'Walk Percy. Don't run. How on earth would it look if the Minister's Junior Assistant was running through the hallways?' Percy Weasley thought to himself as he made his way from the containment cells back to the Minister's office. But he was having a hard time following through with his thoughts. After all, what he had just heard… Impatiently Percy hit the up button on the lift and waited for it to come. While he waited he couldn't help but look over his shoulder, back in the direction of… Percy's thoughts of what had just happened were broken by the sound of the lift doors opening. Stepping in, Percy saw some members of the Press all with the quills out, all looking eagerly down the hall. After the grate closed and their vision was block did they give Percy a look over. But, it being only Percy, their faces fell. Of course, Percy knew what they were doing.
The press was allowed to be on the Magical Law Enforcement floor, the Ministry could not deny their right. But, it was common knowledge that while there was a prisoner on the floor, being questioned, it would be in everyone's best interest if the press wasn't buzzing around looking for stories. During the war, they had been a few times when a prisoner would yell things at the press that the Ministry didn't want made public, which needless to say upset the Ministry quite a bit. Yet the Ministry's unhappiness was not what kept the press standing in lifts trying to see what, or if anything, was happening. It was Mad-Eye Moody that kept the reporters at bay. Mad-Eye had a death eater in the containment cell ready to be questioned. It was big news because this death eater was though to have some information that would be every valuable. But some how, another death eater had gotten into the Ministry, and into the cell, and killed the prisoner. Needless to say, Mad-Eye wasn't happy. And a reporter was unlucky enough to be one of the first people to get in his way.
"Level One. The Ministry of Magic's office." The witch that spoke in the lift said. Stepping out of the lift, Percy walked briskly over to the Minister's secretary. The first level of the Ministry is the only one that has any really windows, not the magical ones that were used everywhere else, as it was in fact on ground level. And they were large windows indeed. They were in the center of the walls and where in length about four feet, casting the room with wonderful rays of sunshine.
From looks alone, the whole floor seems to be about the same size as the Auror Headquarters. But it was much grander looking the Auror Headquarters. Where the Auror room is divided up into cubicles and things of that such, the Minister's lobby was wide and open. At the opposite side of the lifts there was a very comfortable sitting area. There was a large carpet with beautiful designs and colors that was said to be the magic carpet that the Ministers used to travel on before carpets were declared a muggle artifact. Surrounding the carpet were large, tan leather couches. And at each end of the couches was an end table with a vase full of roses and baby's breath, each vase of roses were charmed to be one of the colors of the carpet.
Even though the floor looked to be only the size of the Auror Headquarters, the fact is that the lobby is only the size of the Auror Headquarters. It was on this floor that important visitors from other countries stated when they came to do business with the Ministry. Though they could not be seen (a password had to be said to the right part of the wall for the door to appear), all along the mahogany walls were doors that led to large magnificent rooms, all fit to last a person a weeks stay a the very least. Yet, even with many rooms hidden behind the walls, in the lobby itself, the furniture and the desk of the Minister's secretary were the only things to be seen. Percy's own office was behind the door that was across the hall from the Minister's.
"Shannon, is the Minister in his office?" Percy asked once he reached the secretary's desk. She didn't even look up from the parchment she was reading when she answered him in an annoyed voice.
"The Minister is very busy today Mr. Weasley. He said not to be disturbed." It was almost every day that she had to repeat this line to Percy.
"Could you just send a memo into his office telling him that I really need to speak with him. It is a topic of a very serious nature." Percy said.
"Minister Fudge said that he does not wish to be disturbed. Memos are classified as a disturbance." She said, still not looking up from the parchment. Percy sighed and looked at the large wooden doors that were to the right of Shannon's desk. On each of the doors there was a large brass doorknocker with an "M" on it written in script. For one moment, Percy felt his reason slip away as he thought about just running over to the door and pounding on the door and yelling at the top of his lungs what only four people in the whole world knew. But, to his relief, the feeling went away.
"The second the Minister steps out of his office tell him that I must speak with him, that it is very, very important." Percy said, thinking it was the only thing he could do. When Shannon didn't give him any response, Percy just assumed she had heard him and was going to make a note of it as soon as he walked away. "I'll be in my office." Percy added as he started to walk across the floor to his office.
Percy had just put his hand on the doorknob when there was a loud bang, followed by another; though not as loud as the first, bang behind him. After working on the same floor as the Minister for many mouths now, Percy was not alarmed. The Ministry was merely agitated about something and threw this door open with such a force that it hit the wall and would swing back toward the Minister, who would again, push the door away from him. Turning quickly to tell the Minister about the development downstairs Percy saw that the Minister was not happy.
"Weasley! Tell me, what is the point of sending you important place if you won't report back to me with important news? Why is it that I had to hear that Summers is saying that she has the James Potter downstairs, alive and as well as one in his position can be from the Wizard Wireless?" Fudge yelled approaching Percy with long strides.
"Sir, I tried to tell you but I wasn't aloud into your office," Percy began weakly, looking over Fudge's shoulder to look at Shannon, or glare at Shannon rather. But Fudge wouldn't have it.
"In my office now! I want a full report of what the hell happened down there!" Yelled Fudge turning on his heel and heading back into his office. Percy followed quickly behind him.
