Author's Notes: This story is the effort of a group of dedicated Gryffindors, written for the house fan fiction contest at Third Floor Corridor. In this chapter, Pennilyn Novus was the author.

While we wish Harry Potter belonged to us, we do not own him, nor the books, nor the movies. They are owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Warner Brothers, and possibly a few others. No harm is intended, and no profit is being made.

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Chapter Twenty-One

There was something so satisfying, James decided, about being back at Hogwarts, sitting at the Gryffindor table with his best mates, watching the first years get sorted into their houses.

He watched as one impossibly small child, grinning from ear to ear, jumped from the stool and hurried to the Ravenclaw table. James smiled wistfully, remembering his Sorting, how excited he'd been to discover he'd be in Gryffindor just like his father.

At the same time, it was now impossible to ignore the absences of certain students. There were empty spots at all four tables where his classmates had once sat.

"Muggleborns," Sirius whispered in his ear.

James nodded, his eyes searching out Lily. She sat with her friends, a smile on her face that did not reach her eyes. She made room for a new Gryffindor as he hurried to their table, a genuine, innocent smile on his face. With a friendly smile, she welcomed him, and began to talk to him. James could not make out what she was saying above the general noise at the table.

The Sorting drew to a close, and Professor McGonagall removed the stool and the hat. James turned eagerly to his plate, ready to burden it with heaps of food. Next to him, Sirius followed suit. When food did not appear on the table, James raised his eyes, and saw that Remus was still looking to the head table, where Dumbledore was standing, looking decidedly tired.

"I do not wish to delay your feast – " he began.

"That's good to know," Sirius whispered to James, drawing a disapproving glare from Lily.

"However," Dumbledore continued, "I wish to introduce you to our newest addition to the school, Barnabus Blinkerton, who has graciously agreed to fill to position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Welcome, Professor Blinkerton."

A chorus of muttered welcomes rose from the tables and Peter leaned across his empty plates. "Are we taking bets on how long the Defense professor will last again this year?" he asked quietly.

Sirius snickered beside James, but Remus frowned, keeping his eyes on Dumbledore.

James grimaced and kicked Peter under the table. "Later, Peter," he whispered quickly.

"Without further delay, tuck in," Dumbledore concluded, gesturing grandly before returning to his seat.

Scrumptious, heaping platters of food appeared on the table in front of him, and James grabbed for the nearest serving spoon. Sirius yelped and changed course mid-grab, instead spearing a piece of juicy beef from the platter slightly to his left. Across the table, Peter was heaping potatoes onto his plate, and Remus was reaching for a chicken leg.

"Don't forget to chew," Lily snorted, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

James swallowed and smiled winningly at her, and she rolled her eyes before turning back to the new Gryffindor by her side. Shoulders slumping, James put his fork down, staring at his plate for a moment until the smell was more than he could take and he picked up his fork again.

Once he'd stuffed himself silly, he sat back from his plate, sighing happily.

"No offense to your mum, mate," Sirius said, yawning widely. "But I have missed the food here."

James agreed silently, his eyes going to the head table as Dumbledore stood once again.

"He looks tired," James murmured, and Sirius turned to observe the headmaster.

"Who, Dumbledore?" Sirius asked. "I dunno, you reckon it has something to do with – "

"Before you retire to your common rooms for the evening, I have a few start of term announcements to make," Dumbledore began. "First, Mr. Filch would like me to inform you that all products from Zonko's Joke Shop have been added to the list of banned items, which interested parties may find in his office."

James smirked, thinking of his trunk, which had a firm selection of Zonko's joke items buried beneath his books and robes.

"Secondly, due to the increasingly unsettled climate in the world beyond these castle walls, I regret to inform you that until further notice, all Hogsmeade weekends will be restricted to sixth years and older." Disappointed groans echoed through the Great Hall following this announcement, and Dumbledore waited until the noise had died down before he continued. " Furthermore, for those interested, Professor Blinkerton has kindly volunteered to start a dueling club, to continue your education should the need arise to defend yourself."

Dumbledore paused for a moment, coming around the head table to stand in front of it. During this time, James shot a glance at the Slytherin table, where he was not surprised to see a large number of students, including Snape, not paying the least amount of attention to the headmaster. Dumbledore walked a short distance down the center aisle between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, then turned and observed the students.

"Finally, I ask all of you to look around."

