Alright I admit it! They aren't mine…..I just play with them.

Chapter 12

After quite a bit of shmoozing, Ron and Hermione literally had to drag James out of the Three Broomsticks. They threw him outside where he laughed loudly and ruffled his hair. Hermione didn't seem quite as amused.

"James! Goodness. While you are here, you need to act like Harry!" Hermione scoffed as James, who hadn't been listening to a word she was saying, watched as a pretty auburn-haired girl walked past. James hooted at her as Ron stared. The girl flushed and went into Honeydukes candy shop. James leaned over to Ron.

"Whoa did you see her!" he asked rhetorically.

"Ah, I've seen better than her," was Ron's casual reply.

"They aren't all like that nowadays, are they? I mean, with the way they dress and…" Ron got the point so he started to answer.

"No," he said glancing out of the corner of his eye at Hermione, "Not all of them are like that. Some are very prude." Hermione had heard enough. Letting out what seemed like a small roar she grabbed James by the shoulder and spun him around.

"You need to act more like Harry! It'll be obvious if you keep up like this!" She was red in the face and saw that James, who had been nose to nose with her, had started to quietly laugh. "WHAT! What is so funny about that?"

"Nothing," replied James, starting to laugh louder now that he had been caught. "It's just…..you're cute when you are angry." Hermione grabbed him tightly around the collar and yelled,

"Harry wouldn't say something like that!" She drew a deep breath and tried to continue in a more proper tone. "Please, please James, at least TRY and act like your son."

"I thought I was."

"No, not really. Harry doesn't act like that." She said. When Ron saw that James looked skeptical he added,

"It's true. I can't see Harry saying half the stuff you did today." James started to walk down the lane taking what his new found friends were saying to heart. He didn't want to mess up his son's life and, frankly, he didn't want stay here forever. He liked Ron and Hermione, but he was starting to miss Remus correcting him, Peter always laughing at his jokes (even if they weren't that funny) and Sirius coming up with the next great caper they were to throw themselves into. He missed his reputation around the school. He thought about these things in silence as Harry's friends walked with him, occasionally looking from him to eachother.

"I dunno how my son acts," James said quietly. "How am I supposed to act like him if I don't know him? Is it bad that I don't know about Harry?"

"Of course not," Hermione said quickly. "You are too young to know about Harry. And as for acting like him…..that's what we are here for."

"We could help you out mate," replied Ron. "No one knows Harry like us." James smiled at this. He was happy to know that his son would have such good friends in the future. He liked Ron and Hermione and was glad of their help. Then something occurred to James.

"Oh," he said more to himself than anyone, "I've been able to talk to you two about this whole thing, but Harry……..I wonder if he has told any of the guys."

"That's not our concern at this point," Hermione said bluntly, "We need to get back to Hogwarts and see if Dumbledore was able to repair the other glasses. If he can't….well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it. We just have to do what we can to get you back into your world."

"More like different time zone," corrected Ron, which made Hermione glare. James put a reassuring had on Hermione's stressed shoulder and replied confidently,

"Don't worry. It's Dumbledore. He can do anything." This made Hermione smile and before setting off in a run she noted,

"Now THAT sounded more like Harry."

AN: Sorry it's been so long. Anyway I'm back and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the ones to come! Stay tuned (oh and if you could respond….that would be great too.)