Title Needed (Desperately!)
Ch. 5: Masquerade- Part 1
A/N: Life is too crazy... I haven't sent Ch. 4 to my beta yet, only because my older sister is on the phone... so I can't use my e-mail... but I will shortly... I'm sorry if it takes me long to get chapters posted, but I think I'm definitely on a weekly basis, or I try to be. It's really hard right now though... Once mid-terms are done with this week, a lot of tension will be removed... and I mean a LOT of tension! But then of course I have to start studying for my AP History test in May... which is a VERY big thing... but that's okay. And track is almost over, and I won't be baby sitting much longer, so never fear! I will have more time! And I love this story, so even if no one is reading it, I will post it anyway! Because I can't just let it slide! Not now! Okay, I"ll stop babbling...
Disclaimer: My mom (or mum, depending on where I'm from, which is OBVIOUSLY England, since I use so many American terms......) is JK Rowling, and she lets me write stories about her characters, just for the fun of it. She says they give her inspiration... *cough, cough*.....
***
James wearily made his way into the teacher's lounge. It was the first break he had all day, and it wasn't long. He just wanted to sit down and sleep, but he knew he couldn't miss his afternoon classes. Going over to the bulletin board, he noticed three memos posted. The first was in regards to the Slytherin versus Gryffindor Quidditch match. The second reminded the teachers that term was closing and they needed their grades handed in. The third made James gasp a little.
"A Halloween masquerade?" he said quietly to himself. Biting his lip, he turned his back from the bulletin board. Sighing, he went and sat down in one of the oversized armchairs. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to clear his head of all the thoughts running through it. He opened them again when the door to the lounge opened and Ron came in.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you," Ron said, walking over to a pitcher filled with coffee and pouring himself a cup.
"It's okay. I was just thinking about that masquerade. Sounds... interesting..." James said, standing up and stretching a little.
"It's not that bad. It kind of became a tradition a few years back. Dumbledore seems to enjoy it, so it just stuck, I guess. You don't have to go if you really don't want to," Ron said.
"Maybe I will go... I don't know. A masquerade on Halloween..." James said, a hint of sadness and longing in his voice. Ron gave him a strange look, but didn't push it. Instead, he chose to change the subject.
"So, are you going to the big Quidditch match next weekend?" Ron asked. James smiled a little, then shrugged.
"I might. I haven't flown in ages... I wish I could just get out there and zoom around for a bit," James said wistfully. Ron smiled a little to himself.
"Doing anything after classes are done today?" Ron asked, his smile growing ever larger. James just looked at him for a moment, then started smiling as well.
"No, I'm not. Any suggestions as to what I could do?" James asked, playing along a little with Ron, who was still smiling.
"Meet me on the Quidditch pitch at four o'clock. Bring your broom," Ron said, smiling, taking a sip of his coffee, and leaving the office. James had a gigantic smile on his face as he followed Ron out and headed to his next class.
Later that day, James slowly walked towards the Quidditch pitch, his broom slung over his shoulder. He had a content smile on his face as he walked, taking his time and enjoying the light breeze blowing across the grounds. Finally, he reached the stadium, where he saw Ron standing near the center, holding a broom himself. Ron smiled and waved at him.
"Great, you're here! I know we haven't really been that great friends since you came her, but I just thought you seemed rather stressed out, and flying just always seemed like a natural way for me to relax, so I thought you might like to fly for a bit. Up to a race?" Ron asked, smiling once again. James had an almost evil twinkle in his eye.
"Just to warn you now, I've never been beat," James said, mounting his broom and kicking up a couple feet. Ron followed suit. "On the count of three?" James asked. Ron nodded in consent. "One... two... three!" James shouted, leaning forward on his broom and taking off, Ron close at his heels. Wind whipping their hair, they flew around the stadium five times before James was so far ahead he almost lapsed Ron, who reluctantly gave in.
"Only one person has ever beat me," Ron said in disappointment. He sighed a little, trying to straighten his hair out a bit.
"You've got a bit of dirt on your nose," James said, going over to the seats to sit down for a minute. Ron swiped at his nose irritably, then followed him.
