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.


12th September

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Highlands of Scotland

By mid afternoon, James was more than thankful to have a break for the rest of the day now. It was just after three as his fifth year class filed out of the room, leaving him with a thankful sigh as he leaned back on his desk and tossed down the book he'd assigned homework from.

"A hard lesson then?"

"Just a long week," James admitted, looking up to see Andromeda Tonks standing in the doorway along with Minerva. "What brings you two up here then? Bit far from the potions dungeon?" He asked, hitching himself up so he could sit on his desk comfortably as the two older witches came into the classroom.

"Are you... aware of what's been going on with my daughter perhaps?" Andromeda asked curiously.

"Nymphadora?" James frowned over. "Nope, she alright?"

"Physically yes, though... She didn't get her spot in the Auror Academy." Andromeda explained, the relief in her voice almost palpable as she spoke.

"Huh," James frowned, wondering what he'd changed that could have caused that to happen. "I saw Amelia on Monday, she mentioned heading to the academy, but I haven't really spoken with her about Nymphadora at all." He explained with a shrug.

"She only found out yesterday, she came back home crying that she was going to have to give up her flat if she couldn't find a suitable job." Andromeda explained.

"Ahh crap," James groused, ruffling his hair. He hated it when women cried, it always left him feeling useless and unable to help or fix what had happened. It had never been anything he'd been particularly good at, but then, he wasn't really good with any emotions full stop.

"Indeed," Minerva frowned slightly at James' language. "However, Andromeda did think of a solution that might actually be beneficial to all of us."

"Ohhhkay?" James drawled out, narrowing his eyes as the feeling of being conned into something came back full force.

"Perhaps you'll remember, not a week ago, you left the school quite abruptly to deal with Fenrir Greyback, cancelling several afternoon classes in the process?" Minerva pointed out.

"Yeah, not my finest hour." James grimaced, scratching his stubble awkwardly.

"Perhaps not, but certainly an act neither of us could ever ask you to do differently." Minerva said, favouring him with a small smile. "I believe I agreed with your stipulations about You-Kn... Voldemort," She forced herself to say before continuing. "When I offered you this position."

"Alright," James nodded. "But what's that got to do with Nymphadora?"

"How would you feel about taking her on as an apprentice?" Andromeda asked curiously.

"Miss Tonks NEWT scores were rather impressive, both in Defence and Charms, with exceptional transfiguration skills." Minerva pointed out. "As an apprentice, she would be available to cover lessons for you when... other matters shall we say? Take precedence? And work as an assistant in the classroom when you are here."

"An assistant?" James raised his eyebrow at that, flicking between Minerva and Andromeda.

"I believe it would be good for her," Andromeda said with a thoughtful nod. "It would give her a steady job, a regular income to keep her flat, and some experience in the real world though in a somewhat safe environment."

James simply stared at them both for a moment as he contemplated what he actually knew about Tonks, pushing away the thoughts of how she'd kept him locked up at Privet Drive and Sirius locked up at Grimmauld Place. With Dumbledore out of the way, none of that was ever going to happen this time around anyway.

If he could forgive Hagrid for what had happened, then he certainly should have it in him to forgive Tonks, Remus and the others that had simply followed Dumbledore's lead for so many years. Especially now in this time when they hadn't actually done anything wrong yet.

"Alright," James said slowly with a small nod. "I'll have a meeting with her, sit down and chat and see what happens." He said thoughtfully. "Not saying yes or no until I meet with her, but we'll see." He said with a nod.

"Certainly," Minerva nodded at that, in full agreement with James wanting to meet the girl before committing to anything.

"I'll owl her now and arrange a time for her to come to the school." Andromeda said with a smile. "Oh, and I believe it was you I have to thank for sending the Weasley twins my way?"

"Oh Merlin," James muttered, dragging his hand down his face. "What did that pair of idiots do now?" He grimaced, looking up as Andromeda chuckled at his face.

"Surprisingly nothing," Andromeda explained. "Actually, they're both rather the prestigious brewers, fantastically inventive. I've had to curb their experiments a few times, but the two of them are more innovative potioneers than any I have seen in quite some time. I'm surprised Severus didn't take more notice of them given their skill with a cauldron."

"Figured as much," James muttered, seeing the shocked expression on Minerva's face. "They've been faking their exam scores and fudging their coursework. Making it look like they weren't doing as good as they really were." He explained with a shrug. "Potions, charms, transfiguration for sure, probably muggle studies too if they didn't wriggle out of taking it. I haven't looked at their work for last years defence stuff, but it wouldn't surprise me if they kept it up in their other classes as well, just to keep the scam going so people wouldn't question it."

"But... why on earth would they do such a thing?" Minerva demanded.

"Two words, Molly and Weasley." James explained with a frown. "If the twins got good marks, she'd try and force them to follow Percy's footsteps and start looking into Ministry jobs like he's aiming for, but the twins are more like Bill and Charlie, I actually reckon the two of them would have Ministry work as a boggart between them." He explained with a dry laugh. "Between them they came up with the idea that if they didn't get the scores needed for a Ministry job, then Molly would stop bothering them about it. She probably forced them to take it anyway, it's useless for them, I'll bet galleons to knuts that Molly decided their electives for them without even asking them what they wanted to do."

"That... they're ruining their future simply to avoid their mother's plans for them?" Minerva hissed out.

