A.N I have a few note for this chapter. One, as Hermione's scene goes, there will be one for Ron, but I think it will take him another 24 hours to let any other thoughts besides that this James is an impostor in. Italic and bold Italic are thoughts.
Two, I know the scene between Lily and James is strand. It is poorly written, and I know that. My only excuse is that I am still building on their characteristics, we do not hear much about them in the books. I think they will become more well rounded.
Three, I know it is short, but it is longer then the others. I have to get passed the introductions of the Potters, before it really starts out. Look at it this way, at least I'm updating frequently.

Um, I made a few mistakes on the past chapter, but I want to point out that I will be rewriting and to point out.
I just reread my chapters and I noticed that I said James had blue eyes, and in the 5th book they said hazel. Sorry I'll be fixing it, and referring to them as hazel from now on.
I have a request! Please visit my Livejournal page. I only have one entry up now, but I think it would be a good place to discus ideas for the story, were I can respond more accurately.
As always, I love well written reviews.

Disclaimer: see chapter one.



moonshadowed: Don't worry, I'm hooked too, and about Snapes reaction; I can't wait to write it.

blubb-blubb: Thank you. And I cant answer for you when he will be found. I will not be with in a week, let me put it that way.

Wiccan PussyKat: First I would like to say that I enjoy your reviews, they are always well rounded. I am sorry it was short, that is one of my faults, though I am glad you thought it well written.
No it could not be a Harry Potter fanfiction with out them. I'm glad to hear I got Ron's character right. I was really worried about writing him, he's so unpredictable. This chapter should begin to quench your thirst for Hermione. I liked the line too, and it was one of the few that stayed from the original draft.
That misspelling is way embarrassing, I'll go back and fix it soon, and I will fix the coma mistake too. Thank you for the help, and complements.

Lily Skylo: I am glad you enjoyed it. Yes that is another reaction I am itching to write.

ERMonkey, Queen of Insanity: Here is your wish, hope you enjoy it.

Alyssa: *checks pulse* I'm still alive phew, I was worried there for a moment.

Natural Anthem: Wow I have succeeded in getting you to hope, I'm taking it that that's good? I hope you enjoy this chapter.


Now, on with the show.





It was night, Hermione could see that from the dormitories window. She glanced at the moon, seeing its thin form, and thought absently that Professor Lupin had just had his transformation maybe three days ago. It was amusing how she registered that, even when her mind was jumbled with so many other thoughts.

That man, was he really a Death Eater like Ron suggested?

Why would one of Voldemort's servants say Harry was one?

Hermione's mind would not stop auguring with itself, it was giving her a pounding headache.
To make us think just that? It said, and she had to agree. If a person had come in and just claimed he was James Potter it would have been easy for her to except he was a Death Eater, but he had thought Harry a baby. He had rushed through those doors like he was trying to save his son. Perhaps it was also the way he seemed to forget what Dumbledore had told him. He didn't try to make friends with us.

But he didn't ask for names either.

Maybe he was to confused, maybe he was more worried about his son.

Perhaps.

Hermione really wished she could just flop into bed, and fall asleep. I know I'll have nightmares. She told herself gazing at her bed in disappointment.
She turned back to the sky, it seemed more peaceful. More alluring to her muddled mind.

He listened to Dombledore.

Hermione would think back later on when she had started to defend this maybe-impostor. But that would be after she fell asleep on the window seat, after her dream that was only jumbled with more thoughts, and after she had been rudely awaken by Ginny Weasley.

It would be at breakfast, as she stared at the seat that Harry usual sat in.







HOSPITAL ROOM

Lily had been the first one to come up with the solution of finding something out about Harry.
"You said they said it as he was well know. And you said Dombledore said he survived?"
James had nodded, but had not stopped pacing. He remembered once that Sirius said his habit would end up wearing his floor in the family room so thin that he would fall through it, but James tried to shake the past away.
He had to stay in reality
"Well lets say he is well known, James! James listen to me will you! Then maybe he has an article in some newspaper."
James was nodding, but he was not listening.
"Dumbledore will send a house elf to check on us. And as long as we agree to eat, they'll get me what ever I want. Including books."
A house elf had come, and it had gladly gotten her history books.

Now it was morning, and Lily was still reading through them, while James slept in a chair, book spread open on his lap.

I did sleep a whole day more then him.
And Lily let him sleep. If she had still had her wand, she would have done a searching spell, but she did not, so she was stuck with scanning. Three books later, and she had found a sentence that started with Harry Potter.
She read it quickly.

"Harry Potter at one year of age, defeated the Dark Lord."
The book fell slack from her fingers, and dropped to the floor; awakening James with a jerk. As James opened one hazel eye, just enough to see what had woken him up, he was met with his wife, a frozen expression of shock on her face. His own book fell to the floor as he jumped up to check what was wrong. James leaned forward, trying to hear his wife's quiet words.
"Defeated him, defeated him. How, how does one defeat him?"

The identity of this man confused James for a long moment, until he thought to pick up the book Lily had been reading. He scanned the page, and when he reached the sentence that had caused Lily's whispers, he placed the book beside his wife, hands moving stiffly.

James was amazed how calm he stayed, but that was before he reached the hospital doors, and realized they were locked. His calm only slipped further as he began to bang on the doors, demanding at the top of his lungs to be let out, and it was only then that he also realized that if Dumbledore did not want them let out, he would have placed silencing charms on the room.

No one could hear them.



HERMIONE- CHARMS CLASS.

It was the first time in her life, that Hermione could not listen in class, and it was the first time that she remembered Ron paying attention. It was only to keep his mind from things, Hermione told herself.

No one seemed to think much of Harry's absence from class, and Hermione wondered, if before she had made it down to breakfast Dumbledore had falsified that Harry was in the hospital Wing.

He didn't say he's dead, it would only be for public sanity. But the words, the explanation that she gave herself, did not ease her worry.

Surely the Headmaster would tell them if their best friend was dead?

We're not the public, he's just Harry to us. But, still, she was not sure. The old man sometimes had such a reluctance to be forthcoming with the truth.

"And what is the Latin word for water?" Professor Flitwick was saying, but Hermione did not even bother to raise her hand. At the moment answering the question, or even taking notes did not matter to her. Another first.

At the end of class Flitwick asked Hermione to stay behind. Ron glanced back at her, but Hermione urged him on. The professor turned to Hermione.
"I didn't see you writing notes, or raising your hand to answer a question. A few of which I was left to answer myself. It is very unlike you Miss Granger, are you feeling alright?"

Hermione nodded stiffly, some how words seemed beyond her now. The professor did not push, but Hermione now knew that Dumbledore had indeed told the staff and students a lie that morning. Flitwick would have told her it would be alright, and would have handed both Ron and Hermione passes for homework.

Now she was afraid for her friends life; now it was real.




Acta est fabula: Drama has been acted out.

These words announced the end of a performance in a Roman theatre.