"So, what kind of broom do you have, anyway?" James asked casually. Ron put his broom down next to him as he sat.
"Lightning Bolt 3000. You?" Ron asked. James ran a thumb along the handle of his broom a moment before answering.
"A Firebolt," he said, almost in a whisper. Ron didn't say anything for a moment, noticeably stunned.
"A Firebolt? Those haven't been made in what, ten years? Fifteen?" Ron asked, his voice sounding slightly gruffy as a mixture of sadness and anger crept into it. James was silent for a moment more.
"Twelve years. I was fifteen when they made the last one. Special order, to the US International team. I remember the day I got mine... everyone was in shock... it was one of the first sold..." James said, sadness creeping into his voice. Ron glared at him slightly, then sighed a little.
"My friend had one. It was a Christmas present from his godfather. We were in our third year. I remember how jealous everyone was. Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup that year," Ron said longingly, obviously wishing things were the way they used to be.
"Who was he? Your friend, I mean," James asked, trying not to sound intrusive. Ron was staring off towards the Forbidden Forest, not responding.
"Have you ever had someone who meant everything to you? Someone who, if they ever left, could mean years of pain and regret?" Ron asked, still looking towards the Forest.
"In a way," James said quietly. Ron just shook his head a little. James bit his lip and didn't say any more.
"You wouldn't understand. When I was in school, I had everything. A loving family, a great girlfriend, and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. By the end of my seventh year though, nothing would ever be the same..." Ron didn't really seem to care what he was saying. He just continued talking, as James nodded to show he was still listening. "Can I show you something?" Ron asked suddenly. James looked a little startled.
"Um, sure," he said, following Ron as he got up and started heading for the Forbidden Forest. "Should we be going in there? Isn't it forbidden?" James asked as he saw where they were going.
"Not where I'm taking you. Don't worry," Ron said, still leading the way, plunging ahead recklessly. A few minutes later, just as the sun was starting to set, casting a red glow on everything, Ron stopped. He was in a clearing, a large statue in the middle. James didn't say anything for a moment.
"Him? He was your friend?" James asked, somewhat rhetorically. Ron just sighed. "Who is he?" James asked. Ron gave him a funny look, like he was wondering if James was being serious.
"You really don't know who that is? Did you live under a rock in America or something?" Ron said, anger creeping into his voice.
"I led a mainly Muggle life in America. I didn't know too many other wizards," James said, somewhat guiltily. Ron seemed to accept the answer.
"Harry Potter. My best friend," Ron said, very quietly. James almost didn't hear him. "He died fighting Voldemort..."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know," James said. Ron didn't reply, looking up at the face of the statue, a single tear running down his cheek, illuminated in the light of the setting sun.
"We'd better get back to the castle. It's almost dinner time," Ron said, a finality in his voice. James nodded. Ron started walking away, but James stayed behind for a minute, looking up into the face of the statue. A small, sad smile played across his lips as he followed Ron up to the castle.
***
James walked into the Great Hall to find that Ron was already sitting next to Hermione, eating his dinner quietly. James didn't say anything as he sat down and began to eat his food as well. They both finished their meals in silence. Just as James was about to leave, Ginny came over to their group.
"Hey you guys. Are you going to the Masquerade?" she asked. Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione smiled.
"Of course we are. We wouldn't miss it for the world," Hermione said. Ginny smiled.
"How about you, James? Is the newest addition to our teaching staff going to come out and dance?" Ginny asked, somewhat teasingly. James blushed a little.
"I might. I haven't decided yet. But if I did, I wouldn't have anything to wear," James replied. Ron rolled his eyes again.
"I'm sure you could think of something," Ginny said. James smiled a little. Looking at his watch, he excused himself, saying he had work to finish. Everyone said goodnight to him as he headed off towards his office.
Once in the sanctuary of his own room, James allowed some of his true emotions to show. He let out a sad, deep sigh, then went and sat down at his desk, taking out a piece of parchment and a quill. He started composing a letter to his wife.