"They don't see it like that," James explained with a shrug. "Their plans are to get an investor, and open up a joke shop like Zonko's. Honestly, between them, I'd say they've got a great chance of actually pulling it off. Hell, I'd probably invest in it myself thinking about it, it'd be a gold mine with the sort of stuff those two dream up." He muttered, reminding himself that he needed to help the twins with their store this time around again, or see if Sirius wanted to. That was certainly an idea worth mentioning to him, and would help him get back into the world properly.

"I could certainly see something like that being a successful venture for them both." Andromeda nodded thoughtfully. "They've certainly got the brains, and the imagination to make something like that succeed."

"That's what I thought." James nodded in agreement.

"Are... are things with Mrs Weasley really that bad for the twins?" Minerva asked hesitantly.

"She's like that with all of them," James explained with a shrug. "Bill and Charlie got out as soon as they could, hell, they both left the country so they didn't have to put up with her trying to control their lives." He explained. "Percy's happily following his own path right to The Ministry's door, that's got her happy for now, then she's got the twins, and Ron, then Ginny."

"I wasn't aware you knew the Weasley's so well." Minerva frowned thoughtfully at James, considering what he was saying. "Ronald is..."

"Lazy?" James offered with a small smirk. "Ignorant?"

"Brash and belligerent?" Andromeda added in. "I've had him for three lessons now, he's knocked over his cauldron twice, spilt potion on himself a dozen or more times, and blamed everyone around him every single time instead of admitting to his own clumsy mistakes. So far he's failed to do the reading for every lesson, despite repeated reminders."

"I'd doubt if he's even cracked a book in one of my lessons," James admitted with a shrug. "I'm giving them as much practical in lessons as I can, then letting them read ahead in their own time. That way I can at least supervise them practising and help their casting. Reading ahead in lessons when they could be casting is a pointless waste of time."

"He is just in his first year, perhaps he will grow up and mature somewhat over time?" Minerva asked thoughtfully before sighing when both James and Andromeda gave her doubtful looks. "I'll have to admit, I do agree with you both on your thoughts of the young Mr Weasley." She admitted with a frown. "He's been late to my lessons several times already, and shows no sign of changing his ways. I will have Aurora keep an eye on him and speak to him if things don't change."

"Doubt they will." James explained with a sigh. "He's happy to coast through school, I'd bet if anyone tried to help him he'd actually manage to argue his way out of it instead of accepting the help. He'll do the bare minimum where he can, then try and get anyone around him to help him with his homework so he can just copy off of them."

"I'd agree with that," Andromeda nodded over to James, in full agreement with his assessment of Ronald Weasley. "Unless his attitude improves, I can certainly see him failing his first year and having to resit next year again."

"Another year of him?" James groaned, rubbing his stubble in annoyance. "Maybe he'll get his arse into gear by exams, six months, seven months? That should be enough time for him to figure out he needs to actually do something right?"

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you," Andromeda said with a dry laugh.

"Yeah, I realised that just as I was saying it." James chuckled back. "Alright, whatever. Set things up with To... Nymphadora, just let me know when and where and I'll be there." He said, hopping forwards to slide off of his desk and walk around to grab his trench-coat.

"You are heading away from the castle for the rest of the day?" Minerva asked curiously as she watched James sliding into his signature coat.

"Yup," James grinned over, making sure that he had his wand and bag of galleons. "Need to find Sirius first and figure something out, then I'm off to sort out some birthday presents." He explained with a grin. "And stop in at The Ministry while I'm out, find out how their Auror recruitment is going now that they've weeded out all the Death Eaters and bigots from there."

"I read the article in The Prophet," Andromeda nodded thoughtfully. "Ted was talking about applying for one of the positions available."

"Tell him to go for it," James grinned over. "I know The Ministry haven't been... OK, they've been bigoted arseholes really for... well, pretty much forever." He explained with a shrug, ignoring Minerva's glare about his language. "But that's changed, apparently." He said with another shrug. "Amelia told me they ever promoted a muggle-born up to Senior Undersecretary. If that's not a sign of things changing, then I don't know what is." He explained with a grin.

"Certainly," Andromeda nodded, blinking in shock that she'd actually missed the fact that a muggle-born had been promoted so high in the ranks of their government. "I will certainly pass that along."

"What does he do? Ted I mean?" James asked, idly curious as Ted Tonks had died after they'd only met once in his time, they'd never really had a chance to talk or anything. It had always felt callous afterwards to talk about Ted with Andromeda, as he didn't want to reopen the wounds the war had left on everyone, he was a subject that he did his best to leave alone.

"He's a law wizard, a lawyer if you want to use a more muggle friendly term." Andromeda explained. "Of course, most legal practises hire only pure bloods, so he's been languishing in low paid positions and taking work where he can. Spreading himself out and working part time in the muggle world as well keep a wage coming in."

"Bigoted arseholes," James muttered to himself, ruffling his hair in annoyance. "Alright, tell him to go and speak to Amelia. I know she's mentioned needing some help in the legal department a few times now. Especially since they booted out all the Death Eaters and Dumbledore's spies, I'll let her know to expect him."

"Dumbledore's spies?" Minerva asked in shock.

