Paternal Instincts

Chapter 35

Guys, I posted a poll on my Youtube channel about who to pair Harry with and so far Hermione is winning. But you can still vote. You can also vote on whether James should end up with Jenny (a final vote). BOTH polls are on my community tab in the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@Tasha9315/community (the most recent and third most recent poll): But if you can't access the link, search for my channel Tasha9315 (My channel name is Tasha Kay but you can only find it if you search my previous name Tasha9315). Or let me now and I'll help you get access.

A week before school began, Harry and James met the Weasleys and Grangers at Diagon Alley. Minister Cornelius Fudge was very accommodating in providing security for him and his father. They were even personally met by Fudge at The Leaky Cauldron where the latter promised to do all he could to catch Peter and provide security for their family. Harry wondered if their family and friends would be in danger from Peter but Fudge and his Aurors assured Harry that Peter would not be in such a powerful position to kidnap any of them if they stuck together and didn't wonder off alone. Even muggles were made aware of Peter as an escaped convict in the muggle news. However, the Weasleys and Grangers were to stay at The Leaky Cauldron until school began where they were guarded by Aurors while Blacks and Lupins (including Remus's dad) stayed at Potter Manor. Harry and James also opted to stay at The Leaky Cauldron for the week until school begun so that he could spend time with his friends.

"Mr. Potter, you were Headboy back in your seventh year too, weren't you?" asked Percy as they sat down together for dinner. He had been pompously wearing his badge since they arrived and didn't realize that his twin brothers had jinxed it to alternatively say Bighead Boy and Pinhead to the amusement of the others.

"Yes. I was honestly shocked when I got my badge and thought someone was playing a prank on me," answered James.

"If you were like us in school and were never prefect, maybe George or I would become Headboy in our seventh year," said Fred.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Nonsense Fred. I'm sure Mr. Potter had at least toned down his behaviour and stopped acting like a fool if he was chosen as Headboy," he said indignantly. "Right Mr. Potter?" There was a flicker of pleading doubt in his voice as he asked this.

James laughed. "For the most part. We certainly weren't pranking anyone anymore. But if we still acted like fools sometimes, what the staff didn't know didn't hurt them if you know what I mean," he winked at Fred and George who winked back.

"Well, you two will never stop your antics so you can forget about becoming Headboy," said Percy.

"Mr. Potter, which electives did you take for your OWLS?" asked Hermione, quickly changing the topic.

"Care Of Magical Creatures and Divination. Sirius and I wanted to take the two easiest subjects for convenience but we didn't take Muggle Studies as Sirius's parents wouldn't allow him to and I didn't want to be separated from him. Remus and Peter chose to go with our electives so we could be together."

"Cool. Just like me and Harry, except that we're both allowed to take Muggle Studies instead of Divination. Hermione on the other hand wants to run herself to the ground with five electives," said Ron.

"I do NOT. If it impossible, I wouldn't have been allowed to take all those classes." Hermione snapped.

"If you're taking all electives, wouldn't they clash with each other?" asked George. "We've been asking the same thing to Bill and Percy but they've never given us a straight answer.

"Don't worry Hermione. Professor McGonagall has a way to get us through all those classes," said Percy who got eleven OWLS back in his fifth year.

"How?" they all asked.