'Dear Jenny,' he started writing. 'How are things in London? I'm sorry I haven't written more often, but things are quite insane here. You know what it can be like. Everyone seems to be enjoying my class though. There's going to be a masquerade ball for Halloween... I don't know if I should go... Would you mind? I wouldn't be going with anyone or anything... I'd ask you, but there's no way you would be able to come up for it... Anyway, I hope things are going well for you. Lots of love, James.' He reread his letter once before rolling it up and putting it aside to send in the morning.
He sighed deeply, looking worn out and older than he really was. Slowly he got ready for bed, his green eyes once again revealed, appearing to glow with their own light in the darkness of his room. He climbed into his bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning brought rain. After putting in his contacts, James looked out the window in his room, sighing to himself at the dreary gray landscape spreading out to the edge of the woods and the lake. After a few minutes, he gathered his things and headed for his first class, not bothering to go to breakfast. Along the way, he quickly sent his letter. Once inside his classroom, he again looked out the window. His mood seemed to reflect the weather, but when the bell rang, he forced a smile on his face and turned towards the students just starting to come inside. After the second bell, he addressed them.
"Welcome. Today you will be taking notes on chapter 14, relating to Basilisks. If you have any questions throughout the period, feel free to ask me. Otherwise, I would like to request that you remain silent," James said, sitting down at his desk and opening a book, scanning through the text as his students started doing the same.
After a few minutes of quiet, when all the students were doing as they were supposed to, a few murmers started to spread through the room. James looked up from his book, but didn't comment. Everyone seemed to be still doing their work. When he looked back down though, he heard their voices again. Without moving his head, he let his eyes look around the room to find the culprits. He finally found them, two students sitting near the back of the class.
"Ms. Bates, Mr. Jones, would you like to share with the rest of the class what you find so much more interesting than your assingment?" James asked evenly, making the two blush furiously. "Ten points from Hufflepuff. If you are done now, please go back to work," he finished. They started their work again, but a moment later, one of their hands shot into the air. "Yes Mr. Jones?" James asked.
"Professor Turner? I heard one of the older students saying that there was this thing in Hogwarts called the Chamber of Secrets, and there was a basilisk inside. Is that true?" the boy asked nervously. James sighed a little.
"One should not believe rumors, Tom. There is no such thing as the Chamber of Secrets, and if there was, I highly doubt anything as dangerous or uncontrollable as a basilisk would be inside of it," James said, putting his pen down on his paper. "If you haven't already seen in your books, basilisks can only be controlled by Parselmouths. Everyone knows there has only been one Parselmouth in the last hundred years," James said. A girl now raised her hand.
"Yes Ms. Abbott?" James asked. The girl blushed when James called on her, and he suspected she usually didn't talk much in her other classes, since she harldy ever did in his.
"My mother, well, she went to school with Harry Potter, and she told me that he was a Parselmouth, and that the Chamber of Secrets was opened in their second year," the girl stuttered, her voice extremely quiet. James pondered this for a moment.
"This may be true, but there has never been any solid evidence that there really is a chamber. Like I said before though, even if there was one, it is highly doubtful it would contain a basilisk," James repeated himself. Another hand shot into the air.
"Mr. Bones, what is your question?" James asked, starting to get slightly irritated about all the questions being asked.
"Well, Professor, isn't the basilisk known as the King of the Serpents? And wasn't the Chamber of Secrets supposed to be something that Salazar Slytherin had built? And wasn't he a Parselmouth?" Kyle Bones asked in a rush.
"All of this is true, but it is in no way relevant to this topic. There is no Chamber of Secrets, and there is no basilisk roaming the bowels of this school. Go back to work before I have to take away any more house points," James said irritably. He picked his pen up again and started to work on what he was doing. Ten minutes later, the bell rang. The students all packed their bags and headed off to their next class, leaving James alone for his free preperation period. He continued to take notes on the book in front of him until someone knocked on his door. He looked up with a start to see Ginny standing at his door.
"I didn't mean to interupt you. I can come back if you're busy," she said, blushing a little. James put down his pen and stood up.
"No, come in. I was just taking some notes for one of my classes later this week. I need a break anyway," James said wearily. Ginny smiled.
