TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Rita Skeeter

The Ancient and Noble House of Potter are considered by many, the greatest of all our Noble Houses. If any one family could be considered our nation's flagship, it would be the Potters, and rightly so. Say what you might about their proud history, the current incarnation of House Potter is admired not only for the family as a whole, but for its individual members.

Lady Daphne Potter (nee Greengrass), is a talented Charms Master and Master Arithmancer. Her razor sharp wit and political acumen has seen House Potter rise to previously unseen heights, even greater than when it was led by the current Lord Potter's Grandfather, Charlus. Her mind and political savvy is equal to her stunning beauty, but nothing is more important to her than her doting husband or their children.

Charles Harry Potter, the second oldest child of Lord and Lady Potter, is a model student. He excels in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy and holds a minimum of 'Exceeds Expectations' in all the other subjects he is taking in his 6th year at Hogwarts.

Lily Luna Potter, the third child of Lord and Lady Potter, is a brilliant duellist, taking after her father. She excels in transfiguration and charms and her potions grades are equal to that of her namesake (Lily Potter nee Evans). A delightful child, few can resist her bright smile and cheery attitude.

The current Lord Potter needs no introduction. Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the British Unspeakables, Order of Merlin 1st Class, Defeater of Lord Voldemort and current holder of the longest unbroken winning streak in world history on the duelling circuit. Lord Potter became head of the Unspeakables after his predecessor and he were ambushed in the Veil Room. Albert Croaker was placed in a coma and he passed away several months later. Lord Potter was banished through the Veil of Death and was assumed dead until he emerged, in undisclosed circumstances, a year later. After taking an extended leave of absence, Lord Potter took the position of Department Head and has led Britain's Unspeakables to countless breakthroughs in magical mysteries.

But, all is not well in the illustrious House of Potter, for there is one more member we have not yet discussed.

James Sirius Potter, firstborn son and Heir to the House of Potter, in currently completing his seventh year of Hogwarts. His tenure at Hogwarts has been rife with scandals of duelling and a general sense of apathy to the rules. True, he is a gifted student. He is top of his class in several subjects. His behaviour, on the other hand, casts a poor reflection on his otherwise honourable and praiseworthy family.

"Potter is a menace." Says one Angelique Goldstein, seventh year Ravenclaw. "In fourth year, he set a plague of frogs into our common room the day before final exams."

"He (James) has been seen on multiple occasions, hexing other students. It hasn't escaped any of our notice that they're children of convicted Death Eaters." Reveals another student who wishes to remain anonymous.

Yesterday, events came to a head when a vicious duel broke out in the entrance hall between James Potter and one Timothy Nott, against whom he has a notorious grudge.

Timothy Nott is the son and grandson of convicted Death Eaters, both of whom are currently serving life sentences in Eldritch Prison since the decommissioning of Azkaban.

Several eye witnesses say that the two exchanged heated words before wands were drawn and curses thrown. Five bystanders were hit with stray curses, including Lily Potter, before James cast a leg-locker jinx followed by the tap-dancing hex. Both spells hit and Nott's legs broke. Nott then fell backwards and down a flight of stairs.

James Potter has been suspended for a fortnight and Nott has been transferred to Saint Mungos for specialist treatment.

More on this story as this drama unfolds.

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Harry hadn't read the Daily Prophet since Rita Skeeter had become the editor. Her slanderous writings never failed to incite outrage at even the most well-loved of Britain's heroes. The fact remained that his eldest son was currently sitting across from him, in his office at the Department of Mysteries instead of at Hogwarts, studying for his NEWTs.

If he had read Rita's article, he would have noted that most of it was factual. His family was enjoying a period of prosperity unequalled by any other House in the British Isles. His family's accomplishment were exactly what she had described and even his own history was accurate.

Albert Croaker, contrary to publicly accessible information had not been in a coma, but had died during the initial confrontation. For the security of the department, his death was kept a close secret until Harry had returned from the Veil and had accepted the mantle of Department Head.

The section of the article pertaining to James, however, was highly embellished and left out several key factors.

Granted, the frog plague was actually true. Professor Flitwick had assigned partners to work on cascading charms and things had gone out of control. It just so happened that Miss Goldstein was terrified of frogs and still hadn't forgiven what she saw as a blatant attack on herself.

The accusations of hexing the children of Death Eaters, however, was categorically false. Several children, whose parents had been arrested by Harry, or on Harry's evidence and testimony, took it upon themselves to punish Harry by attacking his children. Each of his kids had been attacked at one point or another. It just so happened that James was a rough dueller, preferring to put opponents down hard and fast.

Contrary to Rita's insinuation of James going out of his way to attack Nott, the truth was that they had been fierce rivals for the entirety of their school life, not unlike Draco and Harry had been. Not to mention they both liked the same girl.

The fight broke out after lunch. There were no professors in sight and they had both given Rosalind McTaggart a Valentines gift.

The Potter family had taken to a new motto in recent years; "We don't start fights, but by Merlin we finish them."

Nott started throwing bone breakers and cutting hexes. James threw banishers and stunners. Both parties managed to hit bystanders. Nott couldn't find a way to get past James' defence so he went for an unprepared target, Lily. Lily went down with a broken collar bone and James got pissed off. He let loose with a spell chain, too fast for Nott to keep up with. Nott managed to somehow dodge the majority of the chain and shield a few more spells, but the leg-locker and tap-dancing spells got through.

Nott's leg bones shattered into tiny pieces and he fell down a flight of stairs. James was offered a choice of punishment; Nott would be facing the same choice when he returned. He could have detention for the remainder of the year or take a fortnight's suspension.

