CHAPTER THREE: Choosing the Future

James hadn't really paid much attention to the sorting ceremony, simply giving a half-hearted cheer every time he heard a new student being assigned to Gryffindor. He was sitting at his house's table with Martin, Albus, Rose, Lily and Hugo but he kept sneaking looks over at Emily on the Ravenclaw table. He thought he'd seen her looking back a couple of times but he wasn't sure.

When the last of the new first years had scampered off to join their new house, Professor Slughorn took his place at the podium. "Now, as you may have guessed from my appearing here, over the summer the Board of Governors decided that enough time has passed since the sad loss of Professor McGonagall to select a permanent replacement as headteacher. So, that post is now mine."

There was applause from the students at the news, with the Slytherins applauding loudest.

"And, as you may have guessed from his assisting with the sorting ceremony, Professor Filius Flitwick has been appointed my deputy."

More applause, with the Ravenclaws leading it this time.

"Taking up my old post as Head of Slytherin and Potions teacher, we have a new member of staff, Professor Melinda Havelock."

Polite applause greeted the new arrival. James looked at her closely. He'd spotted her immediately as the only new staffmember: A woman in her late 30s, of average height and with black hair. Even though he'd only caught a glimpse of the woman on the train, he was sure it wasn't her.

Slughorn continued,"Now, we're all aware there was a certain amount of excitement last year. Certain students got themselves into trouble and there were a number of intruders on school grounds. But that matter has been dealt with and there will be no repeat of it. So, let's all look forward to a happy time of learning and healthy competition. Let the welcome banquet commence."

In recent months, Hermione had avoided looking around for Ron in the Ministry canteen, which perhaps explained why she was so unaware of all the changes in his life recently. But this time, she couldn't fail to miss him sitting with Parvati, laughing and holding hands with her. It was as if, now she was aware of the relationship, he was quite happy to show it off in public.

"Do you think we should invite them to sit with us?"she asked Harry.

He raised an eyebrow at that. "You mean like a double date? I don't think they'd necessarily go for that."

"I just thought maybe, to show there's no hard feelings…" Hermione shot another look in the pair's direction. "Do you think he mixed them up?"

Harry was looking bemused. "What?"

"The Patil twins. Do you think he asked the wrong one out? Because he went to the Yule Ball with Padma that time…"

"He was fourteen!"Harry reminded her. "I went with Parvati and you went with Viktor Krum! Are you going to look him up?"

"I don't need to, I send him a Christmas card every year. Ron always pretended not to be jealous." Hermione sighed. "Do you think it's strange for him, seeing us sat here together? Because I have to admit, it's strange seeing him with someone else."

"I think it's strange for all of us,"Harry answered. "The three of us have been friends for nearly thirty years. I'm used to seeing you both every day. So, sometimes, when we're together, it feels just like old times, like what we've always done. Then I remember how much things have changed."

Hermione smiled at him. "I guess you're right. But sometimes, change can be good."

The Prefects had marched their respective houses back to their common rooms after the welcome banquet, with Angela Barnes and Brian Higgs revelling in their new positions. There had only been two lessons in the afternoon, both of them fairly light introductory affairs to give them a chance to acclimatise. James, Martin and the rest of the fifth year Gryffindors had had Transfiguration with Ernie Macmillan, the Head of Hufflepuff, and then their first Potions class with Melinda Havelock. Despite his earlier certainty, James had spent a fair amount of time scrutinising her, trying to work out if she could have transmogrified her hair somehow or put lifts in her heels, until she'd asked him what he was looking at and he'd had to invent a question to explain the examination.

The crowd in the common room was beginning to thin out and James finally had an opportunity for a private conversation with someone. He was relieved that Albus was sat in one of the chairs, looking over his Charms textbook. His brother was usually the most receptive listener for his theories. He sat down near him. "Albus, have you seen a woman with blonde hair around anywhere?"

Albus looked at him as if he were perculiar. "What, is this a new craving of yours or something?"

"No, I saw a woman with blonde hair on the train. She seemed to be in a hurry, like she was trying to hide something."

"Well, I don't think she was one of the teachers. None of them look like that. Could she have been hitching a lift to Hogsmeade? Maybe she wasn't meant to be there and that was why she ran off."

James considered this. It made a kind of sense, it would explain why she was hiding in a store room. But then there was that strange sound she'd made. And… "There was a bottle that she left behind. At least, I think she left it behind. It had a potion in it. Do you think you could recognise a potion from a few drops?"

"Not me. Rose probably could, though. Maybe we should show it to her?"

"Good idea." James hurried up the staircase to the boys' dormitory and headed to his room. He looked around for his school bag, eventually finding it dumped near his bed. He searched the pocket where he'd placed the bottle… but it wasn't there. He searched every other pocket in the bag and even checked under the bed to see if it had rolled under there. But there was no sign of it.

Then he realised why. Someone had taken it.

Harry eyed Hermione cautiously across the dinner table. She seemed to be tucking into the meal, which was a good sign. He needed confirmation though. "Is it all right?"

Hermione nodded and smiled. "It's great, Harry."

Harry was relieved. Cooking was something of a new experience for him. It was only since the previous year, when Kreacher had been killed trying to protect Ginny, that he'd had to do it himself. He'd tentatively broached the idea of hiring a new house elf but Hermione, with her lifelong hatred of what she considered the exploitation of house elves, had put an abrupt halt to the plan. He wondered idly what Kreacher would have thought if he'd lived to see Hermione become the mistress of the house. He'd probably have enjoyed it more than he'd have made out.

"I was thinking earlier,"Harry continued.

Hermione looked up, interested. "About what?"

"That we should buy a bigger house."

Hermioned looked at him in shock. "Harry, no! This has been your home for years, it's your last connection with Sirius."

"I know and I'd never sell it. I was thinking maybe keep this as a second house, use it as a base for the Order, and get somewhere better for when the children come to stay." Despite all of the revived group of Death Eaters having been imprisoned, Harry had refused to disband the new Order of the Phoenix he'd formed the previous year. Perhaps it was over caution on his part, but he felt they needed to be ready... just in case.

Hermione was obviously considering the idea. She knew as well as he did that, while the house was big enough for two adults and three children, the arrangements when Rose and Hugo had spent part of the holiday with them was less than ideal: Rose and Lily sharing a room had rubbed each other up the wrong way and Albus and Hugo hadn't had enough space in the room they shared.

"It's not like I had to buy this place,"Harry reminded her. "So I've still got a load of savings from the money my parents left me. And you did say change can be good?"

Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully. "Let me think about it,"she said at last.