"I was worried about you. You didn't come to breakfast. I thought something might be wrong," she said. James could see the worry in her large, brown eyes.
"I'm fine. Just not all that hungry. I'd ask you to take a walk with me outside, but it's still raining," James said, gesturing towards the window. Ginny laughed a little, her voice like a brook running through the forest, laughing and babbling along cheerily.
"That's okay. So, have you decided to go the masquerade?" Ginny asked, brushing a strand of her deep, golden red hair from her face.
"I still don't know... I want to, but what would I go as? And it's not like my wife can come up for the weekend from London. She's a teacher too. I don't think I'd have much fun," James said, trying to rationalize his indecision. Ginny shook her head at him.
"Quit making up excuses. I'm sure your wife wouldn't mind. My husband has been letting me go every year, 'only if you wear a mask, or else someone might steal you away from me', he always says. Just wear a suit and a mask or something. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate... just because Hermione and Ron always go overboard with matching costumes... it really is quite pathetic. Don't worry. It really is a lot of fun," Ginny said. James sighed.
"I guess I could go... not like I have anything better to do on Halloween," James said, putting a small smile on his face. Ginny broke into a large grin.
"That's the spirit! Don't worry, it'll be fun. I have to go, but I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Ginny said, checking the watch on her wrist. James nodded and she left the room, closing the door behind her. After she left, James got up and went to the window, looking through the gloomy gray towards the lake, which was full of tiny ripples caused by the raindrops. He sighed, then went back to his desk, sitting down to continue with the lesson plan he was working on. A little while later, the bell rang for lunch and he headed off to meet Ginny and the others.
***
A/N: K, well, I cut this short.... I needed to post again!!! Sorry to anyone who's been reading this... which is like no one anyway... but I'm breaking this chapter into two parts. This is the first part, but the second isn't done yet... the second will be the actual dance... If anyone is reading this, please leave a review!!! It would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!
A/N 2 (3-29-02): I'm re-formatting this for (*hopefully*) an easier read. Plus I have some mistakes to fix in some of the chapters. Please bear with me!
Ch. 5: Masquerade- Part 1
A/N: Life is too crazy... I haven't sent Ch. 4 to my beta yet, only because my older sister is on the phone... so I can't use my e-mail... but I will shortly... I'm sorry if it takes me long to get chapters posted, but I think I'm definitely on a weekly basis, or I try to be. It's really hard right now though... Once mid-terms are done with this week, a lot of tension will be removed... and I mean a LOT of tension! But then of course I have to start studying for my AP History test in May... which is a VERY big thing... but that's okay. And track is almost over, and I won't be baby sitting much longer, so never fear! I will have more time! And I love this story, so even if no one is reading it, I will post it anyway! Because I can't just let it slide! Not now! Okay, I"ll stop babbling...
Disclaimer: My mom (or mum, depending on where I'm from, which is OBVIOUSLY England, since I use so many American terms......) is JK Rowling, and she lets me write stories about her characters, just for the fun of it. She says they give her inspiration... *cough, cough*.....
***
James wearily made his way into the teacher's lounge. It was the first break he had all day, and it wasn't long. He just wanted to sit down and sleep, but he knew he couldn't miss his afternoon classes. Going over to the bulletin board, he noticed three memos posted. The first was in regards to the Slytherin versus Gryffindor Quidditch match. The second reminded the teachers that term was closing and they needed their grades handed in. The third made James gasp a little.
"A Halloween masquerade?" he said quietly to himself. Biting his lip, he turned his back from the bulletin board. Sighing, he went and sat down in one of the oversized armchairs. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to clear his head of all the thoughts running through it. He opened them again when the door to the lounge opened and Ron came in.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you," Ron said, walking over to a pitcher filled with coffee and pouring himself a cup.
"It's okay. I was just thinking about that masquerade. Sounds... interesting..." James said, standing up and stretching a little.
"It's not that bad. It kind of became a tradition a few years back. Dumbledore seems to enjoy it, so it just stuck, I guess. You don't have to go if you really don't want to," Ron said.
