New Chapter... Please R&R! Reviews will be really appreciated...
Last chapter...
The first years set to work, placing dots on the map to denote stars and planets. James decided he would annotate his map over the weekend. A few hours later, Sinistra smiled at her students, "time to go to bed. Don't forget to rush back, it is well after hours. Next week, I want to see your final star charts. Good night." The Gryffindors walked back to the Gryffindor tower together. They were exhausted and barely spoke.
James had his morning routine perfected by Thursday morning. The boys all made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. James began to eat his breakfast. He didn't look up when the post came in; he wasn't really expecting anything except his daily copy of the Prophet. He was surprised when two owls landed before him. The first was a brown owl; it held his paper in his mouth. James put a few coins into the pouch on its leg. He then turned to the other owl; he recognised it perfectly, it was his father's owl. James grew anxious, his father didn't write often.
Hello Son,
I hope you are enjoying Hogwarts and congratulations on making it into Hogwarts. Both your mother and I are very proud. I am writing to inform you of a situation. Several muggles have been attacked. The prophet are trying to make it seem irrelevant. Do not believe what you read or see. Trust your instincts and trust Dumbledore. And above all else be wary of the Slytherins. Things are changing son. Keep yourself safe.
I love you.
Dad.
James re-read the letter twice. He was very confused. Alice was sat opposite him, he handed her the letter. She read it briefly. Potter felt someone watching him, lifted his gaze to see Lily looked at him, perplexed. She turned away quickly as she picked up her own copy of the prophet. James read the front cover. It was some stupid story about a couple of wizards who got splinched. James scanned through the rest of the paper until he found what he was looking for:
Muggles Vanish Like Magic read the headline. Several muggles have vanished without any sign as to where they might have gone. This week four new muggles have been reported missing under very 'strange' circumstances. First, Miss Olivia Arnold, an art student studying in London, age 24 vanished on Monday. She was last seen entering her home at three in the afternoon on Sunday night. She was declared missing twenty-four hours later. There was no sign of forced entry to her apartment. Officials are suggesting it is the work of a dark wizard. However, this seems unlikely. It is more likely that she merely decided to leave town in the middle of the night. An old aged pensioner in York, one Ferity Lindale, age 68, was last seen doing her shopping in the city centre on Monday. She was declared missing yesterday when her young son came to visit her. A business man of around the age of thirty-five disappeared in Edinburgh on Tuesday. He was seen walking into his office on the fifth floor but no one saw him leaving. Yesterday a mother of three, aged 38, in Wales went missing in the middle of a carwash. People are trying to pass this off as the work of dark wizards. The prophet however, believes that it is more likely Alzheimer's (a muggle disease that affects the aged) or a a suicide attempt.
"Have any of you read the paper?" James asked. Lily nodded briefly. "It's a pack of lies!"
For the first time all week Lily agreed with James, "Yep. The real question is why are they covering it up?" She asked.
"That's simple," said Remus, "the ministry are paying them off."
"But why?" Lily pondered.
"Because they don't want people to think that they are losing control of the pure-blood fanatics. At the moment our world still seems relatively at peace when in truth there is a under-current sweeping through the pure-blood families. Something is different. I think they've found a new leader." James commented.
"Are you serious? But James surely not." Alice asked.
"I think so. Why else would we be having the intelligence parties? It sure isn't to see people mistreating my house elves. Arrogant pure-bloods piss me off. And why would my dad be warning me to be careful. He is concerned and my dad is never concerned without good cause."
"I guess." Alice said, "I wonder who though?"
"That I can tell you," Sirius began, "I overheard my mum talking to cousin Bella. They were talking about some sort of Dark Lord. Bellatrix said that she was going to actively recruit Hogwarts students to join him. My mum was so proud of her. I don't know his real name though."
"I wonder," James whispered under his breath, "I'll ask my dad."
The Gryffindor students made their way towards Professor Flitwicks classroom for their charms lesson. When they arrived, Professor Flitwick and the Hufflepuffs were already waiting for them.
"Should we begin?" Flitwick asked as they sat down. "First off. Accio homework." Everyone's homework zoomed towards him. He placed it on the desk before him. "First you will practice the hover charm. This time using your textbooks instead of feathers."
Professor Flitwick sat behind his desk and began marking their homework as they began practicing their hover charms. Lily was the first person to successful charm her textbook, "Well done, Miss Evans. Twenty points to Gryffindor. Once you have successfully performed the hover charm on your textbook, please try the levitation spell on your feather."
Soon several people had achieved the hover charm and were moving on to the levitation spell. Before moving on to his next spell, James helped Pettigrew. Professor Flitwick caught James helping him as he looked up from his marking, "well done Mr Pettigrew. Five points. And five points to you too Mister Potter."