So here James was in Harry's office, going through his textbooks in preparation for his NEWTs, trying to avoid his father's eye.

Harry was no fool. Growing up with the life he did didn't give him that luxury. He knew that James had always struggled with their family's situation. Things didn't come easily for James. He wasn't naturally talented like his mother or his siblings. He was top of his classes by sheer determination alone, with his nose pressed firmly to the grindstone.

James didn't have many real friends. Sure he had his brother and sister and the Weasley Clan but outside of them he was fairly alone. He faced people trying to use him for his family's fame in his first few years. Years four and five had several girls try to date him for his family's money and recently, people were trying to get in his good graces so as to use his influence to open doors for their future careers.

On top of that, Harry knew James didn't feel comfortable as a person. James was always trying to grow up too fast. He was trying to shoulder the burdens of a man and emulate his father who was his role model.

Harry had told is children the truth about almost every one of his experiences, from living in an abusive environment and being bullied as a child, to his challenges, both mundane and dangerous, at Hogwarts.

Harry never intended for James to measure his own worth against his father's achievements. Yet that is what James did. James was aiming to join the Unspeakables as an apprentice to one Teddy Lupin.

So here is where our tale begins; in an office on Level 9 of the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Mysteries one afternoon.

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Father and son worked in relative silence as the clock ticked away. Harry shuffled through reports and a quill wrote notes of its own accord. Harry paused and looked at the title of the textbook his eldest son was currently memorising. Cracking a grin he saw:

"The Nature of Magic and the Magic of Nature"

By Harry Potter

His book had become required reading for seventh year students of ANY subject. Harry had completed his book on such subjects as the Law of Effort and Obstacles and the nature of life debts and ley lines. Magic as it was used through the ages and how it has evolved, devolved and endured.

"You already know it off by heart by now James. You were there as I was putting it to parchment."

"I know that Dad, but it would be particularly embarrassing if I of all people couldn't recall something my own father wrote."

"Ok then, I'll quiz you."

James closed the book and perched it on the arm of his armchair.

"What are ley lines?"

"Ley lines are the flow of ambient magic in the world. They flow between node points which are points on the globe where ambient magic is concentrated most."

"Correct; extra points for putting it in your own words and not answering me word for word from my book. What is the Law of Effort and Obstacles?"

"The Law states that the potency and duration of effect of a piece of magic is exponentially increased by the amount of effort used and or number of obstacles overcome to achieve said piece of magic; standard potency of magic to the power of effort and/or obstacle. This Law governs how powerful a piece of magic, or one's consistent ability to achieve said magic by how hard it was to learn or cast."

"Excellent. Those are the main points that the examiners will expect you to know and understand. Now take a walk with your old man."

Harry and James ambled through the Department of Mysteries. The few Unspeakables working that day nodded at Harry and his son. They found themselves approaching the Veil chamber and James once again asked a question that his father wouldn't answer.

"Why do you never talk about what happened in the Veil?"

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"James –" he began.

"No! You were gone a year. We thought you were dead and you turn up in weird clothes armed with medieval weapons."

"James, I have already told you that it is classified to the highest levels of our department. Until you are ranked just below Department Head, you don't have the clearance. I truly wish I could tell you, but I am compelled by my oath of office to keep my silence on the matter."

"So you're saying that if you tell us you'll get fired?"

"No. If I broke my oaths and I told you anything about what happened I would lose my job, my magic and my life."

"So Mum and your own children will never find out?"

"I actually told your mother before they ordered my silence. She is under the oath of silence as well. While there are situations in which the oaths are negated or rendered moot, I can't even say what those loopholes are until the situation itself arises."

They were halfway through the chamber when they both started to get pulled towards the Veil. James yelled in shock and tried to stand his ground but his boots weren't gripping the floor enough to stop his progress towards the Veil.

Harry thought quickly and sent a messenger Patronus to Daphne, explaining what was happening to him and James. Ever since the last time he had gone through the Veil he had carried emergency supplies. Now, he was glad that he had prepared for this possibility.

"James! Wands out!"

James quickly followed his father's command and had drawn his wand just as he went through the Veil. Harry followed just after him.

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Lord Elrond stood with the Istari Gandalf and watched as the Wizard-turned-ranger Sirius of the House of Black opened the gateway.

Sirius was one of many called to the secret council at Rivendell alongside his fellow ranger Aragorn.

A little over two years ago, Gandalf brought word that he had discovered the One Ring. It was at Sirius' suggestion that they call forth Lord Potter to aid in its destruction.

Lord Potter had left instructions in order to open the Veil and Sirius had studied them rigorously. It had been over a century since he had last used magic so he unearthed his wand and began practicing again. Of course he had to get Gandalf to give his permission to use foreign magic in Arda, without which it wasn't possible.

Sirius had memorised the procedure to open the Veil and now, with less than a fortnight before the council, was ready to proceed.

Sirius began to chant in Latin, Ancient Greek, Aramaic and Norse to open the portal between worlds.

The Veil in Arda was a stone arch, just as on Earth. But where the Veil was supposed to ripple and wave like gossamer curtains in a slight breeze, there was stone.

As Sirius continued to chant, the stone turned to ice and then faded into the ethereal material it was supposed to be.

A startled yell was heard from the other side and then a voice commanded "James! Wands out!"

A second later, a boy of sixteen was ejected from the curtain. He was followed closely by Lord Potter who, upon being ejected, turned his fall into a roll and held his wand aloft ready to defend himself and his son.

Elrond stepped forth and bowed in respect.

"Welcome back to Arda, Lord Potter."