Author's Note: Thanks for all my reviews. Glad you like my story, I 'm sorry if the next few chapters are a little bit shorter than my first. My mom has a new rule where I only have 2 hours a day for the computer. But I'll try to fill them out for ya!!!

Chapter 3: Slow to Heal

James are you sure you're okay?" Remus asked as they walked towards the Great Hall. Looking over James sighed.

"Moony for the millionth time I'm fine. It's just a little scratch." Sirius gave an indignant snort.

"James you have six deep gashes in your side! I think scratches is putting it a bit lightly."

"You guys drop it. If I feel any pain what so ever I'll tell you. I give you permission to do whatever is necessary to fix it. But until then leave it be." Moaning in defeat they followed James into the hall.

As soon as they sat down Sirius began loading things onto his plate. James just stared at his hands.

"James why aren't you eating?" Sirius asked through a mouth full of pancake.

"I'm really not that hungry," he lied. Truth was it hurt when he ate. Sirius dropped his fork. Reaching his hand up he felt James' forehead.

"Not hungry? James I've known you for what….13 years and this is the first time I've ever heard you say that. More or less use those words in the same sentence." James laughed and swatted his hand away.

"It's alright. I'll just eat a lot at lunch." Nodding Sirius went back to his food.

When breakfast was over Sirius and James left the hall and headed towards the Divination room. Remus went the opposite direction towards Muggle Studies. (You can probably guess why Remus does not attend Divination, and if you're to stupid to figure it out it's because he's a werewolf.)

Just as they were about to head up the ladder Lily came in. Smiling James stepped back and allowed her to go first.

"Potter this better not be an excuse to look up my skirt," Lily snapped grabbing the ladder.

"Now Lily how could you think that of me?" James asked with a mock hurt expression. Rolling her eyes she started up. James waited 'till she was on the other side of the door before he himself began to head up.

"Welcome to Divination," Professor Breault sang wrapping her wring-clad fingers around an ancient looking tarot deck. (Breault is pronounced 'Bro') Wisps of wavy black hair fell loosely around her thin elegant shoulders. She smiled.

"I am Professor Breault, and for the first few weeks we will be working on the art of tarot. One of my favorite divination recourses. With a snap of her fingers two tarot decks appeared on each of the six tables. (4 people seat each table)

"Please open your books to page 473 and read for me the paragraph 'Introduction to Tarot' Mr. ….. Black." Taking a minute to dramatically clear his throat Sirius began to read.

"One of the most common, and most popular, tools used by witches is the tarot (pronounced tarrow, to rhyme with narrow). The tarot belongs to the form of divination known as contumacy-diving with cards. The tarot cards are the oldest known of decks; their exact origin long lost. The most popular theory is that they were brought into Europe by Gypsies; probably originating-as did the Gypsies themselves- in India. The earliest known deck dates from the fourteenth century." Bowing Sirius sat down.

"Thank you Mr. Black, Miss Jacobs would you please continue."

"The tarot deck itself consists of 78 cards, in two parts. These parts are called arcana minor and arcana major. The minor arcana is made up of 56 of the cards divided again, into four suits of 14 cards each. It is from this minor arcana of the tarot that our everyday playing cards stem. The tarot suits are Swords, Pentacles (sometimes called coins), Wands (or Staves), and Cups.

The major arcana, otherwise known as the trumps major, has 22 cards; each is an allegedly orical figure of symbolic meaning. These figures are, by many occultists, attributed to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet."

"Thank you, now does anyone here know the Hebrew alphabet and the card characters that corresponds with each letter? I'm sure you were taught these last year." Lily's hand shot up. She smiled.

"Yes, Miss Evans would you please recite."

"Aleph- Magician,

Beth- High Priestess

Gimel- Empress

Daleth- Emperor

Hen- Hierophant

Vav- Lovers

Zain- Chariot

Cheth- Justice

Teth- Hermit

Yod- Wheel of Fortune

Kaph- Strength

Lamed- Hanged Man

Mem- Death

Nun- Temperance

Samekh- Devil

Ayin- Tower

Peh- Star

Tzaddi- Moon

Qoph- Sun

Resh- Judgment

Shin- World

Tav- Fool."

"Very good Lily, exceptional. Ten points to Gryfindor." Lily smiled.

"Now today we will only be looking through the decks and trying to memorize card names. Then tonight I would like you to match them with their letter and sort the into the major arcana and the minor arcana. I will give you all practice cards on the way out. You may use your books to guide you. Work well with the person who sits next to you for they will be there all year…..and begin."

James grabbed the deck he shared with Sirius and began spreading the cards out on the table. The class soon came to an end and the students lined up at the door to receive their cards. When she gave one to Sirius she bent down and whispered in his ear.

"These cards have a special spell on them that makes them resistant to all magical and physical terms of destruction." She patted him on the head.

"Have fun." Sirius smiled innocently and left.

"What was that all about?" James asked when they had reached the floor of the tower.

