11

Returning to Hogwarts was something of a bittersweet experience for James. As
the holiday had worn on, Mr. Potter had spent longer and longer days at work,
tirelessly pursuing every lead he came across in his efforts to track down
those responsible for the attacks on the Longbottoms. James had taken to
talking with Sirius via their mirrors almost hourly as they kept each other
company throughout the holiday.

It was with great relief that they were all reunited back at Hogwarts, but by
this time, everyone had heard the news about Frank's family.

'Unbelievable,' breathed Remus. 'Do you think he'll be coming back to school?'

The words were barely out of his mouth when Peter pointed to the doors of the
Great Hall. There stood Frank Longbottom along with whom they assumed was his
mother, a rather formidable looking witch. Albus Dumbledore was crossing the
hall to meet her, flanked by several of the other teachers.

'I have some things to discuss with your teachers, Frank,' his mother said
softly. 'Why don't you go get settled with your things?'

Dumbledore smiled kindly at Frank. 'Perhaps we could get your things taken
upstairs for you,' he said. 'I am sure Mr. Filch-'

'Pardon me, Professor,' James said. 'We'd be happy to help Frank get his things
upstairs.'

Dumbledore looked to Frank, whose face brightened considerably. 'Sure, that
would be great,' he said quietly. Dumbledore gave a short smile to James as he,
Sirius, Remus and Peter came over to help Frank with his bags. They began
walking up the stairs, passing by Lily and Snape who were both wearing
contrasting facial expressions-Lily an expression of mingled sympathy and
surprise, whereas Snape's face seemed to be fighting between despair and
loathing.

'Thanks for this, you guys,' Frank was saying as they reached the Gryffindor
common room. 'It's good to get away from the house.'

'How are you doing?' Remus asked quietly.

Frank looked at Remus, fire in his eyes. 'I'll be doing better when I kill
them,' he said.

Peter looked shocked. 'Kill them?'

Frank nodded as they moved up the stairs to the sleeping area. 'It may not be
today, and it may not be tomorrow,' he said. 'But I won't rest until I've
gotten them. One way or another, I will get them. And I won't hesitate.'

James and Sirius exchanged glances. 'We're with you,' Sirius said.

Remus looked carefully around at the group. 'I think that perhaps the best way
to start, would be to take your studies seriously...especially Defence Against
the Dark Arts,' he added.

'Regimented Remus, always the perfect student,' Sirius admonished.

'He's right, though,' Frank said, tossing his rucksack onto his bed. 'I'm not
going to kill any Death Eaters with a jelly leg jinx. When we all first got to
Hogwarts, I think I was just amazed to be surrounded by wizards. Now I have a
goal. And if there's war coming against Dark Wizards, we're all going to need
to be prepared.'

*

Frank certainly put his words into action over the coming days. Their teachers
often remarked that his study habits would put much older students to shame. He
wiled away his nights in the Gryffindor common room studying.

'At this rate,' Lily remarked one evening, 'He could graduate a lot sooner than
we do.'

Lily was sitting with Remus as the two were study partners for Transfiguration.
James looked at the two of them with some envy; Lily seemed to have little
regard for James or Sirius, and was largely indifferent to Peter. But she
seemed to have taken a liking to Remus.

'Still trying to figure out that Transfiguration assignment, are you?' James
asked coyly.

Lily looked up with a scowl. 'What, and you've got it all sorted, have you?'

James smiled. 'It's turning a hedgehog into a pincushion, it's not exactly
difficult.' When Lily turned red, he smiled wider. 'What, are you having
trouble?'

Remus looked up, a disapproving look on his face. 'Don't you have a Charms
essay to write, James?'

James waved his hand. 'I'll wing it.'

Lily's eyes narrowed. 'You think studying is beneath you?'

'Not at all,' James said. 'It's just that when you're blessed with a superior
mind, you don't need to spend all of your free time bent over a book.'

Sirius scoffed. 'A superior mind? Really, James. What did you get on the last
Charms essay that Flitwick gave out?'

'He gave me an acceptable review,' James said, puffing out his chest. 'And
since I made it up as I went, I think that's pretty good. What did you get?'

'He gave me the same, but then again, I mostly copied you,' Sirius said with a
laugh. Lily made a face and went back to reviewing her homework with Remus. 'So James,' Sirius said in a more quiet voice, 'what's the plan for tonight?'

James contemplated for a moment. 'Want to go for a stroll? But try to remain...unnoticeable?'

Sirius' eyes glinted mischievously. 'We paying a visit to a certain greasy-haired friend?'

