Harry Potter and the Mind Mage

By James Milamber

A/N: To all those who wanted to know a little more about James' past: Read on!

It finally took the combined effort of Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick to stop the notes from attacking Malfoy. The Slytherin was looking a little wild around the eyes as McGonagall led him from the Hall, and his face was slashed to pieces with paper cuts.

Harry stood next to Ginny, her hand firmly gripped in his own, grinning from ear to ear. Nearby, Ron and Hermione stood in a half embrace, her head resting on his shoulder.

'I call them Post-It Notes,' a voice said from very close behind them. Harry turned his head to find a smirking Alex, with Cassie just behind him. 'You just send them to someone by owl post, and as soon as they read the note the charm activates.'

'Genius,' Ginny smiled at him, nodding almost imperceptibly to acknowledge that she knew they had done it to cheer Harry up.

'Worthy of Gred and Forge, that one,' Harry grinned, holding out his free hand. Mock gravely, Alex shook it.

'There you are,' Isabelle approached carrying a tray holding Butterbeers. She handed them out to each person, absently Vanishing the tray when she had finished.

'A toast!' Ron announced, holding his bottle high. 'To great pranks!'

'To a brilliant piece of magic,' Hermione added, raising her own bottle.

'To the new Troublemakers-in-chief,' Isabelle grinned.

'To the pair who could give my brothers a run for their money,' Ginny smiled, adding her bottle.

'To great friends,' Harry added quietly. Alex and Cassie raised their bottles and everyone clinked, the twins touched by Harry's addition. It was strange, really. They had only been at Hogwarts for two months, and yet it seemed like an eternity. They were now truly a part of the group.

'Well this is all well and good,' Cassie broke the silence that had descended over them, 'but this is one of my favourite songs, and I'm going to find Seamus.' She smirked at her brother and walked off.

'She has a point,' Alex admitted, throwing the now empty bottle over his shoulder, where it vanished before it could hit the floor. He extended his hand to Isabelle, who took it with a smile, and led her onto the dance floor.

'You know, that's an awfully good idea,' Harry commented to Ginny. She allowed him to lead her back onto the dance floor, a smile playing about her lips.

James watched the group toast, still under the cover of his invisibility spell. He noticed Ron and Hermione shoot each other a significant look and stealthily head for the exit. James chuckled quietly; teenagers were all the same.

His mind was still dwelling on the photo he had seen in Harry's dorm, and what it meant. He had known for some time that his children would be involved rather heavily in the Prophecy, but the fact that Harry knew as well was a little disturbing. It meant that he was coming more into his true power, and they weren't ready for that yet. It was far, far too early.

James sighed heavily, taking a seat in an unobtrusive corner where no one was likely to try to sit on him. He watched Harry once more dancing with Ginny, watched him pull her closer as they danced to a slow song. That too was a part of the Prophecy; he could no more stop those two getting together than stop the tides. But again, it was happening too fast. They had expected to have at least another year to prepare. James sighed again, this time in frustration. Why was everything happening so damn quickly?

He thought back briefly to the incident earlier, with that Corner boy. That had been a really, really stupid thing to do, on Michael's part. James doubted that even Malfoy would have the gumption to try anything with Ginny. It was downright dangerous, what with how protective Harry could be of her. Harry had been on the verge of throwing the moron through the wall, he could tell. There had been a tightening around the eyes that while a normal person would miss, a trained Mind Mage could see easily. But Harry had controlled his anger, had exerted influence over that damnable Basilisk. He was getting better, no doubts there. But would it be enough?

Not for the first time, he thought back nine months to the previous Christmas, when a man calling himself Peter Pettigrew had approached him, back in Australia, about a job working for some Dark Lord. James knew exactly what the offer meant, and he also knew what it would mean to turn it down. He had no interest in joining the wizard who thought he could fill Grindelwald's shoes. He'd had his chance, and had failed. Joseph Milter was long dead, now he was James Milton, father of Alexander and Cassandra. As it always did, that train of thought brought up the "persuasion" technique Voldemort had used, in a last ditch effort to gain his allegiance.

