Chapter 9: Summer Home

It was about time for the end of school. Exams were coming up. Professor Peeler had already made out his exams, so now he was looking for places to stay over the summer.

"No. Yeah right. Ha! Like they'd accept me." Peeler said after writing a list and crossing the places out.

Just then, James entered the room.

"Hello Mr. Potter." Peeler said to him.

"Hi Professor. What are you doing?"

"Looking for places to stay over the summer. Teachers don't necessarily live here."

"Have you thought of anyplace?" James asked.

"It's looking like the Shrieking Shack." Peeler told him.

James thought. "Give me a few days. I have an idea."

With that, James ran out the door.

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When James told the rest of the gang what he had in mind, Sirius carefully examined the situation and asked as gently as possible,

"ARE YOU MAD!"

"He's thinking of living in the Shrieking Shack." James told his best friend in the owlery.

"Good way to get brownie points." Remus observed. "Invite the professor home."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

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After the exams, James got a reply. It looked good because there were two letters. One for him, and one for Peeler. James read over his letter and ran to the DADA office.

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Meanwhile,

Professor Peeler was packing up his items. He decided he was going to the Leaky Cauldron. If they didn't have room, then he was moving to the Shrieking Shack.

He looked down at a piece of paper on his desk. His eyes widened and, before he could do anything, James came running into the room.

"Hello Mr. Potter." Peeler said putting a large stack of text books on the paper.

"Professor." James panted "You don't have to worry about a place to stay."

James handed Peeler the letter.

Professor Peeler,

Hello again. I'm sure you remember me from the Quidditch incident James was involved in at the beginning of the New Year. In case you don't, I am Charles Potter, James' father.

James has informed us that you are in need of a place to stay over the summer. My wife, and I would be honored if you came to our place. There is more than enough room. It will also help Elizabeth and I handle James and Sirius. I'm certain that they have informed you that Sirius Black will be staying the summer with us.

Again, thank you for helping my son.

Sincerely,

Charles H. Potter

Peeler smiled. "Thank you James. I'll accept your offer."

He then pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote a reply.

Mr. Potter,

Thank you for your offer of shelter for the summer. I'll accept it. I hope I won't be in the way. I really enjoyed the year with your son and his friends and I look forward to a summer of the same fun.

Sincerely,

Harold J. Peeler

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Platform 9 ¾,

"See you around Evans!" James called out to Lily.

She rolled her eyes.

"I think she's growing on me." He told Peeler.

"Keep believing." Peeler told him.

"James! Sirius!" a male voice called out.

The boys turned and saw a tall man who looked just like James.

"Hi Dad!" James called out to the man.

"Professor Peeler." Charles said acknowledging the Professor. "Thank you for looking after my son."

"It's my job Mr. Potter. Just call me Harold."

"And just call me Charles. But not Charlie. I hate that."

"I understand." Harold said. "Charlie reminds me of my girlfriend. One of her brothers' name is Charlie."

"Ah. You miss her don't you."

"Yes." Harold admitted. "Very much."

"Well, we better get the kids back and settled. The house is huge, so it will take a while to show you around."

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When the men got to Potter manor, Harold (as I will be calling him for the summer, but once school starts, it's back to Peeler) smiled.

"Big enough?" James asked.

"No. Just right." He said. "Reminds me of my parents' house."

"Liz!" Charles yelled as they entered.

"James! Sirius!" Elizabeth Potter came running into the entry way and crushed the boys into a hug (Molly Weasley-like to give a description)

"Hi Mum." James managed to croak out.

"I heard about what happened February. Are you alright?"

"Yes. Thanks to our DADA professor."

"This just wasn't your year was it?" she asked her son.

"Nope." James told her. "And Evans STILL won't go out with me."

The redheaded lady released the boys from her embraced and shook Harold's hand.

"Thank you Professor." She told him. "After Jennifer was sent to America, if I lost James…"

"It's no problem." Harold told her. "And call me Harold."

"Very well. James. Show Harold up to his room. And NO PRANKS!"

"Yes Mum." James said obediently.

"You can't prank this guy if you tried." Sirius added as they followed.

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To give you an idea where Harold's room was, it was in the same location Harry slept after he moved back in with his parents.

Harold looked around the plain room.

"Sorry it's not decorated." James apologized.

"No problem." Harold said waving his hand

The white marble walls turned to Red and Gold. There were also Quidditch posters on the wall.

"That's more like it." Harold said.

James and Sirius starred.

"What?" Harold asked.

"YOU'RE a Quidditch fan?" James asked.

"Yes. My best friend plays pro. Keeper."

"I'm more impressed with the wandless." Sirius admitted.

"Oh. That trick. I learned it last year. I had my old headmaster teach me in private. My parents don't know yet."

"Do you play?" James asked still on the Quidditch subject.

"Do I play?" Harold repeated. "Does a mermaid swim? I got on my house team first year!"

"First year?" they asked in awe.

"I wish McGonagall was like that." James said.

Harold had a weird look on his face. Like he was up to something.

"What?"

"Nothing. I noticed the Quidditch field out back."

"You want to fly?" Sirius asked.

"Of course." Harold answered.

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James, Sirius, Charles, and Harold all went out to the field.

"What kind of broom is that?" Harold asked.

"It's a Clean Sweep." Charles said. "Try it out."

"Let's see how good you are." Sirius said.

Harold mounted his broom and took off like the snitch. The other starred open mouthed as he did a lap around the field in record time.

"It's been almost a full year since I've ridden." He told them. "So I may be rusty. And these brooms aren't what I'm used to."

"Rusty?" Sirius asked. "I'd hate to see ready if that's rusty."

"Oh yeah." Harold told him. "My second ever game, I caught the snitch in five minutes."

"So, you're a seeker?" Charles asked interested.

"Yes." Harold told him.

"James." Charles told his son. "Get the balls."

Charles then mounted his own broom as James went to go get the balls.

"I was Seeker once myself." Charles told Harold.

"Ah. One-on-one? No time limit?" Harold said catching on.

"Here they are Dad." James said getting the balls.

"Release the snitch." Charles told him

James obeyed.

The chase was astounding. Charles Potter was well known for his skill in Quidditch. Harold Peeler could easily be named the next Charles Potter. They both performed moves that were in James' Quidditch books. Finally, they were neck and neck with the snitch flying just ahead of them. Both Seekers reached out and grabbed for the snitch.

"You're good." Charles said.

"You too." Harold told him.

Finally, to the younger boys amazement, both Seekers grabbed the Snitch. Harold had the right side and Charles had the left.

"We tied?" Harold asked.

"Apparently." Charles agreed.

"Dinner!" Elizabeth called to the boys.

"Well, I suppose this calls for a Champion's dinner." Charles said.

"You said it." Harold said.

The younger boys raced.

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At dinner,

Thank you." Harold said to the house-elf.

"Yous is much welcome Mister Harold Peeler." Trixy the house-elf said after she refilled his glass of water and went to James.

"Reminds me of our house-elf." Peeler said looking at Trixy.

"So Harold," Elizabeth said starting a conversation. "You can't be much older than James."

"I'll be turning 19 at the end of July." Harold told her.

"19? And teaching?" Charles asked. "What possessed you?"

"Well, where I come from, there was a great evil. I had managed to defeat it. I could have been an auror, but those positions were filling up fast. I could have gotten in easily because of my connections and my identity, but, I felt it was more important to teach the future generation how to defend themselves." Harold told them. "It was because of that evil, I didn't have a good childhood. I was forced to mature at an early age."

"You poor thing." Elizabeth said.

"It doesn't matter." Harold told her. "It all worked out in the end."

TBC