Author's Notes:

Hi everyone! I hope you've all kept safe and healthy. We've been staying in at our house as much as possible. Trust me, with a 5 year old (whom I love dearly), a 30 year old fiance, and a 2 year old dog this hasn't been easy! My graduation ceremony was postponed...but I suppose we saw that coming.

Midnitewanderer: I'm hoping to show some of that decline. Hopefully I can do his character justice. Also, you'll see with this chapter. No Spoilers! Ari Black: I'm glad you enjoyed reading my story to this point! Tonks will definitely make an early appearance, I just haven't decided how, when, or why. But trust me, she's going to be badass. I am a firm believer in strong female characters! Dutchie: Thank you for the kind review! I'm glad you like how I've been writing Sirius. Hopefully I can do his character justice. Guest: Thank you for reading! I"m not sure what "I ke" stands for, though. But keep reading!

Thank you all so much for your support! I enjoyed writing this chapter and I'm super pumped for the next one. Interesting things are brewing (I"m punny, right?). Anyway, thanks for reading my rambling! Enjoy this update!

Chapter Fifteen: Child's Play

Ginny wandered out to the pond behind the Burrow and found Harry and Ron skipping rocks over the water. She skipped over to them, her red hair breezing out behind her.

"What you doing?" she asked Ron and Harry.

"Go away, Ginny," Ron snapped.

Ginny placed her fists on her hips and said, "That's not nice! I staying!"

Her stance reminded Harry very much of Mrs. Weasley. He glanced at Ron who was rolling his eyes.

"You're too little, Ginny! Go away."

"I am not too little!" Ginny shouted as she stomped her foot.

"You are too! And you're a girl! Harry and I don't want you here."

Ginny turned to Harry, "Can I play too?"

Harry glanced over at Ron again and back at Ginny. He wasn't sure how to answer without hurting one of his new friends.

Ginny looked at Harry expectantly; when she realized he wasn't going to say anything, she stomped her foot, angry tears welling in her eyes. "Fine! I don't wanna play with you!"

Harry watched as Ginny stomped off and looked back at Ron, "Why can't Ginny play with us?"

"Because she's annoying."

"I don't think she's annoying," Harry said as he looked at the ground.

"She's always bothering us, though."

"But she's so nice. And she's good at throwing the quaffle."

Ron shrugged, "So?"

"She's also kind of scary," Harry replied as he watched Ginny talking to the twins in the distance. He could vaguely see the hint of mischief on their faces as they glanced Ron and Harry's direction.

Ron looked in the same direction as Harry. When he caught sight of the twins and Ginny he paled, "Uh, we should—we should go."

"Why?"

"Ginny's super angry."

"She didn't seem that angry."

"She's talking to the twins, she's angry."

Harry frowned and then stood up. He carefully walked over to the twins and Ginny. They looked him up and down.

"What do you want?" Fred asked, "Haven't you hurt Ginny's feelings enough?"

"I didn't mean to," Harry said, "I don't know why Ron said that."

"Because he's a meany!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny," George said.

"You need to learn the art of finesse," Fred said.

"That's how you get back at people."

"And make them feel bad about what they did."

"Let us teach you," George finished.

"Ginny, I'm sorry," Harry said as he looked at his shoes.

Ginny frowned, her brown eyes dark as sparks flew around her, "You were mean!"

"I know. I'm sorry. Wanna play Gobstones?"

Ginny looked back at the twins before turning to Harry, "You can help us. If you're done being a meany!"

"Help you with what?"

Fred and George exchanged looks with one another before Ginny replied, "Fred make his Teddy a pieder!"

"What's a pieder?" Harry asked.

"She means a spider," Fred corrected.

"We just need you to get him to hold it," George said.

"It was my idea!" Ginny added.

"So, like a prank?"

"Definitely a prank," Fred said.

"It'll be so funny!" George said.

"Then he won't be a meany!"

Harry smiled, "I can do that. Ron won't be mad, right?"

"Maybe for a little. He'll get over it," George replied.

"Ok, I'll do it."

