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Altered Destinies by DobbyElfLord
 Books » Harry Potter Rated: T, English, Supernatural & Suspense, Harry P., Tom R. Jr., Words: 289k+, Favs: 8k+, Follows: 3k+, Published: Sep 16, 2006 Updated: Sep 1, 2007 3,864Chapter 6: Training and Trials
A/N: I am stunned by all of the positive emails and reviews I have received on this story. Thank you to everyone who took the time. I spent the last week re-working the story to add details and additional chapters. I particularly loved all of the speculation about what James/Harry will find when he returns to his own time (or if). Thanks again!
Chapter 6 – Training and Trials
12 November 1935
James stepped onto the dueling platform in the Auror Academy. Twenty Aurors stood in a group at the side of the stage. Most of them had at least five years of experience in their field. This meant all of them were at least in their mid-twenties. Although James himself was not yet twenty, his experience and eyes made them all add ten years to him.
Professor Dumbledore and Thomas Potter convinced the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to sponsor a series of advanced dueling demonstrations. The two wizards used several known Dueling Masters for previous sessions to teach advanced spells and dueling tactics to the Aurors. Today would be James's first demonstration.
James smirked slightly to himself. He remembered his career counseling in his Fifth year with McGonagall and Umbridge. Although Harry did have several instructors who were Aurors, events kept Harry from every attending the Academy. Now here he was preparing to teach a class.
"Good morning. I am James Evans. I am here today in order to lead a discussion on magical combat. We will have demonstrations today, but I also want this to be a two-way class. If you have questions or comments, please bring them up during the session."
A burly Auror standing in the middle of the crowd with his arms crossed called out, "Why should we listen to you? What makes you an expert?"
James nodded calmly at this outburst. The question was expected. "My first taste of combat occurred at age eleven. Can anyone define for me the difference between dueling and combat?" James picked a familiar face out of the crowd. "Mr. Moody, care to take a shot."
The young Auror looked surprised to be called on. "A duel occurs between only two people?"
"Is that a question or an answer, Mr. Moody?" James smirked internally. It was a lot of fun to throw Moody's future self's own comments back at him. Was that a paradox?
"Yes, a duel is only between two people. However, combat can be also. The primary difference deals with the rules. In combat, there is no code of conduct. Nothing is out of bounds. You must be prepared for all possibilities."
James stepped off the stage. He looked at the Auror who initially challenged him. "Your name sir?"
"Auror Michael Tomlinson."
James waved his hand at the platform. "Mr. Tomlinson and Mr. Moody, please take your places on the platform."
The older and larger Auror grinned at Moody and moved into position. "Let's play, Alistair."
Once they took their positions, they both assumed classic dueling stances. "Begin" Harry called out.
The two combatants started with the classic shielding spells followed by probing attacks. Although more advanced then the spells and techniques James saw at the Hogwarts duels, it was much the same.
Two quick Stunning Spells ended the duel.
James stepped past the two bodies on the platform. "What just happened?"
An Auror in the back called out, "You cheated! You stunned them during their duel!"
"I cheated? By what rules?" James turned and with a flick of his wand woke the two Aurors. "Get up!"
The two Aurors jumped to their feet. "Why was I able to stun you?"
Tomlinson sneered at James. "You hit us when we were fighting."
In an flat tone, James asked, "Tell me Auror Tomlinson, do you expect your opponents to allow you to fight in neat pairings? You must be prepared. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! You must be aware of your surroundings and prepared to react at all times."
James motioned for the two Aurors to join their fellows. Alistair Moody glared at James as he stepped off the stage. James grinned at him, "Get down there, Mad-Eye. I've been glared at by better."
After the two Aurors rejoined the group, James addressed them, "I have faced true combat conditions more then twenty times. I have had all three of the Unforgivable Curses cast against me. While I have never used the Killing Curse, I have killed several Dark wizards and creatures during battles. I was fifteen during my first full battle. Six Fourth and Fifth year students were caught by a dozen adult Dark wizards and witches. We held long enough for help to arrive. No one died that day."
