Chapter 10: Whisperind Wind
"Alright, spill it, big boy," commanded Sirius. He crossed his arms and leaned back into the fluffy maroon armchair in the Gryffindor common room, giving James a this-better-be-good-because-I'm-missing-desert-face. Remus and Peter had settled down on a couch and wore similar looks on their faces, though Remus looked slightly more concerned than annoyed. James inwardly thanked Merlin for a friend like Remus. He took a deep breath.
"Something funny's going on," he started nervously. He glanced around the common room at the shadows dancing eerily on the walls from the rippling fire before them. Grotesque shapes lurked in the far corners of the room, and he could faintly glimpse the milky, full moon through the curtains of a fogged-up window. He turned back and watched the black ashes in the fireplace swirl around and float upward before they dissapeared into the chimney. He licked his lips slowly, tasting a spicy chicken flavor, and began to fidget with his hands. "I'm not sure what it is, and I might be overreacting. Actually, I really do hope I am overreacting. I didn't really think much of it before. But...this could be big."
Sirius stared at him for a second before he rolled his eyes and threw his head back. "I knew this was coming. You've finally realized that you're in love with her. I knew it. What, so are you gonna profess your love in the Great Hall? Do you want us to plan some elaborate scheme for you?" He grinned mischeviously at the thought. "Ahh, I can see it now..." James smacked him across the head. "Ooh, feisty, are we? She'd like that..." Peter snickered.
"SHUT UP!"
"Hmm...then that would explain the letter you were writing in History of Magic today..." Remus began thoughtfully, looking questioninly at James.
"NO! You guys, I'm not in love with her! That's NOT what I'm talking about," he said, running his hand through his hair. He leaned back against the sofa and sighed. He began to massage his head with the palms of his hands, once more staring at the fire. The common room was silent, but Sirius still had a happy little grin on his face.
After a few seconds, James started up again. "It's a lot more serious than that. I'm not sure how much. He didn't really tell me. I didn't really listen to him much at first-"
"Wait, who?" interrupted Sirius, looking confused.
"My dad. Anyways, I wrote him back telling him we weren't interested-"
"We?"
"Us."
"Us Marauders?"
"YES!"
"The hell you talkin' about?"
"Well if you shut up and let me finish maybe I could tell you. Seriously, Sirius," James said, looking immensly annoyed. He glanced around the room again, checking to make sure they were alone. Empty chairs revealed imprints that were now filled with only the shadows of students, and tables that were unnaturally tidy. A light wind coming from a cracked open window in the corner whispered softly as it glided through the extra space in the oddly empty room. It brushed past his ears and drifted on, beckoning to him. He shivered and followed it back to the open window, its fingers ruffling his hair softly. He slammed the window shut and exhaled. James walked back towards his friends and the warm fire, feeling relieved, but he suddenly felt an icy coldness creeping up his legs, swirling around his body, and carressing his cheeks. It kissed him on the nose and disappeared.
Remus craned his neck and looked at the giant, mahogany grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "Better hurry up, people will be coming back soon."
"Right..." James exhaled. "So...Moony, that letter I wrote in history of magic was to my dad, not to...her," he shot a dirty look at Sirius, who had remembered the chicken in his bag and had started eating it hungrily. "He wrote me on the first day of school, I never told you guys because I didn't think it was important. But today, right before dinner...you know who I saw talking to eachother? Snivellus and Lestrange. Snivellus and Lestrange. " he paused, letting the words sink in. Sirius's mouth had dropped open, and Remus had raised his eyebrows. Peter looked lost.
"Snape and Lestrange?" Peter repeated. "But they hate eachother... I'm confused."
"That's the point, Peter," James said patiently, ruffling through his book bag. He pulled out a notebook and shook out its contents. He picked up a gray piece of paper and handed it to Remus. "Here, read. This explains everything." He bent down and cleaned up the papers and stuffed his notebook back into his bookbag before sitting back to watch Sirius and Peter crowd around Remus.
Dear James,
I trust that your last year of school will be excellent, as usual. I wish you good luck on your first day of school and the beginning of your life as Head Boy of Hogwarts. Go easy on the girls.
But on a much more serious note, James, do you remember what we discussed at the end of summer? I wasn't sure if it was necessary then, but now I know. I am going to tell you all of this because I trust you. I trust you with my life, as well as Sirius and Remus.
Yesterday, Alan Locklear intercepted an encrypted letter that we beleive is from a prominent family in the wizarding community, the Malfoys. The code is difficult to break; its seems there are several different codes within the one letter. I and the other Aurors have been working on it since it entered the department. We think we may have snatches of it broken, specifically the words: "mudbloods", "spies", "son", and "recruit". The Dark side is gaining strength, as I have told you. This new "Voldemort" seems to be seeking support, and receiving it. Through this letter and other sources, we think he might be attempting to recruit within Hogwarts. We are unsure of many things now, but as the muggle saying goes: "Better safe than sorry."
This is where you come in, James. You and your Marauders. Remember, I trust you and your friends deeply, as this is a matter of utmost secrecy. If we had other resorts, we would turn to them. Somewhat reluctantly, we are asking you to spy for us. It may seem silly, but we cannot afford to place anyone within Hogwarts without arousing suspicion. All you need to do is report anything suspicious to me. We can arrange a safe communication method later on. It is up to you whether you want to accept or not. To an extent, we are counting on you.
That is all I have to say for now. Thank you, son.
Your mother says hello and that she can't wait to see you during Christmas.
With much love,
Father
p.s. Burn this letter. That was a command. You will obey.
