Wow!!! 11 reviews after the second update… Thanks a lot!
Anyway, I'm sorry about the quote "tentative pa lang itoh" at the past chapter, as curiousgeorge pointed out to me. It's actually dialect for ''this is just tentative', because back then, I didn't know if I should post it. I guess I forgot to erase it before I posted the chapter.
IMPORTANT: I'M CHANGING THEIR CURRENT AGE FROM 16 TO 15…. OKAY??? AMEN? GOOD!
Anyway… enjoy:
(--)
11 year-old James closed the fifth filing cabinet in his father's storeroom. It was a small place connected to his father's office and it was filled with cabinets and containers of all sorts. All of which had files inside them. James swore that it contained everything that his father didn't use anymore, even the ones that were not related to work. He didn't blame him though. His mother refused to put clutter in their home, not even in the attic.
He was stuck there, for the remaining days of the week, cleaning, and sorting the files. It was supposed to be easy as the cabinets each contained files of the same decade and James only had to arrange them by date. However, his father had personal stuff in there too, such as trivial grocery receipts, outdated magazines, an old record of some ancient muggle singer(which he listened to that night), and even some love letters that were sent to his mother. The letters delayed him the most, as he just HAD to read them and laugh over his father's sappy lines.
Aside from the letters, there was nothing else amusing in the dusty storeroom. That was what James thought until he saw a wooden box sitting on top of a filing cabinet. It was pushed all the way to the back and covered in a thick layer of cobwebs, almost hiding it away from view. James took it and cleaned the dust away and it revealed an encrypted "Hogwarts" on the front. He tried to open it, but the strength of the lock told him that It was magically sealed. Not a simple "Alohamora" could open it. So James decided to take drastic measures and open it in a way that magic couldn't:
The muggle way.
Ha took the crowbar that, for some reason, was tucked away in a corner, and completely holed the lid. Once it was open, he stuck his hand inside and felt the old parchment under. He scooped the documents out of the box, after convincing himself that there was nothing wrong in doing so. They did after all, asked him to clean up without magic to develop "work ethics" before he came to school.
He then started to scan the documents. It contained a lot of rubbish, mostly scraps of homework, candy wrappers, detention slips (which James found interesting) and some cut-out Quidditch articles. At the bottom of the box was a stack of parchment tied up in a black ribbon. James untied it and unfolded the documents. The front parchment had its letters in black ink that was too shiny to be any ordinary ink.
Fracas
The Most Humble Beholders of the Grand Patronuses
To the one that carries ivory:
We are glad to impose upon you, the responsibility of being a constituent of Fracas.
You are to have your first encounter at the end of the season of toil.
The Laedan expects you to be in front of the door the next time the goddess shows in her most supreme beauty.
You are to show yourself in all folds and veil
James had no idea what it was nor what it meant. It seemed like a riddle of some sort. It was something he didn't understand. But who would talk to his father in riddles? And what the heck was Fracas?
(--)
"I believe that you all understand the seriousness and significance of your O.W.L.s. For five years you have been trained in this school with…"
James saw Sirius's shoulders droop and mouth hang open at the mention of the exams. It had been the fifth time they were given that speech. First by Flitwick, then by Binns, then by McGonagall, after her, Sprout, and now Slughorn was doing it too.
James did not bother listen to the lecture. He knew what it was all about after all. What was on his mind at that very moment was the Fracas.
If people knew about this, they would think that he's obsessed already. James couldn't blame them. After all, they've been looking for the Fracas for five years already. Ever since James found that letter, he had always wondered what it was, and sometimes even dreamed of joining in it.
He had already asked his father about it, albeit indirectly. He started off with questions concerning the Patronus. His father was delighted to hear that his son was interested in Defense, so he started to tell him about it. Little did he know that James would sneak in sometimes to their attic to and practice the aforementioned charm with their household boggart.
He was about to ask his father about the Fracas until one night, when he saw the damaged wooden box in his father's very own study. He supposed that his father found out that he had stolen the invitation from it since the parent talked to him less. James was a bit put off by his father's actions.
One day, he couldn't resist it anymore and so he confronted his father about the invitation.
"It is something I cannot tell you, James." his father said, more of in a tired way than in a furious one. "That is something you have to find out for yourself."
So James started to search, with only the letter he found five years ago as a clue. Along the way, his friends joined him. He was very thankful for that. At least, he was not alone in his quest.
"Mr. Potter!" Slughorn bellowed, cutting through his thoughts. "Can you please enumerate the ingredients of an advanced calming potion?"
James recited the stuff they used whenever they got too drunk. He knew them all by heart, as they also used it after animagus transformations. He was grateful they did too, for he didn't want to be accused of spacing out.
"Very good Mr. Potter. Ten points for Gryffindor." Slughorn said.
