Chaos
The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture. – Agatha Christie.
Ever since the tender age of eleven James Potter held a torch for Lily Evans. He figured her hair might've influenced his decision, for it was like dark fire in winter; untouchable, mysterious and incredible. He loved fire, it excited him. The risk at nearing it, the trouble and chaos it caused, leaving destruction behind.
He craved, and lived on, it. That's why he pranked; he enjoyed the humiliation and the disorder it left behind. It wasn't so much the making people laugh that he liked, although it was a small bonus, but it was the feeling that, if he so wished he could properly destroy the castle, little by little. His main focus, contrary to what the entire Hogwarts population would say, was making his own rules – abiding by none but his own – and simply causing chaos. It was, indeed, his favoured word.
Although, over the course of his Hogwarts career he seemed to chase Lily desperately like a hopelessly in love romantic, he enjoyed the thrill of the chase, of the teasing and the words exchanged. He wondered if, when he captured her, it would be so much spicier.
His friends, the other three quarters of the Marauders, were all his only link to sanity, people would say. But he wasn't insane, he simply loved chaos; nothing more. Moony, for example, thrived on chaos on their monthly runs, whereas Remus was quiet and orderly – James could find a fire in him though, when they witnessed their pranks coming to life, that reminded him of himself. Padfoot [or Sirius] was a rule breaker; he broke rules for the sake of breaking them and rebelling against all adults. His biggest achievement yet, which was impressive, was his being sorted into Gryffindor, which, admittedly, tied with his blasting his way out of his room and to the Potter's. The last, Wormtail [Peter] was a whole other ball park. He was too shy, even prefect Remus seemed positively boisterous next to the mouse animagus at times. But when their pranks on Slytherins unravelled before their eyes, he saw something darken his eyes, a peculiar emotion on his friend.
Nevertheless, he desisted from questioning his friends' true reasons for doing what they did, and hiding what they hid. He was comfortable with the life he had – not ecstatic, but he saw no reason to spoil it all at that moment in time.
It was nearing the end of sixth year, and he had slowly progressed from proclaiming true love in public, to less complex displays, as he saw that the chase was nearing its end. To his dismay, he seemed forced to tone down the cruelty and large scale of destruction his pranks inflicted, as per Dumbledore's request. He daren't dispute the aged wizard; for fear that his constant chaos would be cleaned up.
Lily seemed to warm up to him progressively, and he found, midway through his last first term at Hogwarts, that he missed the suggestive taunts he sent her way, and the arguments and he scoffs and the chasing. He had her but she was too nice, she saw him in a better light, and they barely talked loudly to each other or angrily, let alone have an argument. He had to tone down his pranks, and he couldn't taunt her and garner the same reaction he would've had two years before – which infuriated him. They were Head Boy and Girl, and everyone wondered what happened behind closed doors. He scowled inwardly every time he heard it, but everyone else saw a perfect relationship – so romantic; the girl falls for the boy, who loved her all his life.
Graduation day, and it appeared he and Lily were still going strong. They expected him to join the Auror Corps, and she to be a Mediwitch, before they married and had a couple of baby Potters. James, however, had long since enlisted Remus' help – and only his – to ruin that day. After countless months without any chaos to feed himself with, he felt starved, and he indulged Moony for one day only.
Twelve o'clock; and the teachers had already set up the Great Hall for the graduating seventh years.
Twelve thirty; and few parents arrived for their son or daughters' graduation.
One o'clock; and no one saw two troublemakers the tower and descend to the Great Hall.
Two o'clock; and the pair returned to their dorms, innocent until proven guilty.
Three o'clock; and every parent or guardian was there and accounted for.
Three thirty; and the graduates-to-be from all four houses entered the Great Hall in line, sitting and having a quick lunch.
Four o'clock; and every student was already in their pre-allocated place.
Four thirty; and the Slytherins and half of Ravenclaw were waiting for the rest of the year to finish.
Five o'clock; and the last Gryffindors were receiving their diploma.
Five thirty; the Head Boy and Head Girl speech was finishing, and Remus and James were counting down mentally, both in a state of glee.
Six o'clock; and everyone was still mingling, talking and saying goodbye to friends, when it happened.
The sky became a stormy grey, reminiscent of only the very worst storms, and short of a full out scale-five hurricane. The doors were sealed shut, with something not even Dumbledore himself could be rid of. The windows shattered violently and everyone saw the illusion of a true hurricane on the outside. The tables – which had been moved further back to allow spacious standing space for the graduates – shook furiously and the chairs also burst into splinters in a domino effect, one after the other.
The head table, everyone noticed with horror, had long since been affected and it flew as if blown by fierce winds. Everyone ducked down to avoid a collision with it, but they felt the ground slowly getting hotter and they stood against the wall, their shoes protecting their feet from the boiling temperature of the ground.
The walls were rough and earthy, not like the smooth stone walls of the Great Hall. As the wind picked up speed and annihilated every object, teachers ran out to the middle of the room, shooting many spells, once they saw some student being thrashed about like a rag doll by the wind. Some students leaned entirely against the walls and found themselves sinking into it, being pulled in by roots.
Dumbledore watched in horror as his staff scattered, all attempting to help a student from whatever peril attacks them. He was speechless at the display, but soon regained mobility and joined the teachers in helping students down and away to the main doors. Everyone possible was being herded towards them, until, when the closest were a dozen feet away, and tall figure blasted the doors open, leaving everyone shocked and drastically paling. The sharpest caught on and realised it was probably the instigator of all this that could provide the way out.
The said figure, clad in a hastily put on deep green robe with a large hood, strode to the centre of the room purposefully, before slamming his staff, in which he had placed his recently acquired nyx wood and werewolf hair (courtesy of Moony) wand, on the ground in the middle. This sent a pulse around the room and everyone felt their feet slightly wet. Seeing the sudden water level rising up everyone hastened to pry open the doors even an inch, after it had mysteriously closed at some point between the figure's entrance and then.
The water rose at an alarming pace, and in minutes it was up to their waists, generally, and people were trying any spells to let them breathe underwater. Naturally, they couldn't, and they watched hopelessly as the water rose past their chins.
Green robes shook as the wearer laughed, watching all but one close to drowning. Once he decided it was enough, the water all siphoned out of an invisible hole and left the room destroyed and its people soggy, in shock and hysterical. Some even swore they saw the figure's dark hazel eyes swirling with light before they left. Leaving behind his set future, and everyone in it.
I'd had this on my laptop since the beginning of August – I guess I wrote it on the plane ride to Florida or something...
Anyways, I decided to post it when I was looking through my fanfiction WIP's. I hope you liked it.
Review&Favourite, if you please.
Words: 1352
Posted: 31st January 2013
Ps. Happy Birthday.