Storm Child

Author: Hex

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: As Standard

Notes: (1) We don't know where James is really from so I decided Grimsby was as good a place as any, right? Plus it has a funky name. This exchange is also a comment on the increasing influence American culture has on British lives, but mainly it's a Grimsby joke ^.^

(2) 'hyoscyamine, when given even in moderate doses causes, among other symptoms, delirium, near blindness, and unbearable pain. Mixtures containing extracts of Mandrake and Datura which would have had similar effects, were administered to suspected witches prior to torture.' Isn't Google just a font of knowledge?

Notes: I went a bit silly when it came to the James/Lilly exchanges I'll admit, but they were fun to write and the two do get off topic quite a bit in this as it continues!

Author Note: I was sort of proud of Dumbledore in this part. This is the first time we scratch his 'Dark side' which we will be seeing much more of as this fic goes on. I adore DD, he rules!

Thanks: Google, it rocks! In other words, I can't think of anyone.

********

James Potter shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Professor Dumbledore's head disappeared from the fire. His heart was beating so loudly in his chest he would not be surprised if it tore free of his ribcage altogether. His palms were sweating as well. How many times had he envisioned this moment? This longed for reunion.

Never, however, had his fantasies included being tied to a chair.

Well...not this fantasy anyway.

Reluctantly, he tore his eyes from the innocently crackling fire to scan the room. From the outside the house had seemed ramshackle and rundown and from the inside it seemed no different. It was cluttered with a variety of objects ranging from pictures of family members to crystal figurines asleep in their cabinet. It was the clutter of a busy and loving family.

Man he hated families, with their smug happiness and children who hadn't died in horrific attacks in their homes.

His eyes also noticed a few oddities dotted about the room. Such as an entire side board covered in what looked like plugs in assorted states of dissection. What kind of nut case took apart plugs!?

Finishing his tour of the room he turned to scan the family itself. Almost immediately he noticed one of them - the youngest boy by the looks of him - was staring at him with a mixture of anxiety and elation. Not really the emotions he expected to see on someone who had never even met him before.

Before he had a chance to dwell on this fact, he heard Lilly speak.

"You know, you didn't have to call the Headmaster. I'm sure we could have sorted this out by ourselves. With a few well placed memory charms." She muttered the last part under her breath but, unfortunately, Sirius heard her.

"Oh yes, I'm sure you would just love for us to forget we ever saw you. Well I can tell you this, Death Eater, I may have failed the real Potters but I won't let you get your slimy hands on Harry."

James' head snapped up at the mention of their sons name. He did not have chance to pursue the case however, as a knock sounded from the front door. The eldest red head hurried to answer it and they heard voices in the hallway. Not just Professor Dumbledore's voice either.

"What did he bring McGonagall for!?" Lilly hissed, looking pale and scared.

"I don't know. Can we lose points for this?"

"...Ok James, you do know we left Hogwarts don't you?" Sirius' foot lashed out and caught Lilly on the leg, making her glare at him. "You are so lucky I am tied to this chair Black."

Professor Dumbledore chose now to make his appearance, thereby ending the argument.

He stood for a moment outlined in the doorway, staring at the pair on the chairs before him. The silence was unbearable.

"I'd get up" James said. "But I'm a little tied up at the moment."

"So I see." He advanced further into the room, Professor McGonagall trailing along behind him, fury plain on her face. Much to his private amusement, James found himself slipping into what Remus had once referred to as one of his 'McGonagall stupors' which he had once had a tendency to adopt whenever he was caught in the act as it were. "Arthur, if you wouldn't mind I think it is best we do this privately. Could you take the children upstairs please?"

"Of course Professor." Both the parents began to herd their children up the stairs. Beside him, Lilly began to panic.

"Private!? Private!? There's no need for private! Oh Gods I'm going to die!"

"Way to keep a cool head, Lill." James muttered, shaking his head.

"Oh stop pretending to be American! You come from Grimsby!" (1)

"I'm not pretending to be American."