"Maybe I will go... I don't know. A masquerade on Halloween..." James said, a hint of sadness and longing in his voice. Ron gave him a strange look, but didn't push it. Instead, he chose to change the subject.
"So, are you going to the big Quidditch match next weekend?" Ron asked. James smiled a little, then shrugged.
"I might. I haven't flown in ages... I wish I could just get out there and zoom around for a bit," James said wistfully. Ron smiled a little to himself.
"Doing anything after classes are done today?" Ron asked, his smile growing ever larger. James just looked at him for a moment, then started smiling as well.
"No, I'm not. Any suggestions as to what I could do?" James asked, playing along a little with Ron, who was still smiling.
"Meet me on the Quidditch pitch at four o'clock. Bring your broom," Ron said, smiling, taking a sip of his coffee, and leaving the office. James had a gigantic smile on his face as he followed Ron out and headed to his next class.
Later that day, James slowly walked towards the Quidditch pitch, his broom slung over his shoulder. He had a content smile on his face as he walked, taking his time and enjoying the light breeze blowing across the grounds. Finally, he reached the stadium, where he saw Ron standing near the center, holding a broom himself. Ron smiled and waved at him.
"Great, you're here! I know we haven't really been that great friends since you came her, but I just thought you seemed rather stressed out, and flying just always seemed like a natural way for me to relax, so I thought you might like to fly for a bit. Up to a race?" Ron asked, smiling once again. James had an almost evil twinkle in his eye.
"Just to warn you now, I've never been beat," James said, mounting his broom and kicking up a couple feet. Ron followed suit. "On the count of three?" James asked. Ron nodded in consent. "One... two... three!" James shouted, leaning forward on his broom and taking off, Ron close at his heels. Wind whipping their hair, they flew around the stadium five times before James was so far ahead he almost lapsed Ron, who reluctantly gave in.
"Only one person has ever beat me," Ron said in disappointment. He sighed a little, trying to straighten his hair out a bit.
"You've got a bit of dirt on your nose," James said, going over to the seats to sit down for a minute. Ron swiped at his nose irritably, then followed him.
"So, what kind of broom do you have, anyway?" James asked casually. Ron put his broom down next to him as he sat.
"Lightning Bolt 3000. You?" Ron asked. James ran a thumb along the handle of his broom a moment before answering.
"A Firebolt," he said, almost in a whisper. Ron didn't say anything for a moment, noticeably stunned.
"A Firebolt? Those haven't been made in what, ten years? Fifteen?" Ron asked, his voice sounding slightly gruffy as a mixture of sadness and anger crept into it. James was silent for a moment more.
"Twelve years. I was fifteen when they made the last one. Special order, to the US International team. I remember the day I got mine... everyone was in shock... it was one of the first sold..." James said, sadness creeping into his voice. Ron glared at him slightly, then sighed a little.
"My friend had one. It was a Christmas present from his godfather. We were in our third year. I remember how jealous everyone was. Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup that year," Ron said longingly, obviously wishing things were the way they used to be.
"Who was he? Your friend, I mean," James asked, trying not to sound intrusive. Ron was staring off towards the Forbidden Forest, not responding.
"Have you ever had someone who meant everything to you? Someone who, if they ever left, could mean years of pain and regret?" Ron asked, still looking towards the Forest.
"In a way," James said quietly. Ron just shook his head a little. James bit his lip and didn't say any more.
"You wouldn't understand. When I was in school, I had everything. A loving family, a great girlfriend, and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. By the end of my seventh year though, nothing would ever be the same..." Ron didn't really seem to care what he was saying. He just continued talking, as James nodded to show he was still listening. "Can I show you something?" Ron asked suddenly. James looked a little startled.
"Um, sure," he said, following Ron as he got up and started heading for the Forbidden Forest. "Should we be going in there? Isn't it forbidden?" James asked as he saw where they were going.
"Not where I'm taking you. Don't worry," Ron said, still leading the way, plunging ahead recklessly. A few minutes later, just as the sun was starting to set, casting a red glow on everything, Ron stopped. He was in a clearing, a large statue in the middle. James didn't say anything for a moment.