James's voice contained no emotion now. He sounded like a man discussing the weather. He concluded with, "Of those six students, I am the only one left alive. We were thrown into a situation where we learned or we died. Why should you listen to me? Simple, I am the survivor."
The Aurors looked stunned at this information. Glances shot amongst the group. Somehow, they did not doubt the young wizard in front of them. His calm confident stance soothed many of their doubts. For more then one hundred years, the Auror Corps served as the magical community's investigators. More akin to the Muggle Scotland Yard then solders, these men were very experienced at reading witnesses and suspects. All of their instincts told them that James knew what he was talking about. An aura of grim implacability hung on the young wizard.
When James first mounted the dueling stage, he gave the air of a genial, slightly goofy young wizard. Talking about his past brought a new mask to the fore. The genial man was gone. Instead, a tested warrior looked at the Aurors. This was not a man to be taken lightly.
James continued without a pause. "Today we will discuss several basic combat scenarios. Many will be drawn from battles I have fought in or my teachers did. I have changed the terrain to reflect areas you are familiar. The Ministry, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley will be included."
James snorted to himself. Actually, the battles would be presented exactly in the locations they occurred. It was not as if James could explain that the battles would occur between 1977 and 1989. That would hurt his credibility.
"For the practical portion of the afternoon, you will team up in three man teams to experience a taste of what you would expect in a true combat environment."
Unobserved in the back of the room, Thomas Potter stood with Head Auror Anthony Abbott. Within the bubble of a Silencio, the Head Auror asked, "Do you really think this is necessary, Thomas?"
Thomas Potter nodded but kept watching the class. James had conjured an image on the wall of a map with symbols representing the combatants and bystanders in a Diagon Alley scenario. "I am afraid I do, Anthony."
"Why would Grindelwald attack here after all of this time? He has lived hidden in Eastern Europe for the past forty-five years. Why now?"
Thomas shrugged, "He still wants the scrolls. He must need them for something dark. Now he has his puppet running Muggle Germany. We are not exactly sure where Dumstrang is, but I know it is somewhere in the German or Austrian Alps. The German ministry has always maintained close relations with their Muggle opposites. Much closer then we do in England. Their Muggles started rebuilding their military in March. I am afraid our wizard war is going to spill into the Muggle world."
"Do you really think it will get that bad?" Anthony asked. "We haven't had Muggles get involved in our arguments since the Spanish and English wars in the 1500's!"
Thomas grimaced. "I think that is exactly the model Albert is using. Lead a Muggle force to invade England to push aside any magical resistance. We would either have to give way or allow our existence to become known."
Anthony turned white. "Do you really think that is what he has planned?"
Thomas nodded, "Albus does. They used to play strategy games together. Albert loved to feint and use his weaker forces to screen his strength. Then he would strike to finish off his opponent quickly. The Nazis and their leader, Hitler, are merely his pawns to screen his magical strength."
Anthony motioned to where James taught his seminar. "Does this bloke know what he is talking about? Do you trust him?"
"He beat the Malfoy heir without breaking a sweat. You know what a fanatic Mallica is for dueling. His son is the Hogwarts champion. James made him look a novice. He won't talk about his background much, but he is a master."
"But can we trust him?"
Thomas shrugged. "Fawkes likes him, actually landed on James's shoulder. Also Elizabeth likes him too. Says something about him makes her want to mother him. He is dating a Hufflepuff healer and adopted a orphaned boy. In addition, he founded the Phoenix Foundation.
"He started the Phoenix Foundation?" Anthony turned back to study the young instructor. "I like what they have done, but we have not been able to figure out where his money came from?"
Thomas Potter turned and looked at his friend. "Why are you looking into it?"
"A request from the Minister. Someone raised a concern that they would misuse the children in their care."
"Sounds more like the Malfoys, Blacks and the rest of their crowd are upset over James making the Malfoy lad look bad."
