Chapter 9: Halloween

It has been two months since James had arrived at Durmstrang. He was passing all of his classes, but was still having trouble as the classes progressed. The weather around Durmstrang had taken an immediate drop from when James arrived. It had turned from hot, summer days to frigid, winter days in a matter of two weeks, right in the middle of September. On one very cold day, James was to be seen walking out of the dungeons with his girlfriend of seven weeks, Mia Koda. He had asked her out on the second day of school, after Mia had let slip her feelings about James during their first class. James had had another rough day Potions.

"It seems that lack of Potions intelligence runs in my family," James said stubbornly as they arrived in the hall of the Tigron Dorm Room.
"Don't worry, you're still passing and that's all that really matters. Besides, there's still another eight or nine months left in the school year, you could just be experiencing a tough lesson at the moment," Mia said.
"I've been experiencing these tough lessons since school started. How much easier can they get?" James said irritated.
"All I'm saying is that you still have time to do better in that class. Trome Dlov," Mia said as they reached the painting of the giantess.
"Thanks for you support, Mia," James said. "See ya."
"You too."

James walked up into his dormitory and was about to fall on his bed to go to sleep when he noticed Hedwig was sitting on his bed, and she had a letter attached to her leg. About time, Dad, James said to himself as he ripped off the letter and read what his parents had to say.

Dear James,
Sorry it has taken so long to reach you. Hedwig was injured on a return flight last month. We think she was intercepted by Death Eaters. They're still at large without their master.
Anyway, to the point. That mirror you found was given to me in my fifth year at Hogwarts. Sirius Black, my godfather, gave that to me in hopes that I would use it to contact him if I needed him. Unfortunately, at that time, I didn't feel like using anything Sirius gave to me. I just wanted him to stay out of trouble. My lack of curiosity led Sirius to his death.
I have no problem with you using that mirror. I feel that it was great that you found it. Just promise me you don't draw too much attention to the fact that you are talking into a mirror. People may think it strange of you. Anyway, thanks for your letter, we're glad you got safely to school, and send more info on this girlfriend of yours. Mom says hi.

Love,
Dad

James finished reading the letter. He began thinking about what his dad had said. Who would have tried attacking Hedwig? James thought to himself. This isn't good. On the other hand, he thought, I can talk to Sirius whenever i want. I'll call him tonight. Maybe grandma and grandpa will be awake. As James continued thinking of the letter, Mia walked in the dorm. As it wasn't too late, nobody else was in the room but her and James.

"What are you doing?" Mia asked, sitting down on the end of James' bed.
"Just reading the letter my dad sent," James replied. "Do you want to meet my dad's godfather?"
"Isn't it a bit too early to be meeting each others family?" Mia asked. "We've been going out for two months."
"Don't worry, he's dead, but we can......"
"Is that supposed to comfort me?"
"No, but I can communicate with him. So do you want to meet him or not?" James asked.
"Sure."

James walked over to his trunk and got out his mirror. He walked back over to his bed and said "Sirius". As he sat down, James saw Sirius Black swim into view in his mirror.

"What's up, James?" Sirius asked, beaming. "Thought you forgot about me."
"No, I've just been busy," James said, also smiling. "So what have you been up to?"
"Not much I can do is there, considering I'm dead and all. But yesterday I did........Who's that behind you?" Sirius asked suddenly, looking horror-struck.
"Oh, that's just my friend....."
"(cough)Girlfriend(cough)".
"Yeah, my girlfriend, Mia Coda," James said, blushing.
"Not her," Sirius said. "There was someone else in your room."
"Can you check the door?" James asked Mia. Mia went to the door and opened it. After a few seconds, she closed it again and said to James, "Everyone down there is working."
"Anyway," Sirius said. "How's your dad doing?"
"Great," said James. "He said I can talk to you whenever, but to not draw attention to myself."
"And he's right," said Sirius. "Someone could think you're using powerful Dark Magic, though, at Durmstrang, who isn't?" James and Mia laughed at this. When they had stopped, Sirius looked at Mia and asked her, "So, who are you?"
"Well, I am Mia Coda, and I am the daughter of Phyllius and Tyra Coda. My grandfather is the minister, Alastor Moody and my brother was killed by Death Eaters," Mia answered.
"You never told me any of that," James said awestruck.
"You never asked."
"Yeah, but still."
"So what was your brother's name?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Elijahh Coda."
"Would you like to talk to him again?"
"Yes, very much."
"Give me a minute and I'll check if he is awake."
Sirius left, and came back five minutes later.
"He is sleeping at the moment, but I left him a message saying you would talk to him around 9:00p.m. tomorrow," Sirius said.
"Thank you Mister Black," Mia said.
"Are you in any way related to Hermione Granger?" Sirius asked perplexed.
"Yeah, she's my cousin."

