The days at Hogwarts passed. James managed to keep up his routine without fail. He had a little less time because of the punishment, but it would be a short while before it would be over, and he could make the most of that time.
His sadness persisted, but he tried to hide it. Though he doesn't know if he does it very well, since the marauders help him all the time. Or maybe that's what friends do when they know your grandfather died.
Doing the routine of studying and practicing with people made it much more bearable. There were times when they had to study in silence, but they could do it if everyone was serious and didn't joke around. Like when he studied with Lupin about the Patronus or when he studied with Lily about complicated Transfiguration formulas.
Sirius was much more understanding. He would be silent when James was reading or writing on his scroll. He would even go so far as to study and then debate with him when the time was right.
James had thought that when he resumed his routine of study and practice he would spend a lot of time alone, but that wasn't the case. It was 50/50.
In his past life as Edward, he had experienced studying alone all day, for weeks, months, and years. He only had teachers, who once they were done with their one or two-hour lesson would leave and it was all up to Edward.
For a fifteen-year-old boy (Edward at that time) spending so much time studying alone was not a nice feeling. It even became mental torture, but he kept doing it to please his parents.
The human is a social creature, and Edward spent many hours studying in solitary and barely spoke to his teachers and mother. Then he had the occasional high society social gathering and company board meetings.
Here, on the other hand, it was different. Although the hours of study almost compared to his crazy routine as Edward. Here at Hogwarts, he spent a lot of time with people important to him.
In his first study routine in the library, he studied together with Lily Evans. They spent a lot of time in silence and only talked when they moved on to the practical part of spells or when they talked about some complicated or more complex subject.
In the afternoons/evenings, he practiced in the Room of Requirement with the marauders. Although they couldn't keep up with her, and there were days when they didn't practice at all, it was better than nothing.
After practice, they would study right there along with Lupin, and now Sirius and the others joined in.
On weekends, James practiced offensive and defensive spells with Gwen. He enjoyed being with her, a strange feeling and one he didn't understand, but the best part was that Gwen was very talented.
Like him, she loved martial magic. She proved it when she took on the ice knights using a very risky Aeromanteo and having superior skill to the others being only surpassed by James.
Last but not least, James was fascinated by magic. Even though he studied and trained in martial magic and was always thinking of methods to take down his enemies.
'Now, I'm surrounded by reliable friends,' thought James, feeling weird. Like Edward, he never imagined this moment would come. There were many differences between his past self and his current self.
"Potter it is time," said Snape as he stood up from his stool and looked at James, who looked like a statue. Emily, who was standing next to Snape was also looking at James.
"Yeah, sorry," said James, returning to the real world and getting up from his seat. He quickly put his things away.
"Come on," said Snape, motioning with his head as he walked ahead.
"You guys go first. Then catch up with them. I have something to talk to the professor about," said James, stopping at the door and looking towards Slughorn who was rearranging his desk.
"Well. Wait for you in the library," said Snape, nodding slightly as he walked out of the classroom.
"Don't be long," said Emily in a softer tone and not as monotone as usual.
"Yeah..." said James with a strange expression. It was rare to see these two being so understanding and good to one person.
Since when did Snape say wait for you? Since when did Emily say don't be too long with a tone of concern? In a normal situation, Snape would have just clicked his tongue in annoyance and left without saying a word. Emily would have just nodded her head slightly with a blank expression and left.
"Professor... Do you need help?" asked James, approaching the desk and looking at how messy it was.
"Oh, James. No need. I'm done. Thanks," said Slughorn, raising his head and looking at James curiously.
Slughorn's curiosity about James was the same curiosity felt by all the professors and students at Hogwarts.
They all heard about the incident where James knocked out two Slytherin students. That wasn't the most surprising thing. The most striking thing about the case was how the other students facing James were paralyzed with fear and didn't dare to face him.
Many students from various houses watched the confrontation. And many of them felt chills when they weren't even facing James head-on.
In the Slytherin group that James faced were very talented fourth and third-year students, and Slughorn was aware of that.
What second-year student could come out on top in such a situation? None of that would be Slughorn's answer earlier until James appeared a boy who was able to cast a dragon-shaped Corpse Patronus.
'He reminds me of someone...' thought Slughorn, watching James, but then shook his head.
"Professor?"
"Yes. What do you need, James?" asked Slughorn.
"Do you remember the invitation you gave me a while back?" asked James.
"Oh yes... The invitation to the Slughorn Club. What about it?" asked Slughorn, though he could already deduce what James wanted.
"I was wondering... If I could accept it now," said James, scratching his cheek a little embarrassedly.
A while back Slughorn had invited him to his club. A social and dining club, rather. There was no such activity as a dueling club or any other kind of club.
Professor Slughorn invited the most famous and talented students of Hogwarts to this club. James already knew it from Gwen the club. There were students with good connections, fame, or great talent in a specific field of magic in Slughorn's eyes.
A club to forge useful contacts and connections. Something that would come in handy for James for the future war. He initially turned it down because he already had a very demanding routine and barely had any free time for studying, quidditch training, dragon club, etc.