'I think there's some fun to be had,' James replied.

*

They waited until Lily left the Gryffindor common room. As most of her friends were fellow Gryffindors, James and Sirius went upstairs, slinking under the invisibility cloak and left. Peter and Remus were none the wiser, the latter now helping the former with his homework.

'He never seems to tire of schoolwork,' Sirius muttered under his breath. 'Loony Lupin.'

'Shh,' James muttered as they tried to keep up with Lily, who was moving at a surprisingly brisk gait. They made their way down into the bowels of the castle, down and down and down until they reached the dungeons.

'I think she's headed for Professor Slughorn's room,' Sirius muttered. Sure enough, she had. James and Sirius slunk into the room just as she closed the classroom door behind her. They saw Snape look up from what he was doing-scribbling all over a school textbook. He closed it hastily. James took in the surroundings of the room and noted that there were a few overturned desks and loose papers scattered about.

Lily noticed the same thing. 'What have you been up to?' she asked.

Snape smiled thinly. 'Just tinkering with some ideas,' he muttered.

'You shouldn't be writing on your textbooks, you know,' Lily said reproachfully. 'Are you doing homework, at least?'

'Extra curricular work, we'll call it,' Snape said, smiling more genuinely as Lily sat down next to him. 'I'm tired of being the victim of pranks. I'm figuring out some ways to...better defend myself,' he finished, his voice carrying an odd edge to it as he finished.

Lily frowned. 'Nothing too severe, I hope, Sev,' she said. 'I don't want you going and cursing anyone else in the face.'

Snape flushed. 'It's only too bad that he moved out of the way,' he muttered.

'I wish you wouldn't talk like that,' Lily said angrily.

Snape looked angry too. 'You never say a word about all the hexes they put on me! Am I not allowed a little dignity? Can't I walk through the halls safely?'

'Sev, consider it a mark of how fond I am of you that I even tolerate what you have done to this point,' Lily said coldly. 'Have you forgotten what your new friends called me?'

Snape's mouth worked. 'You shouldn't have intervened,' he said flatly.

'Shouldn't have intervened?' Lily echoed. 'You set your friends upon one person-'

'James Potter has done far worse to me! Where have you been when he is hexing me?' Snape roared, standing up from his table so abruptly that it clattered across the room.

Lily stared angrily at him. 'Shooting a wad of gum up your nose, or bewitching a bottle of shampoo, is not the same thing as beating someone to a pulp or putting holes in their faces!' she said hotly. 'Nor is it the same thing as calling me a mudblood!'

And with that, she stormed from the room. Snape stood, watching the door for a moment and then sat back down at his chair, angrily opening his Potions book and beginning to write again.

Sirius tapped James on the shoulder and motioned for them to move across the room. They did so in silence, when Sirius suddenly tipped a desk over onto its side. The effect was immediate-Snape stood up, his wand drawn, pointing at the spot where the desk had fallen.

'Hello?' Snape asked.

James and Sirius moved across the room and tilted another desk over, this time causing it to land on Snape's foot. He yelped in pain and looked around, an angry and frightened expression on his face. 'Who's there?' he demanded.

Sirius spoke in a remarkably strong imitation of a ghostly lady. 'I am the ghost of the dungeons,' he said mistily.

Snape looked around wildly, clearly surprised at this answer. 'I hadn't heard of any dungeon ghost,' he said slowly.

'Naturally. I only reveal myself to the greasiest student in every year,' Sirius said. James bit his fist to keep from laughing out loud as a look of fury crossed his face.

'Potter,' Snape suddenly snarled, looking around. 'Reveal yourself!' he slashed with his wand to the side of James and Sirius, who jumped back as a group of desks parted and splintered.

'Careful,' whispered Sirius.

'I know you're in here! I don't know how you're doing it,' Snape was shouting wildly now, but suddenly, the door burst open. Professor Slughorn stood there, looking shocked.

'Mr. Snape,' he said surprised. 'Good heavens, dear boy, what are you doing down here at this hour? Curfew has come and gone! And what are you doing to my classroom?'

Snape looked around. 'It's Potter, he's here somewhere!'

Slughorn cast his gaze around the room. 'Mr. Snape, there is no one in here but you. I thought I caught a glimpse of your friend Ms. Evans, but I dare say I hope my eyes were playing tricks on me-no one should be out after hours. Now come, back to your dormitory before I decide to take points from Slytherin house!'

Slughorn waved his wand and suddenly all the desks, back in one piece, swirled back into their usual formation. James and Sirius had to duck as a few flew right over their heads.

