After the central brain was completed, James continued to live in the tower.
He was essentially a programmer, so he needed to stay near the central brain for a long time and constantly improve the Manual's functions. Sometimes he secretly wondered whether Skyl had arranged this job for him because he wanted him to spend the rest of his life as the central brain's programmer.
James would not resent Skyl for that. For someone who had resurrected him, as long as he was not forced to do anything that violated justice, even giving up his freedom was worth it. James did not know whether he would regret or grow tired of such days after they continued for many years, but at least in his twenties, he felt this was a kind of loyalty.
Besides, James now had a more urgent and serious task, which was to work with Snape and Dumbledore to perfect the resurrection ritual.
All three men were fighting to resurrect women. They gathered together and made an agreement to help one another achieve their goals.
Dumbledore's progress was the fastest and most stable. This great wizard was gradually mastering the spirit-summoning ritual.
Snape's resurrection potion was full of difficulties, but he was actually the least worrisome one, because he had a complete formula in his hands. Potions was a precise and complex art, but in the end, it was still a process of gathering ingredients and brewing them step by step according to procedure. Even if the techniques were complex and the steps were troublesome, as long as one settled down and worked carefully, the time to bear fruit would eventually come.
James boasted that he could handle the magical cauldron.
He had originally planned to head to the old house in Godric's Hollow immediately, but he was delayed for a few days. Then he saw the news in the paper that Peter Pettigrew had been arrested.
His thoughts immediately drifted away. He could hardly wait to get in touch with his old friends.
But when he thought of his agreement with Skyl, James found himself in a difficult position again.
In late January, the Wizengamot court would pass judgment on Peter Pettigrew's crimes and also retry Sirius Black's case.
James hoped Dumbledore could take him to the Wizengamot. Even a seat as an observer would be enough.
He brought up this request, but even Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, could not agree, because James was not a member of the Wizengamot court, and that ancient court did not have a jury system.
The traditions of the Wizengamot came from the Witenagemot before the seventh century. Back then, the relationship between Muggles and wizards was still close. The king summoned wizards crowned with the title of wise men, clergy, and secular nobles to discuss great affairs of the realm together. Common people had no right to participate.
"However, you can wait for my news at the Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore comforted him.
So James followed the headmaster to London.
At the Ministry of Magic, he saw Lupin and Sirius. It was as if more than ten years had been stolen by fairies. The changes in those two old friends almost made him forget what they had looked like before.
Padfoot was so thin he barely looked human. The torment of Azkaban was not something ordinary people could bear. Moony's eyes no longer held the sharp brilliance of his youth. Life had beaten him into a down-and-out, weathered man aged before his time.
James did not go up and reveal himself. Partly because he could not, and partly because he did not dare.
The Wizengamot opened court at ten in the morning.
During that time, James asked around in the Ministry atrium about what had happened back then. A kind official named Arthur Weasley happened to have nothing to do and was also waiting for firsthand news from the Wizengamot, so the two of them started chatting.
"I only heard all this secondhand. Sirius was originally supposed to be the Secret Keeper for the Fidelius Charm, but he worried that he was too obvious a target, so he switched it to Peter Pettigrew instead. But that fellow had already been a traitor for a long time. We all know what happened after that."
"Please focus on what happened afterward."
Arthur looked at James in surprise.
"Harry Potter resisted You-Know-Who's curse. He became the first wizard to survive the Killing Curse, and the result was that You-Know-Who vanished from then on. During the trial that year, Sirius did not defend himself, so he was locked up in Azkaban. Honestly, a good man like him really should not have given in to despair like that. After all, some Death Eaters were still moving around openly."
"Why? Did the Wizengamot do nothing?"
"They claimed they had been controlled by You-Know-Who with the Imperius Curse. That damned excuse. Hmph. Anyone could tell it was a lie."
James's heart skipped. He asked, "Do you think Professor Snape of Hogwarts was lying too?"
"Snape? Well, my son doesn't like him, just like most non-Slytherin students. But Harry often speaks well of him. Our Savior is a bit unusual, isn't he?"
James fell into thought, then continued chatting casually with Arthur. This Weasley was highly skilled at slacking off and had not been caught by colleagues from other departments. The two of them found they got along more and more, and they actually became friends.
The verdict came out in the afternoon. Peter Pettigrew was sentenced to death, and Sirius Black was released as innocent. Thanks to Dumbledore's firm arguments, his escape from Azkaban was also overlooked.
James did not return to school with Dumbledore. Instead, he wrote Sirius a congratulatory card. He revised it over and over again, yet somehow had no idea what to write. Thirteen years was too long. It was as long as an entire era. After thinking it over again and again, he begged the shopkeeper selling postcards to give him an idea.
"Who are you writing congratulations to?"
"A friend who just got out of prison."
The shopkeeper's expression changed when he looked at him.
"Uh, then write, 'To freedom'?"
"Great!"
James was overjoyed. He wrote the card, To Padfoot, to freedom.
The signature was JP, James Potter's initials. It would probably give Sirius quite a fright.
James sent the card, then rushed straight to Godric's Hollow. Riding on his flying broom, he kept remembering the golden age of the four of them. But then he thought again and realized there was really no need. Peter Pettigrew was going to die.
The former tagalong, the later traitor. James felt that time was truly terrifying magic, just like Transfiguration, turning good people bad and living people dead. At that moment, Skyl's image appeared in his mind. Perhaps to him, even the great power of time was not mysterious.
The old Potter house.
James stared blankly at the cracked cauldron.
A withered palm print had been smashed into the outside of the cauldron, and a deep crack extended from the rim toward the bottom. As a vessel, the cauldron before him was already defective. As a magical object, after suffering such damage, it was also almost impossible for it to retain its function.
James panicked terribly.
His heart instantly fell into a world of ice and snow. From every direction, there was no echo of Lily.
Who had destroyed this cauldron?
James did not know. He only felt the flame of hope go out.
When he brought the cauldron back to Hogwarts and arrived on the second floor of the White Tower, Snape and Dumbledore came over to examine it.
The old bat's expression was frighteningly dark.
His tone was mocking as he said, "Look at this. Dumbledore and I placed our trust in you, and what we receive in return is a broken cauldron. Truly, I am to blame. I failed to see sooner that your abilities were low and your mouth far too grand. You dragged a piece of junk back from the trash heap behind a cauldron shop."
Dumbledore stepped forward and touched the cauldron. He frowned and examined it carefully. Then his brow suddenly relaxed.
"Severus, you've misunderstood Jim. The cauldron he brought really is effective. At least, it was effective once."
"But it's broken!"
James spoke. "I can fix it."
He paused.
"I'll need help."
"Who?" Snape held back his anger.
"…Sirius Black. And Remus Lupin."
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