"Try harder," the gruff voice said as the sound of leather hitting skin reverberated through the dungeon room. James grit his teeth at the sting, for that was all it was at this point. He shifted and cast the spell again. The whip cracked against his back again. "You have to mean it, Potter."

"That's not my name!" James yelled, spinning around to face his tutor. A hand struck the side of his face and he lurched to the side from the force.

"You have to earn your new name, boy."

James clenched his jaw and turned back to his target, casting the spell again. He winced as the whip struck, feeling a looseness across his shoulders.

"Maybe your parents had the right idea in getting rid of you," his tutor sneered.

James stiffened with rage, the way he always did when his parents were mentioned. His magic thrashed, trying to escape, and he tried his best to contain it as he turned back to his tutor. He saw red as he spun around, and blinked to clear his vision. When the red stayed he bent down to run his fingers across the floor, wondering what had happened. His fingers came back wet, and he was suddenly assaulted by the thick coppery smell of blood.

He bit his lip, worrying that the blood was from his back. His eyes glanced about the room, searching for his tutor, but he found himself quite alone in the dungeon. All that he could see was an overwhelming amount of blood, and the sheer amount cemented in his mind the reality of what had happened.

James backed to the wall as realization his him, crying out as his back hit the rough stone wall. His knees gave out from the pain and he sank to his knees while staring at the blood covered room. He could feel his breaths coming shorter and shorter until he realized he was sobbing.

James gasped as he was jolted back to consciousness, eyes opening to the darkness of the room. He grasped the hand holding his shoulder and pulled it forward, somehow managing to roll on top of the figure that landed on his bed. He stared down at the wide-eyed form of Draco Malfoy which he had pinned, incapacitated, to where he'd just been lying.

As James's sleep hazy mind caught up to his body he leaned back, surveying the blond beneath him. "Why are you here?" he asked quietly, voice thick with sleep.

"You were crying, sobbing even, and thrashing about," Draco said quickly.

James reached up to his face and indeed found his cheeks wet. He tried wiping his eyes with the back of his hand before leaning down and using the edge of his sheet. As he did he marvelled at the warmth the blond exuded, and his body acted instinctually, cuddling against him.

"James?" Draco squeaked, sounding frightened.

James just hummed and snuggled closer before the warmth lulled him to sleep.

Draco awoke to the not unfamiliar weight of someone lying next to him. He opened his eyes slowly and gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling, wondering where he was. The body next to him shifted and he looked over, freezing when he saw black hair, remembering the events that had led up to him being here.

"James?" he asked softly, sitting up in the bed. He nudged James and was rewarded by sleepy green eyes opening.

"Will you answer your thrice-damned floo!" Called an angry voice just before the Dark Lord burst into the bedroom. He stopped dead, taking in the still mostly asleep form of James and the proximity he had to the rapidly paling blond. He watched them silently as Draco practically vaulted from the bed, trying to stutter and apology. Marvolo's eyes, however, were quickly drawn to James who was holding out his arms in his direction.

"Leave," he commanded to Draco as he moved forward towards James. The blond fled, closing the door behind him, as he stared into mesmerizing green eyes. He climbed into the bed, settling himself into James's outstretched arms, arms which quickly wound around him.

Marvolo supposed it couldn't hurt to rest for a while, he had gotten up quite early, after all.

"Did you have a dream?" asked Marvolo's quiet voice once James had woken up. He sighed when he saw James's nod. "I suppose I can spare Draco's life then, he was still fully clothed after all."

"It's being around all these children that's causing these dreams."

"Which one was it?"

"From when I was seven, the one where I killed my tutor."

"You realize that story is still circulating among the darker types. Stories of your temper are legendary among those in the know."

James snorted. "I've long since tamed my temper, thank Merlin I was never of an angry temperment."

"Which is why it took you longer to realize what the trigger for your outbursts was," Marvolo pointed out.

"Jayal figured it out eventually, well before he sent me to school in any case. Can you imagine what would have happened if I'd gone to school and gotten truly angry at someone?"

"You're asking me that? You do remember I'm the Dark Lord, do you not?"

"All the cuddling could have fooled me."

Marvolo rolled his eyes. "Now that I'm thinking on it, I don't believe I've ever seen you in a temper."

"That's for your benefit, I assure you."

"You're leaving so soon?"

"My apologies, Ingrid, but I have to meet with Albus. Rest assured that I would much rather remain here."

"Albus...Dumbledore? That old fool at Hogwarts?"

