Author's Note: Here it is! The fourth and final chapter! Woah, kill the motor dude…just kidding! No! Lots more chapters to go! And yet again, a huge thanks to all of you who have reviewed, this chapter, I dedicate to all of you! Even if your review was just three words or twenty-five, it still makes me excited and happy every time. Alright, enough with the sap and let's see some magic!
Disclaimer: What? What was that? I don't own Harry Potter, characters, unoriginal situations, etc.? Well, that's a shocker!
"In my head I found you there
and running around and following me...
I'll show you the roses that brush off the snow
and open their petals again and again
And you know that apple green ice cream can melt in your hands
I
Can't...
Do you know what this
is doing to me?
Here in my head."
-Tori Amos
Chapter Four: Here In My Head
At the late breakfast that Saturday morning in the Great Hall, the ambiance was entirely gray, matching the enchanted dark cloudy sky above. Each long wooden table, filled with somber and scared students, ate their breakfast in somewhat of a quiet nature, the only sound was the clinks of forks against plates and the dull mutterings of one student to another. This was most of the tables, except for Slytherin, whose table was duller than usual, but none of the students at that table looked frightened over the events of last night, in fact, a few of them seemed to hold a smile throughout the duration of the meal.
Towards the end, when either everyone had had their fill or decided that they might throw-up if they ate a single bite of food, the moment every student and teacher had waited for came. Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwamp and Order of Merlin First Class, stood at the teacher's table. Each head turned towards him, waiting for him to speak. They did not wait long.
"Students and teachers, Slytherins and Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. The events of last night are known to everyone in this school, for you all experienced it. The reason behind the sudden appearance of the Giants into Hogwarts is yet to be known, but one thing can be said." Everyone in the Great Hall was hanging on to Dumbledore's every word. No one ate, no one talked, no one dared to even move. Sneezes held themselves, coughs were suppressed, slinking back into the throat. The clouds of the enchanted season seemed to be moving much slower than before, almost afraid to pass, to not hear what Dumbledore had to say next. "What I say now stems from my belief that to be prepared means to know the facts, the truth and it is my conviction that every student, teacher, every witch and wizard needs to know and understand what is occurring in the wizarding world. You must be prepared." He took another pause. Time seemed to slow down and all but stop.
"Not every wizard is good. You have learned in your History classes about Dark Wizards and I am sure your parents can tell you about Grindelwald and his years of power, the terror that he inflicted on the wizarding community. I am afraid that such an era has risen again." There was a small uproar in the Great Hall. Most people talked to the person next to them in urgent whispers. A first year girl sitting at the Hufflepuff table gave a small scream before clutching to the fifty year boy sitting next to her, who gently put his arm around her. After a moment, everyone was quiet again, looking to Dumbledore as if he were a parent who would guide them through the roughest spot in their lives. "This wizard has been gaining power and the aide from other creatures. I suspect that the Giants were only the first of his followers. There are other wizards of course and more Giants I presume, but I doubt we'll be seeing any more of them here. There isn't much that the Ministry knows now, just the fact that he is steadily becoming stronger. There is not a doubt in my mind that you will be hearing more of this wizard in the future."
However, I cannot emphasize enough that each and every one of you must be prepared for what is to come. Watch for signs, prepare yourself and embrace each other in this time of need." Dumbledore took another slight pause before he continued. Most people were still hushed, completely silent. "He goes by the name of Lord Voldemort." At the sound of his name, most people didn't move, just suddenly becoming aware of the identity of the wizarding community's new foe. "This summer, I wish for all of you to keep your eyes opened, keep up your studies in Defense Against the Dark Arts and come September 1st, most of you will be back at Hogwarts, for yet another year." He ended with a short smile before a grave look came over him, but it quickly vanished as he turned to a portly wizard beside him.
James looked to his best friends, The Marauders. Sirius was unusually quiet and he just sat, staring into his hands as if they were tea leaves, begging for them to spill the future. Peter, across the table, was still looking at Dumbledore and Remus (next to Peter) was the only one who seemed to have digested it all. "I know we're leaving soon but…I have a feeling I'd rather stay."
