(A/N: As request from one of my wonderful reviewers, here is a basic summary form what has happened in the story so far.
Prelude: Voldemort kills James's parents Alexander and Emma Keller. James throws a temper tantrum and takes ol'Voldy out of the picture. Using his new powers, James teleports himself to Dragon's home, where his powers are explained.
1st year: Trisstessa Summers is introduced as well as her origin and her powers. Moves into James's reunion with Aberforth Ollivander, Dumbledore's older brother, James also comes to own Jewel, a Chinese Vipertooth. James meets Draco (Dray, but soon to again be Draco) and Kat (Hermione, does anyone prefer Hermione to Kat?). James's 1st year rivals are introduced, Randle Black (How many different way have I spelled it now?) and Ronald Weasley. The year goes on with most of the events from the book until finally James once again kicks Moldywart's proverbial ass. Snape discovers his relation to James, and all is well.
2nd year: James brings Kat to his home (Excuse: Sabetha crystals), and teachers her how to become animagi. He has a fistfight with Randle Black in Diagon Alley, only to have it broken up by Lockhart. James gives Lockhart 'the finger' (GO JAMES!). James's group brings in Ginny, Fred and George (Gred and Forge) Weasley and Melanie (Mel) Crew. After the Basilisk petrifies Kat, Mel, and Triss, James goes on a homicidal rampage and kills the Basilisk, saving Gin's life.
3rd year: James and Triss find Sirius on James' island, not far from Azkaban. In order to help Sirius, James brings in Mel, who helps Sirius recover from his rape and time in Azkaban. Not long after this, James rescues Kat from her home after she is brutally beaten and raped (not totally by her dad and brother) and takes her to Snape, whom adopts her. Mel brings Sirius with her to Hogwarts disguised as a wolf (Night). All goes well and Sirius is freed after the capture and escape of Pettigrew and Remus is cured of lycanthropy.
4th year: James and Triss, disguised as Elves, save many lives during the events of the World Cup. James saves Elizabeth Dursley, who is sent to live with Evans. Everything goes off without a hitch until someone (???) enters James into the Tournament. James and Triss get together (Finally…) and James completes the first task, the Halloween ball and the 2nd task, but not without repercussions.)
(A/N: New language! #Mermish#)
Lone Child
Chapter 37: The Second Task
"So what do you think the medallion could mean?" Triss asked, looking at the strangely marked medallion. Fudge had returned the vampire medallions to the champions earlier that week.
James looked up from where he was reading on the floor. "It a mermaid's medallion. The inscription talks about finding something lost before it is lost forever," James responded. "Whatever it is, it has to do with the lake. It's also, at times like these, I'm glad to be a Shapeshifter. I'm probably going to have to go down and bicker with the mermaids."
"Okay. Hey, what's this?" Triss asked, looking at a notch in the back of the medallion. James help up his hand and Triss tossed it to him.
"I don't know. It wasn't there before. O'well, I don't feel like pondering it right now. The second task is tomorrow, so I'm going to get to bed," said James, yawning and setting the medallion on his bedside table.
Triss pouted. "Does that mean I'm being kicked out?" she asked.
"No, you're welcome to join me, but only for sleep," said James stripping down to his boxers. Triss pouted again, but did end up join James for the night, if only for sleep.
"Hey, has anyone seen Triss?" James asked, sitting down at the breakfast table the next morning.
"Um, she was here about 10 minutes ago, but Evans had to talk to her, something about not being in her dorm last night," said Kat, giving James a pointed look.
"What? It's not like you don't run off with Rome, and we didn't do anything anyway," said James, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. Kat blushed and didn't comment further.
"So, I take it you're not nervous about the next task," said Mel watching James scoop food onto his plate.
"Should I be?" James asked, taking a bite of sausage.
Mel shrugged. "I don't know. Do you know what the task is?" she asked.
"It has something to do with the lake. The medallion they gave me was engraved with mermaid symbols, so I assume I need to go talk to them," James answered.
