhausted.

He walked out of the room, intent on finding somewhere to relax, and bumped into someone. They both fell, landing across from each other on the cold stone floor. Rubbing his head where it hit the other person's James looked up and saw Katie Bell glaring at him.

Her hand was drifting towards her wand. James was struck by the smell of rage and embarrassment on her.

"You!" She hissed glaring at him. "That- that- What happened today was your fault!"

Without giving him time to respond, she snap fired a jinx at James. "Tarantallegra"

James rolled out of the way and returned fire with a silent Petrificus Totalus. Katie threw up a weak shield. James took the opening to scramble to his feet.

He ducked back into the classroom where the desks and chairs could provide fodder for transfigurations. Katie followed a second later, yelling out impact hexes, little cousins to blasting curses. James ducked and dodged before pulling a chair in front of one he couldn't avoid.

The chair creaked but held against the first hex, and the second, but on the third, or was it the fourth, the chair broke apart. Ducking a hissed Furnunculus, James transfigured the broken chair into chains, adding a binding charm to them, and banished them at Katie, hoping to tie her up. His blood was singing at the fight. His eyes flashed yellow, his hair thickened, and his smile grew feral. If only he wasn't so tired. If only this fight could last a bit longer.

As the chains flew, Katie leaned to the side and shouted, "Petrificus Totalus." Her spell flew true and hit James, locking his joints. Unfortunately for Katie, she didn't see the chain lowest to the ground which wrapped around her starting at her feet and continuing up to her shoulders, knocking her wand away in the process.

Silence fell over the classroom battleground as they lay there. James was stuck on his side; Katie on her stomach. She glowered at him and while James' face was locked in the smile he had when her spell hit him. The only sound in the room was the writhing of the chains that missed Katie, as they slowly jangled trying to tie themselves around nothing.

Paralyzed, with the adrenaline of the fight already fading, James' blood began to cool. His teeth and eyes changed back quickly as he pushed the changes down. Here and now was not the place to reveal his true nature. 'How did that even happen. I wasn't even trying.' James thought

"Ugh." Katie grunted as she struggled against the chains holding her. "Look what you've done now. Haven't you already done enough to me."

James' reply was a series of intelligible grunts ultimately communicating his disagreement.

"What do you mean by that!" Katie shouted back on the verge of tears. "First you freaking grope me in Defense, then you pulled that stunt in the Great Hall today. What did I ever do to you?" She thought for sure she would be able to best him. Three years of friendly rivalry with Slytherins, two years on a team with the Weasley twins, and the lessons her mother insisted on made her confident in her abilities as a duelist. To be fair, she did bring him down. She was just stuck with him inches from her now.

Her spell was already starting to wear off. Not enough that James could move, but enough he could speak, barely.

"Accident. Revenge. Pranks. Your. Fault."

"What! My fault. How is this my fault?" Katie yelled. The chains were starting to loosen but she couldn't quite get out of them yet. She did try harder though, the transfigured metal clinking softly.

"First day. Was an. Accident. Would've said. Sorry. You sicced. Twins. Made your. own bed." James grunted through his stiff jaw. He was just able to wiggle a finger. A bit more and he would be able to cast the counter to her spell. Katie looked down and away as she parsed through what he said.

"And all the taunting?" She asked after a minute. "All the smack talking while we were learning bliteus?"

James finally cast the counter curse and pulled himself into a chair. He leaned over with his head in his hands. "I guess you could call it my way of dealing with being nervous."

The chains holding Katie loosen and turned back to wood. She retrieved her wand and sat in a chair across from James. She breathed slowly and deeply as she thought about what he said, trying to keep her emotions even. After the events at lunch it was no easy task.

"This has all been kinda stupid hasn't it?" She asked looking at James. He met her eyes.

"Yeah." He said with a sigh and leaned back. They descended into an awkward silence. They peeked at one another, each checking to make sure the other wasn't going to break the unofficial ceasefire. James covertly sniffed the air trying to get a good read on her now that Katie seemed calmer.

She didn't have that bothersome smell on her that Neville had. Instead, she still smelled embarrassed, and something else was leaking in?