'You don't understand, Professor,' Snape was pleading. 'It's James Potter and his friends-they've hidden themselves from view somehow, they never miss a chance to torment me! Points should be taken from Gryffindor!'

'No one has seen anyone out and about in the halls apart from you, Mr. Snape,' Slughorn said none too kindly. 'Now come.'

Slughorn escorted a protesting Snape from the room and closed the door. 'That was brilliant,' James whispered. 'Slughorn thinks Snivelly has gone mental!'

'Right?' Sirius said happily.

'We should get back to the common room in case old Snivelly convinces Slughorn to send someone to check, though,' James said hastily.

They made their way up through the castle. They were nearly back to the common room when they stopped-Lily was standing by herself looking out a window. 'Go without me,' James whispered, ducking out of the cloak before Sirius could protest. He walked up behind Lily. 'All right, Evans?' he said.

Lily jumped and turned, scowling. 'What are you doing out? Its past curfew,' she said.

'I could ask you the same thing,' James said, looking around for any sign of prefects or professors. 'I won't, though,' he said with a bright grin. 'How was your Christmas?'

'All the better for not having seen you,' Lily said shortly.

'Oi,' James said jokingly, 'words hurt, you know.'

Lily looked at him skeptically. 'I suppose you knew about the Longbottoms before anyone else did?' she asked. 'Your father working for the Auror's office?'

James dropped his grin. 'Yeah,' he said. 'Dad's heading up the investigation.'

'Does this have anything to do with that cryptic warning you gave me before Christmas?' Lily asked.

James shrugged. 'I've no idea what you're talking about,' he said.

'If you know something-' she began.

'I don't know anything,' James cut her off. 'This...thing, whatever this thing is that's been put in motion...people are scared to talk about it. It's like no one is sure who they can trust.'

'You don't trust me enough to tell me?' Lily asked.

James regarded her with a smile. 'Sorry, would you say that trust is one of the defining features of our-er, relationship?'

Lily laughed in spite of herself. 'No,' she admitted.

James smiled. 'Look, I really don't know much more than you. But being out and about in the castle after curfew probably isn't safe.' James frowned inwardly at his own hypocrisy, but kept his face a smooth mask.

'What do you think it is?' Lily asked. 'I heard Frank's family was attacked by Dark Wizards.'

'Well, you heard right,' James replied. 'A group calling themselves Death Eaters. But it's who they answer to that seems to have people worried.'

'Who do they answer to?' Lily asked.

'No idea,' James replied. 'But it seems to have people scared.'

'Indeed it does,' came a third voice from behind them. Lily and James whirled to find themselves face to face with Professor Dumbledore, whose half-moon spectacles glinted in the light of the moon shining through the window.

'Professor!' Lily squeaked. 'I'm sorry, I-'

'Lost track of time?' Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. He did not seem cross. 'Perfectly understandable. But as Mr. Potter was saying only moments ago, it does not do well to linger outside after curfew. As Mr. Potter has correctly stated, it is not always safe.'

'Yes, Professor,' Lily said. She scurried off and James moved to follow her, but Professor Dumbledore held up a hand.

'A moment, please, James,' he said softly. 'I heard a curious report from Professor Slughorn. It seems there is a student who thought you were in the dungeons earlier this evening, and were somehow invisible to the human eye.'

James swallowed. 'I've been here with Lily, and other than that I've been in the common room,' he said quietly.

Professor Dumbledore regarded him carefully. 'Of course, I believe you. Spells to cast invisibility are fairly advanced,' he said. James had the impression that Professor Dumbledore was not actually fooled in the slightest. His mind wandered to the night where Remus was brought back to the school, and he remembered Dumbledore seeming to look right at them.

'Professor,' James asked, trying to change the subject. 'Who do you think the Death Eaters answer to?'

If Dumbledore was surprised at the question, he did not show it. 'I have theories,' he said quietly. 'But I also share those with the proper authorities. I do not wish to encourage the spread of rumours throughout either the school, or the magical community. As you said, people are frightened. I do not wish to add to that.'

'Will whoever it is come here?' James asked. 'To Hogwarts?'

Dumbledore smiled. 'It is possible,' he said. 'You ask brave questions, James. You will be a great wizard, and you could be a great asset in what is to come. But for the moment, I must insist you return to your dormitory. And,' he said, smiling slightly, 'any further visits to the dungeon should be restricted to school hours. Good night.'

Dumbledore watched while James made his way to the portrait hole. The hole closed and Dumbledore was gone.