Tears of Loss, Joy of Gain

The beginning of the school year was creeping ever nearer, and at last it was there. September 1^st dawned cold and gray. Harry woke up and groaned at seeing the sky, as it somewhat reflected his mood because he was dreading having some of the students of his former classmates. He had already met some of his old teachers, and they were suspicious.

Flashback

"Hello there, how yeh doin'?" It was Hagrid.

"I'm good," Harry said.

"You ain't here to see Headmaster Dumbledore, are yeh?"

"Actually, no. I'm the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"Oh, so yeh're Henry James! Wait a minute...."

"What?"

"It's jus' tha' name....It sounds familiar....nah, you can' be."

"Can't be who?"

"You may laugh, bu' your name sounds like Harry Potter's."

"So I've been told."

"Yeah, I be' you have, anyway I have to be goin'."

"Okay, see you later."

Minutes after that, he bumped into somebody he hadn't seen in a while, the new Muggle Studies teacher. Joshua Parker was a third-year Ravenclaw when Harry had graduated from Hogwarts, and now he was a professor.

"Good morning, you must be Professor James."

"And you must be Professor Parker."

"That'd be me, or so I've been told. Say, you look familiar. We haven't met, have we?" Professor Parker's piercing blue eyes looked straight at Harry.

"No," he said, somewhat more nervous than before. Josh Parker was brilliant, yes, and he was definitely not the type to be fooled by a glamour. In fact, when he had been in school, he had suspected Josh could read minds, as he had told Harry many times that he should go after Hermione and tell her how he felt.

"Whatever you say," Professor Parker said before going towards the library, throwing another glance over his shoulder.

End of Flashback

Elsewhere in the castle

Josh Parker woke up, yawning, when it hit him. Thinking fast, he dove for his old school yearbook from third year, leafing through the pages. He came to the page he was looking for and found what he was looking for.

"It can't be," he said.

Immediately, he threw his robes on and rushed down to Professor Dumbledore's office, gasping for breath. He threw open the door, and he immediately found out that what he suspected was true.

A couple minutes earlier

Harry was yawning as he opened the door to Professor Dumbledore's office to talk to him about his nervousness of Professor Parker finding out his identity. The headmaster had greeted him with warmth.

"Why, sit down Harry, I didn't expect to see you here this early, and especially without your disguise," he said.

"Sorry, it's just that I figured this early in the morning would be the best time to tell you of my fears, since nobody else should be up."

"Yes, indeed. Now, what are your fears?"

"I fear that there is one person in this building who knows who I am, even though he's not supposed to."

"Ah, you mean young Professor Parker? I'd try to cover myself if I were you, Harry."

"Why?"

"Too late." The door swung open and Professor Parker entered, and he saw Harry.

"I was right!" he said triumphantly. Then he said, "You're not going to modify my memory, are you? Because I'll just find out again, you know."

Harry put his wand back as quickly as he had taken it out, as his intention was to indeed modify Professor Parker's memory.

"Now, would you care to explain, Harry?" Professor Parker said as he calmly sat in the chair by Professor Dumbledore's desk.

"Do I owe you an explanation, Parker?"

"My my, how touchy, but yes, I believe you do. In fact, I believe you owe everybody in the wizarding world an explanation for where you've been these past ten years."

"I was with Hermione, you of all people should know that."

Josh grinned. "Indeed. You really didn't think your or Professor Green's, or should I say Professor Granger's, disguises would fool me? Oh, and if you're going to listen, you may as well come in," he said, waving his wand at the door. It opened to reveal a rather sheepish-looking Dobby.

"Harry Potter sir has returned!" he squeaked happily, and all of a sudden, Harry's breath was knocked out by the flying body of Dobby.

"Dobby.....please........not that tight...I can't breathe....."

"Oh, I am sorry Harry Potter sir, but it is just that Dobby has not seen you in such a long time! Dobby made you socks in his spare time too!" With that, Dobby snapped his fingers and disappeared before reappearing a couple minutes later with quite a bundle of socks in his arms.

"Why.....thanks Dobby, did you make any for Hermione?"

Dobby's eyes widened. "Is Miss returned too?" He disappeared again before reappearing with a bundle of hats. "Dobby has not forgotten her kindness in making Dobby hats, so Dobby made Miss hats to thank her!" Dobby beamed at him.

Suddenly, Hermione walked in, looking like herself. Dobby squeaked with happiness before throwing himself onto her.

"Oof! What's happening here, Harry?" Hermione asked, and then she saw Professor Parker and her eyes widened. "Oh no, he knows?"

"Yep!" Josh said.

"And how many people have you told, Harry?"

"I didn't tell anybody."

"Then how'd he find out?"

"That's what I would like to know also," Professor Dumbledore said, and Harry realized he had forgotten he was there. Professor Dumbledore looked at Josh for an answer.

Josh said, "You see, it's like this...."