Previously McGonagall came to speak to James and Frank... but we don't know why...


Chapter 29:

The boys waited for their teacher to speak. "Frank, I'm so sorry. They found your father this morning. He had been tortured. He didn't make it. I'm so sorry son." She frowned, this was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do as a hogwart's teacher.

Frank burst into tears. All thoughts of refinement gone. James held his friend and patted him on the back soothingly. "I'm so sorry, Frank. James, we still have no idea where your father is, but I promise the second we do, I'll tell you." She left the boys in the empty corridor. James pulled out his wand and summoned his patronus, "expect patronum" before asking it to convey a message to Alice, "Tell her: We need you Alice. Only you. My patronus will lead you to us."

The stag galloped off. James was incredibly grateful that his dad had taught him that spell. It was already proving useful. He transfigured a table into a comfortable sofa and waited with the now sobbing Frank.


"What is that?" Lily asked, as a beautiful stag entered the room. She'd never seen anything like it. It was incredible. She lent forward in her chair. She wanted desperately to touch it.

"It's James' patronus," Sirius answered.

The patronus seemed to speak yet its mouth didn't move. It was stood in front of Alice, "We need you Alice. Only you. My patronus will lead you." Alice stood up and followed the patronus out the portrait hole, leaving the other first years sat in awe.

"How does he know how to conjure a patronus? That's meant to be incredibly hard." Lily asked.

"His dad," Sirius replied. "I can do it too. Look… Expectro Patronum…" A silvery dog flew from his wand and began to jump excitedly around the room. Lily was impressed, but it wasn't anything like that majestic stag.

"Stop showing off Sirius. Anyone can do it. I bet Lily could do it right now, if we told her how." James said as he walked in through the portrait hole. "All it takes is a little happiness."

Lily frowned. Had he just complimented her or called her stupid – she couldn't be sure. "Besides it took you a whole day, I bet Evans could get it in ten minutes." That was definitely a compliment. Lily blushed slightly.

"I don't think I could," she whispered.

"Try it," James knelt before her, "Just think of the happiest memory you have. Can you think of one?"

"Yeah," Lily had her eyes shut, thinking about the moment she first saw Hogwarts.

"Right now just try the incantation."

"Expectro Patronum" Nothing seemed to happen…

"Try again…" James encouraged the girl he didn't like.

Lily noticed that James' eyes were twinkling slightly with excitement. "Expectro Patronum." This time something happened. A white mist came out of her wand. Lily frowned, "I can't do it."

James laughed, making Lily frown more, "Evans, it took me half an hour to get mist. It took me another hour to get a corporal form. It took Sirius an hour to get mist, and Peter has been trying since we got back from Christmas and he only managed to get mist yesterday. You just did amazingly and the best bit is, for once, you don't even know it." James laughed freely now and soon the others joined in until they remembered.

"What happened?" Mary asked.

"They found Frank's dad," James hoped they'd catch on but apparently not.

"Is he here? Is he in the hospital wing?" Peter asked.

"No, Peter." James answered patiently. "He's gone."

"Oh." Peter looked sadly at his feet, "What do you think happens when you die?"

There was quiet as they thought over the question. James was the first to answer. "My dad," he hoped no one would notice how he struggled with the word, it really hurt to think of him, "My dad, he told me about a place within the ministry. There's this vale. My dad says we go behind the vale. He says if you get close enough you can hear them talking – the voices of your dead loved ones. If no one you've loved has ever died then it is as quiet as the dead of night."

"I never thought there was anything after we die…" Lily thought out loud.

James looked at her, "I have to believe there is. Otherwise what are we fighting for? What did they all die fighting for?" no one asked who, they knew he came from a long line of aurors. "My mum always says that death is just the next big adventure. My dad always told me that 'the last enemy that will be destroyed is death…'"

Lily frowned, "I don't get it."

James answered her patiently, "Humans fear death, Evans. When we die we get to say that we experienced life, that we knew love, that we were not scared when we greeted death."

Lily smiled, "that makes sense if you grow old."

"It makes sense regardless. I live everyday as if it could be my last. I suggest you do the same."


Thursday:

No news is good news. No news is good news. No news is good news. No news is good news. James kept telling himself. Frank had blotches under his eyes, he had spent the night crying. Alice had stayed with him. They hadn't slept at all. Harry watched as his parents both looked at their friend anxiously. Thursday was a dull day… nothing happened. James sat in his lessons thinking up ways to annoy Evans – although a part of him wondered if he wanted to annoy her; she had seemed pretty cool the night before, but on some level that just made him want to annoy her even more.


Friday:

No news is good news.


Saturday:

No news is good news.


Sunday:

No news is good news.


Monday:

No news is good news.


Tuesday:

NO NEWS BETTER BLOODY BE GOOD NEWS…


Wednesday:

Shit, I've still not heard anything…


Thursday:

He's dead isn't he? Oh merlin…


Friday:

James and the marauders had been working on the potion – it was slowly getting there. The map was coming together too. They had finished drawing it and were beginning to put the spells and incantations on it. James had stopped looking for his owl – no news was no longer good news. James was beginning to give up. He sat at the Gryffindor table staring at his food that he had barely touched when he heard a hoot. He looked up and grabbed at Pickle's leg. She hooted again excitedly, James knew what she was saying, he's ok. "He's ok." James whispered.

Sirius overheard him but didn't comment.

Dear James,

They found your dad in the early hours of this morning. He's ok. He wants to see you. He's at St Mungo's. I've written to the school. I was thinking Sirius, Remus and Peter could come too. Maybe, Frank if he wants to but I understand if it's too hard for him.

Love you Jamie.

Mum

Xxx

James smiled and sighed in relief. Frank smiled sadly at his friend, "James, I'm glad."

"I'm so sorry Frank."

"Don't be sorry." Frank nodded.

"I'm going to St Mungo's. Mum was wondering if you guys would come with me?"

"Yeah, of course." Sirius answered automatically. Remus and Peter nodded in the affirmative.

"I understand if it's too much…" James said to Frank.

"No. If Mrs Potter has asked for my presence then she'll have it."


They found Charlus! I hope you are as happy as I am!

He will die eventually but its nice to know the potter parents are going to be in the story for a while.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!

Next chapter...

St Mungos...

Alice and Frank... maybe some romance?

Lily and James will inevitably become friends... nah who am I kidding they'll argue like cat and dog.