"Oh yeah, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Hestia Jones got fired from the Aurors for leaking stuff back to Dumbledore. Shacklebolt had been stopping the Aurors from answering any calls from Hogwarts students for years now, probably why the Aurors never turned up when the mini-death eaters in Slytherin started taking pot shots at people." He explained, ignoring Minerva's shocked face. "There was another one too, from legal... Sturgeon? Surgeon? Sturgis, that was it, Sturgis Podmore. Dunno what Dumbledore was having him do, but he was fired as well. There were probably more, but those are the three Amelia told me about."

"Merlin," Minerva breathed out, not having realised how bad things really were.

"It's no surprise The Ministry is as useless as it is, half of them were spies for Voldemort, the other half were spying for Dumbledore." James explained with a laugh. "Anyway, I should get over there." He said with a grin.

"Say hello to my dear cousin when you see him for me." Andromeda said with a smile as James headed towards the classroom door.

"Sure thing, lock up when you leave." James smiled as he gave the two witches a quick wave before jogging out of the classroom and into the corridor.

"He really is an extraordinary teacher, though I have to admit, I do rather wish he would curb his language sometimes." Minerva admitted, shaking her head at James' actions. "He is far cruder now than I ever remember him being as a student." She mused aloud with a small frown as she remembered the innocent and carefree boy James used to be in the seventies.

"Would it kill him to wear robes as well?" Andromeda asked with a small laugh. "I know I've only been here as long as he has, but from everything I've heard, he's the most popular teacher in the school right now."

"I would have to agree with that assessment," Minerva said with a small nod. "I have heard students discussing his lectures quite often around the school. I can't say I've seen the students this excited about their lessons in a long time." She explained thoughtfully. "Honestly, I have to admit, he is doing far better than I ever could have imagined. While James grew up somewhat in his seventh year, I would never have imagined him ever accepting teaching as a profession, certainly not taking to it as well as he has."

"So you'll put up with the muggle clothes and swearing, as long as he's popular and teaching the kids?" Andromeda laughed. "I'm sure if Nymphadora had still been here, she would have been first in line to every one of his lessons as well."

"Knowing what I do about Nymphadora, I'm almost worried the young girl would have ended up with quite the crush on James after just a single lesson." Minerva confessed with a wry smile.

"Oh don't say that, not when we've just got him to agree to meet with her," Andromeda groused with a small laugh.

"I'm certain nothing would happen. From everything I've heard, he seems to be quite enamoured with Amelia Bones." Minerva admitted.

"James and Amelia?" Andromeda tilted her head to the side as she thought about it. "I'd heard rumours, but nothing... well, nothing certain about the pair of them."

"I've heard the same, I haven't actually spoken with James about it, but I'm almost certain that those rumours are fact." Minerva nodded thoughtfully. "From the way the young Mr Potter and Miss Bones are acting together, I'd believe those two will be brother and sister before too long."

"Well, there's something." Andromeda admitted with a chuckle. "I never thought I'd see the day that Amelia Bones would settle down with a wizard. I'd always heard she was a witches witch."

"Just goes to show, rumours can rarely be trusted." Minerva commented, gesturing for them to leave the Defence classroom so she could lock it up for the day until James returned for classes tomorrow.


Potter Manor

Honley

West Yorkshire

"Sirius?" James yelled out as he came out of the floo, looking around the living room before he headed through into the kitchen. "Sirius? You here?" He shouted, louder this time as he came out of the kitchen and moved to the stairway. "Sirius?"

"Down here."

"Where?" James paused, looking around and listening for the yell.

"Here!" Another yell came, drawing James over to behind the spiral staircase that led upstairs where another small flight of stairs led down to a lower level of the manor.

"Down?" He yelled down the stairs.

"Down here." Sirius voice came back.

"Basement?" James mused aloud as he started walking down the stone steps, casually looking around in curiosity as he headed down. "Didn't even know there was a basement." He admitted to himself in a mutter as he walked down to find Sirius fiddling with some books. "What you got there?" He asked curiously.

"All the darker books from the Black Library." Sirius admitted, gesturing around to the two dozen or so wooden crates around the corner of the basement. "Figured it was better keeping them down here and locking up the door than having them hanging around somewhere upstairs."

"Good idea," James admitted, looking around the basement in wonder. "What's down here? I never even knew there was a basement here." He admitted.

"Euphemia used to grow cuttings down here, plants, herbs, potions ingredients, whatever else she wanted." Sirius explained, gesturing to the glowing orbs that were scattered around the ceiling. "Sunballs, lets the plants grow like they were outside." He explained. "Like a constant Lumos Solem in a crystal ball, lasts for decades with a decent rune matrix powering it."

"Ah," James nodded, shrugging that explanation off for now. Runes had never been something that particularly interested him, but as long as they worked and did what they were supposed to, he was happy to ignore them.

"Downstairs there's Fleamont's potions stuff, all the ingredients and books he didn't want around his room upstairs." Sirius continued on, ignoring James' surprised look.

"There's another downstairs?" James asked in surprise.

"Spiral staircase over there," Sirius explained, nodding over to the side of the stairway James came down from. "James always wanted to turn the downstairs into a lagoon," Sirius said with a grin, leaning back and reminiscing fondly. "Like a swimming pool, tropical lake style. Rocks, sand, hot spring, the works." He explained with a sigh. "I think half of it was an excuse to see your mum in a muggle bikini really." Sirius explained with a laugh, smiling wistfully at the memories this conversation brought up. "Would have been great though." He mused with a smile.