"Here, drink this." Paige said handing James a paper cup with water in it. James took it, glanced inside then drained it all in one. Crushing it with his hand James threw it to the side. "Never here of recycling?" Paige asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"How the hell have you lived this long?" James asked, leaning back in his chair and surveying Paige. She let out a small chuckle and glance at Kingsley, who had stayed in the room with them when the guard and Weasley had ran out of the cell. Giving a cough and jerking her head to the door, Paige started pointedly at Kingsley.
"Right. I'll be just outside." He said, standing from his own chair. Both Paige and James watched him leave. Only when he was gone and the door was closed did Paige look back at James.
"James, I don't know how to tell you this. I wish I had asked how I was suppose to but…" She let out a sigh and then continued. "Voldemort, well let just say hasn't been around since you died, or whatever happened to you."
"You mean he's dead?" James asked eyes widening as he leaned forward in his chair.
"No, well not really. Or not any more," Paige said, slowly lower her voice to a whisper as she said the last part. Leaning forward in her chair closer to James, Paige began to speak in a hurried undertone. Who knew how much time they had before the Press came and broke down the door? "Alright, after Voldemort, did whatever he did to you, as um, I sure you saw he killed Lily." Paige said, faltering a little. "But, when he tried to kill Harry, the curse backfired and hit Voldemort and left Harry alive."
"Harry's alive!" James yelled standing up so fast that he knocked the chair over. His son, his boy was alive. It was odd, James thought, how this wonderful news, wasn't as shocking as you would think it would be for him.
"Yes he is, now please I now this is hard to ask but please sit down." Paige said glancing at the door where Kingsley was looking threw the little window with a look the clearly said 'everyone out here heard that'. James, clearly a little on the dazed side, sat. Paige went on. "He's fifteen, in his fifth year at Hogwarts and is in Gryffindor. Um, well that's all that's important for now. And now I know this is going to sound very weird but you already know a lot about him and very soon your going to meet him. But you can't let anyone know what I just told you." Paige said.
"What that Harry is alive?" James asked still in a state of complete bliss.
"No, that I told you that you know a lot about him already." Paige said. James opened his mouth to say something but Kingsley reentered the room and he stopped.
"Word leaked to the Press. That kid must have said something. From the sound of it, there not sure if they believe that the "Potter-Poser" is really him but you staying in here so long after the others left is raising some eyebrows." He said in his deep calming voice. Paige sighed.
"What about Fudge? Word gotten to him yet?" She asked.
"Fudge? That bloke that works in Magical Catastrophes? What does he got to do with anything?" James asked confused.
"He's ass got Minister of Magic." Paige said dryly. Kingsley was slightly taken back by the manner in which Paige had just spoken. True, it was well known that she wasn't Fudge's number one supporter and that she wasn't really the runner up for world's best manners, but it was just different. James gaped at her, though for different reasons then Kingsley.
"Him? What happened to Crouch?" James asked. Paige opened her mouth to explain when there was a knock on the door and they all turned to look. Just as they were all looking the flash from a magical camera blinded them all.
"Guess they have their answer now," Paige said, looking at how she and James were seated on the same side of the table and how close. It didn't really look like she was questioning a death eater.
"What do you want to do now?" Kingsley said with his back to James and Paige, looking out of the window in the door, watching the person who had gotten the picture run like hell. Casting a sidelong glance at James, Paige said,
"Well, when Fudge finds out, he's gonna question you some more. So maybe we should get a head start. Get this all over with as soon as possible." Paige said standing.
"Where are you going to take him?" Kinsley asked turning around and staring at Paige. James was also looking at her. Where else was there to question people but the room he was in now?
"We'll take him up to the Minister's office."
"And how will we get him past the Press?" Kingsley asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the door. Paige smiled a little.
"The first thing that we had to learn in training." She said looking at James who then understood.
"Diversionary tactics." They both said.
"So he really is back? It's really James?" Molly asked looking between Sirius and Remus. For what seemed like the hundredth time they nodded their heads. And then for the hundredth time Molly blew her nose in the handkerchief Remus had given to her when they started to tell her about James and Harry's meeting. If it were anyone else but Molly Weasley, the feelings between the two Potters would not have been shared. But, it was in fact Molly and when they tried to dance around how Harry felt about it, she just questioned them more and wouldn't take "He's fine with it," for an answer. Exchanging a glance with Sirius, who met it and rolled his eyes, Remus rose from his chair.
"Molly, I am so sorry if this seems rude. But Sirius and myself have not slept since James left and we are very tired," Remus said in that calm, professor like voice that he had. Molly stood and started waving him off before he could even finish.
"Oh no I am so sorry. Of course I'll leave you two be. Goodness knows that you should get some sleep in before the Order meeting tonight. I am so sorry for keeping you so long it's just," Molly said, eyes starting to be come teary the longed she talked. Fearing that she might start crying again and it would take Remus another ten minutes to calm her down Sirius interjected.
"Not a worry Molly. We probably wouldn't have slept anyway. To busy worrying and rereading that damn paper over and over again." Sirius said, trying to assure her that everything was all right and lighten the mood at the same time. But, saying something about the 'Daily Prophet' was the wrong thing to do as it gave her another thing to ask about.
"Oh that reminds me, Arthur wanted me to ask if what the paper said about you and Paige Summers was true. I have no idea what he was talking about, but he just told me ask you." Molly said. Sirius glanced uncomfortably at Remus over Molly's head. He was worried about that coming up.
"Tell Arthur that I'm sure he's heard the rumors." Sirius said, vaguely, hoping that Arthur wouldn't tell Molly what the hell it was about. Sure, Sirius knew that it was no secret to anyone that he wasn't exactly the Virgin Mary. But, still, telling Molly Weasley whom one of the girls he had slept with was just made his inside squirm a little more then he wanted to admit.