Anthony Abbott nodded, "Possibly, but I would still like to know where his money came from. We can't get much from Gringotts. Apparently he showed up in June of '34 with a trunk full of Galleons to open a vault. No records exist of him before then. My experience tells me that Evans is not his real name."
Thomas shrugged, "Possibly he changed his name to avoid retribution. If even part of his stories about fighting Dark wizards is true there has to be some still out looking for him."
"Maybe Thomas. Maybe."
Three hours later the seminar wrapped up with a combat challenge. James allowed Tomlinson to select four other Aurors to fight. Unsurprisingly, his team did not include the young Alistair Moody.
"Come on, Mad-Eye. Bring on of your mates with you."
Moody glared at James and gestured to another Auror. They walked to the opposite side of the dueling platform.
James poured pumpkin juice into cups for all of the fighters. "Gentlemen, I suggest you have something to drink. This fight will continue until only one side remains standing." Earlier James activated a toy from Weasley Wizard Wheezes. The toy caused the air to dry out and the room temperature to slowly rise. As a result all of the Aurors on the platform gratefully drank the pumpkin juice. After they drank, James offered the rest to the others in the class.
Once they were done, James moved to his referee's position. "Gentlemen, ready?" At nods from both ends, James yelled out, "Activate!"
All of the Aurors in the room locked into position. None of them could move. James walked calmly over and picked up his stuff, preparing to leave. As he reached to door, James turned back and addressed his frozen class. "Never except a gift from a potential adversary. Be prepared to utilize every advantage in combat and seek to avoid giving your opponents any advantage. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Then James turned and walked out of the room.
A moment later, he popped his head back into the room. "By the way, the Petrifaction Potion should wear off in about an hour. Remember this lesson. Nice meeting all of you."
James walked out of the building using all of his Occlumency skills to maintain his composure. Once out of the Academy, James fell against the wall holding his sides and laughing. The look on Moody's face! James remembered Moody using the same trick when training Harry and his friends the summer after his Seventh year.
James recovered his composure and proceeded to the Apparition point. Before he left he murmured, "That one was for you, Ron."
31 December 1935
Tommy's ninth birthday arrived during a heavy snowfall in Hogsmeade. Tommy spent the whole day outside with Snuffles and his broom. This was Tommy's second birthday in the wizarding world. Last year it had been only James and Tommy celebrating the day. Now Sarah and Snuffles joined them at the table for his birthday dinner.
James smiled at the young boy who had come to mean so much to him. Tommy looked up from his dinner and started to smile back. He stopped and looked back down at his dinner. James frowned at Tommy's behavior. Why was the boy acting this way? He had been growing distant for months. He was almost as reserved now as when he first arrived in Hogsmeade.
Tommy still acted normally around Sarah and Elizabeth Potter. Both witches noticed a change in Tommy whenever he realized James was around. Neither could explain his behavior nor get Tommy to talk to them about it.
James reached under the table and set a package in front of Tommy. "I know you already opened your birthday presents this morning, but I saw this today and wanted to add it."
Tommy reached for the wrapped gift when it jumped slightly. He cast a slightly worried look at James.
"Don't worry, it won't hurt you."
Tommy shrugged and ripped off the paper. (Tommy was a ripper. Why wrap it if you can't have fun opening it?) For the first time in weeks, Tommy's face lit up. "Uncle Jimmy!"
Sarah had the opposite reaction. "James Evans! I can't believe you bought that for him!"
James used to think it was a Weasley female thing to yell like that. Maybe it was all women. Or maybe just women he was attracted to. Not that it really made a difference right now.
"It is a children's version dear. The Snitch moves at half speed. The Bludgers move slower and are filled with Hippogriff down as cushioning."
"Why do we encourage children to play a sport where it is expected someone gets seriously hurt?"
'Uh,oh,' James thought, 'now she is channeling Madam Pomfrey.' Aloud he said, "Because it's fun?"