The class was interrupted by a small noise at the middle of the room. "Um, excuse me, sir." Frank Longbottom's deep voice echoed. "I believe that Ms. Evans here wants to add something."
The professor put on a curious look. "Really? What is it, child?"
James saw that Lily Evans had to be poked by Longbottom several times before finally standing up. "It's just that… I've looked up the potion in a more advanced source in the library---" Evans paused as a few people snickered. She hesitantly continued. "And I found out that to make the potion faster in effectiveness, a bit of pixie blood should be added…"
The sniggering grew a little louder. Even Sirius and Peter rolled their eyes. Remus sighed deeply from behind him. It did not seem to have an effect on her though, as she calmly sat down on her seat with a placid face. But James knew better. She was affected, he was sure.
Professor Slughorn, despite being a Slytherin, seemed to take pity on her. "Ah, yes." he exclaimed. "Pixie blood is a very good catalyst. It would no doubt be a big help in improving the potion's speed. Twenty points to Gryffindor for that piece of knowledge."
James sighed. It hadn't been the first time for Lily Evans to chip in tidbits of information like that. Every time she did, people thought it funny. Bookworm Evans always had something in her brain to share. However, most of the time, Frank Longbottom would always urge her to do it for some reason. James found nothing wrong in giving additional information. He just thought that Evans should do it in a more confident way.
Professor Slughorn droned on about calming potions. James was not in the mood to listen or take notes. He didn't like it when teachers begin to divulge in lectures. Only people like Evans like that. James preferred the actual process of making and using whatever was taught to them. That was why he like Defense and Transfiguration better, because they were more hands-on.
He began to plunge in daydream again, until Professor Slughorn mentioned…
"… who know Animagus and Legilemency. It is very effective against battling side-effects of rigorous training for such advanced magic… You'd like to add something Ms. Evans?"
People groaned softly at Evans's hand in the air. "But sir… I thought that Legilemency's side-effects are supposed to be endured fearlessly? I mean, the pain and concentration have to be taken in by the wizard to make it more effective and help them get used to the pain."
Professor Slughorn stared blankly at Lily first, before talking. "Ah, yes. The calming potion does, however, decrease the wizard's competitiveness in the field. It is said to be only for the weak. That is why most prefer eating Chocolate Frogs or any soothing food afterwards."
James looked at Evans. She was listening intently to the professor now, her brow furrowed. Frank Longbottom was also eagerly listening, although in a less obvious way. Perhaps they knew something about advanced magic, only James didn't know what they would need Legilemency for. Maybe it was for homework?
The bell rang and everyone packed up their things before going out of the dungeons.
"Evans sure did it double today." Sirius said as they began to head out through the huge doors.
"What do you mean? She's always doing it like that." Remus told him.
"Ah. Someone's jealous over Sluggy's favoritism?"
"Shut up, you Snuffles."
"Yeah, yeah…moon goddess."
"I swear something's going on with her and Longbottom." James interjected.
"You mean they're together?" Peter asked.
"I guess so." Sirius said. " It's either that or Longbottom's gay."
(--)
"It's either that or Longbottom's gay."
Lily raised her eyebrows and tried to control her silent laughter as Frank gagged beside her. By chance, they were walking behind Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew as they headed out to the Great Hall for lunch.
"I'm going to kill those bastards."" Frank told her through light Legilemency.
"What are you going to do?"
"I'll think of something." Lily saw that he had a mischievous look on.
"Inform me if you have plans."
"Someone pissed because she got called a nerd?"
"No Frank. Besides, they didn't call me a nerd."
"Yeah, but they implied it."
"Well, it's better than being called gay."
"Anyway, what do you think of the lesson?"
"You're just trying to change the subject, but I'll humor you. I never thought of the Chocolate Frogs. Savio never gave them to me. He said that taking anything soothing would just make me depen---"
Their mental conversation ended when Professor Slughorn called Lily from behind. Eventually, the four boys looked back too. Their eyes widened when they saw who were behind them.
Frank sent them his very well-known intimidating look. It wasn't a glare, more like a cross between a smirk and a curious glance. He said goodbye to Lily before walking past the boys Lily rolled her eyes and went back to the teacher.
(--)
"James!" Sirius called at his friend who dashed after Evans towards the classroom. "Oi! Where are you going?"
James pressed a finger on his lips to placate them and the four boys listened to the conversation. Everyone else had left already and the whole corridor was silent.
"You do know, Ms. Evans, that mentioning all that information on Legilemency can be dangerous." they heard the teacher say. "No book in any library mentions Legilemency's learning methods in full. The facts you stated earlier are supposed to be secrets of trade handed down from generation to generation by word alone."
" But sir, aren't we supposed to leave marks?"
