Chapter 18 - The Leaving Feast
It was Lily! This revelation threw James' mind into a spin. There were all sorts of questions to be asked. Why had she done it? Ok, that one was easy, of course she would rescue him if he was in trouble. How did she found out? Well, James was used to asking that question of Lily, she seemed to know everything about him. Maybe he'd find out some day. Why had she disappeared? Well, James couldn't answer that one. Maybe she didn't want anyone to know that she'd been out of bed, maybe she thought she'd get in trouble. Well, if she didn't want anyone to know then he wouldn't tell anyone, but he wanted to thank her. He'd tried for a couple of days to talk to her, but she didn't seem to want to talk to him. She was carefully, almost studiously avoiding being alone with him, surrounding herself with friends and sitting as far away from him as she could in classes. He would simply have to find another way. The night before the last day and the leaving feast the boys had stayed up late finishing off their laughter potion and it was finally finished. They were all sleeping soundly, well, all of them that is, except James, who was wide awake and thinking. He had to think of a way to show Lily how grateful he was to her for saving his life. He thought hard, but nothing would come, and son he felt the soothing and relaxing waves of sleep washing over him, but a few moments before sleep pulled him under completely he had an idea. The next day James, Sirius and Remus were all impatient to get to the end of classes so that they could make it down to the kitchens in plenty of time before the feast. Fortunately all the students were feeling, to some degree, the same way, so their restlessness was not noticeable. None of the teachers, not even Professor McGonnagall were able to get any semblance of order, and they all bowed to the inevitable and allowed the students to play games and talk among themselves during classes. Enjoyable though their lessons that day were, James was very relieved to reach the end of the day. The four boys ran up to their dormitory and returned, moments later, hidden under James' magically repaired invisibility cloak. On the way James couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, perhaps they shouldn't be doing this, perhaps that potion had already caused enough trouble, but James shook the thought away, telling himself that it would be a waste of time and effort not to go ahead with it. Besides, James intended to put what was left of the rhubarb to a very good use. When they reached the kitchen they were greeted by a crowd of house elves, all pressing food and drink onto them. Peter took them up on their offer, as he always did, but James asked them, in a loud voice so they could all hear, if they could do him a favour. Sirius and Remus snuck away to the large table at the far side. James held their attention by showing them the recipe for crumble in the book he got out of the library, giving them what was left of the rhubarb and asking them very nicely if they wouldn't mind, please, making sure that he, and Lily Evans received the finished product for dessert at the feast that night. There was a clamour to get hold of the books, all of the elves were keen to take on the responsibility, obviously thinking that James had a crush on this girl or something.
Sirius gave James the thumbs up and a huge grin from across the kitchen, the plan had worked. Beaming at the house elves he gave he book to Dolly, asking her to make sure it went back to the library when she was finished with it and she beamed back at him, looking ecstatic. All the elves bowed low as they left the kitchen, wishing them a pleasant holiday and begging them to please come and visit them again next term. The four boys left, pockets laden with food that they had not been able to resist talking, despite the feast still to come, expressing thanks and promising the elves that they will indeed come and visit them again next year the first time they get chance.
"I put it in his dessert bowl," Sirius whispered, laughing, "that way everyone will think nothing's going to happen this year, and then, when they least expect it hilarity will ensue." James laughed hard at this, partly at the image of Snape cackling and rolling around on the floor and partly at the elaborate phrasing that Sirius had used.
The feast was excellent, as it always was, but especially fun for James and his friends as Gryffindor had won the house cup and that meant that the Gryffindor table was the loudest of the lot. James tried his best to appear as jovial and carefree as ever, laughing and joking loudly with his friends as there were several suspicious looks coming his way from the teacher's table, though they were less and less frequent, and James couldn't deny that Sirius had been right and that by now no one was expecting anything to happen. That was what was going to make this all the more fun.
Finally, the main courses disappeared from their plates and in their places appeared a selection of delicious looking desserts. In front of James was a bowl of what looked like pink, stringy mush with a powdery, floury topping. Not sure what he had gotten himself in for, but trusting what Lily had told him, he put his spoon in his bowl and took a spoonful. He was pleasantly surprised, the fruit was tart and sweet and the topping was tasty and filling. He looked over at Lily and found himself staring straight into her brilliant green eyes. They were sparkling at the moment and she was smiling at him. He grinned at her and gave her the thumbs up to show that he liked it. She smiled even wider at him before turning back to her friends. He knew she understood what he was trying to say.