Professor Flitwick had nearly finished his marking, when he turned to the class once more, "fantastic. Now for the last few moments could you please attempt the locomotor charm."
Not many of the students managed to perform the spell correctly before Flitwick called them to order once more. "Very well done! I am quite impressed. Tomorrow we will start lifting heavier objects with our hover charms, perhaps a table or a pile of books." He clapped excitedly, "As for your homework: I've marked it and you've all done very well." With a flick of his wand he returned the homework to its rightful owner. James looked down at his; exceeds expectation. Well mother and father will be happy with that, thought James.
"Lily Evans and Remus Lupin each get fifty points for Gryffindor for an outstanding piece of homework. Well done! Well done!"
The Gryffindors found the Ravenclaws waiting outside the Transfiguration classroom. Lily quickly made friends with a girl called Emmeline "but you can call me Emmie," she said kindly, "this is my friend Dorcas."
"Nice to meet you both," Lily said gently, "would you like to sit with me and my friends?"
"Oh that would be lovely," Dorcas and Emmie smiled.
The door to the Transfiguration classroom opened and the students walked in feeling slightly timid. Emmie, Dorcas and the Gryffindor girls made their way to the middle row of seats. They looked around but couldn't see Professor McGonagall anywhere.
Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew sat together on the very back row. Longbottom sat on the front row with his Ravenclaw friend Adrian Greenock and a few of the other Ravenclaw boys.
"Where is McGonagall?" James asked. He was slightly excited about this lesson, not that he would admit it. That is when he noticed a cat jump onto McGonagall's desk. "Wow!" he said as he jumped to his feet and ran towards the desk. "Wow!"
He began to stroke the cats head, she purred gently. "Professor, you are the coolest!"
The cat jumped off the desk and transfigured into Professor McGonagall before she reached the ground. "Well done, Potter! How did you know?"
"Erm, several reasons… first, you don't seem to be the pet sort, second, your markings, third, I've never seen a cat sit so stiff."
"Very good. Fifty points to Gryffindor, for the clear recognition of Animagus."
She smiled at her class. That never gets old, she thought.
"Transfiguration is a very complex and dangerous form of magic. You will not mess around in this class or there will be dire consequences. Now transfiguration in its simplest is the art of changing an objects form or appearance. There are many branches of transfiguration, including cross-species transfiguration, human transfiguration and simple switching spells. You should be making notes."
There was a quick scurry in bags for parchment and quills as she continued, "This year we will mainly focus on transformation and switching spells." There was a groan from the back table, McGonagall chuckled, "trust me Potter they may sound simple but they are a great place to start. Stick with me and I'll have you heading off to the ministry the second you are old enough for your animagus license."
James eyes lit up at the idea of himself as an animagus.
Professor McGonagall flicked her wand at the blackboard behind her desk. Lily watched as a title appeared, Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration.
"This morning we will focus on the laws and rules. The theory should we say and then after lunch we'll have a go at putting them into action." A small smile fell across her face, "make notes from your textbooks on Gamp's Law, please."
"This is so not as exciting as I expected," James whispered to Sirius as he began to write his notes.
Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration is a law governing the magical world. There are five Principle Exceptions to Gamp's Law:
Food – Food cannot be created from nothing. However, it can be multiplied if one already has some food to multiply. It can also be enlarged and summoned if one knows the rough location of the food.
Love – Love can merely be simulated through love potions and entrancing enchantments and the like. This creates an obsessive infatuation rather than love and fades over time.
Life – Life cannot be restored once lost.
Precious Metals – they can be transformed but cannot be created.
Clothing – clothing can be altered but not created from nothing. Even a robe maker needs fabric to begin with.
Gamp's Law is named after the witch who discovered it, Hesper Gamp.
Half way through the class, McGonagall called to her students, "Ok, enough of that! I will now explain what sort of magic we are to do after lunch, so pay very close attention unless you wish to end up in the hospital wing. We are going to spend the beginning of this term looking at Transformations, or transubstatial transfiguration as it is also known as. Now Transformation is a branch of Transfiguration that focuses on deforming the physical features of an object. There are many sub-categorises. Make sure you are making notes. This will inevitably come up in your exam at the end of the year! Human Tranfiguration, Switches – where we simultaneously exchange features between two organisms, and Trans-Species Transformations – when you transform one species into another."
James yawned. "Mr Potter, pay attention! There are a variety of ways to achieve Transformation, for example; transforming spells, animagi, metamorphmagi, and Lycanthropy. Of course, I wouldn't suggest the latter. After lunch we will begin with a basic transforming spell, Avifors. Can anyone tell me what this transforming spell does?" Professor McGonagall looked up in surprise to see Potter's hand in the air. "Yes, Mr Potter?"