"Him? He was your friend?" James asked, somewhat rhetorically. Ron just sighed. "Who is he?" James asked. Ron gave him a funny look, like he was wondering if James was being serious.
"You really don't know who that is? Did you live under a rock in America or something?" Ron said, anger creeping into his voice.
"I led a mainly Muggle life in America. I didn't know too many other wizards," James said, somewhat guiltily. Ron seemed to accept the answer.
"Harry Potter. My best friend," Ron said, very quietly. James almost didn't hear him. "He died fighting Voldemort..."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know," James said. Ron didn't reply, looking up at the face of the statue, a single tear running down his cheek, illuminated in the light of the setting sun.
"We'd better get back to the castle. It's almost dinner time," Ron said, a finality in his voice. James nodded. Ron started walking away, but James stayed behind for a minute, looking up into the face of the statue. A small, sad smile played across his lips as he followed Ron up to the castle.
***
James walked into the Great Hall to find that Ron was already sitting next to Hermione, eating his dinner quietly. James didn't say anything as he sat down and began to eat his food as well. They both finished their meals in silence. Just as James was about to leave, Ginny came over to their group.
"Hey you guys. Are you going to the Masquerade?" she asked. Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione smiled.
"Of course we are. We wouldn't miss it for the world," Hermione said. Ginny smiled.
"How about you, James? Is the newest addition to our teaching staff going to come out and dance?" Ginny asked, somewhat teasingly. James blushed a little.
"I might. I haven't decided yet. But if I did, I wouldn't have anything to wear," James replied. Ron rolled his eyes again.
"I'm sure you could think of something," Ginny said. James smiled a little. Looking at his watch, he excused himself, saying he had work to finish. Everyone said goodnight to him as he headed off towards his office.
Once in the sanctuary of his own room, James allowed some of his true emotions to show. He let out a sad, deep sigh, then went and sat down at his desk, taking out a piece of parchment and a quill. He started composing a letter to his wife.
'Dear Jenny,' he started writing. 'How are things in London? I'm sorry I haven't written more often, but things are quite insane here. You know what it can be like. Everyone seems to be enjoying my class though. There's going to be a masquerade ball for Halloween... I don't know if I should go... Would you mind? I wouldn't be going with anyone or anything... I'd ask you, but there's no way you would be able to come up for it... Anyway, I hope things are going well for you. Lots of love, James.' He reread his letter once before rolling it up and putting it aside to send in the morning.
He sighed deeply, looking worn out and older than he really was. Slowly he got ready for bed, his green eyes once again revealed, appearing to glow with their own light in the darkness of his room. He climbed into his bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning brought rain. After putting in his contacts, James looked out the window in his room, sighing to himself at the dreary gray landscape spreading out to the edge of the woods and the lake. After a few minutes, he gathered his things and headed for his first class, not bothering to go to breakfast. Along the way, he quickly sent his letter. Once inside his classroom, he again looked out the window. His mood seemed to reflect the weather, but when the bell rang, he forced a smile on his face and turned towards the students just starting to come inside. After the second bell, he addressed them.
"Welcome. Today you will be taking notes on chapter 14, relating to Basilisks. If you have any questions throughout the period, feel free to ask me. Otherwise, I would like to request that you remain silent," James said, sitting down at his desk and opening a book, scanning through the text as his students started doing the same.
After a few minutes of quiet, when all the students were doing as they were supposed to, a few murmers started to spread through the room. James looked up from his book, but didn't comment. Everyone seemed to be still doing their work. When he looked back down though, he heard their voices again. Without moving his head, he let his eyes look around the room to find the culprits. He finally found them, two students sitting near the back of the class.
"Ms. Bates, Mr. Jones, would you like to share with the rest of the class what you find so much more interesting than your assingment?" James asked evenly, making the two blush furiously. "Ten points from Hufflepuff. If you are done now, please go back to work," he finished. They started their work again, but a moment later, one of their hands shot into the air. "Yes Mr. Jones?" James asked.
"Professor Turner? I heard one of the older students saying that there was this thing in Hogwarts called the Chamber of Secrets, and there was a basilisk inside. Is that true?" the boy asked nervously. James sighed a little.