"Oh..." said Slughorn with a slight smile, and between crossing his fingers, "Why do you want to join now? You had turned me down with a lot of conviction," asked the curious professor.
"As a future Lord Potter it will be very useful for me to forge connections with important people," James replied in a serious tone.
"The rumors were true," Slughorn said with some surprise. He didn't think the Potter Family had chosen James as Lord Potter.
James just nodded. This would be known sooner or later by the entire magical community. His ceremony, which would enshrine him as Lord Potter, would be once Hogwarts was over, and it was public.
"It's fine. You can join. We'll meet in my office. The next party will be this Sunday," Slughorn said with a smile. James met all the requirements he was looking for.
The Potter boy would be the next Lord Potter having great status. As much as the Potter family is considered blood traitors they are still one of the oldest families. Even older than families like the Notts. And of the few or only families to have a noble title.
But what struck Slughorn most was James' talent. He was valedictorian of his year and was showing hard-to-achieve prowess in Dueling, Transfiguration, Martial Magic, Charms, and Potions.
'Besides that, he shows great leadership ability,' thought Slughorn with a thoughtful attitude.
All of Gryffindor came to his defense. Even students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff defended him and the odd Slytherin for some odd reason. If he remembered correctly it was a Slytherin student who defended him. How does a Slytherin student defend a Gryffindor?
"You should keep in mind that there are a lot of people who won't be at all happy to see you in the Club," said Slughorn with a slight smile.
"Who?" asked James without making much of a fuss.
"Rabastan Lestrange, Nick Carrow, Tianne Windsor along with her older seventh-year brother, Anastasia Nott, and several other students who have rather extreme ideals..." replied Slughorn.
"Tianne Windsor?" asked James in confusion. He knew she knocked out a Carrow boy most likely this Nick from the fourth or fifth year he couldn't remember.
As for Rabastan and Anastasia, there is no need to name them. He knows them too well for his liking, but Tianne Windsor and her older brother have no idea who they are.
"The Ravenclaw girl who was standing next to Anastasia and the other students," Slughorn replied.
An image popped into his head. A girl in Ravenclaw robes is crestfallen and trembling. He already knew who it was.
"Her brother is in his seventh year and wants to pursue a career as an Auror. His skills are very advanced," Slughorn said.
"Oh. Well if they want to get respect they should give it. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind having a duel against him or another student," said James with a slight smile. Maybe he could have a proper duel and expel the pent-up stress.
"If that's all, I'll take my leave. See you at the meeting, professor," said James, saying goodbye and heading towards the library where Snape and Emily were waiting for him.
Slughorn stared at James' back until he walked out and disappeared from their sight.
'This boy... He's not afraid of a seventh-year student who is about to graduate,' thought Slughorn with a strange expression.
...
Two days before Sunday James received a letter from Regulus. It only said to meet in Room 11 and gave no further specifics.
In the evening before going to the Room of Requirement with Sirius, he headed to Room 11. The other marauders went straight to the Room of Requirement. As Sirius was Regulus' older brother he told him about the letter.
"What happened?" asked James, entering the classroom and looking at Regulus sitting on the table waiting.
"James, Brother...?" asked Regulus with a bit of surprise at the sight of Sirius.
"Can't I be here?" asked Sirius with a slight frown.
'Deja vu?' thought James, watching the sibling drama.
"Yes, you can...'" said Regulus a little uncomfortable with the atmosphere.
"What happened?" asked James again, "Does it have to do with the scrolls in the vaults?"
At this time Regulus along with Snape and Gwen continued to solve the encrypted message on the scroll. Gwen told James of the progress. She helped since she liked subjects that had to do with Ancient Runes.
"No. We're very close to deciphering it now," Regulus said enthusiastically. Thanks to Snape and Gwen's help he was able to solve it much faster than when he was being helped by that useless Allan.
"It's about Professor Eustace... I'm grounded. Tomorrow, I'll have to go to his office for two weeks," Regulus said in a worried tone.
"That's not good..." said James. Eustace had taken it upon himself to threaten Allan and erase his memories. He was the one behind the vault and they had stolen the treasures from under his nose.
Regulus was the prime suspect, and it was odd that so far he hadn't done anything to question him or anything.
"He's been wanting to punish me for a while now. He made me perform very embarrassing moves... Today I couldn't take it anymore and gave him the chance to punish me," said Regulus, clenching his fist and teeth with a look of hatred.
"Bloody baldy. What are we going to do?" asked Sirius, looking at James. Regulus looked at him as well.
'Why must I always come up with the answer?' thought James as he tried to think of some idea. The best thing to do would be to eliminate Eustace. He was a danger to Hogwarts.
When he says eliminate he doesn't think of murdering him. Just getting him expelled from Hogwarts.
The bald man was endangering Hogwarts by trying to open vaults with powerful curses and threatening students. If he interrogated Regulus and got information out of him the next ones would be James and company.
"We must get rid of that bald guy," James said with a slight smile and a plan in the making.