James' face twisted into a grimace as he remembered coming home on Christmas Eve after a long day to find an odd skull-like symbol hovering above his house. He had hurried inside, and had found…

James pulled himself up sharply. There is no point dwelling on the past, he told himself sternly. You are here now, and you can make a difference. Now stop worrying.

Even so, he found it very hard to shake the image of a pair of very beautiful, but very vacant blue eyes.

'Harry?'

Harry parted reluctantly from Ginny to find Neville standing nearby, fidgeting nervously. Just behind him stood Luna.

'What is it, Neville?' he asked, wondering what could make the round-faced boy so nervous.

'Could I…that is…would you let me…I mean…' Neville stammered, his face going very red. His eyes darted to Ginny, and suddenly Harry understood. He was too nervous to ask Ginny to dance.

'What do you think, Ginny?' he asked casually. 'Reckon you could dance with Neville for a bit? I'll dance with Luna.'

'Of course,' Ginny said warmly, taking Neville's hand. He gulped, glancing at Harry before allowing Ginny to lead him away.

'Guess that just leaves us,' Harry said to Luna, extending his hand. Luna smiled and took it. They danced in silence for a while, until Luna spoke.

'Haven't seen you very much lately,' she said.

'No, not really,' Harry agreed.

'I've been spending most of my time with Neville,' she informed him. 'I think he's going to ask me out soon.'

'That's good then,' Harry said a little uncertainly, thrown off balance by Luna's frank manner.

'Yes, it is,' she said dreamily, glancing at where Neville and Ginny were dancing. 'He's liked her for ages,' she said suddenly.

'Yeah, I know,' Harry wasn't sure what to make of that.

'I think he's over her now, though,' Luna added, and as Harry watched Neville laughed easily at something Ginny said. Suddenly it clicked, what Neville had been afraid of. He hadn't been nervous about asking Ginny to dance.

'He was afraid of me, wasn't he?' Harry asked, a heavy weight settling in his stomach.

Luna looked surprised. 'Of course,' she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 'What did you think?'

Harry didn't answer.

Finally the dance ended, and Ginny and Neville came back, the former smiling wickedly and the later blushing brightly. Neville glanced at Harry, but quickly lowered his eyes and mumbled an apology.

'Neville,' Harry said firmly, and the boy raised his head slowly. 'You're my friend, I would never hurt you unless you gave me a very good reason to. You don't have to be afraid.'

Neville swallowed hard, nodding slightly.

'Sorry,' Harry said softly, placing one hand on Neville's shoulder. Their eyes caught, and Neville nodded firmly. 'Good man,' Harry released his hold on Neville's shoulder, turned and led Ginny away.

'Attention students!'

Harry looked away from Ginny reluctantly to see Professor Dumbledore standing at the front of the stage, his arms held up high and a smile on his face.

'In just a moment, we will be voting for the Best-Dressed Couple award! Would all students wanting to enter please come up to the front of the room now.'

Harry and Ginny parted and made their way off the dance floor and back to their seats. Harry spotted Alex and Isabelle moving towards Dumbledore and pointed them out to Ginny.

'Doesn't really surprise me, love,' she said quietly. Harry started slightly at the last word, his heart beating faster.

'What?' Ginny asked curiously, catching the strange look on his face.

'Nothing,' Harry assured her quickly. A warmth that had nothing to do with temperature spread through him, and he leaned back in his seat contentedly, wrapping his arm around Ginny and pulling her closer.

'Is that everyone?' Dumbledore asked, scanning the Hall quickly. 'All right then, I'll ask each couple to come up on stage, and you can cast your votes. A wand lit red is no, and green is yes. Everyone ready?' There was a murmur of consent. 'Then let us begin!'

As the first couple came on stage, Harry glanced at Ginny. 'Do you really want to watch this?'

'Not really,' Ginny said, turning her head so she could see him. 'What do you have in mind?'