Ginny grinned at Harry and beckoned him forward. The group of children gathered together to discuss their plans while Ron sat away from them throwing more rocks into the pond on the property. Sometime later, Harry ran over to Ron and asked if he wanted to play inside for a while since Fred, George, and Ginny were outside. Ron quickly agreed and led Harry inside and up to his room.

Ron showed him all around the small room and showed him some of the quidditch posters he had. Ron seemed to favor the Chudley Cannons but he also had some Puddlemere United merch and stuff from Pride of Portree. Harry was impressed with the moving posters of the quidditch stars and how they passed the quaffle back and forth. He was especially impressed with the seeker who was zooming around the poster at top speed.

Tearing his eyes away from the posters, Harry asked, "Do you have any toys up here?"

"Yeah!" Ron replied excitedly, "I have some blocks and a teddy and my chess set from my brother Charlie."

"I thought Fred and George are your brothers?"

"They are. I have three other brothers. Charlie and Bill are at school."

"That's so cool. I can't wait to go to school. Can I see your toys?"

Ron nodded and pulled out the teddy and the chess set. He picked up the teddy and carried it with him as he went to find the blocks.

Harry looked back at the partially opened door to Ron's room and saw a pair of dark brown eyes looking in at him. Harry gave a quick nod before he turned back to look at Ron. He watched in horror as Ron's teddy bear sprouted several long, black, hairy legs and then a large, black head. As the legs brushed Ron's arm, he giggled and looked down at the object tickling him. His blue eyes widened in horror as he saw the large, black spider he was holding close to his body.

Suddenly, Ron threw the spider across the room as he screamed. Harry dove out of the way of the spider as it came whizzing passed him in the small attic room.

Ginny, Fred, and George fell into Ron's room as they laughed at the scene before them. The spider was scuttling around behind them near Ron's bed. Ron himself was crouched in a corner of his room rocking back and forth, crying. Harry simply sat there, confused. He had enjoyed playing the prank with Ginny, but he felt bad for making Ron so upset.

Harry turned his eyes towards the door to the room as he heard hurried and loud footsteps climbing up the stairs towards them. None of the Weasley children had noticed the coming commotion yet.

The door to Ron's room burst open to reveal an angry and confused Mrs. Weasley. Her brown eyes scanned the room for the source of the commotion. She noted the three children laughing, Harry staring at her, and Ron bawling before she noticed the large spider that was now making its way up the wall to the ceiling.

Mrs. Weasley lifted her wand and shouted, "Finite Incantatem!"

The spider suddenly fell from its resting place on the ceiling and landed on Ron's bed as a teddy bear once more.

Rounding on her children, Mrs. Weasley yelled, "And who's idea was this? Do you have any idea how much you've traumatized your brother?"

All three Weasley children looked at Mrs. Weasley innocently while she stared back, fire in her eyes.

"Well?"

"Mum, it was just a bout of accidental magic!" Fred pleaded.

"Bullocks!" Mrs. Weasley snapped, "One or more of you planned this and I intend to find out who did it."

"It was an accident, mummy!" Ginny plead.

"Fred, George; were you behind this outrageous prank?"

"Mum!"

"How could you assume it was us?"

"There were two other people in this room!"

Mrs. Weasley sternly looked at her twin sons as the shouted indignantly at their mother.

"It was me, Mummy," Ginny said to her mother, her eyes wide and sad.

"Oh, Ginny dear, I know you couldn't have done this," Mrs. Weasley assured her daughter, "You're much too young to think of doing something like this. As for you two, you're both grounded for the rest of the day. To your room."

Fred and George looked at their mother incredulously, "Mum! We didn't plan this!"

"We didn't even change the bear!"

"March!" Mrs. Weasley said as she pointed towards the door.

Fred and George hung their heads and walked out the door, muttering to one another as they glanced back at Ginny who was standing before her mother smiling politely.

"Mummy, can I have a biscuit?" Ginny asked Mrs. Weasley sweetly.