"Alright, I'll tell him," Molly said eyeing Sirius a little skeptically. "Now, you two go upstairs and try to get some sleep." Molly said, easily striding into her mother hen role. "If you need anything, owl me and I will be here." She said standing; Sirius rose from his chair as well to walk her to the door. Once they, Remus had followed Molly and Sirius from the kitchen, reached the front door Molly turned to them and said in a whisper so not to wake Sirius' mother,
"Thank you boys, I was just so worried. I'll bring things for dinner after the meeting. You two sleep well." She said opening the door, and after one last tearful look, she walked out and closed the door behind her. Once she was gone Sirius turned to Remus said,
"About time. How come it took you so long to catch the eye rolls I was giving you, which clearly said, 'Remus, get her out of here before I rip my hair out!' Huh?" Sirius said, leading the way up the stairs.
"I saw the eye rolls Sirius," said Remus. "But I didn't do anything cause Molly was generally worried and concerned and it would have been rude to kick her out."
"Like you just did." Sirius answered back, not missing a beat.
"No, she was going to leave soon anyway."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell yourself that if it'll help you sleep. See you in a few hours." Sirius said as the reached the door to his bedroom. Remus nodded and continued his way a little further down the hallway where is own room was. But before he could get there Sirius said, "And if any owls come, wake me up alright?" Looking behind him at where he had left Sirius standing he saw that Sirius was looking uneasy.
"He'll be fine Sirius." Remus said turning around and facing Sirius, standing in the middle of the hallway. Sirius just nodded.
"But, if an owl does come,"
"I'll tell it to go and bother your ass instead of mine." Remus said, trying to smile reassuringly. It seemed to have worked, to some effect at least, because Sirius nodded his head again and opened the door to his room, entered and closed it behind him. Standing there in the middle of the hallway for a little bit, Remus thought about how Sirius had been taking all of this. And not just the James being questioned at the Ministry, but rather the whole James being here.
When Remus had first showed up at Grimmauld Place after hearing from Paige, Sirius seemed to be in a state of calm about it all. But, after being friends with Sirius Black for so long, Remus knew that the 'state of calm' was all just bullshit. If Sirius was really calm about something, he was cheerful, or lively, not just calm. Then, slowly he started to get adjusted to the fact that James was really here, there, whatever, James was with him. But the thing with Harry and then James going away to the Ministry seemed to throw Sirius back several feet. Sighing and walking finishing his walk to his bedroom, Remus couldn't help finding himself wishing that Paige would get things done at the Ministry quickly, cause, it was more then James', Harry's, and Sirius lives that were being affected by this whole thing.
Walking out into the hallway Kingsley looked around. Seeing someone that fit what he need, Kingsley's walked promptly over to a man hunched over his desk writing a report up on a piece of parchment that was already trailing off of his desk. Bending down low, close to the man's ear, Kingsley began whispering some instructions. Startled at first, the man nodded his head, set his quill down and followed as Kingsley led him away from his desk. Walking back into the containment cell where he had left James and Paige, followed by the man that he had told to follow him, Kingsley said,
"I got a guy that's about his height." Paige turned and looked at the confused man that was just inside the room, standing close to the door.
"He'll do." She said, taking in his black hair (not as messy as James') and about 5' 9 height. James also turned around to look and upon seeing James, the man gave a sort of cry of fear and reached for the door. But Kingsley beat him to it and stood in front of the door, blocking it. "This man is not a death eater. I'm sure that you've heard rumors?" Paige said, knowing that it would not look convincing if their diversion looked scared out of his wits. The man nodded.
"It's all over the Wizard Wireless." He answered in a shaky voice.
"What's your name?" James asked.
"J-jake Taylor." Jake said, stuttering a little.
"Well Jake, like Paige said, I'm not a death eater, Voldemort did something to me that kept me alive but I have no idea what he did, but I want to know what the hell he did. Another thing that I want, is to see my son, who, Paige just told me is alive. To do these things, I'll have to get people, namely Fudge, to believe that I'm really me so I can leave the Ministry and see my son. To do that, I need your help. Are you willing to help me Jake?" James asked him. Jake seemed to stand up a little straighter as he nodded his head. "Good, now here is what we're going to do."
Ten minutes later, Kingsley again walked out of the containment cell. But this time, he wasn't alone. Walking next to him was a man wearing a cloak with the hood pulled over his head. The second that his man was seen by the people going about their business on the Magical Law Enforcement floor, whispers began to break out and people flat out stared as the man walked by.
"Is that him Shacklebolt?" Some one yelled out in the crowd.
"No comment," Kingsley answered in his deep calm, but booming voice. This statement had an effect at once. Whispers turned into all out shouts. The Reports had ran of the lift, forgetting all about what Mad-Eye Moody did, their thoughts only on how much money they would get if they got a picture of James Potter before everyone else. People circled Kingsley and the man in the cloak, who was pulling the hood further down to cover his face.
"He's good." James Potter said as he walked right by a reporter who bent down to pick up their quill giving James a good view of Jake as he pulled the hood further over his face. Paige chuckled as they reached the lifts. Hitting the button, she turned and watched the crowed of people surrounding Jake and Kingsley.
