Author's Note: To those of you in the reviews who have been telling me things like Lily's last name and whether or not their parents were Muggles: I thank you for the info, but I'm telling you that this is a fanfic. I decide those things now ; ). I'm not trying to be rude or anything, I'm just trying to clarify that I meant to do those things.
But thanks for reminding me of Lily's last name, I had forgotten. But I don't think I'll change it now. Thanks again to all the readers! Oh yeah, and you're just a couple chapters away from finding out just what Lily wrote and Lola read…
James went downstairs and ate breakfast, trying to ignore the looks from
Tempesta. "What?" he muttered harshly at her when their mother's back turned.
"What's up with Magnus?" she asked sternly. James shook his head
convincingly. After breakfast, he took her up to his room to explain.
"He came home and he was drunk."
"From what?"
"Muggle alcohol. He thinks Chelsey's a Muggle, but he's not sure. He was
drunk last night when he called. He was drunk when they-did it. I don't get
it…drunk drunk drunk!" James yelled. Tempesta flinched.
"Sorry Temp. I just don't-"
"Understand. None of us do James. Dad and Mum both know already, they let you find out on your own. And I just found out from you, but they've been talking in secret about 'Magnus's problem' for ages now. I've heard them. I wish he'd just get a hold of himself!" Tempesta cried.
"Me too, Temp, me too."
Two hours later, after his hangover, Magnus was back downstairs acting normal again, going on and on about Apparition and how great he was at school and such.
"Oh shush will you? Why don't you spend your days and nights doing useful things with your Apparition skill instead of rambling endlessly on about it, eh? Like cleaning up the bathroom or something," Phyllinda finally snapped one day. Magnus, looking taken aback and violated, had stormed off to his room to call Chelsey again.
James took his chance. He knocked sharply on the door after finding it was locked. "Mum, I'm busy here!" Magnus said intently.
"It's James. Lemme in NOW Magnus!" he ordered. He heard the shuffling of feet, the slamming of a phone, and the unlocking of a door, then saw Magnus.
"What is it? That was Chelsey you know!"
"Asked her whether or not she's a Muggle yet?" James asked sarcastically.
"No, I still don't know that. I'm going to break up with her. And I'm going to quit with the Muggle alcohol shit. It's really startin' to kill me, I think."
"Yeah, well, I heard Mum and Dad both know about you and your little Muggle alcohol problem. Tempesta's heard 'em talkin', so I sincerely suggest you get your act together before they confront you about it," James warned.
"What? How could they know?"
"Maybe your phone calls gave you away?"
"There's been more than one?" James laughed.
"Magnus I get one almost every night you're over there. You probably slipped to Mum, she told Dad, and Tempesta overheard them one night. Get it? So quit it! Listen, I gotta go, I told Chris and George we'd do something non-Muggle today, and non-Magnus, and you seem to be doing neither. Good luck with Chelsey, be sure to find out whether or not she's a Muggle alright? That's a piece of info I wanna know!" James yelled as he walked out the door, shutting it behind him.
Outside Chris and George were waiting, and looking very impatient. "Sorry guys," James apologized, "Magnus." They nodded. They were both second years at Hogwarts and often looked down upon James, but they were the only kids around he could ever see. What with his strict mum, needy sister, and screwed up brother, how was he to make friends?
Suddenly an owl appeared from nowhere, a letter clutched in its beak. James recognized the emerald ink and yellow parchment at first glance; that was his Hogwarts letter! And it was almost the first day of school too! Soon he would escape the hellhole he called home, and live in a new home, with new friends, and a new life. He jumped up and down in joy, abandoned George and Chris, and raced inside the house.
"I got my letter!" he sang through the rooms, hallways, stairways, and corridors. His dad came at a run, his mum at a jog, his sister at a sprint, and Magnus not at all. He excitedly ripped it open, read it aloud, looked over his booklist, and sealed it all back up again.
"Mum, can Tempesta and I go with Magnus to Diagon Alley at once for my things?" Phyllinda shrugged.
"If Magnus wants to." Yes James thought, Magnus will do my very bidding! After all, it is only I who knows how far he has gone with that poor Muggle Chelsey! I could rat him out to Mum in a second and he'e be grounded forever! Perfect! He ran up the stairs, and after 5 short minutes was trailed by Magnus as they headed out the door.
After a long day in Diagon Alley, James had all his school things. He was ready to go. He was already packed, though he still had a week before the first day.
"So Magnus, was she a Muggle?" James asked one day.
"Yep."
"Did you quit?"
"Yep."
"Does Mum know?"
"Nope."
"Magnus!" Magnus turned defensively toward him.
"And you don't run my life anymore either. Now that I'm clean and sober, I don't need you. Sorry little bro!" he said as he stalked off. James just stared after him in disbelief.
"'Now that I'm clean and sober', blah blah blah!" James said to himself angrily as he headed out the door. "Whatever!"
Finally the day came, James could leave his home and go to Hogwarts! He grabbed his bags and tossed them loudly down the stairs, waking the entire house.
Tempesta came bouding down the stairs, arms outstretched, already in tears.
"Please James, you can't leave me here with Magnus!"
"Temp, you have mum and dad too!"
"But you know him! He'll torture me worse with you gone! Write all the time James!!"
"Aww, Temp! You know I will!" He hugged her.
"Now just relax, ok Temp?" She nodded.
An hour later, they were at King's Cross Station, listening to Tempesta's agonized cries on Platform 9 ¾.