A/N: Sorry for the late update, I've been ill. I should be able to continue updating now at my usual rate. Okay, I know Draco is slightly OOC here, all I can say is that he grew up big-time. Around outsiders he still acts much the same as he always did, but James is a friend and he feels comfortable enough to relax around him. Also, not that I have any experience of it, but I guess most people would be pretty excited when their first child was born. Oh yeah, and I do know Blaise Zabini's a boy. It says on HP lexicon that JKR told us cos its in the Portugese version or something (I don't have it open at the moment, I've probably got the wrong language). Anyway, I didn't want to introduce an OC, and there are no Slytherin girls we've met who I'd ever subject Draco to - Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode. Well, that's my reasoning, now for the chapter.
A/N2: I know I did this 2 chapters ago, but I've decided my old explanation about Harry Potter/James Evans was better: As for no one realising who 'James Evans' is - I've had a number of comments about this - think about it for a moment. Harry Potter is dead. Everyone knows this. He vanished in a blaze of light that obliterated his and Riddle's bodies. It's been eight years. If he was still alive, he'd have come back before now. Very few people remember his mother's maiden name and it's a very common Muggle one. James is also very common. He doesn't have a scar. His hair is neater and has a lot of red in it instead of being plain black. He doesn't wear glasses and his eyes are silver instead of green. He's not a sixteen year old boy, he's an adult man and some of his appearance was changed by the raw magic he was using - more about this later. There is absolutely no reason to connect Harry Potter, Gryffindor, the long since deceased boy hero with James Evans, well known university student from Merlin/Slytherin house who's close friends with Draco Malfoy and supposedly two years younger. The only one with suspicions is Aberforth Dumbledore, who lived with James for four years, trained him and is a leading expert on raw magic, and he's not telling anyone, not even his brother. All he's trying to do is persuade Albus to set up James and Sev.
A week or so later, James was in the library, looking over the performance records for various house Quidditch teams over the past few years. Being new to Hogwarts, he wasn't supposed to know anyone except by reputation.
"Do you have any ideas yet?" Minerva asked. He jumped, then recovered enough to reply. How he'd let her get that close to him without him noticing. . .
"Yes thanks, I reckon I know who I'll ask, I'm surprised no one's approached them before."
"Well, who is it?" she demanded. "It can't be worse than the team I chose. I selected one of the best teams that I remember, the team of '81. I'd forgotten that they'd all grown up at some point and most hadn't played Quidditch for years, some even since their Hogwarts days."
James gave in.
"I thought perhaps the Gryffindor team of 1992, with one addition. Oliver
Wood as Keeper, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell as Chasers, Fred and George Weasley as Beaters and Charlie Weasley as Seeker."
He was right, they were certainly the best recorded team in the past twenty or so years, and even with Charlie Weasley replacing him on the team, they shouldn't change that much. The Seeker was the position that was the most easily interchangeable, and Charlie Weasley was rumoured to have been offered a position on the National Squad.
"Now why didn't I think of that? It sounds like an excellent idea, but I'm afraid you'll have to find someone else instead of Alicia. Its Alicia Weasley now, she married Fred four years ago and she's pregnant at the moment. There's no chance she'll be able to play."
"Oh," James replied, a bit stumped by this revelation. He'd never thought of that as a potential problem. "Well, I can always ask Draco, he can play Chaser as well as he can Seeker."
"Draco Malfoy? In the Gryffindor Quidditch team who kept beating him when he was at school? You'll never convince him, or the rest of the team."
"I can try."
"Are you sure?"
"I can convince Draco, for definite. Aberforth says he's been bombarded with about ten owls a week from him trying to discover where I am. I. . . uh. . . forgot to tell anyone else I'd got this job. Half of them probably think I'm in the Auror program. I'm hoping that the rest of the team won't mind too much, he's the best replacement I can think of, and he knows my style."
"If you're sure. . ."
"I am."
"You know where to come if you need a hand. Have you thought when to schedule training? You'll have to clear it with Rolanda if you want to use the school pitch - she'll certainly have her team out every spare minute they have."
"I was thinking I could probably convince the university to allow me back to train. Professor Wainwright, the sports co-ordinator always did like me and Draco. He'll probably decide it would be good for his students to watch such a good team."
"What do you mean? I'm sure the university has teams that are as good, older players, for one thing. In '92 Oliver was the oldest, and he was only sixteen."
