The World's Gone Crazy
By Allanasha Ke Kiri
Chapter 8
It was not until two weeks later that the Quartet tried anything. James was enjoying his morning meal when he felt himself being watched. He looked up, his eyes wandering the hall, trying to find the source. He couldn't find them. James brushed it off as paranoia, everything finally catching up with him as it were.
He sighed, shaking his head.
"Hey, James."
James glanced over at Draco, his fork lowering back to his plate.
"Jarod's scheduling another practice after class."
James frowned, "Aren't the Gryffindors supposed to practice today?"
Draco shrugged, "Who cares? Jarod said that Professor Snape is arranging it."
James shrugged, turning back to his food. However, before he could take a bite, the Gryffindor Quartet walked in. The only problem with that was, they were missing a person.
Where's Potter? he asked himself, feeling his eyes narrow.
"Hey Draco, the Quartet's missing a member."
Draco raised an eyebrow at him before glancing over at the group.
"So, Potter decided to sleep in."
James shook his head, "No, they never come down without everybody. They're up to something."
"You're paranoid, James."
"He pulled his eyes away from the group, "It's not paranoia when they're really out to get you. Targeted, remember?"
"I thought you weren't afraid of them?" Draco drawled, smirking.
James rolled his eyes, "I'm not; I'm wary. There's a difference." He glanced back at the Gryffindor table. "I've got an Herbology essay to finish. I'll see you in class."
Draco nodded as he rose. James grabbed his bag and began to head out of the room. He stopped, briefly, when he brushed against an unseen fabric. James felt a smirk growing as he continued out.
So Potter has the invisibility cloak. He frowned. I want my invisibility cloak.
He quickly made his way through the hall. He didn't really have an essay to finish; he just wanted to get out of the hall. He was certain that the Quartet was planning something, and he would bet it had something to do with that prank they had ready.
But why didn't Potter do it in the Great Hall?
"Medin!"
James stopped, turning to see Harry's sister rushing after him.
"Potter," he responded.
"I've been thinking about what you said, and," she paused, taking a deep breath, "and you might be right."
He blinked. I am?
"Okay."
"So, I'm going to give you a chance to prove it."
Finally, his memory caught up with him, "Alright, but it's not something that you can just show someone in a few minutes."
Emily frowned, "How long will it take?"
James shrugged, "That depends on you."
Her frown deepened, "Me? But you're the one who's showing me."
James chuckled, he couldn't help himself, "But you're the one who has to accept what you see and hear."
"How are you going to show me?"
"I'll have to think about that, but don't worry, I'll find a way," he replied, smiling at the girl.
Emily gave a soft smile before hurrying off. James blinked after her.
Was she blushing?
He shrugged, moving to his first class.
The next morning, James once again felt eyes on him, but the sensation vanished in a matter of minutes. He shook his head to clear it, but watched the Quartet warily when they entered. He saw nothing to make him think anything had happened, but for some reason, he felt nervous.
Bloody hell, they're getting to me
James finished his breakfast, and headed for his first class with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.
The first thing that told him something was wrong were the giggles that spead through the dungeon hallway. Next, it was the breeze that brushed past a very sensitive area.
"Bloody Hell!" Draco exclaimed, taking off his Slytherin robe and handing it to him. James quickly doned it, not that he remained clothed for very long. Within seconds of putting it on, it, too, was gone, and he was once again nude . . . and purple.
James quickly cast a disillusionment charm on himself, and, with a glare toward the laughing Quartet, he made a dash for the Slytherin common room. He knew that the entire school would know about his 'condition' an hour after the class let out, but he really didn't feel the need to show everyone his bits more than was necessary.
He snarled the password as soon as he reached the painting, and was inside before it had finished opening. Quickly, he glanced around, making sure no one was there before taking the spell off. Behind him, the painting snickered. James hurried up the stairs to his room, intent on waiting the spell out.
He only hoped Hermione would let him copy her notes. After all, it wasn't like he'd skipped the classes on purpose.
The door burst open just as James finished dressing.
"I told you," Draco hissed, not even waiting for the door to close, "I bloody told you, but you wouldn't listen."
"How bad is it?" James asked.
"How bad? The entire school knows, James. They're laughing it up and waiting for you to come down for dinner. You're never going to live this one down." He paused. "And it will only get worse. They wont stop until you've given up."
"I told you, Draco, I'm not afraid of them. They can do what ever they want, but I'm going to be giving as good as I get."
"And how are you going to manage that?" Crabbe asked.
James sat on his bed, resisting the urge to stare at the boy, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. He still wasn't used to the idea of those two really being quite smart.
"I don't know," he said finally, "but I'll think of something. Potter isn't the only one who has prankster in his genes."
"What are you going to do until then?" Draco demanded.
"I'm going to wait right here until dinner. Then, I'm going to go eat. Afterward, I'm going to go see about catching up on the work I missed today."
"You're going to dinner?" James didn't have to look at Goyle to know he was surprised.
"Yes. I haven't eaten since breakfast, since no one thought to bring me up something."
"Why didn't you go down yourself?" Draco sneered.
"I would have, if I'd been able to dress." At their questioning glances, he elaborated, "It was a seven hour spell. I was just able to get dressed.
"You mean you spent the entire time up here . . . without anything on?"
"Yes, Crabbe, and do you realize how cold this room is?"
Draco blinked, "You've just been humiliated by the Quartet, and all you do is complain about how cold the room is?"
James shrugged, "I wasn't on my guard. They won . . . this round." He stood, turning from them to close the drawer to his dresser, "You know, there's an old saying, 'Don't get mad, get even." He turned back to his unlikely friends, a smile spreading across his lips. "And I plan on getting very even."
