September 2
Muggle Studies
I can never do anything right when it comes to Lily, can I?
I was sitting at breakfast, eating some bacon, when Lily walked up and sat down next to me.
Peter was more shocked then I was. He started choking.
"We need a date for the first Prefect's meeting," she informed me.
Did she say date? Yes! She said-
Oh. Prefect's meeting. Damn.
"Er," I said, trying to think of the full moon dates that were coming up. "How about this Friday?" I suggested. Lily nodded in agreement. She never does that. EVER.
"Sounds reasonable," she said. "I'll start spreading the word around. Oh, and Potter? I saw what you did on the platform for that first year. That was nice of you."
She said I did something nice. She said I was being nice.
I must be dreaming.
"Nice to see you aren't terrorizing the first years. For once." Then she stood up and walked away back to her friends.
Oh, yes. I was dreaming. Way to ruin a perfect moment there, Evans.
September 2
Muggle Studies, still
Prongs! What's this "Underground" the Professor is talking about?It's a system of trains under the ground, Padfoot. It's a form of Muggle transportation.
Thanks.
If you stopped nodding off in class, you'd know that.
He never notices. He's as observant as Professor Binns. You should know that, Moony.
I know that but that doesn't mean you shouldn't pay attention.
Hey, I'm still here!
Well you're being quiet, Prongs.
Of course I'm being quiet, we're passing notes, not talking.
Never mind. You obviously don't get what I was trying to say.
No, I got it. I just-urgh! You're a very difficult friend.
What class do we have after this?
Can't you read your schedule?
We have a fee period, Wormtail.
Excellent!
Wormtail, stop bouncing up and down in your seat with excitement. It's embarrassing. I blame Prongs for that awful habit of yours.
What? Why?
It might have something to do with you running around the common room after Gryffindor's won a Quidditch match and you've had one too many levitating sherbet balls.
Well I would've gone around the common room on my broomstick after I've had one too many Firewhisky's, but McGonagall would have my head.
Somehow, I doubt that would fall under the whole "mature" thing for Lily.
No! You think?
Wait, that just gave me a brilliant idea!
James' sarcasam gave you a brilliant idea? This can't be good.
No, no, hear me out. Let's try getting in to the girls' dormitory on broomsticks! James, can I borrow your broom next period?
Padfoot, if you so much as touch my broom I will make sure you can never sit on one again.
I never knew you were so violent. I blame your girl Lily for that.
So, since James is threatening Sirius with bodily harm, what do you want to do with our free period instead?
Let's try and trick some first year boys to go in to that haunted bathroom.
No! Did you hear what Lily said to me at breakfast? That was like a compliment! I can't mess up with her now!
Mate, that was so far from a compliment, you wouldn't be able to see a compliment behind you with a telescope.
I hate you.
What else is new?
Transfiguration
McGonagall just gave me the list of the people trying out for Quidditch this year. Merlin, help me. The list is long. Or maybe I'm just imagining things.
September 2
Lunch
Gryffindor Quidditch Team Try-outs
Try-outs will be held Saturday, September 7th following breakfast. The following positions are open:
Beaters
Chasers
Keeper
Please sign your name, year, whether you own a broom, what model your broom is, and what position you plan to try out for.
Benjamin Troy, 3, Nimbus 10, Beater
Gregory McGuire, 4, Cleansweep 20, Keeper
Katie Richardson, 2, Nimbus 5, Chaser
Penelope Williams, 5, Cleansweep 5, Keeper
Brandon Walsh, 3, Agrippa 12, Beater
Michael Quincy, 6, Merlin 9000, Chaser
Rachel Daniels, 3, Nimbus 10, Beater
Brian Marsh, 3, Agrippa 15, Chaser
Erica Manning, 5, Nimbus 10, Chaser
And that's just the first page! The names just go on and on. One kid on page two either decided to be funny or he's blind because he signed up for Seeker.
There are three different positions to play on the team and Seeker ISN'T ONE OF THEM.
To Do List:
1. Ask Padfoot what the hell McGonagall was saying during Transfiguration, considering I was too absorbed in looking over the Quidditch try-out list.
2. Complete diagram of a telephone booth for Muggle Studies.
3. KILL Duncan Prescott (yes, that's the little second year that thought he'd sign up for Seeker)
Or I could ask McGonagall if I could disqualify him.
No, James. Be mature. Be mature.
OK, what would mature James do?
He'd kick this kid's arse!
No! That's not the answer!
Ah, forget it. I'll figure it out later.
September 2
Charms
My summer essay for this class is horrible. I'm going to get a poor grade on it. I know it.