"As do all of us," Sirius said, raising his eyes from his hands and looking around the table. Peter had stopped looking at Dumbledore and he was nodding his head.
"I wonder," Peter said slowly and then trailing off to give it a thought. "I wonder…what's going to happen this summer." Sirius shot him a look of disgust. "Oh shove it, S-Sirius. D-Dumbledore wanted to prepare us and if we ignore this then…then-"
"You're right," James said, finally. He shoved his bowl of oatmeal farthest away from his mouth as he could manage. Nothing seemed good anymore. "Which is why I think you should all come to stay with me…in Godric's Hollow."
"Well then, I won't have much to move," Sirius said darkly and then tried to force a smile. Ever since he left that Dark-Arts infested cauldron he called a home last summer, he had been staying with James and the rest of the Potters. They had welcomed him like family, which is exactly what Sirius had needed, but he never went a day at that house without helping Mrs. Potter with the cooking and clearing of the table, or give Mr. Potter a cup of tea when he came home from a rough day at work with the ministry. Being an Auror wasn't easy…
"You should write to your parents now and see if you can come," James said, standing up from the table. Professor Dumbledore had written to every family whose offspring were attending Hogwarts and told them of the current situation. Some had come to pull them out of school immediately and others had decided that Hogwarts was the safest place to be, even in regards of the recent attack. Those who stayed had a whole week.
"What are you going to do?" Remus asked.
"I need to see Lily," he said simply.
"Well, good luck, mate," Sirius said, finally dawning his usual self, a wide grin on his face. "Let's see how far you get separating her from the human Bludger." Conveniently enough, James watched as Lance gave her a kiss on the cheek and departed from the Great Hall, leaving Lily very much alone. "And that," Sirius concluded. "Is why Merlin hates me…and plots my downfall every day."
James laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder before he went to go sit next to Lily at the front of the Gryffindor table. Oddly enough, she welcomed him with a smile and offered part of her rye toast.
"No thanks, Lily. Food doesn't seem to be necessary for survival at the time being."
"Yeah, I know," she said, letting the buttered piece of rye fall to her plate. "I wonder what is to come this summer."
James smiled. "You know, Peter wondered the same thing."
"Did he now?" She said, then scooted over closer to James and let her head rest on his shoulder. The effect was that his heart started to beat faster and he could feel his palms sweat already.
He exhaled slowly. "Lily…I want you to come stay with me this summer." She removed her head and looked into his eyes, her mouth slightly open. "At my parents house, I mean. All the Marauders are going to be there and we can all practice our Defense Against the Dark Arts and you can watch me act like a fool playing Quidditch." She didn't say anything. "Please, Lily. It's safe there and you my dad, there isn't a ward or protection spell he won't have up." She was quiet still. "What else am I going to have to do to convince you, Lily?" He said, half-jokingly.
"Oh, it's not that, James. You don't know how much I would love to stay with you and your parents are amazing and there's nothing I would rather do it's just that…Lance asked me to stay with him and his family and my parents agreed right away. They know what's going on and they think it best if I'm somewhere protected in the wizarding world and-"
"Lily, how do you know it's safe there?" James asked. "Yeah, so his dad is an Auror too, but my father said he barely passed the test."
"But he passed, didn't he?" Lily said, getting a little angry. "And you can't always believe what other people tell you."
"If you're telling me that my father is a liar then-"
"No, that's not what I'm saying at all, James. But he already asked me and I wouldn't mind spending more time with him and-"
"What did Dumbledore say to you?" James said, suddenly completely and blindly angry. He didn't want Lily seeing more of Lance. He could have understood if it was anyone but that idiotic, cheating, great prat of a-
"It is none of your business what Professor Dumbledore and I discussed," Lily said, just as angry but lowering her voice to a harsh whisper. "Neither of us invited you, least of all me."
"What does that mean?" Lily suddenly turned red and looked away from him and towards the soggy piece of rye on her plate. "Did you tell Lance what Dumbledore said?"
"Not everything and-"
"Dumbledore told you in secrecy for a reason, Lily! You can go and be stupid all by yourself and date that idiot but don't be stupid for the rest of the wizarding world."