By the look on her face, James knew he made a mistake. A voice in his head yelled, 'INCOMING!' James spent the next fifteen minutes listening to his girlfriend lecture him on the dangers of Quidditch. James figured it was worth it to hear Tommy suppressing his giggles.
Sarah finally stopped when she noticed James wink at the red-faced Tommy. She turned her frown on him but could not keep her own lips from curling up at the sight of the nine-year-old attempting to hold in his giggles. That was enough for Tommy to lose his fight. His infectious, uncontrollable laughter filled the dining room of the cottage. James and Sarah started to laugh with him.
Snuffles, who was now large enough to stand eye-level with the table top, stood up from his nap to see what was so amusing to his humans. Their loud noises woke him from a pleasant dream of chasing down a large rabbit. After watching them a second, Snuffles curled up by his master's feet again. 'Two-legs are weird,' the dog decided as he returned to his sleep.
James walked into Tommy's room while he was preparing for bed. The young boy was reading a book James bought him a few weeks previous. It was "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells. It impressed James that Tommy almost completed the novel already. It would not be an easy read for a just nine-year-old.
"Good evening, Tommy."
Tommy looked up from his book. "Hi."
"Tommy, can we talk a bit?" James asked standing in the door.
Tommy shrugged but did not say anything. James took that as a yes and stepped into the room. James sat in a chair across from Tommy's bed. When Tommy first arrived here from the orphanage, James sat in the chair rather then make Tommy uncomfortable by sitting on his bed to talk to him. It was almost a full year before Tommy offered to allow James to sit on his bed. It was one of the happiest moments of James's life. Something made James revert to the chair tonight.
"You have been a bit distant lately. Is something wrong? Are the kids in the village bothering you?"
Tommy shook his head, "No."
"Well, I would say nothing is wrong with Snuffles. He ate all of the chops off my plate last night. Seemed fine then." Snuffles looked up and gave a doggie grin at the mention of his name.
'Never should have let Tommy name Snuffles after Padfoot. I swear the dog is a Marauder.' James thought.
Unaware of James's mental observation, Tommy answered, "No, Snuffles is fine."
"You seem fine with Sarah. Did I do something to bother you?" The silence answered James's question.
"Tommy, can you please tell me what is wrong?"
Tears started to form in Tommy's face. He rolled over, placed his face in his pillow, and started to cry. James stepped over to the bed and gently placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder. Tommy shook it off. James stepped back as Tommy whirled around.
"Don't you touch me! You are just like the people in the orphanage! You hate me!"
A wave of magic slammed into James, knocking him back into the chair. The chair flipped over, slamming James's head into the wall. Then the room went black.
James heard a voice calling his name. He struggled to wake up. He realized he was cold. "Sarah? What happened?"
"I heard Tommy screaming at you and then Snuffles started to howl. I came to see what happened. I found you here and Tommy's window open. I think he left on his broom. I didn't see any tracks in the snow."
James struggled to stand up. "James, be careful. You might have a concussion."
"Wouldn't be the first time. I have to go find Tommy." James noticed Snuffles standing looking out the window with a sad look on his face. "Relax, boy. I'll bring him back."
The look on Snuffle's face said, 'You better.'
James ran into his room and opened his locked trunk. Since Tommy arrived in the house, the trunk was opened very rarely. It contained Harry Potter's things from the future. Anything that had not yet been invented or written was stored in this trunk. The prank used for the Auror training session was almost the only thing James had removed since his arrival in this time.
James pulled out the Firebolt. James's Cleansweep was a great broom for this time, but it was nothing compared to Harry's Firebolt. Throwing on his robes, James cast a quick warming charm.
Sarah caught him heading out the front door. "James, it is a blizzard outside! How will you find him?"
"Don't worry. I will. Be back in a tic." James ran out the door and mounted his broom in mid-stride. In a heartbeat, he was gone.
James flew to the south end of the village. Bringing his broom to a hover in the shelter of a tree, he pulled out his wand. "Point me."
