Chapter 25-Rain, Rain, Go Away
"N.E.W.T.S will be held in exactly one week from today. I know you've all been studying diligently, so there will be no assignment tonight. I trust that you will use your extra time in preparation for the exams. Good day."
We all trudged out of McGonagall's class slowly. James walked next to me quietly, a very odd occurrence indeed. The rest of our group of friends was in front of us and making their way to the Great Hall.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked James.
He sighed.
"That's a loaded question." He said.
"Try me." I said as I nudged him with my shoulder.
He sighed again.
"I'm just not sure about things anymore." He said.
I could feel my heart tighten.
"What?" I whispered.
Is he having second thoughts about us? Is he having second thoughts about me?
"I dunno. With NEWTS coming up... Do I really want to be an auror anymore? I mean, I look at my parent's right, and they're great, but they're in constant danger. I want to have a family some day and I don't want them to worry about if they're going to see me tomorrow like I do with my parents. I'm not a coward. But If I don't become an auror it will seem that way. And on top of everything else... will it ever stop raining? We have the Quidditch final tomorrow and it's rained for the past three days!" He said.
I let out a sigh of relief.
Then I rolled my eyes. He would have Quidditch as his biggest concern.
"You don't have to have everything figured out right now, or even when you're taking your NEWTS. You have all summer to think about what you want to do. And James, anyone who knows you knows you're anything but a coward. Also, we've played in worse conditions than rain. It's going to be ok… everything." I said.
James looked at me and smiled.
"You're right." He said.
"I usually am." I said jokingly.
He laughed.
"Are you going to the Great Hall?" James asked.
"Actually, I was going to go talk to Dumbledore." I said.
"Oh. Well at least you won't be in the library again researching wandless magic." He said.
He must have caught the guilty look that came upon my face.
"Lily!" He said as he stopped walking and turned to face me completely.
"I really am going to talk to Dumbledore! About what I've been researching." I admitted.
"You're becoming obsessed with this. It isn't healthy. Especially when you are skipping meals and using your entire extra time researching it instead of hanging out with your friends." He said.
"I know how you feel about this James, and that you think the whole thing is ridiculous. But I know that I'm dreaming about this for a reason!" I said.
James frowned.
"I don't think it's ridiculous, Lily. I would never think that about something that's obviously important to you. I'm just worried about you. But if you think this is what will really help you then go ahead. I just want the dreams to stop so that we can both get some decent sleep without you waking up in the middle of the night, every night. It's not that I am at all bothered or angry about it, but, I just want it to stop." He said.
I nodded and James sighed.
"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked.
"No. I can go alone. It's alright." I said.
"Well, I'll walk you to Dumbledore's office just the same." He said as he took hold of my hand and walked us in the direction of Dumbledore's office.
I nodded knowing that there was really no point in telling him he doesn't have to escort me everywhere.
"I'll see you later." I said once the stone gargoyle slid open for me.
I watched James as the staircase ascended to the point that I could no longer see him, and then I turned and reached to knock on the door.
"Come in!" I heard before I had even touched the door.
I smiled and shook my head as I opened the door.
"Ah. Miss Evans! To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?" I said.
He nodded.
"Please, have a seat." He said gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.
I sat down nervously.
"Sir, I was wondering about wandless magic." I said.
"Indeed?" He said.
I told him about my reoccurring dream, the one where I relive what happened the night of my parents' annual Easter ball, specifically my ability to perform wandless magic.
"I know that accidental magic can happen when a person is frightened or angry, but I don't think it was accidental magic. I really believe that, somehow, I performed wandless magic." I said.
"As do I." Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
"But how is that possible? All of my research says that wandless magic is a trait of purebloods." I said.
"That's a common misconception." He said.
"Sir?" I asked.
"Accidental magic, in itself, is wandless magic. The ability to control wandless magic, that is to say, perform it at will; that is what people have misconstrued to be a trait of pureblood lineage. It has been believed as such because it is rare and the documented cases of witches or wizards with the ability have all, in fact, descended from all magical families. No doubt that the books you have gathered your research from are all rather old, written from a time when blood lineage was of the utmost importance and the writers themselves were most likely of the same nature with the prejudice that purebloods are more magically able than those who have muggle heritage mixed with magical. Clearly, this is not the case. I believe you to be a very gifted witch, Miss Evans, and I have every confidence that you performed wandless magic at your will." He said.
