Chapter 583 - Curps

It had been a rather strange week back at Hogwarts. It was the feeling of Déjà vu and feeling as though he was in a dream despite being wide awake that had James unable to completely concentrate on that which was occurring before him. Even worse, he constantly felt as though he was moving through thick syrup that was threatening to drag him down under and suffocate him in a thick, sticky swirling torrent of memories of the past.

At the start of everything, he had had been just been glad to be back and see his parents, his friends, and Lily. It was like a beautiful dream, and he felt that was exactly what his trip to Diagon Alley before the start of the school term had been. But then his sweet dream had rudely been punctured and deflated only to find himself rudely awake.

And a painful starting realization hit him, one that James could no longer deny. That this was his true reality, and a part of him bitterly resented that fact. Because he had still lost everything in the end and failed his wife, friends, the Order, Professor Dumbledore, and even more importantly his son, Harry.

A deep pang of heartache is felt within him as he recalls that last, and tragic night. All he could remember was shouting at Lily to run and take Harry. Suddenly there was a flash of green light and that was the end, and he knew no more. He did not know what had possessed him to run downstairs without his wand, but he had. But then again, he had not been thinking at that moment, all he could think was to get to Lily and their son in time to save them.

James rapidly blinks as the sun hit his face as he emerged onto the grassy grounds alongside with Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew, (who was clearly standing far away from James and was walking on the other side of Lupin).

Taking a deep breath, James inhales the rich scent of the forest underneath the warm blue sky. Ignoring the chatter around him, James solely concentrates on setting aside his emotions for the time being as they make their way to the area where Professor Kettleburn's outdoor classes are held at. They wave to Hagrid as they pass, who was almost impossibly different that James would have never believed possible.

It was not that Hagrid so much dressed differently rather how he carried himself with confidence had changed. His hair was now sleek and shiny pulled into a long ponytail and had a neatly trimmed beard. James had been rather shocked by how many girls in Gryffindor had school crushes on the manly groundskeeper, who had bulging muscles in all the right places.

A great large boarhound barks at them and wags his tail. Sirius comments and says, "Just in case you don't remember Hagrid's dog, his name is Fang."

James slowly nods his head as he indeed did not remember the dog. Hagrid had never had one when he was still attending Hogwarts nor after that, that he knew of. But then again, he had been forced to acknowledge that this was not the same world that he knew in the past. A mirror world, no doubt. Similar enough, but different enough that it was plain enough to see that this was in fact not his original world.

A glint of red hair sparkling in the sunlight causes James to glance over and see Lily accompanied by her friend, a dark-haired witch with golden-brown eyes, Mary MacDonald. It was a shock to see that Mary was not the shy girl he remembered of before, but even more so to learn that she was Lupin's girlfriend as of that summer.

James eyes unconsciously wander to Pettigrew who was walking next to Lupin. Despite knowing that he was not his original world, James could not let his past feelings go. Maybe, the Pettigrew of this world had not done anything wrong, yet. But he just could not rid himself of his feelings of betrayal. He just could not.

Refusing to gaze at Pettigrew more than necessary James finds his eyes once more straying towards Lily. Lily turns around and flashes him a warm smile causing James to feel that sting of emotions again. A part of him jumped up in delight and the other half of him felt reserved, estranged, and betrayed. Why? Because no matter who much this Lily looked like his Lily, she simply was not his wife, and mother of his son, Harry. And frankly, he did not know what to make of that.

Sirius spotting James intense gaze, visibly smirks and says, "Still haven't said anything to Lily yet, eh, James?" As he nudged James painfully in his ribs in emphasis.

James finds himself flushing to his sheer mortification, before quickly answering, "No, I haven't. And please do not say another word, Siri."

Pettigrew snorts and mutters, "Now, that sounds like Rowan right there."

James visibly blinks as Lupin softly chuckles, "You may not remember, Rowan, James, but you certainly sound like her."

James makes a wry face not sure what to make of that. Thankfully, he is saved from answering as they arrive at a newly built small padlock fence. Inside the small fence is a small looking dog that resembles a Jack Russell Terrier except for its forked tail. Next to the Curp are tiny wiggling curppies about playing with each other, while some of them snooze in a curppie pile next to their mother.

Professor Kettleburn is smiling a pearly white smile that contrasts with his rugged, tough tanned skin. As usual, his gray hair is messily stuck up like a bird's nest. His rugged brown left eye is full of energy as his right now has an eyepatch. His right eye was accidentally gouged out during the summer when handling an irritated nestling pair of dragons. Still, he leaned on his wooden right leg and gestured for them to gather around his enchanted silver hand.

