Chapter 2: Seven Years Later...
"What I don't understand, Mr Potter," Albus Dumbledore spoke softly, 7 years after the incident with Harry, "Is why you threw him out in the first place."
James Potter hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry sir," James replied, ignoring Albus's whispered repremand ("Call me Albus!"), "It WAS the day after you had told us about that...other prophecy. You know the one? When I saw Harry could speak parseltongue..."
"You saw this with your own eyes, James?" Dumbledore said, raising his right eyebrow (in movies, you always see people using the LEFT side of their face. Personally, I have no idea how they get to do that naturally...I must have been taught differently) in interest.
"Well, Emerald told me that she had seen Harry talk in parseltongue." James answered. "I didn't know what else to do, so I kicked him out...If we had found this new prophecy before, Harry wouldn't be dead right now."
"Harry? Dead? James, we've been reading a magical signiture that belongs to Harry for five years now." Dumbledore said to James, looking at him pointedly. "However, four or five decades ago, we read a slightly warped version of this same signature, so I'm not all that sure it's the same one..."
James sighed. "If you've read it before, then it can't be Harry."
"On the contrary. Nearly a century ago, me and a friend of mine...hmm, I don't seem to remember his name, but he was a good friend - anyway, we decided to test some magical signature reading systems...according to the main wavelength magical coordination beacon, a large fluctuation in the magical withdraw core-"
"Alright already! Just tell me what you're talking about!" James almost yelled, his head hurting from trying to figure out what the ancient headmaster was saying.
"Oh...well, the warping of a magical signature in this particular way is usually due to time travel." Albus sat down at his desk, having previously been standing. "But don't have the foggiest notion of how that's possible..."
James looked up at the headmaster sharply, then sunk slowly into his chair, letting out a frustrated groan. "Why didn't I realise it earlier?" He mumbled, the words almost incoherently soft.
"I would ask what you mean, James, but I already know." Albus smiled at James, "DOn't worry, I've sent Fawkes to find the old phoenix that lived by your house. He should be able to get a Hogwarts letter to Harry...if indeed the boy is still alive."
"I just hope he is, Dumbledore...although, Emerald might not be exactly thrilled at having to share her second bedroom..." James mumbled softly.
"I somehow doubt that Harry would want to live with you again, James, if even he DOES forgive you." Albus said. After a few moments silence, a soft song reached James' ears. A song that sounded very much like a phoenix.
"Ah, that will be Fawkes with old Seraz's response." Albus said, standing up and looking expectantly at the main entrance window through which Fawkes usually came. The song became louder, but nothing happened.
After each passing second, the song became louder and louder, until the song was so loud that James had to cover his ears to block out the noise. Albus, however, remainained staring expectantly at the window, oblivious to the pitch of the phoenix song.
Both wizards noticed, however, as a bright globe of golden-red light appeared in the middle of the room, no bigger than a chicken egg, and began growing rapidly. Minutes passed, untill the globe was large enough to hold two people inside, and it began to dissipate - like it had appeared, only in reverse. Stepping out of the light came two people - a middle-aged black-haired man, with blue eyes, and a teen-aged black-haired boy with emerald green eyes.
James was shocked, only two people he had ever known had ever had that unique shade of emerald green - his beloved Lily, and his son Harry. "Harry?" James whispered, taking a tentative step forward, not noticing when Albus took a step back, whispering for James to follow him.
The blue-eyed man twitched, and James was sent flying against the wall. "Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." An old voice spoke, and James had to turn his head - his body still being held against the wall, and his brain still fuzzy from the impact - towards where he thought the new voice came from. A carbon-copy of the blue-eyed man (except he had white hair and had much more scars) stood, an ageless look in his eyes - as if he had lived hundreds of years. "Are you not he?" The man's voice seemed to be directed at Albus, not James, so he didn't say anything.
"Yes, I am. May I help you?" Albus replied, his eyes narrowing and taking a second step back.
"My time is short, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have come to give you my Protege's acceptance into your school." The man's arm waved in the direction of the younger boy, the one with the green eyes. "However, My terms are these, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The boy's guardian must be allowed to stay within the school grounds - teacher, groundskeeper, whatever is available."
Albus had reached a glass cabinet - one that held a certain sword inside. "And for what reason do I want this...Protege of yours?" Albus asked, eyes narrowed.
"Test him yourself." Was the reply. Immediately, Albus turned, smashed the glass cabinet with his wand, and grabbed the sword of Godric Gryffindor, and in an instant had it hurled with awesome speed at the boy. James couldn't even blink fast enough to beat that sword's speed, it was so fast.
