Unofficial Portkey Archive

The Flower and The Wolverine Part 1: James 'The Wolverine' Potter

---

How can you see into my eyes like open doors
leading you down into my core
where I've become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
until you find it there and lead it back home

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I've become

(Bring me to life)
I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside
(Bring me to life)

Frozen inside without your touch without your love darling only you are the life among the dead

(Bring me to life)
I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside
(Bring me to life)

- Evanescence 'Bring Me To Life'

---

"Hermione, where are you going?" Harry asked as his girlfriend turned and started back toward the direction Wolverine was searching in the Department of Records of the Ministry of Magic. "You heard Logan, he wants us to go to meet up with Dad."

"I know what he said, Harry," Hermione rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, "You go on to Cyclops. I have a funny feeling and I want to check it out."

"But …"

"Trust me, ok?" she said cocking a hip and resting her hands on her waist, enjoying full well what her wearing her new tight leather X-Men uniform was doing to him.

"Ok, but if you don't come soon, I'm coming after you wands blazing, understood?" Harry said in his commanding Mage voice.

"Understood," Hermione nodded before getting up on her toes and kissing his cheek, "See you in a few, Lover."

Harry nodded and watched her run down the hall, before turning and going towards where Cyclops and the others were searching.

---

"Do you really want to know, Wolverine?" Malfoy smiled, Or should I say, James Potter?"

"James Potter?" Wolverine gulped, but hid it successfully "Mage's father, you got the wrong guy, Bub." He smiled and retracted his claws, "Besides James Potter's a dead Brit, and I'm a livin' breathin' Canadian."

"Is that a fact, my friend?" Lucius Malfoy asked with a smile as he turned on his heel making his cloak and long blond hair wave around him. "Come with me if you wish to learn the truth behind you and those nasty little claws."

Wolverine sniffed the air, realizing he had adequate backup if it was a trap, and followed Malfoy toward the brick wall of the department. Malfoy then whispered something as he touched his wand to the wall. Light shinned from the cracks and the bricks moved to reveal a doorway. Wolverine and Malfoy walked through the passage and Malfoy pointed to a single file cabinet with 'Weapon X: Subject Wolverine' written above the handle. "Open it, James," Malfoy ordered.

Wolverine walked toward the cabinet slowly and with a slightly shaky hand pulled it open. Inside were a pair of round glasses, an old Gryffindor robe, and a photograph of who appeared to be a younger Logan and a very attractive young girl with long flowing red hair and bright emerald green eyes, both wearing Gryffindor robes.

"Those were the only belongings you brought with you when you came to me and Mr. Weasley about taking part with the Weapon X project, to allow us to make you into nothing more than a weapon," Malfoy informed smiling, "And you can come out, Ms. Granger, I know you were following."

"It's ok, Hermione," Wolverine said, as Hermione sheepishly walked over to stand beside the X-Man.

"Now there's one more thing," he said as he used his wand to raise a large magically enforced cage from the floor, and what was inside caused Hermione to scream and dive behind Wolverine, and even cause the feral X-Man to tremble a moment.

"Do you recognize this Dementor, James?" Lucius said walking toward the nightmarish creature, "This is the fellow who fed off your very soul."

Wolverine, not sure what the Deatheater was planning, unsheathed his claws, but Malfoy merely waved at him dismissively, "Now, now, James, I merely want to show you what you no longer remember," He said pointing his wand at the Dementor, "Revealiosio!" He cast and a bright light shined from the Dementor blinding Wolverine and Hermione and placing images in their minds.

---

20 years ago …

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry walked into a crowded smoky bar in northern Scotland with the Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. "Excuse me, sir," He asked the bartender, "I'm looking for one James Potter,"

The Bartender merely nodded toward a steel cage in the corner of the bar, which was surrounded by screaming people.

"Stay close, Minerva, this is a rough crowd." Albus said leading her through the crowd.

--

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" came the loud voice of the announcer, from the center of a large caged ring. "Now it is time for the final match of the evening, in this corner we have the unstoppable, Unpredictable, Undeniable CRUSHER!!!" He said pointing to a seven-foot monster of a man, who looked like he hadn't bathed or washed in months.

"And in this corner, the undefeated champion of the cage, the one, the only, THE WOLVERINE!" The man the announcer called The Wolverine didn't look all that impressive, he appeared to be a merely young boy, stood around five foot tall, and looked no older then fifteen maybe sixteen. He was wearing blue jeans and a yellow tiger striped tank top and his raven black hair was rough and messy and his cold deep brown eyes looked as if they belonged to a wild animal rather than to a man.

"Alright," The announcer said moving toward the Crusher, "This is a no holds bared, anything goes fight. Last man standing is the winner." He then lowered the mike to whisper to the taller fighter, "Whatever you do, don't hit him in the balls."

"I thought you said anything goes?" Crusher growled angrily.

"I did," the announcer nodded, "But he'd take that personal."

"That … brute can not possibly be the boy you expect to be able to best Riddle, Albus!" McGonagall protested, but gasped when Dumbledore jerked her out of the way as Crusher broke through the side of the cage and landed where she was standing.

"I believe he has at least physical potential to place a decent stand against Riddle and his lackeys," Dumbledore stated as the teenager known as Wolverine stood in the corner with a look that seemed to say he really didn't care if he had won or lost the match.

---

The young man exited through the hole his opponent made in the cage and grabbed an empty stool at the bar, "give me a beer," he said as the bar tender slid a bottle toward his hand.

"Aren't you a bit young to be drinking?" Dumbledore asked walking toward the youth.

The young man looked around the group of men in the bar, "Any mates here have a problem with me drinking?" the whole room silenced a moment before he took a swig from the bottle and smiled at the old man, "Didn't think so."