Taking a bearing off the wand, James moved east for the village a bit. He repeated the process and headed for his destination. A tailwind pointed in the same direction. James kicked himself. He should have guessed. Tommy was headed for Hogwarts.
Between the speed of the Firebolt and the tailwind, James made it to Hogwarts in record time. Sheltering in the shadow of the Quidditch stands, James used his wand again. It pointed past Hogwarts and towards the lake. That really scared James. Now he flew like a man possessed.
Rocketing towards the lake, James noticed a broom on the ground near the lakeshore. Snow from the blizzard was starting to cover it. James flew down near the broom and called out, "Tommy! Where are you!" with a Sonorous Charm.
James called repeatedly, his heart in his throat.
A slight slackening in the wind brought a faint sound to James's ears. Turning in that direction, James called out, "Accio Tommy!"
Out of the darkness and snow a small wet huddled mass crashed into James's waiting arms. Pulling the boy in close, James turned his broom back towards the Quidditch stands.
Tommy was mumbling to himself softly as they flew. Don't kill me. I am sorry. Don't kill me." It broke James's heart to hear this. A dreadful suspicion rose up in his chest.
Once he reached the shelter of the stands, James hovered the broom and used his wand to cast drying and warming charms. Noticing Tommy had lapsed into unconsciousness, James turned the Firebolt for home.
James did not take the direct route home. The wind now fought against him. Also, he did not want the wind to make Tommy any colder then necessary. So James dashed from shelter to shelter, winding his way back through Hogsmeade and back to the cottage. This trip seemed perversely much longer and much shorted then the trip out.
Eventually, James landed in front of his house. Opening the door, he was greeted by a very happy dog and a very worried girlfriend.
"Tommy!" Sarah grabbed Tommy from James and carried him into his bedroom. Before James even got his winter cloak off, Sarah banished Tommy's cold, wet clothes and slipped him into his bed. A series of warming charms were quickly cast around the room. Snuffles did his part by curling up happily on top of Tommy's legs, his head resting on Tommy's stomach.
James entered Tommy's room to find his ward snug in his bed with a huge dog resting on him and a beautiful woman singing softly in his ear. For a second, James almost felt jealous.
The next morning the blizzard had blown itself out. Nearly a meter of snow covered the valley containing Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. The brilliant sunshine made everything look peaceful and clean. A perfect was to bring in 1936.
James woke when he heard Tommy stir in his bed. Sarah sat with Tommy most of the night. James sent her to bed in the guest room at five o'clock when he woke up.
James stepped up to the bed. "Good morning, Tommy. How are you feeling?"
Tommy shrank back a bit into his pillows and mumbled, "Fine."
James chuckled, "I used to say the same thing. My friends said that what I meant was, 'I am not dying.' I drove them crazy."
Tommy made no sound in response.
"Tommy, did you over hear me talking to Sarah the night we went to the Potters for dinner? Don't be scared."
Tommy slowly nodded his head.
James sighed. "How much did you overhear?"
Tommy mumbled the name "Voldemort"
"Tommy, this is a very complex situation. Can I tell you a story?"
Tommy nodded, not taking his eyes off James.
"Before I was born a Dark Lord rose up. His name was Lord Voldemort. He hated everything to do with Muggles. So much that he even hated wizards and witches who were Muggleborn. He wanted to take over the magical world and keep all of the Muggleborns out."
"My parents joined a group to fight against him. My father was a pureblood but my mother was a Muggleborn witch. Then a prophecy was made that linked me with stopping Voldemort. He killed my parents but my mother sacrificed herself to save me. He failed to kill me. He gave me this scar on my forehead."
"I grew up with relatives who hated me and anything to do with magic. It was much like your orphanage. My cousin was much larger then I and he beat me many times. Eventually I got my Hogwarts letter and learned I was a wizard. I loved Hogwarts and made great friends there."