"Vell, if you plan on getting their in time for prepping, you vest go now, ve vill be down zoon," said Vlad, munching on a piece of toast. James nodded, took a few bites of his eggs and headed out towards the lake. Sure enough, stands were set up around the sides, and a lot of the stands were full.
"Somehow I'm not surprised," James said to himself, walking towards the stands. Within an hour, the rest off the champions arrived, and they were getting ready to go. James was still a little concerned with the fact that Triss hadn't yet shown up, but he wasn't too worried. She had been acting weird all week, so James figured she either was still with Evans, who also hadn't arrived, or James just hadn't seen her when she did show up.
"Welcome to the second task of the Triwizard tournament! The object of the task is to get to the bottom of the lake and retrieve what is waiting for them! On your mark, get set, go!" Ludo Bagmen yelled.
'Well, at least it wasn't drawn out,' James thought, diving into the water wearing only his boxers. As soon as he was out of the view of anyone on the surface, he subtly changed his hands to be webbed, and let a pair of gills open behind his ears. 'I feel like something out of Water world,' James thought with a laugh.
Fifteen minutes later James was getting annoyed, as he still had yet to even see the bottom. The closest champion to himself was Victor, who was transfigured into a rather deformed shark, about 500 feet behind him. After another 5 minutes of swimming, James came to his first obstacle. Floating in the middle of the water was a pissy looking merman. It started to charge him with its spear, but a flash of James's claws stopped it in its tracks.
#I am a friend. I've been told that something of mine is down here,# James said calmly.
The merman looked at him queerly for second before lowering his weapon and backing away with a nod. James nodded his thanks. After another 5 minutes, James finally did reach the bottom and nearly choked. Tied to a large mermish totem poll were 4 people, all wearing dark green medallions. The first was a young blond girl that bore a resemblance to Fleur. The second was a 5th year Ravenclaw James knew to be Cedric's girlfriend, Cho Chang. The third was a woman of about James's age that he'd never seen before. The last person was the one that nearly sent James off into a fit of rage. Tied to the poll between Cho and the little girl was Triss.
Wasting no time, James quickly sliced the rope on Triss and started to swim up with her. Her eyes were closed, and as far as he could tell, she wasn't breathing. On the way up he met Victor, and James being James, handed the young man a small dagger that he kept strapped to his leg. About 50 feet from the surface, James stopped, when he felt Triss start to struggle. Her once closed eye were panicked and she was gasping for air. James quickly covered her mouth with his and started pumping air into her lungs from his gills. (A/N: Water world anyone?)
After swimming about 10 more feet, James noticed a growing cloud of red, and that Triss was clutching her stomach in pain. Fearing what could be wrong with his bonded, James shot up to the surface as fast as he could. A few second after breaking the surface Triss cried out in pain. "James, it hurts!" Triss cried, clutching James's arm.
"It's alright love," James whispered, using what powers he could to send Triss a pain reliever. She stopped crying out, but she was still in obvious discomfort. Upon reaching the shore, James was pounced on by Poppy and the other nurse.
"What happened?" Poppy demanded, casting spells like a mad woman.
"About 50 feet from the surface she woke up, so I gave her an air source. A few seconds later the water was full of blood. What happened?" James asked, his hand tightly wrapped in Triss's.
"I'm not sure yet. Tami, keep and eye on the other students, check them when they come up!" Pomfrey ordered, the other nurse nodded. By that time, the group had gained an audience, including Dumbledore, Evans, Karkaroff, Potter, Snape, Maxime, and Jewel, who was once again watching in human form. "James, float her to the hospital wing."
James did as he was told, quickly casting a stretcher charm, and following the frantic Poppy to the hospital wing. Upon entering the wing and setting Triss on the bed, James was shoved out of the wing by Poppy. Not bothering to cast any type of charm on his sopping body, James sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall across from the infirmary door. 20 minutes later Poppy still hadn't come out of the hospital and James was getting agitated and jumpy.