"I thought we'd start off this year on a bright note," Professor Kettleburn said in a cheerful booming voice.

Pointing at the figure of Severus, who is standing next to Terry, Professor Kettleburn says, "Prince, what can you tell me about Curps?"

"Crups are thought to be wizard bred and magically created rather than natural magical creatures," Severus replied. "Curps originated in Southeast England. Intently loyal to wizards, they eat almost anything, but in turn, are rather ferocious against Muggles. A Curp license must be obtained in order to have said creatures as pets as they must be made sure to not attack muggles in muggle-inhabited areas."

"Very good, Prince, ten points to Slytherin," Professor Kettleburn said, before turning towards his class. "You'll all be getting a go inside the pen and try to approach the momma Curp. Making sure to walk slowly and hold out your hand for her to smell. If she deems all is well with your approach, she will allow you to touch her cruppies."

Turning to the Gryffindors, Professor Kettleburn knowingly says, "We will start with the girls." The Slytherin and Gryffidnor girls in the class rush forward to stare into the pen at the cute cruppies.

Severus and Terry walked over towards Lupin and them. Terry loudly sniffs and through watery eyes, in a muffled voice says, "I'm most averse to them."

Sirius snickers at Terry's words, and cheerfully retorts, ���Serves you right for making fun of me in the past."

Terry merely glares with watery eyes as Severus reaches into his pocket and hands Terry a hankie. Terry murmurs, "Thank you," as he wipes his eyes and runny nose. "Achoo!"

Severus frowns in disgust, before saying to Lupin, "How's being a Prefect going?"

Lupin sighs and says, "I wish that Lily and I had thought to make a map for the first years and transfer students like the two of you did. Thankfully, your first year Slytherins and the transfer students from your house shared them with friends and then we made copies for all our Gryffindors. Also, I heard that the two of you are offering to tutor the other first years as well. I must say I am impressed."

Severus cheeks faintly begin to turn pink and grumbles, "Rowan said that might help keep interhouse friendsh.i.p.s alive and well. And besides, we are each only tutoring them twice per week. Monday and Wednesday for me and Tuesdays and Thursdays for Rowan."

"It seems like a really good idea to be perfectly honest," Lupin remarked most notably impressed.

"I would have liked to have had tutors our first year at Hogwarts," Pettigrew muttered with a shudder remembering that first year. "If not for Rowan tutoring us in the library, I think we would have failed all of our classes."

"Mm," Lupin grins. "Rowan doesn't look it, but she's surprisingly the nurturing type."

Pettigrew nods as Severus smiles a rare gentle smile in public. "Mm, when we were young children all sorts of animals would find their way to her. They always knew she would help bandage a wound or fix a broken limb. Oh, she'd grumble about their foolishness, but she'd always lend a willing hand."

"I'm surprised, she didn't end up as a Gryffindor," Sirius grumbled. "She's certainly Gryffindorish at times."

"The same thing can be said about Hufflepuff given her love of food and interhouse friendsh.i.p.s," Pettigrew observed.

"Nah," Terry sniffed. "She's much too cunning to be anything but a Slytherin."

They all turn to eye Terry as if saying, "You would know, Spider."

Terry must have sensed their inner thoughts as he narrows his eyes and says, "You were all thinking something rude right now, weren't you!?"

They all glance away as James slowly says, "If they were, I can't claim to know."

Terry snorts and wipes his nose clean. Glancing back at the girls around the Curps pen, he says, "You know I think the only real mistake is that Professor Kettleburn regrets that Rowan never took Care of Magical Creatures. I heard him bem.o.a.ning to himself after the Triwizard Tournament over a pint of Firewhiskery."

"Even Bowtrunkles like her," Pettigrew wistfully muttered recalling the valentine booth in their second year.

"Pfft," Sirius chokes. "That is an understatement of the century! A bloody dragon let her walk up to it without her using any magic at all!"

"Dragon?" James sputtered in disbelief.

"Last year, Rowan had to participate in the Triwizard Tournament as Hogwarts champion," Lupin flatly said as he eyed the sudden guilty-looking figures of Terry and Severus. "Taking a dragon egg from the dragon's egg was the first challenge."

"It was supposed to be a joke!" Terry protested loudly in his own defense. "How were Severus and I supposed to know the bloody goblet would go and select her as the Hogwarts Champion!"

James merely nods his head not quite able to wrap his head around the idea. Nevertheless, strangely enough, they all chatter about ignoring the elephant in the room so to speak. No one mentioned Pettigrew and James distance as they talked around or in between them. It was strange and awkward, but it would get better with time, or at least that is what they secretly told themselves.