That had done it. The red was flushed from Lily's face before he had even finished his sentence and her head had whipped right around to face him. "James Potter," she started, almost growling. "If you don't ever talk to me again, I wouldn't regret it."
"I love how you can read my mind," he said and after that, Lily threw her rye toast at him and then got up from the bench. "Have fun this summer, Lily! Drop an owl when you're not too busy having sex with that-"
SLAP!
For the second time in the past few days, another hand had imprinted itself onto James's face, but this time it was with much more force.
"I hope you rot!" Lily yelled before she walked out of the Great Hall, anger covering every inch of that pretty face of hers.
"Apparently Merlin hates you today," Sirius said as James finished his story of what happened nearly an hour later in the Gryffindor common room. He was still pretty livid, even after his walk outside to calm him down. That didn't work, it only made him even more angry. "Well, no need to worry, mate, because you get all of our company this summer."
"That's if our parents will let us," Peter added.
"Oh Wormtail, no need to be the killjoy," Sirius said. "Of course they'll let you."
But that was seemingly not the case at all. By Monday, Remus had received word from his parents that he would be coming home on Wednesday, not to the Potters and Peter had received similar news except he would be leaving-
"Today?" Peter said, opening up his mail on Tuesday of that week. "Why don't my parents understand? They don't have a clue who this Voldemort is nor what he could do."
"No one knows the full extent, Peter," Remus said in their dormitory after breakfast. He was already packing the remainder into his trunk, hence, throwing them haphazardly in, occasionally landing into the black case.
"Well, Wormtail has a point, Moony. If a shitload of Giants can make their way into Hogwarts under the nose of Albus Dumbledore, then I think-"
"He was just testing how far he could go," Remus finished for Sirius. "You're right, Padfoot." After a moment of silence, he turned to James. "When are your parents coming?"
"Wednesday, I suppose. There's no use staying here if the rest of the Marauders are leaving."
The rest of the morning moved along slowly, only entertaining at times with games of Exploding Snap and "Let's play less guys…" Was a suggestion by Sirius but 'less' was actually L.E.S. (Lily Evans Sucks). No one had any real interest in playing that…least of all James, who was trying so hard not to even think of her. But of course, as the world would have it, wizarding or not, the one person you never want to think about is invading your head. Which was exactly the case of a one Mr. James Potter.
At about quarter of eleven o'clock that morning, James, Remus and Sirius walked down with Peter to Hogsmeade, where Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew would be picking him up. It was an odd departure, because they all had the same thing on their minds…
"I promise to write," he said hastily as his parents took his trunk from him. He looked to them all, his eyes a little bloodshot and said, "And please watch yourselves this summer and well…goodbye then."
"Bye, Wormtail."
"You better write, man."
"Try to convince your parents to come for a week, alright?"
Peter nodded and gave a short wave before he ran after his parents, already quite ahead of him. Eventually he disappeared into the crowd-like fog of Hogsmeade and it was then that James pondered how much a threat was this Lord Voldemort? If anyone would know, it would be Professor Dumbledore. And come tomorrow, Remus would be gone as well, leaving only himself and Sirius as the only Marauders together.
The next day, Mr. and Mrs. Potter arrived at Platform 9 ¾ to greet them, just as James knew they would.
"James! Sirius!" Mrs. Potter said, quite relieved that they were here and pulled them both into a hug, even though they were quite taller than she. "Oh boys, I'm so glad you're coming home!" And after she finally released them, Mr. Potter hugged them as well, to the surprise of James. He and his father were close, but normally they either shook hands or Mr. Potter gave him a fatherly pat on the back, but he too seemed quite reassured to see them. "How was your school-"
"I'm sorry, dear," Mr. Potter said, cutting off his wife. "But we really ought to be leaving…you know why, Sarah." She only nodded and followed him out of the platform. It was only when they were climbing into a taxi James felt it safe to talk to her.
"Dad's really serious about all this."
"Yes and so should you, James." His mother had always been so kind and gentle, patient and helpful, but now she seemed to be lacking in some areas, a little stern in others.
