A New Life in San Francisco

Chapter 23; Wizards and Wicca

Hogwarts – The Den

James woke up at the first sound of movement in the boys' room. His Panther eyes cut through the dim light as soon as the alarm between Joshua and Luke's beds went off. It was a magical alarm of course and it managed a few rather blunt insults before Joshua managed to jab at it to shut it up. The seventeen year old pulled himself up to a seated position and looked around.

James didn't even lift his head but locked eyes with the young man as the episode of the previous night came back to him. His eyes flickered to Felix lying behind James' curled up body before he leaned forwards to stop Luke from making too much noise. The fifteen year old sat up with a questioningly look at Joshua who motioned to the Panther a few feet from them. James gently lifted his head and turned it to look at Felix who was obviously so tired he hadn't been woken.

Luke frowned but followed his older brother's example as they changed, gathered what they needed and then slipped from the room. James pulled himself up and without disturbing Felix he slipped onto the floor and then shimmered back into his human form. He sat in the large window sill to wait until Felix awoke on his own.

He didn't have to wait all that long though. The other boys had left at about eight and Felix woke up not long after nine. The first sign he was awake was a pained sort of shiver as his waking mind remembered what he'd done the night before. James let him sit up slowly and swing his feet off the bed before he made his presence known.

"How are you feeling this morning?" James asked making the poor fifteen year old jump around to look at him.

"James?" Felix narrowed his eyes in the gloom before realising he'd been asked a question. "I'm fine."

"Oh, I know what that means." James stood slowly and came to sit beside Felix.

"What are you doing here?" Felix asked looking at the empty beds his cousins used. "Where is everyone?"

"In classes I'd imagine." James shrugged. "And as for what I'm doing here, we didn't think it fair to leave you on your own."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do anything!" Felix went pale.

James smiled at him gently, this came easily to him. "Nobody really understands how you feel, Felix, but everybody knows that what happened last night wasn't your fault. The fact you wanted help proves that to us."

"But I didn't ask for help." Felix looked down at his lap.

"Maybe not verbally but Matt heard you anyway." James let that sink in and saw Felix flinch. "I don't think he cares that he heard those thoughts. He's only happy that he could help you in some way. And that's what you've got to realise, you have to talk to us about this."

"But nobody understands." Felix sighed. "It didn't affect them. They're stronger than me."

"Stronger than you?" James chuckled and the boy looked at him in confusion. "Your family is so full of magic and abilities it scares me sometimes. But I do concede the point that they don't understand how you feel. It would be hard to find a desire reader of your age that's been affected but I can tell you of two people that do understand it."

"My father?" Felix guessed and Harry nodded. "Who's the second? You?"

"Felix. I'll tell you again what I told you last night since you were rather cold when we were on the shower floor." James smiled at him gently. "You only felt the desire for suicide from another. I've felt the desire as one of my own."

Felix looked at him desperately. "Tell me what to do! I can't stand remembering that."

"I know but it teaches us something about what we love in the world. I could never dream of thinking something like that again because I have your Cousin in my life and I have all of your family to care about." James grinned at him. "It's a surprise really. Six months ago I thought the world would end before I loved again but that's all changed. You just have to remind yourself every time you feel like that, that you have family and people you love who love in return."

"I can do that." Felix nodded.

"And Felix?" James paused. "Next time take the door into my room and not the bathroom one. I'll always be happy to help."

Felix nodded and James stood up to leave the boy to change in peace. Felix stopped him before he could leave though. "James? How did you survive that place?"

"Part of me didn't, Felix." James told him with blunt honesty. "But the part of me that did is the part that found love and happiness with your family. We always lose something to places like Azkaban but it's us who decides what we lose."

"What part of you did you lose?" Felix asked with a frown.

"Hell if I know." James laughed. "If I ever work it out I'll let you know." James walked from the room to wait for the boy downstairs but he could only think of one thing. He knew what he'd lost for eternity. His sense of security and his belief that he could have the perfect happy ending. Felix didn't need that on his mind though.

James made them both a light breakfast while Felix took a shower and though James' sharp ears tracked every one of the boy's movements he knew that Felix would recover even if he spent some of his nights with nightmares. James thought back to his own nightmare of the night before. He'd more or less forgotten about it in all the commotion but he couldn't always ignore them. He'd look into a dark cupboard and shiver or he'd here Chris moan in his sleep and panic. That first night had been the worst night of his life. He'd felt scared, confused and alone. The confusion had faded within days and then his fear had ebbed away into a constant drone but he'd never gotten over the feeling of being alone.

But now he wasn't and that was what he had to remember. With so many members of Chris' family around he could never really be alone again. But that nagging feeling of never belonging was always there in the back of his mind like a net about to fall over his entire mind.

"What are you thinking about?" Felix's voice brought him out of his musings and he smiled at the boy gently.

"Just thinking." James told him before passing a plate of breakfast across to the fifteen year old. "I told your dad that I'd bring you to the others when you woke up but if you want the morning to yourself then I don't mind."

Felix ate his food in silence for a while and James settled down across the counter from him to eat and let him stew over the question. "If I said I wanted you to help me talk about this what would happen?" Felix asked eventually.

"You mean if I turned this into a counselling session?" Felix nodded and James put down his fork. "For starters I'd explain that counselling for something like this would probably take many sessions and not just the one. Then we'd get to know each other and get you comfortable talking to me about yourself."

"But I am." Felix demanded.

"Really?" James asked. "Or are you comfortable talking to Chris and I've just sort of blended in with him?"

Felix went slightly red at the accusation but sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"Don't worry, I'm not offended." James shrugged. "I can't begin to imagine what you all think about me."