"Yeah," James mused idly, looking at the staircase that led down in amusement now. A hot lagoon swimming pool in his own house? That certainly sounded like something he could get behind. Especially if it would tempt Amelia into a swimming costume, or even better, maybe somewhere they could enjoy skinny dipping together.

"Anyway, what did you want?" Sirius asked, curious what had brought Junior to the manor today.

"Actually, two things." James said with a quick shake of his head to clear his thoughts of Amelia naked and sunbathing in a tropical paradise setting. "Why were mum and dad hiding out in Godric's Hollow when this place was empty and ready for them to move in?" He asked, gesturing around to mean the manor. "It's not like there's not enough space here right? And it's a hell of a lot more secure than Godric's Hollow must have been, I mean the wards here are at least a few decades old, the whole place is saturated in them."

"True," Sirius nodded back. "The place at Godric's Hollow was a wedding present from your grandparents." He explained. "Didn't I tell you any of this last time around?"

"You'd died by the time I found out about this place," James said with a small shrug. "It wasn't as if we had much time to talk together anyway, not without Dumbledore looming around and deciding what I was allowed to know."

"Right, that." Sirius nodded sombrely. "Your mum wanted somewhere where she could have magic as well as a muggle life. You know, she wanted electricity and stuff like that. She even had a TV and record player and everything. Your mum introducing Prongs to disco music was the highlight of my life I tell you." He explained with a laugh as he got lost in the memory. "It was just somewhere where she could have the best of both worlds, not give up the muggle world altogether."

"Huh," James frowned thoughtfully at that.

"Yeah," Sirius shrugged. "Godric's Hollow is the biggest mixed village around, so Flea and Euphemia bought them the place there." He explained. "It's where you were born, so I figure your parents didn't want to abandon it. Good memories, their first house together, where they started a family? It's all pretty important stuff when it comes down to it."

"Yeah I guess, I was just curious and wanted to know. It always felt weird not knowing why my parents hadn't lived here, I was half convinced that Dumbledore had used some compulsion spell on them to live out in the open like that instead of staying here." James mused aloud.

"Nothing like that," Sirius chuckled, shaking his head. "Not that I wouldn't put it past the old bastard to try something like that, but it was just your mum and dad wanting to stay in a house they loved. Nothing wrong with that." He explained with a fond smile. "What else did you want to ask then? I figure you know most of everything anyway right?"

"Probably not actually," James chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "In school, you and my dad had those communication mirrors?"

"Merlin's crusty sock!" Sirius laughed aloud as he put down the book he was reading and looked up at James at that with a wide smile on his face. "I haven't thought about those old things in years." He explained with a chuckle. "Yeah, we all had one. Me, your dad, Lily, even Remus and Peter." He finished off darkly.

"My mum had one?" James asked in surprise.

"Oh yeah, they were a set, all linked together so we could chat whenever we wanted." Sirius explained with a nod. "Merlin knows what happened to them. Lost mine ages before I ended up in Azkaban, they could be anywhere by now." He said thoughtfully. "Reckon your mum kept hers somewhere, she was always the organised one. Dunno about the rest though. Why'd you bring those old things up anyway?"

"How did you make them? Link them I mean?" James asked curiously.

"Nah, wasn't me." Sirius shook his head. "Not your dad either, Remus might have been able to do them I reckon. Between him and your mum they'd have worked it out in no time. They were the brainy ones when it came to charms like that, not me and your dad, we were always better at Transfig and Defence. Your dad was no slouch at runes either, your mum preferred Arithmancy though. She was a bit more like me with that sort of stuff I guess, I stuck with enchanting, more fun playing with that sort of stuff than fiddling with old runes."

"Huh," James frowned, moving over and sitting on one of the book boxes casually. "I always thought you made them." He admitted. "You gave me one, back in fifth year I mean, to stay in touch when you were in hiding. I always thought you made it, or you and my dad did them."

"Smart of me," Sirius grinned over. "Ballsy as well, must have snuck out of Grimmauld to get them. Happy to hear that other version of me wasn't as much of a neutered poodle that you made him out like."

"Get them?" James asked.

"Magical Mirrors in Diagon, Janus Galloglass makes them. Custom work though, so don't expect to just wander in and buy a pair." Sirius explained. "Charms master, seriously, he's forgotten more about charms than me and your dad ever knew. One of Flitwick's old apprentices, did his mastery at Hogwarts long before me and your dad were there."

"You bought them?" James asked, blinking in surprise at that.

"Oh yeah, Janus' place has everything to do with mirrors. Foe glasses, talking mirrors, communication mirrors." He explained, gesturing to James. "Anything to do with mirrors you want, he can do it. He's the best when it comes to charming stuff like that, won't go wrong with his stuff." He said with a grin. "Thinking of getting some?"

"Yeah," James nodded thoughtfully. "Me, you, Amelia and Julia, and one for all of the kids." He explained.

"Good idea," Sirius nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah," James sighed. "Last week, when I ran off after Greyback, I kinda left the mini-me in the lurch, not knowing what was happening." He explained with a grimace. "Didn't even think about it until I saw him the morning after."

"Owch," Sirius winced, looking at him with sympathy. "I wouldn't have thought about it either." He admitted with a frown.