"Mum-" James said, trying to get his mother's attention. But she was elsewhere, looking to her husband and then off into the distance.
"I wonder what this summer will bring…"
Disclaimer: What? What was that? I don't own Harry Potter, characters, unoriginal situations, etc.? Well, that's a shocker!
"In my head I found you there
and running around and following me...
I'll show you the roses that brush off the snow
and open their petals again and again
And you know that apple green ice cream can melt in your hands
I
Can't...
Do you know what this
is doing to me?
Here in my head."
-Tori Amos
Chapter Four: Here In My Head
At the late breakfast that Saturday morning in the Great Hall, the ambiance was entirely gray, matching the enchanted dark cloudy sky above. Each long wooden table, filled with somber and scared students, ate their breakfast in somewhat of a quiet nature, the only sound was the clinks of forks against plates and the dull mutterings of one student to another. This was most of the tables, except for Slytherin, whose table was duller than usual, but none of the students at that table looked frightened over the events of last night, in fact, a few of them seemed to hold a smile throughout the duration of the meal.
Towards the end, when either everyone had had their fill or decided that they might throw-up if they ate a single bite of food, the moment every student and teacher had waited for came. Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwamp and Order of Merlin First Class, stood at the teacher's table. Each head turned towards him, waiting for him to speak. They did not wait long.
"Students and teachers, Slytherins and Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. The events of last night are known to everyone in this school, for you all experienced it. The reason behind the sudden appearance of the Giants into Hogwarts is yet to be known, but one thing can be said." Everyone in the Great Hall was hanging on to Dumbledore's every word. No one ate, no one talked, no one dared to even move. Sneezes held themselves, coughs were suppressed, slinking back into the throat. The clouds of the enchanted season seemed to be moving much slower than before, almost afraid to pass, to not hear what Dumbledore had to say next. "What I say now stems from my belief that to be prepared means to know the facts, the truth and it is my conviction that every student, teacher, every witch and wizard needs to know and understand what is occurring in the wizarding world. You must be prepared." He took another pause. Time seemed to slow down and all but stop.
"Not every wizard is good. You have learned in your History classes about Dark Wizards and I am sure your parents can tell you about Grindelwald and his years of power, the terror that he inflicted on the wizarding community. I am afraid that such an era has risen again." There was a small uproar in the Great Hall. Most people talked to the person next to them in urgent whispers. A first year girl sitting at the Hufflepuff table gave a small scream before clutching to the fifty year boy sitting next to her, who gently put his arm around her. After a moment, everyone was quiet again, looking to Dumbledore as if he were a parent who would guide them through the roughest spot in their lives. "This wizard has been gaining power and the aide from other creatures. I suspect that the Giants were only the first of his followers. There are other wizards of course and more Giants I presume, but I doubt we'll be seeing any more of them here. There isn't much that the Ministry knows now, just the fact that he is steadily becoming stronger. There is not a doubt in my mind that you will be hearing more of this wizard in the future."
However, I cannot emphasize enough that each and every one of you must be prepared for what is to come. Watch for signs, prepare yourself and embrace each other in this time of need." Dumbledore took another slight pause before he continued. Most people were still hushed, completely silent. "He goes by the name of Lord Voldemort." At the sound of his name, most people didn't move, just suddenly becoming aware of the identity of the wizarding community's new foe. "This summer, I wish for all of you to keep your eyes opened, keep up your studies in Defense Against the Dark Arts and come September 1st, most of you will be back at Hogwarts, for yet another year." He ended with a short smile before a grave look came over him, but it quickly vanished as he turned to a portly wizard beside him.
James looked to his best friends, The Marauders. Sirius was unusually quiet and he just sat, staring into his hands as if they were tea leaves, begging for them to spill the future. Peter, across the table, was still looking at Dumbledore and Remus (next to Peter) was the only one who seemed to have digested it all. "I know we're leaving soon but…I have a feeling I'd rather stay."
"As do all of us," Sirius said, raising his eyes from his hands and looking around the table. Peter had stopped looking at Dumbledore and he was nodding his head.
