Chapter 8 - Halloween
James' friends had stared, open mouthed at him when he told them about what Harold had said. Peter and Remus were pleased, Sirius was too of course, but he also seemed a bit jealous. He was also a very good Quidditch player.
"Never mind Sirius, there's always next year, I'm sure there'll be a place for you too." "Thanks James." He said, cheering up slightly, it was depressing seeing him anything but incredibly cheerful!
James couldn't believe he'd been at Hogwarts a whole 2 months already. He was having so much fun. He'd never before caused as much trouble in such a short space of time, and he'd never had friends that were as much fun as Sirius and Remus.
Lessons didn't seem to be causing him too many problems either, he found all the lessons pretty easy, the spells came naturally and he tended to remember pretty much everything he heard or read without any real need to work at it. He found that Sirius was the same, and because of this the two of them found that they had a lot of spare time on their hands. Remus did have to work hard to earn the same grades as he did, and he was often found poring over some book or another, though James had the distinct impression that he didn't find it too much of a hardship, he clearly loved to read. It wasn't like James didn't like reading, but there were so many other things to be done, and why read more than you need to in order to write your essay? Peter, on the other hand needed to work almost constantly in order to stay afloat. James tried to help him as much as he could, but it was so hard. Peter was always saying thing like, "Well or course you find it easy, you're clever. I wish I was clever like you or Sirius or Remus." And then, of course it would be a lot more difficult to try and teach him anything because he was determined that he wouldn't be able to learn. Remus was better at that sort of thing anyway, and James often had to give up and ask him to do it.
The Great Hall was decorated magnificently for Halloween. Pumpkins containing lighted candles were floating all around the walls, and hundreds of live, fluttering bats were flying around the top of the room. The ceiling was looking very beautiful, it was a clear night outside, and the moon was shining unusually brightly, full and white. James and his friends sat down, eagerly anticipating the marvellous feast they knew was coming.
As for James himself, he was looking down the table and contemplating Lily Evans. For a girl with such fiery red hair, she seemed very quiet. She was obviously very clever and always got good marks, but she rarely volunteered information in class and had a circle of two or three good friends. She didn't really seem to mix much. James didn't know why she fascinated him like this, for some reason he just wondered about her.
"Earth to James." He heard a voice in his ear and snapped out of his thoughts. "What were you looking at? Or should that be who?" Sirius teased, looking around. "I was just thinking." He said hurriedly, he didn't want Sirius to follow his line of vision and see who he was looking at. "Where's Remus?" He asked, suddenly realising he wasn't there. "Dunno," replied Sirius, looking genuinely puzzled, "maybe he's ill, or asleep or something." 'Never mind' James thought, they could look for him later.
The feast was marvellous, and James had a great time laughing and joking with Sirius. Peter looked on, seemingly envious of the way James and Sirius had clicked. Suddenly he blanched and elbowed James in the ribs "Snape" he hissed "Ah, hello Severus." Said Sirius smoothly. Snape was glaring at them. He was still seething about the horned slug incident. He knew it had been them, but he couldn't prove it. With him, like a gang of menacing looking bodyguards were Avery, Rosier and Wilkes. James wasn't fazed, he knew Snape wouldn't dream of doing anything there, in plain view of all the teachers. He settled for giving them a disdainful look and sweeping past them to sit at the Slytherin table.
Later, on the way back to their common rooms, James watched as Snape bumped into Lily. She apologised, even though it wasn't really her fault, and James could just hear Snape hiss, "Watch where you're going, you filthy Mudblood!" James stiffened indignantly, and there was an audible gasp from the little crowd that had formed around them. Mudblood was about the rudest insult imaginable and it referred to a witch or wizard of muggle parentage. James started forward, but it soon became evident that Lily didn't need his help; she had slapped him, hard. James started to laugh loudly, the others followed suit. Snape slinked away, embarrassed, he obviously hadn't expected her to stand up to him. James smiled to himself as he made his way to the Gryffindor common room. It seemed she did have the fiery temperament to go with her hair after all.
