A/N: I am SO sorry about the long wait, but I have been EXTREMELY
busy for the past few weeks. I was in a play, so I spent a lot of time on
that, and then I took my spring break in Florida. Now that I'm back and
everything's settled again, I can concentrate on my writing once again.
Again, sorry about the long wait. This chapter should be more interesting
than the last one.
Chapter Two The Calling
James Potter yawned, folded up the *Daily Prophet*, and sat up. "Ah, I see Latvia's playing France in the Quidditch finals," he muttered, reading off of the back of his best friend's paper.
Sirius Black grinned and closed his paper. "Latvia's gonna slaughter France," he laughed. "France hasn't won the cup in 87 years."
James chuckled. "Who do they have for a Beater now?" He rechecked the paper. "Ah, yes-Montardent. I remember his picture in the Prophet a few months ago-fellow doesn't look like he has two brain cells."
The men's laughter echoed throughout the room. Sirius stretched out on the couch adjourning to James's and yawned. "Might as well get forty winks while I'm lying here," he muttered. "Great thing about heaven-never have to worry about cleaning house, or going to meetings, or-"A sly smile spread across his face. "Or a sneaky little house-elf who hisses insults out of the corner of his mouth"
James did not laugh. He looked suddenly sober. "Hey, Sirius?"
"Mmmmmm?" Sirius closed his eyes.
"Tell me again-What happened on that night in the Department of Mysteries?"
This got Sirius's attention. He jolted up from half-sleep like an awakened mummy. He had already told James all about the Department of Mysteries plenty of times-but James wanted to hear it again and again. And especially the part about his son.
"James, you've got to stop asking me this," said Sirius in a low voice. "You can't change the past-and you can't brood on it, either," he added, seeing the stubborn look on James's face. "I know how much Harry means to you-he meant nearly as much to me. But life-and death-goes on. You've got to look to the future."
James's mouth pulled down in a frown, but before he could say anything, an official-looking angel wearing a badge arrived. Sirius and James rose to their feet at once in greeting.
The official seemed rather snobby, and his manner reminded Sirius intensely of Percy Weasley. "I have an urgent message for a Mister James Potter," sneered the official. "You will follow me at once to the Head Angel."
James's face fell. Surely he couldn't have done anything wrong?
Sirius sensed his best friend's apprehension. "Don't worry, mate. I'll come with you." He glanced appraisingly towards the official. "If it's all right with- *Your Lordship*." Sirius inclined his head slightly.
"*I* have no objections," remarked the official, nose high, "but I cannot speak for the Head Angel. Follow me then."
As the two men trailed the official through many long, seemingly endless corridors, James became more and more panicky. He wondered desperately what he had done wrong. Sirius put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, mate," he whispered feverently. "It'll be fine." James couldn't help but notice that Sirius's hands were shaking as well.
After what seemed like eternity, but what was really only a few minutes, the official was pushing them in a door. "I have Mr. Potter-and friend," he announced disapprovingly.
"Come in, come in," called a deep voice. The voice sounded firm, but not unkind.
The two Marauders found themselves in a cozy meeting room. A long table was surrounded by a bunch of large, cushy armchairs with wheels. James at once felt himself relax. A man who put comfortable chairs in a room surely couldn't be that bad.
"You are excused now, Charles," called the voice. The official nodded and flew out the door, closing it behind him. "You two," came the voice. "Sit."
James and Sirius nodded and sat.
"Now," said the voice, "I can reveal myself."
It was as though a bright light had just been turned on over the head of the table, revealing a stocky, very ordinary looking man. The only thing unusual about him was the giant wings protruding from his back.
No one spoke. Finally, Sirius got up the nerve to say, "Please, sir, I wasn't going to come along, but James is my best friend and..."
"It's alright," said the man. He sounded amused. "You may stay. Do you know why you are here, James?" James shook his head. "You are not here for punishment. You did not do anything wrong."
James let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding.
"You are here," said the Head Angel slowly, "to earn your Wings."
James's eyes grew wide. Finally! After nearly 15 years, his wings were in sight. James was well-known to be a boy at heart in Heaven. He had accomplished minor tasks, but never nearly enough to earn his Wings, and Sirius hadn't been around long enough to earn his. Lily, ever the responsible woman, had achieved Wings her first year in Heaven. Now, finally, she would stop nagging James about getting his!
"Oh, is *that* all!" roared Sirius, slapping James on the back. "From the way that official talked, you would've thought you were on your way to Azkaban!"
"Charles is a bit-er-shall we say, *overenthusiastic* about his job," commented the Head Angel, sounding amused again. "He makes every summons sound *morbid*, and the people who arrive are trembling with fear." He chuckled. "But we're getting off topic."
"What must I do to earn my wings?" asked James. He could hardly wait.
"You must save a life, James," said the Head Angel. "A man is about to commit suicide, and you must try to convince him that life is a good path, after all."
"It sure is," muttered Sirius. "God, do I miss life."
"Never use Our Lord's name in vain," reminded the Angel. "Well, James? Are you up to the task? If you succeed, you will earn your Wings, of course."
James thought for a moment. His task sounded a bit hard, but he wanted his wings so badly-and he wouldn't mind going down to Earth again, either, if only for a short while.
"I'll do it!" he said finally.
"Good man, James!" smiled the Head Angel. "I will give you some instruction before you leave. Now, I suppose you want to know the name of the person you will be saving?"
"Yes, sir."