"It's not about your past. It's not that, it's just that you're really powerful. Really powerful people just aren't as quiet as you are." Felix sighed. James smiled at him and shrugged. "Everyone wants to see if you can take Wyatt in a fight."

This time James really did laugh but he controlled himself after a moment. "I wasn't always like this, Felix. It happened because of Azkaban but it isn't all that bad. I'm happy with your family. That's why you don't have to worry about me."

"So we get to know each other?" Felix asked warily. "What then?"

"Then you tell me everything you want to." James told him. "It can be anything you worry about. Puberty, girls, grades, anything."

"I don't need to talk to you about puberty." Felix blushed. James smiled at him.

"That's because you have your older cousins. Some of the children I help don't have older siblings or parents to go to. I never did. Something like puberty or girls, or boys, can only work to complicate things so it's good to get through that first." James lectured. "You might not need to discuss it but I can promise you that talking to anyone about the girl you like is far easier than talking about strange desires creeping up on you in the night."

Felix winced violently but looked back at James with an understanding nod. "What then? We talk about what I heard and felt?"

"When you are comfortable with it we'll move onto that. Sometimes it's easier to talk about the symptoms first. In this case your nightmares." James told him. "Eventually though we want to end up talking about everything you heard. You have to truly understand what you felt before you can heal from it."

Felix stared down at his plate for a moment and shivered. "I can do all of that."

"Good because from now on I'm going to become your new friend. Forget that I'm with Chris, forget that I'm a family friend. You need to get to know me as your own friend which is a damn sight easier since I'm only six years older than you." James grinned at him. "And Felix? If you have another nightmare you need to come to one of us. I'm only across the hall or you have Joshua in your own room who won't complain."

"Joshua knows?" Felix went pale.

"Yes." James sighed. "You woke him up when you went to the bathroom and when you didn't come back he came to get me." James smiled at him sadly as Felix winced. "They love you too much to ridicule you for it, Felix."

Felix stared down at his plate again. "I know that."

"Good."

"Will you tell anyone what we talk about?" Felix looked back up suddenly.

"Not even from this conversation." James told him. "Anything you ever tell me stays between us and they'll have to accept that."

"Even mom and dad?" Felix asked.

"I don't think they'd try to get it out of me but they wouldn't succeed. Normally sessions last until you are comfortable dealing with it on your own. I'll be around long after that but when you are comfortable talking to your parents about it then I'll be happy." James assured him. "And Felix? No matter what you think after waking up after a nightmare, I'll never give up on you."

Felix looked up in surprise at the vehemence in James' voice. "Like they did to you?" Felix asked.

James paused but nodded all the same. "Did you want to spend the morning talking or go find the others?"

"Could we go outside and take a walk?" Felix asked shyly.

"Sure." James raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's busy in here. Lots of people wanting different things." Felix explained. "I can't block it all out like I normally do."

"Come on then." James stood and headed for the door with Felix at his side.

"James? Thanks for wanting to help me." Felix told him before they opened the door. James gave him a confused look. "I can feel it. You want to help me."

James pulled him into a one armed hug and was surprised when the fifteen year old boy turned into the hug just as he had clung to James on the shower floor the night before. James hugged him properly and didn't pull away until Felix did. If Felix needed physical reassurances to the desires he normally felt confident in feeling then James would let him have just that.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Lunch

James and Felix headed back to the Den for lunch and James started on a large meal knowing that they'd be interrupted by at least a few of the family. Most definitely Coup who'd come to see where his son was. He and Felix had spent the morning walking the entire edge of the Lake while they shared stories about Felix's childhood and James' school days. James also told Felix all about when he and Chris had gone back into the past. No mention of either of their pains came up and as soon as Felix realised this he relaxed and fell into the conversation with a liveliness he'd lacked since their visit to Azkaban.

James wasn't surprised when Coup, Piper, Paige and Leo came up with all of the children in tow. Piper headed straight for the kitchen but came up short as she saw the counter covered in enough food. "You've done it again, James." Piper sighed. "You do realise this is my only hobby?"

James smirked at her and picked up a carrot stick to chew on. Piper shook her head and ordered the children to tuck in as she moved to the cupboard to make a round of teas and coffees for the adults and older children who were allowed the caffeine. Felix ended up joining his siblings without a word from any of them about his absence that morning but Joshua and Patience flanked him on the sofa.

Coup leaned against the counter beside where James stood. "How was he this morning?"

"Repentant." James told him simply. "We went for a walk around the lake. He'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Coup asked. "What about that professor friend of yours?"

"I don't think he'll be necessary but I'll tell you if he is." James assured him before turning to look at him directly. "Coup, I know this will be difficult and I'm not sure if Paige has already mentioned this to you but I say it to all of the parents of the children. You need to act as you normally would. Don't bring up what happened unless he does first and don't push for information."

Coup gritted his teeth but nodded sharply. "Paige warned me to expect something like that from you and as much as I hate to concede I know I should."

"Felix is a good kid. He'll bounce back easily enough but he has to feel that he is healed before people start declaring him perfect again." James told him. "He'll come to you eventually, Coup. Just bare with it as long as you have to. Can you do that?"

"For my son I can wait an eternity." Coup assured him.

"I don't expect it to take that long." James laughed before picking up another carrot stick and munching on it.

"Aren't you going to eat more?" Coup asked. They all still treated him like one of the children at times.

"I ate some breakfast." James shrugged. "I can't eat all that much."

"You should try." Coup was starting to sound like Piper.

"Try or not I'll just be sick. My body can't handle what it could before Azkaban." James told him quietly so the children couldn't hear him. "I came out of there weighing not much more than five stone. Eating too much food is like a shock to my system."

"If you're sure." Coup eyed him warily.