He was so busy, in fact, congratulating himself on finding such a successful way of thanking Lily that he almost forgot their big joke. He soon remembered though when he heard a horrible grating sound reminiscent of someone scratching a blackboard quickly. The sound got louder, and higher pitched, and James, like the rest of the school, turned around to look for the source of the din. Snape was giggling, well, the closest Snape could get to giggling anyway, it was more like a cackle. It was awful. Suddenly, from the other end of the table came a loud, horrible, shrieking, wheezing laugh. James looked for the source of that noise and saw a tall, blonde girl, someone who could be pretty, but at the moment her face was contorted as though it hurt her to laugh.
"Who's the girl, Sirius?" he asked. "Oh, that's Narcissa, she's my cousin. I was just wondering what her laugh sounded like. I don't think I've ever heard it before. No wonder, horrible, isn't it?" James had to agree, though he also had to wonder why he didn't know that a member of Sirius' family was in Slytherin. He made a mental note to ask him about it. Narcissa's hysterical, wheezing shrieks of laughter were creating terrible dissonances with Snape's low and insistent cackle. The sound was truly painful.
The whole school was in an uproar, three tables were laughing hysterically and the fourth was complaining loudly to the teachers, who were all trying to end the spell, believing it to be the tickling charm again, but 'finite incantatem' had absolutely no effect. This went on for a good half an hour, until Professor Mechante (with a slight glance at James and Sirius) swept over to the table and administered the antidote that she just happened to have prepared the previous day, something that James thought was very odd. He supposed she must have noticed that all the ingredients for the potion had gone from her cupboard, and it couldn't be hard for her, of all people who knew more about their behaviour than almost anyone else to guess who was responsible, but still, it was disconcerting. It made him feel almost as uncomfortable as the knowing look he received from down the table. Somehow Lily knew, but then, she always knew.
It was Lily! This revelation threw James' mind into a spin. There were all sorts of questions to be asked. Why had she done it? Ok, that one was easy, of course she would rescue him if he was in trouble. How did she found out? Well, James was used to asking that question of Lily, she seemed to know everything about him. Maybe he'd find out some day. Why had she disappeared? Well, James couldn't answer that one. Maybe she didn't want anyone to know that she'd been out of bed, maybe she thought she'd get in trouble. Well, if she didn't want anyone to know then he wouldn't tell anyone, but he wanted to thank her. He'd tried for a couple of days to talk to her, but she didn't seem to want to talk to him. She was carefully, almost studiously avoiding being alone with him, surrounding herself with friends and sitting as far away from him as she could in classes. He would simply have to find another way. The night before the last day and the leaving feast the boys had stayed up late finishing off their laughter potion and it was finally finished. They were all sleeping soundly, well, all of them that is, except James, who was wide awake and thinking. He had to think of a way to show Lily how grateful he was to her for saving his life. He thought hard, but nothing would come, and son he felt the soothing and relaxing waves of sleep washing over him, but a few moments before sleep pulled him under completely he had an idea. The next day James, Sirius and Remus were all impatient to get to the end of classes so that they could make it down to the kitchens in plenty of time before the feast. Fortunately all the students were feeling, to some degree, the same way, so their restlessness was not noticeable. None of the teachers, not even Professor McGonnagall were able to get any semblance of order, and they all bowed to the inevitable and allowed the students to play games and talk among themselves during classes. Enjoyable though their lessons that day were, James was very relieved to reach the end of the day. The four boys ran up to their dormitory and returned, moments later, hidden under James' magically repaired invisibility cloak. On the way James couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, perhaps they shouldn't be doing this, perhaps that potion had already caused enough trouble, but James shook the thought away, telling himself that it would be a waste of time and effort not to go ahead with it. Besides, James intended to put what was left of the rhubarb to a very good use. When they reached the kitchen they were greeted by a crowd of house elves, all pressing food and drink onto them. Peter took them up on their offer, as he always did, but James asked them, in a loud voice so they could all hear, if they could do him a favour. Sirius and Remus snuck away to the large table at the far side. James held their attention by showing them the recipe for crumble in the book he got out of the library, giving them what was left of the rhubarb and asking them very nicely if they wouldn't mind, please, making sure that he, and Lily Evans received the finished product for dessert at the feast that night. There was a clamour to get hold of the books, all of the elves were keen to take on the responsibility, obviously thinking that James had a crush on this girl or something.