He met Sirius in the common room and started to tell him about Snape's newest embarrassment, but he stopped abruptly when he saw the look on his face. "I can't find Remus." He said simply, he sounded very worried. "What can we do?" he asked him, wondering if he had wandered somewhere and gotten lost. James didn't much fancy his chances if he got caught by Pringle, the caretaker. He'd be luck to make it back alive. They couldn't just go off looking for him though; it was none of their business if he didn't want to go to dinner. They didn't know what else to do so they decided to play exploding snap for a bit in the common room and wait for him to get back, deciding to ask him when he got back. It got late, and he didn't come.
"I'm tired," James, said, "maybe we should get some sleep." Sirius was too tired to argue. They climbed the stairs sleepily. James was still worried about Remus. If he didn't turn up by the next morning they would have to tell a teacher. James got changed absent-mindedly and fell into bed, only remembering to take his round glasses off at the last minute. 'This isn't the first time.' He thought to himself. About a month ago, Remus had failed to turn up to dinner in much the same way as tonight. I had turned out that he'd been ill and spent the night in the hospital ward, or at least, that's what he's told James and Sirius. Another time, he'd said he'd spent the night wandering round, said he hadn't been tired. Now that James thought about it, it did seem a bit odd. At the time, they hadn't been such good friends, it was about 2 months ago if he remembered rightly and they'd only just met. James was beginning to see a pattern form in his mind, but he fell asleep, and by the next morning he'd forgotten all about it.
He was reminded of Remus' disappearance the next morning at breakfast. He and Sirius had come down to early to find an ill and tired looking Remus picking at a plate of bacon and sausages. "Where've you been all night my lad?" Asked Sirius, in a voice that sounded slightly like Professor McGonagall's harsh Scottish bark. "I was, er, ill again." Remus replied. "I, er, spent the night in the hospital wing." "Well you certainly don't look well Remus," said James, concerned. "It's ok, Madame Pomfrey gave me a potion, and I'm just a bit tired now." He didn't sound too convinced, but James saw that it was pointless to discuss the matter further, and sat down to join him in a plate of bacon and eggs.
James' friends had stared, open mouthed at him when he told them about what Harold had said. Peter and Remus were pleased, Sirius was too of course, but he also seemed a bit jealous. He was also a very good Quidditch player.
"Never mind Sirius, there's always next year, I'm sure there'll be a place for you too." "Thanks James." He said, cheering up slightly, it was depressing seeing him anything but incredibly cheerful!
James couldn't believe he'd been at Hogwarts a whole 2 months already. He was having so much fun. He'd never before caused as much trouble in such a short space of time, and he'd never had friends that were as much fun as Sirius and Remus.
Lessons didn't seem to be causing him too many problems either, he found all the lessons pretty easy, the spells came naturally and he tended to remember pretty much everything he heard or read without any real need to work at it. He found that Sirius was the same, and because of this the two of them found that they had a lot of spare time on their hands. Remus did have to work hard to earn the same grades as he did, and he was often found poring over some book or another, though James had the distinct impression that he didn't find it too much of a hardship, he clearly loved to read. It wasn't like James didn't like reading, but there were so many other things to be done, and why read more than you need to in order to write your essay? Peter, on the other hand needed to work almost constantly in order to stay afloat. James tried to help him as much as he could, but it was so hard. Peter was always saying thing like, "Well or course you find it easy, you're clever. I wish I was clever like you or Sirius or Remus." And then, of course it would be a lot more difficult to try and teach him anything because he was determined that he wouldn't be able to learn. Remus was better at that sort of thing anyway, and James often had to give up and ask him to do it.
The Great Hall was decorated magnificently for Halloween. Pumpkins containing lighted candles were floating all around the walls, and hundreds of live, fluttering bats were flying around the top of the room. The ceiling was looking very beautiful, it was a clear night outside, and the moon was shining unusually brightly, full and white. James and his friends sat down, eagerly anticipating the marvellous feast they knew was coming.