"Alright, spill it, big boy," commanded Sirius. He crossed his arms and leaned back into the fluffy maroon armchair in the Gryffindor common room, giving James a this-better-be-good-because-I'm-missing-desert-face. Remus and Peter had settled down on a couch and wore similar looks on their faces, though Remus looked slightly more concerned than annoyed. James inwardly thanked Merlin for a friend like Remus. He took a deep breath.
"Something funny's going on," he started nervously. He glanced around the common room at the shadows dancing eerily on the walls from the rippling fire before them. Grotesque shapes lurked in the far corners of the room, and he could faintly glimpse the milky, full moon through the curtains of a fogged-up window. He turned back and watched the black ashes in the fireplace swirl around and float upward before they dissapeared into the chimney. He licked his lips slowly, tasting a spicy chicken flavor, and began to fidget with his hands. "I'm not sure what it is, and I might be overreacting. Actually, I really do hope I am overreacting. I didn't really think much of it before. But...this could be big."
Sirius stared at him for a second before he rolled his eyes and threw his head back. "I knew this was coming. You've finally realized that you're in love with her. I knew it. What, so are you gonna profess your love in the Great Hall? Do you want us to plan some elaborate scheme for you?" He grinned mischeviously at the thought. "Ahh, I can see it now..." James smacked him across the head. "Ooh, feisty, are we? She'd like that..." Peter snickered.
"SHUT UP!"
"Hmm...then that would explain the letter you were writing in History of Magic today..." Remus began thoughtfully, looking questioninly at James.
"NO! You guys, I'm not in love with her! That's NOT what I'm talking about," he said, running his hand through his hair. He leaned back against the sofa and sighed. He began to massage his head with the palms of his hands, once more staring at the fire. The common room was silent, but Sirius still had a happy little grin on his face.
After a few seconds, James started up again. "It's a lot more serious than that. I'm not sure how much. He didn't really tell me. I didn't really listen to him much at first-"
"Wait, who?" interrupted Sirius, looking confused.
"My dad. Anyways, I wrote him back telling him we weren't interested-"
"We?"
"Us."
"Us Marauders?"
"YES!"
"The hell you talkin' about?"
"Well if you shut up and let me finish maybe I could tell you. Seriously, Sirius," James said, looking immensly annoyed. He glanced around the room again, checking to make sure they were alone. Empty chairs revealed imprints that were now filled with only the shadows of students, and tables that were unnaturally tidy. A light wind coming from a cracked open window in the corner whispered softly as it glided through the extra space in the oddly empty room. It brushed past his ears and drifted on, beckoning to him. He shivered and followed it back to the open window, its fingers ruffling his hair softly. He slammed the window shut and exhaled. James walked back towards his friends and the warm fire, feeling relieved, but he suddenly felt an icy coldness creeping up his legs, swirling around his body, and carressing his cheeks. It kissed him on the nose and disappeared.
Remus craned his neck and looked at the giant, mahogany grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "Better hurry up, people will be coming back soon."
"Right..." James exhaled. "So...Moony, that letter I wrote in history of magic was to my dad, not to...her," he shot a dirty look at Sirius, who had remembered the chicken in his bag and had started eating it hungrily. "He wrote me on the first day of school, I never told you guys because I didn't think it was important. But today, right before dinner...you know who I saw talking to eachother? Snivellus and Lestrange. Snivellus and Lestrange. " he paused, letting the words sink in. Sirius's mouth had dropped open, and Remus had raised his eyebrows. Peter looked lost.
"Snape and Lestrange?" Peter repeated. "But they hate eachother... I'm confused."
"That's the point, Peter," James said patiently, ruffling through his book bag. He pulled out a notebook and shook out its contents. He picked up a gray piece of paper and handed it to Remus. "Here, read. This explains everything." He bent down and cleaned up the papers and stuffed his notebook back into his bookbag before sitting back to watch Sirius and Peter crowd around Remus.
Dear James,
I trust that your last year of school will be excellent, as usual. I wish you good luck on your first day of school and the beginning of your life as Head Boy of Hogwarts. Go easy on the girls.
But on a much more serious note, James, do you remember what we discussed at the end of summer? I wasn't sure if it was necessary then, but now I know. I am going to tell you all of this because I trust you. I trust you with my life, as well as Sirius and Remus.
Yesterday, Alan Locklear intercepted an encrypted letter that we beleive is from a prominent family in the wizarding community, the Malfoys. The code is difficult to break; its seems there are several different codes within the one letter. I and the other Aurors have been working on it since it entered the department. We think we may have snatches of it broken, specifically the words: "mudbloods", "spies", "son", and "recruit". The Dark side is gaining strength, as I have told you. This new "Voldemort" seems to be seeking support, and receiving it. Through this letter and other sources, we think he might be attempting to recruit within Hogwarts. We are unsure of many things now, but as the muggle saying goes: "Better safe than sorry."
This is where you come in, James. You and your Marauders. Remember, I trust you and your friends deeply, as this is a matter of utmost secrecy. If we had other resorts, we would turn to them. Somewhat reluctantly, we are asking you to spy for us. It may seem silly, but we cannot afford to place anyone within Hogwarts without arousing suspicion. All you need to do is report anything suspicious to me. We can arrange a safe communication method later on. It is up to you whether you want to accept or not. To an extent, we are counting on you.
That is all I have to say for now. Thank you, son.
Your mother says hello and that she can't wait to see you during Christmas.
With much love,
Father
p.s. Burn this letter. That was a command. You will obey.