Chapter 6: To Fly or Not to Fly

When we arrive at Hogsmeade station, the first things I notice are the great skeletal winged horses pulling the school carriages.

I remember once joking with Albus about them, but now I don't find it particularly funny. Now seeing the Thestrals represents what our family has lost, and how I have failed.

I see Albus, Lily and Hugo also staring. It is then that I remember that Hugo was also at the duel.

"Come on! We better get a carriage before they are all full," Lysander says, looking at us curiously.

I shake my head to clear it and follow Lysander and Lorcan to a carriage. Albus, Lily and Hugo also follow.

"You guys can see the Thestrals now?" Lorcan asks when the carriage starts moving, but no one answers him. Instead I'm trying to figure out how to fix the family.

The rest of the ride is a silent one, just like the train ride. Lorcan and Lysander tried to get some conversation going on the train - just as they are trying now - but were not very successful.

When we finally arrive in the Great Hall for the opening feast, Fred, Roxanne and Louis approach me as soon as I sit down. I can already guess what they want to talk to me about before Fred even opens his mouth.

"So, James, excited for the next Quidditch season? We are going to need a new Keeper though, now that Lucy has graduated," Fred says brightly as he sits down next to me.

I just shrug my shoulders. Quidditch is something I don't even want to think about any more. I know I'm supposed to be the captain, but still.

"A Chaser and a Keeper, maybe even Two Chasers, a Keeper and a Seeker," I say, looking at Albus and Lily.

"What do you mean?" Roxanne says sharply.

"I don't know what Al and Lily will do, but I won't be playing Quidditch any more," I say. I don't remember making this decision consciously, but now that I have said it, it only makes sense. I have to look after the family. I can't do that while playing Quidditch. The game doesn't hold the same charm for me it once had. Maybe I had already decided this when I found out I had a second chance to save the family.

"I'm still playing," Albus says at once. I look over at Lily, but it doesn't look like she heard what we are talking about. Instead she is playing with her locket, turning it around in her fingers.

"James, you can't just give up, not now!" Louis says next to me.

"There are more important things then Quidditch!" I say hotly.

"Who are you and what have you done with James?" Fred asks, arching an eyebrow.

"My father died, that is what!" I say angrily. I fight the urge to just run out of the Great Hall before even the sorting has started.

"Look James, you are not the only one who is missing Uncle Harry, and we are not giving up on everything," Roxanne says.

"I'm not giving up, I'm holding on to the one thing I can keep together, and that is my family!" I nearly shout.

"James, we are family," Louis says pointedly.

"No, you are not. You are Weasleys, not Potters," I say and turn away from them to focus on the first years who are just lining up in front of the sorting hat which is standing on his stool next to Uncle Neville, or Professor Longbottom as I should call him in school.

"Fine, be that way!" Fred says haughtily. I hear the scraping of a couple of chairs and footsteps walking away. When I look around I see that Fred, Roxanne and Louis have stood up to sit somewhere else at the table.

"Great going James!" Albus says, rolling his eyes, but I ignore him. Lily follows our three cousins with her eyes but does not say anything about it.

Just then the Sorting Hat starts to sing, but I don't pay any attention to it. Instead I'm studying the staff table.

Headmaster Flitwick is sitting in middle on a stack of books as usual. Hagrid is sitting next to him; then comes Proffesor Zabini, she teaches Potions; Professor McMillan, the mother of Olivia, she teaches charms; and Professor Boot, he teaches Transfiguration.

It is then that I notice a new teacher sitting at the table. He has a balding head. A headband is attempting to keep what grey hair he has at the back of his head, but it seems like it is not really working. His grey eyes are looking across the hall, alert to everything that is going on. I wonder who he is and what he is teaching.

A big round of applause alerts me to the fact that the Sorting Hat's song is over, and I join in automatically. And then the sorting is under way.

"Who is that?" I ask Albus, pointing to the new Professor.

Albus, Lily and Hugo all look towards the staff table. Lily shrugs. I could have sworn that Albus had a look of recognition on his face, but the next moment it is gone. Hugo, however, narrows his eyes.