James trailed off for a moment, lost in his own memories. Tommy kept silent, just watching.
"I fought Voldemort returned. I fought him and his followers all through school. Many wizards and witches on both sides ended up dead. All of his followers died and so did all of my friends and teachers." Tears formed in James's eyes at this point.
James looked at Tommy. "I won but I lost everything. Do you understand that?"
Tommy nodded, his own eyes filling up.
"I learned away to come back here and kill Voldemort as a baby. I saw killing an innocent baby as a fair trade to saving thousands of lives. But it did not wok that way. Instead of a baby Voldemort, I found you, a wonderful little boy. I saw your pain in the alley, but also your bravery and determination."
"But what about your friends?" Tommy asked in a small voice. "Don't you still need to save them?"
"Tommy, I already killed Voldemort. We changed each other. I love you. Sarah loves you. I know Mrs. Potter loves you." James lowered his voice and leaned in slightly, "She keeps asking me if she can keep you. I keep telling her no!"
Tommy giggled a little at this. It made James feel much better.
"Tommy, the choices we make define us. The Tom Riddle who became Voldemort in my time never knew love or a happy home. We actually had very much in common. Do you know what I think it came down to in the end?"
Tommy shook his head.
"I knew my parents loved me. They died to save me. I always knew that someone loved me. He never knew that."
James looked at Tommy, and then wrapped him in a large hug. "I do love you, Tommy Riddle. As you get older I will tell you more, but I think that is the worst of it. I don't want to keep secrets from you but I think you need to be older to be able to understand it."
James leaned back from Tommy. "I will tell you everything before you leave Hogwarts. Remember this for now. You have the ability to be a great wizard. You will be very powerful. But only you can choose how you will use that power. Understand?"
Tommy smiled shyly and nodded.
James grinned back. "Great! Now we can talk about your punishment for scarring Sarah and I last night!
"Uncle Jimmy!"
Being called Uncle Jimmy again almost got Tommy out of trouble. "No, Tommy. There has to be a consequence for running away."
Tommy looked contrite, "Yes sir."
"I am glad you agree. Your punishment is… I get to throw the first snowball!"
Realizing James had been playing him, Tommy let out a yell. "Agghh, you're teasing me Uncle Jimmy! Why don't you and Sarah go have some more kids so you have someone else to wind up?"
A breathy voice from the door agreed. "I like that idea."
James turned to see Sarah standing in the door in her dressing robe. He was completely gob smacked. "Really?"
Tommy and Snuffles made a quick escape to the kitchen before the adults came back to their senses. Breakfast was calling. Tommy could smell bacon.
James stepped over to Sarah and wrapped his arms around her. "Are you sure?"
Sarah placed her cheek and James's shoulder. "Yes, I am. I know the magic will pull you back eventually. I don't want to waste any more time. I know there is a war coming. You won't be able to stand by and do nothing. I could lose you even before the magic takes you. I can't risk it."
James smiled and slid onto one knee. "Sarah Underhill, will you marry me?"
Tears forming in her eyes, Sarah answered, "Yes, of course I will." Sarah smiled as James stood up. "Now we have to tell Tommy."
Suddenly a snowball flew through the door, smacking James in the head.
"Tommy!" James roared.
Running feet and giggling was heard as Tommy ran out of the house and into the snow. Snuffles was right behind him.
"Guess he already knows," Sarah laughed.
James mocked-whined at his new fiancé, "But I was supposed to get the first snowball!"
James flew to the Hogwarts entrance the next day. He had requested a meeting with Professors Dippet and Dumbledore. Landing the Cleansweep in the yard, James shrank the broom and placed it inside his robe pocket. (The Firebolt was back in the trunk.)
Entering the school was a weird experience for James. Not much of the school had changed, or rather, would change to Harry's time. From his previous visits, James knew all of the portraits were the same. All of the ghosts were the same also except for Myrtle of course. To James's surprise, Peeves was no where in sight.