The Head Angel looked down at a clipboard. "Where is it? I've shuffled my papers a bit here," he muttered to himself. "Ah, yes. Here it is." He cleared his throat. "The man's name," he read aloud, "is Severus Snape." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lol, wasn't that mean of me, leaving you like that! Don't worry-I'm going to post more chapters SOON (I hope). If I get REALLY good reviews, I'll post the next chapter. You will make me so happy if you review! Go on-two minutes out of your day to make me the happiest author alive :)
Chapter Two The Calling
James Potter yawned, folded up the *Daily Prophet*, and sat up. "Ah, I see Latvia's playing France in the Quidditch finals," he muttered, reading off of the back of his best friend's paper.
Sirius Black grinned and closed his paper. "Latvia's gonna slaughter France," he laughed. "France hasn't won the cup in 87 years."
James chuckled. "Who do they have for a Beater now?" He rechecked the paper. "Ah, yes-Montardent. I remember his picture in the Prophet a few months ago-fellow doesn't look like he has two brain cells."
The men's laughter echoed throughout the room. Sirius stretched out on the couch adjourning to James's and yawned. "Might as well get forty winks while I'm lying here," he muttered. "Great thing about heaven-never have to worry about cleaning house, or going to meetings, or-"A sly smile spread across his face. "Or a sneaky little house-elf who hisses insults out of the corner of his mouth"
James did not laugh. He looked suddenly sober. "Hey, Sirius?"
"Mmmmmm?" Sirius closed his eyes.
"Tell me again-What happened on that night in the Department of Mysteries?"
This got Sirius's attention. He jolted up from half-sleep like an awakened mummy. He had already told James all about the Department of Mysteries plenty of times-but James wanted to hear it again and again. And especially the part about his son.
"James, you've got to stop asking me this," said Sirius in a low voice. "You can't change the past-and you can't brood on it, either," he added, seeing the stubborn look on James's face. "I know how much Harry means to you-he meant nearly as much to me. But life-and death-goes on. You've got to look to the future."
James's mouth pulled down in a frown, but before he could say anything, an official-looking angel wearing a badge arrived. Sirius and James rose to their feet at once in greeting.
The official seemed rather snobby, and his manner reminded Sirius intensely of Percy Weasley. "I have an urgent message for a Mister James Potter," sneered the official. "You will follow me at once to the Head Angel."
James's face fell. Surely he couldn't have done anything wrong?
Sirius sensed his best friend's apprehension. "Don't worry, mate. I'll come with you." He glanced appraisingly towards the official. "If it's all right with- *Your Lordship*." Sirius inclined his head slightly.
"*I* have no objections," remarked the official, nose high, "but I cannot speak for the Head Angel. Follow me then."
As the two men trailed the official through many long, seemingly endless corridors, James became more and more panicky. He wondered desperately what he had done wrong. Sirius put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, mate," he whispered feverently. "It'll be fine." James couldn't help but notice that Sirius's hands were shaking as well.
After what seemed like eternity, but what was really only a few minutes, the official was pushing them in a door. "I have Mr. Potter-and friend," he announced disapprovingly.
"Come in, come in," called a deep voice. The voice sounded firm, but not unkind.
The two Marauders found themselves in a cozy meeting room. A long table was surrounded by a bunch of large, cushy armchairs with wheels. James at once felt himself relax. A man who put comfortable chairs in a room surely couldn't be that bad.
"You are excused now, Charles," called the voice. The official nodded and flew out the door, closing it behind him. "You two," came the voice. "Sit."
James and Sirius nodded and sat.
"Now," said the voice, "I can reveal myself."
It was as though a bright light had just been turned on over the head of the table, revealing a stocky, very ordinary looking man. The only thing unusual about him was the giant wings protruding from his back.
No one spoke. Finally, Sirius got up the nerve to say, "Please, sir, I wasn't going to come along, but James is my best friend and..."
"It's alright," said the man. He sounded amused. "You may stay. Do you know why you are here, James?" James shook his head. "You are not here for punishment. You did not do anything wrong."
James let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding.
"You are here," said the Head Angel slowly, "to earn your Wings."
James's eyes grew wide. Finally! After nearly 15 years, his wings were in sight. James was well-known to be a boy at heart in Heaven. He had accomplished minor tasks, but never nearly enough to earn his Wings, and Sirius hadn't been around long enough to earn his. Lily, ever the responsible woman, had achieved Wings her first year in Heaven. Now, finally, she would stop nagging James about getting his!
"Oh, is *that* all!" roared Sirius, slapping James on the back. "From the way that official talked, you would've thought you were on your way to Azkaban!"
"Charles is a bit-er-shall we say, *overenthusiastic* about his job," commented the Head Angel, sounding amused again. "He makes every summons sound *morbid*, and the people who arrive are trembling with fear." He chuckled. "But we're getting off topic."
"What must I do to earn my wings?" asked James. He could hardly wait.
"You must save a life, James," said the Head Angel. "A man is about to commit suicide, and you must try to convince him that life is a good path, after all."
"It sure is," muttered Sirius. "God, do I miss life."
"Never use Our Lord's name in vain," reminded the Angel. "Well, James? Are you up to the task? If you succeed, you will earn your Wings, of course."
James thought for a moment. His task sounded a bit hard, but he wanted his wings so badly-and he wouldn't mind going down to Earth again, either, if only for a short while.
"I'll do it!" he said finally.
"Good man, James!" smiled the Head Angel. "I will give you some instruction before you leave. Now, I suppose you want to know the name of the person you will be saving?"
"Yes, sir."
The Head Angel looked down at a clipboard. "Where is it? I've shuffled my papers a bit here," he muttered to himself. "Ah, yes. Here it is." He cleared his throat. "The man's name," he read aloud, "is Severus Snape." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lol, wasn't that mean of me, leaving you like that! Don't worry-I'm going to post more chapters SOON (I hope). If I get REALLY good reviews, I'll post the next chapter. You will make me so happy if you review! Go on-two minutes out of your day to make me the happiest author alive :)