With even more speed, the boy plucked the sword out of the air, spun it around and without losing any momentum, the sword flew back toward Albus.
All this display of power, James was sure, was nothing compared to what the old headmaster could do, but to an ordinary wizard, it would have looked so much more powerful than what it was.
As fast as the sword was flying toward Albus, he quickly twitched his wand and the sword stopped, then dropped to the ground (i would make it roll around ('stop drop and roll') but that would be way too stupid). It had all happened so fast, James hardly believed he saw it.
"Very well..." Albus sighed. "I shall adhere to your terms...?"
"My name is Padfoot. That is all you need to know." Another one of the eggs of light appeared in front of Padfoot. "But for now, you shall never have the pleasure of seeing ME again. Good day, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." With that, the egg-sized sphere of light engulfed him (much more style than the one Harry had arrived in), and he had dissappeared.
Instantly, Albus was back to his cheery mood, the customary twinkle in his eyes. "Now, if you could please let go of James?" Albus said, trying to hide his amusement.
James dropped to the floor none too gently. "Ouch, that hurt!" He said, glaring at the blue-eyed man who put him there in the first place. "And who are you?" James completely ignored the fact that the old man had called himself 'Padfoot' just moments ago (especially since he hadn't been listening, due to glaring at the blue-eyed man who smashed him against the wall).
The man in question just glared hatefully at James. James could see something familiar in those eyes, but he couldn't place it.
"I agree with James." Albus said, smiling at the two. "Would you mind telling me your names?"
The green-eyed boy spoke up. "My name is Harry, I have no last name. This here is Padfoot - the younger form of the Padfoot that has just died. Some might say his last name is...Black, however I suggest you do not use it. Especially if you value your lives."
With that, Harry fell backwards, as if he were expecting a chair to be underneath him. A chair suddenly drew itself beneath him as if it had been there all along. Padfoot, after a few more moments of glaring at James, did the same.
"So, is there anything else we need to discuss?" Harry asked, glancing carelessly at James, then at the headmaster.
"I have a question, yes." Albus said. "Why does your guardian not speak?"
"Thats his problem." Harry answered. "Or, you might say it's HIS problem." Harry said, waving a hand towards James. "Especially as it's all his fault."
That earned Harry a quizzical look from James. 'Well, this is going to be one fun year...' Harry thought, as he braced for the barrage of questions he expected from James, his...father.
Now for some comments to the reviewers:
Jelli-baby: Thanks
The Lord Of pencil: Sorry about the nasty parents, but it's called 'mistrust'. When someone is obviously mentioned in a prophecy as 'bad', people usually start to mistrust said person. However, the person in the prophecy isn't Harry (but his parents don't know that!). Ps: I think Warhammer Rules too!
Ocpawnmaster1: Well, someone's gotta take the place of Dudley :P
Seig Wolf: With more reviews like these I will (some would portray that as a bribe...)
Lady FoxFire: Muahahaha, I love Padfoot. I love James even more, but I couldn't have a nice James with the plot -.- waah. Emerald? Dark Lord? I think you got your genders crossed. But no, she isn't going to be. She's just a really annoying rich kid. Much like Malfoy. (Yes, if I put Malfoy in this, he'll be Dark!Good, like so many people seem to portray him...NO SLASH!)
Angel the Devil's Daughter: Harry isn't talking like a 12 year old, he's SUPPOSED to be talking like a 16 year old. I believe you havn't seen enough to know how clever I meant to make Harry (my fault). He's been STUDYING snakes for nearly 6 months, and he knows more about them than most. Thats GOTTA make you clever.
HarrySlytherinson: I tried
Insanechildfanfic: Short but to the point. Hehe
Nicoletta: Kill her if you want...I don't really mind...
Samurai Demon-God Sekikage: Eh, after this chapter, I hope it's less confusing. I do know, however, that what you're probably thinking didn't happen big twist.
Gallandro83: The Phoenix is unconcerned about the wand since it knows that, however Emerald acts, she still won't turn evil. Gryffindor to the bone :P
Tatshing: I hope to be able to keep going without losing the plot...I've seen many fanfictions doing that.
Firehedgehog: I'm not gonna KILL them...this chapter makes James seem rather Good, but not everything is as it seems...
Delinka: I'll try to update faster
A/N: Thanks for reviewing all, and I hope I didn't let you down with this chapter!
DragonTyrion