"I feel bad though, how embarrassing it'll be when one of them finally pulls the hood down and everyone takes pictures of his pink hair." She said as the lift doors opened behind them. James stood to the side, out of sight from the lift; while Paige made sure that it was empty, which it was save for the memos flying overhead. They had changed James' appearance slightly by changing his hair color and eye color, just so that if any eyes wandered from Kingsley and Jake, they would just pass over James, seeing him as just another Ministry worker. But precautions still had to be taken so that if anyone got a good look at him, they wouldn't be able to tell who he was.
"Yeah, well, he had to have a reason to cover his head, and what better one then his girlfriend got pissed at him and sent him a cursed letter that turned his hair pink?" James asked as he stepped in the lift after Paige gave him the all clear.
"Leave it to you to know that you can send a hair color changing charm through a letter." Paige said, hitting the number one button a few times. "You know what you're gonna say to him?" Paige asked as the lift stopped and the doors began to open, knowing that James would know that she was talking about Fudge.
"Nope, not a clue. Figure I'll wing it." James said, stepping out and making his way over to the doors that led to the Minister's office.
"Wait," Paige said, pulling out her wand. James stopped and bowed his head slightly to her, showing her messy blonde hair (which in her opinion made him look like a little 12 year old boy) pointing her wand at James' head, she said, "Finite Incantatem." James hair changed before her eyes back to black and when he held his head up, she was met with hazel eyes. After a nod to show it worked, they continued their way to the Minister's office.
"He in there?" James asked as they reached Fudge's secretary's desk. She had looked up from her work when she heard the spell being cast and her eyes were still wide and her mouth was still open.
"Is the Minister in his office?" Paige asked. The women nodded her head, still staring at James. "With anyone?"
"Ye-yes. He is with his junior assistant." The secretary managed to get out. But James and Paige weren't listening, they hadn't even heisted in front of her desk when they were speaking to her, they just continued their way. "He-hey! You, you can't go in there!" She said, coming to her senses a little when they reached the door.
"Sure we can. We have a matter of utmost importance that we need to speak with the Minister about." Paige said as she grasped one of the doorknockers, banged it three times while she was talking and the opened the door without waiting for an answer. In horror, Shannon watched as they both walked into the Minister's office and before the door was closed she heard,
"Minister Fudge, good-afternoon. There is something that you must be enlightened about."
For the hundredth time that day, Harry let out a great sigh and ran his hands through his hair, pulling at it at the same time. Thus resulting in his hair standing completely on end. For the life of him he could not concentrate on a damn thing that Flitwick was saying. Now his hands, which seemed to need something to do, where rubbing his eyes under his glasses.
"Harry, why don't you just put your head down or something? I'm sure that Professor Flitwick would understand." Hermione's whispered voice said from his left.
"Yeah, then just skive off next class. Go back up to the dorm." Ron's whispered voice said from his right.
"Yes, maybe you should Harry." Hermione said. This got Harry's, and Ron's, attention. Both turned their heads and looked at her with looks of confusion and on Ron's part admiration. Seeing their looks Hermione added, "Well really, what teacher would expect you in class?"
"Snape would." Harry said folding his arms on his desk and laying his head down on them. There was silence from both of his sides and Harry knew that the discussion was over. Or, at least he thought it was over.
"Go to McGonagall and ask her if you can be excused from the rest of your classes today, and that you'll get all the work you missed from Ron and me." Hermione said. With his head still resting on his arms Harry turned his head to look at Hermione. She wasn't even looking at him, she was still taking notes on what Filtwick was talking about, looking as though she had just told Harry that it was raining out, not that he should miss classes for the rest of the day. Shaking his head, Harry readjusted so that his head was in the crook of his arms and all he could see was the desk and the parchment that he had taken out of some reason.
The Overwhelmed spell that Hermione had cast on him once they had reached his and Ron's dorm had really taken affect. From the moment the spell started working, all Harry could think about was what he had to tell his dad, what people were going to, and were, saying to him, and what had already happened between him and his father. He wished that Sirius had told him just what the spell would do to him, cause he would have just acted overwhelmed if he had known that the spell would make him feel depressed as well as overwhelmed.
To Harry's relief, the bell rang meaning that they just had one more class to go before lunch. Standing up slowly and keeping his eyes downcast, Harry started to pack away his belongings. It had been somewhat shocking to look up at the end of his first class and see everyone staring at him. And not just staring as they made their way out of the classroom, some had stopped and where just standing there, staring, in the middle of the hallways. Ron and Hermione were packing slowly too so that it wouldn't look odd with them all ready to go and just standing around Harry. Finally all packed they made their way out of the classroom.
"Harry," said a voice from behind him. Trying to suppress a sigh, Harry turned around. It was Cho. They both just stood there for a little bit, Harry waiting to see what she was going to say, and Cho trying to find the words of whatever she was going to say. Even in his miserable state, Harry took notice of something; his stomach didn't get all tight like it usually did when he talked to Cho. But maybe he was just so miserable that he couldn't really get the fact that Cho Chang was talking to him, again, of her on free will.
"Oh Harry," she finally ended up saying following it with the unexpected. She hugged him. Wide-eyed Harry looked at Ron and Hermione who were standing off to the side for help. Ron was standing there looking just as shocked as Harry felt but Hermione was making patting motions with her hand. Getting the hint, but still bewildered, Harry patted Cho's back in what he hoped was a comforting manner. "I'm sorry," She said when she finally pulled away. "I should be comforting you, not the other way around. I read the paper and I want you to know that if you want to talk or anything, you can come to me. Okay?" she said. And Harry was even further bewildered to see tears in her eyes. Harry nodded dumb and Cho gave him a watery smile and then turned and walked away.