"One should not believe rumors, Tom. There is no such thing as the Chamber of Secrets, and if there was, I highly doubt anything as dangerous or uncontrollable as a basilisk would be inside of it," James said, putting his pen down on his paper. "If you haven't already seen in your books, basilisks can only be controlled by Parselmouths. Everyone knows there has only been one Parselmouth in the last hundred years," James said. A girl now raised her hand.
"Yes Ms. Abbott?" James asked. The girl blushed when James called on her, and he suspected she usually didn't talk much in her other classes, since she harldy ever did in his.
"My mother, well, she went to school with Harry Potter, and she told me that he was a Parselmouth, and that the Chamber of Secrets was opened in their second year," the girl stuttered, her voice extremely quiet. James pondered this for a moment.
"This may be true, but there has never been any solid evidence that there really is a chamber. Like I said before though, even if there was one, it is highly doubtful it would contain a basilisk," James repeated himself. Another hand shot into the air.
"Mr. Bones, what is your question?" James asked, starting to get slightly irritated about all the questions being asked.
"Well, Professor, isn't the basilisk known as the King of the Serpents? And wasn't the Chamber of Secrets supposed to be something that Salazar Slytherin had built? And wasn't he a Parselmouth?" Kyle Bones asked in a rush.
"All of this is true, but it is in no way relevant to this topic. There is no Chamber of Secrets, and there is no basilisk roaming the bowels of this school. Go back to work before I have to take away any more house points," James said irritably. He picked his pen up again and started to work on what he was doing. Ten minutes later, the bell rang. The students all packed their bags and headed off to their next class, leaving James alone for his free preperation period. He continued to take notes on the book in front of him until someone knocked on his door. He looked up with a start to see Ginny standing at his door.
"I didn't mean to interupt you. I can come back if you're busy," she said, blushing a little. James put down his pen and stood up.
"No, come in. I was just taking some notes for one of my classes later this week. I need a break anyway," James said wearily. Ginny smiled.
"I was worried about you. You didn't come to breakfast. I thought something might be wrong," she said. James could see the worry in her large, brown eyes.
"I'm fine. Just not all that hungry. I'd ask you to take a walk with me outside, but it's still raining," James said, gesturing towards the window. Ginny laughed a little, her voice like a brook running through the forest, laughing and babbling along cheerily.
"That's okay. So, have you decided to go the masquerade?" Ginny asked, brushing a strand of her deep, golden red hair from her face.
"I still don't know... I want to, but what would I go as? And it's not like my wife can come up for the weekend from London. She's a teacher too. I don't think I'd have much fun," James said, trying to rationalize his indecision. Ginny shook her head at him.
"Quit making up excuses. I'm sure your wife wouldn't mind. My husband has been letting me go every year, 'only if you wear a mask, or else someone might steal you away from me', he always says. Just wear a suit and a mask or something. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate... just because Hermione and Ron always go overboard with matching costumes... it really is quite pathetic. Don't worry. It really is a lot of fun," Ginny said. James sighed.
"I guess I could go... not like I have anything better to do on Halloween," James said, putting a small smile on his face. Ginny broke into a large grin.
"That's the spirit! Don't worry, it'll be fun. I have to go, but I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Ginny said, checking the watch on her wrist. James nodded and she left the room, closing the door behind her. After she left, James got up and went to the window, looking through the gloomy gray towards the lake, which was full of tiny ripples caused by the raindrops. He sighed, then went back to his desk, sitting down to continue with the lesson plan he was working on. A little while later, the bell rang for lunch and he headed off to meet Ginny and the others.
***
A/N: K, well, I cut this short.... I needed to post again!!! Sorry to anyone who's been reading this... which is like no one anyway... but I'm breaking this chapter into two parts. This is the first part, but the second isn't done yet... the second will be the actual dance... If anyone is reading this, please leave a review!!! It would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!
A/N 2 (3-29-02): I'm re-formatting this for (*hopefully*) an easier read. Plus I have some mistakes to fix in some of the chapters. Please bear with me!