"Do you-" James started, stopping when her eyes snapped to him. He swallowed and gathered his courage. "Do you want to start over?"

Katie's lips quirked slightly; then she let out a little chuckle. "Okay."

James stood slowly slipping his wand into its holster on his hip. Katie followed suit, hers disappearing up her sleeve. Holding out a hand James introduced himself. "Good Afternoon, I'm James Lupin."

Katie took his hand, gripping it tightly. She was willing to try burying the hatchet, but she wasn't exactly willing to forgive him after the day she had.

"Hello James. I am Katie Bell. Nice to meet you. How are you today?" She said stiffly. James held his forced smile as she tried to ratchet up the pressure on his hand. He returned as good as he got.

"Oh, well enough. Lunch was interesting as I am sure you saw. Potions was much quieter than usual. My herbology partner gave me the most cryptic of warnings. Oh, and I did something to Professor Binns that seem to have maybe kinda 'woke' him up." James replied. "You?"

Katie was nodding along politely until the last thing he said. "Umm, what was that about Professor Binns?"

"Well it's like this," James began. He regaled her the recent happening of the Hogwart's History Professor. If she was listening to a story she wasn't attacking him, so he figured it was a win/win in the end.

When he finished she just looked at him awestruck. Well, she was gaping like a fish. Her jaw worked up and down but no sounds came out. After a few seconds, she finally found her voice.

"ARGGG! Of all the. What possessed you, a third year, to cast a NEWT level charm against a teacher!"

"What? I was bored and working on compulsion charms cut into my exorcism research." James replied evenly. Katie glared at the mention of compulsion charms.

"Exorcism? Are you saying that you were thinking of exorcising a Professor at the oldest, safest, best magical school in Europe?" Katie asked after a face palm. "Why?" She whined.

"Because he wasn't teaching and History is supposed to be fun," James replied seriously.

"You know what!" Katie said, straightening her robes. "I am out of here." She was out the door and on her way before James could say anything else. With her gone, James slumped into a chair and took a deep breath.

That was one issue done with, and it only took a week. Ha, who said problems couldn't be solved with violence. Sure it hadn't been gratuitous violence, but it still took a fight to fix everything. Okay, maybe not everything. He did need to get her to apologize to his peers who'd been caught up in the pranks against him.

XxX

Dinner that night was far less exciting than lunch for the students of Hogwarts. The absences of Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Missus Lupin the only thing of note. The Gryffindor table was perhaps a bit more subdued than usual. Fred, George and Katie missing. At the Slytherin table Draco was glaring at the whole of the hall, as if daring someone to use his new moniker to his face. Apparently, it was really catching on.

James just ate his dinner and bounced. The absence of Dumbledore made sense given Binns said he was going to talk to him. Professor McGonagall missing was curious but she was the Vice Headmaster or Deputy or something like that so maybe he called for her to help. He had no clue why Mom was missing since Morgan was there with Dad, making friends with Professor Babbling.

As he finished up he realized he didn't know what it was Mom was doing. He'd left before they discussed her job and he hadn't asked since. Suddenly he felt like a bad son. "Whelp, I'll just ask Dad tonight."

James wandered up to the defense classroom and started on his assignments while he waited.

He was still working when Remus swept in. He shut the door and walked to his desk, taking a seat behind it. He slipped something into one of the drawers and motioned for James to sit in front of him.

"So, at first I was going to ask about your fight with the Malfoy child." Remus began, holding up a finger when James started to speak.

"Then this was going to be about the Malfoy child and what you did today at lunch." Remus said, ticking off a second finger.

"Now this is going to be about the Malfoy child, lunch, and why you thought it would be a good idea to assault Professor Binns, a ghost, with your Patronus." Remus said, slapping the desk with his hand. "James, it has been three days, three days that you have managed to rack all these things up. What do you have to say for yourself?" Remus said a serious frown on his face.

"How does that compare with you and the other Marauders third year?" James said. Remus burst out laughing. He came around his desk and hugged James.

"Seriously son. First of all, are you okay? I imagine you are feeling pretty tired." Remus said sitting on the edge of his desk.