"What the hell was that about?" Ron asked as soon as Cho was out of hearing distance.
"You know, I think I'm gonna go to McGonagall and ask if I can take the day off." Harry said, running a hand through his hair and turning the other direction heading for the transfiguration wing. This day was turning out to be too much for him.
"What, what is going on here?" Fudge yelled when James and Paige had filed into his office. It was a large office, with walls of cherry wood that framed degrees and portraits of all Ministers hung on. The floor was carpeted black and in the center the "M" that was on the doorknocker was stitched in gold. Behind the Ministers desk was a large window, which was enchanted, like the majority of the windows in the Ministry. The Minister's desk was very large and, also, made out of Cherry wood. And the Minister that was sitting behind the desk, looked like a cherry resulting from the lovely shade of red his face turned upon seeing who was walking into his office.
"Minister, there is no need to call for more Aurors. I am already here." Paige said when she saw his hand inch toward a button that, when presses, would cause five of the best Aurors to apparate into the office to protect the Minister at all costs.
"What is the meaning of his Summers? Why did you bring this mad man here?" Fudge barked out his questions.
"This man Minister," Paige said walking forward and sitting in one of the chairs that were arranged in front of Fudge's desk. Percy was already sitting in one and was staring at James as though he thought James might explode at any moment. "Is not a mad man." She went on as James took the remaining chair, which happened to be on the other side of Percy. "As I'm sure Mr. Weasley as already told you, under veritaserumthis man admitted to being James Potter." Paige said, gesturing toward James.
"There are ways to get around veritaserum." Fudge said, now with his hands out of sight. Paige could only assume that he was reaching for his wand, which the thought alone made her have to hold back a snort of laughter.
"Yes there are Minister." Paige said with a small nodded of the head. "But I asked questions that only the real James Potter would know."
"And what questions would those be?" Fudge spat.
"Well, there is no need to take my word for it, your assistant wrote down everything that was said. Surely you do not doubt him?" Paige said. Fudge opened his mouth to say something but stopped at the sound of someone knocking on the door.
"SHANNON! WHAT WAS NOT CLEAR WHEN I SAID I WISHED NOT TO BE DISTURED?" Fudge yelled. But, the door opened anyway.
"I'm sorry Minister but he said that it was of matters most important." His secretary said stepping inside, closely followed by Albus Dumbledore.
"A thousand apologies Cornelius, but as I'm sure you remember I was very close to," Dumbledore began, but stopped when he saw James sitting there. Dumbledore stared for a moment then said, "And the meaning of this would be?"
"I am trying to figure that out myself Dumbledore." Fudge spat.
"Headmaster, under veritaserum this man said he was James Potter. And, when asked questions that only James would know the answer to, he answered correctly." Paige said, while thinking that Dumbledore was one hell of an actor.
"I see." Was all that Dumbledore said, still staring at James from over his half-moon glasses.
"It's really me Albus," James said, feeling the strong need to speak up for himself. When Dumbledore didn't respond, James tried a different tactic. "Got any Lemon Drops on you?" Not even that worked, and it worked every time he and Sirius got into trouble and were sent to the Headmaster's office. "Look, if you think that some how I got around the veritaserum, ask me something. Ask me anything." James said standing from his seat and turning to face Dumbledore, arms spread wide open.
"I don't have time for this! This man cannot possible be James Potter! James Potter is dead! He was hit with an Unforgivable Curse!"
"Minister, it is all in the notes that your,"
"No I didn't! He didn't cast,"
"What was in the letter you wrote to me after you received the Head Boy badge?" Dumbledore's calm voice asked.
"I wrote to you saying that you gave me Remus' badge. But that it was okay, that I would pass it along to him. And, that if you had intentionally gave me the badge, and made me Head Boy, had you taken a shot to the head from a bludger?" James rattled off. Dumbledore continued to stare at James, then said,
"Mr. Weasley, my I see these notes that have been discussed?" Dumbledore asked. Percy shuffled through the parchment he had on his lap, trying to put them in order. Once sure that they were in order Percy got up and walked over to where Dumbledore was standing, and handed them to him. The office was silent as Dumbledore read Percy's notes. Casting a sidelong glance at Paige, James was a little shocked to see her look so calm with his fate up in the air like this. True, James completely trusted Dumbledore and was sure that the Headmaster of Hogwarts would believe him, but still.
"Minister, I believe that this man should be questioned again." Dumbledore said at last looking up at Fudge.
"There is no time for this Dumbledore! We can start handing out veritaserum for every crackpot story to every crackpot person!" Fudge yelled, banging his fist on the table.
"Why are you fighting this so hard? Albus Dumbledore is asking you to do something, why the hell are you not listening to him?" James asked, getting very fed up with how Fudge was speaking to Dumbledore.
"James," Paige hissed but it was too late, Fudge's face was even redder then a cherry, moving toward a magenta color.
"I am the Minister of Magic. Not Albus Dumbledore. What I say goes. I don't know who you are, but you had better remember that." Fudge said through gritted teeth.
"Of course it does Cornelius, and, I do believe that this man's action acts as another reason that he should be questioned again. For, who would not know to treat the Minister of Magic with the utmost respect expect for someone who just learned who the Minister was?" Dumbledore said, walking a little closer to where Percy, James and Paige sat.