Harry's smile was playful, and gave her all the information she needed. 'What a brilliant idea,' she breathed, reaching up and kissing him briefly. They stood and, hand in hand, left the Hall as quickly and unobtrusively as possible.

James watched Harry and Ginny slip out of the Hall, a pained grimace on his face. He was happy for them, truly he was, but at the same time he couldn't help but be jealous of them for what they were in the process of discovering and he had already lost.

'Brooding again, Dad?'

Cassie took a seat beside him. James smiled wryly and dropped the invisibility spell.

'I'm starting to regret showing you two how to do that,' he shook his head, then looked at her curiously. 'Shouldn't you be with your date?'

Cassie shrugged. 'Seamus is dancing with Lavender. I reckon she's better for him anyway.'

'Oh.' They lapsed into silence. Cassie leaned over to rest her head on her father's shoulder. His hand almost automatically began to stroke her hair.

'I've missed this,' Cassie said in a small voice.

'Missed what?' James asked.

'You, Dad,' she sat up straight again. 'We hardly ever see you since we came to Hogwarts. You're always busy doing something else.'

James sighed heavily. 'I know, and I'm sorry. But this is a war, Cass, you know that. We all have to make sacrifices.'

'I know,' she said pensively. 'I don't think Alex even notices, but he has Isabelle now.'

'Yes, I suppose that would make a difference,' James wrapped a comforting arm around his daughter's shoulders.

'I don't understand,' Cassie said quietly, snuggling closer into James' side. 'Sometimes he acts like nothing's changed, and sometimes he's completely different. I don't know what to do.'

'Have you tried talking to him?' James suggested gently.

'Yeah, but he just keeps avoiding it,' she sighed again. 'He won't talk to me about anything important anymore, it's just pranks and joking. He's not handling it very well.'

'Most wouldn't,' James said dryly.

'This is serious, Dad!' Cassie said impatiently. 'I think he needs help.'

'All right,' James agreed. 'I'll see if I can find someone to talk with him.'

'Thanks Dad,' Cassie kissed him on the cheek, stood and was gone.

James dropped his head into his hands, letting out a sigh. If for no other reason, he would make sure Voldemort died for the damage he had done to the twins. No one, not even Malfoy, should be forced to watch their mother raped, tortured and killed before them.

Oh yes, the Dark Lord would pay dearly.

A/N: Hope this chapter explained a few things…

Review Responses:

Saerry Snape: Oh yes, now I remember. Sorry, temporary memory lapse there. Hey, I just noticed something. Did you realise that Amelie is taller that Atrata? 'Course you did, they're your muses, but still…ha ha…short ass…and anyway, Bryvend is better. C'mon, half demon, half angel, the best of both world, aye? ;)

Elise: Are you psychic? I'd just finished the first James bit when I read your review about more info on James…

Cobalt45: Actually, Chess is the game of Kings. Sorry, got that mixed up.

Ginevra Potter: Not quite. The notes split in two every time one was destroyed, not just doubled in number.

sunni07: Mondo monkey frocks? WTF?

Larna Mandrea: I'd take the "you rock my world" comment as a compliment, except that you said the same thing about cup stacking (?!?). I've always hated how people write Ginny as a girl who gets pissed off at the slightest thing, and in almost every story she breaks up with Harry over some stupid little thing. Cheers for the nice comments!

MsMissProngs: Well, we never kicked British arse, per se, but we could if we had to, I suppose. We don't have the numbers, but we have one of the better equipped and trained armies in the world (just look at the casualty lists for Iraq. See any Aussies? No? Didn't think so – 'cept for that stupid reporter). I have no idea why I went on that tangent, but oh well.

shrek: That's not the point. The point is, the Aussies are better…maybe not stats wise, but when was the last time you saw two batsmen get nearly four hundred runs between them in a OD'er (Lehmann and Stevie, last year – can't remember who against, though). And that's not even mentioning the World Cup…sorry, my friend, but the Aussies are definitely the strongest team in the world at the moment, and have been for quite some time.