Nearly ten minutes before Evans had arrived, along with the rest of the teachers. The students had been told to stay away from the hospital wing until told otherwise. Seeing one of her most stable students sitting on the ground, his head in his hands, and sopping wet, she set off to comfort one of her most prized students. A drying spell and blanket later, James was still very tense.
James nearly lost his cool however, when Dumbledore approached him. "Mister Cage, I think it would be best if you returned to your dormitory. All other students have been told to stay out of this corridor, and I don't think you should be an exception," he said.
James was about a breath away from hexing the headmaster, but instead chose to release a bit of stress. "Look you manipulative old bastard, I have more right to be here than anyone else in the world! And if you even mutter one word about being her grandfather, I won't hesitate to break your oversized beak. If you actually cared about her at all you WOULD NOT have stood by and let her be abused by her father for over 7 years! If you cared about her at all, you wouldn't have tried to override everything in the Ministry to send her back to that MONSTER! I am her Soul Bond, and if you have a problem with that, SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS!" James yelled, his eyes becoming darker with every word.
In the time he'd been speaking he'd managed to back Dumbledore into a corner, so the old man was quite trapped by the much bigger boy. "You-you have no right-" Dumbledore started, his face turning red. James cut him off.
"I have no right to speak to you like that? No, I think I have every right. You have been meddling in my life since the day I was born, and are one of the main reasons my parents are dead! If you had just left me the fuck alone, they would still be alive. From this day on you have NO right to meddle in neither Triss's nor my life! If I ever so much as smell one of your lemon drops anywhere near myself or Tessa, I will strip you of your title as Headmaster, as is my right as the heir of Rowena Ravenclaw! Do I make myself clear?" James growled. His body was almost pulsing with magic and static electricity was snapping and crackling around him.
Dumbledore just stared, completely dumbstruck by the teenager's use of power, as well as his newly discovered status as Ravenclaw's heir. Almost everyone else in the room also looked stunned at James's power, with the exception of Snape, who looked highly amused. "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" James yelled again when the older man didn't answer. Dumbledore nodded slightly, and for effect, James hit the stone right next to the Headmaster's head hard enough to shatter it into a million pieces, and crack several other pieces of stone.
With his temper tantrum over, and his power reverting to normal, James sat back down at his spot on the floor, ignoring the fearful looks he was getting. Hearing the racket, Poppy poked her head out of the door. Seeing the damage on the stonewalls, the fearful looks being cast in James's direction, and James's adrenaline shaken form, she called for James.
"What happened?" Poppy asked.
"Dumbledore was being a bastard, so I told him what I thought of him, and said a few things that I maybe should have kept to myself," James sighed, rubbing his now pounding head.
"What did he say to you?" Poppy asked.
"He told me I needed to leave, as no other students were being permitted in the hallway. I let loose a lot of my power, and told most of the teacher about my connections with Rowena," said James. Poppy glared at him disapprovingly, but didn't say anything. "Can you tell me what's wrong with Tessa?"
"No, you're too stressed right now. Get some sleep, and I will explain it to both of you when you wake up," said Poppy, placing a comforting hand on James's shoulder. Looking at his watch, James was surprised to find it was only 1 in the afternoon. Nodding to his older confidant, James walked back to the privet room Poppy had put Triss into and quietly laid down next to his bonded, gently gathering the sleeping young woman into his arms.
"So, are you going to tell me what the fuck happened now?" James asked, following Poppy out of Triss's room.
Poppy glared at him for his use of language. "Do you promise not to do anything rash?" James nodded. "Can I reserve the right to stun you should you break that promise?"
"I don't know how much good that would do if it were something for me to be really pissed about, but okay," said James.
"Tessa was with child," Poppy said after a brief pause.
James looked at the older woman, completely dumbstruck. "Hold on, what do you mean was?" James asked, his hands starting to shake.
Poppy took a deep breath and started to explain. "I mean just that, was. The spell that was cast on her, mixed with the pressure that was being held on her body at that depth, caused her to miscarry."