"I'm fine. A bit tired, but nothing life-threatening." James said it looked like he was in for an interrogation. Time to make sure he came out looking good, and probably properly apologetic.

"Good. Now first off what happened with Draco Malfoy." Remus asked covertly setting a Dicta-Quill to parchment.

"I vanished his bandages outside potions. He drew first so I was in the right. Although he was nearby, Professor Snape didn't appear until after I'd done that. I guess he was invisible somehow. There is a spell for that right?" James said.

"There is. You didn't provoke Malfoy, did you?" Remus asked.

James looked away from his father and mumbled. "Maybe a little bit."

"James-"

"He had it coming. If you've heard half the things I've heard about him you'd agree. Besides you didn't have to listen to his attempted sob story. He was barely hurt. A few scratches that will heal in no time. He reeked, straight up reeked, of deceit and arrogance and, and." James groaned in frustration.

"James, what is it?" Remus asked he could smell how James thought he was in the right, and also something else he feared. He hoped it would be a bit longer, but it looked like Alpha Hardfast was right.

"Alpha." James mumbled. "Fucking Alpha instincts isn't it."

"That lead to your confrontation with Draco?" Remus asked. James made a pitiful sound that was close to a yes. "Maybe," Remus said. It wasn't a lie, not quite. Not so long as Remus believed another explanation.

"But it could just have been schoolyard power struggles. Of course, Hogwarts is a bit different than your normal school for that kind of thing." Remus said introspectively as he thought about the politics that were at play in his years at the school. Admittedly those were the preludes to war. Now it would the dance of peace.

Then again, many of the students currently in the walls of the school were the heirs of powerful families, and in some cases the last surviving members of the family. Bones and Longbottom came to mind as did some others.

"James. Tell me the things you have heard." Remus said. When he looked back at it, hadn't everything James and Black did been motivated by more than just schoolyard antics. How they treated Severus was perhaps purely emotional, but the near war the waged on the rest of Slytherin?

"Dad?" James asked and Remus repeated his question.

"Tell me the things you have heard about Draco Malfoy."

James did. For the short time, he'd been at Hogwarts he'd collected quite the compendium of stories on the blonde Slytherin. Remus listened to them carefully trying to see if there was anything out of sorts with the stories.

As James finished the last one he paused and thought for a moment. "You know, put all together like that, it really makes him out to be a terrible person. On the other hand, he gets a few scratches and it's all the end of the world for him, but I heard there was a student that got so badly mauled by a troll she spent months in the hospital. It ended with her transferring to another school somewhere, maybe."

"I see what you are saying James. I really do." Remus began. In that light, the young Malfoy did seem pretty awful, and in-class Remus prayed he kept his mouth shut. Still, the boy was an able student. Not the best essay writer, but a capable caster during practical parts of class. "But be careful about getting into fights just because you hear stories from other people. I don't want you to become a pawn in someone's power play around here."

"Huh!" James said, his eyes widening.

"James, you're an outsider to Hogwarts and Britain. If you been raised here you would understand that the society is incredibly hierarchical. Even though they aren't feudal noble titles, many of the older and richer houses are seen as nobility. Think Victorian England or the Antebellum South."

"Okay. Rich people at the top, poor people at the bottom. I remember something about Ancient and Noble houses too."

"Exactly, those are the tippy top of society. Outsiders like muggleborn are below the poorest, meanest pureblood or half-blood. This is unless they latch their cart to someone already established here. If they get a patron they are pulled into that circle."

"So, if a local rich guy likes you, even as an outsider, you become on the same level as the rich guy."

"Only if you marry them, but as your patron they get you invited to the kinds of events they go to and can interact with others in the upper classes at less of a disadvantage. An insult on you is an insult against your patron. The flip side of this is you are providing them some kind of service. Be it enchanting, running a business, or being a problem solver. Usually with violence for the last one."

"Wait." James said looking his dad in the eye. "Are you suggesting that someone is trying to make use of me. Turn me into their tool?" He asked his eyes widening as he thought about what Luna said.

"I just want you to keep it in mind. If you hadn't done anything probably not, but now that you are making plays like the quick duel with Mister Malfoy and the prank." Remus cut James off before he could protest no one knew about his involvement in the prank.