Later
Charms, still
The Fidelius Charm
By James Potter
The Fidelius Charm is a charm, credited to the wizard Fiddle Fidelius. He came up with the charm in 1312. It is used to keep secrets. The incantation is Fiddilus! The casting of the spell is similar to that of the Unbreakable Vow-
It just goes on like that. It's a horrible, horrible essay and I'm going to get a T on it. How do I know? Because:
a) I am rubbish at Charms
b) I made up several things in the essay. Like the name of the wizard who came up with the Fidelius Charm
Bring on the horrible grade!
I wonder what Mum will say about this? Because as nice as Flitwick is, he's going to write home to Mum and tell her about my poor performance on this essay. It's the simple teacher code. They embarrass you by announcing to the entire class to see you when class is over so everybody knows you're in trouble for something. Honestly, when has a teacher ever asked a student to stay after class and offer them a Chocolate Frog? Then they tell you how you need to do better if you wish to stay in the class, the whole guilt trip deal, and so you're still moping about it the morning after when the owls come in and drop a letter in front of you from your mum and then you feel a new wave of guilt.
I think it's a whole big conspiracy. It's probably a club called: Guilt Trips for Children and Students. Yes, that must be the name of their club. It must be the greatest secret of the Wizarding World! And I've cracked the whole thing open! Now I shall expose the members of GTFCAS for who they really are!
Oh, damn. Flitwick just called for all of our essays. I'm screwed.
September 2
Boys Dormitory, after dinner
Well, even though Flitwick is going to kick me out of Charms any day now, at least some things go right for me. Guess who I'm sitting next to by sheer luck?
You guessed it.
Lily Evans.
I think I'm still blushing, but hopefully Lily will credit that to the hot steam rising from all the cauldrons. Or she'll think I have some horrible skin disease that makes my face beet red. Please let her think the first one! Please!
It all started when Sirius and I walked in to this classroom (Moony and Wormtail didn't get the O.W.L. grade necessary to come in to this class. I know they're my friends and all, but Merlin those two were rubbish at Potions!)
So Padfoot and I had just sat down at a desk together and I do mean just sat down when Slughorn walks in to the room and announces that we're going to change some things around. I knew that it couldn't be good.
"First off," Slughorn boomed. "we're going to change seats around a bit."
My jaw dropped.
He was going to separate Sirius and I from each other? He can't do that! People mistake us for brothers! How dare he separate siblings?
OK, we're not really siblings, but you get the idea.
So he slowly started moving down the list of who sat with who sat with who. Sirius went quickly since he's at the top of the role. He's now sitting with the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain. As disappointing as that is, it could also be used to my advantage.
I was crossing my fingers the whole time, silently begging that he wouldn't pair me off with Snivellus.
"Ms. Evans," he beamed. It's kind of sickening to see him weed out his favorites in each class. I hate Slughorn. "please sit with Mr. Potter."
Please sit with Mr. Potter.
Slughorn is my favorite teacher.
Lily obviously wasn't thinking the same thing. She looked like she had just been asked to teach a dragon fetch.
Honestly! I'm not that horrible!
…well, I'm not that horrible anymore…
"Now that we're all settled in our new seats," Slughorn said happily. I think he was ignoring the less than happy expressions on many people's faces. "Let's discuss a class project!"
Insert class groan here. Because that's what the whole class did.
"Now, now, don't fret. It should only last about a month," he assured us. Funny, I don't feel very assured. "We will be making Amortentia! Do you know what this potion is Ms. Evans?"
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world and smells different to each person according to what attracts them the most," she answered tiredly. I'd be tired too if that horrid man embarrassed me every single lesson by gushing about what a perfect student I was. But of course, he'd never do that. I'm not bad at Potions at all but if it weren't for the time I exploded a Potion's of Snivellus' once, I doubt he'd notice I was in this class.
"Correct! Twenty points for Gryffindor!" he announced proudly.
Okay Slughorn, I know Lily is the most brilliant and wonderful girl in the world and all, but all she did was answer a question. She didn't perform an immensely complex spell on the first try. This is just Slughorn weeding out the favorites in his class again.
"Now turn to page ninety-two in Advanced Potion Making and get started. You should be able to get through to step twelve since this is a double period."
"Right," I said, looking over the long list of ingredients and directions. "I'll start chopping up the valerian roots for you."
I think Lily was in shock most of the lesson. Probably because I wasn't trying to intentionally sabotage the potion. Like I could have, anyway. All I did was chop up the ingredients. She was the one that did all the brewing and such.
"Excellent! Excellent!" Slughorn gushed. "Five points each to Gryffindor you two."
Lily muttered a quick, "Thank you, sir" and started to pack up her bag, like I was doing. She had gotten halfway to the door when I noticed she had forgotten a notebook of hers. I, being the noble and mature gentleman that I have been for the past two days, grabbed it and ran to catch up with her.