"Yeah," James frowned thoughtfully. "Felt like shit, taking on the role of his dad, then vanishing like that without letting him know." He explained. "I figured these mirrors might help him, you know, keep in touch with me, you, Amelia, everyone really. Let him know that he's not alone anymore."

"Is that... how you felt, when you started Hogwarts?" Sirius asked hesitantly.

"Pretty much," James nodded. "I mean, it was amazing, being around magic, finally finding somewhere I belonged, but... every year I'd have to go back to The Dursley's thanks to Dumbledore. Leave everyone behind and just go back to being Harry the House-Elf again." He explained. "Hogwarts was like a home away from it all, a sanctuary. Hell, that's probably why Dumbledore did it, so I'd look at Hogwarts and him as a sanctuary away from the Dursley's every year. Like he was conditioning me to look up to him and be willing to do anything he said because he rescued me from them every year."

"It sounds like it to me." Sirius growled angrily at the thought.

"Me too," James grimaced thoughtfully before shaking the angry thought away. "Thanks though, for the mirrors, I'll head over there and see what I can find." He said with a grin, hopping off of the box and dusting down his coat from where he'd been sitting.

"No problem," Sirius smiled over. "I'm just looking through, trying to see if there's anything about Horcruxes anywhere in any of this mess." He explained with a gesture to the books in question. "You wouldn't believe some of the screwed up stuff my family had."

"I really would," James muttered, giving the books a dubious glance of his own. "Take a break from them, you don't want to be reading through that much dark stuff all in one go. It'll send you as nutty as the rest of your family were."

"You're probably right," Sirius admitted with a sigh, tossing the book in his hand off to one side disdainfully.

"Right, Diagon Alley." James grinned as he headed towards the stairs. "Oh, and downstairs, that lagoon idea of my dads?"

"Yeah?" Sirius asked, looking over at James curiously.

"See what you can do about it." James said with a grin. "I love the idea." He said with a laugh before turning around and jogging up the stairs back to the main floor of the manor.

"Sure thing Junior," Sirius chuckled to himself as he watched James vanish from view. "That... I can do that." He said with a grin as he started planning out how he could actually do it.


Diagon Alley

"Janus Galloglass Magical Mirrors," James read off the sign, idly wondering why he'd never come across this shop before. Of course, chances were that it didn't even exist after the war, if Janus was a muggle-born or even a half-blood, there was every chance that he hadn't even survived Voldemort's return and The Ministry's persecution either.

Shrugging the thought aside from now he headed inside, pushing the door open casually as he entered the store, looking around at all the various mirrors that littered the store, some stuck to walls, doors, even on the ceiling and others floating on levitating charms and moving around the shop of their own accord.

"Loving the coat darling, it's so you, yet so YOU!"

James span at the female voice that was blatantly flirting with him, only to find nobody there, just a full length mirror reflecting him with an appraising shimmer.

"Welcome to Magical Mirrors,"

James span around again at the voice, a male and older one this time. "Thanks." He grinned over, spotting an older wizard in silvery robes at the counter at the end of the shop.

"One of our biggest sellers, I can change the voice on it to anyone you want. An ex girlfriend, an old teacher, whatever takes your fancy. Just need a memory of their voice and I'll do the rest." The wizard explained with a raspy laugh.

"No thanks," James chuckled to himself as he headed away from the flirty mirror. "I was told you're the place to come for some communication mirrors. A set of them really."

"Two way mirrors," The wizard nodded as James approached the counter. "Aye, always a pleasure to work on something challenging like that."

"Fantastic," James grinned over. "I need a set of nine smaller ones, pocket sized really, and three larger ones, like the sort you'd hang over a fireplace or a desk."

"Big order," The wizard smiled approvingly. "I do like a challenge, all linked to each other I assume?"

"All of them," James nodded. "One of the big ones though, I need it to be answer only."

"Makes it a bit easier," The wizard nodded, pulling out some parchment and jotting some notes down. "The bigger ones are definitely easier to work on. I'll need the names to imprint on all of them."

"Alright," James nodded, taking the offered parchment and quill, writing down everyone's names, including Harry, Susan, Daphne, Hermione and Neville. "The three big ones. That's James Office, James Home, and Grangers." He explained, marking the three of the names with a little star by them.

"Aye, I can do that." The wizard nodded thoughtfully, taking the parchment back. "Big order though, gonna be a few days at least before I can sort this out for you."

"That's fine," James shrugged.

"Saturday afternoon, should have 'em done for you then." The wizard said after calculating a few things in his head. "Won' be cheap though." He said, looking over at James with a frown.

"How much?" James asked, matching the wizards calculating expression with a wary one of his own.

"Fifty galleons a piece for the larger ones, call it nine each for the smaller ones. Y'know what, call it two hundred even, reckon that'd cover the lot of 'em. Discount for a decent order an' a decent challenge." The wizard said after a moment's pause.

"Done and done," James nodded, fishing out his mokeskin bag and counting out a hundred of the golden coins. "Half now, half when I pick them up?" He asked, holding out the hundred galleons.

"Sound fair," The wizard nodded. "Nice doin' business with you." He said with a wide smile.

"Saturday then." James nodded over, replacing his money pouch in his pocket before he nodded to the wizard and headed back out of the store, stepping out into Diagon Alley for a moment before he concentrated on The Ministry Atrium and vanished with a twist and a crack.