There was a moment of quiet shuffling as the students obeyed. James turned to watch the other students, who were craning their necks as they looked around.

"Many of your classmates have not returned this year. Many of them have fled the country with their families, but others have fallen victim to Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

A muffled sound drew James's attention, and he turned his head slightly to see Lily sitting stiffly, one hand over her mouth and her eyes on the Slytherin table. They were all paying attention now.

Dumbledore continued. "Many of you, I fear, will be asked to make a choice in the upcoming year, a difficult choice. You might be offered power, wealth, safety… but you must remember that those are false promises. You must choose between what is right, and what is easy. And it is a choice you must make for yourself. I hope you choose wisely."

With that, Dumbledore turned his back and made his way to the staff table once more. The professors at the head table looked somber and tense, a condition which did not improve when McGonagall rose to her feet and announced, "Prefects, please escort the younger children to your common rooms."

Suddenly, the Great Hall was filled with the noise of many benches scraping backward, excited chattering, and the voices of prefects calling, "First years, this way. Follow me, please."

James stood as well, Sirius by his side. Remus had already headed for the end of the table, gathering the new Gryffindors as he went. Lily remained where she was, frozen in the same position she'd been in before.

"Alright, Evans?" he called, and she dropped her hand at once, standing abruptly.

"Fine," she said in a clipped tone. "I'm fine." Then she hurried to catch up with the other prefects, her eyes darting to the Slytherin table once more.

"What's with her?" Sirius asked, stuffing a few pieces of bread into his pockets.

"No idea," James answered, mystified. He wrangled a stray first year who had lagged behind, and together he and Sirius ushered the boy forward, passing him off to Lily just as Snape and his group of friends brushed passed them.

"…doddering old fool," Avery was saying. "Doesn't know what he's talking about."

"He's a mudblood lover," Snape spat back, and James saw Lily's frame stiffen. "He doesn't understand why blood purity is so important. He doesn't understand – "

"What you need to understand," James interrupted loudly, "is that if you don't shut up, I'm going to stick my fist down your throat."

Snape turned, a condescending sneer on his face. "Is that so? Who, you and that disowned piece of garbage standing next to you?"

James felt Sirius lunge at Snape, but someone held him back.

"That will be enough, boys," a new voice broke in. Professor Blinkerton stepped between them, his face deadly serious. "You're scaring the sprouts."

Snape and Avery grimaced and went on their way, shooting looks over their shoulders as they went, and the professor stepped aside and motioned the rest of them past.

"A word, Potter," he said as James walked by.

"Sir?"

"Pick your battles." Then, without another word, Blinkerton breezed out of the Great Hall.

Confused, James followed behind him but bumped into someone, who turned out to be Lily, helping the stray first year locate his pet rat, which had escaped and was hiding inside of one of the suits of armor in the Entrance Hall. Without a word, James yanked the suit's left arm off, shook the surprised rat out, and handed in to the small boy.

"Thank you, Potter," Lily said stiffly, not looking at him.

"Evans," James said, and she looked up. There were tears quivering in the corners of her eyes. He struggled for the right words, unsure what he wanted to say. At last, he blurted, "I think your blood is fine."

The corners of her mouth turned up and she ducked her head. "Thanks. You too."

"I think your blood is fine?" Sirius asked again, roaring with laughter.

"Shut it, Padfoot," James growled, feeling his face flush. He was in his dorm with his friends, unpacking his trunk and enduring the teasing he was getting for his earlier comment.

"Of all the all time smooth pickup lines, I think you've won, mate," Sirius continued, rolling on his bed.

"Can we just drop it?" James asked once again, knowing it was likely futile. But to his surprise, Remus changed the subject.

"Did any of you hear anything over the summer? Did your parents talk about Voldemort at all?" he asked. "Because I overheard my parents talking about it more than once. Said he was offering special protection to the werewolves, which didn't make any sense to me since he's supposed to be all about blood purity."

"Yeah," Sirius said, his laughter dying abruptly. "My mother and her chums would talk about him. It was all they would talk about, actually. Mother expected me to become one of those Death Eater people, said it was the only way I could redeem myself in her eyes, become a proper Black and all that."

There were several moments of silence following that. "I think you're the first proper Black in generations," James told his friend, patting him on the back.

"Thanks, mate," Sirius said, a genuinely grateful smile on his face. "So you think my blood is fine too, then?"

"Oh, shut up."