Before Voldemort fell, all of Hogwarts lay in ruins. A magical implosion curse demolished the Ravenclaw and Headmaster's Towers. The Gryffindor Tower survived that attack only to be struck with a Stone Melting Curse five months later. Twenty First and Second year students were caught in the molten heat of the melting tower. In a strange twist of perversity, half of the students were the children of known or suspected Death Eaters. The theory was Voldemort did not realize the Tower changed to house the entire body of First and Second year students, rather then all of the Gryffindors.
When James first visited the school in this time, it gave him chills. Now it was like visiting an old friend. The memories did not fade in the last two years to James. Passing the spot where Ginny died still brought a lump of sadness. James hoped she would be happy for him marrying Sarah. The Harry from the future never could have hoped for the happiness the James of the 1930's knew.
Stepping into the entry hall, James naturally glanced at the House Points displays. Ravenclaw was in the lead, but all of the Houses were within a hundred points of each other.
"Ah, James. Right on time I see."
"Hello, Albus. I hope you had a nice Christmas holiday."
The Transfiguration professor nodded and smiled. "I do wonder why you sent me socks."
James grinned, "An old teacher of mine once complained he always received books for Christmas when what he really wanted were some warm wool socks."
"Indeed, I have noticed the tendency as I age to receive more and more books. I think I can understand his comment. He sounds like a wise man," Dumbledore smiled.
Now James really grinned. "Actually I could never decide if he was mad as a hatter or crazy like a fox. He did this annoying eye twinkle thing that made you think he was always laughing at you or knew something you didn't."
Albus laughed at James mental picture. He could tell James loved his old teacher and the comments were really meant in jest. "Do you ever see him still?"
'You mean, aside from right now?' James thought. Aloud he said, "No, he was murdered by someone he trusted in front of me. He placed me under a Body Bind jinx and put an invisible cloak over me. So I could watch it happen but was powerless to stop it."
"I am sorry to bring up a bad memory, James."
James smiled, "My good and bad memories are so tied together that it is almost impossible to bring up one without the other."
The pair reached the base of the Headmaster's Tower. The gargoyle had not changed. Albus gave the password (It was a flower.) and the two wizards ascended into the office. Albus knocked on the door and a voice called out, "Come in Albus and James."
'So it is a Headmaster thing,' James thought.
Stepping into the office, James noticed Thomas Potter with two other men James did not know. They seemed vaguely familiar.
"Nice to see you James," the headmaster greeted them. "Do you know the Blacks? This is Sirius and Acturus."
James froze for a second, then placed his hand out, "Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to meet you."
This Sirius Black resembled his great-grandson, the godfather of Harry Potter. In his late fifties, this man had the same build and hair as Padfoot, but a confident, commanding manner that Padfoot lacked. Maybe if he stayed out of Azkaban, Harry's Sirius would have been the same.
Acturus Black was around thirty and slightly shorted and thinner then his father. He lacked the presence of his father. Probably living in his shadow so long kept him from standing on his own.
Headmaster Dippet commented, "Sirius is on our Board of Governors. He stopped in to visit the school and wanted to meet you."
James turned his attention to the elder Black. "You have created quite a stir. Your Phoenix Foundation raised some eyes, but your seminar for the DMLE caught a lot of attention."
James smiled, "They were really not taking the topic seriously when I started. They won't until the first time they really need it. The survivors will listen."
Thomas Potter raised an eyebrow. "That seems remarkably cold blooded."
James shook his head, "No, experience and history. Whenever a society, magical or Muggle, experiences a long peace or advancement in technology or magic, they become complacent in their preparedness. They ignore their warnings until it is too late. Then they curse the messenger." James grinned, "Sometimes they take that last part literally."
Acturis asked in a quiet voice, "Do you think war is inevitable?"
"Are you talking about the one brewing in Germany? Yes. I don't think our Aurors can take Grindelwald's trained Dark wizards now. With Germany building up their army, I think Grindelwald will bring the war to England."