"Well, I don't, but…" Fudge stammered, clearly flustered.
"Minister, think of how it would look to stand out side of this office and tell people that James Potter is alive and that the death count of the War with Voldemort just went down one. That the Wizarding World is really being repaired." Paige said, trying to appeal to Fudge's weakness, which was the public thinks of him. And it worked; the color of Fudge's face lessened slightly and one could see the wheels turning in his mind.
"Fine. We'll question he once more. And in my presence." Fudge said finally.
"Harry? Mate wake up." Rolling over to his side, Harry tried to block out the voice that had woken him up. When he had gone to McGonagall and asked if he could miss classes today and make up the work later, she got teary eyed and agreed to Harry surprise. Once he reached his dorm he fell fully clothed into bed and had been sleeping deeply until this person decided to wake him.
"Harry come on. It's dinnertime and Hermione's going nuts cause you only had a small breakfast. And, well I don't know if you want to know or not, but Fred and George got a hold of a Wizard Wireless and, well all day the only it's been talking about is your dad." Ron said, shaking Harry's shoulder. At the mention of his dad, Harry rolled on to his back and looked at the burly redheaded figure that was standing over him.
"And?" Harry said, voice thick with sleep.
"And what?" Ron said, reaching over to the bedside table, grabbing Harry's glasses and handing them to Harry who put them on.
"What are they saying about him?" Harry asked sitting up, all drossiness fading away.
"Well," Ron said, glancing at the door and then sitting down on Harry's bed. "They're saying that the Ministry hasn't given any answer, but that's almost an answer in itself. The Wireless is also saying that someone saw two people leave the place where they were keeping him and go up to the Minister's floor. And that they've been there ever since." Ron said. "So it's sounds like its going good right?" He asked. Harry opened his mouth to say that he had no clue what that sounded like when the door of their dorm opened and Hermione's head came in. Upon seeing that Harry was awake she came fully into the room and started speaking at once.
"Oh good, you're awake. The whole school's saying that Dumbledore is at the Ministry, and well, they might be right because he's not at dinner and even people that got to dinner early didn't see him." She said, walking over to Ron's bed and sitting down on it, facing Ron and Harry.
"He probably is there. I mean, what if they didn't believe my dad, you know. What if they didn't believe that he was really him?" Harry said. "Who better to disprove Fudge then Dumbledore?" Said Ron, looking between Hermione and Harry, the latter staring out of the window where the almost completely set sun could be seen.
"What is everyone saying about this?" Harry asked, turning and facing his friend.
"Well, it, er, it varies." Hermione said softly.
"Varies?" Harry asked, even though he had a pretty good idea of what she meant.
"Yeah," Said Ron. "The Gryffindor's are worried about you and keep asking if you're alright, the Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's don't really know what to think, and well the Slytherin's are the Slytherin's." Ron explained, his fingers each earning a name as he listed the houses and their feelings. Harry nodded.
"Merlin, what are they gonna be like when the Minister finally says, 'its really him.'" Harry wondered out loud.
It took many hours, lots of veritaserum, and many people who were close to James Potter (expect for Remus Lupin because Fudge didn't want a Werewolf in his office) to come to the Minister's office and question the "poser" before Fudge called for the Death Certificate of James Harry Potter the Third to be sent to his office. Even though there was no way for someone to come back from the dead, misunderstandings in the Middle Ages called for there to be a procedure to be follow if someone was declared dead, and ended up not being dead after all.
It was in the Middle Age's where many witch and wizard hangings took place and if some wizards chose, they could fake their death. But the problem was, some faked their death too well and they were believed to be dead by the Wizarding World. Weeks, and some times years, after a person was declared dead, they would show up and had to be declared alive. Which wasn't that big of a procedure. All that had to be done, was for the Minister to call for the Death Certificate in front of witnessnes that agree the dead person was alive, and have the person who the Certificate was for write Etiam Spiritus with a blood quill on the certificate. Then, the person was officially alive. So while they were waiting for Fudge's secretary to come back from the Magical Law Enforcement floor with the Death Certificate, James was allowed to just stop and think about everything that had happened.
"Hey Paige," James said finally, having being unable to squish one question that had been in his mind ever since they started calling people to question him.
"Hm," Paige said in answer, she was rubbing her temples with her eyes close.
"Where's Sirius?" James asked. This got Paige's eyes open. But her attention wasn't the only one's that his question got. At his words, Fudge looked up from his desk and stared at him then said in a stranded sort of voice,
"Mr. Potter, rest assured that he was apprehended and was punished, but, it pains me to say that three years ago, Mr. Black broke out of Azkaban." James stared, and his heart felt like it stopped.
"Azkaban? What the fuck was he doing in Azkaban?" James yelled standing from his seat so fast that it almost knocked over. Fudge started at him in confusion.
"He sold your family to, You-Know-Who. And then, after doing so he killed Peter Pettigrew and 12 muggles." Fudge said.
"Wh-, what? No he didn't!" James yelled, but stopped when a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"James, perhaps it will be best for you to get away from the Ministry for awhile and then sort out any problems you may find." Dumbledore said calmly.
"You let them send Sirius to Azkaban? How could you do that?" James yelled.
"James," Dumbledore said, much more firmly this time, "If you wish to sort all this out now, it will be that much longer Harry will have to take the word of the student body of Hogwarts that he is no longer an orphan." He held James eye contact as he spoke and James could swear that he heard Dumbledore in his mind saying that Sirius was okay, that everything was okay and it would all be explained at Hogwarts. It was for that reason, and that reason alone, that James let it drop.