"Are you James Potter?" Dumbledore asked taking a seat beside the young man nodding toward the nervous McGonagall.

"Maybe I am, Maybe I'm not," the boy replied, "What's it to you, Bub?"

"My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and my companion is Professor Minerva McGonagall," Dumbledore introduced, "We've come to ask why you haven't replied to the owls we have sent you."

"Nice to meet ya, Al, Minnie," James mock saluted, "And if your talking about those letters those rutty birds kept dropping in my lap for the last four years, they made great gum wrappers." He said pulling a pair of round glasses from a case in his back pocket and sliding them on his face.

"I'd like to really encourage you to come to our school," Dumbledore continued, looking back at the cage, "After all, what future does this have for you?"

"If I agree will those stupid birds leave me alone?" James asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course," Dumbledore smiled at the ease of convincing the young man.

James shrugged then downed the bottle of beer before turning back to the old professor, "Ok, when do I go to your little school, Al, school starts in the fall, right?"

"Yes, classes begin in the fall," Dumbledore started, "But you will accompany Professor McGonagall and myself to Hogwarts immediately. You have missed 4 years of classes, and we have arranged a tutor for you to aid you and catching up where you have missed."

"Feh, whatever," James shrugged, "Then lets get the hell out of here. I've nothing holding me to this hell hole."

"Very good, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore smiled as the three started toward the exit, "Very good indeed."

---

Hogwarts Castle several hours later

"So this is the school, huh?" James said looking at the towering castle, "Could use a coat of paint."

"Come along, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said emotionlessly as the two Professors walked into the school.

James stiffened for a moment and sniffed the air, "someone likes Strawberry shampoo and likes perfume …" James said rubbing his nose.

"Ah, you're here already?" Dumbledore said as a teenage girl walked around a corner toward them with several books in her arms. She was wearing a light colored skirt and a matching blouse. She had bright emerald green eyes that shinned with knowledge, and long flowing ginger hair that ran down her back in a lose ponytail. "James Potter, this is Lily Evans. She's the top student from your class."

James stretched out his hand, but she simply dumped the books in his arms, "Here you go, James, these are yours."

Lily looked him over before turning to the headmaster, "Professor, sir, what school did he come from and what education does he possess? I need to know to properly tutor him for the coming term."

"Actually, he has never been to a magical school and has no magical knowledge," Dumbledore explained and Lily's eyes widened.

"NO EXPERIENCE?? Professor Dumbledore, with all due respect, I couldn't possibly have him ready for the coming year!" Lily exclaimed.

"I have a strong feeling Mr. Potter is a fast learner," Dumbledore smiled, "Besides, if I didn't believe you could do it, I would not have asked you, and the professors will be at your disposal while you teach him what he needs to know."

"Excuse me?" James said slightly angered at the fact of being completely ignored, "I'm still here ya know, Al?" he then turned to the slightly surprised Lily, "And if you don't want to waste the time of your all mighty goddess of book worms self on me, frankly I really don't give a shit."

"Excuse me??" Lily gasped at his use of language, "I am NOT a bookworm thank you very much," she snapped getting into James' smirking face, "And I am strongly offended by your language!"

"Oh I'm so sorry, Red," James said, appearing to be honestly sorry, then he reached into his pants pocket, "Let me get you something, you could call this a peace offering." He said as he pulled out his hand with his bird finger raised in Lily's gasping face.

"Both of you, calm down," Dumbledore said before anymore offences could be done or said, "Lily I'm sure James is tired and would like to rest, he'll be staying in the Gryffindor fifth year dorm room until the sorting ceremony. Show him the way if you please."

Lily agreed, and walked on ahead with her chin held high. James choked down a laugh before following her down the hall with his suitcase.

"Chicken Wing," Lily said before the portrait of Fat Lady.

"We're getting food too?" James asked looking around.

"Welcome back, Lily dear," The Fat Lady smiled down at the girl, then smiled up at James, "You must be James Potter, welcome to Hogwarts, dear boy."

James watched in shock, as the panting swung open like a door, showing a pathway into the Gryffindor Commons room.

"Not bad," James said unimpressed.

"Come along," Lily said stepping toward a circular stairway, "I'll show you to your room."

James walked into the dormitory and actually was quite pleased. The featherbed was a lot more comfortable than the mattress at the back of the bar in Scotland. "Need anything else?" Lily asked forcing a polite smile.

"Na that's it, Darlin," James said pulling a cigar and lighter from his pocket and lit up.

"This is a school you realize," she said stepping toward the teenager, "Smoking and tobacco use is strictly prohibited."

"Is that a fact?" James asked gnawing slightly on the cigar, then pulling it out between his fingers and blowing a cloud of smoke in the girl's face.

Lily coughed and wheezed and back stepped away, right into James' suitcase. She then cried out as she tripped and fell backwards. She closed her eyes preparing to hit the ground, but gasped in surprise when a pair of strong arms caught her in mid air.

She opened her eyes and was quite surprised to see James holding her with a slight worried look on his face, "You aren't only a bookworm, you're awful clumsy too."

"Why … you … you …" She growled pushing out of his arms breathing heavily with rage, "YOU MUSCLEHEAD!!" She then turned and stomped toward the door.

"Goodnight," James said sweetly while giving a little wave as she slammed the door hard. "I think she likes me," He mused as he laid down on the featherbed.

To Be Continued …

C. Cowboy: I know, it's been a while, I apologize it took so long with this and the previous updates, but I promise they'll be coming quicker now ^^ anyway enjoy, and be sure to leave a reply, next chapter will include Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy and many more. Don't forget to review!

Next Chapter: The Flower and the Wolverine Part II: Quidditch, Snuffles, Wormtails, and Mudblood