"Of course, Ginny dear. Come down to the kitchen. You can have it while you help me make dinner. You boys play nice up here, ok?"

Harry nodded back at Mrs. Weasley as he watched her and Ginny walk out of the room. Ginny looked back at Harry and gave him a brilliant smile. Harry smiled back and felt himself blush. He decided that he liked Ginny Weasley and that being her friend was certainly a better alternative to being her enemy.

~ID~

Around dinner time, Remus and James found themselves sitting in the living room watching the TV, neither of them paying it too much mind. Remus had his ears tuned towards the stairs, hoping to catch the sound of footsteps descending them. So far everything had remained quiet at Potter Manor.

The two men knew one of them would have to leave soon to pick Harry up from the Weasley's house. So far they hadn't heard from them since Harry's tantrum earlier than day and assumed that everything was going well.

James looked over at Remus who was sitting in the armchair with the recliner out. They hadn't spoken yet about James' interviews at the Ministry and Portree's office. He kept turning over the conversations in his mind. Was he making the right decision?

"Hey, Moony? Can I get your opinion on something?"

Remus continued to stare towards the doorway leading to the staircase for several moments before realizing that James had asked him a question. Remus tore his eyes away and looked at James, his eyes glazed over and distant, "What did you say?"

"Can I get your opinion about these job offers?"

"Oh, sure. I'm not sure what help I'll be, though. I haven't been able to hold a job since we graduated."

James frowned, "You haven't had a job in almost five years?"

"Nope."

"Have you thought about talking to Dumbledore? You've always wanted to teach and out of all the wizarding schools he would be the most likely to give you a job."

"No. I could never subject the students of Hogwarts to learn from me. It was bad enough I was there for seven years as a student."

"Remus. You and I both know that Dumbledore can make it safe for you to teach. I've heard about this new potion—"

"I have, too, and I have my doubts about it. I will not talk to Dumbledore. Now, what did you need my opinion about?"

James looked into Remus' golden eyes and made sure to file away this conversation for later; he wasn't done discussing this.

"I wanted to get your opinion on these job offers. I have one from the Ministry to finish my auror training and one from Pride of Portree to be a second-string chaser with a promise of moving up. I don't know which to choose. Sure, being a chaser comes with so many more benefits and a higher pay, but do you think I'll get bored of always playing quidditch? I never imagined it as a profession, just a hobby."

"I think," Remus began slowly as he set aside the book on ancient runes that was in his hands, "that you would get tired and stressed out being an auror. We both know the war isn't really over. Do you really want to be working in the auror department when he rises again? Especially when you know we'll have to train Harry so he stands the best chance against him?

"You also love flying. I've never seen you happier, other than when you were with Lily, than when you're playing quidditch. It's more than just a hobby for you, Prongs, and I think you'd find yourself enjoying your work life better if you're doing something that you love.

"You could also talk to Dumbledore about teaching or you could go into research. Lord knows you make enough money that you don't need a real job."

James thought for a few minutes. Did he really want to go into a profession that he knew was going to cause him major issues during his lifetime if Voldemort rose again? Remus had a point, why should he put himself through that and stress himself out to the point that he can't properly train Harry or enjoy life, really. But would he be able to enjoy playing quidditch as a job. Sure he loved it, but is that really what he wanted to do? He had never considered playing professionally, he never thought he had the skills and then with the war, he had ignored that option completely to be able to do is part for the wizarding community. But now that the war was on hold, maybe that's something he could do. He did love flying more than anything.

"Thank you, Moony. That helps a lot. I'll have to owl Kalvin and give him my decision. Hopefully I'm not too late to join the team."

Remus smiled, "So Pride of Portree, eh? I always pegged you as a Puddlemere United kind of bloke."

"Puddlemere is a joke! Their seeker is so hit or miss that it doesn't matter how good the chasers are, if they can't keep 150 up they stand no chance at winning. Their inconsistency will always lose them the world cup."

"I must admit that outside of the house championship I don't know much about quidditch. I didn't bother to keep up with it while you were in Saint Mungos," Remus shifted in his seat and the book he had set aside slipped off the arm of the couch and fell to the floor, a small card flying out of it.