"It transfigures objects into a bird or flock of birds."
"Fantastic, Mr Potter! Ten points to Gryffindor. Right, off you all go. Go and get yourselves something to eat and be back here for 2pm dead on the dot." She said as she transfigured back into her animagus form.
The Gryffindors ate quietly at lunch. James was replying to his father's letter. Sirius was thinking about his mother and cousin's conversation. Lily was watching Potter. He already annoyed the hell out of her and it was only their fourth day of classes and she had a really bad feeling he might be better than her at Transfiguration.
After lunch, they returned to the Transfiguration classroom to find Professor McGonagall waiting for them, "quickly! Quickly!" They sat down and waited anticipating the chance to perform magic.
"Avifors causes a vivid blue light when it is cast currectly. The incantation is pronounced 'AVI-forz'. Repeat after me, without wands Mr Black, 'AVI-forz'" After a few moments, Professor McGonagall allowed them to practice the spell on some small objects that she placed on their desks.
James quickly mastered the spell, "well done, Potter. You seem to have a knack for Transfiguration. Fifty points for a perfect avifors spell." She said as James' bird flew across the room. "Once you have accomplished the spell several times, please make notes on the incantation and effects of the spell. Thank you, when you have done that, you may leave."
James and Sirius quickly got the hang of the spell and scribbled down some notes on a piece of parchment. When they stood to leave, Professor McGonagall smiled at them both. Lily, on the other hand, was still struggling with her spell when the boys left, as were most of the class. Before the bell rang, she had only managed to do it once. "For homework, I want you to keep practicing and finish the notes on this spell. Next week, we will look at Duro, another very useful transforming spell."
All the first years quickly made their way down into the grounds for their flying lesson. The majority of the students looked excited. A few of them looked terrified, however. Madam Hooch smiled at the eleven year olds standing around her. "Pick a broom! I want you to command your broom, without touching it, into your hand." The students quickly began shouting "up" at their brooms. James, however, just outstretched his hand and his broom flew into it. "Very good, Potter. Ten points to Gryffindor."
Lily frowned, just one more thing he is better at me in!
"Do you want a hand Lily flower?" James asked playfully. He smirched at her whilst playing with his hair.
"I don't want help from an arrogant toe rag like you!" Lily replied. James simply laughed in response, completely unaffected.
"If you are ready, you can mount your brooms and hover slightly above the ground." Madam Hooch said loudly.
"But…" James started.
"No, Potter, you wait for everyone else."
Soon nearly everyone was hovering a few feet above the ground. James was seriously bored. He winked at Sirius, and mouthed, "boring!"
Potter began to rise higher on his broom. Sirius did the same. "What are you two doing? You are being reckless! If you don't come down now, I will take you to see the headmaster."
James scoffed, "This isn't reckless. I have flown in these grounds every morning this week before breakfast. Just this morning I flew over the lake."
"Potter, get down do you hear me! You too Black." Once James and Sirius had shown off a bit, doing some fake dives and loops they began to descend. When they reached the ground, Madam Hooch screamed "accio brooms!"
She was bright red and clearly very angry, "Fifty points from Gryffindor for disobeying a teacher and another ten for recklessly risking your own safety as well as the safety of others. You will also both have detention tonight with Professor McGonagall."
"Well done, Potter! You lost us sixty points!" Lily said angrily.
"Hey! I've still got us more than I've lost us. I got almost double that in Transfiguration alone, this morning." He said un-resentful.
As the first years walked back up to the castle, Snape and Lily walked together.
"How are you finding Hogwarts? I'm sorry we've barely seen each other." Snape said.
"It's been great. I absolutely love it. You?" Lily replied.
"Yeah, it's great." Snape's eye was caught by Potter and Black a few people a head of them. James kept making kissing noises at them and raising his eyebrow expectantly. "I absolutely loath Potter though."
"Yeah, me too." Lily said, still angry with him for losing the points.
"Evans, is Snivellus your boyfriend? Or are you free-game cause if you are…" James called out to Lily, before laughing hysterically with Sirius.
"That's it. I'm going to kill him." Snape drew out his wand, ready to attack.
James was quicker, "I'd think twice about that if I were you."
"I challenge you to a duel." Snape said between closed teeth.
"Time? Place?" James asked.
"Tonight, straight after your detention. In the trophies room."
"Right. Fine. Who's your second?" James asked, "Mines Black."
"Avery."
"Sev, you shouldn't." Lily tried to reason with her friend. "This is a very bad idea."
Really hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's quite a bit longer than I first intended...
Next chapter...
Potter and Black's detention...
The duel...
Double potions with Slytherin and maybe some mischievous antics from the marauders...