James walked through the silent halls by himself, having forced Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle on ahead. He didn't want them caught in the crossfire that was sure to happen. There was no one in the halls.
Of course not, he thought. They're all in the Great Hall, waiting to see if I'll show up.
He stopped outside the doors, taking a deep breath before pushing one open and heading inside. All noise stopped, and he felt all eyes on him before it started. There was laughing from three of the four houses, along with a few whistles.
James, pulling on all of his courage, took a bow to each of the three tables before striding to his table, hoping his face wasn't too red. Glancing up at the head table, he noticed Tom looking at him with a raised eyebrow. James shrugged back at him, knowing he'd have to explain something later.
"What are you doing?" Draco hissed when he sat.
"Showing them that I'm not down for the count. They're going to have to do better then that, if they plan on making me cower in their path."
Of course, not even Voldemort has accomplished that, so they don't stand a chance.
The Slytherins within hearing shot him looks of disbelief. He figured the entire house would think him crazy by the end of dinner.
"You might want to stay away from me, Draco," James said quietly, really wishing it wasn't necessary, "When I finally get them back they're not going to concern themselves with collateral damage."
"Haven't I already told you that we're not with you to protect you?"
"Yeah, but soon I'm going to be intentionally ticking them off."
Draco shivered, "You aren't getting rid of us that easily, James. You want us gone, you're going to have to try a lot harder than that."
James grinned, but let the subject drop. As surprising as it seemed, he was glad that Draco hadn't hightailed it away from him. He was really begining to value the boy's friendship. It made him wonder how things would have turned out if he had taken Draco's hand back in first year.
Severus sat in his office, viciously correcting his first year essays. Some of them had him smirking as he savagly burst any delusions his students might have had. A soft knock drew his attention.
"Enter," he snapped, vaguely wondering if the hesitant knocker would leave. They didn't.
The door opened, revealing a rather nervous James Medin.
"What do you want, Mr. Medin?" he demanded, his voice not softening. The boy had missed his class.
"I was wondering if there was a way I could do today's potion, Professor,"
Severus felt his lip lift in a sneer, "Absolutely not, Mr. Medin. If you can not be bothered to show up to class, it is not my responsibility to let you make it up."
He watched the anger flair up with hidden amusement, wondering how the boy was surviving Slytherin when every emotion he had seemed to be easily readable.
"Fine," the boy snapped back, "Next time, I'll just come to class nude!"
Severus blinked as Medin turned to leave the room.
"Mr. Medin!"
The boy stopped, hand on the knob, waiting for Severus to continue.
"What?" he managed finally.
The boy sighed, turning to face him once more, "It was a prank, sir. I was made nude, and couldn't keep any clothes on for a seven hour period. They kept disappearing. . . and I was purple," he muttered the last bit, seemingly confused about it.
Severus was silent. Medin seemed to be taking the humiliation better than he had. He looked the boy over, nearly smirking when he realized Medin was fighting the urge to fidget. How had the boy survived his Slytherin classmates?
"Tonight, 7 o' clock. Don't be late."
"No, sir. Thank you, sir." He turned to go.
"And, Mr. Medin?"
Medin stopped, looking back over his shoulder, "Yes, Professor?"
"Next time, duck."
He watched the boy slump.
"There was nothing to duck,"
"Figure it out."
The boy rolled his eyes, once again turning to go, but stopping before he'd taken more than a step.
"The food! It was the bloody food. That damned Potter - " The door slamming cut off anything else the boy might have said.
"Potter," Severus sneered, "Of course he's at the center of this."
Severus turned back to his first year essays. He had a feeling that his next sixth year Gryffindor/Slytherin class would not be overly pleasent for one of the houses.
"Do you mind telling me what caused the scene in the Great Hall?"
"It was a prank, and you know how rumors spread."
Tom nodded slowly, "I do at that."
"Don't worry, Tom, I'm handling it, or rather, I will soon."
"Is anyone going to get hurt?"
"No, but some students may learn some respect."
Tom's eyes narrowed at Harry, "What do you mean?"
"From what I've heard, there are a few students who have gotten away with everything they want simply because no one can catch them, or because there's no evidence."
Tom nodded, "Yes. Most of the professors have their suspicions, but none of us have been able to get enough evidence."
"And you can't just accuse them, because parents would get involved over wrongly accused students."
"Exactly," Tom agreed, "but what does this have to do with them?"
"The way I see it, you need a student who isn't afraid of them to give back in a way equally untraceable."
"And how do you plan on doing this"
"I need to go to London."
Tom blinked, "What ever for, Harry?"
Harry shook his head, "If I told you it would be harder for you to pretend to not know anything."
Tom watched him a moment, eyes narrowed, "Very well. You can go next Hogsmead weekend.
"Great, thanks!"
"However," Tom continued, before Harry could leave, "I will be going. I will stay in Diagon Alley, but you will have to enter and leave London with me present."
Harry hesitated only briefly before agreeing. After all, it could be worse. Tom could have demanded to know exactly what he was planning. Harry said goodbye to Tom, and left the room; he still had to see Hermione before heading back to see Snape.
Hey everyone, sorry for missing last weeks update, but my beta kept forgetting to beta it. Luckily, I got her to update both this and the next chapter at the same time, so the next one should be up in the next few hours. . . if it isn't already. Hope you enjoyed. As to what James is planning, well, you're just going to have to wait, though I thought it was fairly self expanitory.
Allanasha ke kiri