Remus and James both bent over to pick up the book and card at the same time. Remus managed to snag the book but didn't reach the business card before James did.

James glanced at the card and smiled as he handed it back, "Who's Jean Woodward and why do you have her business card?"

Remus blushed, "She's just a woman I met at the park. She has a daughter about Harry's age. We thought it would be nice for them to play together sometime since we live so close. She's a dentistry student, a muggle."

"Oh my. And you put her card into your book so you could call her for this playdate? I'm sure she wasn't attractive at all, was she? Married though, I assume."

"She may have been, I didn't notice. And, no, she's not married. I didn't inquire further. And I don't have relationships, you know that, James."

"Relationships, no. Flings and a shag, yes. So she's single then, eh?"

"Well, that's not what this is. I'm hoping that Harry can have a few muggle friends while he's a child. I think it will help round him out, don't you?"

James shrugged, "I'm all for Harry having any friend he wants. Especially if that means you get to continue to talk to the attractive Ms. Woodward.

"Give her a call. Harry and this girl can have a playdate at the park later this week. I'm sure he would enjoy getting out of the house for a while. I can schedule a training then as well."

"Oh, I had figured you'd take Harry to the park."

"Remus, it's clear she wanted you to be the one to take Harry on the playdate, not me. If she wanted me, she would have said Harry's dad could bring him, not you."

"I suppose I could use the time to read up on these runes. They've discovered a few new ones and they're hoping to be able to fully translate some ancient spells and documents sitting in the Ministry. I've heard some of them might have to do with lycanthrope."

"A cure, you mean?"

"A cure, yes, hopefully. Or, more likely, more information on the disease. Specifically, how it's transmitted other than by a bite, what happens when a person is bit by a wolf outside of the full moon cycle, information about our enhanced senses like smell and hearing even outside of the change. Anything like this will be extremely useful in creating a cure and enacting new legislation for the betterment of wolfkind."

"You've put a lot of thought into this."

"I've always had a fondness for runes. While you were sick, I spent a lot of time working on them and learning about them. I've gained quite a bit of knowledge about the area."

"Wow! I never got into the subject. I was always more interested in—"

"Women? Quidditch? Making your hair look messier than it really was to impress women? Mainly a certain Lily Evans?"

"On the nose, Moony. Go make that phone call."

Remus sighed and stood up, "Fine. But I'm going to complain the entire way there."

"No you won't!" James called as Remus wandered out of the room, grumbling.

Once Remus had left the room, James turned towards the table in front of him and pulled several pieces of parchment his way and picked up the quill in front of him.

First, James wrote a letter to Kalvin regarding the position with Pride of Portree.

Kalvin,

After looking into the other offers I received for employment and discussing them with my housemates, I wanted to write to you to accept your offer for a position as a chaser for Pride of Portree. I will need all new equipment as my was lost during the explosion that took place at my home several years ago. I'll need a new broom, gloves, robes, shoes, and new prescription goggles as my glasses simply won suffice should I need to play in a game during the first year or so as a second-string player.

I hope that my acceptance doesn't come to you too late and that there is still a place for me on Portree's team. I look forward to discussing my schedule with you over the next few days.

Thank you again.

James Potter

James quickly read over the letter before moving on to the next one.

Scrimgeour,

After considering your offer of a position in the auror department upon completion of my training, I have decided to decline. I have chosen to move forward on another venture that was offered to me. However, should I ever decide a career change is necessary, I will keep your office in mind.

Thank you again for the opportunity.

James Potter

Satisfied, James pulled out one last clean piece of parchment and began writing.

Professor Dumbledore,

I'm writing to you on behalf of Remus Lupin. I'm not sure if you remember him or not from my year at Hogwarts but I was hoping you could give me some direction.