Sirius gave James the thumbs up and a huge grin from across the kitchen, the plan had worked. Beaming at the house elves he gave he book to Dolly, asking her to make sure it went back to the library when she was finished with it and she beamed back at him, looking ecstatic. All the elves bowed low as they left the kitchen, wishing them a pleasant holiday and begging them to please come and visit them again next term. The four boys left, pockets laden with food that they had not been able to resist talking, despite the feast still to come, expressing thanks and promising the elves that they will indeed come and visit them again next year the first time they get chance.
"I put it in his dessert bowl," Sirius whispered, laughing, "that way everyone will think nothing's going to happen this year, and then, when they least expect it hilarity will ensue." James laughed hard at this, partly at the image of Snape cackling and rolling around on the floor and partly at the elaborate phrasing that Sirius had used.
The feast was excellent, as it always was, but especially fun for James and his friends as Gryffindor had won the house cup and that meant that the Gryffindor table was the loudest of the lot. James tried his best to appear as jovial and carefree as ever, laughing and joking loudly with his friends as there were several suspicious looks coming his way from the teacher's table, though they were less and less frequent, and James couldn't deny that Sirius had been right and that by now no one was expecting anything to happen. That was what was going to make this all the more fun.
Finally, the main courses disappeared from their plates and in their places appeared a selection of delicious looking desserts. In front of James was a bowl of what looked like pink, stringy mush with a powdery, floury topping. Not sure what he had gotten himself in for, but trusting what Lily had told him, he put his spoon in his bowl and took a spoonful. He was pleasantly surprised, the fruit was tart and sweet and the topping was tasty and filling. He looked over at Lily and found himself staring straight into her brilliant green eyes. They were sparkling at the moment and she was smiling at him. He grinned at her and gave her the thumbs up to show that he liked it. She smiled even wider at him before turning back to her friends. He knew she understood what he was trying to say.
He was so busy, in fact, congratulating himself on finding such a successful way of thanking Lily that he almost forgot their big joke. He soon remembered though when he heard a horrible grating sound reminiscent of someone scratching a blackboard quickly. The sound got louder, and higher pitched, and James, like the rest of the school, turned around to look for the source of the din. Snape was giggling, well, the closest Snape could get to giggling anyway, it was more like a cackle. It was awful. Suddenly, from the other end of the table came a loud, horrible, shrieking, wheezing laugh. James looked for the source of that noise and saw a tall, blonde girl, someone who could be pretty, but at the moment her face was contorted as though it hurt her to laugh.
"Who's the girl, Sirius?" he asked. "Oh, that's Narcissa, she's my cousin. I was just wondering what her laugh sounded like. I don't think I've ever heard it before. No wonder, horrible, isn't it?" James had to agree, though he also had to wonder why he didn't know that a member of Sirius' family was in Slytherin. He made a mental note to ask him about it. Narcissa's hysterical, wheezing shrieks of laughter were creating terrible dissonances with Snape's low and insistent cackle. The sound was truly painful.
The whole school was in an uproar, three tables were laughing hysterically and the fourth was complaining loudly to the teachers, who were all trying to end the spell, believing it to be the tickling charm again, but 'finite incantatem' had absolutely no effect. This went on for a good half an hour, until Professor Mechante (with a slight glance at James and Sirius) swept over to the table and administered the antidote that she just happened to have prepared the previous day, something that James thought was very odd. He supposed she must have noticed that all the ingredients for the potion had gone from her cupboard, and it couldn't be hard for her, of all people who knew more about their behaviour than almost anyone else to guess who was responsible, but still, it was disconcerting. It made him feel almost as uncomfortable as the knowing look he received from down the table. Somehow Lily knew, but then, she always knew.