"See ya later, Sirius," James said and he put the mirror away. "We need to talk," he added to Mia.
"Can we tomorrow, I'm really tired?" Mia asked, stifling a yawn.
"O.K."

James woke up the next morning feeling as though he had gotten two hours of sleep. His mind was still dwelling on the conversation he had had with Sirius the night before. Who had tried to spy on me and Mia last night and why didn't Mia tell me she was Hermione's cousin? James thought to himself. He walked down into the common room, still thinking when Mia ran up to him.

"So did you sleep okay?" Mia asked, smiling and holding James' hand.
"It felt like a few hours," James said. "So why didn't you tell me about Hermione?"
"Do you know her?" Mia asked inquisitively.
"She's my best friend's mom." James answered.
"Are you serious? How's she doing? I haven't seen her in so long." Mia said.
"Have you tried writing to her and asking yourself?" James asked.
"No, actually I haven't."

They had walked down to the Dining Hall, where James saw something that brightened up his day.

Dorm Quidditch Team Tryouts
Today signals the first of four three-day Quidditch tryouts for the Dorm teams. The schedule is as followed:

Monday: Tigrons from 6:30-8:30, Fal-Cons from 8:40-10:40
Tuesday: Eelons from 6:30-8:30, Tigrons from 8:40-10:40
Wednesday: Goph-Ons from 6:30-8:30, Eelons from 8:40-10:40
Thursday: Fal-Cons from 6:30-8:30, Goph-Ons from 8:40- 10:40
Friday: Tigrons from 6:30- 8:30, Fal-Cons from 8:40-10:40
Saturday: Eelons from 1:30-3:30
Sunday: Goph-Ons from 2:30-4:30

If you are sick on one of these days and you wish to make it up, ask your Head-of-House. If you don't know who they are by now, you are pathetic and should be ashamed of yourselves. Their names are on the Point-Glasses in the Dining Hall.

"Awesome," James said, looking at the sign. "I am definitely trying out."
"Are you any good?" asked a voice James had not heard for a while. He turned around and was face-to-face with John.
"Of course I am. Are you?"
"I have played quite a bit the last few years. I am definitely going to make that team," John said maliciously.
"You haven't tried out yet, so you can't say for..." Mia began.
"Shut up, you filthy little mudblood," John said.
"Watch you mouth," James said. "Before I take care of it for you."

James and Mia walked over to the end of the Tigron table where they both got some breakfast and continued talking again. It turned out that Mia was a very good Chaser and was planning on trying out for the team. "Wouldn't it be great if we both made on the team?" she asked.

Classes that day passed as they normally had. The first year students were given a pretty decent amount of homework to do, but with the help of Mia, James was able to finish most of his during lunch and the rest before Quidditch tryouts. At around 6:00, James and Mia made their way down to the Quidditch Pitch. They walked out onto the field to find the Tigron Quidditch Team dressed in there robes waiting for the rest of the students that were trying out.

Here, James saw four other people; two girls he knew by name as Lily Everett and Locke Lopez, and two boys, one was John and the other was a silent boy who sat at the back of each class and never spoke. His name was Jose Lurtz. To begin the tryouts, the team had the others through a quaffle around with a partner, increasing the distance after every five throws. Jose was spectacular at throwing and catching and he was partnered with John. Perhaps it was just the fact that Jose threw hard but John was having a hard time holding on to the quaffle. After warm-ups, they went through quaffle drill; driving in to the hoops and attempting to score on the keeper. James and Mia both made all of their attempts, but John missed half of his. The tryouts ended with a race to see who flew the fastest from one side of the pitch to the other. James narrowly beat Mia, who was quickly followed by John and Jose.

As James was leaving the pitch five minutes later, he overheard the Tigron Quidditch team discussing the tryouts. "If John keeps this up, he's not going to have much of a chance making the team this year," a female voice said. "I felt James, Mia and Jose have already earned a spot on this team," came a male's voice.

James walked back up to the dorm room with a slight spring in his step. When he reached the entrance to the Tigron Dorm, James gave the password (Trome Dlov) and walked over to the table where Mia was sitting. "You have an owl," she said as James sat down. Mia handed James the letter and he opened it. The letter was smudged with what looked like water.

Dear James,
I am sorry to have to tell you this but there was a break in at Hogwarts last night. Death Eaters forced their way in and killed most of the school. Sirius did not survive.