Chapter Nine:

Weasley and Potter

"Good morning," Mrs. Potter yawned the next morning, "What are you doing up so early, Harry?"

"Couldn't sleep," Harry muttered, and flipped the bacon on the frying pan.

"That's too bad. Nightmares?"

"Sort of." The last night, Harry had his least favorite kind of nightmares, visions, as he was too tired to even turn on his occlumency. In other words, Voldemort had taunted him for most of the night.

"What are you doing?" Harry had put the bacon and a piece of toast on a plate, and gave it, along with a cup of coffee to Mrs. Potter.

"Serving you breakfast," Harry said, as if it was the most obvious thing.

"You don't have too!"

"You didn't have to take me in. We're even."

"But-"

"Eat."

Mrs. Potter cut a piece of bacon in half, stabbed it with her fork, and chewed it. "This is amazing! I've never had any that good! Did you use magic?"

"No. And, it's come with practice. I've been doing it since I was five."

"Five? Your parents let you use the stove that young?"

"No, they died when I was one and I was sent off to live with my aunt and uncle. They made me cook breakfast for them and my cousin. It's become a second nature."

Mrs. Potter looked shocked, but didn't say anything. James had just arrived, and took the plate sitting in his place. "Wow Mom, this is better than usual! Thanks!"

"Oh, don't thank me, thank Harry. He made it."

James stared at his teacher. "Wow, this is good. Can you teach me how to make it?"

Harry laughed, "Sure. But hurry up and eat. We should get going if we are going to go to the muggle hospital in London."

James dug into his food as Harry went upstairs to get Lily. 'She looks so peaceful sleeping. Like she doesn't have a care in the world. Of course, she doesn't know what is going to happen to her.'

He couldn't wake her up, so he just picked her up and carried her down the stairs. Waiting in the living room was both the Potters. "Well, I guess we'll be off," Harry said, lifting Harry up.

"Bye Mom!" James said, giving his mother a small peck on the cheek.

"Good-bye and take care, all of you," Mrs. Potter said, taking them to the door, "I'll owl Professor Dumbledore and tell him that you are coming, but stopping in London with the muggles."

"Okay, thank-you for everything Mrs. Potter," Harry said.

"It was my pleasure. You should stop by again Harry, I enjoyed your company."

"Mom! Stop inviting my teachers over! It's weird. Come on Harry!" James pulled him to the fireplace, pulling out the bucket of floo powder.

They used the powder to get to The Leaky Cauldron, then walked to a muggle hospital, five blocks away.

"Hey! Isn't that Mom's owl?" Sirius exclaimed, pointing out the snowy owl that just entered the Great Hall.

"Yes, I think it is," Remus said pensively, "And it's going to Dumbledore. What is this about?"

They watched as the wizened professor took the letter from the owl, and it flew away. Dumbledore scanned the letter, and quickly stood up, motioning for Ginny to follow him.

"Let's go! That's from Mom! We should know too!" Sirius cried, standing up.

Remus hesitated for a second, then reluctantly stood up and followed his friend.

"This is from Mrs. Potter. She said that James, Lily, and Harry all arrived there late last night. An unknown curse hit Lily's leg, and according to Harry, magic will only make it worse."

"The Cruspo Curse. He's just invented it. Used it on Hermione a few months ago. But it was on her arm. The nurse tried to heal it, but it made it worse. She had to get a fake one that the muggles use. That's why Harry recognized it."

"I see. Anyway, they are going to a muggle hospital to get it looked after, then they will come here via The Knight Bus. They won't be back until later this afternoon. You are to teach his classes."

"Okay sir, I'll go that. Can I go?"

"Yes. Good luck."

"Thanks," Ginny said then muttered to herself, "I'll need it."

"Yes, she broke it early this morning. We didn't find her until an hour ago. We tried to revive her, but we couldn't," Harry said to the muggle doctor at the hospital.

The doctor nodded and said, "Very well. I'll just get you and Mr. Potter to wait outside, Mr. Patterson. It's obvious that it's broken, but we'll need to x-ray it, to tell in which place. Places, more like. That'll take about fifteen minutes. It'll be another forty-five until we get the cast on. I'm sorry to say that we are extremely busy, so we won't be able to keep her. You'll just have to take her home and let her wake up there."

"Okay. We'll just wait outside then," Harry said, pulling James away.

"The nurse will give you some papers to fill out."

As instructed, Harry filled out three papers about Lily. "Why are you putting her last name as Potter?" James asked, "It's Evans."

"I know," Harry muttered, "Keep quiet. For now, she's your twin brother, and I'm your step-father."

"Why?"

"You know, I enjoy questions in class, but not here. But, I'm doing it so we'll be allowed in here. Otherwise, they'll want her parents."

"Okay, I see."

They waited outside the x-ray room for ten minutes when James said, "I'm bored."

"Then go get me some coffee. The tea room is on the top floor. Use this muggle money. If anyone asks any questions, you are foreign."

"Okay!" James said, and bounded towards the elevator.

In another five minutes, the doctor came back out. "We've discovered that her leg is broken in-"

In his head, Harry finished, 'Three different places.'

"Three different places. We'll put the cast on immediately. We just have to transport her up to the third floor."

"I'll just wait here for James. He went to get us coffee. He should be back soon."

"Okay. But, please hurry. Putting on the cast is quite painful, and I wouldn't be surprised if Lily woke up during the process."

The doctor left, and Harry muttered, "I doubt it."

"Doubt what?" Came James' voice.

"That Lily will wake up while they put the cast on."

"Why?"