As for James himself, he was looking down the table and contemplating Lily Evans. For a girl with such fiery red hair, she seemed very quiet. She was obviously very clever and always got good marks, but she rarely volunteered information in class and had a circle of two or three good friends. She didn't really seem to mix much. James didn't know why she fascinated him like this, for some reason he just wondered about her.
"Earth to James." He heard a voice in his ear and snapped out of his thoughts. "What were you looking at? Or should that be who?" Sirius teased, looking around. "I was just thinking." He said hurriedly, he didn't want Sirius to follow his line of vision and see who he was looking at. "Where's Remus?" He asked, suddenly realising he wasn't there. "Dunno," replied Sirius, looking genuinely puzzled, "maybe he's ill, or asleep or something." 'Never mind' James thought, they could look for him later.
The feast was marvellous, and James had a great time laughing and joking with Sirius. Peter looked on, seemingly envious of the way James and Sirius had clicked. Suddenly he blanched and elbowed James in the ribs "Snape" he hissed "Ah, hello Severus." Said Sirius smoothly. Snape was glaring at them. He was still seething about the horned slug incident. He knew it had been them, but he couldn't prove it. With him, like a gang of menacing looking bodyguards were Avery, Rosier and Wilkes. James wasn't fazed, he knew Snape wouldn't dream of doing anything there, in plain view of all the teachers. He settled for giving them a disdainful look and sweeping past them to sit at the Slytherin table.
Later, on the way back to their common rooms, James watched as Snape bumped into Lily. She apologised, even though it wasn't really her fault, and James could just hear Snape hiss, "Watch where you're going, you filthy Mudblood!" James stiffened indignantly, and there was an audible gasp from the little crowd that had formed around them. Mudblood was about the rudest insult imaginable and it referred to a witch or wizard of muggle parentage. James started forward, but it soon became evident that Lily didn't need his help; she had slapped him, hard. James started to laugh loudly, the others followed suit. Snape slinked away, embarrassed, he obviously hadn't expected her to stand up to him. James smiled to himself as he made his way to the Gryffindor common room. It seemed she did have the fiery temperament to go with her hair after all.
He met Sirius in the common room and started to tell him about Snape's newest embarrassment, but he stopped abruptly when he saw the look on his face. "I can't find Remus." He said simply, he sounded very worried. "What can we do?" he asked him, wondering if he had wandered somewhere and gotten lost. James didn't much fancy his chances if he got caught by Pringle, the caretaker. He'd be luck to make it back alive. They couldn't just go off looking for him though; it was none of their business if he didn't want to go to dinner. They didn't know what else to do so they decided to play exploding snap for a bit in the common room and wait for him to get back, deciding to ask him when he got back. It got late, and he didn't come.
"I'm tired," James, said, "maybe we should get some sleep." Sirius was too tired to argue. They climbed the stairs sleepily. James was still worried about Remus. If he didn't turn up by the next morning they would have to tell a teacher. James got changed absent-mindedly and fell into bed, only remembering to take his round glasses off at the last minute. 'This isn't the first time.' He thought to himself. About a month ago, Remus had failed to turn up to dinner in much the same way as tonight. I had turned out that he'd been ill and spent the night in the hospital ward, or at least, that's what he's told James and Sirius. Another time, he'd said he'd spent the night wandering round, said he hadn't been tired. Now that James thought about it, it did seem a bit odd. At the time, they hadn't been such good friends, it was about 2 months ago if he remembered rightly and they'd only just met. James was beginning to see a pattern form in his mind, but he fell asleep, and by the next morning he'd forgotten all about it.
He was reminded of Remus' disappearance the next morning at breakfast. He and Sirius had come down to early to find an ill and tired looking Remus picking at a plate of bacon and sausages. "Where've you been all night my lad?" Asked Sirius, in a voice that sounded slightly like Professor McGonagall's harsh Scottish bark. "I was, er, ill again." Remus replied. "I, er, spent the night in the hospital wing." "Well you certainly don't look well Remus," said James, concerned. "It's ok, Madame Pomfrey gave me a potion, and I'm just a bit tired now." He didn't sound too convinced, but James saw that it was pointless to discuss the matter further, and sat down to join him in a plate of bacon and eggs.