I was stunned. Not only did Dumbledore clear any misconceptions I had about wandless magic, he also complimented my magical abilities. This kind of praise from such an esteemed wizard brought a blush to my face.
"Thank you, sir." I said looking intensely at the grain of his wooden desk, trying to hide my embarrassment.
"There is no need to thank me Miss Evans, but you're welcome just the same." He said, smiling kindly when I finally looked up.
"Sir, do you think I could do it again? Or was that a one time thing?" I asked.
"Have you tried to do it again?" He asked.
I shook my head.
"No sir." I said.
He nodded.
"I believe that it all depends entirely upon you. You were the one who willed it to happen the first time; it is up to you if you should do it again." He said.
"How?" I asked.
"It comes from not only your concentration on what you want to happen, but the level of want that you have. You must really want it to happen, will it to happen, to allow it to." He said.
He held up his hand and made a beckoning gesture.
Suddenly, a book from one of his bookshelves across the room slid out of its dusty spot and lazily floated toward Dumbledore's outstretched hand. My eyes widened as his hand clasped it and he gently handed it to me.
"This may help you in your pursuit to control your wandless ability. This book is a collection of my thoughts on the subject when I too was learning to control it." He said.
"Thank you, sir." I said as I gently placed the worn leathered book in my lap.
Dumbledore smiled.
"You are very welcome, Miss Evans. Please do keep me informed of your progress." He said.
I nodded and stood up.
"I will, sir. Thank you, again." I said.
"It was my pleasure." He said.
I nodded once more before turning and leaving his office.
"So how did it go?" James asked from his seat on the couch.
I walked over and sat next to him.
"It went well." I said.
James put his book down on the side table and turned to face me.
"Do you feel better?" He asked.
"Yes. I'm glad I went and talked to him." I said.
"So, you won't be having anymore nightmares right?" He asked.
"Well, I hope not. It's looking optimistic though." I said.
He looked like he wanted to ask me something but just as he opened his mouth I interrupted.
"Speaking of nightmares, we should probably get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow." I said.
I was hoping this would distract him from asking me for details about my talk with Dumbledore. It's not that I didn't want to tell him, I just wanted to wait for a better time. We both have too much to deal with this right now, especially when James isn't to enthusiastic about the topic. And besides, I'm still not too sure about this whole issue, I'd like to just keep this to myself for a little while just so I can think about it.
"Yeah, you're right. It's the last Quidditch game of the season. It's our last game at Hogwarts." He said.
"And it's going to be amazing. But let's get some sleep." I said.
He nodded and we started walking toward the dormitory stairs when the portrait hole opened and Charlie came in.
"Charlie? What are you doing here?" I asked.
Charlie glanced at James.
"Oh, um, I'll just go on up." James said uneasily.
Charlie was still glaring at James every chance he got.
"No James, stay. If he has something to say to me he can say it in front of you too." I said.
James nodded quietly and looked at the ground.
Charlie crossed his arms and before he could say anything, I did.
"Charlie, you've got to stop treating James this way. You're supposed to be friends." I said.
"We're supposed to be friends? I don't think 'friends' sleep with their friends' sister." He said.
I rolled my eyes.
James stepped forward.
"Charlie mate, look, I love Lily and I'm sorry but whatever we do is our business." James said.
"Would you please let this go already and stop acting like a second year?" I asked Charlie.
Charlie was quiet for a moment before he muttered a "fine".
"Good. Now we can all be friends again." I said.
"But if you hurt her, I swear to Merlin-"
"I won't Charlie! I won't." James said quickly.
Then they shook hands as I rolled my eyes. Boys!
"So did you want to ask her how it went with Dumbledore?" James asked.
"What? You went and talked to Dumbledore? Why?" Charlie asked.
Before I could answer, James beat me to it.
"She's been having these reoccurring dreams and she thinks it means something important." He said.
"What are the dreams about?" Charlie asked.
"Well-"I began.
"They're about the Death Eater attack on Easter." James said, once again answering for me.
"Well what about it?" Charlie asked James.