"Come on Minerva. Wood's a professional player, everyone thinks he'll be the next Scottish Keeper. I've been told that Weasley, Charlie that is, was offered the Seeker position on the England team but turned it down to go to Romania. Angelina Johnson is a Chaser for the Harpies. Katie Bell's an Auror, but could have gone into professional Quidditch if she chose and the same with Alicia Spinnet. As for the Weasley twins - they're legendary, even if it isn't for Quidditch."
"I suppose you have a point, James, they were quite remarkable in their day. Of course, if Potter was with them, they'd be unstoppable. I remember the first time the boy ever went on a broom. It was his first flying lesson - he must have been eleven, I suppose, and in Gryffindor! Another child, Mr Longbottom, broke his wrist and Rolanda was forced to leave them alone while she hurried him off to Poppy. That was the class with Draco Malfoy in it as well. The two boys couldn't stand each other, Mr Malfoy was something of a spoilt brat at the time, he's improved considerably since. As I remember it, Draco, who'd been flying for years, picked up Longbottom's remembrall, intending to put it on the roof. Harry, always the hero, shot off after him, not a thought in his head that he didn't know how to fly. He was a natural! When Draco saw him coming he threw the ball at the castle. Harry caught it, coming to a spectacular halt right outside the staff room window. Scared my wits right out of me. I swear he thought we were going to expel him when I marched him off to find Wood. Wood thought I was mad at first, giving him a first year with no clue what Quidditch even was, for his Seeker. By the end of their first training session, he was practically singing! They didn't loose a game when the full team was playing until the Dementors came to the school. . ."
James cleared his throat, interrupting her remarkably accurate rendering of the story. At least she wasn't repeating Madam Pomfrey's remark about him being 'delicate' yet. He never had lived it down.
"Oh, I'm so sorry James. You must be wanting to take those letters off to the Owlery. Do you want a hand?"
"No thanks, I'll be fine. How many training sessions do you think we'll need?"
"A lot, trust me, a lot. It's a nightmare fitting together a team that hasn't played in years. You'll need every moment they've got."
"Okay."
A few weeks later, James had received affirmative replies from all of his prospective team members. He had also carefully refrained from telling Draco he was the only Slytherin on an otherwise Gryffindor team and telling the Gryffindors that they'd have to put up with Draco Malfoy. He'd contacted Professor Wainwright at the University and scheduled their first training session that very day at eleven o'clock. Now, dressed in his University Quidditch robes, and his new Firebolt XF in hand, he Flooed to the stadium. He was a bit early, but he'd always been taught that the coach should be the first to arrive and the last to leave. Besides, he didn't want Draco and the Weasley twins left alone together if he could help it.
Professor Wainwright met him at the Floo. A small, thin man of about sixty and given to gesturing with his hands when excited, he wasn't your normal image of a Quidditch coach. On this particular occasion he was almost jumping with excitement at having his prodigy return to him and hosting such prestigious other players in his own 'small' stadium.
"James, my boy, how are you doing?"
"Fine thanks Professor," James said, grinning. Everyone humoured Professor Wainwright - it was safer to do that than anything else. "You sir?"
"Oh good, good. Getting along well in your new job, I suppose?"
"It's a lot better than anything else would be. I think I'm doing alright. How's Davy shaping up? He's your Quidditch rep now, isn't he?"
"Not too bad, though not up to your standard, I'm afraid. He says he wants to go professional, just like you should have."
"Sorry. Uh, so is the stadium completely free at the moment, or are the house teams training?"
"Whatever you wish, James. I thought you might want to start with a practice game so you could see where you are before starting, so Merlin are out there at the moment."
"Thank you sir. I don't think I'll have any problems - except for Draco - but it should be very interesting. Is there somewhere I can leave my things while I wait?"
"Your normal changing room is free today. No one else seems willing to take it - they all still call it Evan's room and leave well clear."
James flushed. That wasn't exactly what he'd intended when he started getting into a routine when his team always used the same room.
"Er, right. Could you tell my team to meet me on the pitch when they arrive sir, I'll warm up while I'm waiting."
"Of course, off you go now. Show my youngsters how it should be done."
Ten minutes later, James was practising his Wronski Feints to the 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' of the younger end of the Merlin team.
"Oi! Evans! Get down here!" someone shouted. James twisted mid-manoeuvre to look and saw the unmistakable figure of Draco Malfoy standing the middle of the grass. He didn't look happy.
James swerved and came to a perfect halt just in front of the other man and slid off his broom. He was hit in the face by a fist at what felt like 100 miles per hour.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"Not telling me where you were. You might have signed the letter you sent me!"
