33 Talking to the Folks

"I'm sorry to say, but after the tragic incident last night I'll be pushing the Slug Club meetup another week back," Professor Slughorn said to the class.

James didn't know what Professor Slughorn was expecting, but no one really commented, first off, Lily was not in classes due to being passed out, and second, most people in the room weren't invited to the Slug Club.

"If anyone needs to talk to me after class about what happened my door is always open, even if you don't wear my colors," the professor continued somberly, but then he perked up, just enough to brighten the mood, but not so much as to seem dismissive of Malcolm's tragedy. "But, we still have things to do today. As we went over last class today we will be brewing the Wiggenweld Potion. It is a strong healing potion, able to stabilize someone in life threatening danger, and can even help someone overcome the effects of another potion. I have the ingredients on the board, and… well, begin!" he said happily.

James and Sirius, as always, are paired together. James was not bad at Potions like Harry, but he wasn't close to the levels of Lily and Severus.

Potions required… focus. Single minded focus. Eighty percent of the subject was just putting in the ingredients at the right time, the rest? Instinct and Intent, like with all magic.

Such as with the Wiggenweld Potion. If one had dark thoughts of hurting others while stirring it, the ingredients wouldn't mix properly, due to the ingredients' bad reactivity with one's Magic. Even just wandering thoughts could ruin a potion. The more complex potions, like Polyjuice, or even the Master level Felix Felicis, required Instinct, this was something James didn't understand. Instinct for what? The recipe was right there after all.

And the only person who trumped James in wandering thoughts was Sirius… and Marlene, actually maybe Peter too. Hmm.

Well, at the end of the day, James and Sirius made a "passable" Wiggenweld Potion. James saw that Snape made a perfect one, as usual. The greasy haired boy looked… off. His dark eyes would sometimes meet James's and James knew that he was using Occlumency to shunt his emotions away.

After class everyone packed up their things and began to leave, no one taking Slughorn's offer to talk… outside James. Sirius stayed with him, leaning on the door to the hall like a dog waiting for someone to knock so he can start barking.

"James! Oh, if anyone was going to stay in Potions a moment longer than they needed I would never have expected it to be you. No offense of course, it's just plain to see that this isn't exactly your… dedication."

James leaned his desk giving the pot bellied teacher a Marauders grin.

"Actually I am quite a fan of Potions, just not as good as Remus. Did you know there is a potion that helps train healers. It pretends that it has the ingredients of another potion to help them identify the issue. Quite fascinating," James said conspiratorially.

Slughorn's eyes gleam.

"Indeed indeed. I ran into that potion recently, as I'm sure you know."

"I believe I remember you mentioning it. But I'm actually here to ask a favor. Two if you're willing."

"Do go on and ask James."

"I wanted to know what inspired you to do the Slug Club? And how did you go about, well, going about it?"

"Trying to copy this old man?" Slughorn said goodnaturedly. "Not the first to ask that's for sure."

He laughed, and James put everything into not staring at his paunch jiggle.

"Not really copy, its just… well as I said before, inspiring."

Slughorn got his own conspiratorial look.

"I'll tell you…"

James leaned forward, a grin settling on his face.

"At the Slug Club meeting. A live demonstration if you will."

James leaned back, a bit disappointed. The public club meeting would make it difficult to ask some more focused questions.

"Sure, like I said a few weeks ago, I was planning on coming anyways. Now for my second request… I heard you had outside Floo connection."

Professor Slughorn's eyebrows raised, looking at Sirius, who was polishing his nails with obvious boredom.

"I do. Though I am not supposed to let students use it."

He also wasn't supposed to give students alcohol, accept gifts, let them get away with not turning in assignments, or give them unrestricted access to the restricted section.

"Would you believe me if I said it was for a good cause?" James said with the same mischievous grin.

The grin was intentional of course.

"Well now I need to know," Slughorn said, as if he'd let James used it without getting something from him back.

"I… want to talk to my parents for a little. About the attack."

Slughorn's eyebrows pinch together.

"Oh? I didn't know you knew young Gears."

James winced.

"I don't, but Professor… I don't think this will be the last attack on a muggleborn."

Slughorn for a moment pales. James knew the teacher didn't think this was a one off thing. He was thinking of the student causing the bloodshed.

"And, not to sound blunt. But what will talking to your parents do?"

"Its in these sorts of times that we need action right? Well, the Potters have never shied away from helping others, and with all the leasing on Wolfsbane Potion rights across the world we're making quite a bit of extra gold."

The mention of the Potion brings light back into the teacher's face.

"Oh?"

James nodded. While in Britain the Potters were trying to set up a government distributary. Other businesses across the world needed to buy the rights to sell the potion as well as the full ingredient list. The recipe would get out sooner rather than later, and they couldn't make any money for personal use/transactions, not to mention the black market, but it would line their pockets decently enough.

"We were by no means poor beforehand, but now we have even more. I had some ideas I wanted to run by them. I know you always have an eye out for students in less than ideal circumstances so I thought it was best to ask you."

"No means poor" was too humble, but since his incident with Remus in his first-year he tried not to be too obvious with his family's wealth. He usually failed. And Slughorn only helped thought that were brilliant enough to shine.

James didn't mention that.

