After James, Albus, Devon, and Lily left the Room of Requirement on May 24th, 2020, Albus went to the library to study with Rose and Pamela, while James, Devon, and Lily joined Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie and Samantha in the common room.
"I have a surprise for you all," Samantha told her friends in a crisp and clear voice once James, Devon, and Lily were present.
"What is it?" piped up Lily.
"You guys are going to love this," said Samantha with a smile, "This August my home state of Arizona is hosting the semifinals and finals of the Quidditch United States Cup. This event will be held at State Farm Stadium, home of my beloved Arizona Cardinals."
"That's awesome, Samantha!" exclaimed Stephanie, "Are you going to be able to go yourself?"
"I am," said Samantha eagerly, "And that's not all!"
"What else is there to it?' asked Ainsley excitedly.
"I have secured enough tickets to be able to invite all of you as well!" said Samantha happily.
James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all burst into wide smiles. They all enjoyed Quidditch and James, Stephanie, and Lily, all of whom were bona fide Quidditch junkies, felt thrilled at the prospect of attending the Quidditch United States Cup.
"How many tickets do you possess?" asked James.
"Seven," said Samantha with a smirk, "You know, the most powerfully magical number."
"Hey, Samantha?" asked James, "You said August, but you didn't give us specific dates."
"Semifinals on Friday, August 14th, 2020, finals on Sunday, August 16th, 2020, " answered Samantha, "I also need to inform you about the conditions that accepting my invitation comes with. If you accept my invitation you agree to abide by these terms. If you are not comfortable with some or all of these terms you may decline your invitation with no hard feelings on my part."
"What are these terms?" asked Lily.
"First of all," said Samantha clearly, "Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily, you three will be sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags with me the two nights you are at my house. My house doesn't have enough rooms for everyone to have a room. The Savers house has two extra rooms for guests to stay in and I'll give up my room for the time you all are there. This will allow James, Devon, and Hugo to have rooms and sleep in real beds. But. Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily, you three will have to sleep outdoors in sleeping bags and I will be doing the same."
"I'd sleep on hard rock if the payout was getting to go to a big time Quidditch event," said Lily radiantly.
"Damn straight!" agreed Stephanie, "A few nights of less comfortable than usual sleeping arrangements is a small price to pay to get to go to the Quidditch United States Cup. QUDDITCH FOREVER BABY!"
"Indeed," beamed Lily, "To be able to attend the Quidditch United States Cup will be an awesome experience. And anyway, it's really decent of you to invite us at all."
"I'm happy to have you all come," smiled Samantha, "But it is also my responsibility to be honest about everything that accepting my invitation will encompass. Also, on Saturday, August 15th, my Arizona Cardinals will be hosting the Oakland Raiders in their first preseason game, I have tickets for that game as well and I'd like you all to come along so I can introduce you to the great United States sport of Football "
James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all nodded and gave Samantha smiles. They didn't what the sport of Football would be like, but they liked the idea of trying out watching what would be a new sport for them.
"What else should we know?" asked Hugo.
"There's one last condition," said Samantha matter of factly, "There can be NO yelling or raised voice volumes at my house. If you yell or raise your voice at my house my mom and dad will send you home straight away and you will never be allowed at my house again."
"No different from my mom and dad, "piped up Devon.
"I agree with them," acknowledged Samantha, "I think my dad is right on the money when he says that good parents never yell at their children and that good people never yell at ANY other people."
"Sounds like something my mom would say," said Devon briskly, "And it really is true."
"So," said Samantha briskly, "You know the terms, raise your hand if you accept my invite."
James, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily all raised both of their hands.
"Excellent," beamed Samantha.
At that nanosecond James's owl swooped in and dropped a letter on his lap.
James opened the letter and read.
"Dear Mr. Potter
As the Wandmaking class idea that won you a gold medal in the Hogwarts Writing Competition was indeed, well, your idea, we deem it only fair that you be allowed to have some involvement in the process. While it will be required for students who are taking the course to take it from third year on and no student older than this year's first years will be able to take the course due to the logistical issues that will not allow the course to be offered until the 2021-2022 school year and the inability to join the subject material in progress, we would like to offer you an opportunity to play a major role in this revolutionary class. We would like to offer you the opportunity to be the teacher for the Wandmaking class! So how would this work? Mr. Olivander will take you under his wing during your sixth year at Hogwarts. He will give you a year's worth of training on how to make wands. This training will have to occur at a time when Olivander's shop is closed so that it does not disrupt witches and wizards who need to get or replace wands from doing so. The specific time is still to be determined but be prepared for these training sessions to occur late at night. You will get training two times per week and at the end of year you will be given a test to demonstrate how well you understand Wandmaking and Wandlore. You will also make a sample wand to prove you are ready to take the teaching position for the 2021-2022 school year. The 2021-2022 school year is your seventh year as well and you will still be required to take classes. The Wandmaking class will be scheduled around that. This won't be a problem because there will only be one class, the third years of that year, in 2021-2022. Should you come up short, you will be offered additional training over the summer. We believe in you and are confident you will succeed at earning the teaching position. A backup plan to bring in a foreign Wandmaker is in place should you come up short, but we fully expect you to become the Wandmaking teacher in 2021-2022. The finalized times for your training will be included in your 2020-2021 Hogwarts course schedule. Mr. Olivander will be teaching you both Wandlore and the Wandmaking process. Please note that these training sessions will be rigorous. Please send this letter back with your signature if you are accepting this offer.
Sincerely - Mr. Olivander and Hogwarts Headmistress Minerva McGonagall."
Below this was a place for James to sign.
"Wow!" said an awestruck Lily, "James becoming a teacher at age seventeen! And for James to have the opportunity to become the very first Hogwarts Wandmaking teacher after adding Wandmaking classes was his idea is so fitting. "
James took out a pen, signed the letter, and sent it back with his owl. Then he raised his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" cried James.
And a corporeal Patronus shot out of James's wand. A corporeal Patronus that took the form of a stag.
"This is one of the happiest moments of your life, isn't it, baby bro?" asked Lily quietly.
"Absolutely, big sis!" said James with clear cut jubilation in his voice. "To have my idea both win me a gold medal and an Old Faithful bar and to have it used was joyous in and of itself, even more so when I shared that night's triumph with you and your related idea, big sis. But to have the opportunity to be trained by Olivander himself and to be able to become the first teacher of the Wandmaking class is surreal."
Lily put out her hand.
"Baby bro," said Lily, "I just want to shake your hand. I can't tell you how proud I am of you."
James gladly took Lily's handshake.
"Coagulations, James," said Hugo meaningfully, "We're all so happy for you."
"It's awesome to something like this happen for you, James," said Devon sincerely.
"I'm glad to see that James really appreciates this opportunity, " said Samantha crisply.
"You can totally tell how much it means to him," observed Stephanie.
"No doubt!" smiled Ainsley.
"Baby bro, you have a real opportunity to be remembered in the annals of Hogwarts," said Lily with emotion.
James burst into song:
"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme, when you wish upon a star, as dreamers do. Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you through, when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true!"
Neither James nor Lily slept that night.
James was too excited thinking about the path that lie ahead for him and Lily couldn't stop thinking of how much this meant to James and how proud she was of James and happy she was for him.
Another Potter could go down in the annals of Wizarding History.