"Really," Acturis sneered, "I think you know nothing about which you speak. A team of our finest Aurors is already on their way to arrest Grindelwald like the common criminal he is."
The elder Black kept silent, observing.
James shrugged, "I pray you are correct and I am wrong."
"But you don't think so, do you?" Thomas asked.
"No, but there is always hope."
The headmaster frowned, "Unfortunately, you are correct, James."
The rest of the room turned to look at the headmaster.
"Excuse me?" James asked.
"I received an owl early this morning that the team was captured in Berlin. Their wands were snapped and they were sent to a place called Dachau, near Munich."
James went white as he recognized the name of the camp. "Do you have a plan to get them out of there?"
"That is up to the ministry," the headmaster answered.
'If the Ministry did not get their team out soon, they would all be dead,' James thought. "I think they should be encouraged to."
Headmaster Dippet waved his head, "I am sure the government can be trusted to handle the situation more then adequately."
James sighed. 'No wonder Voldemort was able to manipulate this guy so badly he got Hagrid blamed for opening the Chamber.'
The Blacks soon rose and made their goodbyes. Acturus made no more comments except a mumbled good-bye. Sirius Black shook James hand and said, "I look forward to seeing what you do next young Mr. Evans."
After they had gone, the headmaster asked, "Now how may I help you, James?"
"I would like to have access to the library. I need to do a bit of research."
The headmaster leaned back in his chair and asked, "What kind of research?"
"Are you familiar with Muggle aeroplanes?"
"Mildly, we see them from time to time. Flimsy looking things."
"The Muggles are improving them to be stronger and faster. They can fly long distances and drop explosives. The orphanage is in downtown London. I want to research a Muggle bomb repealing ward to protect the site. Diagon Alley and St. Mungos could use it too," James explained.
"Do you really think that could happen?" Albus asked.
James nodded, "I think it is highly probable."
Everything James said was true. However he also wants to research the Time Turner spell Aberforth used to send him here. James wanted to see if there was a way to stop it from taking him back to 1998.
The professors exchanged a glance. The headmaster nodded, "I think we can do that. Would you be willing to do us a favor in return? Professor Merrythought would love to have you as a guest speaker in her class."
James smiled, "I would be happy to. Thank you."
"You seem in a good mood this morning, James," Thomas commented.
James grinned at him. "Sarah and I got engaged yesterday." After the three men congratulated James, James turned to Thomas, "I would like to ask a favor of you also."
His friend and unknowing grandfather smiled and said, "For the groom, name it!"
"Would you allow Sarah and me to get married in the garden at the Potter Manor?"
Thomas smiled, "I think Elizabeth would have words with me if I said no. She is quite taken with you and adores Tommy. We would love to have you at the Manor."
"Thank you, Thomas. I appreciate this more then I can ever tell you."
The men continued to talk for another hour about idle things. Shortly before lunch, an elated James Evans left Hogwarts. Soon he would marry the woman he loved in a place that every Potter man married since the 10th century. If Ginny had survived, then Harry would have been the first to break that chain when he married.
A very happy James Evans made his way home to his soon-to-be-wife and adopted son.
A/N:
Below is a brief timeline for the events in Europe from James's arrival leading up to the start of WWII (1939).
1934
June – Night of the Long Knives
August – Hitler becomes the Fuehrer
1935
March – German re-armament starts
September – German Jews lose civil rights
1936
March – Germany occupies the Rhineland
July – Spanish Civil War starts
1937
November – Hitler reveals plans to his generals
1938
March – Germany announces Anschluss (unification) with Austria
August – German army mobilizes
September – British PM Chamberlain appeases Hitler
October – Germany invades the Sudetenland
November – Kristallnacht
1939
March - Germany invades the rest of Czechoslovakia
August – German-USSR non-aggression pact
September 1– Germany invades Poland
September 3 – GB & FR declare war
September 17 – USSR invades Poland
November – Assassination attempt on Hitler
Page 21 of 21
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