James just stared at the older woman, as if waiting for her to tell him it was all a joke. When she didn't he asked one of the questions that was bugging him. "Did she know?"
"She was 6 weeks along, so she could have, but she might not have figured it out yet," Poppy responded.
"Who cast the spell?"
"I'm not sure, but even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you," said Poppy, giving James a meaningful look.
James ran his hand through his hair nervously. 'Shit, I'm just not having it today,' he thought to himself. His hands were shaking with fury, yet he was scared. He was scared for Triss, and what her reaction to the news would be, yet he was furious for Triss having allowed someone to cast that spell on her in the first place. He was afraid of what his professors would think, but seething that one of his professors would cast a spell like that on someone so close to him. Hell, he was scared of Jewel, because he knew she would kill him, and he didn't just mean figuratively. 'Great, the proverbial shit has just hit the fan.'
"James, are you alright?" Poppy asked.
"No, I'm not. Ugh! You know, that would be the 6th person that has been taken away from me, because I am me. First my real parents and would-be adopted father, my foster parents, and now my own child. This is such bullshit!" James yelled, his voice slightly hysterical.
Poppy looked down at the young man, feeling sorry for the young man she had known for so many years. "James, it's not your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault, just a big accident. For all you know, the child wouldn't have lived anyway, or Triss would have chosen not to keep it. Plus, if the child had been born, and all was well, what would you have done with it? You're still in school, and I know you wouldn't have dropped out," said Poppy.
James nodded. "You're right, but it still doesn't make me feel any better," he growled.
"Look, I need to go talk to Dumbledore, and file a few reports. Go back to Triss's room, she's going to need someone there when she wakes up. You have to explain what happened to her, and keep her as calm as possible. That spell did some internal damage, nothing permanent, but nothing I want to have to fix again," said Poppy.
"I take it you're going to tell Dumbledore about this whole affair?" James asked.
Poppy nodded. "Even if he doesn't have custody of Triss, he needs to be informed as Headmaster. I'll try and keep him way from here, but if he does show up, please refrain from killing him. I don't think it would help matters very much," said Poppy.
"Yeah, but it would sure as hell make me feel better," James growled as he walked back to Triss's room milling over the day's events.
"Did you know Mr. Cage was the only known heir of Rowena Ravenclaw?" Lily Evans-Potter demanded upon entering Dumbledore's office.
"No," replied Dumbledore.
"Why the hell not? You were supposed to keep tabs on all of the heirs, and what is he talking about when he says his parent's death is partly your fault?" Potter asked.
"I don't know how I didn't know about him. As for his parents, I don't know. The only muggle family I know, besides my son's family, is that of Alexander and Emma Keller, and they and their son were murdered by Voldemort near 10 years ago," said Dumbledore. Lily paled slightly at the name, but didn't say anything.
"Wasn't that the same attack that Voldemort disappeared after?" Potter asked.
"It was," said Dumbledore thoughtfully.
"What, are you trying to say that Mr. Cage was their son and somehow escaped, and/or destroyed Voldemort?" Evans asked.
"It's plausible. It would explain a lot as far as his powers and why he's always in the middle of everything. If any of this is in anyway true, then that could also explain how his name was entered in the Goblet," Dumbledore said, thinking aloud.
"Okay, let me sum this up. It is possible that our student, James Cage, the heir of Rowena Ravenclaw, is really James Keller, and that some how, at the age of 5, was able to either kill and/or escape from Voldemort himself," Potter said, ticking things off on his fingers as he went.
"No. It couldn't be, because it said in the Ministry report that they had found the bodies of all members of the family. None of the remains could be visually identified because they were charred beyond recognition," said Dumbledore, leaning back in his chair.
Sitting on top of one of Dumbledore's bookcases, sat the Sorting Hat, who was taking in all that was said, waiting to send a message to one, Mr. James Cage.
(Dumbledore's office, 15 minutes later)
"She's WHAT?" Dumbledore yelled, standing up from his chair.
