It was a hot day in the middle of July. The Department of Mysteries was quiet. This was normal, of course, because no one went down there usually anyway. The witches and wizards went home after a long day of work to enjoy what was left of the sun.
There was a small gasp and then someone yelling. James Potter looked around him. His hazel eyes darted around at the large archway in front of him. He looked over to see a wizard looking worried and a little confused.
"How did you get here?" the wizard asked, looking at the vacuum in his hands. He shook the bag and raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know," James answered, looking around him. He was in a large room. A large veil stood behind him. The room was bare. Only the veil stood proudly making James let out a shaky breath. "Where are we and where's my family?" James asked. The man looked at him with blue eyes and raised an eyebrow. He put down the vacuum and coughed.
"The Department of Mysteries," he answered. He then looked at James and rocked on his feet. James could have sworn he was studying him. Finally, he raised his wand. "You're not Harry Potter," he accused, but sounding unsure. James stared at him. How does this old man know his son's name? What was happening? James thought and took a deep breath.
"How do you know my son's name?" he demanded, running his hand through his black hair trying to remember what happened to him before he ended up at the Ministry. The old man dropped the vacuum again and laughed humorlessly. James wondered why this man was laughing about his son who could be dead at the moment.
Oh Merlin, what if Harry was dead?
"Your son? Your son doesn't have parents. Harry Potter is the most famous orphan the Wizarding World has ever known. You can't be his father. They died at the hands of You-Know-Who, um, ten years ago," the bewildered man said. James stared at him. Did he and Lily die? But, how could he be here then, living and breathing, just fine? James closed his eyes to clear his mind and make sense of the situation he was in.
After a few minutes, the old man seemed to decide that James wasn't an immediate threat and picked up the vacuum again and looked it over.
"How did you get here?" he asked again, not looking at James. James hummed and gasped a little when he remembered. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wand. He ran it over in his hand and sighed."There was this force and I heard someone crying. Then…I woke up looking at that," James said pointing at the vacuum. The man hummed and ran his hand over his wrinkled face. James turned around. He held back a gasp. Behind him stood the veil. James blinked before he opened his mouth. "That's…" James cut off when he felt something hit him in the back of the head.
He woke to his ears ringing and someone talking.
"I hit him with the vacuum. He should be waking up now," the voice of the old man said. James rubbed his head.
"Ow," he muttered. He looked at the old man who had his wand in his hand. Next to him stood an Auror aiming his wand at him. However, their eyes had something that James hadn't seen since his son was born; happiness. Why was this Auror happy to see him if they thought he was an impostor? James shook his head.
"Are you James Potter?" the Auror asked with his wand still aimed at James. James nodded slowly. "Prove it."
"How can I prove it?" James asked, knowing that it was too easy. He sat up and rubbed his head again. The Auror hummed and tapped his foot waiting for James to answer. James sighed. He didn't know what to do. James wanted his son. He knew that Lily wasn't coming back. He felt it and the man had called his son an orphan. James let out a breath and looked at the veil behind him. It was letting out small rumbles.
A few moments later the Auror asked, "What is the last thing that you remember?" James was thrown off a little by this but after a few seconds, he recounted his would-be final moments.
"Voldemort," he said and ignored the gasps from the people around him. "Found us. He broke down the door and…and I told Lily to take Harry and run. Then…then…I felt cold…" James trailed off as he stared off into the veil. He looked scared and broken. From the look on James's face, the Auror lowered his wand. He smiled sadly at James.
"Welcome back, Mr. Potter. Are you sure you are James Potter?" the Auror asked, aiming his wand again at James. James let out an annoyed breath.
"Yes, how is me explaining my own supposed death to you not prove enough?" James snapped stanging his wand from the old man. The Auror sighed and nodded.
"I believe you for now. Would you like to see your son though?" he asked, holding out his hand James blinked and nodded, taking the man's hand. James smiled softly.
"My… son... I can...?" James cut off. The Auror smiled at him and nodded as they both watched the old man finish his cleaning.
"Yes, please. This place gives me the creeps," the Auror said. James nodded and followed him out. He was almost bouncing. He could not wait to learn what Harry's life with Sirius and Remus had been like. He could not wait to see his son's Hogwarts years and watch him grow up to be an amazing wizard. James wiped the tears from his eyes.
'I will raise him well Lily.' James thought as he left the room.
A/N: Summery: James comes back to life AU: James gets pulled through the vail alive and well. He gets to look after Harry, and he can't wait.
House: Hufflepuff
Class: Charms
Drabble
Prompt: [Location] The Department of Mysteries
Word count: 989
