A/N: Je suis retournée! Lol. I had a great time in Dublin, thanx for
asking... :P... I am terribly sorry for leaving u at the mercy of Eihwaz...
Child-of-Scorpio, thanx for offering to lynch Eihwaz... and poor u. I had
'false teeth' a couple of years ago... ouch... try tomato soup unless the
braces are clear, in which case DON'T! :-S
Opal Flames - hooray a new reviewer! Yes I might return to James' POV in
the sequel, if I have a sequel... but that is a long way off.
lita - well, I too think i shud skip but on the other hand i hav already
written a lot... 4th year will go quickly enuf... actually, if u mean
animagus potion... then... well keep reading!
Wind Whisperer - thanx!
tongalo - if u can read this, then if u want, leave me/send me ur email
address and i will send u chap 5. i dont think u missed anything TOO
crucial to be honest lol!
Chapter 14
We tried to put it out of our minds during the exams. If nothing else, we didn't want to distract Peter, who was still struggling, despite our best efforts. As the middle of June arrived, heralding the end of the exams, however, Sirius and I made our way to the library. It was not a place we had been often.
"Hello," I said to Madam Shreve. "I was wondering where the books on Transfiguration are."
She pointed to a corner nearby. "Over there."
We walked over and began flipping through. Only a few even mentioned Animagi, however, and in no more detail than Professor McGonagall had told us.
"Can I help you at all?" Madam Shreve said from behind us. "You seem to be having difficulties. Is there any one thing you're interested in?"
"Well, yes, actually. We were sort of interested in Animagi," I said.
"Animagi?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing.
"Yes. Professor McGonagall just did a lesson on them and we were interested."
"Oh, I see. Well, I'm afraid there's only one book dedicated to Animagi, and it's in the Restricted Section. You'll need a signed permission slip to take it out."
"What's it called?" I ventured.
"'Becoming an Animagus'," she said disapprovingly. "I don't expect it would be much use to you, though - too much about the actual potions and spells needed, not much about the actual subject of Animagi."
I concealed my excitement. "Right. Oh well. I'll ask Professor McGonagall if she's read it."
As Sirius and I left the library, he turned to me. "Are you sure it was safe to tell her what we were looking for?"
"Well, we needed to know the title of that damned book, didn't we?"
"Yes... although I don't see how it helps. We'll never get permission from any teacher for that. They'd have to be completely stupid not to suspect."
"I know. We could come in the Cloak and nick it..."
"That would be too suspicious. That librarian woman would guess it was us. And we're not unrecognisable. She may not know our names, but two black- haired boys, one quite tall, one quite short - no teacher would not guess who it was that had stolen a book from the library."
I smiled, despite my annoyance at his reference to my height. "OK, then, I'll buy it at Flourish and Blotts over the summer. Along with any other useful looking books - there must be loads."
"Yeah, I guess. But we could do with knowing what to buy, as well. No doubt some of the ingredients for this potion she was talking about won't be in the student store cupboard."
"Patience, Sirius," I admonished. "Even if it's not very soon, we'll get this done someday, somehow. There's mail order, there's holidays, there's Hogsmeade... I'm quite sure we'll manage it by some way or another."
I couldn't help noticing that Remus actually looked quite disappointed when we returned from the library, not much better off than before.
"I thought you didn't want us to do this?" I asked.
"I don't, really," he said. "But you made it sound possible, so I suppose I just... got my hopes up a bit. Ignore me. I'm just being silly."
"We have a reference, at least," Sirius consoled.
"Yes... yes, I know. I'm just being silly," he repeated. "Of course, it'd be for the best if you never found out how to do it. Then there'd be no risk of anyone getting hurt."
But we knew he didn't mean it, any more.
I, at least, determined to put the Animagi issue out of my mind until there was anything further we could do. It was nearing the end of July, a time of the last Quidditch match, between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, results from exams, lounging by the river and sun-bathing, and eventually the last feast, results of the Inter-House cup and returning home. The Quidditch match was particularly important to me, as I had received a massive blow to my pride in relation to the sport. The manager of the Junior England team had written to me, telling me that he was replacing me - apparently, I did not have enough dedication to the team. It was true, I supposed, that I only went to one in four of the training sessions... but it wasn't really my fault that I had better ways to spend my weekends and holidays, was it? Well, it was... and I knew it. I tried to keep quiet for a while, although I flinched when people mentioned the sport. Eventually Sirius commented on it.
