Chapter 3: Last First Day
James and Lily seated all the students as they came into the Great Hall before they took their own seats, beside their friends—the other Marauders, Lewis Demshaw, and two others: Summer and Jesse Robins.
Summer was a tall, really rather pretty dirty-blonde girl. Personality-wise, she seemed to always be on some form of rush—either from sugar or coffee, and yet she was very intelligent and knew when to be serious.
Jesse was Summer's twin sister. She was also dirty-blonde but she wasn't as skinny as her twin. She also had shorter hair. Jesse was a barrel of laughs and she knew how to have fun. Her rush, though, was from chocolate.
"Hey guys! We missed you on the train," greeted Summer. "Where were you?"
"We were patrolling," answered Lily.
"ahem, sure... patrolling," Jesse winked at her sister.
At that moment, the first years came into the Great Hall, led by Professor McGonagall. Their short young bodies were trembling as they made their way down the center of the long hall towards the stool where the Sorting Hat sat. They stared in awe at the bewitched ceiling and at the faces of the older students. They formed a sloppy line as the professor called out their names. Gryffindor got the most new members, followed closely by Slytherin, then Ravenclaw, and then Hufflefuff.
After the last kid was sorted (Zebrezny, Martha into Slytherin),Dumbledore cleared his throat and stepped up to a podium. "Welcome, welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Cheers, clapping, and the buzz of excited chatter filled the Great Hall. "I have a few announcements. Our caretaker, Mr. Argus Filch, feels it necessary for me to again point out that he has posted the (very long) list of forbidden items on his office door." The Marauders sniggered evilly as they knew that they had been very much a part of this. "Secondly," Dumbledore continued, "I would like to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is very much forbidden. Thirdly, last year's Dark Arts professor, Professor Jones, has retired due to the birth of his wife's new baby, Karina. Lastly, this is Professor Isaac Lucas. He will be taking over for Professor Jones." A chubby man about the height of a first-year stood up. He had a receding hairline and robes which were entirely too long for his short body. He looked into the students' faces with intimidation and a stern look on his face. Perhaps he would have been more intimidating if he wasn't so short.
"Now," continued Dumbledore, "let the feast begin!"
They all stuffed their faces until they could barely lift their spoons to shove more trifle or ice cream or pie or... all of the above, down their throats. Then it was time for Lily and James to lead the prefects and the younger students to the common room.
As they walked the Gyrffindors to their common room, they imparted pearls of wisdom about the castle upon them. James would say, "and this is the shortcut to take when you're late for -------- class!" then Lily would give him an admonishing glance and say something to the effect of, "and this is a painting of Merlin... yes, he is moving!"
"Password?" asked a painting of an old blacksmith working on an anvil, once they reached the common room.
"Red Ink Quill," a 5th year prefect named Hannah Crance announced with a sense of pride.
"Right then," said the blacksmith. "All these people with you???"
"No, Lunce, they followed us from Kings Cross!" Sirius said, rolling his eyes, "they got their robes from the new professor—Commander Bun Bun!" He added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Lunce ignored Sirius and looked down at his work as he moved aside to let them in.
"Bloody git..." breathed Sirius as they climbed through the portrait hole. He plopped himself into a sofa beside Remus, Peter, Jesse, and Summer and began telling them about his confusion with "the female species."
"We are not a separate species," Summer laughed.
"Yeah, men are!" Jesse snorted.
James and Lily meanwhile, couldn't have felt more relieved as they plopped themselves into the two armchairs nearest the fireplace.
Lily yawned.
"I'm exhausted," said James. "I hope that being the Heads isn't this exhausting all the time."
"Hmmm," said Lily quietly. She was resting her head on her elbow and was being hypnotized by the dance of the flames in the fireplace. They were quiet for about ten minutes.
"I'm going to bed before I actually fall asleep!" James said as he jumped from the chair.
There was no response.
"Evans?" He looked over to see Lily fast asleep in her chair; her red hair falling gracefully across her face.
"Hey, c'mon, mate!" called Sirius from the stairway to the boys' dormitory, "Time for some prank-planning!"
"Sure!" James called back. "Give me two minutes, eh?" He went over to where Lily was sleeping. "Evans?" he beckoned, "E-e-evans???"
Lily slowly opened her eyes and inhaled. "Oh," she said, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I must've fallen asleep. Thanks for waking me." She got up. "Well, g'nite, Potter!"
"'Night," he watched her as she walked away.