"Lily!" I called when she was halfway up the stairs. Either she didn't hear me or ignored me. Probably the latter of the two. That girl walks really fast.
So I ran to catch up with her and tapped her on the shoulder, only then did she turn to face me.
"You left this," I panted, holding out her notebook to her. "You walk fast," I added while she took her notebook from me and stowed it away.
"Well that particular trait comes from spending more time on the ground rather than in the air," she replied rather coolly. I raised an eyebrow.
"It was just an observation and a compliment," I informed her. "I'll see you later, Lily." Then I left with Sirius who had just walked up.
When I relayed the whole scene to Remus at dinner, he thought about it for a minute before telling me, "Just give her some time to let the whole 'mature James' thing sink in. In all honesty, I'm still trying to take it all in."
Really, is it that unbelievable that I'm trying to be mature and responsible this year?
Well, maybe it is.
Oh, damn. A fifth year Prefect just came in here and told me some third years set off a crate of Fillbuster fireworks in the common room.
Excuse me while I go kill them.
September 3
Dormitory, free period
You would not believe how happy I was to see McGonagall blowing her top off at somebody else for a change. Yeah, I know I shouldn't feel happiness at the misfortune of others, but hey, that's schadenfreude for you. Although it took a while to convince her that Sirius, Remus, and I weren't the ones that actually set the fireworks off. Though, I have to admit, when she walked in to the common room, we were in a rather compromising position and all that would make her jump to conclusions.Here's what happened:
I was running out of the dormitory when Sirius came in and I smacked in to him. Remus started laughing. He's very considerate towards his mates. Just as considerate as he was several nights ago when he stole my bed. Yes, I know it's stupid to still hold a grudge about that, but I don't let things go very easily.
"Shut up," I muttered while picking myself up off the floor. "I need you two to come down to the common room with me."
"No thanks," Sirius replied. "Somebody set off some Fillbuster Fireworkds and I'd rather not be down there because McGonagall will think we did it." I, being an idiot, disagreed.
"We're just going to get rid of the firework, come on!" I ran out the door and practically flew down the stairs I was going so fast. I heard Sirius and Remus behind me. They decided to help. Now I can say without being sarcastic that I've got great friends.
"Evanesco!" I shouted at an oncoming firework. I'm serious about the "oncoming" bit. It was about to hit me in the face. So Sirius and Remus come running down the stairs and help me vanish the fireworks too. After years of setting off fireworks intentionally, you tend to know how to get rid of them properly. Of course there are differences between me and my friends and the idiots who set these off. For one thing, we'd never set off fireworks in such a small area as the common room. When we set off fireworks it's always out in the corridor. Second of all, we aren't so stupid as to set off a whole crate of them at once. They should get four months of detention. Two for setting off the fireworks, two for being idiots.
After ten minutes of dodging and vanishing the fireworks, I was about to relax when the portrait swung open and in walks McGonagall. Now the fireworks were gone, but there was a hole in one of the armchairs, the walls had burn marks, and the three of us still had our wands raised. Uh-oh.
"WHAT DID YOU THREE DO?" she screeched. Ow, thanks for breaking my eardrums, Professor. It's not like I need them or anything.
"We didn't do anything!" I protested, lowering my wand. I wish Remus and Sirius would have done the same. McGonagall didn't believe me, no surprise there.
"You three had your wands raised when I walked in here, everything has burn marks, and a Prefect came and told me that a crate of fireworks had been set off in the common room! What possesed you three to do this?" She demanded.
"Professor," I tried again. "A Prefect came and told me that it was a couple of third years set off the fireworks. I was up in my dormitory. Sirius and Remus just came to help vanish the fireworks. We didn't do anything!"
Thankfully, at that moment, the same Prefect that warned me about the fireworks came down the boys' dormitory staircase pulling the ears of two third year boys. He was tugging so hard, I'm surprised that the ears weren't detatched.
"These were the ones that did it, Professor," he informed her. "James didn't do it. I saw these two set them off."
McGonagall's lips thinned even further. She looked a little embarassed. Well, I would be too if I had just yelled at some people and accused them of setting off a crate of fireworks in the common room. Honestly, who wouldn't be embarassed if that happened to them? So McGongall turned to us and said, "I apologize for accusing you three. You may go now." But we weren't even at the entrance to the boys' staircase when she rounded on the third years.
"HOW DARE YOU SET OFF A CRATE OF FIREWORKS IN THE COMMON ROOM!"
My ears are still ringing from how loud she was, but it's nice to see her yelling at somebody else.
Yes, I know it's immature for the Head Boy to find such enjoyment and Lily wouldn't like it. But still, while she's not looking, I will laugh uproariously whilst I imagine what kind of cruel detention they're going to have to do with Filch.
Oh, damn. I'm being immature again aren't I? I blame Sirius for that.