"Everyone who matters knows it was you. There is just no proof. If they can't figure out it was you they won't win the political games they will find themselves playing in the next few years." Remus said.

James was thinking furiously about what Luna said and what he'd been smelling.

"Dad, would I be able to smell it if people were thinking about using me?" James asked.

"Maybe. I wouldn't be surprised. It would be an interesting cocktail. Think about how Professor McGonagall smelled when I finally said I would work for her. Minus the cat. No. That was too much happiness. Umm." Remus said trying to think about it.

"I've been smelling something weird the last few days. I thought it might be respect, but it wasn't quite that." James said before a question running in his mind made him bristle. "Are you saying my friends just want to use me?"

"No!" Remus said quickly laying a hand on his son's shoulder. "No. They don't just want to use you, but if you don't think for yourself there are those who will try to get you to further their own goals. If you aren't careful and smart they will take advantage of you. They can't help it. Even your best friend might use you in a terrible way. That is only if you let them though."

James grunted. They sat there for a moment before he relaxed a bit and sighed. "So how do I avoid it."

"Just be careful and think critically about anything you are told without hearing the other side." Remus said.

"Okay." James said, feeling uncertain. He was going to have to think about what Dad said for a while before he understood it. It sounded like all the purebloods couldn't be trusted to do anything but look out for themselves and they would always try to just use anyone they encountered for their own ends.

"Putting that behind us. What was that in the Great Hall today at lunch?" Remus said.

"A perfectly executed prank. Perfectly executed, terribly conceived." James said with a shiver.

"First off, how did you do it?"

"Compulsion and sticking charms. The ones on the head table I had to do before breakfast. They were subtle and timed to start at lunch. The ones of the Gryffindor table were set before lunch. The twins I got with a letter at breakfast. I can't explain the music, that was unplanned." James said.

"Compulsion charms James. That is dangerous stuff to start messing with." Remus said with a frown. "You can get in serious legal trouble, especially back home."

James bristled at the accusation. "They weren't in the restricted section so they can't be that bad."

"Don't use them anymore unless it is a serious situation. If you do you will probably wind up in serious legal trouble. Consider yourself lucky you chose this generations pranksters as your target. If you had chosen someone else there might have been serious repercussions." Remus said seriously.

"So…"

"Oh, no you are still in serious trouble, but tell me why."

"Remember your first class with me." James said a bit miffed to learn he was in trouble. Didn't Dad brag about his past exploits when it was just the two of them?

"When you and Miss Bell had that accident?" Remus teased.

"Yeah, so she set them on me after that. Didn't even give me a chance to say sorry or that it was an accident. This was balancing the scales for what they did to me. Well, more what they did to my friends, but I got hit often enough to actually put effort into it." James replied. Not true, Dad was sure to know, but it assuaged his conscience.

"James," Remus began with a shake of his head. "Do you really think what you did was the right answer? Why didn't you go to the girl and apologize or talk to a teacher."

James gave his father a hard look. He had talked to a teacher.

"Technically you told me you had it under control. You never told me what was going on."

"Oh come on!" James exclaimed at the semantics games Dad was playing.

"And given my own reputation, I don't know how seriously I would have been taken." Remus said placatingly. "Still why didn't you talk to Miss Bell?"

"She didn't give me the chance before giving her dancers marching orders." James complained.

"And you didn't try to go up to her and apologize?"

"She was avoiding me."

"But you didn't try like Veronica suggested did you?"

"Er, no I guess not. Since she was avoiding me, I figured just leave her alone until the pranks started. Then it became a get even thing." James said. Remus sighed and rubbed his forehead. Before he could talk to his son about the mysteries of females, James spoke up about his impromptu deal.

"I think we are good now though. We ran into each other outside of Binns classroom. After a few, perhaps justified, spells we found ourselves talking for a bit. I said sorry. Well I said we should start over, so I think we are- good? neutral? in detente? Probably that last one."

Remus just gave James the look. The one that said you know what, this isn't worth the time and hassle to pursue it. If James said it was good, then fine it was good. There was still one more thing to discuss. The reason his wife was busy trying to figure out how bad the previous headmaster had messed with Hogwarts finances.