The Ministry of Magic

Department of Magical Law Enforcement

London

"What?!" Amelia yelled out, her voice demanding an answer as yet another interruption knocked on her door.

"Just the paperwork for the last seven Aurors ma'am. They're getting settled in now." The assistant witch said softly with a look of terror on her face as she gingerly opened the office door.

"Put them over there, I'll sign off on them when I get chance." Amelia muttered, flicking her wand over to a table on the side of her office. "Is The Minister still poking around out there?"

"He's been down a few times," The assistant explained with a grimace. "I don't think he's out there now though, so if you want to make a break for it..." She trailed off as Amelia snorted in laughter at her comment.

"Sorry for that," Amelia said, shaking her head. "It's been nothing but interruptions all day, it's not like I don't have enough to do already."

"I'll try and keep as much of your schedule clear as I can." The assistant witch smiled over. "And more coffee?"

"You were sent by Merlin himself," Amelia chuckled as the assistant took her empty mug and headed out of the office, quietly closing the door behind her.

Out in the main Auror department, things were even more hectic than usual. With nineteen new Aurors being transferred from the Academy this week, there were trainees and new desks being set up all over the place, the new Aurors still fumbling around and looking around the place with awe and wide eyed joy at their new job.

She was making a new coffee as she watched the various new Aurors finding their way around, skittering around paperwork and the more experienced Aurors in the department as they tried to find their own places to sit and make a place of their own. It was amusing to watch, but the Auror department actually felt lighter and more care free than it had in years now, with the oppressive and darker Aurors having been fired, leaving room on the floor for more light hearted banter and a more casual working area that would have had the pure blood bigoted Aurors screaming in anger at their workmates.

She had just finished up making up a large mug of black coffee for her boss when she spotted someone heading over to the boss' office, he was clearly an Auror given the dragon-skin coat he was wearing, but wasn't one she'd ever seen around the department before, which meant he was obviously one of the newbies that was supposed to be assigned paperwork for the first hour or so until they'd figured out what patrol circuit to put them on.

"Excuse me, excuse me! You can't... you can't go in there!" The assistant said quickly, rushing over while being careful not to spill any of her boss's coffee as she jogged to intercept the newbie Auror.

"Why not?" The Auror asked, raising an eyebrow down at her with a smirk on his face.

"Director Bones isn't having any more meetings today, you should be back at your desk getting your paperwork filled in and ready for patrol." The assistant said firmly.

"I'm not... look, I'm not here..." The Auror muttered, ruffling his hair. "Really, I think you've got the wrong idea here, I'm not an..."

"James, get your arse in here!"

"That," He chuckled, stepping around the assistant easily enough and pushing through to Director Bones' office door.

"You can't!" The assistant squeaked, dashing forward to grab hold of the Auror's arm with one hand, trying to hold him back while keep Director Bones' coffee stable in her other hand.

"What are you..." He trailed off, looking down at the young assistant that was holding onto the sleeve of his coat as he opened the office door. "Amelia, is this one of yours?" He asked in amusement, looking down at the five foot one witch who was trying valiantly, though unsuccessfully, to drag him back out of Amelia's office.

"Yes," Amelia muttered, rolling her eyes at the sight of the assistant that made even her feel tall, hanging on to James Potter's arm in shock. "Sophie, this is James Potter. James, Sophie, the best assistant I've ever had I'll inform you."

"James..." The assistant squeaked out, looking up at the face and finally recognising him before flushing red with embarrassment.

"Stop breaking my staff," Amelia groused, standing up from her desk when she heard the squeak from her assistant.

"I didn't do anything!" James said quickly, holding his hands up in surrender.

"That's for me I take it," Amelia said, accepting the coffee from Sophie with a wordless glance. "James? One while we talk?"

"Sure," James shrugged curiously, looking around Amelia's office with interest.

"Cream and three sugars for that shameful hedonist of mine." Amelia muttered, shaking her head as Sophie nodded silently and dashed out of the office.

"And proud of it," James said with a grin as Amelia headed back to her desk, happily drinking from her mug of coffee as she walked. "Looks busy out there."

"Busier than it's been in a long time," Amelia muttered as she sat down at her desk and sighed. "Not just busy, but... they're moving with purpose, they know what they've got to do now. There's no ambiguity, no bribery, no favours or political manoeuvring. It's all black and white now, just the way I like it. No Umbridge butting in, no Fudge saying which way he needs trials to go, it's all by the book and run by regulation."

"Sounds good," James commented with a nod as he sat down in the spare chair opposite the desk.

"It is, it most certainly is." Amelia nodded thoughtfully. "So, what brings you down here then?"

"Two, no, three things actually. Maybe four." James ticked off on his hand thoughtfully. "A few." He said with a shrug, dropping his hand back into his lap and giving up counting as he thought of everything he needed to talk about with Amelia today.

"Very well, you have fifteen minutes." Amelia indicated, removing her charmed monocle for now and giving James her full attention.

"One, Nymphadora Tonks. She didn't get into the Academy?" James asked curiously.

"No," Amelia admitted. "I kept an eye on her scores like you asked, her records say that she was authorised her for the position there a month ago, handpicked by Alastor Moody as well, but her marks on strategy and stealth fall far short of the mark, that's even before I raised the standards after Voldemort's return. By the new standards, even her duelling scores wouldn't have measured up. I need the best out there, not just any wands I can get my hands on to fill the patrol schedule up." She explained. "I'd love to have a metamorph on the books, but with her skills just aren't up to the standard I need for a wartime footing."