And, yet again, while he felt angry, hurt, and sadness about what they were saying about Sirius, James could help feel like this was old news. It was like he had heard it already, just like when he had heard about Harry being alive. The opening of the door broke through his thoughts, but maybe it wasn't so much the door opening so much as all the noise that entered the room as soon as the door opened. Because when Fudge's secretary had opened the door, they all got a glimpse of the lobby, which was packed with people.
"I got it Minister." She said, slightly out of breath as she made her way to Fudge's desk holding a long, thin black quill that had a very sharp point, and a piece of parchment that had black ink that glittered from the flickering of the torches that lit the office (the sun had gone down some time before and as soon as the office had started to get dark, the torches lit, all by themselves).
"Right." Fudge said, standing from his seat and walking around his desk so he was on the same side as James. He seemed to want this all over and done with. "Mr. Potter, come and stand next to me." He added commandingly. James stood from his seat and walked closer to Fudge. Handing the quill and the parchment to Fudge, the secretary stole a quick glance at James and, when he saw her looking, looked away quickly and hurried to stand by the door, waiting to take the parchment back to Magical Law Enforcement.
"Are you sure you want to listen to this Harry? And here?" Hermione asked in an undertone as she glanced around the packed common room. It seemed that all of Gryffindor Tower was in the common room, and all gathered around a single Wizard Wireless, with Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, and of course, Harry sitting the closest.
"Yeah Harry, if you want, we can take it up to your dorm and George and me will keep everyone out." Fred said, also in an undertone. Everyone was very surprised when Harry had descended the steppes from the boys' dorms and asked if there was any room for him to listen. Of course there was a scramble to make room for him and Ron and Hermione. Upon seeing the looks he was getting as he made his way over to his seat, he just said that he wanted to hear it for himself and he felt bad for making Ron run up and down the stairs every time something happened.
"No, I'm good here. This way, tomorrow, no matter what happens, everyone here will know how I took the news and there should be less rumors going around." Harry said in answer to Hermione and Fred, not taking his eyes away from the Wizard Wireless.
"And, yes, yes that's Fudge's secretary that ran out of the office five minutes ago and is now returning. With, oy! Mate! Shift a side there! She's holding a piece of parchment and a, well I'll be! That looks like a Blood Quill! Oh this is really exciting, this really gives us some answers. For those of you who do not know, to declare a dead person alive, the Minister of Magic must have the Death Certificate called to his office and the person who the certificate is made for must write on it, with the Blood Quill, oh, bloody hell what was it…Oh yes, the person must write "Still Breathing" on there Death Certificate, in Latin of course." Said that man that had been speaking from the Wizard Wireless all night.
"Here, take the quill and write Etiam Spiritus." Fudge said, handing the blood quill over to James who took it and served it before bring it down to the paper. Hand hovering over the paper, James looked over the piece of paper that said whether he was alive or dead. It had a lot of information on it, his parents' date and place of birth along with his date and place of birth. But whatever else was on it he didn't get a chance to see because Fudge barked at him to get on with it. So, gripping the quill, James brought it down and watched as the words he wrote were cut magically into the back of his hand. Once he had finished the last "S" James promptly dropped the quill and said,
"When can I see Harry?"
"The secretary is leaving the room, with the blood quill and parchment in hand! And, yes! It looks like it's been written on!"
"Miss! Miss! Is it really him!"
"Is that James Potter in there with the Minister!"
"Aw, come on Lady tell us something! The Wizards and Witches of the Wizarding World want to know!"
The whole of Gryffindor Tower were holding there breath as they listened to the reports of what was happening at the Ministry, and what all the other reporters, along with there's was saying.
All signs were pointing to yes. It seemed to all of Gryffindor Tower that Harry's dad really was back and that the Ministry was really saying it, but they would wait up all night until the reporter said they came out of that office.
"I see no harm in letting James come back to Hogwarts with me, Cornelius." Dumbledore said.
"Now see here Dumbledore. You can't go filling his head with all that nonsense that you're going around saying." Fudge said taking a step closer to James as though James was someone he could boss around.
"I, or anyone else can saying many things to him Cornelius, but it is James' choice alone who he chooses to believe." Dumbledore said calmly as James shot a look of disgust at Fudge and took a step away from him.
"This is all well and good, but right now the only thing that I care about is my son." James said, speaking rather loudly.
"And what I care about, as I am sure the Ministry cares about as well, is how you survived, James. Cornelius, I offer my services to you to assist in discovering what happened to James that night long ago. If he were to stay at Hogwarts, it would be all the easier to find the answers to this question if he could be at hand to be questioned." Dumbledore said, with a small bow of his head. "The Wizarding World would undoubtedly want answers." He added as though an after thought.
"Very well." Fudge said tightly, as though it was the last thing he wanted to say. "There is room at Hogwarts for him, which is more then I can say for the Ministry. But I will be asking Dolores for reports, to make sure he isn't disrupting classes." Said Fudge as though this would teach Dumbledore a lesson. Again, Dumbledore nodded his head.
"The door is opening and, yes that is Auror Summers coming out now."
"Is it really him Summers?"
"Paige! Is it him?"
"What'd they say in there?"
"And, Merlin! That's him! That's him! That's James Potter!"