James didn't answer but walked out to the balcony to stare out over the grounds. He could feel Coup's eyes on his back and he saw Felix's glance as he left him in the room on his own with his family but he wasn't all that fussed. He hated all these reminders of Azkaban, all the reminders of a life he'd sworn to never let affect him again. He'd thought himself cured of all that pain but it was affecting him far more than he'd expected.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Friday night

The week passed in a refreshingly predictable way. James spent the mornings either following the children around the school as Shadow or patrolling the corridors as James Evans, the Rune Master. The children went to classes with the children their own age though Matt was bumped up to spend his time with Ashley and Jason and the third year students. Anna, as the only fourteen-year-old, was put with her fifteen-year-old cousins, Felix and the twins, Luke and Pennie. That just left Prue and Patience with the sixth years and Joshua with the seventh years though he spent a lot of time walking the corridors with James since as a part Whitelighter he could hear the calls of his family if they needed help.

The children only went to the morning classes like Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures since the other classes required wand work all the time and was useless to them. In the afternoons the Muggle Studies professor proved herself useless and was soon replaced by James, Gemma or one of the other adults to keep up with their school work. There were a few snide comments from Patience since it was quickly obvious that James wasn't as well versed in normal subjects as a Degree holder really should be.

Piper and Paige with the help of Leo and Coup held a class in the afternoon to teach the students more about Demons and Wicca magic though at James' advice they kept quite a few of their own abilities a secret. It wasn't common knowledge that half of the family were telepaths, empaths or desire readers and it was only the more flashy powers that were ever shown though only at great coaxing by the students who seemed both suspicious and delighted by any display of power.

James and Felix spent breakfast every morning chatting in the Den while the others went down for their meal and on the Thursday afternoon they went out for another walk though they kept to the simple matters once again though at James' prompting Felix told him everything he had felt about Chris being gay and having a boyfriend. It was good to start Felix off on something that would have forced him to stop and consider his own emotions. When Felix hadn't really had any deep dark loathing of gays James forced him to analyse what he had felt at the time.

Three times though James had been woken from his own repetitions of his stay in Azkaban when his door had opened and Felix had slipped into the room. The first time James had let the boy simply fall to sleep in the double bed but the other times he'd padded back into the shared room and slept at Felix's side as Shadow. He knew that one of the desires Felix was being forced to experience was the desperate need never to be left alone and it was through that that the boy did something utterly bewildering. He started searching out James whenever he realised that James was alone.

With his own nightmares not allowing him more than a few hours sleep James was starting to show signs of strain and nobody could miss it. Even Dumbledore had asked if James was having trouble to sleep. James had simply glared at him and ignored him even though Weasley, who had been there at the time, had ordered him to apologise for being so rude.

It wasn't just the nightmares though. Whenever James woke from one he couldn't stay in his room, he could hear moans and screams through the walls, he felt cold and scared. In the end he always made his way down to the Common Room in defeat and sat staring at the fire, something that obviously had no memory of Azkaban built into it.

Piper and Paige always tried to mother him about it and once they called Gemma to come and try to find a way for James to sleep and only James' threatening had kept Piper from calling Chris across the world. James told her that Chris was already worried enough about leaving him alone. The dreams wouldn't kill him so Chris didn't need to be dragged across the globe when he should be studying. James placated them by pointing out that in only two weeks he'd be back in San Francisco for the week to catch up on their work.

Friday night though changed that. James settled to sleep at about two in the morning feeling defeated knowing that he'd have another nightmare and no sooner had his eyes closed he saw something he'd only been forced to witness once before.

A scream woke Harry Potter from his daylight nightmare as he once again watched his Godfather fall beyond his reach. He leapt to his feet but like every other time he tried to save somebody he cared for he failed. His aunt could only scream as she writhed violently on the floor. The sound of her arm breaking under the strain of her attempts at escape was the only sound apart from that blood-curdling cry. His Uncle and Cousin were dead on the floor, their blood spreading out like a tide.

"Let's see just how gullible your fans really are shall we, Potter?" Voldemort's voice hissed through the air and Harry met the blood red eyes with his own eyes and felt the dream around him fall away to be replaced by the inside of a large ball room. Cloaked figures spread out in front of him as he rose from his chair but then paused.

"Harry Potter. What an unexpected pleasure." He hissed without any control. His followers below him muttered to each other and glanced around. "So long have you been beyond the range of my mind and now, after I finally give up, you come to me. How delightful."

James struggled and cried out, desperate to get out of Voldemort's mind but the harder he struggled the tighter Voldemort's mind enshrouded his own. "Not yet, Potter. I haven't even had any fun yet."

"Get out!" James spat, his words echoing through the room and making the Death Eaters even more curious. James managed to raise his arm and the wand held in it and aimed it at himself.

"None of that, Potter." His hand fell back to his side while his other hand motioned to a group standing at the side of the room. A kneeling man was thrown out into the middle of the room.

"No, don't." James couldn't stop himself from begging.

"Oh yes, you don't beg for yourself anymore do you Potter. But you'll beg for somebody else." Voldemort hissed slowly pacing around the trembling Muggle and running his hand across the man's shoulder clearly disgusted at the poor man. He slowly stopped in front of him and turned to face the horrified Muggle. "Crucio!"

The spell lashed out as if James had cast it and the Muggle screamed as the magic twisted his body burning all of the nerve endings. The spell burned at James just as it burned at the Muggle. He tried to lash out but his magic was in his own body. James couldn't help the man. It was already too late. Muggle's couldn't stand the Cruciatus for more than about a minute. James struggled to close off his mind, to get back his own body.