"I meant to," James said innocently, attempting to sound honestly confused. "I must have forgotten."
"So, where have you been?"
"Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts?!?!?! Why?"
"I'm the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
"I should have guessed that," Draco said, his smile the closest to a grin James had ever seen him come. "Okay James, I forgive you."
"That was quick."
"Yeah, well I wanted to tell you. . ." he began, flushing.
"What?"
"I'm a father!" he blurted out.
"I didn't even know you were married."
"Well if you'd bothered to keep in touch and reply to my letters, you might have. I married Blaise Zabini. She was in Agrippa house here, studying Egyptian burial charms. Remember her?"
"I think so, she plays Chaser, right?"
"Yes, she's brilliant, too."
"So, what about your baby, a boy or a girl?" James said, attempting to get the obviously smitten Draco off the subject of his wife.
"Oh, a boy of course. You never get Malfoy girls, it just doesn't happen. He's got blue eyes the colour of sapphires and lovely black hair. . ."
"Black hair?"
"Blaise has black hair."
"Right.
"We're calling him Harry, after Potter, you know. His full name will be Henry Severus Malfoy and we want you and Severus to be godfathers."
"Me? Are you sure?"
"Would I have said so if I wasn't? You do know Severus, don't you?"
"Severus Snape, the Potions Master? Yes, and he can't stand me."
"He's like that with most people, not with me of course, but with almost everyone else. What do you think of him?"
"He's okay, I guess. If he'd stop insulting me, that is."
"He's insulting you? That's good, it means he likes you, or at least respects you."
"What does he do to people he doesn't like?"
"If they're enemies, he curses them pretty thoroughly. He taught me to duel, so he's excellent. Anyone else isn't worth the effort and he'll just ignore them. To be constantly insulted for a month. . . I'm impressed, Evans. He doesn't do that often."
"I'll take your word for it," James said, wondering if he'd ever understand the man.
He listened for a few more minutes while his normally reserved friend sang the praises of his wife and son. It was with some relief that he saw four more people come onto the grass. As they got nearer, he saw they were the three Weasley members of the team and Oliver Wood.
"Mr Wood?" he said, trying very hard to appear as though he was meeting them for the first time. "I'm James Evans, the Defence Professor at Hogwarts."
"Pleased to meet you," Oliver said, sounding as though he meant it. "My nephew hasn't stopped talking about you in his letters. From what he says, it sounds as though you invented the wheel."
"I'm a bit young for that. He's a pleasure to teach, very quick."
"That's good to hear. These are Fred, George and Charlie Weasley."
They nodded to him. Then one of the twins, Fred, James thought, noticed Draco standing behind James.
"What's he doing here?"
"He's the final member of the team. I needed another Chaser, and could get hold of him on short notice."
"Chaser? I though you wanted me to play Seeker!"
"No, you play much better as Chaser, you can deny it as much as you want. You made me play Beater, think on it as if I'm returning the favour. Besides, I'm sure Blaise could give you coaching between sessions."
"Fine," Draco agreed quickly. The Gryffindor's looks of polite indifference turned into a wary respect. They honestly had no idea why the 'Slytherin Prince', as he'd been nicknamed at Hogwarts, had backed down so quickly. It was unheard of!
"Thank you Draco," James said sweetly. "Now, let's get down to business. According to the Hogwarts staff, the team of past pupils has a very bad track record. I'm intending to change that. If I have my way, you will not beat them, you will wipe the floor with them. I have never lost a game while I captained or coached a team, and I don't intend to start now. We're just waiting for Miss Johnson and Miss Bell to arrive, then we will begin. If you have any warm-up exercises you use, I'd recommend doing them now, once we begin I expect you to be ready."
His new team glanced at each other, looking as though they might resent this swift transfer of power from Wood to him, but the captain nodded and they got to work. James had developed a certain presence over the past few years, and it wasn't letting them down. When the two ladies appeared, he gave them a few minutes to get ready, then took them straight into their short match with the present Merlin House team.
They beat the youngsters.
Easily.
In just half an hour.
By three hundred points to ten.
James grinned. This was going to be easy.
He showed his team the changing rooms then gave them an hour to rest and eat lunch. The real training would start that afternoon.
A/N: a final author's note to the person who accused me of holding my chapters hostage for reviews when they reviewed my last chapter. I cannot update them all at once, I simply don't have the time. This is why I am updating as quickly as possible. Also, I never once asked for reviews in the last chapter - get your facts right.