"You started a sentence with 'way.'"

"It's how people talk!"

"If they're from New York!"

A cough from the Hogwarts Headmaster drew them back from their cultural debate. Lilly flushed with embarrassment and gave Dumbledore one of her trademark 'I know you love me really' looks. Dumbledore ignored her and turned his attention to Sirius.

"Would you mind waiting upstairs with Mr and Mrs Weasley please, Sirius." It was not a question but then with Dumbledore, it rarely was.

Still angry, Sirius took Remus by the arm and steered him from the room.

When they were gone, Professor Dumbledore removed his emerald green cloak and draped it across the tabletop. Silently he pulled a chair up to the table directly across from the Potters and sat. Behind him, Professor McGonagall removed her own cloak and, from a pocket produced a small pouch of black velvet which she lay in front of the Headmaster. Moving with carefully slow movements to make sure he had their full attention, Dumbledore opened the pouch and removed a clear glass vial, two sharp pins and a strip of black silk. He lay them out clearly on his cloak.

Looking up at the pair before them he saw Lilly tremble in fear while James shifted uncomfortably. They both knew what this was. They both knew to fear this.

Dumbledore sat back and gazed at the pair across the kitchen table. "Good evening."

"Going. To. Die." Was Lilly's reply.

"Lill please, panicking is not going to help. It'll only make it worse."

"How can it be worse! You know what that stuff is, don't you!? It's hyoscyamine!(2) Death Eaters use it for interrogation when the Unforgivable Curses aren't working. I reiterate. Going. To. Die."

Professor Dumbledore simply sat back and folded his hands on his lap, gazing impassively at them both. "I am going to give you two minutes to prove to me you are whom you appear to be before I administer the hyoscyamine."

"Has the whole world gone crazy or is it just me?" James rages, clearly terrified. "It's like I've stepped through the looking glass or something! Generally the side of good does not administer pain inflicting drugs!"

"I don't suppose there's any chance it's just water in the vial?" Lilly tried, smiling. One look at Dumbledore's face told her that no, there was not.

"One minute forty."

"What can we tell him?" Lilly hissed desperately. "We don't know what he knows and what he doesn't!"

"Something about school?"

"Sure but do you have something we can tell him that only you would know?"

"Yes, but I don't know if he knows it do I!?"

"There must be something..."

"The map!"

"Huh?"

"The Marauders Map! He must know about it, Filch confiscated it years ago, he would have grassed on us no sweat."

"In that case the dratted thing is probably common knowledge."

"I wish he hadn't sent Moony and Padfoot off upstairs, it would have made things so much easier..."

"You know, I've never understood those nicknames. Moony, sure, but Padfoot? What's with that?"

"Lilly, this really isn't the time...Or is it." James turned his head from his wife to stare into the clear blue eyes of his former Headmaster. He cocked his head to one side and gazed at him curiously. "I wonder how you found out."

"Situations change." Dumbledore replied cryptically.

"So much that they would reveal that? Things must have gotten really bad while we were away."

"Reveal what? What are you babbling about?"

"I won't you know. You can use that hydro-whatever stuff all you like." Silence. That impassive gaze seemed to bore right through James, nailing him to the chair. "Let Lilly go. Just take her out of the room and I'll show you."

"James?"

Dumbledore nodded and Professor McGonagall moved forward, pulled the unresisting Lilly from her chair and ushering her out into the hall way. When the kitchen door was firmly closed, Dumbledore returned his focus to James. With a snap of his fingers the ropes binding him vanished.

"I do not believe you are James Potter, but I know for a fact that if you are not, you will not be able to change."

"Alright."

He changed.

Then he changed back.

Then things really got weird.

********

This is a really short part, I know, but I didn't see how I could continue without it becoming cheesy. I don't like writing or reading fluffy reunion scenes much, so I'm going to skip it and you can assume it was mushy and dull.

R&R please!

Laters

Hex.