Power welled up from behind him as if someone or something was aiding him and Voldemort broke the spell with shock. "Hogwarts?" Voldemort hissed. "So the great Harry Potter has returned to Hogwarts?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Meanwhile – Hogwarts

James thrashed around in his bed but unlike his other nightmares he wasn't able to unconsciously prevent his thoughts and emotions from escaping. His fear and pain rippled through the Den waking Anna and Pennie from their sleep. His raging thoughts, his pleas and desperation woke Matt, Jason, Felix and Coup as if a storm had broken over the Castle. With all of them awake it wasn't long before everybody was awake. Felix, Matt and Jason were in the corridor in seconds followed sleepily by Joshua and Luke.

Any questions about who the feelings and thoughts were coming from were answered when James' finally screamed as the pain of being connected to Voldemort finally got to his body. Joshua was through his door in an instant without bothering to knock and after seeing James writhing on the bed he sent the others running down to the common room for their parents. He ran fully into the room and shut the door to keep the moans and cries for help locked inside and barely noticed that Felix had followed him.

Joshua didn't know whether to try to wake James or not but in the end Felix's desperate pleas for him to do something made him move towards the bed and reach out a hand. His hand touched James' shoulder and his older cousin's boyfriend spun onto his back. His eyes stared unseeingly up to the ceiling even as they bled power but the worst sight was the blood that had flowed down the side of his face from his forehead though Joshua couldn't see where it started. He did the only thing he could think of and called Chris.

The door slammed open without preamble almost a minute later and Paige and Piper ran into the room and gasped out as they saw James writhing in the bed. "Chris!" Paige yelled without hesitation and without bothering to check whether anybody had already done it. "James needs you!"

"Mom! Do something." Joshua pleaded. Paige reached over to the side of the bed and saw the blood still flowing down James' head. She held her hand out in an attempt to heal it but magic sparked on James' body before throwing her backwards.

Paige looked worriedly at Piper who was wringing her hands as the two boys began to try to wake him up physically only to be ignored. "Piper, try to freeze him until Chris gets here."

Piper tried but the magic just bounced back at her throwing her into the wall. She groaned and stood up slowly. "Is this what his nightmares are always like?"

"No." Joshua shook his head. "I saw one when Felix…earlier in the week. He woke up when I opened the door."

"He told me he sees his memories in his nightmares." Felix told the two adults over James cries. Felix crawled up onto the side of the bed and kept trying to wake James up while Piper and Paige discussed what to do. Paige had just suggested calling the Wizards when orbs trailed into the room and a wide awake Chris appeared. He took one look at the bed and gasped in shock.

"What happened?" Chris asked his mother as he darted forwards and drew James up onto his lap, wrapping strong arms around James' trembling form.

"We don't know. He woke us all with his emotions and thoughts." Piper explained. "And we can't get him awake."

Chris' hand glowed gold for a second but James' skin sparked and singed Chris who quickly gave up on that approach. "He wants to escape." Felix gasped out. "He's trapped and wants to get out but he can't."

"Felix, sweetheart." Paige was at his side. "What do you mean?"

"I can feel his desire as if it was my own. The others will be able to feel him too. It's like being back at Azkaban again." Felix worried his lip but seemed determined to stay and deal with it.

They were prevented from comment when James suddenly stilled. His lips parted but he was still shivering. "No, don't!" He hissed. His body gave another violent jerk as if possessed and his eyes burned fiercely and with an inner coldness that shocked them all. "Beg…for somebody else." James words were quiet, barely above a whisper but his next one lashed out even though it was still quiet. "Crucio!"

Chris' arms flinched violently as if burned but it was clear that James hadn't actually cast the damned spell. James' scream made Felix and Joshua tumble away from the bed and James arched up into the air clearly under that very spell. "James! Please snap out of it." Chris begged refusing to let go of his boyfriend in case he hurt himself.

The room seemed to shudder and groan. The stones seemed to glow and for a moment they all thought it was James' magic but then the air grew thick and seemed to flow directly into James. James lips lifted into a sneer before he went limp against the bed. His breathing took a weak shudder and for a moment they thought he'd never take another breath before he dragged in a second one.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

James felt the Hogwarts wards and could see the Runes bursting through his head as the school forcibly blocked off his mind. It wasn't permanent but with the work James had recently done to strengthen them the school had taken James pain to be an attack and had reacted as she had been designed to. James shuddered in a breath that he almost forgot to take and then groaned low in his throat. Piper and Paige were standing at the end of his bed looking at him with concerned expressions and Joshua and Felix were standing on his left.

He realised that arms were surrounding his bare chest and he glanced down and recognised Chris' hands. He shut his eyes in despair but the action only meant that he glimpsed the writhing figure of the Muggle being tortured into insanity simply because James had appeared in Voldemort's head. James forced himself onto his right side and without warning threw up onto the floor. Chris shifted on the bed and hugged him even as he rubbed the cold skin of James back.

"James? Are you going to be alright?" Piper asked him. James took a moment to answer but managed a weak and sore yes. "Come on boys. Give him some privacy. I'll bring you up a drink." She promised James before heading out of the room.

"Was that just a nightmare?" Chris asked. James didn't answer. "Please love. You're cold and trembling and we heard somebody cast the Cruciatus."

"It started off as a nightmare." James sighed. "When I was framed. But then I ended up in Voldemort's head."

"What happened?" Chris prompted.

"He sensed me and locked me in. He tortured a Muggle to get at me. I felt it." James shuddered.

"Why don't you try to send it to me?" Chris asked.

James shot up and rounded on Chris. They ended up sitting side by side. "I would never do something like that to you, Chris."

Chris sighed and nodded knowing he'd never get James to share this burden even if it was possible. "You look a right mess." Chris pointed out.