"James, one last thing. What happened with Professor Binns?" Remus asked.

"How do you know about that?"

"Because he went to the headmaster."

"Yeah, he mentioned that."

"And the Headmaster called Veronica and Professor McGonagall up. It seems he was cursed, trapped, by the previous headmaster to continue teaching. Fortunately or unfortunately spells that work on the dead are rare and no one knows quite what was cast to hold him as it did." Remus said.

"Why was Mom there?" James asked.

"She is doing something of an audit for the school. With both of them wearing so many hats, neither Albus or Minerva have the time to do their jobs for the school justice. It is a little disheartening to see the facts on just how bad the school has slipped in the past thirty years. Though there will be new brooms come next term."

"Oh."

"Yes oh. Now, what happened?" Remus asked once again.

For the second time that day, James told someone how he'd assaulted a professor. At the end of the story, Remus leaned back and groaned.

"Seriously, no one else in the classroom and your answer is to poke the ghost? James that is ridiculous. First off, why do you think there was no one there?"

"I don't know." James answered before he actually thought about it. "Well maybe there is one reason, but I'm not sure."

"Go ahead with it." Remus said. It would give it a starting point to take to the headmaster.

"Well, I was asking them about why people call Voldemort the worst dark lord of the twentieth century compared to Grindelwald and the others. They didn't like that." James replied. "Do you think they would skip class to avoid me."

"I'll find out for you."

"Let them know I didn't mean to upset them." James said. He still thought it stupid but thems the breaks.

"Of course." Remus said before standing and rooting around in his desk for a second. "So I am sure you are wondering what happens now."

"You tell me to behave and I go?" James asked hopefully. He really didn't see a need to punish him if the Weasley Twins weren't punished for what they did. Remus chuckled and shook his head.

"No. You have broken too many rules over the last few days. If it was any one of those things I might let you off easy, but for all three." Remus shook his head. "As a father if not as a teacher, I need to hand down some kind of punishment."

James tensed up. 'Dammit. What was going to happen this time? What gave Dad the right to punish him.'

'Well, he is your Dad.'

'So what he is just an Omega. Maybe a Beta.'

'Whoa there James, where is this coming from?'

'Uh, he told you himself. You are the Alpha here. There is no Hardfast to lead the pack so it is up to you. Well maybe not yet, but another moon is coming soon...'

'Umm James what are we thinking.'

Remus, completely oblivious to his son's inner conflict, pulled a bit of parchment out of his desk. "The good news is punishment has already been decided. You have detention with Professor Binns every day after dinner for the rest of the term."

"What!?" James cried out. Detention every night was cruel and unusual. How was he supposed to do anything if all his evenings were spent in detention?

'Say no. That you won't go to detention. We should be the one in charge. We will serve one. One detention because it was a really bad prank but no more.'

"You'll still have your free periods and time between your last class and dinner to do homework and interact with your friends. Remember what I said about being careful with what they tell you. Your detentions will be spent helping Professor Binns revise his syllabus and catch up on the history he has missed." Remus said.

"Oh." James said as the indignation drained out of him and his internal conflict quieted. History was FUN! "So my punishment is all history based?"

"You did break the bindings on him. Your mother spent dinner pouring over the books trying to discover why he was never replaced while I now have to help the headmaster check for any compulsion or forgetfulness curses relating to this." Remus said as he put his desk back in order. "Take this, show it to anyone that tries to assign you additional detention."

James took the note and tucked it in his pocket. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. No other detentions was good. If he did well perhaps he could just use it as homework time while Professor Binns caught up on the eighty plus years he missed. "Okay. Does that mean we're good?"

"Yeah, go back to your dorm cub." Remus said. He pulled James into a quick hug. James returned the hug with a squeeze and they broke apart.

"Okay Dad. See you tomorrow." James said. He grabbed his bag and was out of the room. He needed to get back to the common room and think about what Dad said. It seemed like he was being dragged into politics whether he wanted to or not. Perhaps the detentions could prove useful for more than just keeping him out of trouble.

AN:

Updated 6 Jan 2019