Chapter Dedication: Gabriel Schwrbrg who managed to get it right on the first guess, leaving me completely surprised. Congradulations!

and

agge who also guessed it ... well, mostly ^^

Congratulations to the both of you!!

The World's Gone Crazy …

By Allanasha Ke Kiri

Chapter 55

"Can you believe it?" Pansy asked, though somewhat reserved.

All of them were now as their parents sat at their tables with them, making all of them (at least the Slytherin's) a touch more careful about what they said and how they talked. This just made James realize, even more, that he was an orphan, and that is parents sat across the way, at least one of them wanting nothing to do with him.

"Tomorrow and we're out of here."

"No," James replied. "I can't believe it."

Several others laughed at him.

"That's because you haven't been here the full seven years," Draco told him.

"I guess."

Of course, none of them knew that he had. They all still believed that he was James Medin. Then again, he'd never given them any reason to doubt him.

As the conversation continued around him, James' hand slipped into his pocket, where a small slip of paper held his mother's handwriting. She'd given it to him a few days before, telling him that it was what would release her Harry's glamour and that, if he was the same, they might have the same trigger line. She said that she was giving it to him in case he ever felt the need to disappear.

He was afraid to test it, so it had remained unsaid, and safe in his pocket. James had, however, read it several times, so many that he was sure it was committed to memory.

"What about you James?"

James blinked, turning to the speaker. "Sorry, what?"

Jesse laughed. "I asked what you were planning to do. You know, after tomorrow?"

James shrugged. "Travel a bit, see a little more of the world."

Jesse blinked. "That's it?"

"Only for a year or two," he replied, laughing. "It'll allow those closer in age to graduate before I attempt to get into teaching."

"You're going to teach?" Pansy asked, surprised. James hadn't really told anyone his plans. Though Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle had been told. He figured that they deserved at least that much.

Draco rolled his eyes, though made sure it remained unseen by any of the parents. Every Slytherin who'd seen it bowed their head to keep from being chastised. After all, it simply wasn't seemly to laugh at nothing.

James bit his lip to keep from smiling and glanced out across the Great Hall. All across the hall, parents and students sat together, though they were all more varied in their persons than the Slytherins'.

His eyes landed on Emily who happened to be looking his way, having stayed behind for Harry's graduation. She grinned at him, waving happily. James gave a small smile and wave back, careful to make sure he didn't get any reprimand from the parents close to him. From the looks of it, Emily understood, because she began laughing, getting the attention of Hermione, who sat next to her. After a moment, Hermione laughed as well, turning an apologetic glance in his direction. He shrugged back.

"You know," Narcissa said, leaning forward and over slightly so that she was slightly in front of Draco, so he could hear her. "It isn't polite to have conversations across the room … even if no one is speaking."

Draco glanced at him with a confused look while James bowed his head.

"My apologize, Mrs. Malfoy," he said.

Narcissa nodded, a small smile on her lips, and leaned back.

In James' opinion, both Lucius and Narcissa looked extremely out of place at their table. Neither of them said much, choosing to simply sit there and watch. Narcissa, at least, looked vaguely interested in what others had to say, while Lucius just looked incredibly bored with the whole affair.

Though, at the same time, they belonged there more than anyone else. They were the epitome of purebloods … that was probably another reason Dumbledore wanted them dead.

The chatter died down as Tom stood, smiling at them softly.

"Seven years," he said. "Have gone by much too quickly, and once again I must say farewell to several young adults I have had the pleasure of watching grow … Fortunately, that is not until tomorrow."

Laughter filtered through the hall. Even the Slytherin's found themselves smiling at their headmaster.

"For tonight –"

Tom was cut off as a woman suddenly appeared in the middle of the Great Hall. She wasn't really all that impressive, slight of figure, blond hair, fairly pretty.

"I though no one could apparate," Pansy whispered, confused.

"She didn't apparate," Narcissa told him, her eyes on the woman. "She's a vengeance demon."

"How do you know?"

"Look at her, it's obvious."

As the woman, or vengeance demon glanced around, they could see her face, and could finally tell that she was not human. Across the hall, Hermione was staring at the woman with wide and worried eyes.

"Sorry for the interruption," she said. "I'm looking for Harry Potter."

James blinked, a feeling of dread filling his gut.

"What the hell do you want with my son?" James demanded, standing from the Gryffindor table.

"James, quiet," Lily said, placing a hand on her husbands arm as she rose to stand next to him.

The woman glanced over to them; her eyes slid over to Harry and she scoffed.

"That is not Harry."

"What?"

"And who are you?" Tom asked.

"What is it to you?"

"You have obviously come for one of my students. As headmaster, I have the right to know who you are, and why you have come for them."

The woman shrugged. "Whatever. I'm Halfreck. And it's time young Harry returned to where he belongs. If it were up to me, I'd just leave him here, but he has unfinished business that has forced me to take him back."

Tom gave a slow nod, and James' feeling of dread grew significantly. The woman, Halfreck's, eyes scanned the Great Hall, stopping on James. "There you are. Now, get rid of that." She motioned over him, probably referring to his disguise. "We have to go."

James blinked, slowly rising to his feet. "And if I don't want to?" he asked, even though he knew he had to.

"James?" Draco demanded, sounding confused.

"You have no choice in it."

James sighed, nodding. He glanced up at Tom, who nodded back.

"James, what the hell is –" Draco cut himself off as James' glamour fell away, leaving him as he truly was.

"The Great Hall erupted, even the Slytherins, as he made his way around the table and towards the woman.

"Silence," Tom demanded. The hall obeyed.

"Why did you send me here, if you're just taking me back?"

"You wished it," she told him. "As I said, if it were up to me, you'd stay here permanently … however, you have a prophecy that needs completion. I've been demanded to take you back." She was obviously not happy about it.

James nodded once, his eyes flickering over to the Gryffindor table, where his mother's sad eyes watched him, unable to do anything. He saw that his father's were wide with shock, as were Harry's and Emily's. Hermione was blinking, as if she didn't believe what she was seeing.

"Now, let's go," Halfreck's voice brought him back to what was happening, and as she raised a hand, James (now Harry again) spun towards the Slytherin table.

"Draco, I love you."

And they were gone, leaving the room in silence.

(peeks out from under her desk.) So … please don't kill me?

…

Anyway, as I've mentioned several times before, there is a sequel and … well things will proceed there. Um … (bites lip) so if you kill me, you'll never know what happens, right?

(shifty eyes) It does get better … eventually.

Now, I hope you have enjoyed this story. I know I loved writing it. and I'm totally psyched that it's actually done. It's the second story I've ever finished … and I love this one so much more than my first one!!! 3

There were a few things I was forced to leave out, because my muse decided he hated me. Mostly was the continued bonding between Lily and James/Harry. Also, I'd meant to have Remus find out about James being Harry *shrugs* but that didn't happen. I might come back eventually and re-write this, but for right now, I am happy with it.

Thank you everyone for allowing me to take you on a ride. I hope you enjoyed and will come back for it's sequel. It's called. "... And it's Taken me With it." I'll post it later today so you have no excuse not to go and see it ^_^

Allanasha Ke Kiri