"That is Mr. Popov," Hugo says harshly.

"Where is Proffesor Williamson?" I ask when I notice him missing.

"Williamson retired at the end of last year, James. It seems this Mr. Popov is his replacement," Albus says exasperated.

"But I thought Teddy would be the new teacher since dad..." I say, not able to finish the sentence.

"He is here to research the murder of Uncle Harry," Hugo says, shaking his head.

"How is he going to do that if he is a teacher here?" I ask confused.

"That is a very good question," Lysander says, who I just notice sitting next to me. I look over to the Ravenclaw table and notice that Lorcan is sitting near his own house mates.

The next moment the sorting is over and food appears in front of us.

"Shouldn't be there more Aurors present?" I ask, looking pointedly at Hugo.

"I reckon they think that Popov's presence will be enough," Hugo says, scowling.

"There are more Aurors present," Lysander says, pointing to the sides of the Great Hall.

I look and indeed if I pay attention I can see Aurors standing along the walls, they all look alert and threatening.

The rest of dinner passes in silence, and before we know it the food has all disappeared and Flitwick stands up to give his speech.

"Welcome, first years, and welcome back everyone else, to Hogwarts. Now that you all have enjoyed the feast, I will have to have you attention for some announcements.

"The forbidden forest is just that, forbidden. Mr. Shunpike would like me to remind everyone that magic is forbidden in the corridors. He also wants me to remind everyone that there is a list of banned items on his office door.

"Now I would like to introduce a new teacher among us. Professor Popov has agreed to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts now that Professor Williamson has retired," Flitwick announced.

Polite applause rang through the Great Hall at the last announcement.

"There will be a notice in your common room for when there will be Quidditch try-outs. Anyone who is interested should contact their team captain. Now it is time for you all to go to bed, I'm sure you all want to be well rested in your first day of school," Flitwick concluded his speech.

I make to stand up and start to leave the Great Hall, but then realize that if I want to talk to Professor Longbottom that I should do it now. So I approach the staff table where Professor Longbottom is still sitting, chatting with Professor McMillan.

"Professor Longbottom?" I ask carefully.

"Yes, James?" Professor Longbottom asks, looking carefully at me.

"Could I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure." And with that Professor Longbottom walks towards the ante chamber of the Great Hall. I quickly follow after removing my Captain's badge from my robes, wondering why I bothered to put it on there to begin with.

"You wanted to speak to me?" Professor Longbottom asks.

"Yes, I want to resign from the Quidditch team," I say, handing over my Quidditch Captain badge.

Professor Longbottom looks at the badge in my hands, but makes no move to take it from me. "Are you sure about this?" he asks carefully.

"Yes, I have to look after the family now," I say, more confident in my choice now.

"Harry wouldn't want..." Professor Longbottom begins, but I cut him off.

"Dad asked me to look after the family, so I will!" I say harshly.

Resigned, Professor Longbottom accepts my Captain's badge.

"You realise you are diminishing your chances to be accepted by a professional team when you leave Hogwarts, don't you," Professor Longbottom says seriously.

"I know, but Quidditch is not that important to me now," I say.

"Very well," Professor Longbottom says, sighing.

"One other thing: I would like to pick up Defence Against the Dark Arts," I say, realising that I might need it if I want to protect the family.

"I'm sorry, James, but Professor Popov, like Professor Williamson before him, only accepts you into his NEWT classes if you have an E or higher on your OWL. And you only have an A, and that is besides the point that you missed one year of Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons," Professor Longbottom says kindly.

I wince inwardly, for the first time wishing I did better on my OWLS, but I didn't need many NEWTS to play Quidditch.

Nodding that I understand, I make to leave.

"James, remember that I'm here for you if you need me, and I mean as a godfather, not as a professor," Professor Longbottom reminds me before I make it to the door.

I look back at the professor, but can't think of anything he can help me with. I really have to do this on my own.

I nod and make my way to the Common Room, glad that I might have made my first good decision in my life.