Chapter Twenty One
James found himself on the Fourth floor wandering down the corridor towards the Library. After his interview he had gone back to his office to finish marking some of his sixth year's essays when he stumbled across something in an essay that he didn't know himself whether it was fact or not. Therefore he was going to try locating the mysterious fact in one of the Library's many books on the subject.
After seven years here of being a student here and another couple of months of being a professor he had rarely entered the library. Even before the OWL's and NEWT's when Remus had forced them to study Remus had brought the necessary books up to the dormitory. As a student he had actually only entered the Library to find Lily, something that Lily herself did not particularly like. Now that he was a professor he had kept his own books that had proven efficient up until now. In fact, he wasn't even sure where the Transfiguration section was.
He walked up to the main desk in the middle where Madam Pince, the vulture-like librarian, was keeping a suspicious eye (or two) on the students who had their hands on her precious books.
"Excuse me, Madam Pince, could you point out where the Transfiguration section is please?" he asked politely.
She stared at him apprehensively before answering. "Is James Potter actually going to use the Library as a place of studying or are you here to pester the non loud people or are you here to, perhaps, enchant my books to fly around hitting people again?"
James winced slightly. He had forgotten about that little incident. In his sixth year Sirius and he had enchanted several books to fly around and hit Snape around the head.
"I am terribly sorry about that Madam Pince," he said honestly. "I was a very immature boy but now I actually am here to use the books in the appropriate way."
"Very well then," she said, relenting warily. "The transfiguration section is the fifth section to the left."
He muttered a hurried thank you before going to where she had said.
"First section…second section…third section…fourth section…fifth section! Aha!"
He traced his index finger along the spines of the books as he walked along in front of the shelves. He muttered the names of the different books underneath his breath and promptly slipped the correct book out when he had found the right one. He leaned against the bookcase he flicked through the musty smelling book when he heard an irate female voice coming from the sixth section. He removed enough books off of the bookcase shared between the two sections so he could see through.
Lily and Courtney were sat at one of the desks with several book open strewn across it. Lily looked at her wits end, her hands rubbing her temples with her eyes closed and James could tell she was trying her hardest to not let her redheaded temper off.
"I don't even see the point of learning Charms," stated Courtney, arms crossed looking defiant with her blonde flowing around her shoulders and her baby blue eyes glaring in rebelliously. She definitely was the Gwen of the future. "When exactly am I going to need to use an Unbreakable Charm?"
"Well maybe in the future you might want to make something unbreakable," seethed Lily.
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Courtney in that irritating high pitched voice that she just had to use just to emphasise the point of oh my God even more. "Could I use it on my nails so they'd never break and I could have the perfect nails forever ever and ever?"
Lily stared dumbfounded at the girl and seemed to have the lost the ability to speak. James thought he should go help her out as he was really starting to feel sorry for Lily. Courtney was…annoying to put it lightly. He walked around the bookcase to find Lily look relieved at the sight of him and Courtney smiling flirtatiously.
"If you're nails were unbreakable, Courtney, they'd never break," explained James grinning. "So they'd grow and grow and grow and you'd never be able to cut them or file them or what ever you girls do to your nails."
Courtney grimaced and Lily subtly mouthed 'thank you' and smiled.
"Well I think that's our hour up Courtney," Lily proclaimed happily. "I think I'll arrange it so that Aleesha Fleesham from Ravenclaw will tutor you from now on as she's top student in Charms and I think you'll benefit from her help. I shall see you on Monday in class."
Courtney nodded and packed her things up. As she left James sat himself down in her vacated seat.
"Poor Aleesha," noted James, smirking. "Dumping annoying students on her aren't you evil."
"Courtney's stressing me out on purpose," said Lily grumpily. "Besides it was that Madam Connells that put me in a bad mood to start off with."
"You too, huh."
"Why what did she ask you?"
"She mentioned some stuff about our 'past' and asked whether it was actually my past."
"Same here," said Lily sighing. "I felt bad because Dumbledore said to answer things truthfully and here I was lying through my teeth."
"Hey don't feel bad," said James softly. "You've done nothing wrong. It would be worse for the school if they fired you because you're such a great teacher."
Lily smiled gently up at him. "Thanks. You really are the sweetest person I know."
James reddened slightly. "I'm not so sure about that but thanks I suppose."
Lily laughed. "What brings you to the Library anyways? I wasn't sure you knew it existed."
"Hahaha," said James sarcastically but smiling all the same. "You think you're a funny girl don't you? I came across something in a student's essay that I didn't recognise. Turns out the student was just making up a load of things to make him look clever."
"Ooh guess who I have to review!" said Lily, her emerald eyes sparkling again. James looked puzzled for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "You!"
