Author's Notes

This is a side-story that is set in the time period after the epilogue, and uses the characters from "The Four Witches go to Hogwarts" and its sequels. However, it does not have any effect on those stories, it is a side "what if" story, although some things, such as the scenes set in the past, are compliant with the main "Four Witches" series up through "Serena Tippet and the Monster of Slytherin". It is set in December 2019, during Rose Weasley's third year at Hogwarts, but there are events in this story that make it an alternate story to "Rose Weasley and the Little Werewolf," particularly events concerning James Potter. Some things happen in this story that would not have happened in "Little Werewolf" and there are things that would have happened in that story that do not affect this one, partially because this story is being written before "Little Werewolf" is finished and thus it would end up spoiling that story. As with my other Harry Potter stories, I did not create the Harry Potter characters or the world that these stories are set in, although I did create the epilogue children's specific characterizations and added some of my own characters as well. Because of the nature of the plot, this story probably gives the ghosts different abilities than they would necessarily have in the canon Harry Potter series.

Chapter 1: James's Jealousy

"I'm sure we can top what I did last year. And if not, we can at least get revenge on Fred for kicking us out of the Gryffindor Quidditch team," David Longbottom said. He and James Potter were on the Hogwarts Express, riding home for the holidays.

"I really did like your fireworks and bubble gum trick. We should at least use fireworks again. I could nick some from my uncle's shop easily," James bragged.

"Fireworks are always a blast," David smirked, "I wonder if Peeves would like to help. He and I have had some fun pranking people this year and he would probably like to mess with a Quidditch game."

"Peeves isn't very loyal, though, is he? I've tried to get him to help me but he always ruined it by telling one of the professors just so he could see me get in trouble too," James complained.

"Who cares if you get in trouble? It's the fun of pranking people that counts. All they can do is take off house points and put me in detention, and that's fun too because then I get to annoy the git who is assigned to 'discipline' me. Who cares about Gryffindor winning the cup, anyway? It's more fun to just play around," David shrugged. James was oddly quiet upon hearing that. Was David right? Maybe things like house points and detentions didn't matter. The more James thought about it, the more annoyed he felt at those who dared scold him simply for having fun. He was the heir of Harry Potter, the greatest wizard of all time! They should be doing HIS bidding! But why didn't anyone seem to respect that? James realized what it was.

"It's Albus's fault," he said.

"What is? Does your wimpy little brother actually have a fun side? Did he play a prank on you?" David wondered.

"No! He has all the luck of actually looking like a little clone of Dad! If I looked more like Dad, maybe people would actually worship me like they should," James snapped.

"Worship you? I don't know about that. I don't worship anyone. That would mean actually following someone's rules!" David laughed derisively. James stuck his tongue out at David and stomped out of the compartment, looking for someone to take his anger out on. He shoved past Melissa Blips, rudely snapping her out of her dreamy reverie. She stumbled backwards, the photograph of Snape falling out of her hand.

"What was that for? You're just as bad as your grandfather, James Potter!" she snapped at him. He turned on her, pulling his wand out.

"How DARE you insult my grandfather! Try that again and you'll pay!" he snarled.

"James Potter, what ARE you doing? Put your wand away right now!" a new voice interrupted. Cupcake Quigley, a 7th year Slytherin prefect, was standing behind him. To James's further annoyance, he saw Fred Weasley coming up behind her.

"He was going to hex me! He pushed me and then he threatened me!" Melissa shrieked, grabbing her picture of Snape and clutching it protectively.

"She insulted my great namesake, the first James Potter," James stated in a snooty tone. "I don't know HOW she can worship that Death Eater instead of me."

"My Sevvie-poo stopped being a Death Eater! He loved Lily and protected her son! You wouldn't be ALIVE if it wasn't for Snape!" Melissa cried.

"Enough, you two. Hogwarts has rules against fighting, and those rules still apply here on the Express," Cupcake interrupted, "The school year isn't over yet."

"You know I'll have to tell your father about this, James," Fred added.

"You wouldn't be saying things like that if it was Albus, would you," James hissed.

"Albus doesn't get into fights or cause trouble. You would do well to learn from your little brother's example, before you get yourself expelled from Hogwarts, or worse," Fred retorted.

"I mean because he looks like Dad! People would worship me like they should if I looked like Dad!" James exploded, "Everyone likes him better because he looks like a clone of Dad!"

