James walked through the snow and examined his feet. He was wearing thick brown man-like boots that his mum had sent for him for Christmas. James breathed out and stopped walking. He looked up at the sky. It was still dark, but he could see a very faint tinge of light just beginning to creep over the distant hills. James missed his mother. He had been meaning to go home that Christmas, but Lily…
The stars were beginning to fade. One thought that always cheered James up slightly was the knowledge that the stars were always there. Whether he could see them or not.
James walked over to a familiar stump near the forbidden forest and sat down on it. He slumped his head down and sighed. Life was cruel. What should he do about Lily? James brought his head back up and rubbed his hands together. Well, whatever he was going to do… No. James shook his head. There was nothing he could do. He loved Lily with all his heart. He loved her more than anything. But obviously, she didn't quite feel the same. James knew that he and Lily were supposed to happen. Like Dumbledore had said…
James frowned suddenly and his hands stopped rubbing each other abruptly. Dumbledore… There was something in the way that he had spoken to James that made him suspicious.
A star twinkled down on James and made him look up. It was the last star in the sky, and James realised that he must have been sitting on that stump for quite a long time. James stood up and breathed into his hands, rubbing them together. It was cold. It was snowing.
James smiled as he realised this. He breathed out and watched as smoke from his mouth quickly evaporated into the cold air. He was going to go see Dumbledore.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
James stopped at the statue. Damn it – he'd forgotten. He had to know the password. But he didn't know what it was.
James had been to Dumbledore's office several times before, but that was always with Sirius, Remus and Peter (for obvious pranking reasons) and then McGonagall had always opened the statue, whispering the password out of earshot.
James smiled softly. They didn't do pranks all that much anymore, now that they were older, but James was surprised they'd never thought of finding out the password to Dumbledore's office before. It would've lead to great pranking success.
But James had always had a sort of strange respect for Dumbledore. An admiration of some sort. He knew why of course. He was the closest man he had to a father.
James shook these thoughts away and said aloud the first word that came to mind. "Hogwarts." Nothing happened. Well of course nothing happened, that's a bit too obvious for a password, don't you think James?"
"Dumbledore."
Nothing.
"Albus Dumbledore."
Nothing.
"Hi, I'm Albus."
Nothing.
Don't be stupid, James. It will be a one-word password, wouldn't it?
James tried out loads of words, and he nearly kicked the statue in anger when a thought struck him. "Bertie-Botts Every Flavoured Beans." It worked. It wasn't a one-word password, but it worked. James knew of Dumbledore's famous hatred of the sweets, so it would be an obvious choice of a password.
James reached Dumbledore's office, took a deep breath in, and knocked on the door. "Come in," called a voice.
James pushed the door open slowly and popped his head round. Dumbledore and McGonagall were sitting at Dumbledore's desk. They seemed to have been in deep conversation. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at James' appearance and leaned back on his chair, folding his hands together. "James," was all he said.
McGonagall seemed to be avoiding James' eye, which made him frown slightly. "Sorry, is…is this a bad time?" James looked back at Dumbledore.
"No, no, not at all." McGonagall looked at him sharply, contradicting him without words. "In fact the time couldn't be more better."
James sidled in, knowing something was going on. He sat down on a chair, and could feel the tension going on between the two professors sitting in front of him. They had obviously been arguing about something. McGonagall stood up to leave. Dumbledore stood up. "Professor?" was all he said.
"I must leave," McGonagall said shortly. "I have certain things to attend to." As she walked past James she stopped slightly, and finally met with his eyes. And what James saw scared him. It was a look of sadness. Of pity and sorrow. James frowned and his eyes followed McGonagall out of the room. She closed the door behind her, breaking James' gaze, and he turned his attention back to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Nothing to worry about James," he said, reading his mind. "Now, what's troubling you?"
James didn't know where to begin. He felt kind of stupid now, coming here. "I…" he hesitated, and stopped. He looked away.
"Is this about Miss Evans?" James didn't blush. He continued to stare at the bookcase and simply nodded.
"I thought as much." Dumbledore shifted in his seat, but said nothing more. James and Dumbledore sat in silence while each collected their thoughts.
James broke the silence. "I know it's meant to be, professor! I know it…but she's with Freddie, and…"
"James, you must understand." Dumbledore leaned forward in his seat. "Do you remember what I said to you before Christmas"
James nodded.
"If you believe in something as strongly as you belief in yourself and Miss Evans, then you must be patient. Things will happen if they were meant to happen. And if they weren't meant to happen…" Dumbledore paused.
"I understand." James knew what he was saying, and he was about to go, when he sensed there was more. James waited patiently in his seat, waiting for Dumbledore to speak.
"James." Dumbledore paused anger, and James saw sadness in his eyes. It was the same sadness he had seen in McGonagall's eyes.
"Professor, what's going on?" James wasn't usually so forceful with the headmaster, but today the force was so strong in his voice he even scared himself. But something was wrong. And it involved him. And maybe Lily too…
"James," Dumbledore said again. "There is something I feel you should have the right to know."
"What is it?" James leaned forward in his chair.
Dumbledore hesitated. "Have you heard of a man called Tom Riddle?" James frowned. "Or perhaps… Voldemort?" James gulped. Voldemort was an evil wizard, and his name had recently come up in the papers. He had murdered over ten people in one night. That man was dangerous. He called himself Lord Voldemort, but James didn't know why.
"Yeah, I've heard of him. Why? What's that got to do with me?"
Dumbledore looked down at his desk, then rose up his eyes to meet James. When he spoke, he spoke bluntly. "He wants you dead." James' eyes widened in horror.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am an evil giraffe…*looks around. What? No one here heard of Eddie Izzard?*
Apologies for the cliff-hanger, but you know you love them! R&R and maybe I'll consider writing more… MWAHAHA! :-P
