Chapter 13
James trailed after his son in disbelief. He had just witnessed a fast and hard duel that wouldn't look out of place in his father's time in school. If he remembered correctly, their defense teacher was a big believer in dueling practice. Had Dumbledore gotten her to come out of retirement for a year?
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked in parseltongue to make sure their practice wasn't reported back to unsavory ears.
"Taught ourselves mostly. The Triwizard tournament returned last year, and I got entered as an extra contestant. That's...how Voldemort got me away from the school to use my blood to return. We also had an extremely crazy disguised death eater teaching us Defense under polyjuice who decided to put us under the imperious curse. And we had Remus for defense third year, he was the best teacher. But we focused mostly on creatures like boggarts" Harry came to walk by his side. James felt even worse hearing that a Death Eater had been in the school and that his son was put under an unforgivable! Being prepared and knowing your enemy were one thing, but being put under a curse like that without absolutely trusting the person using it not to put a secondary order under a trigger was an entirely different thing.
"You're extremely strong" Sirius commented when it was clear James was far too distressed by whatever Harry had said to continue a conversation. Which added another thing to James' inner thoughts, about how the duel wasn't magically exhausting like it would be for most.
"Thanks?" Harry glanced to the side.
"Potters, diversifying the genetic pool since 1363" James giggled to himself. "Sacred 28, more like shove it pure up your ass"
"Is he okay?" Ron asked as James continued to say similar things.
"He gets like this sometimes" Peter sighed in resignation. "Most commonly whenever he realizes that the Potters are one of the most powerful noble families because they haven't married cousins in 600 years. They have a history of marrying halfblood, muggleborn, and foreign mages. But he also gets like this when other things get brought up too. But that's the most reliable reason."
"So it wasn't a big deal that he married Mum?" Harry tilted his head to the side, which made James coo from where he was walking in a daze. Peter couldn't help but connect it to what James did whenever he was reading or hearing something he didn't understand.
"I mean, it'd been a while since a muggleborn had become a lady, even with the Potters unusual history. So it was still a huge scandal back in the day" a small boy appeared to fall in step with Harry.
"Theo!" Harry said excitedly. "Oh, sorry, may I introduce Heir Theodore Nott. Theo, meet Leo, James, Peter, and Remus"
"Pleasure to meet you Nott" Sirius gave a short bow.
"Your ancestor was apparently a piece of ever smelling shit" James said seriously, pointing at the newcomer.
"James!" Remus scolded.
"So is my father, and you don't see me emulating him, much less my grandfather. If I had a choice, I'd be a Ravenclaw but as the sole heir of not only the Nott family, but also the Lestrange family, I'm expected to be a Slytherin" Nott shrugged.
"I always forget they named you their heir so they could go off and commit crimes. And now you get their entire family fortune and magic because Bellatrix is likely infertile and would probably kill anyone who could threaten her position as technically-Lady Lestrange" Neville commented.
"Yeah. Wish she went to Azkaban for something other than her final crime, but not much you can do" Nott sighed.
"Me too. I still don't blame you though. And you may want to slip off since we're about to enter public view."
"Mm. See you" Nott nodded before turning around to head back the way they had just come from.
"You think there's any apples for lunch?" Ron asked.
"Nah, still a bit too early in the season for the good apples to be ripe" Neville sighed. "Which is a shame since I'm craving apple pie."
"And Mum always says it doesn't taste right if the growth is sped up too much. I think it has something to do with Gamp's laws of elemental transfiguration? Like, you're just increasing the size without the substance that makes it a truly satisfying piece of a meal" Ron waved his hands as he talked it through, taking a seat next to Peter at the Gryffindor table.
"Do you think it translates even though it technically isn't transfiguration? Like, that usually falls under a charms category" James asked curiously.
"I'm not sure. I mean, we're the ones who put the spells into 'categories' and as Mione constantly reminds us when we're working on animate to animate transfigurations, the world doesn't fit neatly into categories. We're the ones trying to understand and learn about it, and so we try to sort it. But charms and defense definitely have an overlap. Technically so does transfiguration, but that has a more set boundary since it tends to be centered around changing what you're working with" Ron rambled. "And the higher level transfigurations like vanishing and conjuring could be argued to fall under a charm since are we truly making something or are we summoning it from somewhere far away? Though, we disproved that with a serpent conjuration since Harry could ask if it existed before that moment. And it didn't."
"50 points to Gryffindor for an excellent discussion on the nuances of transfiguration" Professor McGonagall said as she walked past the group.
"Thanks professor" Ron replied automatically, receiving a nod and small smile in return.
"I suppose framing it that way does make sense, but at the same time wouldn't a sped up growth actually pertain to herbology?" Peter squinted at the redhead.
"Not really actually. We don't dare use sped up growth in herbology because it can negatively affect magical plants and cause them to mutate if done enough. It's safe enough to do it towards the end of the growth cycle, to extend it, for nonmagical plants since the worst that happens is the magic gets infused into the resulting product. Which isn't a problem since it can help keep magical people healthy" Neville jumped in to Peter's surprise.
"Like Hagrid's pumpkins" Harry nodded from next to James.