"I don't care if you have blue hair like Teddy Lupin. If you don't put your wand away right now I'm not only going to report your behavior to both your parents, but also to Aunt Hermione and Grandma Molly," Fred declared. James heaved a loud sigh, but put his wand back in his pocket. He started to walk away, but then he stopped, turned around, stuck his fingers out in a rude gesture, and then ran off.

"How the **** did someone as heroic as Uncle Harry raise someone like...like that! The way James is heading, he's going straight to Azkaban someday!" Fred ranted.

"I don't even think the first James Potter was that bad. At least, I don't ever remember hearing that he demanded that people worship him," Melissa said.

"Melissa, I'm not going to excuse any of James's behavior, but could you try not to insult people's relatives like that?" Cupcake asked with a bit of an exasperated sigh.

"I'll try. I really don't like anyone who was mean to Snape, but I could try to not talk about it to the Potters. It's not really their fault, is it," Melissa realized.

Several days later, it was Christmas Eve. Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo were visiting at 12 Grimmauld Place for a few days, and Rebecca Dursley was too. At that moment, Rebecca was talking with Albus in his bedroom about a work of muggle fiction that both of them were familiar with.

"Do you know if the spirits in that book you were reading are like the ones in real life? Could the Hogwarts ghosts take someone to their past and future?" Rebecca asked. She was referring to the book "A Christmas Carol," which Albus had been reading earlier that day.

"I don't know. I know that a pensieve can let people look at scenes of the past like the Ghost of Christmas Past did, and I think a Time-Turner might be able to take someone into the future. But ghosts can't actually touch or hold things, so all they could do is lead someone to a pensieve or a Time-Turner and tell them to use it. The ghosts in Mr. Dickens's story are different from the ones I've seen at Hogwarts, at least. And the story also makes it sound like it might just be Scrooge's dream, too. I don't really know, I'm sorry, Rebecca," Albus said, trying to think of the possibilities he knew of.

"Either way, I still think it's just so interesting that Hogwarts has real ghosts. But you mentioned that a pensieve can let people see the past? How does it do that? Is it like a magical DVD or a video recorder?" Rebecca wondered.

"I don't know exactly how it works, but I think people put their memories in them and then they can watch what happened like how someone else might have seen it. I think Dad has one because he said that Scorpius looked in it on Christmas Eve 2 years ago and saw Draco being evil in it," Albus explained.

"Maybe Uncle Harry will let me look in his if I ask! I want to see that time he turned Aunt Marge into a balloon! I hate her, since when I had to visit her she would always insult Uncle Harry so I'd love to see that happen to her," Rebecca said with a mischevious grin. She got up, eager to go ask Harry about it, but then the door slammed open, revealing a very angry James. Albus immediately shrunk back, even though he certainly hadn't done anything malicious towards his older brother.

"This was all your fault, Albus! It's your fault I don't get the respect I deserve!" James shouted.

"And what have you done to earn people's respect?" Rebecca challenged.

"I shouldn't have to earn it. I'm Harry Potter's oldest son. Of course I should be worshipped as a hero just like he is," James said, "And if Albus didn't exist, then I would get that respect!"

"Why would your brother not existing make people worship you? You're making less sense than usual, James," Rebecca replied, completely confused as to what James was even talking about.

"Because he's a clone of Dad!" James burst out, "If I looked more like Dad, people would know I'm his son and they would worship me!"

"But even if Albus was never born, that wouldn't change YOUR looks. And why should people worship you just for being Uncle Harry's kid? You think being a hero is in the blood or something, like how Scorpius thinks he's evil because of Draco?" Rebecca realized.

"All that is going to change. I'm going to make sure Albus won't take my place any more," James stated, pulling out his wand. Rebecca stood in front of Albus, who was cowering in the corner.

"What the **** are you trying to do to him? Change his hair color? Or are you going to hurt him? Because I'm going to..." Rebecca paused and took a deep breath, and then started shouting. "UNCLE HARRY! JAMES IS TRYING TO HEX ALBUS!" She was about to repeat herself, but then James pointed the wand at her.

"Chiropterus rhinus!" James yelled. A jet of light shot out of his wand and hit Rebecca in the nose. Suddenly, she began violently sneezing, and every time she sneezed, small bats flew out of her nose and swarmed around her.

"Finite incantatem!" called a new voice.