"Hey, J, you haven't been training for a while."
I swallowed. "No, well, they, er... I resigned!"
"Really?" He looked surprised.
"Yeah, well, it didn't really fit in my schedule, and, er, well we never have matches... the people on the Gryffindor team are better, I sometimes think!" I felt bad about lying, especially as Remus scrutinised me.
"Of course, it's just so beneath you, isn't it James?"
I had the grace to redden slightly, but he never gave me away. To most people, James Potter had rejected the England team... and it just gave me more credos.
The last Quidditch match was not nearly as exciting as last year's decider, largely because we already knew, this time, that Gryffindor had won. The other matches between Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had been such that the only thing riding on the last match was whether Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw would come last. Geoff was still advising caution, though, and my desperation to win was hard to conceal.
"I'd really like to win my last school Quidditch match, even if we do know that we've got the Cup," he said. "You'll all understand when it's your last one, especially if you're captain. So please, don't be reckless, or cocky, or whatever you want to call it. Win this one for me, OK? Please."
It was a short but surprisingly moving speech, and it united us all in one common aim - to win for Geoff, if nothing else. As soon as we took off, we worked together better than anyone, and won with ease, although it was not unsatisfactory. It was challenging - but we were on top form. When Geoff got the Snitch, and we did a triumphant flying display, no-one was surprised; but we had done as he had asked. We had played well, not carelessly, and the outcome was deserved. Later, I heard spectators commenting that our playing had been good because we were relaxed, and knew we'd won the Cup already, but only the Gryffindor team knew that it was entirely down to our Captain. We cheered for an hour, it seemed - and in particular, I felt euphoric.
When we finally entered the common room, there was a goodbye party being held for Geoff as Quidditch captain, arranged by the reserves who had got back in time. I couldn't find Sirius, Peter or Remus anywhere, though. Remus must have gone for dinner early, as it was full moon tonight, but Peter and Sirius?
At last I saw Peter collapse awkwardly through the portrait hole, closely followed by Sirius.
"Where have you been?" I demanded over the music.
"Talking to Snivellus," Sirius grinned smoothly.
"Oh?"
"Yes, he was in a right foul mood after the match. Before as well, in fact. He was muttering a load of stuff about being hit by the Whomping Willow earlier, and asking why it had been put there in the first place."
I grinned. "Nosy git. If only he knew."
"He does, now!" Peter said excitedly. I felt my face drain.
"Peter, how could you?"
"It wasn't me, it was Si! He told him how to stop the branches - then he'd find out."
This was something Remus had told us on the condition that we wouldn't try it. I put two and two together just as Peter finished.
"He said that tonight would be a good time to try it."
Sirius had tried to hold me back as I ran for the portrait hole, the Invisibility Cloak under my arm. "James, stop, you'll risk your life!"
"Yes, well, if you hadn't been so stupid as to put somebody else's life at risk then I wouldn't have to, would I? Let me go!"
"But James, we hate Snivellus!"
"We hate him enough to hex him and taunt him, yes. But I never want to be responsible for killing someone - and I don't want you or Moony to be, either. Remus will kill himself if I don't stop him getting Snape. Besides, do you want Snape to see Remus? And have you considered this - when the branches stop moving, not only can he get in but Remus can get out! So let me go!"
My Quidditch training hadn't been for nothing. Sirius was strong, but even he couldn't keep his grip when I flung myself forward and rolled through the portrait hole. By the time he'd realised he'd lost me, I was all the way down the corridor, running as fast as I could - which was fast.
I pulled the cloak over me as I ran, praying that I would be in time. I flew out of a side door near the Willow just in time to see a lone figure dodging the tree's flailing branches, and poke a long branch at the knot on the side of the trunk. Horror-struck, I saw the branches freeze and Snape laid the branch down on the ground, clearly - even from this distance - surprised that it had worked. I was near him now.
"Stop!"
He looked round, but he couldn't see me, still invisible.
"Stop!"
It was - I was - too late. As I watched, he ducked under the branches and disappeared - but I was just a few seconds behind. I dived under the branches that were beginning to move again, pressed the knot a second time, and heard an ominous growl and Snape's yell. I plunged after him, grabbed his foot and began pulling him back as fast as I humanly could. I saw a flash of grey, matted fur and teeth, well, fangs really. This was hopeless. I leaned to the side and bodily hurled Snape out of the tree. Then I threw myself after him. I heard Remus - was it still Remus? I didn't know - give a hoarse roar and pursue me, but I rolled out of harm's way just as the tree began to shake again. My heart was hammering like it had never before - if I was older, I might have feared a cardiac arrest.