"I wonder," Peter said slowly and then trailing off to give it a thought. "I wonder…what's going to happen this summer." Sirius shot him a look of disgust. "Oh shove it, S-Sirius. D-Dumbledore wanted to prepare us and if we ignore this then…then-"
"You're right," James said, finally. He shoved his bowl of oatmeal farthest away from his mouth as he could manage. Nothing seemed good anymore. "Which is why I think you should all come to stay with me…in Godric's Hollow."
"Well then, I won't have much to move," Sirius said darkly and then tried to force a smile. Ever since he left that Dark-Arts infested cauldron he called a home last summer, he had been staying with James and the rest of the Potters. They had welcomed him like family, which is exactly what Sirius had needed, but he never went a day at that house without helping Mrs. Potter with the cooking and clearing of the table, or give Mr. Potter a cup of tea when he came home from a rough day at work with the ministry. Being an Auror wasn't easy…
"You should write to your parents now and see if you can come," James said, standing up from the table. Professor Dumbledore had written to every family whose offspring were attending Hogwarts and told them of the current situation. Some had come to pull them out of school immediately and others had decided that Hogwarts was the safest place to be, even in regards of the recent attack. Those who stayed had a whole week.
"What are you going to do?" Remus asked.
"I need to see Lily," he said simply.
"Well, good luck, mate," Sirius said, finally dawning his usual self, a wide grin on his face. "Let's see how far you get separating her from the human Bludger." Conveniently enough, James watched as Lance gave her a kiss on the cheek and departed from the Great Hall, leaving Lily very much alone. "And that," Sirius concluded. "Is why Merlin hates me…and plots my downfall every day."
James laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder before he went to go sit next to Lily at the front of the Gryffindor table. Oddly enough, she welcomed him with a smile and offered part of her rye toast.
"No thanks, Lily. Food doesn't seem to be necessary for survival at the time being."
"Yeah, I know," she said, letting the buttered piece of rye fall to her plate. "I wonder what is to come this summer."
James smiled. "You know, Peter wondered the same thing."
"Did he now?" She said, then scooted over closer to James and let her head rest on his shoulder. The effect was that his heart started to beat faster and he could feel his palms sweat already.
He exhaled slowly. "Lily…I want you to come stay with me this summer." She removed her head and looked into his eyes, her mouth slightly open. "At my parents house, I mean. All the Marauders are going to be there and we can all practice our Defense Against the Dark Arts and you can watch me act like a fool playing Quidditch." She didn't say anything. "Please, Lily. It's safe there and you my dad, there isn't a ward or protection spell he won't have up." She was quiet still. "What else am I going to have to do to convince you, Lily?" He said, half-jokingly.
"Oh, it's not that, James. You don't know how much I would love to stay with you and your parents are amazing and there's nothing I would rather do it's just that…Lance asked me to stay with him and his family and my parents agreed right away. They know what's going on and they think it best if I'm somewhere protected in the wizarding world and-"
"Lily, how do you know it's safe there?" James asked. "Yeah, so his dad is an Auror too, but my father said he barely passed the test."
"But he passed, didn't he?" Lily said, getting a little angry. "And you can't always believe what other people tell you."
"If you're telling me that my father is a liar then-"
"No, that's not what I'm saying at all, James. But he already asked me and I wouldn't mind spending more time with him and-"
"What did Dumbledore say to you?" James said, suddenly completely and blindly angry. He didn't want Lily seeing more of Lance. He could have understood if it was anyone but that idiotic, cheating, great prat of a-
"It is none of your business what Professor Dumbledore and I discussed," Lily said, just as angry but lowering her voice to a harsh whisper. "Neither of us invited you, least of all me."
"What does that mean?" Lily suddenly turned red and looked away from him and towards the soggy piece of rye on her plate. "Did you tell Lance what Dumbledore said?"
"Not everything and-"
"Dumbledore told you in secrecy for a reason, Lily! You can go and be stupid all by yourself and date that idiot but don't be stupid for the rest of the wizarding world."
That had done it. The red was flushed from Lily's face before he had even finished his sentence and her head had whipped right around to face him. "James Potter," she started, almost growling. "If you don't ever talk to me again, I wouldn't regret it."