"Was, key word Albus. Because of that spell someone so irresponsibly cast on her, she miscarried the child. As it is, Mr. Cage was about a hair's breath away from coming to kill the one who'd cast the spell," Poppy said, giving the Headmaster a livid glare. "If you don't mind telling me, who cast the spell in the first place?"
"It was me," a meek voice said. Evans, still sitting in the same chair she had been earlier, said, tears welled up in her eyes. "She had tried to tell me something before I cast it, but she never got it out. Oh God," Evans said, her head in her hands.
"Poppy, was there any reason to say that the child wouldn't have lived anyway?" Potter asked, trying to console his wife.
Poppy shook her head. "Besides lack of oxygen, no. The child would have been born perfectly healthy," Poppy said, feeling no pity for the younger professor.
"Very well Poppy. Please send Mr. Cage and Ms. Summers my condolences. Also, I'm sure the two of them would prefer if the student body wasn't notified. Jim, please go inform Severus of what has happened, he is their Head of House, and will need to be informed," said Dumbledore, nodding to Poppy and Potter in turn. The two of them nodded, leaving the distraught professor for Dumbledore to deal with.
"James?" Triss asked groggily, feeling the air wrapped around her waist. For reasons she couldn't figure out, she hurt all over, but most of it was centered in her abdomen. She felt a shift behind her, and a hand lightly brushing a few stray hairs out of her eyes.
"Hello love," James said, kissing the young woman's forehead.
"I feel like I got hit by a truck. What happened?" Triss asked.
"I'll tell you Tessa, but first I have to ask you a question. Did you know you were pregnant?" James asked. He felt Triss's body grow tense, and he had his answer. "I'm not mad that you didn't tell me Tessa, I'm sure you had your reasons, but the reason you hurt so bad has a lot to do with the baby," James explained softly.
Triss looked up at him in confusion, before a look of horror crossed her face. "No, please tell me that there isn't something wrong with our baby," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.
"I'm sorry Tessa. Someone cast a spell on you, they were using students in the tournament, and you were one of them. The spell deprived the baby of oxygen, and the depth that put you at caused you to miscarry. There is no baby anymore," James whispered.
"It was Evans. She made me come to her office from breakfast, and asked me if I was willing to partake somewhat in the tournament. I told her no, and tried to tell her why, but she cast the spell before I could say anything," Triss sobbed. Not really know what else he could do, James pulled Triss into his arms, letting her latch onto him as she cried until she fell sleep.
"How is she?" Poppy asked upon returning to the hospital wing. James now had Triss fully in his lap, sound sleep, as he slowly rocked her back and forth.
"She didn't take it very well. Apparently Evans cast the spell on her, without her consent. I fear what she's going to do to her when she wakes up," said James quietly, trying not to wake Triss.
"Yes, well, Dumbledore sent Potter down to inform Snape of what was going on, so you can expect a visit from him very soon," said Poppy.
"Thanks for the warning. God knows he's going to be pissed when he gets here," James said, groaning at the fact that he would have to deal with his father. "I can also probably expect a visit from Jewel soon as well."
Poppy shook her head. "Come on, lets get her settled in the bed, goodness knows that Severus will not be quiet upon his entrance." James nodded and very reluctantly placed Triss back on the bed, pushing a little of his energy out as to keep her sleep.
Sure enough, almost as soon as Poppy had shut and warded, the doors of the main part of the infirmary were slammed open. "James Shadow Alexander Cage!" a very loud and very irritated masculine voice yelled.
"And so the show begins," James growled under his breath. "What can I do to help you professor?"
Snape's face turned from pale and irritated, or red and murderous. "What can you do to help me? You can help me by telling me why you impregnated some whore you picked up on the-"
Crack!
Instead of upright and yelling, Snape was laying on the floor, his face once again pale and a shocked expression on his face. Forming around his left eye and down his jawbone was a livid black bruise. "Dad, I swear to God that if you ever talk about her like that again I will do more that blacken your eye," James growled, pulling the older man up by his collar. At that moment Jewel came running into the room, closely followed by Potter, and surprisingly, Sirius and Remus.