"That is not the point here. The point is that when you expose yourself and your knowledge, your life might be in danger."
"I am completely aware of the risks I take, Professor."
"Well judging by your actions earlier, you seem to have some naivety in you." Slughorn sounded angry now. There was a pause before the boys heard a firm "Muffliato".
After that, the boys heard nothing else. They understood that they were probably caught. So they decided to run.
(--)
Lily cast the spell after sensing something outside. A rat, she was pretty sure. It would be interesting to find out who it was. When she got out of the classroom, no one else was out there. She smiled. As the current Laedan, she had to investigate. But she knew she didn't have to look hard. They would just come to her.
(--)
James held the note in his hands, trying to contemplate what it meant. He was on the Hogwarts Express, alone in a compartment. He had been lucky to get into the train first. It was his paranoid mother who made him come early so he wouldn'tmiss the train. He boarded in thirty minutes before everyone else arrived. As time passed by he decided to observe what was going on through the compartment's windows.
Everyone else was either saying goodbye to their family or greeting new friends. He didn't do any of those. His parents were in an emergency situation at the moment. They left him all alone minutes after he boarded the train.
James looked back at the note and decided to concentrate on it instead of sulking. He still couldn't understand it.
Fracas… James searched the libraries in both their home's and the ministry's about the Fracas. He found no knowledge concerning the matter, but he vowed to scan the Hogwarts library when he got there. The subtitle only told him that it had something to do with Patronuses.
Carrier of Ivory? Was that supposed to be his dad? He didn't know anything his father had that was made of ivory. Ivory came from elephants right? Yeah sure, his father once mentioned that he liked the splendor of elephants, but he didn't have any obsessions about it. They didn't have an elephant as far as James was concerned. So what was it? Perhaps it was addressed to someone else?
James stared at the note and thought hard. He only stopped once he heard knock on the door.
The compartment door slid open to reveal a fellow first-year. He recognized the same boy who was dragging his mother out of Ministry premises that other time.
"Sorry to barge in like that." he said. "But other compartments are full. Do you mind if I stay here?"
James remembered as he spoke, that he was a Black, and Blacks should be avoided. The other boy however, didn't seem to be a member of some dark pureblood family. He was polite enough, and he even managed to give James a shy smile. There was noting wrong, James supposed, in letting him sit. After all, they barely knew each other.
"Sure." James answered as he took off a few possessions from the seat across him to let Black sit down. Once he did, he introduced himself.
"Sirius Black." he said, stretching out a hand to him.
James hesitated for a while, but then accepted hi s hand and shook it. "James Potter."
"I know." Sirius said. "I've heard about you from my Mum."
James was surprised to hear that. "Your mother?" he said. "Um, what did she say?"
Sirius smiled at him. "You've seen her, right? She put a show in front of the fountain that time. I saw you in the crowd. Don't worry about her. All she says is rubbish."
James smiled back at him. The boy didn't seem to like his family at all.
"So what house do you expect to be in?" James asked him, expecting his answer to be the one of snakes.
Sirius just shrugged. "I really have no idea. I mean, my family is purely Slytherin, except for the ones blasted out of my Mum's carpet."
The famous Black Family Carpet, James thought. That thing is famous.
"Well anyway," Sirius continued. "I guess I'll just have to see. I'm sort of a black sheep, you know, because I'm different. But being in a house other than Slytherin would be nice." There was a pause before he spoke again. "So how about you? What house do you want to go in?"
"Well, my family is all Gryffindor so I think I'll know where I'd be."
"Oh… what's that?"
Sirius was pointing at the parchment in James's hands. James hesitated for a while, trying to decide whether he could trust Sirius. "Don't worry." Sirius said. "If it's a secret, I won't force you. But I just have to let you know, I am curious."
James sighed and gave it to him. "I found it in my Dad's office." he said as Sirius read the parchment. "I don't understand it. I tried asking my Dad, but he wouldn't tell me. He said I'd have to find out on my own."
"I think it's some kind of acceptance letter so a sort of society." Sirius told him. "Constituent means member, and if they handed him responsibility for being one, then it means that he's accepted."
"I thought so too." James said. "I also think that the 'carrier of Ivory' thing is some sort of elephant… or someone related to elephants. I don't think it's my Dad."
There was a short silence until Sirius looked up from the letter. "There still is a chance that this is your father's" he said. "Is his patronus an elephant?"
"No. His patronus is a bull. But I have to admit, I've never thought of it that way… Bulls don't have ivory."
The conversation of the two boys held on until the end of the ride. They were even surprised that they were in Hogwarts already. They've figured out a few clues regarding the letter.
As James lied down on his bed that night, he wondered how a single letter can bring two people together, as Sirius had battled with the sorting hat to be in Gryffindor, with James. He succeeded. This made James happy, for he was at least assured that he was not alone in his journey.