James chuckled. "You better give me a good review then. I've got Slughorn. I've got no idea what to write though."
"Dumbledore's handing out a sheet at breakfast on Monday," explained Lily. "I suppose it's a bit like a questionnaire."
"You always have an answer for everything don't you," smirked James.
The weekend went by to fast for James's liking and once again he was sat at the head table in the Great Hall for breakfast holding on to the few precious moments he had before had to teach a noisy bunch of kids. The next time he saw McGonagall he was going to buy her the biggest bunch of flowers he could find to make up for all the times he must have drove her crazy as a student.
"Here you go," said Professor Sprout cheerfully, passing him a plain white envelope. "It's your question sheet for the teacher reviews."
"Thanks," said James as he tore open the envelope. Inside was two pieces of parchment. One, of which he briefly glanced at, contained the actual questionnaire and the other seemed to be instructions.
The Board of Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would like to thank you for the time it has taken to review a fellow member of staff. We hope you will follow the instructions and answer truthfully to ensure the best review you can give to one of your peers.
Fill in the correct name of the professor you are reviewing. Please make sure it is their full name and that you've reviewing the correct professor.
Please use black ink only.
Answer all questions as truthfully and don't let feelings towards people get in the way of honesty.
Do not sure the person you're reviewing what you've written about them.
Give all forms back to Professor Dumbledore by the Wednesday of this week.
Signed
Madam Lysandra Connells
Head Governor on the Board of Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
He put the pieces of parchment back into the envelope and stuffed it into his back pocket. After all he wouldn't be needed it until later today.
"I'm going to have so much fun last period," sang Lily lightly. James turned around to face her with a bemused expression on his face.
"Why?"
"Because that's when I'm reviewing you," said Lily in the same sing-song voice as before.
"Yes but if you've read the instructions correctly then it means you have to answer all questions truthfully," smirked James. "Which means that you have to write how amazing and sexy I am."
"I can't write that though if they want me to tell the truth," said Lily smiling innocently.
James was struck puzzled for a moment as he worked out what she'd said before scowling at her as she giggled at his dumbfounded face.
"I've got to go anyway," said Lily, still laughing at him. "Professor Sprout is reviewing me first lesson and I want to be organised."
"You're always organised."
This was his first trip down to the Dungeons since he was a seventh year. He had always detested potions for several reasons. One of them being the location, it was cold and draughty, but the main reason was that it was something Snape was better at than him. And he hated Snape more than anything else in this world, well apart from Voldemort but James was pretty sure Snape was already one of the Death Eaters.
When James arrived the students were currently getting their equipment ready. Slughorn was at the front of the class looking nervous especially when James walked up towards him.
"You've got nothing to be worried about, Professor Slughorn," said James charmingly. "Just do what you usually do. These reviews are stupid. Everybody knows the professors of Hogwarts know what they're doing."
"Thanks," said Slughorn in his usual booming voice. "There's a seat at the back for you. I'll start the lesson now."
The class, James had determined were sixth years as they were starting to make Everlasting Elixirs of which James had clearly remembered making as it was one of the few occasions he was partnered up with Lily. He remembered how brilliant she was at potions. She was a natural. To be honest, she was at most things. The only thing she struggled at were the compulsory flying lessons in First year and Transfiguration. Well She was dreadful at flying but she did manage to scrape an Exceeds Expectations on her Transfiguration NEWT as opposed to all her other Outstandings.
The class was soon over and James had completed all of the form.
Professor James H D Potter of Transfiguration is reviewing: Professor Horace E F Slughorn of Potions.
Does the Professor seem confident in their teaching? Yeah because he's been doing it for years, he knows what he's doing.
Do they use appropriate rewards and punishments? Yeah he rewarded points to the people who answered the questions right and gave out a detention to someone who deliberately didn't do their homework.
Do the students concentrate in their class? Most do but of course there's always the odd person who never concentrates.
Do many students participate? A lot put their hands up to answer questions, they seem confident.
Does the Professor include as many people as possible? He asks those who have their hands up, if they haven't he doesn't ask them.
Does the Professor have favourites? Clearly. He has an eye for picking out students who are destined to do well in the future. He likes students who are intelligent or well connected. Despite of this he doesn't treat the people who aren't poorly though.
Are there any dangers in the class that the Professor has overlooked? The only possible dangers are that the students add a wrong ingredient and it reacts in a dangerous way but that would only happen if the students even weren't listening or they did it to cause trouble.
Have you got anything else to add? I think Professor Slughorn is an excellent teacher who is an expert in potion making and adds a bit of fun to the lessons.
After saying a brief goodbye to Slughorn, he raced up the stairs so he wouldn't be late to his own lesson that coincidentally was also being reviewed by none other than Lily.