"Put him down James!" Jewel yelled, her eye boring into James's own. James didn't hesitate to drop him, knowing full well, he'd let his anger get the best of him. "Poppy, do what you can for Severus, James and I need a moment to talk," Jewel said, looking over that the dumbstruck Poppy. Poppy nodded, and Jewel pulled James off to an empty room, warding to room as well.
"Jewel, You really don't need to lecture me. I know I screwed up," James sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Jewel shook her head. "That's not what I'm here about. As far as Snape goes, congratulations, he had it coming. We heard what he said on the way here. Be thankful what you said wasn't loud enough for the rest of them to hear, otherwise we'd be in deeper shit," Jewel said.
"What do you mean, deeper shit?" James asked.
"To start things off, Dragon is missing. No one has seen him in a while, so your Aunt Libby put out a missing person's notice. Next on the list, the hat you have spying for you in Dumbledore's office has come through. Dumbledore and his crew have come very close to figuring out who you really are, but Fawkes, Dumbledore's bird, saved your ass. He manipulated Dumbledore, Potter and Evan's minds. And last, but not least, the media is in frenzy. It's not every day you see Dumbledore backed into a wall by a student," Jewel explained.
"Bloody brilliant," James growled.
"Be grateful. Fudge is covering your ass rather well. When did he come to his senses anyway?"
James grinned. "I think it was when I yelled at him for being a prick. Here is a good question though, how is it that you have access to the school in human form?"
"Do you have any idea how much those French girls look alike? I can just blend into them. I've even been mistaken for the champion, Fleur, once or twice," Jewel laughed.
James rolled his eyes. "Snakes…"
"Ouch, remind me never to get on that kids bad side," Sirius said, eyeing the darkening bruise on Snape's face.
Remus shook his head sadly. "Can't say he didn't have it coming though," Remus said. Sirius nodded in agreement.
A few minutes later James and Jewel returned. "And who might this lovely lady be?" Sirius asked, kissing Jewel's hand. James had to fight the urge to laugh.
"Jewel Keller, you two must be Sirius and Remus," Jewel said, playing along.
Sirius nodded. "How, might I ask, do you know our names?"
"I told her about the both of you. She was here to see me in the tournament," James said, ending the line of questioning.
"And how, may I ask, do you know Mr. Cage, Ms. Keller?" Potter asked.
James nearly rolled his eyes at the question, trust Potter to be nosy. Thankfully Jewel had already thought up and answer. "I used to baby sit James and Triss when Derek, their guardian, was away on business."
'Derek?' James asked.
'Don't tell me you never knew Dragon's real name,' Jewel asked in outrage.
James mentally shook his head, but didn't answer further. "Okay, so what are you two doing here?" James asked, his question directed to Sirius and Remus. Snape seemed to have slipped out of the room already.
"We came to see the tournament, and we saw the thing with Triss. Is she okay?" Remus asked.
"I'm fine," a groggy, voice said from the doorway. Standing slightly crouched over was Triss.
Within seconds James was next to her. If not for him, she probably wouldn't have been standing at all. "Fine my ass," James growled. Triss laughed a little, but decided that hurt too much.
"Hey Triss. We're sorry about the baby," Sirius said, following James as he led Triss back to her room.
"Don't tell me the news of that is out already," Triss groaned.
"Not really, we heard Snape yelling about it before James hit him," said Sirius.
"You what?" Triss yelled, rounding on James.
"Don't bother yelling at him Triss. Ze bat deserved it," Jewel said, the French like accent come forward.
Triss shook her head. "I'll take you're word for it Jewel. If you guys don't mind, I'm not feeling too well, and am going back to sleep," Triss said, rolling back into the blankets of the bed.
