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New chapter for you all... Love you guys...
Chapter 53:
The next day, Charlus Potter finally woke up. James could not express how relieved he was. His father barely spoke, spending most of the day resting but it was encouraging to see him awake. James had informed the reporters of the change in his father's condition almost immediately, as he had promised. Mrs Potter couldn't stop crying. Now that she knew he was going to be okay, she was so completely overwhelmed with grief.
"So what have I missed?" Charlus asked.
"Only James becoming a man," Dorea joked, ruffleing her son's hair.
"I see," Charlus yarned.
"It's in the paper," Dorea smiled, "look love."
Charlus read the paper and smiled, "I am proud of you, James. Very proud."
"Thank you father," James beamed.
Charlus explained to his family what had gone wrong in the raid, "I'd love to just retire and sit on a hot beach somewhere for the next twenty years but…"
"It's not in your blood," Dorea laughed.
"It's not the right time," Charlus sighed.
"It never will be, Charlie," Dorea frowned.
"Every day we move closer to declaring war," Charlus sighed, "I'd look like I was unwilling to fight."
"You'd look like a coward," James replied.
"James!" Dorea scorned.
"No Dori, he's right. He wouldn't think I was a coward but everyone else would." Charlus replied.
The following day James returned to Hogwarts. His friends smiled when he joined them at the Gryffindor table for lunch. "Ah, James, I've missed you," Alice said, hugging him tightly.
James noticed that Lily was sat with Tom; his arm around her shoulder. He felt something in his stomach that he'd never really known before – he was jealous. "How's your dad?" Remus asked.
"He's ok," James nodded.
Lily watched him. She was still really angry with him but a part of her was worried for him. James caught her eye briefly but she turned away to talk to Tom. James sighed, "got to think about Quidditch now… the match is tomorrow."
"Do you feel ready?" Sirius asked.
"Sure thing," James smiled, "I was born ready."
In an attempt to avoid having to see Lily with Tom, James hid away in the library researching animagi, for the whole evening. The books were very basic and said nothing of the spells he'd need to cast. James sighed, what about the restricted section? If he could just get permission from one of the teachers.
He quickly made his way to Professor Slughorn's office to ask for a permission slip but Professor Slughorn frowned at him saying; "there is absolutely nothing you'd want to read in there Potter. By the way, I'm thinking of throwing a little get together. Spread the word to the rest of the slugclub would you."
"Sure thing Professor," James replied, feeling incredibly disappointed. Never mind, just have to get the cloak out.
He made his way back to the common room. Sirius frowned, "oi where have you been?"
"Library," James replied. All of the second years were sat around the fire. Tom had joined them of course. He was sat with Lily on his lap as there weren't enough chairs. Peter and Mary were playing exploding snap. Remus was reading a book.
"The library?" Sirius scoffed.
"Yeah right," Peter laughed.
"If we are going to do what we said we'd do, then we have to learn how first. I don't want to kill myself trying," James replied angrily.
"James, I still think it's too dangerous," Remus sighed.
"You've been outvoted – deal with it," James replied harshly. "I'm going to bed."
Sirius watched him go, "he never gets angry with me."
"Don't worry Si," Peter smiled, "he's probably just tired. He has been sleeping in a chair for about a week at St Mungo's."
"It's just, I'd have helped if I knew that's what he was doing," Sirius sighed.
"He probably couldn't find what he needed," Remus frowned, "you know what he's like when he can't do what he thinks he should."
One of the fourth years called from the portrait hole, "er guys, there's a ravenclaw here to see James. What do I do?"
"Who is it?" Remus asked.
"Er, Nancy?"
"Let her in," Sirius replied, jumping out of his seat. "Alright, Nance."
"I'm good. How are you, Si?" said the seventeen year old girl.
"Not bad," Sirius nodded.
"Where's James?" Nancy asked, "I have a message from home for him."
"Upstairs," Sirius pointed to the stairs to the boys' dormitories. "Is everything…" but she was gone; running up the stairs.
Nancy banged on the door to the second years' dorm room, "James, it's me, Nancy."
James opened the door, "what's wrong?"
"I- I've got news from home. The ministry received a letter from the Knights of Walpurgis. It was mainly just a list."
"What sort of list?" James asked.
"A list of names," Nancy replied, "Targets. People they are threatening to kill."
"Ok – is dad's name on the list?"
"No – yours is."
James laughed, "Why would they want to kill me? That's stupid. Your mum is insisting that for the next week of so you have an auror with you at all times."
"That's ridiculous," James laughed.
"No James. They're really worried."
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Next chapter = Quidditch...