The reporter that was speaking for the Wizard Wireless could hardly be heard from all the noise that had broken out, both in the common room and in the Minister's lobby where the reporter was, along with every reporter in the Wizarding World.All the yells, questions, and statements from the other reporters could be heard clearly.
"Harry," someone said from behind Harry whose eyes were wide and glued onto the little radio-like thing that was sitting on the floor in front of him. Turning to see who called his name, Harry saw almost all of Gryffindor Tower watching him. Some were smiling, clearly happy for the outcome of Harry having a parent alive, some whispering to eachother while staring at Harry, and some others also clearly had no clue how to act.
"Congratulations Harry," said a voice from some where from his right. Now turning that way to see who had spoken, Harry was greeted with the sight of Fred and George Weasley's with huge identical grins on their faces. Harry forced out a small smile. Sure, he had known that the man at the Ministry really was his dad, and sure, he had thought the shock was gone but it seemed as though it wasn't. He really hadn't thought everything would have happened so quickly. Sirius said that it was going to take much longer then it did. The congratulations from the Weasley twins seemed to set the mood, everyone in Gryffindor tower started saying congratulations to him and things of that sort. They almost covered the mayhem coming from the Wizard Wireless.
Almost.
When Paige and James stepped out of Fudge's office after it was deiced that James would go back to Hogwarts, there were met with the press. The press from all around the world it seemed. And they all wanted one thing, to question the hell out of James.
"James!"
"Mr. Potter over here for a picture!"
"What was it like being dead Mr. Potter?"
"What are your plans now?"
"Mr. Potter, tell everyone how it feels to be coming out of a fourteen year coma?
"Mr. Potter, tell us what your first thoughts were upon waking up inside a tomb!"
"Mr. Potter, tell us what it feels like to know that your son has face, or is claiming to have faced, You-Know-Who more times as you have?"
"No, how does it feel for your son to say that he's face You-Know-Who as many times as you?"
"Nah, the kids only faced him twice. Once as a baby once when he was eleven. Mr. Potter tell us,"
"No! They say the boy fought the Heir of Slytherin, and that's Who-Know-Who!"
"LOOK OVER HERE FOR A PICTURE MR. POTTER!"
Harry visible paled as he listened to the things the reporters were telling his dad. Things that he was suppose to tell his dad. Things he should have told his dad. The congratulations went on around him, only those sitting close to him, and even more so those knew the whole story saw Harry's reaction.
James swayed on the spot. What the hell were they all talking about? Harry had, Harry had what? He's faced Voldemort more…He'd seen… he'd fought…James breathing started to become ragged as the reporters' questions went on.
"Tell us how it felt to wake up in your tomb!"
"Where are you going to go now?"
"How do you feel about your best friend being murdered by your other best friend?"
"Get him out of here Paige." Dumbledore said frimly, coming from behind and handing Paige a book. James couldn't think any more, his feelings were all over the place and he didn't know where to start to work them out. He didn't even register Paige taking hold of his hand and placing it on a solid object. Nor did he really register that he suddenly found himself in Dumbledore's office, and was sinking into one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.
And James Potter and Paige Summers have just used a Portkey to get away from the Ministry, leaving before answering any questions. But, the Minster and Headmaster of Hogwarts Dumbledore are remaining to answer a few questions.
Harry stopped listening. Getting up suddenly, he left the common room and headed up to his dorm, still getting pats on the back from his fellow Gryffindors. Once he was in his dorm he closed the door and hurried over to his trunk. Opening it, he started hurriedly rummaging through his belongings until he found what he was looking for. Moving on to his bed, Harry closed the bed hangs and pulled his wand from his back pocket. Tapping the Marauders Map with his wand Harry said,
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," in a slightly tight voice. The ink at once started to spread across the aged parchment. Harry's eyes flew to the area where Dumbledore's office was and felt like his heart has being squeezed when he saw one of the names that was in Dumbledore's office. James Potter. Harry guessed that the talk he had in sort for his father just got a whole lot longer.
"James," Paige said cautiously. As soon as they had gotten into the office James had sank into one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk and still hadn't said a word. Paige was kicking herself along with everyone else in that room for not thinking that the press would yell and ask the things they had. When James didn't give any sign that he had heard her, Paige let out a sigh and looked around the office, trying to think of something to snap James out of it. Then, the sight of a pensive and a piece of parchment on Dumbledore's desk got her attention. Walking over to it and picking it up, Paige read it and then said,
"James, come on, we gotta get your memories back into you. It might clear some things up." This got James attention. Or, maybe it was that Paige forcible turned his head so that he was looking at the pensive. "Come on." She said, getting his wand into his hand and guiding it over to the pensive. Looking at the parchment from Dumbledore that was still in her hand once more, Paige gently helped James place the tip of his wand into the pensive and watched as James' eyes seemed to roll almost to the back of his head. After a few moments, he seemed to come back to himself, and seemed to be very angry.
"I need to talk to Sirius." James said, voice showing that there was no room for argument.
A.N- Wow, well lets see. You know how I said I was sort of happy with the last chapter, yeah, not so much with this one.Which is why I'm begging you guys to give me some feed back! I really need it on this one! Um, lets see what else was there… Sorry if it's a bit confusing with the jumping around, it just felt right to write it that way.
And in case you did catch it, Etiam Spiritus, means Still Breathing in Latin. And, as soon as I post this I'll think of more things I wanted to say. But, send me lots of reviews, cause I love them so much! Augh, in a rush, gotta go study math now so I don't fail!
Till next time!