"The very same," James said in a tired voice.

"When you said you were teaching I thought for sure you mean at Durmstrang, or at the very least Beaubatons."

"No, I was recruited to train Longbottom."

Ingrid burst out in startled laughter. "Oh the irony! The Dark Lord's hidden weapon is to train the Light's savior!"

"Hidden weapon?" James asked, amused.

"Please, James, as if you don't know. It's extraordinarily hard to find out anything about you and no one would place you in the Dark Lord's court."

"Well, that's reassuring, for no one must suspect me."

Ingrid sobered. "You will be carrying it out then, the boy's murder?"

"Murder is such a strong word...perhaps 'accidental death' will be more apt."

"I see...well if you need an alibi, do not hesitate to let me know. One does not easily doubt the Minister of Magic of a country."

"Thank you, Ingrid," James said, real warmth in his voice. "I'll will keep that mind." He smiled, then, and stood. "I really do have to leave, however. You know how I hate tardiness."

The blonde smiled. "I do believe I recall an incident or two..."

Being aged as he was, Albus had contacts throughout various countries. Therefore it was no surprise to hear from one of such contacts in Finland. What was a surprise, however, was the timing and news delivered. Not ten minutes after Hermione had arrived in his office telling him of James's sudden departure, his contact in the Finnish Ministry had owled him saying that a man had stormed into the Minister's office accompanied by Lucius Malfoy. Albus knew instantly that it was James, but he still, even the next day, could not figure out what the young man had been doing there.

He did take this as a warning, however. For if James knew the Finnish Minister, he had better not mess with the boy carelessly; any interference from him must be subtle and gradual. Not that he didn't have all year to work the boy into his own mold. He would simply have to be patient and allow the correct situations to present themselves.

Dumbledore was brought from his thoughts by a knock on his door, and he pasted a jovial smile on his face as the subject of his thoughts opened the door. "Ah, James, please have a seat."

James merely nodded in greeting as he took his seat, staring at the headmaster.

"I'm sure you know why I have called this meeting," Dumbledore began, eyes twinkling.

"Unfortunately I find myself at loss, Albus. Perhaps you wouldn't mind enlightening me."

"Ah, well I wished to inquire about your progress on planning Neville's training."

"I am done and can begin presently."

"And what shall these sessions be about?"

"I was thinking of reviewing spells, teaching him some new ones, and then focusing on combat measures."

"Combat measures?"

"Evasion techniques, how to close in on an enemy, along those lines."

"I see. Now my boy...what can you tell me about this past Thursday?"

James stared back at him stonily. "I don't believe there's anything to tell, there was simply a situation that I had to attend to."

"Come now, my boy, what could possibly have you leaving for Finland in the middle of a class?"

James stiffened and Albus realized he'd said more than he should have. "How did you know I was in Finland?"

"A friend of mine saw you with Mr. Malfoy and thought it curious that my newest professor was outside of the school," he invented.

"I see..." James's gaze was piercing. "Well if that's all, I do have matters which require my attention." He stood and, after casting another long look at the headmaster, left the study.

Albus sat staring after where the boy had left, wondering at his oddly perceptive attitude. He was able to fool others easily enough, Britain's own Minister of Magic for Merlin's sake, yet this child seemed able to know when he was deceiving him. It was curious indeed.

James stalked back to his rooms deep in thought, ignoring the few students that he passed in the halls. So Dumbledore had a spy in the Finnish Ministry, he'd have to let Ingrid know. And traveling with Lucius was apparently too attention drawing, if the old fool's phrasing was to be believed.

Well, he thought as he opened the door to his rooms, if the old fool becomes troublesome I can simply get rid of him. James smirked at that thought, already having some plausible ideas in mind.

It wouldn't even be difficult, he mused, walking past the library with a smirk on his face. He ignored the curious faces that appeared in his library doorway.

"He's plotting something," Draco said as he watched James disappear into his rooms.

"How do you know?"

"I've seen that look before and whoever inspires it never lasts long."

"Well that's a comforting thought. Sarcasm, Malfoy," she added at his odd look. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going back to reading my book. It's been too long since I've been in this library."

"It's been two days, three maximum!"

"I fail to see your point," the brunette replied haughtily.

A/N: I'm sorry that this has taken longer than usual, something happened to my computer's hard drive and I won't have it back for weeks. But I rewrote the chapter as best I could, so here it is. The next one will likely take longer too. I'll let you all know when I know more.