"Exactly! That's one of the reasons Hogwarts is good for developing mages, since House Elves make a good deal of the food, which adds a bit of magic into it, even if it's just to increase the output. With how much magic we use here, and our developing cores and bodies, it helps us replenish our stores faster. Which keeps us healthy" Neville continued excitedly. "It's still a delicate balance though, how much magic is infused and when. Like Ron said, it can taste wrong or not be as fulfilling if too much growth magic is added at the wrong time".
"How can you tell when is the right or wrong time?" Sirius tilted his head, echoing his animagus form when it heard something interesting.
"Practice to be honest. That's why novice mage farmers will have two general sets of a crop, one to grow without magic and one with magic at various times and strengths to learn how much and when. Mrs. Weasley is one of the best since she has so much practice and her family magic is focused on domestics like that" Neville gave a nod to Ron. The redhead was about to add on when a gasp rang out from near the doors of the Great Hall. All of the group turned to find a man standing there with a mild smile on his face.
"Why is Remus here?" Harry whispered across the table to Ron and Neville. Both shrugged in confusion.
"Is Headmaster Dumbledore here?" The older Marauder asked the staff, ignoring the student's whispers around him.
"He's currently in his office Mr. Lupin, I assume you know the way?" Professor McGonagall told him primly.
"Hem, hem. I hope you're not allowing a dangerous beast like him to roam the hallways of a school Minerva?" Umbridge interrupted with a sickly sweet smile.
"He is going to speak with the headmaster, he will hardly be roaming, Dolores" McGonagall raised a single eyebrow in challenge.
"I have no problem waiting here Madame, if it helps. I'm sure Albus will be along shortly, and he can escort me to find somewhere to speak. Or, you can escort me to his office yourself if you'd like?" Older Remus said pleasantly.
"The balls on him" Sirius whispered.
"You- I- No! No, you will be leaving the premises immediately and I will have you unable to come within 100 meters of the school!" The short woman spluttered in response.
"Shit, that's going to get messy fast" Harry hissed.
"Agreed, it's going to be nasty soon if it keeps up like this. And we can't risk leaving with the standoff occurring" James responded in English for the benefit of the rest of the group. Harry hummed, slipping out his wand and starting to cast something.
"Nev, I need you to anchor the area near the teacher table, Ron get the door side. I'm going to get a general protection over the students if spells start to fly" Harry muttered. "C'mon Hogwarts, help me please"
"I'm afraid that's not possible ma'am. I'm called in tutor from time to time" The older Remus continued as the three boys worked.
"I got it" Ron said in relief.
"I'm hitting a problem over by the Ravens, I think someone is doing something similar. Hopefully the overlap won't endanger them while I get my magic to play nice" Neville added.
"Well that will be ending immediately! Vacate the premises now beast!" Umbridge swelled up.
"Ginny, get ready to cast something discrete to knock her out" Harry shot over to the redhaired girl a couple seats down. "Where are the twins?"
"Ron told them to figure out how to fix an alert ward in the Hospital Ward, tied to toady" The girl responded, resting her wand on the table pointed at the Defense teacher.
"Thanks Ron" Harry said as he lowered his wand.
"Least I can do" the prefect responded quietly as the adult Remus drew his wand.
"I will not. You have no authority to order me to leave" He said pleasantly.
"Repulso! Diffindo!" The toad-like woman casted rather than respond to that challenge.
"Firsties, get under the table" Ron yelled as the werewolf threw up a shield. All of the nearby first years scrambled to obey, prompting the houses on the other side of the hall who hadn't heard to notice and follow suit.
"DOLORES" Professor McGonagall thundered, and James could feel the small boy next to him startle and tense as if to run. The short professor ignored it, continuing to fire spells at the man on the other side of the hall who was maintaining his shield. The younger Remus cursed as he saw two of the spells bounce off and nearly hit a student near the fight. Before he could react, the spells shimmered out of being as if absorbed by a high level shield. He glanced over to see the younger Potter's eyes glittering in anger. In the reflected spells, a stupify went unnoticed until it dropped Umbridge. Just as the thud rang out and the older Remus dismissed his shield and lowered his wand, Dumbledore strode into the hall. He stopped, blinking at the guest and the stunned professor.
"Ah, Dumbledore, I wanted to speak with you about some things" Remus said pleasantly as if there was nothing wrong.
"Perhaps in a moment, my boy. I'd like to know what happened here" The headmaster responded before turning to his deputy.
"Dolores was angry at Remus' presence and started raining spells at him when he refused to leave. I suppose one of her spells reflected to hit her after hitting his shield" McGonagall said drily. James noticed Harry's gaze flicking to the old man standing in the entrance, narrowing in suspicion.
"I see. Well, I suppose we should go to my office and speak there so I can get you out of here as soon as possible" Dumbledore said cheerfully, waving the older werewolf after him as he left again. Harry's eyes flicked over to the Deputy Headmistress, still narrowed. She simply sighed before picking up her utensils to finish eating.
"I can't believe it. Neither are checking in on us" Harry hissed, running a hand through his hair. James reached out to grab it. He released it immediately when the younger boy flinched dramatically.
"Firsties, you should be good to come out and finish eating. Any of you who want me to spell your hands clean can come over and I'll happily do it for you" Ron called to the younger kids after a look to the two Potters.