"Well, then by all means," Professor Slughorn said, waving the two of them to his quarters.

"Sorry Slugs, not interested in being in an old mans quarters," Sirius said with a grin.

Instead of being angry or surprised Professor Slughorn laughed.

"Why I bet so, but please, I'd rather no rumors come about of me being alone with Mister Potter."

Sirius barked his own laugh.

"I think I'll just spread those rumors anyways."

Slughorn gave Sirius a look, and the Black Heir rolled his eyes and followed.

Professor Slughorns private quarters were tastefully posh. Rare artifacts, vintage wines, what looked to be the first broom ever made up on a pedestal.

"Lovely room, not what I was expecting?" James said, looking around.

"What was the expectation my boy?" Slughorn asked, leading them to the fireplace where a painting of Salazar Slytherin, thankfully not magical, was up above it.

"More liquor," Sirius deadpans.

"I make sure to hide the good stuff," Slughorn winks jovially. "Go ahead Mister Potter. Don't be too long though, you still have afternoon classes."

James squats down awkwardly. His arse was just going to be sticking up in the air as he called and he just knew Sirius was going to say something stupid to the Professor. Sighing James threw the Floo Powder in, making sure his magic power went with it showing a acceptable magic signature.

"Potter Manor!"

Stuffing his head into the green fire James looked around to the entrance hall.

"Mum! Dad!"

A crack and a small elf, Bib, appeared.

"Y-yes, oh! Hello Little Master Potter!" Bib squeeks.

Bib is a new elf, as in, still a child by elf standards.

"Hey Bibbity Boppity," James said with a grin. "Can you call the big Potters?"

"Which ones Little Master?" Bib asked with confusion.

Oh right, Aunt Dorea and Uncle Charlus.

"Uh Lord and Lady Big Potters."

Bib nodded resolutely, disappearing again.

A minute later James's Mum and Dad ran into the room.

"James!" Mum said with happiness.

"James?!" Dad said with worry.

"Parents!" James replied heartily.

They rolled their eyes.

"What's happening James?" Fleamont asked.

"Great to see you too, love what you've done with your hair."

"James."

"Okay, love you too. Fine whatever. So yeah. Uhhhhh."

Mum pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Sorry just had to get over the fact that my parents don't love me. Anyways this is about the attack."

The light atmosphere darkened.

"We know. Did you know who?" Fleamont asked.

"Not personally, but he is in our House, third-year."

"Poor kid… I hope everything turns- well I don't see how it could be alright, but you get what I mean," Mum said.

"That's kind of why I'm here. We knew these attacks were gonna happen, but didn't know when. I was thinking, even if we can't anticipate where, we can do things to help. But I need to run it by you first Dad."

Dad frowned, then gave James a soft smile.

"James, you have all of House Potter at your disposal to do this."

James blinked. Yeah he was Heir, but not even Dad could just do anything with his "political power" as Frank put it. If Fleamont, and apparently James, played it wrong, it could ruin them.

"Dad that doesn't sound-"

"James," Mum said sternly. "Remember what you said? Everyone dies. Us living, you living, is more important than money or power. Not to mention the rest of the world."

This had gone surprisingly smoother than James thought. Which was never a good sign. And pointing it out about not being a good sign was also a bad sign.

"Orphanage. For muggleborns. Even if the Ministry doesn't fund it, we can do it ourselves. We just need to put the proper wards around the property incase a retaliatory attack. Speaking of wards, even if we don't know who is going to get attacked we know for now it will be muggleborns."

Lily's parents died, Harry never found out when, or even how. But if Muggleborn homes were being attacked, it was a good chance as any to be why.

"I doubt we have time to push it through the Ministry to have them help put up wards on muggleborn houses. Not that it is likely to go through."

James nodded at his fathers words.

"Yeah, so… just contact the muggleborn families directly, and offer to pay… or at least help?" James finished lamely.

James knew that a lot of Muggleborn families didn't even know about the war, or didn't know how Sirius it was.

The Potters could help inform them. Help pay for wards of some kind. Full Pureblood Manor wards were not just too expensive to do dozens of times, it was also impossible due to the many types of wards requiring more than just money or a wand.

The Dark Mark created an Anti Apparition and Anti Porkey field so it… THATS IT!

"The Portkey Spell Harry made!" James said gleefully.

Fleamont and Euphemia had been talking to eachother about possibilities while James had been thinking.

"What?"

"The Portus Potentia spell. It works even with Anti-Portkey wards! You can give a muggleborn family a few, make them not remember your faces or names, or use Polyjuice, and then we can keep the Potter fortune to use on other things!"

Fleamont smirked.

"Still having plans to make us destitute?" he joked.

"You betcha, but now we can put it to other things. Like a permanent World Stadium sized Quidditch field."

Fleamont rolled his eyes but Euphemia grinned.

"I think I'd like that."

James felt someone kick him in the butt.

"Damnit Sirius. Okay, I need to go, but can you guys start that for me?" James asked.

"You wish is our command," Mum said dramatically, bending over and bowing to him.

James said his goodbyes to them, and Bib, and pulled his head out of the fireplace.

He turned to see Sirius grinning at him.

"Sorry, if you were going to moon over me I'd prefer if you at least looked me in the face."

James Obsucro'd him over the mouth again.

-

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