49
The following days saw things at Hogwarts return to a relatively normal state. Of course, word of what had happened in Godric's Hollow that night spread like wildfire and a state of fear settled in upon the school. Those who had been sworn to protect them, the Aurors, were suddenly crippled in the face of Voldemort's increasingly growing ranks.
The news was further compounded by the sudden departure of Professor Mundungus Fletcher, who had gone to ground almost immediately after the events. Frank Longbottom had theorized that he was now aware that Voldemort's side knew he was a spy, and was trying as best as he could to hide. This caused Alice to point out just how far Professor Mondego had gotten when he tried to leave Dumbledore's protection at Hogwarts to try his hand elsewhere.
The remaining teachers tried to instill a since of normalcy in the students. The Champion's Ceremony was scheduled for the end of the week in which Frank would be crowned the Hogwarts' Combat Champion.
'Seems kind of meaningless now, don't you think?' Frank sighed as they sat down for dinner the night before the ceremony.
Alice shook her head fiercely. 'Don't talk like that,' she said. 'Remember what James said to you back in second year?' she asked, causing everyone to look at her in slight confusion. 'The world outside might be going to hell in a cauldron, but we can't forget to enjoy our lives while we can.'
James raised an eyebrow. 'You remembered that?'
Alice looked at him and shrugged. 'That was the day you brought Frank back to us,' she said while she reached out and squeezed Frank's hand, causing him to smile. 'It's not something I'll forget any time soon,' she added with an appreciative look back at James.
James felt his cheeks go slightly red and he suddenly focussed on his chicken and potatoes in front of him. He glanced up to see Lily Evans was looking at him with that very Lily look—the one that was equal parts knowing and amazed.
'I, for one, am going to be happy to have an excuse to party,' declared Sirius. 'Come on, we can't all mope around all the time. So Voldemort's out there, so what? Everyone dies sometime. That's no excuse not to have a good time until you do.'
Peter snorted. 'That's a big vote of confidence.'
Sirius shrugged. 'It's reality,' he said. 'D'you think most of those Aurors headed out that night knowing they weren't going to come back?'
When Peter looked somewhat green after that, Remus lightly tapped Sirius' arm. 'You were saying about a party?' he asked.
'Yeah,' Sirius said, oblivious to how he had just been manipulated. 'We don't have any exams this year, we're pretty much coasting until the summer. We haven't had any Quidditch Cups to celebrate, or pranks for that matter,' he added with a wink.
Lily raised an eyebrow. 'Is that an admission?' she asked.
'Don't know what you're talking about,' James said with a grin, causing everyone around to chuckle as well.
Sirius shrugged. 'So we should throw a party. We need to celebrate Longbottom winning the Championship, and James getting the better of Rochefort once again.'
James sighed. 'Sirius, that wasn't exactly the main focus of that night.'
'It should be,' Sirius said fiercely. 'Focus on the positive.' James sighed and glared at him, but Sirius shrugged. 'What did I say at the start of the year?' he said. 'Voldemort wants us to be running scared. The best way I know how to combat that is to have a damn good time. And if there's one thing I know how to do, it's to have a good time.'
Lily snorted. 'Your idea of a good time is hexing Sev,' she said.
'Don't knock it until you've tried it, sweetheart,' Sirius said with a roguish wink. Lily rolled her eyes, but Frank and Alice join in Sirius' laughter.
'Any rumblings on your prize?' James asked Frank.
Frank nodded. 'Dorcas said to take the surprise—as if I wasn't going to,' he said. 'She still won't tell me anything, despite my rather uncharacteristic begging and pleading,' he added with a chuckle. 'But I'll fill you guys in as soon as I know.'
'What if they forbid you?' Alice asked worriedly.
Frank squeezed her hand now. 'You think there's anything that I could ever keep from you?' he asked.
'How romantic,' Sirius said dryly. 'Speaking of which, where's Marlene…' he mused and he got up to his feet in search of her.
Frank followed him with his gaze down the bench and then looked at James. 'How are those two doing?' he asked softly.
James shrugged. 'Beats me,' he said. 'Their relationship almost seems built on being somewhat…angsty with each other.'
'Sounds an awful lot like someone else I know,' Frank said, his eyes flitting to Lily who blinked and then flushed furiously.
'We are—Potter and I are not in a relationship,' she said in a rush.
Alice smirked. 'Maybe you ought to change that,' she said.
'How about we change the subject, instead?' Lily muttered.
Remus seized the opportunity. 'I was thinking it might be a good idea to start reviewing our course selections for next year,' he said excitedly. 'You know we take our OWLS next year.'
Peter rolled his eyes. 'Leave it to you to bring homework into the mix,' he muttered.
'I think it's great that Remus is planning ahead,' Lily said loftily. 'What courses will you be taking to OWL level, Potter?' she asked.
James rubbed his chin. 'I guess that depends on what you pick,' he said.
'What do you mean?' she asked, wrinkling her nose in confusion.
James grinned. 'I intend to be wherever you are next year, Evans. So picking all the same classes as you seems like a good start.'
Lily goggled at him. 'You've got to be kidding,' she said.
'Not even a little,' James replied with a wink.
Frank looked thoughtful. 'All the major courses, of course—Potions, Defense, Transfiguration, Charms…everything I need to be an Auror.'
'The Academy could sure use you, Frank,' Remus said sincerely.
Alice clutched Frank's hand again. 'That's what I'll be doing, too,' she said.
'What about you, Remus?' Frank asked.
Remus smiled. 'I still hadn't given too much thought as to what I'd like to do for a career,' he said. 'I was actually thinking of adding Muggle Studies to my plate, and maybe even Care of Magical Creatures. Keep my options open.'
'You should be a teacher,' Peter said.
