Author's Note: Back by popular demand… Not Quite a Stranger, edited big time but still the same story! This takes place after Harry's 7th year and Voldemort is gone, three guesses who killed him…
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; if I did I would be relaxing on a yacht and not typing this story up.
Chapter 1: The Dream
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"So," said Dumbledore, "Are you ready to do this?"
"As ready as I can be," a man who looked strangely like James grumbled, "How the hell did you talk me into this?"
"Well, you should have a break after all you've been through. After all, I think everyone knows that even the savior of the world deserves a break."
"Yeah, and you blackmailed me."
"Well, I can't help it you got so drunk at last year's Christmas party, you let Remus take some very embarrassing pictures of you and Ron."
The man sighed, "You can't blame me for trying to relax though."
Dumbledore nodded gravely, "I know. You deserved it. However, getting back to the point, do you remember everything I told you earlier?"
"I hope so," he mumbled then saw Dumbledore's sharp look, "I mean, yes, I have everything memorized by heart."
"No need to be sarcastic Harry."
"Yes sir."
"Also, don't let them see your things. You never know what could happen if they see the wrong thing." Harry nodded and they both sat in silence for a while. Each man looked totally relaxed in each other's company. Even though Dumbledore was older, it seemed as though the respect between them was mutual.
Harry suddenly grinned, "It will be weird having someone question whether I'm a Death Eater or not."
"Oh really, why is that Harry? Even today, we still take precautions."
"Ha ha, very funny Dumbledore, make fun of the boy who was famous before he could walk," pouted Harry. They glared at each other for a few moments then burst out laughing. Then a thought seemed to strike Harry, "What if I'm a terrible teacher?"
Dumbledore sighed, "You know you'll be fine. You know the subject like the back of your hand. And somehow, I think you'll be more popular then McGonagall, though Sirius does seem to have a crush on her…"
Harry started twitching. Dumbledore seemed not to notice and he said, "Ah well, enough talking, time for action, are you ready?"
"No."
"What did I say about being sarcastic?"
"Sorry sir."
"Just don't forget to give me the letter, okay?"
"Yes sir."
Dumbledore offered his hand, "Harry, I've never been so proud of you in my life."
"Even when…"
"Yes, including then." They looked each other in the eye and shook hands. Harry then disappeared suddenly. Dumbledore just smiled and got out a lemon drop.
"James, it's time to get up! You don't want to miss the train!"
James started and fell out of bed, his sheets and pillow coming after him. He kissed his pillow groggily for a few minutes then reached for his glasses on his bedside table almost bringing the lamp down in the process. As soon as he could actually see that he was actually kissing the pillow and not Lily, he thought about the dream he just had. Did he actually have a vision? He groaned; maybe he should have taken divination.
He pulled on some jeans and his t-shirt then hurriedly pushed some more things into his trunk. Most of the room in his trunk was filled with basically all of the prank products available, from England and some were even international. A few that Sirius got him he wasn't even sure were legal. His dad had to enlarge the trunk to fit his books and clothes.
James was getting ready for his seventh years at Hogwarts. He had to be ready for the year of pranking with his friends Sirius, Remus, and Peter. And of course, this year he was going to go out with the best girl in all of Hogwarts, Lily Evens. She was his friend now true, but she was going to be his.
"Don't forget your Head Boy pin, James!"
James growled. He wasn't putting that… thing on until he had to. It should have been Remus who got it not him. The only good thing about it was that Lily was the Head Girl and had rounds with him at night.
Just as he was ready to go downstairs, he spotted one last thing he had to pack, The Book. It was the book that had all of there pranks in it. Somehow each one of them managed to have their own name no matter how big or how small. Lily called them crazy, Remus just shook his head, but Sirius and James needed the book. It was a tradition to write in it. They swore that one day they would past it onto their kids and they would use some of them to freak the teachers out.
When he made it downstairs, his parents looked at him and tried not to laugh. Now, normally James was a morning person but he had stayed up since 3:00 that morning and he was in no mood to joke around. "What is it?" he said impatiently.
His father said very matter of factly, "Your shirt is inside out and backwards, your zipper isn't zipped on your pants, you have two different shoes on and your hair is tidy."
James's eyes stayed glassy with sleep until the last comment. "My hair!" he yelled and ran upstairs to fix that particular problem. His parents looked at each other and laughed.
Two tubes of hair gel and three stacks of pancakes later, James was ready. He shook his dad's hand and hugged his mom then walked out of the house. This was the first time he was apparating to the train station. He closed his eyes, touched his trunk, and disappeared to face his final year of Hogwarts. The dream was totally forgotten.
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Author's Note: I know that is so much better then the time I posted this before! Tell me what you think, all you have to do is click… the button… now…