"Right," James sighed thoughtfully, raising his eyebrow when Amelia looked at him with a curious glance. "Andromeda and Minerva want me to take her on as an assistant teacher. You know, cover things with the kids if there's a Death Eater attack or Voldemort comes out of hiding." He explained with a shrug.

"Ah," Amelia nodded thoughtfully. "Her defence scores were pretty high, good charms and transfiguration I think. I raised up the scores for admittance after seeing your little duel with Voldemort, having reasonable defence abilities just isn't going to be enough anymore. I'm not going to be the one burying good Aurors just because they didn't have the skills to go against the Death Eaters in combat."

"That's fair," James nodded back as the office door opened again, letting assistant Sophie into the office with a steaming mug of coffee for James to take. "Thanks." He smiled up, offering the small girl a beaming smile as he accepted the mug of coffee from her, causing her to blush and stammer in response to him.

"Stop breaking my staff!" Amelia interrupted, tossing a wad of parchment at James that bounced off of his head, giving Sophie enough of a break to scamper away from him and escape from the office. "So, what are you going to do about her?"

"Tonks?" James sighed, enjoying a mouthful of coffee. "A few days ago, I'd have just ignored her completely, forgotten about her and pushed on with what we've been doing."

"And now?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Now... now, maybe it's time I started forgiving people, especially when they haven't done anything yet." James admitted with a sigh. "Tonks was only, what, eighteen? When Dumbledore got his claws into her. She didn't know what she was doing. She's a kid, if I can't blame Hagrid for what he did, I definitely can't blame Tonks for what she did back then."

"Eighteen, nineteen early next year I think." Amelia confirmed thoughtfully. "Only a year or two younger than Remus Lupin would have been when he followed Albus Dumbledore's orders too, just like Sirius."

James startled at that, freezing mid action as he froze mid sip from his coffee. That was a realisation he hadn't had. God, his parents, Remus, Sirius, they were all just kids when Voldemort had attacked. They'd been twenty, twenty one, something like that. They would have been half his age when they were making stupid decisions like that, and he was holding them against them all all these years later. "Oh god," He muttered, putting his mug of coffee on the desk as he rubbed his face, thinking about that realisation. "They were kids." He muttered. "Just like I was, just like we all were." He whispered to himself.

"Certainly," Amelia nodded over. "As you said, Albus Dumbledore likes to use people for his own ends. The young and the innocent don't see the bigger picture, it would be easy to be taken in by him, especially just coming out of Hogwarts where he was the lord and master of the castle." She explained with a wry smile at her description of how Dumbledore used to run Hogwarts.

"I remember that all too well," James admitted, remembering how Dumbledore's larger than life presence in Hogwarts had always made him seem awe inspiring and greater than they could all ever hope to be.

"They made a mistake. Nymphadora, Remus, Sirius, they all did." Amelia commented, nodding to him. "People make mistakes, nobody's perfect. Not everyone saw through Dumbledore the way a few of us did. Most of the time it takes losing someone close to you in one of his schemes before people took a close look at his actions." She paused, waiting for James to nod in agreement with her before continuing. "Maybe give Nymphadora a chance this time around, she might surprise you."

"Maybe," James sighed, picking up his mug again and taking a large mouthful of coffee. "You know, it was easier to be mad at them all, not thinking of them like kids who made a mistake."

"Weren't you the one telling Sirius to move on and not hold onto the past for too long?" Amelia countered, enjoying a mouthful of her own coffee.

"I hate that you pay attention to me," James groused with a smirk, shaking his head in amusement at her snort of laughter. "Alright, and while we're talking about Tonks, Tonkses, Tonksi... you can have your own."

"My own?" Amelia asked, cocking an eyebrow in confusion.

"Ted Tonks, Andromeda's husband. He's looking for a job apparently, I told Andromeda to send him to you." James explained as he leaned back in the chair.

"To me?" Amelia frowned thoughtfully. "What does he do?"

"Law Wizard apparently," James shrugged. "Muggle-born, so he's getting screwed over out there by all the pure blood law practises that don't want anything to do with him."

"Well, I could certainly use some more wands in legal." Amelia admitted with a nod. "Especially someone we could trust." She mused aloud. "You know him?"

"In passing," James frowned as he tried to remember what he knew about Ted Tonks. "I met him once, when he was on the run from the Muggle-born relocation camps. Him and Andromeda fixed me up, bandaged some ribs and a broken arm. I remember him being a pretty decent guy, but I didn't get to see him again before he was killed."

"If he comes in, I'll have him brought down to me immediately then." Amelia nodded thoughtfully. "Having someone I can trust in each department, keeping an eye on things for me, would be a godsend right now."

"I can imagine," James muttered, happily enjoying his coffee.

"Very well, what else then? Tonkses aside?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Um, I'm sorting out some communication mirrors for everyone. Two way mirror sort of things. I've got one for all of the girls, me, you, Sirius and Julia. I'm picking them up on Saturday." James ticked off one point on his hand. "I got one for Hermione, and an answer only one for her parents. It's her birthday next week, so I wanted to get her something she could use to stay in touch with them."