"Blood?" James winced. His hand automatically made it's way to touch his forehead and he winced. His scar had been hidden by the Halliwells' magic for so long he'd almost forgotten about it.

"The scar's still hidden but the blood isn't." Chris sighed. "Was that your link with Voldemort?"

James nodded regretfully. "Worse thing is that he recognised Hogwarts' wards coming to the rescue and now he knows that Harry Potter is back in Hogwarts."

"Well that answers the question about whether to mention this to the Wizards." Chris pointed out. "There isn't a chance in hell of us giving them even half a clue."

James cast a rune in the air and let it wash over him and the bed washing away the blood and sweat. He shivered again and snuggled into Chris' side for comfort. Chris slipped down in the bed and let James lift his shirt so he could place his head and hands on the warmth of his boyfriend's chest without hindrance. It was a small thing but a thing that would stop James from having a full out panic attack. "You haven't been sleeping have you?"

James paused before shaking his head. "I keep getting nightmares. I don't feel safe without you anymore."

"That's not a weakness." Chris told him before James could offer it.

"I'll manage." James assured him confidently.

"I don't want you to manage!" Chris told him sternly. "I don't want you to have to simply manage."

"I know, but we can't have everything." James sighed before pushing himself up and straddling Chris's lap even though Chris didn't move from lying down. "Can you stay for a while?"

"I'd just finished lessons for the day when Joshua and then mom called." Chris told him. "I can stay till Monday afternoon."

James sagged forwards and rested his forehead in the crook of Chris' neck. "I love you."

"I know, and I love you to." Chris rubbed his hands up and down James' shivering back. They lay like that for almost half and hour before Chris told James that he'd woken everybody and suggested they go down and see what was happening.

James changed into fresh clothes and followed Chris meekly down the stairs. He knew he'd as good as screamed the building down and he paused on the steps just out of view of the Common Room as he heard all of their voices muttering to each other. He was tempted to eavesdrop but didn't really want to know what they were saying. Chris tugged on his hand lightly and James followed him down the last steps and out into the early morning sunlight. It had to be only four in the morning.

James winced as they all stopped to look at him. Piper wordlessly handed him the drink she'd obviously decided not to bring up to him. James was glad, he hadn't wanted to be interrupted by anybody. He hated people seeing him when he was weak. "Um…" He started. "I'm sorry I woke you all up. I didn't mean to."

"That was one hell of a nightmare." Jason whistled low under his breath. James winced again and wondered vaguely what Matt and Jason, the two telepaths, had heard him yelling mentally. They both looked rather pale, as did Pennie and Anna, the empaths, and he already knew that Felix had been worried about him. Undoubtedly the others had heard his screaming under the Cruciatus.

"Not so much." James sighed. "Just some of my old baggage."

"Right, back to bed, all of you." Piper announced loudly. There was a muttered complaint but the children were slowly herded up the stares. James watched them go with a wounded expression. It didn't take a genius to see what the older girls thought about him. The boys had heard his cries and knew what pain he'd been in but Patience already didn't really like him that much and her expression of distaste at having the younger girls wake her up for nothing obviously hadn't pleased her.

"She'll understand one day, James." Paige assured her. "She's like her mother, strong headed and volatile."

"I hope not." James sighed and walked through them all to collapse on the chair. "I'm really sorry about that."

"What in the hell happened?" Coup asked. "We heard you screaming from down here. And I felt your desires. You'd have given your own arm not to witness what you just did."

"I'd give a lot more than that to get out of witnessing a mortal being driven to insanity by the Cruciatus." James told the man with a shudder.

"That's what you saw?" Piper stared at him.

James sagged back into the seat. "When I link with Voldemort through my scar I don't witness what he does as a spectator, I see it as if I am him. I feel the magic he uses and I feel what he feels. I've gotten better at blocking out the last part but I haven't gone through this since going to San Francisco."

"You told us you witnessed all the raids through Voldemort." Paige nodded remembering his words from so long in the past.

"I think it's harder to establish with distance. I witnessed him ordering Abaddon to attack you in the past but that was all I saw in three years or so." James sighed. "I wasn't prepared to fight it again. Another mistake."

"You're allowed to make little mistakes." Chris told him.

"Little mistakes?" James scoffed. "The first cost Felix his innocence and the second cost a mortal his peace. He would have been killed painlessly rather than tortured to insanity."

"James. Don't put yourself through that." Paige told him. "Felix is starting to see you as a friend rather than just Chris' partner and he obviously doesn't blame you."

"And the mortal?" James challenged.

"That was Voldemort." Chris told him sternly. "You can't blame yourself for what he does to people."

"It's easier to say than do." James retorted.

"But you know Chris is right." Paige snorted. James sighed but nodded.

"I don't think that well after being linked to Voldemort." James leaned sideways and lay his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. "You lot should get back to sleep. We have to watch the duelling club tomorrow afternoon and if Weasley's running it I can assure you it will be interesting."

Piper and Paige shared a brief look before leading Leo and Coup back up the stairs to their rooms. Chris turned sideways in the chair and James leaned back into his chest taking up the offer for a pillow. James wouldn't sleep and both knew it but Chris was good at sleeping without letting James go. There conversation evidently wasn't over yet though.

"Why didn't you call and tell me you weren't sleeping?" Chris asked softly.

"What would have done?" James challenged.

"I would have come and made sure you had the security you needed." Chris told him instantly.

"Precisely, you would have given up your post-grad work and come over here." James sighed and hugged Chris to him. "I love you for it but you have to do something for yourself. You've spent the entire summer watching over my every move and then some because of the time travel. You need a break."

"I don't want a break if it means you're only getting two hours of sleep a night and having nightmares when you do." Chris told him.

