I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter ten
Andromeda's POV
It's been two months since the attack. I was in St. Mungos the whole time. Ted wasn't as injured as I was and was able to leave the hospital for a few hours to go to his mother's funeral. But he had to come back after it.
Ted really loved his mother. He worked hard to keep her involved in his life even though it was hard for her to understand it. He misses her so much. I miss her too.
But I can't help but feel grateful that it wasn't my mum. I know that seems to be selfish. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if she never saved me.
I wish I could have saved her. I am a witch; I should have done more. I should have known that Mrs. Tonks would have been a target. Parents of Muggle-borns are the biggest targets after people like my parents.
Ted isn't himself anymore. He's more serious. He's more cautious. And he did the last thing I wanted him to do; he joined the Order of the Phoenix. He's putting himself at more risk than he has too.
Adrian's POV
I was able to convince the headmaster to let Siri and Jay join my Occlumency lessons. If I could have the dreams, they could too.
Professor Dumbledore is a very good teacher. He gave us each a book on the theory of Occlumency but thought it would be a good idea that the other students didn't know about the lessons. I mean what would parents say if they knew that three eleven-year-olds were being taught such a thing. They don't even teach Seventh Years how to do it.
I was told that I am doing well for someone so young. I think he's right because I having fewer nightmares. I still have them but I make them stop before I see anyone die. And for now that's all that matters to me.
James' POV
I am so glad that it's almost Christmas. I can get away from all these crazy people. Remus isn't talking to anyone. Peter nearly wets himself whenever he's called on in class. Evans still refuses to talk to me even though I apologized for turning her cat yellow. I learned that she named it Caleb. I mean who names a cat dog! That girl is so weird.
I like Occlumency lessons. Professor said that if we don't abuse it, he would teach us Legimancy as well.
Sirius' POV
Narcissa attacked me today. The curse was so bad I had to be taken to the Hospital Wing. Remus was in there and he look awful. I caught a glimpse of his arm and it was bloody. He made me promise not to tell anyone. I haven't and he made me the second Potter that he befriended. I told him that James wasn't that bad and to give him a chance. So now, the four of us do our homework together. James is still working on Peter to join us.
I learned that Remus had a weird sense of humor. He would make an awesome prankster if we could get him out of his shell.
He's a half-blood but he lived only with his Muggle father but he always knew that he was a wizard. His mum left when he was only six. I tried to ask why but he refused to answer me. I think something bad might have happened to her. He's still very quiet but he trusts us.
Lily Evans was always one who was curious. She would constantly take things apart just to see how things worked. She would follow her sister everywhere just to learn something new. Right now she and her best friend, Dorcas Meadowes, were trying to figure out where three of the Gryffindor boys disappeared to twice a week.
She knew that they were pranksters but the nights they disappeared didn't always match to pranks. Actually, pranks happened less often on those days.
So she and Dorcas followed them. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, they ended up in what she learned to be Headmaster Dumbledore's office. That made her even more curious.
Dorcas left about half an hour after they went into the office But Lily refused to move. She hid behind a tapestry on one end of the corridor. She didn't have long to wait though. Less than twenty minutes after Dorcas left, the boys left the office smiling. She heard a snippet of what Adrian said.
"It's getting easier. I think I'll be able to block him completely in a few more weeks." He seemed to be proud of that... whatever it meant. Lily was about to figure it out.
"Block who?" Lily snapped at them. "What are you doing here?"
"Now that is none of your business, Lily my dear," James said to her.
"I am not your 'dear'. Adrian, tell me what's going on or I'll owl your parents. I don't care if they don't know who I am. They have the write to know that you're up to something."
"They already know. The headmaster is teaching us something. I can't tell you because it's highly confidential. We have orders from the head-guy himself not to tell a living - or non-living - soul." Adrian tried to sound apologetic but he just couldn't do it.
Lily turned around in a huff and started to walk. The boys just followed her.
"Really, Lils, we can't tell you. Ours lives depend on this secret." Sirius for once was serious.
"That's alright; you don't have to trust me. I was just looking out for you. Lord knows that you get into a lot of trouble."
"I actually think the headmaster likes our pranks. Aunt Minnie... I mean Professor McGonagall is used to use now. Though she did call us headaches on more than one occasion," said James.
"Professor McGonagall is your aunt? I didn't know that."
"She's our godmother. Our mum was a mentor to her since Aunt Minnie is a Muggle-Born," Adrian explained to her. "We better hurry up. It's almost time for curfew. Flitch hunts this corridor on Tuesdays. I really don't want to get a detention because we're out of the tower."
"Yeah," agreed Sirius, "I would rather get one for setting off Dung Bombs in the teachers' lounge." The three boys laughed as Lily scowled.
"You know dear, if you're not careful your face will freeze like that."
"Don't call me dear, James." Lily's scowled even deeper.
The Gryffindors had Transfiguration the next day. They were trying to turn apples into balls. Adrian had no idea why they would need to learn how to do that when it would be easier to just conjure a ball (that is when they learned how to conjure things).
So he was trying to figure out how to turn his red apple into a green one. Professor McGonagall did say that they could have the fruit if they could transfigure it. Adrian had in fact transfigured it and back three times. He was bored with the class. Plus, he was getting hungry since he missed breakfast because he and his brother's were filling the teachers' lounge with Dung Bombs. The problem was that he didn't like red apples and would rather have a green one.
He finally decided that he had the right words and muttered them under his breath. A second later, he had a perfect green apple. He decided that he wanted to make sure it was a true green apple and took a bite. The loud crunch got everyone's attention, especially McGonagall's.
"Something else ou want to share with all Mr. Potter." Then she saw that the apple was green. She distinctly remembered only passing out red one. "Where did you get that apple?"
"I transfigured it. The flavor is a little off but it doesn't taste like a red apple."
"May I have a bite?" She took the apple before he could reply and bit it. It was nearly perfect. "Do it again." She gave Adrian James' apple. When he did, she looked at him amazed. "Fifty point to Gryffindor." She grabbed the apple and yelled class dismissed as she left the classroom. She didn't even assign them homework.
She quickly went to the headmaster's office. She didn't even grimace when she said the password. She actually barged right into his office. She had never done that before.
"Take a bite." She threw the apple toward him.
"Minerva it's an apple."
"Yes, it's an apple transfigured by a First Year student." She was openly smiling. "That was a red apple before."
He finally did as he was told. His face contorted into shock. "Whose is it?"
"Adrian Potter. His father is good at transfiguration but not like that. I want to give him some extra training; he's at least at a Third Year level. I also want to test his brothers. Sirius might not be as good because he's a Black but James and Adrian should be nearly be at the same level. I won't exclude Sirius because that wouldn't e fair on him. Oh, please let me do this. I can't let this raw talent go to waste."
"You may proceed with this if the Potter children agree to it and it doesn't interfere with other classes including Occlumency that they have with me."
"Thank you Albus. You won't regret this. I'll go ask the boys right away. Then I have to tell Rea. She'll be so proud to have a natural transfigurer."
A/N Sorry about the long wait but I wanted to get 'Return of the Second Chance' finished before I continued with this one. And thanks for all the Reviews.