"C'mon, Prongs. Padfoot says he'll have the Purple Penguin King after you if you don't get up here," said Remus from the top of the staircase.
James smiled and rolled his eyes. "Alright Moony, I'm coming."
"Hey, Potter?"
James turned and looked up to see Lily at the top of the girls' staircase.
"Thanks," she said.
"For what, Evans?"
She shrugged, "For being... good today."
He smiled and looked at the floor, "no problem."
"'Night, Potter."
"'Night Evans."
"Mister Potter?"
James looked up suddenly, "GEORGE WASHINGTON!!!" he exclaimed victoriously. The muggle-borns in the classroom giggled quietly.
"Who?" Professor Flitwick cocked his head to one side and gave James a confused look.
"Erm... I'm actually not so sure..."
"Your paper, Mr. Potter. Where is it?" The tiny professor was standing in front of James' desk.
"Oh, right!" He fished around in his bag. "Here you are," one by one, he stacked twelve rolls of parchment into Flitwick's outstretched arms.
"Next time," he poked his head from around the high stack of parchment in his arms to look at James, "do your sleeping in your dormitory instead of my class, please." The bell rang. "If you haven't handed in your assignments..."
James got up lazily and walked over to Sirius, whose head was still on his desk. James pulled out his wand and made a loud "BOOM!" next to his ear. "WAKEY, WAKEY! EGGS AND BACIE!!!!"
Sirius rubbed his ears ("ow!") and looked up at James. "I was having such a good dream, too..."
"Yeah, yeah, c'mon, let's go" said James, pulling his one of his best mates to his feet, "it's lunch time!"
"Woo hoo! Yeah LUNCH!" He perked up suddenly and ran out of the classroom shouting to James, "last one there's Bellatrix's date!"
"...so then this Ravenclaw, Sandra, I think goes, 'well if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were coming on to me!' and Peter here goes, 'and you're in Ravenclaw?!'" First day back and already Jesse and Summer were sharing the gossip.
"I know! All you said was, 'can I borrow a quill?'"
"Did anyone have Potions or Defense yet?" Remus asked.
"Oh, I did... I had Potions," answered Lewis.
"And...?"
"Pray you didn't forget a.single.thing. over the summer."
James sighed deeply.
"Oh joy," said Sirius, creating a small spark with his wand in mock celebration.
"Urgh!" groaned Remus. "We've got double advanced NEWT potions followed directly by double advanced NEWT Defense!"
There was a collective sigh as the friends got up and gathered their things.
Professor Taylor, the potions' master, had some form of stick up his arse as usual; they'd been assigned 4 rolls of work over the next week in his class.
Professor Isaac Lucas, as it were, had been an auror. Had been. He said he'd quit but James and the other marauders couldn't figure out why someone would willingly quit what was quite possibly the best job in the wizarding world. Presently, they all sat in the classroom listening to the short, chubby professor.
"...I must tell you...YOU, as young wizards preparing to enter the real wizarding world—the dark and dangerous one—you must know."
Sirius sighed in boredom, his head propped up against his right hand.
"There is a threat rising against our world and quite possibly the muggle one. A new and most powerful force will arise—" The professor stopped as he saw Summer's hand shoot up.
"Erm, excuse me professor, but—with all due respect—this is Defense Against the Dark Arts, not Divination."
The class sniggered quietly.
"Ms. Robins, are you doubting that there is even a grain of truth coming from the mouth of a retired Auror? One who has seen the evil lying dormant that will awaken. That has perhaps has already awakened?!"
Summer looked down at her desk in defeat.
"So you've seen it then, eh?" challenged Sirius.
"I have."
"So, why, if this so-called 'threat' is so 'real'... why are you not out there right now fighting to protect everyone— why are you not out there doing your job?" He asked coolly.
"But I am doing my job! Don't you see? Educ—"
"You QUIT your job... ... ... professor"
There was an awkward silence as the tension in the room mounted to the point where you could've cut through it with a knife.
"Educating you—you who are smarter, younger, faster, and altogether more capable than me, is my job now."
A/N:
To BulmaXVegetafan001 thank you SO much for reviewing! Keep reading and tell all your friends wink gives you cookies
To Whitepaw: Thanks for your reviews, your support, and mostly your beta-reading! If it wasn't for you, this story wouldn't have happened! I'd give you cookies but then you'd get really really really hyper....oh forget it! gives you pixie-sticks and cookies
To thecounter: You're a coward. If you have something to say to me, don't make it so that I can't even defend my honor.
Ahem Right so see you next chapter! ;-)
