This might be a bit disjointed as I haven't written this story in a while, so my memory is confused with the other story. Read and review anyway!!
Chapter 20 – Flobber Worms
Harry's
return to Hogwarts followed the New Year, and he was accompanied by his
parents, who were going to spend sometime at Hogwarts before starting work
again. To Harry's delight they had bought the house he had liked, but they
couldn't move in for a few weeks so they were staying at Hogwarts.
Walking into the Great Hall at Hogwarts was surreal for Harry. He had seen the
students gawp at visitors before, when Buffy and the Scoobies came, they had
stared then, and when he had come back from Voldemort's rebirth and when they
had all thought he was a liar. Even when Sirius showed up didn't compare to
this.
He had almost forgotten that it would happen, he had got so used to having his parents,
and he didn't realise just how famous they were. When they entered the Hall,
him, his parents, Sirius, Buffy, Joyce and Dawn, everyone stood up. People clambered
on tables to get a better view of the Potters. A few people screamed, one
Hufflepuff first year fainted.
James and Lily took it all in their stride, and calmly approached the staff
table, where they took two seats next to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore
smiled broadly at them, and Harry, taking his place at the Gryffindor table
with Ron and Hermione, noticed the looks of deep loathing Snape was throwing
James. He smirked to himself, and turned to talk to Ron as the Hall erupted in
chaos.
Dumbledore stood up and clapped him hands, a booming noise which quieted
everyone down instantly. The students watched Dumbledore beadily, waiting to
hear the latest explanation.
"Welcome
back everyone," Dumbledore said, surveying them all, still smiling broadly. "A
new year at Hogwarts has brought new arrivals to our midst, the Potters who
will be staying with us for an unknown amount of time." Whispers broke out
again, but gradually quieted down with Dumbledore clearing his throat.
"The Potters return is a mysterious one,
but one for which we are very thankful. People come back from the dead seems to
be something that is becoming quite common." Dumbledore glanced at Sirius and
Buffy. "I ask you not to fear them; they are not ghosts I assure you, but real
people. Also present at Hogwarts is Joyce Summers, another visitor we have currently.
I ask you to all show our visitors the courtesy that we pride ourselves on
having at Hogwarts." He sat down and a babble of voices broke out. Harry saw
Draco Malfoy muttering to Crabbe and Goyle, but even that couldn't bring Harry
down. He wouldn't have to endure Malfoys taunts about his parents anymore.
Harry's first lesson was Defence Against the Dark Arts, with Sirius and Harry was surprised to see his father seated at the back of the room. Harry approached him
"What are you doing here?" he asked. James arched an eyebrow.
"Had to see Padfoot teach," James said wickedly. "Too good to miss." Harry took his seat at the front of the class, and as Sirius entered he saw that his Godfather was also thrown by James' appearance. As he taught the class, he kept eyeing James warily, as if he were about to pull some stunt that would disrupt the class. He set them a practical task, working in pairs at jinxing and then de-jinxing one another, and James came to the front of the class.
"I'm impressed," James admitted. "Though it
was a bit disconcerting to have you glaring at me." Sirius smiled.
"I'm remembering what you used to pull
in our lessons," he said, his eyes sparkling at the happy memories. "Remember
that time we filled Snape's desk with flobberworms?!" Sirius and James laughed, as
did Harry and Ron nearby.
"Just don't pull anything like that in
my lessons," Sirius said, mock-severely. "My students have the utmost respect
for me and they-" He was broken off by the fact that he was suddenly hit by the
full body bind.
"Oh, I'm sorry Professor," Neville
gasped as he came rushing forward. "I was trying to get Dean." James, Ron and
Harry just laughed harder as Sirius lay on the floor, unable to move.
Having James and Lily at Hogwarts was both strange and amazing for Harry. The only problem he had was Snape. Trying to get through Snapes lessons now was even more difficult. Snape had apparently taken James' return as a personal insult, and was taking this out on Harry. His vindictiveness had reached new levels, which was not been helped by the appearance of flobberworms in his desk. Harry asked James and Sirius about this, but they had denied knowledge of it, but Harry wasn't sure he believed them.
A week
after their return to Hogwarts, Buffy and Sirius decided to have a party.
"Just for adults," she said. "The others
have got their studies to be thinking about, plus they can't leave Hogwarts. I'll
do the cooking, and Lily has offered to help."
"Good," said Sirius. "We'll make it a dinner party, formal. Lily and James will be coming of course, and Giles and your mother, and Willow and Dan, Cordelia and Xander, Faith and Robin."
"The Weasleys," Buffy said. "I don't suppose
Dumbledore would have the time. Maybe Moody and Tonks?" Sirius shook his head.
"From what Tonks said the last time I
spoke to her, she won't have the time. Fudge is working them all overtime. She
won't have the time to spare, neither will Moody."
"That will do then," Buffy decided. "I'll have to ask Lily about what to cook, she's better at the magical cooking thing than me."
