Chapter 3 – Pages Both Empty and Full
A/N: Here come the first of what will probably be many more alterations to what back history the books have given us. This is just to let you know that I do know the liberties I'm taking and please don't be angry. As always the reviews were most welcome- keep reading.
There was nothing. No explosion, no angry proclamation of 'I HAVE BEEN OPENED WITHOUT PERMISSION', there wasn't even a single word written on the first page. Hermione felt slightly let down. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting but that certainly hadn't been it. Harry glanced up at them both and she tried to smile reassuringly. Again they all watched eagerly as he turned over the next page.
"This Diary Belongs to…" Spoke an official sounding female voice.
"James T. Potter" Said a much younger male echoing the writing on the page as the voice before him had. It was Harry's father.
"The Enchanted Tale Keeper range of diaries and other stationary is under copy-write to Flourish & Bolts, Diagon Alley, London. Volume controls and voice settings are to be found on the last two pages." Continued the female. Harry quickly turned the book to the end and increased the volume slightly by running his finger up the appropriate bar.
"That better?" He asked after the test.
"Much." Replied leaning back in her chair convinced that she would be able to hear what ever 'James T. Potter' had to say.
"This is all rather exciting." Said Ron stating the obvious as their friend turned back to the beginning. She could see from where she sat that the pages were covered in a fairly neat sloping script occasionally broken by a date lined up to the left of the page and carefully underlined.
"September 1st." James' voice began again. "It is SO good to be back here. I guess it must seem slightly strange to say that I'm glad to be back at school but well, I am. It's not that I didn't have a good holiday, it was fab, but there's only so much time I can spend with Mum and Dad before I begin to miss my fellow Marauders. You should have seen us when we got back together on the platform this morning – I think we my have scared the new first years with all our jumping up and down. Scrap that – they probably thought that we were first years. Anyway Sirius seems to have had a good time and the break in his nose that he had boasted about in the last owl he sent was even more spectacular than I had expected. Peter was quiet as ever I'm never entirely sure that he even listens to what goes on anymore, permanently away with the fairies. Moony wasn't looking too hot though, but then again it was a knew moon yesterday night so…
"The train journey was pretty normal, it rained and Sirius almost got in a fight with Lucius Malfoy and his gang. Like I said, nothing new. I had kind of hoped that Malfoy would have grown up a little over the break we are after all in our last year. Hell, we're all prefects (that is Sirius, Lucious, Serverus and myself are, Lilly got head girl!) anyway he hasn't so we shall just have to see how things go. Hopefully we can all just get our head down and study 'After all this is NEWT year' as Mum has become so fond of saying. Argh exams – I swear they never did anybody any good. It's strange to think that this will be are last year here, our last year all together who knows where we might all be by this time next year. Oh well, no point dwelling on the future too much at present. I'm gonna hit the sack, it must be after two and I'm going to have to get up early if I want to shower before breakfast tomorrow morning. Night." Hermione opened her eyes, which she had unconsciously shut at the soothing sound of the voice that was very different and yet hauntingly similar to Harry's. It was so easy to picture a boy lying on his bed in the seventh year boy's dorm in Gryffindor tower with curtains drawn, ink sitting precariously on the edge of the dresser and chewing the end of his quill thoughtfully. That was her friend's on own characteristic even if he wasn't overtly aware of the fact. She didn't have long to think though because after a brief pause the voice continued.
"September 2nd. Classes started today and already I'm beginning to wonder why I was so glad to be back. It seems like last years workload was nothing compared to what this is going to be. I'm already considering re-thinking my choice to take Arithmancy. I swear Professor Gilmweed couldn't be more Slytherin biased if he tried. Just because he happens to be their head of house…I mean, Professor Briar isn't biased towards the Gryffindors. Maybe I should change and do Herbology with him? It's something to think about (and never actually do of course *smile*) but at least there's no Malfoy this year and Snape's usually fairly harmless when left on his own. They both ended up in the same transfigurations class as us though. We had our first double period this afternoon but it went ok as Professor McGonagall had us working from the moment we set foot in the door. Afterwards she asked us to come by her office for tea tomorrow (Wormtail, Padfoot and me) she said something about an article she wanted to show us. It's strange – I never would have guessed that she and Dumbledor would have been so good about the animagus thing. I'm glad that the Professor came to us and told us that he knew what we were up to and offered to ask her to help us. I hate to think what kind of fix we would have got into otherwise but we were lucky." Hermione was somewhat taken aback by this she had had no idea that Professor McGonagall the rule loving and abiding head of Gryffindor house, had known about Hogwarts three illegal animagus.