"You do that then. Sirius and I will be on our way. Take care you two, and James, do us a favor and hit Snape again…"
(A/N: Okay people, I now ask for an opinion. I'm really not sure what to do with the next chapter. Any ideas? I fear I've run into a wall, and the only thing I can think of is temporarily breaking James and Triss up, or making the whole chapter some kind of prophetic dream, but no one seems to like those ideas. If anyone can think of anything better let me know.)
Review responses:
Shadowface: I'm working on it, I promise.
Sauron the Deciever: Athenakitty was just letting me know that you'd changed your name. As far as the Fred and George woman thing, I think I got that from something one of my friends said and modified it. I could be wrong though…
LizaGirl: It's up at the top, but be warned, I'm not very good at summaries and it may not be 100% accurate, I may have skipped an event or two.
Callie Marie Black: I'm trying to send out the chapters as fast as I can write them. Currently, I'm being pulled in 50 different directions, thank Merlin for MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder).
Athenakitty: No, no one marked the cards. James is like me, we have wonderful luck as far as Uno goes (if there is no 'Spanish class conspiracy') but can't play poker worth a damn. A streaking baby Harry story? I think I will look into that, I need a laugh…
Wytil: I wouldn't know what my Grandfather on that side would sound like, both of my Dad's parents died when he was little. My Grandfather on my Mom's side either has someone come out to install things to his computer, or has me do it. One of my Dad's friends does computer designing, so I've learned a little bit from him, but I'm a trial and error person. I mess with stuff till I figure it out, that's how I learned to read, write and type. I'm left handed, and the teachers I had were from the middle ages, and thought that if you were left handed you need to be burned. Therefore, I had to learn how to write with my right hand, and I finally figured out that if I turned my paper sideways, I could use my right hand. Trial and error, got to love it, but I think I really did start to piss those teachers off, they just couldn't get me on anything…
Shadow Beast1: Thanks.
Leeanna-Marie-Malfoy: Thanks. If you come up with an idea on how to continue from here, please do share. I'm at a total loss right now, and I like to here other people's ideas, even if it went along the lines of Voldemort turning into Barney and had nothing to do with the story. Hmmm… Voldemort turning into Barney, now I know I have issues…
Musicstarlover: Personal thought, all teenagers are insane. I'm so past insane, I'm normal. (Confusing, isn't it?) I know what you mean about the blond James thing, I had to picture him as a Legolas type. Don't feel bad about loosing track, my sister Anna and I were talking about the story a few weeks ago, and she started mentioning characters I didn't even remember I had put in, like Madam Winter, the 1st year nurse. Sirius and Remus are still around, as you can see above, but I'm still turning over what I'm going to do with the next chapter. I've actually thought about making this a dream/vision that Triss has just after the Halloween ball. James is a Shape Shifter, that's how he can change from form to form to form. I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible, but with my life, you never know. If I go for more than 3 months without posting, just consider me dead, or close to. The Mediterranean? Compared to my having to return to school in a few days, that sounds like heaven.
Twilight's Mercy: In this story, Harry Potter doesn't really exist. Lily never named James before she gave him up, but no, Sirius and Remus don't know that James is Lily's son. I think, but I may have to double check, that they know Snape is his dad. As far as Dumbledore finding out, everyone will know when it's revealed.
Lady Phoenix Slytherin: Thanks. Snape does recognize James as his son, but he and James don't really get along in this point in the story. Snape doesn't know James well enough to know how he acts, and what is a threat to him and what isn't. There isn't any hatred between them, just distance. I promise Lily will know about James within the next 6-7 chapters, depending on how long I want to drag out the tournament.
KapOfDaPipers: It's coming soon, I promise!
RunningInCircles: Thanks.
HaliJade Snape: Thanks. James and Sev will start to get along in the father/son way again. No, James isn't, nor ever will be jealous of Kat. As I said, I'm trying to get them out as fast as I can write them, and that gets slow sometimes.
Hobbs: Just say story, it's less complicated.
Gaul1: Thanks. I'm not sure how much more of an active roll I'm going to give Lizzy yet.
Phoenix catcher: Thanks.