"Even if you could come and not let your college work suffer I can handle that much sleep. I slept less in Azkaban." James pointed out.

"And look what that did to you." Chris retorted. "I want you to heal and if I agree with my parents, aunts and uncles on anything it's that every day you're here you regress a little bit more. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't Chris. I promise you." James told him instantly and reached up to kiss his Adam's Apple gently. "I need to be here to protect your family and if that means my healing has to be put on hold for a while then so be it. I'm no stranger to putting others first."

"And I love you for it but you have to be selfish once and a while." Chris told him partly repeating James' earlier words.

"I am being selfish. I'm keeping you all to myself." James grinned into Chris' chest. Feeling the need to touch his boyfriend James slipped his hands up Chris' t-shirt and started drawing small shapes onto his side. Chris shivered but smiled at the touch. "Get some sleep, Chris. You're already out of it and we've got a long day tomorrow."

"Wyatt will be here at about eight British time." Chris told him. "He was going to get an early night."

"Good." James sighed before simply staring at the fire as Chris slowly fell into a fitful few hours sleep. Even though James didn't sleep he didn't try to move away from Chris knowing that Chris needed the reassurance after witnessing what he had.

James was drawn out of his musings around three and a half hours later when Wyatt orbed directly between James and the fire. James met the man's eyes but didn't lift his head, he didn't want to wake up Chris so soon.

"What's Chris doing here already?" Wyatt asked softly. James winced. "Did you call him?"

"Actually your mother and Joshua did when they realised my nightmare was actually Voldemort torturing a mortal because I was in his mind." James told him. "Lots of blood and screaming on my part I believe."

Wyatt flinched at James' offhanded tone. "You make it sound like it didn't bother you."

"It did, more than I want to admit where Chris might hear me." James told him. "He's already had a go at me for not calling him because I haven't been able to sleep this week and I don't want him dropping out of college because I can't handle my emotions."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow at him. "Nobody would blame you, James."

"I would." James told him shortly. They were interrupted by the sounds of feet on the stairs and Piper and Leo appeared. Wyatt stood up to hug his parents quickly and James deftly slide his hand out from under Chris' shirt where he'd left it to remind him that Chris was there. Chris' parents didn't need to see that sort of thing even if it wasn't sexual in nature.

A loud clatter of footsteps announced the arrival of some of the boys and it actually turned out to be all five of them. Joshua tried to hush them as they reached the bottom of the stairs but it was a lost cause. Chris jerked awake and tried to sit up in surprise and James took his own weight again to let Chris look around blearily. "Mom! It's way too early for cousins." Chris whined.

"Very mature comment, lover-boy." Wyatt teased.

"Wyatt, he's only had three and a half hours sleep." James told the older man off.

"That just makes it even more hilarious." Wyatt laughed. Chris tried to get up to do something unpleasant to his older brother but James was faster. He shuttered his eyes and reached into his Wicca magic. He'd have to remember to use it more often, it still took him too long to access. He pictured Wyatt and his neat blond hair shifted before everybody's eyes gaining curls and turning a horrid neon yellow colour. James opened his eyes again and Wyatt frowned at the smirk that spread across James' face. Joshua snorted and that seemed to set off the other four children who burst into laughter at their cousin's expense.

"James, that wasn't very nice." Piper scolded him. James just smirked at her without apology. Wyatt's frown changed as he lifted his hands to his head and felt the curls.

"That was a bit mean." Chris pointed out. "Probably hurts less than what I was planning though."

James kissed Chris gently on the mouth before hoping off ignoring Wyatt's glare. His hands twitched but Piper spoke up before her eldest son could retaliate in some way. "Wyatt! I absolutely forbid you from using magic on you brother-in-law!"

James came up short in shock at the term he'd never thought would be used towards him and Wyatt grinned at him maliciously. He was plotting something undoubtedly.

"What's all this commotion about?" Paige asked as she entered the room and looked around. A laugh managed to escape her mouth as she saw Wyatt's hair but she obviously thought it wrong to laugh at her own nephew and she tried, rather pointlessly, to hide her amusement. That went out the window as the girls all came down and started making fun of Wyatt.

"What did he do to James?" Coup asked as he entered the last in the line of family.

"I can't really remember." Leo commented blandly. "I think he insulted Chris. Piper and I are understandably not taking sides."

"You banned me from retaliating!" Wyatt faked a betrayed look looking feeble and wounded.

"Actually I banned you from attacking James." Piper pointed out. "What you and your brother do to each other in these little games is entirely up to you."

"Don't even think about it, Wyatt." James warned and wriggled his fingers in warning of an attack at Chris.

"No fair." Wyatt pouted before his look turned victorious. "If I can't use magic then I'll use something else."

Before James could react Wyatt was attacking Chris who was still sitting on the couch. James retreated behind Piper and Leo as the two boys began wrestling on the floor in front of the sofa.

"Which one is the mature one?" James asked Piper loud enough for them all to hear. Except for the two wrestling that was. Chris was slowly losing to Wyatt's bulk but he was grinning anyway.

"You're the one that goaded them on, James." Paige spoke up with a small shake of the head.

"I know. It was fun." James grinned at the younger boys cheekily. He had done it on purpose and he even thought that most of Wyatt's mood was put on for James' sake. Everybody knew that James needed cheering up most of the day but it wasn't really that hard to do around this family.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

That afternoon

James leaned casually against the Professors table in the Great Hall with Chris on one side and a now blond haired Wyatt on the other. Down the centre ran a raise platform about five metres across and thirty metres long while two racks of benches ran up on either side for spectators. James had placed Rune wards on them that morning to protect the students from any stray spells.