"she put an anti-destruction spell on the cards so I couldn't break them." James laughed.

"Come on mate," he said smiling at his best friend.

"Ummm……… James you might want to start running. We have 5 minutes to get to Care of magical Creatures and it's on the other side of the school."

"Shit!" James tightened his grip around his bag and he and Sirius set of at an unmatchable pace. When they reached the small hut at the edge of the woods they saw that class has already started. Remus beckoned them over.

(Hagrid's hut is were the Care of Magical Creatures class will take place)

"You haven't missed much. He's just going on about a rare aquatic dragon he saw on his trip to Romania." They looked up to see Professor Kettleburn flailing his arms in the air in order to get his point across. James snickered and lay back on the grass.

"So Remus what are we doing to start this year off. Flobberworms, Hinkypunks, deformed talking trees?" Sirius snorted.

"Well one of those was right. We're doing the care and maintenance of Flobberworms. He said he wanted to start us off lightly." James and Sirius groaned.

"I could write a book on the care and maintenance of those things. He does this every year," James whined rolling onto his stomach.

During the next hour James, Sirius, Remus and the rest of the class shoved large peaces of lettuce down the disturbing creatures throats.

"YES! That class is finally over. If I have to look at those things one more time I'll throw up." Sirius flung his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the castle.

"Time for Ancient Runes. My favorite class," Remus said clapping his hands together. Sirius and James shook their heads.

"Remus you're to smart. How does a brain that size fit in a head with a skull as thick as yours?" Sirius quickly dodged the fist Remus threw at him.

Laughing James turned the corner and ran straight into Lily Evans. They fell backwards onto the floor. Gasping from the pain in his side James quickly, but politely pushed her of him. He grabbed his side and scooted away.

"I'm sorry Lily," he said wincing from the pain in his side. She glared at him.

"Potter I'm not that heavy you don't have to be rude about it," she spat mistaking him holding his side as a joke. James shook his head.

"No Lily its not like that." Remus and Sirius walked over and helped James up.

"James I told you we should get that looked at by Madame Pomfrey!" Sirius spat.

"Look it opened up and its bleeding!" James tried to push them off.

"No wait you can't," he whined. Lily looked at his side were a red stain grew larger by the second.

"Potter what happened to you?" James looked at her.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Sirius glared at him.

"Potter you tell me this instant!"

"Lily just stay out of this!" he moaned holding his side.

"Come on James lets go to the Hospital wing," Remus said steering James towards the stairs. Lily got up and began to follow them.

"Lily what are you doing?" James asked seeing her behind them.

"I'm coming to see what happened. Plus it's my duty as Head Girl to see that you Head Boy are properly cared for when injured."

When they reached the Hospital wing Madame Pomfrey walked over to them.

"Potter what did you do to yourself now?" Remus turned him so she could see the stain. She gasped.

"Put him on the bed over there." Sirius helped James over and he lay down. Madame Pomfrey came back wand in hand. The group gathered around.

"Take off your shirt please." James sat up and slowly removed his shirt before he fell back. Lily gasped.

"Potter what happened?" James looked nervously at his friends.

"Well, I was out on a stroll in the woods when a werewolf came out of know where. I fought it off, but it did its bit on me as well." Madame Pomfrey sighed. (don't worry she doesn't suspect Remus.)

"Mr. Potter you know that you're not allowed in the woods. You should have come to me straight away. This may not turn you into a werewolf, but it will hurt a lot for the next few days. I can wrap you up, but that's all I can do. When a werewolf scratches you it lets a poison into your skin which makes your nerves ultra sensitive. But it takes a while to take affect. You will have to stay here for a while, while the process is in motion. Everything you touch will cause you great deals of pain so I warn you to move as little as possible. I will give you some medicine that will allow you to eat, drink and talk without affect, but that's it." She waved her wand and a bandage wrapped itself around James' waist.

She left them to find the potion.

(I made the poison thing up, just so you know)

"Potter what were you thinking taking on a werewolf. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"Aww, Lils I didn't know you cared," he said smiling.

"Of course I do," she blurted out. Then she blushed and left mumbling about getting back to class. Sirius grinned at James.

"James, I am so sorry. This is all my fault," Remus said bowing his head in shame.

"No, Moony it's not your fault. I've been through worse than this." he smiled at his friend. Madame Pomfrey came back with a small vile.

"You two will need to start heading back to class. Mr. Black will you inform the Professors of Mr. Potters arrangement?" He nodded and left waving goodbye to James.

"So Poppy how long am I in for?" James asked taking the potion. She smiled at him.

"About a week. Now take that potion and get some sleep." James laughed and downed the potion. Before he knew it he was asleep.

Remus and Sirius visited James throughout the week. And soon James was out of the Hospital wing with nothing more than 6 light scars.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The Divination paragraphs were actually written by Raymond Buckland in his book 'The Complete Book of Witchcraft.'