(--)
Lily took notes in Arithmancy hurriedly. She already regretted taking the class. It was like Muggle Math and as a child, it was her waterloo.
It had been a few days after Slughorn's conversation with her. She had finally made up for her mistake by charming the professor once again with more than perfect potions and lots of recitations.
Lily had been very busy the past week. Also, she had a match in the Fracas three nights ahead. Her position as Laedan was being challenged by a buffalo Patronus by the alias of Blood Red. It was held by a cocky Ravenclaw 6th year, Amos Diggory.
In the Fracas, no one is supposed to know each other. However, that rule began to falter generations ago as friends within it began to tell identities to each other. Nowadays, you could only be kept hidden from the others once you choose to be hidden. There was a mutual law in Fracas that you cannot expose someone else's identity without their permission. Lily chose to be hidden. The Laedan was known to be a boy with average height and green eyes. Lily would charm her voice to become manlier and always hid her hair within her hood. She also made her cloak a few modifications so that it would make her look taller. She was glad to be Laedan, for the position held knowledge of all identities in the Fracas, and some who were in it before they graduated. Her position also assured her that no one else in Fracas, except for the witty announcer, knew who the Dragon was
She glanced at the clock. Twenty more minutes. She wished that Frank was there to ease the boredom and restlessness. The boy was out in the grounds with Care of Magical Creatures, probably getting burnt by some blast-ended-skrewts. She giggled at the thought.
She finally gave up note-taking and glanced around the room. The class was a mix of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. There were only a few Gryffindors compared to the other house. Once her gaze reached her right, she caught Remus Lupin staring at her. He quickly looked away.
Lily smiled inwardly. So she caught the rat. But she had to make sure.
She turned back to her half-filled parchment yet did not continue writing. Instead, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She fell into a subconsciousness where there were lots of minds in abstract forms. She finally saw Remus Lupin's and divulged herself into it.
She found out that Lupin was not thinking of the lesson either. He was thinking of his friends and…
What's this? Lily thought. Legilemency?
Lily sent out a message before she crept out of the boy's thoughts before he could detect her.
But she was sure she had found the rat, or shall we say rats. Those four were up to something, and they were definitely going to pry.
(--)
"Fat lot of good that would do us." Sirius said to James as they climbed down out of Divination. "Breathe in the essence of the future! Feel with your Inner Eye. I swear I'd die if I have to take NEWT classes on that one."
"I agree." James announced smilingly as they climbed down from the tower to the corridor. "Trelawney's not much of a teacher. Rumor says she's faking it. Do you reckon it's true that the Inner Eye really does run in the family?"
"I have no idea, mate. Oi Remus! What's the rush?"
Remus was walking briskly towards them, knocking some people on the way. It was like he was trying to run away from someone.
"Hey, slow down." James told him as he reached the two friends. "Something wrong?"
"I – legilemens – found out." Remus said between breaths. James and Sirius let him breathe for a while until he regained normal breaths. Then they let him speak.
"We've been found out." Remus said. "I felt someone penetrate my mind while I was thinking of what we heard back at the dungeons."
"Do you know who it is?"
"No. He sent a message. It wasn't in words, but I could sort of feel what he was trying to say."
Remus paused and took a couple of deep breaths before continuing. "He told me to lay off Evans."
"What? Why would anyone tell you that?" Sirius asked, then an expression of dawning spread on his face. "Do you fancy her?"
"I'm serious here!"
James stopped Sirius from telling one of those corny 'serious' jokes for Remus looked like he could take on a hippogriff.
"Sshh. Here she comes."
Evans turned towards the corridor they were in. The boys pretended not to pay any attention to her. James, however, could not resist glancing up at her.
She didn't look at him and his friends. She didn't even realize that James was staring at her openly as she walked by. She rounded up the corner and disappeared.
"What were you doing, James!" Remus said. "You were staring openly at her."
"I guess James fancies her too."
"Oh, shut up!"
James kept on looking at the direction Lily went as his friends bickered in the background. Then he felt something eerie going on around him. Suddenly, just as Remus felt, a sensation came up to him.
By the door. Tonight. Alone.
"James? You alright mate?"
He snapped back after feeling Remus's hand on his shoulder. He gave him a small smile. He realized that his friends did not feel anything, that the message was only meant for him.
"I'm fine, Remus."
(--)
So how's that?
Good?
Very good?
Come and tell me... by dropping a review.
The next chapter would take quite a while to make as I have to enroll for my first year of college, attend Freshmen orientation programs and stuff like that. I'm about to study in a campus so huge that we got lost in it, even with a map. Plus I'm turning 16 this May (Woohoo – insert eye-rolling)… wish me luck!
8-D