Obviously, this conversation doesn't include me anymore. And as it's starting to get late, I think I'll just head to bed. Besides, it's been a very stressful day.
I walked right between both boys as I made my way to the stair case and they didn't even notice! So I just went ahead and walked up to James' room and climbed in bed. Even though I was basically ignored just then, I'm just glad that James and Charlie are on good terms again.
"And the Gryffindor team is flying an honorary lap around the pitch today in honor of their house mates that were casualties in the attacks this year. Though they aren't here with us in body, they will always be with us in spirit." Remus' voice echoed through the pitch.
The crowd stayed silent until we landed back on the ground and James walked forward to shake hands with the Slytherin captain, as is customary.
Everything seemed like a blur after the whistle was blown. It was a vigorous game and the Slytherin's played dirty, as we knew they would. Gryffindor, however, played with an intensity that I had never seen from our team. Even though it was raining, we had never been more in sync. Throughout the whole game I kept having flashbacks of James' pre game speech.
'…This is just a game to them! It's just another opportunity to not play fair. But Slytherin house is the only house this year that hasn't had a single loss in their number because of the Death Eater attacks. And today we're going to go out there and make a stand. That we are GRYFFINDOR and that we will fight! We're going out there and I want you to play for every single one of the people who aren't here today and should be. So let's go out there and show those Slytherin who the Gryffindor's are, let's show everyone who WE are!'
We led the score by seventy-three points, took out one of their beaters, and just as James' hand closed around the golden snitch, it flashed through my head again.
'..Let's go out there and show those Slytherin who the Gryffindor's are, let's show everyone who WE are!'
And as three fourths of the stands erupted into unbelievably loud cheers at our victory, I couldn't help but think that we did just that.
As the Quidditch House Cup was being levitated onto the field the rain suddenly stopped and the sun came out.
I was lifted onto a fellow Gryffindor' shoulders and I looked at James' and the rest of the Gryffindor teams' smiling faces. I leaned my face up toward the sky and closed my eyes as the warm sun shone down. And it was in that moment that I had the strong feeling that Leah really was here in spirit. I looked back down and my eyes connected with Charlie's smiling face coming down the stands. If there was one thing Leah loved, it was a 'bloody good game of Quidditch'. I smiled as I heard her voice saying those words in my head.
James was suddenly next to me and pushed the Cup into my hands.
"For Leah." I smiled.
"For Leah."
"There's a party in the Gryffindor common room!" Sirius shouted.
I started laughing as we were making our way from the locker rooms back to the castle.
"Excuse me!"
The whole Gryffindor team turned around at the unfamiliar voice to see a man smartly dressed standing next to professor Dumbledore.
"May I have a quick word with Mr. Black, Potter, Strummer, and Misses Evans and Harpor?" He said.
I glanced at Tiffany as the seventh year team members made their way back inside the locker rooms followed by the newcomer and Dumbledore. We all took seats on the benches and looked at the man expectantly.
"Now, you may or may not know but my name is Mr. Hildridge. I work for the Ministry of Magic in the department of Magical Games and Sports. And it is my job to recruit players for the Quidditch International Draw." He said.
"Oh Merlin!" Tiffany gasped.
Joe, James, and Sirius looked just as surprised.
"Um, am I missing something here?" I whispered to Tiffany who was sitting next to me.
Joe overheard and turned to look at me.
"The Quidditch International Draw is pretty much where you get the opportunity to be drafted into one of the International Professional Quidditch teams and its invitation only." He said.
"That's right." Mr. Hildridge said.
"And today, I'd like to officially extend the invitation to each of you." He said.
Nobody said a word.
"Now these are your official invitations. Keep in mind that this honor is bestowed upon very few people your age, but after your game today I really had no choice." He said smiling as he handed each of us a scroll with our names written in a deep purple ink.
"Err, are you on the mickey?" Sirius finally said.
"Mr. Black!" Dumbledore reprimanded, although he was smiling.
Mr. Hildridge started laughing.
"I assure you, I'm not drunk. This is real. Those invitations are real. They are all stamped with the official department seal." He said.
The boys glanced at each other before they erupted into cheers.
Dumbledore smiled and escorted Mr. Hildridge back outside into the bright sun.