"Snape?" I gasped. Surely, after all that, I had saved him.
A/N: REEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! now. please.
Chapter 14
We tried to put it out of our minds during the exams. If nothing else, we didn't want to distract Peter, who was still struggling, despite our best efforts. As the middle of June arrived, heralding the end of the exams, however, Sirius and I made our way to the library. It was not a place we had been often.
"Hello," I said to Madam Shreve. "I was wondering where the books on Transfiguration are."
She pointed to a corner nearby. "Over there."
We walked over and began flipping through. Only a few even mentioned Animagi, however, and in no more detail than Professor McGonagall had told us.
"Can I help you at all?" Madam Shreve said from behind us. "You seem to be having difficulties. Is there any one thing you're interested in?"
"Well, yes, actually. We were sort of interested in Animagi," I said.
"Animagi?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing.
"Yes. Professor McGonagall just did a lesson on them and we were interested."
"Oh, I see. Well, I'm afraid there's only one book dedicated to Animagi, and it's in the Restricted Section. You'll need a signed permission slip to take it out."
"What's it called?" I ventured.
"'Becoming an Animagus'," she said disapprovingly. "I don't expect it would be much use to you, though - too much about the actual potions and spells needed, not much about the actual subject of Animagi."
I concealed my excitement. "Right. Oh well. I'll ask Professor McGonagall if she's read it."
As Sirius and I left the library, he turned to me. "Are you sure it was safe to tell her what we were looking for?"
"Well, we needed to know the title of that damned book, didn't we?"
"Yes... although I don't see how it helps. We'll never get permission from any teacher for that. They'd have to be completely stupid not to suspect."
"I know. We could come in the Cloak and nick it..."
"That would be too suspicious. That librarian woman would guess it was us. And we're not unrecognisable. She may not know our names, but two black- haired boys, one quite tall, one quite short - no teacher would not guess who it was that had stolen a book from the library."
I smiled, despite my annoyance at his reference to my height. "OK, then, I'll buy it at Flourish and Blotts over the summer. Along with any other useful looking books - there must be loads."
"Yeah, I guess. But we could do with knowing what to buy, as well. No doubt some of the ingredients for this potion she was talking about won't be in the student store cupboard."
"Patience, Sirius," I admonished. "Even if it's not very soon, we'll get this done someday, somehow. There's mail order, there's holidays, there's Hogsmeade... I'm quite sure we'll manage it by some way or another."
I couldn't help noticing that Remus actually looked quite disappointed when we returned from the library, not much better off than before.
"I thought you didn't want us to do this?" I asked.
"I don't, really," he said. "But you made it sound possible, so I suppose I just... got my hopes up a bit. Ignore me. I'm just being silly."
"We have a reference, at least," Sirius consoled.
"Yes... yes, I know. I'm just being silly," he repeated. "Of course, it'd be for the best if you never found out how to do it. Then there'd be no risk of anyone getting hurt."
But we knew he didn't mean it, any more.
I, at least, determined to put the Animagi issue out of my mind until there was anything further we could do. It was nearing the end of July, a time of the last Quidditch match, between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, results from exams, lounging by the river and sun-bathing, and eventually the last feast, results of the Inter-House cup and returning home. The Quidditch match was particularly important to me, as I had received a massive blow to my pride in relation to the sport. The manager of the Junior England team had written to me, telling me that he was replacing me - apparently, I did not have enough dedication to the team. It was true, I supposed, that I only went to one in four of the training sessions... but it wasn't really my fault that I had better ways to spend my weekends and holidays, was it? Well, it was... and I knew it. I tried to keep quiet for a while, although I flinched when people mentioned the sport. Eventually Sirius commented on it.
"Hey, J, you haven't been training for a while."
I swallowed. "No, well, they, er... I resigned!"
"Really?" He looked surprised.
"Yeah, well, it didn't really fit in my schedule, and, er, well we never have matches... the people on the Gryffindor team are better, I sometimes think!" I felt bad about lying, especially as Remus scrutinised me.