"God, you are annoying. She won't wake up because I put a charm on her to dull the pain."

"Why did you think of doing that?"

"Because I had a cast on my arm when I was eight, and my friend had the same curse on her a few months ago. But, I also know that she won't wake up during it, because Hermione didn't for almost two months after she got hers done. She was mad that she missed so many classes."

"That's mental, but I'm sure Lily will be too. What happened to you that made you have to get a cast?"

"My cousin threw me out of a window."

James stared at him, then said, "Why did he do that?"

"He was mad and it was either me or the television. Now that I think of it, he must have been fat enough to pick me up, although I was pretty small."

"How fat was he?"

"Fat all his life. When I had just turned fourteen, I remember that he was wider than he was tall, and about the size of a whale."

"Oh my god."

"I know. But, let's go upstairs. They'll be done Lily in twenty-five minutes."

They both headed upstairs, and waited outside yet another room.

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

"It's how I deal with stress. You should have seen me before O.W.Ls. I would ask random people if they were wearing pink underwear."

Harry stared at him, then focused on his coffee.

"So, you are teaching us Ginny," Sirius said conversationally.

"Yeah. What do you want Sirius? Remus?" A frazzled Ginny asked. She couldn't find Harry's lesson plans.

"Just to see your lovely face."

"Always the charmer."

"Sickeningly. I have to put up with it all the time. Anyway, where's Harry?" Remus asked.

"Still getting Lily and James."

"Why did James' mom send an owl to Dumbledore?"

"Because she wanted to tell him that the three were there last night. They went to London today, and they are getting Lily's leg fixed at a muggle hospital."

"Why can't Madame Pomfrey do it?" Remus asked.

"Perfect!" Ginny suddenly exclaimed, "Thank-you so much!"

"For what?"

"Giving me the idea for the lesson! I'll tell you all about the curse on Lily."

"You know, you could have just summoned the lesson plans," Remus said.

"Accio Lesson Plans!" Sirius said, and a stack of papers flew into his hand.

"I hate you," Ginny said, taking the papers, "Now leave."

"I love you too Ginerva!" Sirius called, as Remus dragged him out.

Once they were outside, Remus stopped, "What did you call her?"

"Ginerva. Her full name," Sirius said, as if it was common sense.

"Do you remember when we accused them of being Death Eaters?"

"Yeah, then Dumbledore said something about Arthur Weasley's mom and James' dad."

"Arthur's mom's name is Ginerva. Not a common name."

"And-"

"Let's go ask dear Ginerva some questions. While she's frazzled."

"Finally, she's done!" James cheered.

"Yes, now we can go," Harry sighed. He picked her up, thanked the doctor, paid the front desk, and the three of them left the building.

Half-way to the Leaky Cauldron, they were ambushed by Death Eaters again.

Harry shot every spell he knew at the pair, while James made a shield and carried Lily away.

"Look Potter, you and I both know that in the end, I will beat you. You might as well give up now," Lucious Malfoy's voice drawled.

"And not get revenge for my parents?" Harry shouted.

James paused for a second, staring at his teacher's immediate reaction to the name, Potter. 'Now's not the time,' He told himself, 'I have to save Lily. I can ask him later.'

"Hello again, Lovely Ginerva," Sirius greeted as he and Remus stepped back into the classroom.

"Now what do you want? And, don't you remember what I said about my full name. I like my nicknames, thank-you very much," Ginny growled.

"Actually, that's what we want to talk to you about, Ginerva," Sirius said.

"How I like my nicknames," Ginny asked absentmindedly, "Actually, I don't like my nicknames, just Ginny."

"What other nicknames do you have?" Remus asked innocently.

"My twin brothers always call me Gin-Gin." As soon as she said that, Ginny slapped her forehead, muttering curses.

Sirius and Remus both cracked up. "Gin-Gin? Oh my god, we'll never let you forget it!" Sirius cried.

"I know, I've seen," Ginny muttered, and the boys both stopped laughing, and looked at her curiously. Ginny didn't seem to notice.

"Anyway," Remus said, "Your full name, it's very unusual."

"I'm named after my grandmother, Ginerva Weasley," Ginny said, not realizing it, "Now, if you don't mind, could you leave?"

She didn't need to say it, as the two boys both dashed to the Library as soon as she said 'Weasley'.

"Good-bye, and good riddance!" Harry yelled at the stunned Death Eaters, "Let's go James, here I'll carry Lily, you call the Knight Bus."

"Here?" James asked.

"Yeah, we're in an empty alley. Plus, I don't want some more to ambush us on our way to the pub."

Harry picked up Lily as James stuck his wand out. With a loud 'bang', the violet, triple-decker bus appeared.

Sighing, Harry said, "Can you take us as close to Hogwarts as possible? And, as soon as possible?"

The conductor, pimply, just like the one in Harry's time, said, "Of course sir! You're lucky we're not busy today! Only Madam Marsh."

Harry's eyes widened and muttered, "Is this all she does? I mean, really, it can't be all that fun."

The conductor heard him, and said, "I think she's sweet on our new driver, Ernie Prang. Since he's come, she has been on here all the time."

Hastily, Harry shoved more than enough gold into the conductor's hand and said, "Hogwarts, now. I'm sure Madam Marsh wouldn't mind being on here that much longer."

"Yes sir!"

Harry ushered James to the back of the bus, far away from the crazy conductor. "Harry? Can I ask you a question?"

"Fine. I daresay, you've asked me enough."

"Well, when that one Death Eater said 'Potter', why did you respond so suddenly?"

Harry's face went white, and he gulped.