Remus has had difficulty holding a job due to his furry problem and he refuses to owl you for assistance. I think he would make a wonderful teacher and I know that he's always wanted to be one. I was hoping you might know of a school, or even you, who is looking for a professor in either Arithmancy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, or Muggle Studies? I'm sure if Remus knew of a position, or if you came to him specifically, he wouldn't be able to turn down such a good opportunity. Especially if he knows that you and the other professors agree that he is a good fit for the position.

I was also hoping that we could schedule a meeting to discuss the subject of my and Lily's hiding during the war. We both know this isn't over and I want to be as prepared for his return as we can be. This means training Harry from an early age and equipping him with the knowledge he needs to succeed.

I hope you're well. Send my best to Minnie!

James

Smiling, James walked to the owlery alone, turning over everything that's happened in the last few months in his mind. Waking up, Lily being dead, having Harry home and getting him reacclimated to life in the wizarding world, Sirius getting out of prison and the psychological fall out, and Remus being there for so long. Everything was sometimes so overwhelming.

As he walked and thought, James almost didn't notice Sirius sitting outside under a tree near the owlery. He was writing in a book that James had never seen. Unsure of whether he should stop, James simply continued walking until he heard Sirius call to him without looking up from his work.

"I'm sorry I ran out without you."

James stopped and turned towards Sirius, "It's alright, mate, I understand."

"No, you don't. I don't either."

"You were overwhelmed."

"But why? I'm fine, nothing is wrong. So why am I acting like something is wrong? Everything just…it was so loud. There was too much."

James walked over and sat next to Sirius but didn't look at him, "Sometimes that happens. Have you thought about seeing a healer? I'm sure there's someone who's trained to handle what you're going through."

Sirius didn't respond.

"I can help you find someone. Keep it quiet."

"I'm fine. Let's not worry about it, ok?"

"Sir—"

"What have you got there? A love letter for me?" Sirius tried to snatch the letters from James who, using his chaser's speed, whipped them away.

"You wish, prat. These are for my job offers and for Dumbledore."

"Why do you need to talk to Dumbledore?"

"About Voldemort and the prophecy."

"Prophecy?" Sirius frowned.

"About Harry. We can talk about it later. I need to get these mailed. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, Prongs. Go mail your letters. We can talk over drinks later, ok?"

James nodded and stood up. He began walking towards the owlery before looking back at Sirius. He had gotten up and had walked back towards the Manor, the book and quill in his hands. Shaking his head, James hoped that Sirius would accept help from them. But knowing how hardheaded he was, James knew that it would take time.

He turned and walked into the owlery and attached the letters to the owls that were resting inside. James stood silently as he watched them fly away, enjoying the peace and the silence of the room before heading back down to the house to floo to the Burrow to pick up Harry.

~ID~

Remus dialed the number on the business card for the third time. As the phone rang, he contemplated hanging up again as his stomach tied itself into knots. Just as he was about to put the phone back on the receiver he heard a voice from the other end.

"Hello?" said the familiar female voice.

"Ah, hello," Remus began, flustered, "I was hoping to speak to Jean Woodward. Is she available?"

"Speaking," Jean replied.

"Hi, yes, uh, this is Remus Lupin. We met at the park earlier today. I was reading—"

"A History of the World Wars! Yes, I remember you. What can I help you with?"

"I was hoping that your daughter and my nephew would be able to have a playdate at the park later this week. Maybe Wednesday? Would you be available?"

"I think so, let me check quick," Jean said.

The phone went silent for a moment as Jean ran to grab her planner and ran back to the receiver.

"Yes. I have class until 2, but we could come around 3 or 4 and play for a while. Would that work?"

"That should be fine. Harry and I look forward to seeing you and…?" Remus trailed off, realizing that he had never heard Jean's daughter's name.

"Hermione. Hermione and I will be delighted to see you then. Wednesday at 3 then?"

"Sounds perfect."

"See you then! By, Remus," Jean said quietly.

"See you, Jean."

Remus smiled as he heard the click of Jean hanging up her phone. He slowly put his back on the hook before walking back to the library more excited for a weekday than he had ever been.

End Notes:

Thank you for reading Ignoring Destiny! Please like, follow, and review!