Hello readers! This is my first oneshot hope you all like it! Virtual cookies if you can understand where the howler dialogue comes from :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER IF YOU DO NOT CLEAN YOUR ROOM THIS INSTANT-" Ginny Potter yelled from downstairs.
"OKAY OKAY I GET IT! Merlin Mum…" muttered James, shutting his bedroom door closed. He stared at the mess that threatened to swallow him up. His trunk was open, but the contents of it were strewn over his bed and floor. His desk was a pile of quills, parchment, spellbooks and spilt ink.
Not for the first time in James's life, he wished he was old enough to do magic. But he was a scrawny second year who had to sort out his room in what his mother and grandmother deemed 'the muggle way'.
Footsteps sounded on the landing of the second floor of Potter Manor. In a state of panic, James ran around his room picking up robes, yelling, "I'm doing it I'm doing it…oh it's you," said James with a sigh of relief as his younger sister Lily walked in the door.
"Looks like you're having fun," Lily teased, moving Quidditch Through The Ages from his bed and sitting down.
"Yes, unbelievable fun," muttered James, while Lily laughed. "You looking forward to Hogwarts Lils?" asked James, abandoning his robes and sitting next to her.
"Yeah I'm really excited! Is it true that there is a Room of Requirement?" asked Lily, her eyes shining.
"Of course there is Lils," said James rolling his eyes. "Now scram! I've got to clean this room otherwise Mum will…" he trailed off, a thoughtful look on his face.
Lily watched him curiously. "James?" she asked timidly.
James gave her a mischievous grin and said, "You've never seen the vortex in the attic have you?"
Lily's eyes widened.
Together, they grabbed most of the mess in James's room and headed up to the fourth floor of the mansion where James knew the vortex into Gringotts was. He tried to open the door, but it was locked.
"For the love of Merlin! And I don't have my wand," muttered James in frustration.
"James, just because you can't do magic, doesn't mean that I can't. Alohamora," said Lily, pointing her wand at the door. It clicked and swung open.
James nodded at her and he crept in with Lily tiptoeing in. Shutting the door, he turned to Lily and said, "Mum and Dad say you aren't allowed up here, but I know you can handle it. Whatever happens, do not tell them why we are in here. Understand?" asked James.
"Crystal clear James." Said Lily, rolling her eyes.
James turned to the rest of the attic, and breathed deeply. "Aperire-"
"Wait! " cried Lily, whipping out her wand. "Muffliato," she muttered at the door.
"You're getting quite good with these spells," said James, grinning at her appreciatively.
"I know. Now shut up and show me the vortex." Said Lily, rolling her eyes.
James closed his eyes. "Aperire Trahant!"
The vortex opened with a loud howl , but with the smell of fresh strawberries. James looked down into the red swirling mass and threw all his bedroom's mess in there as did Lily.
"James, you forgot this," said Lily, showing him an old cauldron with holes in it.
James threw that down too and watched it fall through the vortex until –
CRUNCH.
James looked at Lily in fear. A moan sounded from the bottom of the vortex and Lily screamed.
"Run!" shouted James. Lily bolted for the door and James was about to follow her when he remembered the vortex was still open. "Claude Trahant!" shouted James. The vortex closed, and the attic looked just as it did when they first got here. He shut the door, and ran down to his room where Lily was hyperventilating.
"James what in the name of Merlin was down there and why did it have a scary voice?" asked Lily jumping into his arms shivering.
James cradled his arms around her, soothing her instantly. "I don't know Lils," he lied shakily.
James and Lily sat with Albus, Rose and Hugo in the Great Hall eating breakfast. It had been about three days since that day in the attic and James was actually beginning to think that no lasting harm had been done by their little adventure in the attic.
Well, he was about to be proved wrong. Athena, the Potters' owl landed in front of James with a red Howler that was smoking. Helping itself to Albus's cornflakes, it gave James a hoot of disapproval and took off out of the window.
"Merlin James, what did you do now?" asked Albus wearily.
James didn't answer. He simply looked at the letter in horror.
"James, come on, open it, it'll be over in a minute." Said Rose soothingly.
James picked up the letter and opened it.
"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" shouted the letter in Ginny's voice, making the ceiling shake and dust falling onto everyone's food.
"HOW DARE YOU PUT YOUR MESS INTO THE VORTEX AND IF THAT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH, YOU TOOK LILY INTO THE ATTIC WITH YOU!"
James rounded on Lily who protested, "Don't look at me like that! I never told anyone I went in there with you!"
He turned his attention back to the Howler.
"YOUR FATHER'S HAS GONE TO GRINGOTTS THREE TIMES TODAY -"
"Oh no," muttered James, sinking lower into his seat as he remembered finding out that why the Gringotts goblins did not like his family much in the first place.
"- AND ITS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!" shouted the letter. Just as James thought the letter was done, it turned to Lily who flinched. "Oh and Lily dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor, your father and I are so proud."
Lily went red right to the tips of her flaming hair and did not look at anyone.
The letter glared at James one more time and cascaded into ashes.
Hugo looked at the ashes in awe. "Woah…"
James groaned as Rose and Albus burst into laughter and demanded Lily to tell the story.