'Yeah, maybe you could break the jinx on the Defense position,' James said with a grin.
Remus laughed. 'It would take an awful lot for me to have to consider that,' he said in an amused tone of voice. 'I can't really picture any of the other teachers retiring.'
'Hogwarts would crumble without McGonagall and Flitwick,' Peter said with a nod.
'Slughorn could take a hike,' James muttered and they all laughed once again. They continued to banter back and forth until dinner dismissed and they made their way back to their dormitories. James' parents had returned to Godric's Hollow the day after they had been discharged to start repairing their house. Confirming what they already knew, the Ministry could no longer spare the resources to have their house under surveillance, so they were taking a slightly more unconventional approach to home defense by arming it with defensive charms and spells. Professor Flitwick had advised them on some choice ones to use.
Dorcas had also gone back to Appleby to be with Cresswell, but she had pledged to be back the day of the ceremony, as had Cresswell himself. With that to look forward to, everyone's spirits seemed to be relatively lifted in the Gryffindor common room.
'You seen any of the Slytherins since the end of the Combat Championship?' Sirius asked. The four of them were sitting by the fire. Remus was reading a small pamphlet—a guide to selecting classes for the fifth year, while the rest were idly conversing.
'Not up close,' James said.
Sirius shook his head. 'You know that ickle Reggie keeps trying to convince me I've got Voldemort sorted all wrong?' he muttered.
'How does he explain what happened in Godric's Hollow?' James asked in exasperation.
Sirius looked as if he was trying to recall. 'Something about how it was all Rochefort, and Voldemort can hardly be blamed for the lunatics who sympathize with him but go to insane lengths to achieve his goals,' he muttered.
'What about when Dumbledore fought with Voldemort?' Remus asked.
'He's got excuses for everything,' Sirius said darkly. 'Said if Dumbledore appeared in front of you at that point, who wouldn't feel threatened?'
'That's insane,' James said fiercely.
Sirius sighed. 'That's my blood brother. Bought right into my parents' pure blood mania, too soft not to,' he said with a dark look on his face.
'Well, you don't have to deal with that anymore,' James said bracingly. 'Starting this summer, you get to come live with us.'
Sirius' face brightened considerably. 'Can't wait,' he said. 'Imagine all the practice we can get done on our—er—project,' he said meaningfully, as Mary McDonald had just walked by.
'I'd almost forgotten about that,' Peter said.
'We haven't had much time to practice this year,' James said. 'But I think we should really devote a lot of time to it this summer.'
Remus sighed without looking up from his pamphlet. 'You know you can stop this at any time?' he asked. 'I still don't know how comfortable I am with the thought of you lot breaking the law for me,' he said.
'Please,' Sirius snorted derisively. 'Remember what Fletcher said? There's always a time when any law can be reasonably broken.'
This was perhaps the only thing that could have caused Remus to look up in surprise. 'That's it?' he asked dully. 'After all the good, moral Defense teachers we've had, you're taking a lesson from the only proven criminal on the roster?'
James shrugged. 'We can take Madam Bones' advice instead,' he said with a raised eyebrow.
Remus sighed. 'Oh fine. Good point, well made,' he muttered as James, Sirius and Peter exchanged grins.
'You're going to have to come join us as soon as you can,' James said firmly.
Peter nodded. 'I think my parents are wanting to go travelling for a bit, but I should be able to come around after,' he said. 'Mary also wanted to meet up over the summer.'
Sirius raised his eyebrows. 'McDonald, eh?' he asked.
Peter flushed. 'It's not like that,' he said hastily.
James leaned back in his chair. 'Tell us how it is, Peter,' he said lazily. 'I think we've missed a few details given the pact you two made in the championship.'
Peter turned red. 'We're just good friends,' he said. 'We talk about a lot, and we have a lot in common.'
'Like what?' Sirius asked interestedly.
Peter frowned. 'I—I don't know—'
'Come on, Peter, we're your friends,' Sirius pushed.
Peter sighed and stared at the ground. 'It's embarrassing.'
'Then don't feel the need to say it,' Remus said kindly.
'Bullpats! Come on, Peter, out with it,' Sirius said.
Peter sighed. 'We're both…at the bottom of the food chain,' he said in an embarrassed whisper.
James frowned. 'What do you mean?'
'She can't really contend with how skilled Lily, Marlene and Alice are and…and I can't really contend with you lot,' he said, turning red again.
Sirius grimaced, glancing at James. Remus pretended to be thoroughly engrossed in his pamphlet, leaving James to clear this up. 'Peter, listen to me,' he said and his friend looked up. 'That is just not true, mate.'
'I'm not saying I don't like it—you three are the smartest in our year,' he said.
'Don't sell yourself short,' James said softly. 'You're practicing to become an Animagi too, remember? How many wizards can do that?'
'But I haven't done it yet,' Peter said.
'But you will,' Sirius added bracingly. 'You've made progress, just like the rest of us have.'
James pointed at the pamphlet Remus was reading. 'Being good at academics is good and all, Peter, but it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of other ways to be useful and to be a good wizard. And you've got a lot of that. So does McDonald.'
'It doesn't feel like I've got that,' Peter muttered.
'Hey, you almost made it to the Final Eight in the Combat Championship,' Sirius said. 'Moony didn't get there!'
Remus looked up indignantly. 'I was ambushed!' he said defensively.
'And Peter wasn't,' Sirius said with a smirk.
Remus muttered darkly as he looked back down at his book, but Peter looked somewhat mollified. 'You were also the only one to think ahead and make a backup plan,' James said encouragingly after a moment. 'None of us thought of that.'
'Thanks, guys,' Peter said, looking happier.
Sirius clapped his hands together. 'So. How about we plan that party for tomorrow?'