"That's a rather extravagant birthday present for a twelve year old," Amelia commented with a frown. "I'm assuming she doesn't know how much these mirrors cost?"

"Probably not," James shrugged. "I'll put unbreakable charms on them, the usual stuff. I just didn't want to leave the mini-me in the lurch again like I did last week. This way, if anything happens, we can both get in contact with him and Susan, let them know we're alright."

"I'm not denying the use of them, simply the expense." Amelia admitted. "If they were cheaper, I'd have one for all of my Aurors as well. One... that many, all linked together must have cost you a fortune. It's hardly something I can justify for the department, not even with the new budget I've got."

"It's worth it," James shrugged the comment off.

"I assume Miss Granger is settling in with the group then?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Oh yeah, last night she was in the library with them all, Neville as well actually. The five of them seem quite happy together really." James explained happily.

"Very well," Amelia sighed. "You will have to explain to Miss Granger's parents why you are buying their daughter such a gift however. Do remember, that while you may be protective over her because of your memories of the witch she is to become, Miss Granger doesn't have these memories, and she only knows you as her professor and father to her friend."

"Right," James sighed, slumping back in his chair.

"I've told you, you can't keep treating people like you did in your own time." Amelia explained patiently. "The young Miss Granger at Hogwarts is not the witch you knew, with the changes you are making, there is a very good chance she will never be the witch you knew."

"I know," James admitted with a grimace. "Alright, I'll talk to the mini-me, see if we can figure something out for Hermione's birthday that doesn't make me look like a complete idiot right now."

"I'm sure she will be touched by the present, allowing her to speak with her family during the school year must be a big thing for a muggle-born student." Amelia explained thoughtfully.

"She doesn't have an owl, no pet at all actually." James muttered with a frown. "So she doesn't have any way to get in touch with her parents without using the school owls, and they can't even send a birthday card or presents up to her."

"That does sound rather lonely," Amelia admitted. "Talk to the girl's parents, I'm sure the mirrors will be a god-send for them."

"I hope so," James nodded with a thoughtful sigh, remembering well how broken Hermione had been when she hadn't been able to return her parents memories after the war. This time around he was going to make certain that Hermione kept her parents and had a better relationship with them than she'd ever had in his time.

"Anything else?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Not much I can think of," James admitted, draining the last of his coffee. "Oh Sirius found a basement at the manor, apparently my dad used to use it as a potions lab and my mum used it as a greenhouse."

"Most old families have potions laboratories in their basements," Amelia nodded in agreement. "Keeping the ingredients cool and away from strong light is vital in a lot of cases."

"Right, well neither me or him are any good at potions really, and I'm pants at growing stuff. Seriously, I can kill a house plant." James explained with a dry chuckle at his failings with herbology. "Anyway, he's been clearing it out, all the nastier books from the Black Library at Grimmauld are down there right now, but we're going to empty it out fully soon when I get a chance." He explained thoughtfully. "Might have to turn one of the spare rooms into a second library just for the darker books he's brought over."

"Oh?" Amelia cocked an eyebrow curiously, wondering what James had planned. Maybe a duelling room or a practice area with dummies and charmed targets perhaps?

"Sirius told me he's got plans for a lagoon down there, hot springs, a beach, the works." James explained with a grin. "Somewhere to go skinny-dipping on a cold evening?" He asked with a smirk.

"James!" Amelia laughed back at him, shaking her head in amusement, though privately in her mind she was very happy with the mental images that James' description had conjured for her.

"I'm letting him have his fun down there, I think it'd do him good to have somewhere to be creative for a bit and let off some steam." James admitted.

"That... that's actually a good idea." Amelia confessed. "I admit, I was getting worried about him pottering around with nothing to do all day."

"Yeah, me too." James admitted. "I'm working on some other ideas though, so hopefully he'll have his own little projects to get him out and about with as well."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed." Amelia nodded. "Are you at the manor tonight then?"

"Heading back to the school," James said, shaking his head. "I've got some sixth year homework to mark for tonight, want to check in with the kids as well, haven't really seen them much this week."

"Very well, do you mind if I join you this evening then perhaps?" Amelia asked hopefully.

"You're always welcome," James grinned over. "I'll leave the floo open, just come on through when you're ready."

"I don't expect to be finished here until about eight," Amelia explained. "I'll floo straight up."

"See you then," James smiled as he stood up, stretching from where he'd been slumped in the comfortable chair. "Enjoy your paperwork." He said, smirking down at the various papers littering Amelia's desk.

"Do try not to break any more of my staff on your way out," Amelia commented, rolling her eyes at James' attempt at wit.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." James muttered with a smirk, shaking his head at Amelia as he headed out of her office and closed the door behind him to head back up to Hogwarts.


AN: It's canon information that Godric's Hollow was a mixed village of muggles and magicals, we know the village is modernised with electricity from JK's descriptions in Deathly Hallows. The idea of it being a choice of Lily's where she could live in the magical and muggle world together is just extrapolation of mine given the various pieces of information we have... it makes sense and fits the timeline and information given through the books.

The fact Godric's Hollow has electricity in the village and houses, but is still home to a large number of magical families, both being canon in the books, lends more credence to my firm belief that the "electricity doesn't work around magic" stuff is an outright lie perpetrated by pure bloods.

Also, the mental image of Lily teaching James and Sirius disco dancing in the 70s is just too hilarious not to include XD