"Of course, it's just so beneath you, isn't it James?"
I had the grace to redden slightly, but he never gave me away. To most people, James Potter had rejected the England team... and it just gave me more credos.
The last Quidditch match was not nearly as exciting as last year's decider, largely because we already knew, this time, that Gryffindor had won. The other matches between Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had been such that the only thing riding on the last match was whether Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw would come last. Geoff was still advising caution, though, and my desperation to win was hard to conceal.
"I'd really like to win my last school Quidditch match, even if we do know that we've got the Cup," he said. "You'll all understand when it's your last one, especially if you're captain. So please, don't be reckless, or cocky, or whatever you want to call it. Win this one for me, OK? Please."
It was a short but surprisingly moving speech, and it united us all in one common aim - to win for Geoff, if nothing else. As soon as we took off, we worked together better than anyone, and won with ease, although it was not unsatisfactory. It was challenging - but we were on top form. When Geoff got the Snitch, and we did a triumphant flying display, no-one was surprised; but we had done as he had asked. We had played well, not carelessly, and the outcome was deserved. Later, I heard spectators commenting that our playing had been good because we were relaxed, and knew we'd won the Cup already, but only the Gryffindor team knew that it was entirely down to our Captain. We cheered for an hour, it seemed - and in particular, I felt euphoric.
When we finally entered the common room, there was a goodbye party being held for Geoff as Quidditch captain, arranged by the reserves who had got back in time. I couldn't find Sirius, Peter or Remus anywhere, though. Remus must have gone for dinner early, as it was full moon tonight, but Peter and Sirius?
At last I saw Peter collapse awkwardly through the portrait hole, closely followed by Sirius.
"Where have you been?" I demanded over the music.
"Talking to Snivellus," Sirius grinned smoothly.
"Oh?"
"Yes, he was in a right foul mood after the match. Before as well, in fact. He was muttering a load of stuff about being hit by the Whomping Willow earlier, and asking why it had been put there in the first place."
I grinned. "Nosy git. If only he knew."
"He does, now!" Peter said excitedly. I felt my face drain.
"Peter, how could you?"
"It wasn't me, it was Si! He told him how to stop the branches - then he'd find out."
This was something Remus had told us on the condition that we wouldn't try it. I put two and two together just as Peter finished.
"He said that tonight would be a good time to try it."
Sirius had tried to hold me back as I ran for the portrait hole, the Invisibility Cloak under my arm. "James, stop, you'll risk your life!"
"Yes, well, if you hadn't been so stupid as to put somebody else's life at risk then I wouldn't have to, would I? Let me go!"
"But James, we hate Snivellus!"
"We hate him enough to hex him and taunt him, yes. But I never want to be responsible for killing someone - and I don't want you or Moony to be, either. Remus will kill himself if I don't stop him getting Snape. Besides, do you want Snape to see Remus? And have you considered this - when the branches stop moving, not only can he get in but Remus can get out! So let me go!"
My Quidditch training hadn't been for nothing. Sirius was strong, but even he couldn't keep his grip when I flung myself forward and rolled through the portrait hole. By the time he'd realised he'd lost me, I was all the way down the corridor, running as fast as I could - which was fast.
I pulled the cloak over me as I ran, praying that I would be in time. I flew out of a side door near the Willow just in time to see a lone figure dodging the tree's flailing branches, and poke a long branch at the knot on the side of the trunk. Horror-struck, I saw the branches freeze and Snape laid the branch down on the ground, clearly - even from this distance - surprised that it had worked. I was near him now.
"Stop!"
He looked round, but he couldn't see me, still invisible.
"Stop!"
It was - I was - too late. As I watched, he ducked under the branches and disappeared - but I was just a few seconds behind. I dived under the branches that were beginning to move again, pressed the knot a second time, and heard an ominous growl and Snape's yell. I plunged after him, grabbed his foot and began pulling him back as fast as I humanly could. I saw a flash of grey, matted fur and teeth, well, fangs really. This was hopeless. I leaned to the side and bodily hurled Snape out of the tree. Then I threw myself after him. I heard Remus - was it still Remus? I didn't know - give a hoarse roar and pursue me, but I rolled out of harm's way just as the tree began to shake again. My heart was hammering like it had never before - if I was older, I might have feared a cardiac arrest.
"Snape?" I gasped. Surely, after all that, I had saved him.
A/N: REEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! now. please.