Piper, Paige, Leo, Coup and even Phoebe stood nearby to watch the Duelling club and amongst the seats sat the children though they had fallen in with their own small groups of friends and were spread out. That didn't trouble James all that much since he'd had the chance to study all of the people that the family had befriended and none of them were that bad.

The students were talking excitedly between themselves while they waited for the Defence Against the Dart Arts teacher to arrive. He was late as usual. "Some things just don't change." James shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Chris asked him.

"He never could turn up on time to anything." James laughed. The doors opened and Weasley strode into the room followed by Minerva. James relaxed slightly knowing that Minerva had volunteered to assist in the teaching. Things were less likely to get out of hand this way.

"Good morning students!" Weasley announced as he flicked his wand and levitated himself smoothly onto the platform. James raised an eyebrow. He'd obviously learnt some fine control over his powers. An appreciative murmur went through the crowd at the display of power and James reminded himself that Weasley was powerful. He'd also gotten over his fear of crowds since he wasn't worried about talking to the entire student body. "Welcome to Duelling Class where I will be teaching you how to defend yourselves from any number of enemies be it Death Eaters or Demons."

"Firstly let me thank Professor McGonagall for assisting me in our demonstrations. I wouldn't want to use one of you as a test dummy." Weasley laughed and a smattering of chuckles spread through the crowd.

"Oh, really the wrong thing to say to Minerva." James shook his head. "She could take him apart in seconds I'd bet."

"She looks rather old." Wyatt commented.

"Wyatt! I raised you better than that!" Piper admonished.

"Well she does!" Wyatt complained.

"She's barely eighty, Wyatt." James told him. "The more powerful you are the longer you live. She's barely mid-life for her power level."

Wyatt whistled appreciatively. "How old is Dumbledore?"

"Not a clue." James shrugged. "Old enough to be an adult in the Victorian Era I'd guess."

"Pay attention you three." Paige admonished.

James laughed and turned back just as Weasley finished a long speech on safety measures. "Of course you'll have to duck if a spell comes flying at the benches but we can't have everything." Weasley joked and a few of the students looked nervous.

"Nonsense." Minerva spoke up clearly as she walked calmly up the steps on the other end of the platform. "Mr. Evans did a fine job on the wards. I can see them perfectly well, can't you, Professor Weasley?"

James burst out laughing and all the students looked at him in surprise. "Of course I can!" Weasley pulled himself up.

"Don't threat, Professor." James teased. "Not everybody is trained enough to see Rune based magic. Here let me help you all out."

James extended his hand and instantly streams of Runes flitted around the platform like a huge laser show. Each sequence span at a different speed. James released his hold and it vanished again. People with Minerva's obvious training could open their own magical sight and view it even if they couldn't manipulate the Runes like James could.

A few of the students clapped at James' show of power but Weasley drew their attention back. "I'd almost forgotten." He announced. "We are playing host to the Wicca Witches during these lessons so that they may learn something useful about our magic."

James grabbed onto Wyatt and Chris' arms to stop them arguing the term useful and Piper threw him a grateful look.

"First things first." Weasley announced and pulled his wand. "How about a demonstration of proper Wizarding Duel Formalities?"

He bowed at the waist to Minerva who bowed back slightly less extravagantly. "I wonder if this is going to be like my Duelling Classes in second year." James muttered more to himself even though Chris gave him a strange look.

Weasley started and sent a simply Disarming Curse at Minerva who, knowing exactly what spell he'd used, flicked her wand and spoke the counter charm clearly for everybody to hear. The red light cracked apart and dissipated. Weasley cast a weak Stunner and the blue light clanged off of a deftly cast Protego shield and ricocheted off to be absorbed my James shield which glowed gold where the spell hit it.

Minerva released her own shield and sent a spell at Weasley that James had never heard of before. Weasley obviously had since he cast a quick shield of his own that absorbed the spell. In that way the two cast spells at each other but they were following some sort of unspoken rule to keep it simple. One would cast a spell and the other would shield themselves. James had to hand it to Weasley, he was completely outmatched by the Professor who could clearly end the fight whenever she wanted but he knew a lot of new spells that James didn't.

Weasley raised his wand up and to the right to call of the fight and Minerva nodded and lowered her own wand. A round of applause greeted the two competitors and Chris and Wyatt both whistled appreciatively. "That was cool." Wyatt commented.

"That was nothing, Wyatt." James told him. "They were saying the spells aloud which is unnecessary. I could cast them without words by the end of fifth year and so could Weasley."

"Can you cast spells like that?" Chris asked.

"I could and I know most of what they just used but my spell repertoire is a bit more impressively offensive. I learnt specifically to fight Death Eaters." James told him. "Of course if I even touch a wand I'll have half of the British Auror division chasing me in seconds."

"Oh right. Not anytime soon then." Chris shook his head.

"What you saw there was a very polite and subdued Duel. That is what you will be learning to do in these classes. More aggressive Duels will come in time as your spell repertoire increases." Weasley announced. "Now, since the purpose of this class will be to teach you how to defend yourself from Demons I believe a demonstration is needed."

A nervous ripple spread through the crowd but Weasley just laughed. "Of course bringing a Demon into school is far too risky. But the closest we have to their type of magic is our Wicca friends. Perhaps one of them would like to volunteer for a polite little duel with me."

"It's up to you guys." James muttered. "I can only see Paige, Wyatt or Chris being able to take him on without seriously hurting him though unless you want to punch him Phoebe."

"I'll do it." Wyatt spoke up loudly and Weasley smirked victoriously.

"Wyatt, don't get cocky. Be careful." James told him.

"Can you take him on?" Chris asked as Wyatt made his way down to the platform. His cousins and sisters had started to chant his name which made James grin.