"I love how you can read my mind," he said and after that, Lily threw her rye toast at him and then got up from the bench. "Have fun this summer, Lily! Drop an owl when you're not too busy having sex with that-"
SLAP!
For the second time in the past few days, another hand had imprinted itself onto James's face, but this time it was with much more force.
"I hope you rot!" Lily yelled before she walked out of the Great Hall, anger covering every inch of that pretty face of hers.
"Apparently Merlin hates you today," Sirius said as James finished his story of what happened nearly an hour later in the Gryffindor common room. He was still pretty livid, even after his walk outside to calm him down. That didn't work, it only made him even more angry. "Well, no need to worry, mate, because you get all of our company this summer."
"That's if our parents will let us," Peter added.
"Oh Wormtail, no need to be the killjoy," Sirius said. "Of course they'll let you."
But that was seemingly not the case at all. By Monday, Remus had received word from his parents that he would be coming home on Wednesday, not to the Potters and Peter had received similar news except he would be leaving-
"Today?" Peter said, opening up his mail on Tuesday of that week. "Why don't my parents understand? They don't have a clue who this Voldemort is nor what he could do."
"No one knows the full extent, Peter," Remus said in their dormitory after breakfast. He was already packing the remainder into his trunk, hence, throwing them haphazardly in, occasionally landing into the black case.
"Well, Wormtail has a point, Moony. If a shitload of Giants can make their way into Hogwarts under the nose of Albus Dumbledore, then I think-"
"He was just testing how far he could go," Remus finished for Sirius. "You're right, Padfoot." After a moment of silence, he turned to James. "When are your parents coming?"
"Wednesday, I suppose. There's no use staying here if the rest of the Marauders are leaving."
The rest of the morning moved along slowly, only entertaining at times with games of Exploding Snap and "Let's play less guys…" Was a suggestion by Sirius but 'less' was actually L.E.S. (Lily Evans Sucks). No one had any real interest in playing that…least of all James, who was trying so hard not to even think of her. But of course, as the world would have it, wizarding or not, the one person you never want to think about is invading your head. Which was exactly the case of a one Mr. James Potter.
At about quarter of eleven o'clock that morning, James, Remus and Sirius walked down with Peter to Hogsmeade, where Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew would be picking him up. It was an odd departure, because they all had the same thing on their minds…
"I promise to write," he said hastily as his parents took his trunk from him. He looked to them all, his eyes a little bloodshot and said, "And please watch yourselves this summer and well…goodbye then."
"Bye, Wormtail."
"You better write, man."
"Try to convince your parents to come for a week, alright?"
Peter nodded and gave a short wave before he ran after his parents, already quite ahead of him. Eventually he disappeared into the crowd-like fog of Hogsmeade and it was then that James pondered how much a threat was this Lord Voldemort? If anyone would know, it would be Professor Dumbledore. And come tomorrow, Remus would be gone as well, leaving only himself and Sirius as the only Marauders together.
The next day, Mr. and Mrs. Potter arrived at Platform 9 ¾ to greet them, just as James knew they would.
"James! Sirius!" Mrs. Potter said, quite relieved that they were here and pulled them both into a hug, even though they were quite taller than she. "Oh boys, I'm so glad you're coming home!" And after she finally released them, Mr. Potter hugged them as well, to the surprise of James. He and his father were close, but normally they either shook hands or Mr. Potter gave him a fatherly pat on the back, but he too seemed quite reassured to see them. "How was your school-"
"I'm sorry, dear," Mr. Potter said, cutting off his wife. "But we really ought to be leaving…you know why, Sarah." She only nodded and followed him out of the platform. It was only when they were climbing into a taxi James felt it safe to talk to her.
"Dad's really serious about all this."
"Yes and so should you, James." His mother had always been so kind and gentle, patient and helpful, but now she seemed to be lacking in some areas, a little stern in others.
"Mum-" James said, trying to get his mother's attention. But she was elsewhere, looking to her husband and then off into the distance.
"I wonder what this summer will bring…"