"With either of my Wizarding or Wicca magic." James nodded. "I think."

Chris chuckled and Wyatt jumped up onto the platform. Weasley bowed and Wyatt raised an eyebrow at him. Wyatt nodded after it was obvious he'd have to do something. Weasley's wand was pointed at him in a moment and James saw the shift in Wyatt's body weight. His family had been dodging Demon attacks their whole lives, they were no strangers to the concept of duck and cover.

Weasley's first spell had James standing fully on his own feet. It was a silent cast and it was illegal for all but the Aurors. It would have completely drained Wyatt of energy and sent him into a coma for the next few hours. Wyatt dodged and James snapped up his hands to reinforce the shield between them and the spell. It glowed as the spell tried to break it.

Wyatt threw out his hands and a wave of air flexed and battered into Weasley sending him stumbling backwards before he managed to cast a spell to stop the air from throwing him away. Wyatt snapped his hands back and let his molecular manipulation tug at the air sending Weasley stumbling back forwards. Weasley retaliated with a spoken stunner that Wyatt easily recognised. His blue force field sprung up and the spell was completely absorbed. The shield faded again as Wyatt's cousin's cheered.

Wyatt was forced to roll under the next two silent spells that burned at the air as they flew. James narrowed his eyes and jerked his head at Minerva who looked almost ready to jump in and stop the fight. Wyatt seeing that Weasley was serious about sending him to the hospital lashed out. The air seemed to flex and Weasley's movements slowed as Wyatt tried to freeze him. A slowly cast Protego seemed to help dull the time dilation and Weasley struck out with a banishing charm that smacked into Wyatt and sent him sprawling. Wyatt flinched his hands at the Protego Shield and it exploded into shards of magic.

Ropes sprung up from the platform at another wave of Weasley's wand and started to strangle Wyatt. "Enough!" James snapped and sent a quickly drawn Rune into Wyatt. The ropes burst into dust and Wyatt scrambled to his feet and James made his way down to the platform.

"It was only a demonstration, Mr. Evans." Weasley announced with a faked smile.

"A demonstration of what?" James challenged. Already it was well known that James held no love for the new Professor. "Your arrogance and lack of care?"

"That Wizarding Magic can easily counter Wicca magic with the right training." Weasley argued.

"Get him James!" James glanced over at Joshua who was standing amongst some of the seventh year Gryffindors.

"Perhaps you'd like to try?" Weasley smirked and held up his arms. "Would you all like to see that?"

"Do you even know what Rune Magic is capable of?" James asked.

"Perfectly." Weasley shrugged. "It's slow and cumbersome."

"Then perhaps I should prove your earlier point wrong." James asked and bowed mockingly. "Wicca Magic only on my part."

"Agreed." Weasley sneered.

"No restraints." James added and heard a ripple go through the crowd. He'd just allowed purposeful injury.

Weasley snorted and didn't even bother to bow before his wand flashed out and a beam of sickly red light flashed through the air. James stepped neatly to the side and concentrated on his own magic sending a weak ripple of air in every direction. It made Weasley stumble briefly but it was all the time James needed. His eyes flashed white and suddenly James was standing in a black space glowing with the white of everybody's lives. He easily found Weasley opposite him and before the man could regain his feet James had accessed his powers of Projection. The power that his new family were so proud about him having.

Flames erupted around him as he willed them into being and before Weasley could respond they lashed out along the platform. His shield protected him but he was unable to defend against the brunt of James magic as it lashed out and shattered the shield before throwing Weasley completely off of the Platform. James caught him in midair with a raised hand and slowly returned himself to reality. The Platform was smoking steadily and Weasley was hanging in midair ten feet above the far end of the Platform.

"Wizarding Magic." James snorted sarcastically. "Obviously completely unbeatable."

James dropped him without preamble and heard a very satisfying crack as his ex-best friend's ankle snapped. He glanced up as he heard a high pitched whistle and a round of cheers from his boyfriend's cousins and sister who were standing on their feet with big grins on their faces. James turned and strolled back along the platform even as his Panther hearing heard Weasley scramble to his feet.

Chris' face went pale suddenly and James sighed and sketched a quick Rune in front of him even as Weasley spat out a freezing spell which would have probably killed James if he wasn't so close to medical help. James let the Rune activate even as Felix screamed for him to move. The Rune spun around him to cover his back and easily absorbed Weasley's spell. James sketched another Rune with one hand as he turned and the air in front of him bent before exploding forwards straight at Weasley who was sent flying backwards straight through the defensive shield and into the doors which bent under the force of the impact.

"That was rather uncalled for." James snarled and turned again to walk up to Chris. Chris pulled him into his side seeing that James wasn't as stable as he made out to be. Being cursed in the back by the person in the world that had most let him down wasn't good for his sense of security.

"At least we know you can handle him." Wyatt commented from where he was standing nearby. He looked almost ready to blow Weasley up.

Paige stepped forwards since it seemed that Minerva thought it more important to care for Weasley than to speak to the students. "I think we've all learn something here today. No matter the difference in magic, it can all be used to harm another. It is best if our magic isn't turned on each other. We have Demons to worry about. A persons need to prove that their type of magic is superior rather pales in comparison." Paige told the students who went silent in their muttering to listen to her. "I think the class is over for the day. Have a good weekend and we'll see you all in classes on Monday."

"I'm going out with Chris for the weekend." James spoke up as the children began to stand to leave. "Is that ok?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Have a good time and try to get some sleep." Piper told him.

James didn't need to look at Chris to know he'd gone bright red. James grabbed his hand and a second later they burst into orbs and vanished through the high arched ceiling.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter